The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-19
PLUNKETT MODERATOR
AUGUSTA. GA- MAN ELECTED BY
 SOUTHERN PREsBYTERIANs.
Dr. g. M. Neal Delivers His Retiring Address to General Assembly at
 Fsrt worth--Question of Uuf0u.

I elected Moderator by the General As- | sembly of the Southern Presbyterian Church in the United States. Dr. s. M.
 Neal, D. D., the retiring Moderator, de- | livered his farewell sermon at the
 morning session. The afternoon ses-
 sion was devoted to hearing commit
 tee reports and other routine work. | The question of union or closer rela-
 tions with other Presbyterian bodies | will come up at these meetings, and 1t
 Is expected an interesting debate will
 take place. A committee was appoint
 ed by the General Assembly last year
 to study the questions of closer reia-
 tions and it's report. 1t is understood,
 will cover all phases of questions at is-
 sue. The report will include the plan | adopted by representatives of the sev eral Presbyterian churches in Pitts
 burg. Pa, last year. This plan pro- vides for the ama1gamation of an ec-
 clesiastical council from each church
 body for the promotion of cooperative work.
 The forty-ninth General Assembly of
 the Southern Presbyterian Church was
 called to order today at 12:3O o'clock | by its Moderator. pr. S. M. Neal of
 Kansas City. and was opened with
 prayer by Dr. Neal.
 It was publicly announced that all the meetings of the Assembly will be open. The roll of the commissioners | was then announced, showing an att tendance of about 1so delegates. repre- senting the thirteen Synods of the Ass | sembly.
 The first business in order after Dr. Meals sermon was the election of a Moderator for the ensuing year. The following nominations were made: Dr. George Summey of New Orleans, Dr.
 J. D. Plunkett of Augusta, Ga, pr. J. s. Lyons of Louisville, Ky. Dr. J. H. How erton of Charlotte, N. C.. Dr. J. F. Fall
 den of Athens Ga, and Dr. L. H. Blan- ton of Danvflle, ky.
 The nominations were. then declared
 closed and the seven candidates were
 announced for the election. At the special request of Dr. Blanton, however,
 his name was withdrawn.
 After three ballots were taken on the
 nomination plan the contest narrowed
 down to but two candidates. Drs. Lyons
 and Plunkett. On the fourth ballot Dr. Plunkett was elected. The vote stood 104 to 65.
 Dr. Neel asked Drs. Howerton and Lyons to escort the Moderator elect to the chair and at once relinquished his
 seat. pr. P1unkett made a short ad-
 dress to- the Assembly, in which he said:
 T shall endeaver in the fear of God
 to act rightly in all things that shall come before me In this service and l ask that in all things the ends that we
 hope to reach may be reached in the fear of our God"
 pr. Robert A. Hill of Dallas and E. B. &McCluer of Norfolk. Va, were chosen by the assembly as temporary clerks of the meeting and to assist In writ ing the minutes of the meeting. Dr. Neel, the retiring moderator for the assembly, stated that he was in receipt of a communication asking that the tooth anniversary of the birth of John Knox, the great Scotch reformer, be celebrated by the assembly next
 Sunday and that he had promised to l make the suggestion. pr. Neel also | stated that he has asked Dr. Richard c. Reed. professor of church history
 in the Columbia Seminary of Columbia, | s. C.. to address the assembly upon the occasion next Sunday afternoon. Dr. W. A. Alexander, stated clerk of
 the assembly of Gainesville. stated that he is in receipt of a communica-
 ton of the Alliance of Reformed | Churches of Scotland, suggesting that next Sunday be observed in celebration
 of the event and read a request from
 the Nashville Presbytery asking that | the assembly observe the day with ft- l ting service.
 Dr. Junius B. French, pastor of | Broadway Presbyterian Church, stated that no provision had been made for | the hours during which the assembly
 will hold its meeting. He suggested | that the hours be from to 12 o'clock
 in thermorning, from to o'clock in
 the afternoon and from s o'clock until adjournment at night.
 This was accepted by the assembly
 and these hours were made official. The late afternoon session of the | General Assembly was devoted to the | reading of reports of committees. The
 report of the Executive Committee on Home Missions was followed by the re- | port of the Executive Committee on Foreign Missions, and publication and
 Sabbath School work was next report 1 ed.
 1 Tonight a public meeting was held
 and pr. Fox of New York, agent of the
 American Bible Association. made an 1 extended address on the work of that
 society, explaining in detail the scope
 of the work. The reports of the com
 mittee on colored evangelization and | the committee on ministeri educa-
 tion will probably be read tomorrow. | General Assemblies. Winona Lake, Ind. May 1S.-The
 most important business transacted l during the first days session of the
 general assembly of the Presbyterian | church was the election of Dr. James