The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-30
After Century of Division Union
 is Arranged
PLANS ARE ALL DRAWN UP
Proposition Must Be Submitted to Gen. eraI Assemblies Which Meet In May for Formal
 Ratification.

St. Louis. December 2o.-After division
 of almost 100 years, steps were eonsum-
 mated today in the joint session of gem
 eral committees, which, when formally
 ratified. will unite the northern Presby-
 terian church, U. & A. and the Cum herland Presbyterian church.
 Almost two days have been consumed by sub-committees in arranging details
 for the union. Their reports were submit
 ted to the general committees represent
 ing each church this afternoon. Within 1 two hours the two general committees had met in joint session and agreed upon l a basis for the union of the two denomina-
 tiona bodies The agreement will be re- ported to the general assembly of the Presbyterian church meeting At Des
 Molnes. Iowa. upon May r, 1906, and of
 the Cumberland Presbyterian church
 meeting in Decatur, H., on the same date 1 for formal ratification by these two as-
 sembies. which will be followed by the official announcement that the union of l the two churches had finally been con l summated.
 Full Quota Present. The general committee of the cumber- | land Presbyterian church had It's full | quota of twenty-one members present, 1 the chairman being the Rev. Dr, W. H. 1 Black of Marshall, Mo Only sixteen of 1 the twenty-one members of the Presby- 1 terlan general committee were present.
 the others being detained. The Rev. Dr. | W. H. Roberts of Philadelphia was chair-
 man.
 The joint session was executive In char | acter.
 l It was stated that on the joint ballot
 on the question of the proposed union
 there was but one dissenting vote, that
 being cast by Elder l.. M. Keller of
 Knoxville. a member of the Cumberland
 committee.
 It was further stated that when the l Cumberland committee was appointed, l seven men known to be in opposition to
 the proposed union were placed on the
 committee. The vote today indicated that 1 the six had changed their minds during l the deliberations in committee. l The substance of the report adopted in l the Joint session of the general commit l tee follows.
 Substance of Report. "'rhe report after carefully reviewing | several similar efforts for union of tho | two churches, recites the legal steps l taken, beginning with the appointment l 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 of the United States of | America as revised in 1908. and the other | doctrinal and ecclesiastical standards of | the church, have been constitutionally l adopted by the Cumberland Presbyterian l church as has already the joint report | faass l two years ago; that the reunion and union of the two churches has been fully l agreed 10 by both and It Is recom- | mended that immediately after the fore- | going effects of the steps thus far taken l have been announced the confession of 1 faith and the other doctrinal and ecclesi- astical standards of the Presbyterian | church of the United States of America | shall be binding upon the ministers, rul- l ing elders. deacons. officers. churches. adjudicators boards, committees and all
 other agencies of the Cumberland Pres | byterian church.; that when this
 nouncement has been made by the mod | orator of the general assembly of the | Cumberland Presbyterian church, and | that body shall have adjourned sine die
 as separate assembly, and the general assembly of the Presbyterian church, l United States of America. shall adjourn
 sine die, the moderator of the latter as-
 sembly shall announce that all of the ] presbyteries of the two churches shall
 elect commissioners to the United Gen | eral assembly of 1907 on q basis of one
 minister and one ruling elder for every
 twenty-four ministers. or majority there | of, and until the new moderator of ths
 united assembly shall be elected the moderator of the Presbyterian General assembly shall preside over the general assembly of 1907, and it is recommended that the moderator of the Cumberland eiatta aria of hall
 preach the opening sermon of the United General assembly of 1907, the stated clerk
 of the Presbyterian assembly, with ths assistance of the stated clerk of the Cuni-
 berland Presbyterian assembly making up the roll of the united assembly
 Shall Announce the Union.
 Finally. when the foregoing has all been adopted and official announce ment telegraphed by each of the assem- plies to the other, the moderator of each assembly shall be empowered to announce that the reunion of the Northern Pres byterlan church. United States of Amer lea, and the Cumberland Presbyterian church. has been fully eonsummated and will be henceforth in full force and effec- tive. the history and records of both churches to be preserved IS the history and records of the United church. It Is provided by the general committee that all boards, committees. trustees and oth- CT agencies of the Cumberland Prasby- terlan church that have hitherto been required to report to the general as- sembly of that church shall report to the united general assembly in l9O7 and all the boards ard other institutions shall be united with similar existing Presby- terian organizations All other details as to property rights of boards. colleges. etc. the question Of recommending tae place of meeting of the united assembly, slg- gestions as 10 Presbvt cries and syno6ical names and lines. and other adiustn.rts that may become necessary were referred by the general committees to their sub committees for further consideration and final report to the two general assemblies meeting in Decatur and Des Mones next year"
 Story of the Separation.
 Related briefly the story of the separa- tion Is as follows:
 In, tha C,iliaa ,s.rlaa I,.ast,.teriar