The Savannah morning news., 1904-05-20
NEEL IS CHOSEN
AS MODERATOR
SOUTHERN PRESBYTERIANS
ENGAGED IN WORK OF THE GEN
ERAL ASSEMBLY.

Several Hundred Delegates Are in
Attendance in MObiIe-Tvo Negro
Delegates, Both from Alabama,
Are Among Them-SeveraI Minis
tiers Nominated for Moderator.
Among Them Was Rev. DIR. w. r.
DOggs-NeeI Elected on Third Bal
lot.
Mobile, Ala, May 19.-The forty
fourth General Assembly of the South
ern Presbyterian Church convened to-
day in the Government Street Pres
byterian Church. Several hundred
delegates are in attendance.
After a sermon by the retiring mod
orator, DR.. A. c. Hopkins of the
First Presbyterian Church of Char
lesion, w. Va, the assembly was call
ed together and DR.. w. A. Alexan-
der read the roll call of commission
ers appointed.
The most important matter to come
before the assembly is the proposed
union of the Northern and Southern
churches. The question of union with
the Dutch Reformed Church will also
be considered.
The states of Alabama, Arkansas.
Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and
Virginia are embraced in the general
assembly and delegates are present
from all. Two negro delegates, both
from Alabama, are in attendance.
The conference began last night with
the reports of five theological semi
naries supported by the church, which
were continued to-day.
The work of the conference is to pre-
pare for the general assembly papers
dealing with the management of edu-
cational institutions at which young
men are prepared for the ministry.
The general assembly will be in ses-
sion ten days.
The assembly was called to order at
the afternoon session by the retiring
moderator, Rev. Hopkins, the first or
der of business being the election of the
new moderator. The candidates pre-
sented to the assembly were Rev. w.
E. Boggs, Jacksonville. Fla; Rev. ]. H.
McNeiliy, Nashville, Tenn; Rev. ]. B.
French, Fort Worth, Tex, and Rev.
S. M. Neel of Kansas City. On the
third ballot DR.. Neel was elected. He
was conducted to the chair and con-
graduated by the retiring moderator,
making suitable response.
Upon taking the chair the moderator
announced the election of minute clerk
as the first business. The retiring
moderator, Rev. A. c. Hopkins, moved
the election be made the special order
for Monday, at p. m. This precipi-
tated lengthy debate, the older men,
bers of the assembly clamoring for de-
lay, while the younger urged immediate
action. The matter resulted in the
nomination of several candidates and
making the election the special order
for IL a. m. tomorrow.
Rev. A. F. Carr presented the mod
orator with gavel from piece of the
first wharf built by Bienville at Mobile
in ITO, recently excavated, it's anthem
ITCHY being proved by old maps found
in France.
The following special orders were
made: Friday, p. m, Sunday-sehool
and young peoples work; Monday, s
p. M, ministerial relief.
DR.. S. M. Neel, the new moderator, is
pastor of the Central Presbyterian
Church of Kansas City, Mo. He Is of
the Mecklenburg, North Carolina)
stock, and was educated at LAGRANGE
College, Tennessee, which persisted dur
ing the Civil War. He practiced law in
Memphis in his younger days, was a
soldier in the Confederate army and at
the close of the war studied theology in
Columbia, S. c., and Edinburgh, Scot
land. From 1872 to 1875 he was pastor
at Oxford, Miss, thence went to Shell
byville, KY, from which place he went
to his present charge.