The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-02-20
CHURCHES PLAN
 ID JOIN FORCES Committees on Union Agree on
 a Report THE PLANS ARE OUTLINED Presbyterian Churches of the United States and Cumberland Presby- terlan Churches Are to De-
 eide the Question.
THE PLANS ARE OUTLINED

St. Louis, February 19.-After confer ences extending over the past three oays, the committee on church cooperation ana union of the Presbyterian churches or the United States and the committee on tra- ternity and union of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, unanimously adopt cd an agreement as a basis ol lhe uiiioii of the two churches.
 It is in the shape of a report to the general assemblies of the two churches, and will have to be ratified by both those bodies before it becomes operative.
 Both general assemblies meet May IS, the Presbyterian at Buffalo and the Cum berland at Dallas, Tex.
 Church Will Be National. The committees which adopted this re- port were appointed by their respective general assemblies last year, and met here for the first time last October. In December, subcommittee of the two committees met in Cincinnati to consid- CT certain details, and three days ago the full committees resumed the confer ence here. After adopting the report to- night, the committees adjourned. The section of these committees if ratified by the general assembly, will make the Presoyteran church national in charac- ter, with Il membership approximating ! ,250, coo.
 The report Is as follows:
 The committee on church cooperation and union of the Presbyterian church in the United States of Americ& and the committee on fraternity and union of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, after free and full interchange of views with continued applications for divine guid- anoe, unanimously recommend to their respective general assemblies for their consideration, arid If they deem proper for their adoption, the accompanying papers, viz:
 Recommendation Are Made.
 l. Plan of reunion and union of the two churches.
 2.Concurrent declarations to be adopted by the respective general assemblies meet ing in 1904.
 3. Recommendations.
 ODPlan of reunion and union of the two churches:
 We believe that the union of Christian churches of substantially similar faith and policy would be to the glory of God, the good of mankind and the strengthens ing of Christian testimony at home and abroad.
 We believe that the manifest providen- tial developments and readings in the two churches since their separation, to- gether with present conditions of agree ment and fellowship. have been and are such as to justify their reunion.
 Therefore we cordially recommend to our respective general assemblies that the reunion of the Presbyterian church in the United States of America, ahd the Cum berland Presbyterian church, be accom- plished as soon as the necessary steps can be taken upon the basis hereinafter set forth
 On DoctrlnaI Basis.
 The union shall be effected in the doc trinal basis of the confession of faith of the Presbyterian church. in the United States of America, as revised in 1903, and of its other doctrinal and ecclesiastical standards.
 Each of the assemblies shall submit the foregoing basis of union to its Pres byteries. which win be required to meet on or before April 30, 1905, to express their approval or disapproval of the same by categorical answer to this question;
 "Do you approve of the reunion and union of the Presbyterian church in the United States of America and the Cum berland Presbyterian church on the fol- lowing basis:
  trinal basis of the confession of faith of the Presbyterian church in the United States of America as revised in 1903, and of it's doctrinal and ecclesiastical stand ards, and the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments shall be acknowledged as the inspired word of God. the only in- fallabe rule of faith and practice"
 Each Presbytery shall before the 10th day of May. 1905, forward to the stated clerk of the assembly with which it s connected statement of its vote on the said basis of union.
 Concurrent Declaration.
 The boundaries of the several Presby- teries and synods shall be adjusted by the general assembly of the united church.
 The institutions of learning together with endowment and other property, real and personal, owned by them which are TOW under the control of the Cumber- land Presbyterian church, shall remain in charge of and be controlled by the boards of trustees or other managers, respectively, now in charge of such in- stiutons, endowment and property, or by their successors similarity appointed or elected; and no greater control of such institutions, their property or af- fairs shall be exercised by the general assembly or other ecclesiastical court or body of the reunited church than Is now accorded by the general assembly or ecclesiastical court or body of the Cum berland Presbyterian church.
 The proposed organic union of the Presbyterian church of the United States of America, commonly called the North