New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-27
CHURCH UNION DEBATED.
Warm Discussion at Buffalo OUer
Cumberland Merger.
GEr TELEGRAPH TO qHE TRIBUNE.

Buffalo X Y Nav 2G-To-day's session OF the
Presbyterian Assembly closed amid great excite
rnent and with the question Of union with the
Cumberland branch still unsettled. When the MOD
orator declared the session adjourned a dozen men
were clamoring for recognition and CONFUSION
reigned in z parts Of the house. y resolution Of
fered by the Rev. DR.. John j. carson OF BROOK
lyn fixing the time for taking the vote on the
Question rrecpita-ad she crisis. Points OF order
questions OF privilege and amendments came rom
a score Of commissioners al the same tifne- MHe
a seublance Of order was restored me resolution
WIS finally passed. il fixes the tine 10Y q vote d
712 tornorrow and limits the remaining addresses
20 Ten minutes each. The drift Of debate to-day
favored union.
Around the following question a battle royal was
waged:
DO you approve Of the REUNION I'M C &i states Of
America and the Cumberland Pres2yteIlan Lu[cIi
on ne % m Cn,1rch IN the United States of
o. Q, ag s s yyey IN is and Of its and
ecclesiastical standards and the scriptures 81 ~,
Old and the New Testameuts shah ne ackh0%IeogS1a
as the Inspired Word God the only infaAhle rule
of faith and practice
The reoomnendatioas OF the committee are;
F4rst-Thst changes be made IN the FORM o., o.
United states OF America viii allow additional or
seIare.e pre- vShoiy or in part within the
territorial bounds OF existing presby eres OK ~
s sssRSsd Sy ysu f2I Tads or 1aoaat
,cScarrent declarations Shall submitted to the
General Assembly, and the entire plan 81 union
1Trent 6eciaraTions and the first recommendation
shall have been adopted IN their enuF nfS p, the
roneTeEafion throughout both branches - me
Church thst they 0 IstcT ,bS ie woGid grant
10 Us ell ths spirit Of counsel ana m-stt M 10
Keep TX TS the unity OF the spirit IN the bond Of
peace"
Eleven speakers. four OF them moderators Of FOR
rner assemblies. and two or three more WHO arc
rue,v "a occupy that chair crossed swords on TINS
subject. Debate Of hour and halr only re
mains before the vote Is taken tomorrow morning
A great outburst OF applause greeted the reealh6
~ a telegram from the Cumberland Assembly 1haN
,a,a rlen Of union proposed IN both assemblies had
eeen carried by two-thirds vote IN Dallas. aiteT
a two days discussion. II was several minutes De-
fore the Moderator could get the commissioners
csluaed sufficiently take up the question in jheiT
own Assembly. The speakers on the proposed
,,nion with the Cumberland Church were: On N''7
Affirmative slde-Dr. William H. Roberts OF fha-
selphia the chairman; DR.. James d. MohhI' pres
6ent Of Washington and Jefferson Coliese' ~
Robert F. Coyle. of Denver, and DIT. ChsIies q,
Toic,-av 81 Philadelphia, former moderaIoIs' anu
Robert A Brown, Of Indianapolis: on me htsa'lNe
side-Drs Francis L. Patton. president OF 49,
TON Theological Seminary. and Henry = 44i-,l-'
NJ Trenton " j. former moderators: the rev
George T billiard. OF Columbia, > - anu ID ~
seph L Weaver Of Pueblo. CO.. ,
Dr. Roberts sounded the keynote OF the DEBATE
.n this declaration: Il am high CalFlhls-
at
recognize that other types OF CalVlnlsm are possl
HE in The Presbyterian Church" President ration
said that the issue now before the Assembly Vas
Jar more important than the question OF revision
as it was attempt 10 revise the CONFESSION IL d
roundabout way. He added;
II Won ACCEPT this plan you will have rnoraly
Committed yourselves TO q confession ma 'iu'
O,JT ne Calvlnistic distinction OF our tllGrcl;
sf6rn that the Cumberland Confession OF r Slth Is
an Aruinian Confession. How do ! kno" nay
read ii Brethren. II my Church adopts tlls plail
Of union and receives the Cumberland church as ~
present proposed, I viii never again say ttal al
Siuisr is the essence % the Presbyterian Church.
Dr Affnton admitted that he was in favor OF
,,nion with the Cumberland Church but he was
convinced that the present basis was not only I'M
satisfactory hut radically defective. Dr. Coyle re-
ferred TO the movement for union among various
denominations not only in this country but in
Canada Scotland and nearly all the mission neids
He added.
Splits and schis.ns and separations re
proach which cannot be too soon taken away from
our PRESBYTERIAN churches. No amount Of fine.
theological thinking make il right for us 10 he
apart calv1niErn IS more synonymous with
Christianity than John Calvin is SYNONYMOUS with
Jesus Christ. The Confession Is not the Bible the
GeneYan is not the Galilean
DR.. Stevenson opposed the proposed union be
cause OF the difficulty in the way OF administra7
ton. especially in regard the board OF the
Church, and more particularly because the Cum
eerland Church had 3 good many women elders