Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-12-30
CHURCH UNION PERFECTED
Northern Presbyterians and Cumbsrlands
Agree UpOa hergsr Plan.
SUBJECT TO RATIFICATION or AssEssLts
Governing Body 20 he known as
the United General Assembly
Committee Practically
Unanimous.

Committee Practically
Unanimous.
ST. LOUIS. Mo, Dec. 2s.-After a division |
of almost 100 years steps were consum- !
mated today In the joint session of gem |
eral committees which, when formally rati- |
fed. will unite the Northern Presbyterian
church, United States of America, !
and the Cumberland Presbyterian |
church. Almost two days have been
consumed by subcommittee in ar
ranging details for the union. Their re-
ports were submitted to the general COM
mittees representing each church this aft
ernoon. Within two hours the two gen
eral committees had met in tcilt session |
and agreed upon a basis for the union of
the two UNCONVENTIONAL bodies. This agree
ment will be reported to the general as
! sembly Of the Presbyterian church, meet
ing at Des Moines, Ia, on May II, 1906,
and of the Cumberland Presbyterian church,
meeting in Decatur, ILL.,, on the same date,
for formal ratification by these two ca
ecutive assemblies. which will be followed
| by the official announcement that the union
of the churches has been consummated.
| The general committee of the Cumber-
land Presbyterian church had its full quota
4
man being Rev. DR.. w. II. Black of Mar
SHALL Mo. Only sixteen of the twenty-one
members of the Presbyterian general COM
mittee were present, the others being de-
tained away. Rev. DIR. W. IL. Roberts of
/ Philadelphia was chairman.
The joint session was executive in char
acter. 1t was stated that on the Joint bal
: lot on the question of the proposed union
there was but one dissenting vote, that
being cast by Elder T. w Keller of Knox
vile, Tenn, a member of the Cumberland
committee. 1t was further stated that
when the Cumberland committee was APP
pointed seven men known to be in oppo-
| sition TO the proposed union were placed
| on the committee. The vote today indi-
Gated that six had changed their minds
during the deliberations of the committee
| Plan of Union.
| The substance of the report adopted in
the joint session Of the general committees
follows
The report, after carefully reviewing sew
eral similar efforts for union of the two
| churches, recites the legal steps taken at
the beginning with the appointment of
committees in 1903, and declares that the
effect of all these steps is primarily that
the confession of faith of the Pres
byterian church, United States of
America, revised in 1903, and
the other doctrinal and ecclesiastical stand
ards of that church have been constitu-
tionally adopted by the Cumberland Pres
byterian church, as has also the Joint re-
port prepared by these two general com
mittees two years ago, that the reunion
and s'uffiosfa sf .&s NO churches has hegn
fully agreed to by both and 1t is recon-
mended that Immediately after the fore
going effects of the steps thus far taken
have been announced, the confession of
faith and the other doctrinal and ecclesi-
, astical standards of the Presbyterian
church, United States of America,
shall be binding upon the minis
ters, ruling elders, deacons. officers,
: churches, adjudicators, boards, committees
and all other agencies of the Cumberland
; Presbyterian church; that when this an
, nouncement has been made by the mod
, orator of the general assembly of the Cum
berland Presbyterian church and that body
shall have adjourned sine die as separate
I assembly. and before the general as
, sembly of the Presbyterian church,
l United States of America, shall ad-
journ sine die, the moderator of the
latter assembly shall announce that all
of the Presbyterans of the two churches
r shall elect commissioners to the united
general assembly of 1907 on basis of one
minister and one ruling elder for every
I | twenty-four ministers or moiety thereof
| that until the new moderator of the united
| assembly shall be elected, the moderator OF
the Presbyterian general assembly shall
preside over the united general assembly
| of 1907, and 1t is recommended that the
moderator of the Cumberland Presbyter
q assembly of 1906 shall preach the opening
. sermon of the united general assembly oi
+ 1907, the stated clerk of the Presbyterian
! assembly with the assistance of the stated
Q clerk of the Cumberland Presbyterian as
v sembly making up the role of the united
z assembly
. Finally that when the foregoing has al
. been adopted and Official announcement OF
j., the fact telegraphed by each of the as
: semblies 10 the other the moderator of eacf
r assembly shall be empowered to announce
t that the reunion and union of the Northern
: ! PRESBYTERIAN church. United States o.
Y America and the Cumberland Presbyterian
d church has been fully consummated and
n will be henceforth In full force and effect
l. the history and records of both churches
e TO be preserved as the history and record!
II Of the united church.
j. It is provided by the general committees
l. that all boards, committees, trustees anC
IS other agencies OF the Cumberland Presby
e terian church that have hitherto been re
>. quiPed TO report TO the general assembly o
u that church shall report to the united as
Is scmbly in 1907 and thereafter until or unles
n these boards ana other institutions shall h.
e united with similar existing Presbyterian
Il orga nizations. All other details as TO prop
'e erty rights OF boards, colleges, etc, tn
- question Of recommending the place o
Al meeting OF the united assembly, sugges
tions as to presbyterial and synodica
names and lines and other adjustment
: that may become necessary were referre
by the general committees TO their sub
a committees for further consideration an
anal report to the two general assemble
meeting in Decatur and Des Moines mex
May
History of Division,
At Briefly the history of the division tina
a has been abrogated by todays proceeding
ar follows:
ID In 1910 the Cumberland Presbyteria
"A church was organized in Dickson county
W STennessee by three Presbyterian minister
~ who had withdrawn from the Presbyteria
ID ! church on February 4 OF that year. TIL