The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-05-25
CUMBERLANDS DEBATE
THE PROPOSED UNION
Decision Upon the Question Has Not
Been Reached.

AhtuCheUs
Dallas, Tex, May 24.-Debate upon
the most momentous problem the Cum
berland Presbyterian Church has faced
in years, that Of the union of that o.
ganization with the Presbyterian
Church in the United States of Ameri-
ca, occupied the attention of the Gen.
eral Assembly here during almost the
enure day When the recess was taken
this evening there were others ready TO
participate in the discussion. There is
no positive indication as to when the
debate will end, nor what will be the re
suit of the vote. although it is be
lieved the commissioners will be glad to
express themselves officially to-mor-
row afternoon.
Five members of the assembly spoke
on the question to day, touching main
lE upon the three generally mooted
points in the confession of the Presby-
terrain Church in the United States CO
America: The doctrine of predestina-
ton; the race question and the educa-
tional qualifications of ministers.
The contest, specifically is upon the
adoption or rejection of a resolution
recommending the renort of the Com
mittee on Fraternity and Union to the
Presbyteries for adoption, which re-
port declares for the union of the
churches.
Rev Dr. S. NJ. Templeton, of Clarks-
willie, Tex mover of the resolution, was
the first speaker. He declared that the
former tenets of the Presbyterian
Church in the United States of America
previously offensive to Cumberland
Presbyterians, had been cut asunder
DIR Templeton and w. NJ Robson of
Texas, engaged in a brief colloquy upon
the question of the revision of the
Westminster confession of the Presby-
terrain Church in the United States of
America.
Judge F. H. Prendergast of Marshall,
Tex, opened for the anti-unionists he
advocated strongly the policy stay
where you are" He referred to the
doctrine of the Presbyterian Church in
tho United States of America as
''rnusty cobwebs that had fallen into
disuse even by a laris4 part of that
church"
The negro phase Of this question he
considered an insurmountnble barrier
to the union. IF they come into our
churches, then we have lost our infiu-
ence with a great class" he said. He
declared that the anti-unionists did not
want to be dragged into the alliance
against their wills and begged that
they be not forced to do so.
In the afternoon Judge E. E. Bard
of Lebanon, Tenn, member of the |
Committee on Fraternity and Union,
spoke for two hours upon the desira-
billty of adopting the resolution and
recommending the report. He de-
clared that he was opposed to the social |
equality of negroes, but he believed
that the provisions of the report did
not place them and blacks on the same
equality in some cases, even in the
matter of admission to Presbyteries
and Synods of the church.
One of the strongest speeches, per-
haps, against the union proposition
was that of Rev. ]. L. Hudgins of
Washington, Ind. Rev. Hudgins de-
clared that the two churches were not
generally agreed upon the subject,
some of both bodies opposing il, and
that the doctrines Of the Presbyterian
Church in the United States of Amer
lea were far distant from those of
Cumberland Presbyterianisrn.
Dr. r. V. Foster, formerly professor
of systematic theology in Cumberland
University, Lebanon, Tenn, favored
the union in a speech which was mark
ed for it's humor and for the response
which 1t met with in the assembly.
His plea was that while the two
churches might not now be able to
agree exactly and absolutely on the
matter of a confession, he believed both
could be easily united, and he declared
il as his conviction that there was
something more behind the opposition
TO the union than a mere difference in
doctrine
Before taking up the debate upon
the theme, this morning the assembly
heard a report from the Committee on
Sabbath Observance. in which a stricter
observance of that day was advocated
and ministers were requested to preach
on this subject.
The Committee on Finance presented
its report. One section. that upon the
question of the general mileage fund,
provoked debate. A motion was lost
reducing the tax per capita from 5 to
4 cents This tax is levied on each
member for the purpose of providing
a general fund to be used among those
chosen as delegates to the general as
sembly from presbyteries where finan-
cial provisions have not been made for
such expenses.
Large crowds, especially of women,
listened patiently to the discussion of
the union question from beginning to
ond
The labons of the assembly will be
resumed at $3.50 o'clock tomorrow
morning.