The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-24
FRESNO, CAL, CHOSEN
CUMBERLANDs WILL MEET THERE NEXT YEAR.
Reports of Committees ReceIved-Re- suit of Conference to Check Ten- dencies Toward FaciIe Divorce
 is Read to Dallas Assembly.

Dallas, Texas, May 23.-only one ses- sion was held today by the General As- sepnbly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, that being the forenoon gath ering at which one of the most import ant events was the decision to hold the next annual General Assembly at Fresno, Cal This was accomplished after nearly two hours of speech making on the part of those fayorinE different cities. Deca- tur. H., and Columbus, O., were in the trace, but were beaten on the first bal lot. -a
 The invitation of the Fresno Cumber- land Presbyterfans was presented by the Rev. Duncan Wallace of that place in a lengthy speech in which he promised free entertainment to all the delegates and his invitation was reinforced by city and county officials besides personal letter from Governor sPardee of Cali fCrnia.
 The devotional services of the morning ere led by the Rev. L. W. Binkley of Tennessee. Following this half a dozen clergy and lay commissioners who had come In late, reported. Reports as fol- lows were made and properly referred:
 Educational Commission. Temperance Committee. Historical Society. Evangelis- tis Work and Pan-Presbyterian Alliance. None of these was read in full with tho exception of that on temperance.
 Rev J. W. Laughlin, pastor of the First Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Chicago, reported to the Assembly for the Inter-Church Conference of which he was the Cumberland member, on the sub ject of marriage relations and divorce. The Committee on this matter had been working for two years. The report urges the necessity of action in checking the tendencies to facile and frequent divorce
 The report is signed by sixteen noted dvines of as many churches. the Right Rev Bishop William c. Deane of All bany, N. Y. being chairman of the com mittee.
 Petitions of three presbyteries against the proposed church union were deferred ewing to the fact that the debate opens tomorrow on that topic, A resolution d. viding Tennessee into an east and west synod was recommitted.
 Mrs w B. Preston of this city. con- veyed greetings fIom the Womans' Board of Missions. giving a brief report of the annual convention of that body held last week in Chicago. She reported that the synods of Tennessee. Missouri and Texas W ere the highest in this matter. Moder- ator Settle responded.
 Upon motion of Rev. J. Hudgins, Wash ington. Ind. it was decided that the As- sembly meet at 8 o'clock tomorrow morn ing for a devotional service of one hour bv way of preparation for the moment ous work beginning at o'clock, the de- bate on the proposed union.
 Recess was taken in the afternoon in order that the committees might have chance to work
 q believe we ought to shut up the churches in many places on Sunday night, and instead of having services there, have family worship in our homes" said the Rev. pr. J. R. Henry. dean of the Theological Seminary of Cumberland University, Lebanon, Tex as, tonight. in an address under the auspices of the educational and min isterial relief society of the Cumber- land Presbyterian Church. Dean Hen " was speaking on the needs of the church and was emphasizing the nec- essity of getting back to the "old fashioned" religion. He asked for heartier support of the present church, for the young minister endeavoring to gain an education.
 Another speech along the same line was that of Rev. w. J. Darby. Evans vile, Ind, secretary of the education al society of the church, who presided at the meeting. Prof. R. W. Hines of Covington, Ohio. in an address not ed the decrease in the number of can dfdates for the ministry. attributing 1t to the prosperity in commercial lines. and the long time required to become fitted for the profession.
 Rev. George F. Baily, of Kansas City, presented the claims of minis ters, who have been incapacitated for further work in the church as pas tors.
 Union and anti-union forces tonight are well prepared for the contest over the union proposition tomorrow morn ing. Both sides claim the balance of power,
 It appears that the debate on the subject may last two days before a decision Is reached.