The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-04-23
AWAIT
 MEETING WITH ANXIETY

M SEVILLE, Tenn, April 2.-(Spe-
 M cial)-One million members of the
 Presbyterian church and two hun dred thousand members of the Cumber- land Presbyterian church are deeply in terested in the annual sessions of the general assemblies, to be held simulta- neously, beginning May IS next, the for mer at Winona, Ind, and the latter at Fresno, Cal. At these meetings the sub ject of union of the two churches will be acted upon.
 The union of the Cumberland Presbyter- ians and the Presbyterian assembly is now an assured fact, the majority of the pres byteries of the former communion having voted for the pending overtures in that behalf There has never been any seri- ous doubt concerning the result in the Presbyterian church. and it now seems probable that the vote in that church i'll favor of union will be nearly ten to one
 Apparently the only serious opposition of the Presbyterians to the measure was due to the fact that there was attached to the agreement a condition providing for separate presbyteres and synods for colored people, d condition made neces- sary because, while the Presbyterians live chiefly in the north and west, the great majority of Cumberland Presbyte- rians are southerners. But the Presby terian Church in the United States of America, popularly known as the North ern Presbyterian church, with which this union Is to take place, had already adopt ed the race separation overture, only a majority of the presbyteries being neces- sary to make that change. whereas two thirds of the presbyteries in that denomi- nation must favor the union, and many presbyteries are yet to vote.
 Some Powerful Protest.
 But while opposition to the union has been weak and ineffective in the Presby terian church, powerful protest has been made in some parts of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. It has been fight from the first, and to the finish. The | Cumberland Presbyterian general assem- l bly, at Dallas, Tex. last May, voted by | a little over the necessary two-thirds to submit the overtures to the presbyteries, but this result came only after a pro- l longed and very wram debate.
 Unlike the Presbyterian the Cumber- l land Presbyterian church had to get a 1 two-thirds vote in the assembly instead l of a majority, whereas a majority Of Cumberland presbyteries, and not two thirds, as in the Presbyterian church. can settle question thus submitted to them For the past fortnight, therefore, be- cause the result promised to be close the friends and opponents of union con tested every inch of ground in the pres byteries as they met in spring session scarcely half of the entire IA having voted on the question before the March and April meetings.
 Claiming the Victory.
 As late as two weeks ago the ant-un- ionists were claiming the victory, though those in charge, of the union campaign, whose headquarters were in this city, professed never to have doubted that the vote for union would be at least 62. or four more than majority The vote for union is already 59, and it may go to 65 or more Meanwhile. for what reason 1t does not appear, although beaten in the presbyteries, the anti-uDionsts are mak- ing all posaibleI effort to secure a ma iority of the commissioners to the gen eral assembly of the Cumberland Pres byterian church, At one time 1t was pro- posed by tho. unti-unionists that sepa- rate church would be- organized when the result was announced at Fresno. but inasmuch as the union cannot take place for a year, the Cumberland Presby terian church meanwhile retaining its name and identity it is not probable that disrup- ton will occur though it is still a prob lem what the ants 5want with a major ity.
 But they will not ge a majority at Fresno. Careful attention has been paid