The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-17
WORK OF PRESBYTERY
INTERESTING SESSIONS ARE
 HELD AT JASPER.
'. F. Stephenson Breaches His Trial Sermon and is Ordained as an Evangelist--Rev. MT. Foster
 to Be Installed.

Jasper, April 16.-tSpecial. .)-The meet ing of the North Alabama Presbytery, which has been in progress here for sev- erai days, adjourned last night. To- morrow devotional exercises will be con- ducted by the visiting ministers at each of the local churches. Rev. L. S. Hand lev, D. D., of Birmingham, will preach at the Baptist Church. Rev. S. P. Wal ton of Talladega, at the Methodist Church. and Rev. J. c. Duncan of Wy lam at the Christian church. At the Presbyterian Church Sunday evening. the Rev. W. c. C.. Foster will be in- stalled as the pastir of the Jasper Pres byterian Church, the Rev. l.. s. Hand- ley, D. D.. to preside, preach and pro- pound constitutional questions; Rev. T. F. Walton to charge the pastor, and Rev. J. C. Duncan to charge the people. Each session of the presbytery yester- day proved full of interest.
 After the reading of the minutes at the morning session, quite a spirited discus sion ensued over their adoption. The assembly having met in the Baptist church on the previous night (the Pres byterian church being inadequate to ac- commodate the people) which the min- 'utes failed to show, a motion was made by Dr. Handley of Birmingham that an
 
 show such fact. and be so worded as to show the appreciation of the members of the presbytery for the kindness of the Baptist people. It was contended that the proper way to express the thanks for the use of the Baptist Church, was by a resolution, and not be formal wording of the minutes. A vote was had which resulted in tie, and the moderator. pr. U, D. Mooney of Birmingham, cast the deciding vote against inserting the amendment. 4 formal resolution was af- terward adopted extending thanks to the people of the town for their kindness. the different choirs for their aid. and the Baptist Church for its courtesies.
 An Interesting point was raised by Rev. ": e, c. Foster, as to the right of the presbytery to appoint committees to examine candidates for license to preacIE JsaP. Stephenson had applied to the presbytery for license to preach and a committee had been appointed to ex- anime him and report to the presbytery. Rev Mr Foster took the position that it was unconstitution to delegate to a committee the authority to examine ap- pIicAnts, but that all applicants must be examined In open session of the presby- tery, and he filed written protest to the action of the presbytery in appointing a committee to examine Mir. Stephenson.
 Rev S. P. Walton and J. c. Duncan were appointed to answer the protest, and in their answer they objected to the language used in the protest. The pro- test and answer will go to the next ses- sion of the synod for final consideration and disposition.
 Rev. F. R. Graves of Courtland, read a paper on publications. urging the as- sembly to contribute more literally to this cause.
 Rev F. R. Graves read a report on young peoples societies. stating that there are ? in all, with a membership of 5s5, and they have contributed during the last year to the churches $560. The report was adopted without discussion.
 Dr. J. w. staggs of Birmingham read an interesting paper on the observance of the Sabkath. He showed that be had given the subject considerable thought. and his paper was an able one. He took the position that We do not observe the Sabbath day as did our puritan forefa- thers. He did not attribute this to a lack of reverence but rather to the era in which we live.
 During the afternoon session, J. P. Stephenson preached his trial sermon. which was eoth able and eloquent, af-