New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-05-23
PRAYER BOOK ATTACKED
DIR. IAN DYKE TO RESCUE.
1T Smells of Priestcraft." Says DIR.
Johnston, of Montreal.
ERy telegraph % The Tribune. ]

-%%~@---'l
Des Moines, Iowa. May 22-'"They say that there
Is going to be a fight here" said Dr. Henry van
DyAe' IN beginning his address on the Book OF
Common Worship, popularity known as the Presby-
terlan Prayer Book, in the General Assembly this
afternoon An audience that filled the large audi
forum greeted the popular author and preacher
with long and continued applause
NO other speaker this year has had so large an
audience or so enthusiastic a reception, and the
suggestion of a fight the floor of the assembly
was apparently not Objectionable If DR..
Dyke were to be Of the contestants He quickly
dispelled that hope. IL such there was. however
for he added:
II hope there will be no fight, for praying is not
a good thing to fight about"
DR.. van Dyke spoke for half an hour, and was
followed by DR.. w. F. McCauley, OF Cincinnati,
who also spoke for half an hour DR.. S. Edward
Young. Of Pttsburg; DR.. Robert Johnston. OF Mont
real; DR.. James D. Moffat, Of Washington and
Jefferson College; Henry W. Jesup. OF New York;
Dr. j. b. Galloway, Of Paterson, N j.. and DR..
William Laurie. OF BellefOnte, Penn, followed in
the debate which. after running two hours amid
intense excitement, was terminated in series Of
motions and amendments 20 lay on the table, 20
refer to the next assembly, to amend the resOlu-
dons offered by the committee and to change the
title page of the book
Nothing definite being reached and the time for
adjournment having been pOstp. ned already one
hour. it decided to let the matter go over
unfinished business. Unless the orders Of pro-
cedure are changed the discussion cannot be re-
sumed before Friday
At the beginning of the address DR.. van Dyke
said that he had stood for six years a cham
pion Of peace and work, for liberty and fair play
He continued:
:, For the last few days. however, as have read
ne pamphlets and reports distributed in the streets
the peace and have felt like saying. with David
friend of mine were In field and they were chased
% by bull AS the animal was gaining on them
II can't think of anything to pray" but you must
morning Then Janey offered this prayer :" FoT
what We are about to receive oh. Lord. make us
the story, "a farmer caught the bull. and we were
Almost every sentence which the speaker
uttered was ,punctuated with applause. He then
took up the two views which held in the assem-
bly,, one declaring that the book should be
signed to the library of expurgated volumes and
the other that 1t should be approved Between those
those two views the committee stood, he said,
asking for the exhibition Of common sense honesty,
candor and fair play all around. Then he added:
There is thing however, that I will fight
about. In the first place, 1t is not Van Dykes
book, as has been charged"
who's is 1t, then?' shouted a voice from the
floor. s'-rR rEagysEa
Quick fash came a question from DR.. van
Dyke: Are you EpiscOpalan? You seem so
quick with your responses
1t full minute before he could resume his
address, and later, when he was interrupted he
said with show of Impotence, quite unlike his
usual affabty:
81 do not want any more interruptions from
Episcopalians."
Answering his first interruptor DR.. van Dyke
said:
will tell you whose book it is It belongs 20 no
Moffatt the last Moderator Of this assembly, DR..
the editor Of the Presbyterian hymnal DR.. De Witt.
Chairman Of Your eVangestio Committee Snd ten
other ministers and elders whose names are given
thought of preparing a liturgy. and We have not
prepared one; Nor Is this book new thing We
Church. John Knox used such book John
friend, Jennie Geddes at o'clock in the morning
heard John Knox read from book like this, and
Church end and attempted to read from the Episcopal
hurled at his head.
Dr. van Dyke said that many of the best men in
the Presbyterian Church in the last fifty years
had asked for a book like this. declaring that It
would be great blessing. "Other men," he said
"have risen this day who say that It viii be a
great curse. We prefer the major prophets to the
minor prophets. Further, this is not an Episco-
palian book. There is nothing in 1t from the
prayer book except few things which our good
friends have borrowed from the Scriptures and tho
church fathers which we want them to contisle
to use"
DR.. Dyke then took up the order of morning
service. beginning with the Doxology Scripture
verses from David Isaiah. John and Paul, all OF
Wnom ne declared were PreSDyterianS. The first
Of the Ave invocations offered for was written
he said by John Calvin
Dr. Roberts the stated clerk, then read resoIu-
tons from the report which called the attention
of ministers and congregations to the historic posi-
ton Of the Presbyterian Church in regard TO lib
erty in tho conduct of public worship ana said
that the assembly had no power to impose a liturgy
upon the church and that the committee had fol-
lowed its instructions In regard to the publication
OF the book and should now be discharged.
DR.. McCauley wished that. in case editions Of
the book are hereafter issued they shall omit any
statement OF authorization by the General Assem-
bly,.
DR.. Young favored the book, and Dr. Johnston
opposed It the latter DECLARING that the book
with applause. MI. Jessup answered DR. Johnston,
and DR.. Galloway spoke against the book insisting
that a minister who cannot pray in public would
better give way to who could DR. Moffatt
said that he wished to have the assembly authorize
the publishing Os the book but not to approve
its contents. DR.. van Dyke offered brief amend
when the subject is resumed
The assembly this morning decided to appoint
committee to consider the consolidation Of the
boards of the Church and additional improvements
in administrative agencies of the Church.
The college board and board OF home missions
presented interesting reports, which were backed
up with enthusiastic speeches.