The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-12-30
HAVE BEEN DIVIDED
NEARLY Y A CENTURY
General Committee Of the Two
Bodies Agree Upon a Plan Of
Union Which It's Ex-
pccted Will Be
Adopted Next
Year.
4 ,,By .Al,sso.c,la.ed Press, b. J.

IL
ST. LOUIS, MO-, December 2o.Aftcr
division OF nnety-five years, steps
we're consumnlated to-day at q " Joint
session OF general committees, which,
q. il formally ratified next May by the
general assemblies, will unite the North
3ern Presbyterian Cnurch, U. g. a.. and
tho Cumberland Presbyt yterlan Church. 'l:1
Almost two days were consumed by sup-
committees In arranging for tho union.
Their reports we're submitted to the gen gen.
cral committees. representing each
church this afternoon. Within two hours
$tiie two general committees had met IN
Joint session and agreed on a basis ior =
tho union Of the two denominationul
AN bodies. Isl s. ss VA .g33
This agreement will be report ted to the
general assembly OF the Presby byterialn an
rhuT eli meeting al IAses Moines, Ia May N
"a i. 1906. and that Of the PRESBYTERIAN ll
Presbyterian Church. meeting in Des
N oincs, IT,, on Y the ~ same date
81 for 5 formal Il ratification. 4 & the / basis
S of union Is ratified. official ssl an
q 'no,lnceInent OF the union OF the two
Churches will then bo lnad 4sSs2
8 ,rIic Joint session was executive in char
Z, ,,cter. ~ t{5is said that the Joint ballot
# on union showed only lonc dissenting vote,
that being cast by Elder 7 Keller.
OF Knoxville, Tenn, y me nper5 OF 55S tue
Cumberland committee. It is said that
when the Cumberland commit tee-was ap-
pointed seven men known to be In 5oppo-.
sition to-, tho proposed union We're placed
Ion tile committee. ss The vote 4 o-day In
sdicatcd that Six men had hanged their
minds Gsi isg s'75 i 55f
He Basis of u Mon. Nj s'
Thc substance sef the report adopted
In tho Joint session OF the general COM
niittees follows: 5sl
,rhe report says that the effect Of tho
a steps taken for reunion Is primarily
that the confession OF faith Of the
Presbyterian Church United states
~ OF America, as revised IN 1903. and the
asss:8 other Sdoctrinnl and III ecclesiastical Z!
standards of that church, have been
constitutionally adopted by the Cum
Ff3 berland Presbyterian Church. as has
.ssfs also the Joint r11ort prepared by these
two general Committees two ycarH Y
s ago, that the reunion OF the two
# churches has been fully agreed to by
both N 1t is recommended that imme-
diateIy a ftcr the foregoing effects OF
the steps thus far tax EN- have been all-i4sGs
l,ounced the confession Of faith and
tho other doctrinal and eccle rs
Standards OF the Presby tertan Church,
United States OF America, shall he
binding upon the. ministers. ruling
Ss elders, deacons, officers. churches, nd
.Ei Indicators. boards, committees and all
53 other agencteN OF I the cumberland
Presbyterian Church; that when this
s8 annonncementSl has been made by the
.55fs 4 moderator of the General Assembly OF
s5s&tbc Cumberland Presbyterian Church; D
and that body shall have adjourned
sine die ms II separate assembly, and 81
M before the General Assembly Of the
ss & Presbyterian Church.. ynited States
OF America. shall journ sine die, P
ID the moderator the latter assembly
81 shall announce that all of the Pres
bytcrinns Of the two churches shall 4
u elect commissioners to the United q en-
# eral Assembly of 1907. on basis OF D
one minister and one ruling elder for
every 2tWenty-four ministers or moity
thereof b y 81
Finally, that when the foregoing
has been adopted and announcement 4
of tho fact telegraphed by each OF
IF, &, tho assemblies Ito the other, the
D moderator Of each assembly shall be
empowered to announce that the re-
union and union OF the Northern
Presbyterian Church, U. 8. A. and
tho Cumberland Presbyterian Church
has been fully consummnted and will Y
llenceforth bn In full force and effect
1T IS provided blythe general COM
mittees thnt all Boards, committees, 4
trustees and other agencies OF the S
Cumberland Presbyterian Church that i
have been hitherto REQUIRED to report 4
s9to the general assembly OF that
church shall ,'npor. to the united as
senlbly in; 1907,
Other details were referred by the
Eeneral committees for further considerr--s
5ntion and final report to the two general
54assemblies meeting i'll Decatur and & in.
Dcs Aloines next May.