The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-16
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
PREsBYTERrANs TO GATHER IN
 MOBILE.
sixteen states and Foreign Countries to lIe Represented af Great Church Meeting which Contfnues
 Ten Dnys.

sixteen states and Foreign Countries
 to Be Represented nt Great Church
 Meeting which Continues
 Ten Days.
 The forty-fourth annual session of the General Assembly of the Presbyte- rian Church in the United States, com monly called the Southern Assembly. Is to meet in the Government Street Pres byterian Church. Mobile. next Thurs day morning at II o'clock, and will be opened with sermon by Rev. Abner c Hopkins, D. D. of Chariestown. w. Va, the moderator of the last assem- bly,.
 Alabama will have twelve voting members of the General Assembly. one of whom is Frank P. Glass of Mont gomery, one of the two Commissioners from the East Alabama Presbytery.
 After the enrolling of the commis- sioners a moderator and two clerks are to be elected This done the assembly will settle down to business, which or- dinarily keeps 1t in session from eight to ten days l
 The name, Presbyterian, refers to the form of government. which Is by presbyters or elders It Is observed that each church Is governed by elders elected by the people. a pastor or teaching elder and ruling elders com posing what is called the session. The presbytery is composed of the minis ters and one ruling elder from each church in certain district. The synod Is similarly constituted. but embraces at least three presbyteries. The synod of Alabama, for instance embraces the presbytsries of North Alabama, Tusca- loosa. East Alabama and Mobile.
 But when 1t comes to the representa- ton fin the General Assembly, each presbytery having twenty-four minis ters or more Is limited to four com missioners and presbyteries having less than twenty-four ministers to two commissioners.
 Thus the eighty-two presbyteries give to this assembly about 200 com missioners equally divided between the ministry and the eIdership.
 From the names of the cornnission- CTS so far announced this assembly will be composed of an able and fine body of men from sixteen different States, as well as of some missionaries from China. Korea, Japan, Africa, Cu- ba. Mexico and Brazil.
 The reports of the assembly last year revealed the following:
 Synods. 13; presbyteries, s2; minis ters, 1,51T: iicentiates, 52; candidates, oANF CHulChCss otOfHp GAucAo, otSSOV uC0~ cons. s.1o0; additions for year, 20,ss2: members 235.142; adult baptisms. $500: infant baptisms. 5,136; Sunday School teachers 20,s96; Sunday School schol- ars. 155,76S
 Contributions - Foreign missions, s153,272: assembly's home missions, $2s,49s local home missions. S1ss,5so: pastors salaries. $S57.316; colored evangelization, s11.i7o; ministerial re- lief. s17,s3s: education. s11s,113; pub lication, $s,772: Bible cause. $4.S45; presbyterial. $1S.526; congregational, $S5s, ,637; miscellaneous. s143,s70: grand total. $2,S74.64s.
 While the Southern Presbyterian As- sembly is in session in Mobile, the Northern Presbyterian Assembly will be in session at Buffalo, N T., and the Cumberland Presbyterian Assembly at Dallas, Tex.
 The question of organic union will be the chief one before the latter two. There is strong opposition to the ques- tion in each assembly.
 The question of union will be brought before the Southern Assembly by about ten or twelve overtures from as many sections of the assembly.
 The General Synod of the Dutch Re- form Presbyterian Church Is to con vene at Grand Rapids. Mich, June 1. and the United Presbyterian Assembly at Greenville. Pa, May 26.
 The tendency is to closer relations. on the part of each of the i've bodies mentioned.
 Some of the prominent ministers and laymen who have announced their in- tention ot attending the General As- sembly are: '"V hF @ wA
 Rev. w. A. Alexander. Clarksyille. Tenn clerk of the Assembly, it
 Rev. H. s. Allyn, missionary to Rio Janeiro. In this country on furiough.
 John J. Adams, Virginia, Elder from Abingdon Presbytery.
 Rev. o. A. Brown, Texarkana, Ark.
 Rev H. s. Chester. D. D., Nashville, Tenn, secretary of the Board of Foreign Missions.
 Rev. T. E. Converse, Louisville. Ky. editor of The Christian Observer.
 George H. Chambley, elder from Abing- don Presbytery.
 Rev. J. C. Carothers, Mississippi.
 D. Campbell. Florida, elder from Flor ida Presbytery. t
 Miss Annie Douds, Aberdeen, Miss, missionary to Japan. In this country on furlough.
 Prof. D. D. Eagleton. Texas. elder from Dallas Presbytery.
 Rev. John Fox. New York. representa- tive of the American Bible Society.
 Rev. A. c. Hopkins. D. D., West Vir- ginia; retiring Moderator of the General Assembly.
 Rev. R. B. Hudson, Virginia.
 N. D. Knox. D. D., Mississippi, elder from East Mississippi Presbytery.
 Rev. Lacy L. Little. North Carolina, missionary to Kiaugyin, China. On fur tough.
 Rev. J. H. Lumpkln, D. D., Memphis, Tenn, clerk Memphis Presbytery and secretary of Committee on Education for the Ministry.
 Rev. R. V. Lancaster, Abingdon, Va, former missionary to China.
 Rev. T. H. Law, D. D., Spartanourg, s. c. chairman permanent committee on Bible cause.
 Rev. W. NJ Morrison. Lexington. Va, missionary to Luebo. Congo, Free State. Africa. On furlough. R. E. Magill, Richmond, Va, secretary of Publication Committee.
 Prof. D. F. Eagleton. Texas, elder from Dallas. Texas.
 G. l.. Bernhardt, North Carolina. elder from Concord Presbytery. M R. Adams, M. D., North Carolina, elder from Concord Presbytery.
 Rev. W. H. Wilson, North Carolina.
 Rev. J. G. Herndon. Georgia.