The Savannah morning news., 1904-05-27
IN THE HANDS OF
A COMMITTEE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY LEAVES
MATTER OF CLOSER RELATIONS
WITH NORTHERN CHURCH.

Rev. DIR. James Y. Fair of Savannah
Was Among Those Who Spoke in
Favor of Closer ReIatiOns-Others
Who Were Heard on Both Sides.
Work of the General Assembly Ot
the Southern Church.
Mobile, Ala, May 26.-The storm of
yesterday in the General Assembly of
the Southern Presbyterian Church was
followed to-day by calm, which came
with the final action on the report of
the Committee on Closer Relations, end
ing the rather spirited debate, which
was at times very exciting.
In the afternoon session there was
some further debate on the subject of
the report of the Committee on Colored
CHARACTERIZATION, and the matter was
brought to a head by the final adoption
of the report, including the recommen-
dation of the appropriation of $4,000
for this work during the ensuing year.
The debate in the afternoon session
was somewhat enliVened by the report
of the Committee on Foreign Missions,
which made no recommendation for the
retention Of DR.. Chester. the present
secretary of the Foreign Mission Board
who has occupied the position for the
past fifteen years. His friends took ex-
caption to this, and some of them char
acterized IL as . stab in the back at
DR.. Chester, and offered a substitute
to the report. looking to his retention
in the office. The matter went over and
action was deferred until tomorrow.
Adopted the Report.
The General Assembly adopted the
report OF a committee favoring closer
relations with other Presbyterian bod
les. BY a vote Of 81 to 10, debate on the
subject was limited to five minutes by
each speaker. An exception was made
in the cases of DR.. Boggs, chairman of
the special committee. and DR.. A. c.
Hopkins, the leader of the opposition to
the adoption of the report.
Speeches in favor of the adoption of
the report were made by Judge S. NJ.
Shelton of Vicksburg, Miss. DR.. j. Y.
Fair, Savannah, Ca; ]. H. Hill, Max
ton, N. c.; DR.. H. w. Burnett, Angus
ia. Ga. and Rev. A. E. Baker Oh
Maryland.
Speeches in opposition to the adoption
of the report We're made by Rev. s.
Archer of Greenville. Miss. and Rev.
G. a. Storrs of Virginia.
DR.. Hopkins SAID he was against the
appointment of what he termed an on-
nibus conference committee, as called
for in the majority report, but favored
a conference for closer relations with
the Dutch Reformed Church. He said
that in his opinion the Northern Church
had eXpunged nothing, as the resolution
of 1861 had not been withdrawn. He
said the Dutch Church wanted to be on
friendly terms, but did not desire a
union.
DIR. w. E. Boggs, chairman of the
special committee that brought in the
majority report favoring closer rela
tons, spoke for the adoption of the re-
port. He said it would be discourteous
to adopt the substitute report.
The question was called for on the
adoption of the Hopkins substitute, and
it was lost by a vote of 154 to 80.
The majority report which favors
closer relations, was then adopted, and
the assembly adjourned until o'clock.
On Closer Relations.
AT the afternoon session the most i'm
portant action taken was the addition
of the report of coiOred evangalilation
which carried with it a recommenda-
ton for an appropriation of $4,000 for
this work for the ensuing year.
The reports of the Committee on BIZ
BILE Cause and Theological Seminar
were adopted, and then the Foreign
Mission Committee submitted a report
of the progress of this work.
The following is the committee ap-
pointed by the moderator on the sub
ject OF closer relations, in accordance
with the report adopted in the morn
ing session. which caused a warm de-
bate: Rev. G.. B. Strickler, D. D..
Richmond. Va: Rev. c. r. Hemphill
D. D.. Louisville Ky; Rev. S. M.
Neel, D. D., Kansas City, Mo-; Rev.
j. H. McNeilly, d. D., Nashville,
Tenn: Rev. w. Z. Boggs. D. D..
Jacksonville, Fla; Rev. ]. r. Hover
ton, D. D., Charlotte. N. c.: Capt. S.
n. Roberts, Sherman, Tex. Hon.
Charlton H. Alexander, IL. D., Jack
son. Miss: Thad. Harrison. Mobile
Ala.
The night session, by previous ar
rangement, had been set aside for Il
public meeting, In behalf of foreign
mission work Rev. f. H. Fleming
of Richmond, Va. presided and adj
dresses were made by DR.. Morris. DR..
Allyn and Rev. l.. P. Vass. The meet
Ing was larSelv attended and the con-
eIegation listened with much interest
to the experiences of the missionaries
who spoke.