The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-05-26
Cumberland Assembly
WrestIes With Problem
THE OUTCOME YELLED
In the Southern Assembly in SEES.
sion at Mobile the Report on Closer
Relations Has Been Made Spe-
cial Order for
Today.
CRv the Associated Press.l

Dallas. Texas, May 24-Debate
which the Cumberland Presbyterian
church has faced in many years, that
of the union of that organization with
the Presbyterian church in the United
States of America, occupied the at
tention of the general assembly here
during almost the entire Jay. When
the recess was taken his evening
there were others ready to partici-
pate in the discussion. here is no
positive indication as to when the
debate will end. nor what will be
the result of the vote. although it is
believed the commissioners vii! be
glad to express themselves officially
tomorrow afternoon.
Five members of the assembly
spoke on the question today, touching
mainly upon the three generally moot
ed points in the confession of the
Presbyterian church i'll the United
States of America faCalism or the
doctrine of predestination, the race
question, and the educational qualifi
cations of ministers. The contest.
specifically is upon the adoption or
rejection of resolution Recommend
ing the report of the committee on
fraternity and union TO the presby
clares for the Union OF the churches
Rev. DR.. S. NJ. Temp1eton, of
GAINESVILLE, Texas, mover ofthe reso-
luton, was the first speaker. lie
declared that the former tcnets of the
Presbyterian church IL the United
States of America previously offensive
to Cumberland Presby teri5als had been
cut in sunder.
DIR. Templeton and William Robi-
CON nf rTaxaS on era6 in brief coll
loquy upon the question of the re-
vision of the estminSter cor feSsion
of the Presbyterian church IN the
United States of America.
Speaks Against Union.
Judge F. H. Prendergast, of Mar
shall. Texas opened for the anti
unionists. He advocated strongly the
policy "stay where you are" He re-
ferrea to the doctrines of the Presby-
terrain church in the United States OF
America 'as musty cobwebs that had
fallen into disuse even by a large part
of that church."
The negro phase of this question he
considered an insurmountable barrier
to the union. IF they come into our
churches, then we have lost our in
fuence with a great class" He de-
clared that the anti unionists did not
want to be dragged into the alliance,
ana begged tflaJ Iney De not IOfced To
do il.
In the afternoon Judge e. E. Beard
of Lebanon, Tenn. a member of the
committee on fraternity and union,
spoke for two hours upon the desira-
bility of adopting the. resolution and
recommending the report. He de-
clared that he was opposed to the So
cial equality of negroes, but he be-
lieved that the provisions of the re-
port did not place whites and blacks
on the same equality in some cases,
even in the matter or admission to
presbyteries and synods of the
church.
One of the strongest speeches, per-
haps, against the union proposition
was that of Rev. j. l.. Hudgins. of
Washington, Ind. Rev. Hudgins de-
clared that the two churches were not
generally agreed upon the subject,
-ome OF both bodies opposing it, and
he doctrines of the Presbyterian
the United States of Ameri-
f 'stant from those of the
resbyterians.
Scores for Union.
Foster, former professor