The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-27
Color Line is Sharply Drawn
at Des MOines
WARM DEBATE YESTERDAY
Northern Presbyterians Adjourn to
Meet Next Year In Cleveland, o.
One Minister Objects
to Union.


Des Moines, Ia. May 26.-rhe 1lsth Pres
| byterian general assembly concluded it's
work late this afternoon and adjourned
TO meet next year at Cleveland o. Tho
assembly just closed is considered by
leaders of the church as the most impor-
tant in the church, because of the COM
petion of the union with the Cumberland
Presbyterian church. The solemn declar-
alton of the union by the moderators OF
! the assembly and the appearance of the
delegates from the Cumberland assembly
on Thursday were incidents to be remeni-
bered The appearance of the moderator
i of the Cumberland assembly on Friday at
the head of a large official delegation of
that houy was the occasion of outbursts
of enthusiasm. The declaration of the
| assembly in favor Of church federation
was also considered an important step
and it is expected it will be followed by
similar action by other church bodies.
Church leaders predict early union of all
| Presbyterian church branches in this coun-
try with similar movements in other close
ly related churches.
Acrimonious Debate Results.
An acrimonious debate came when Rev
| DIR. j. D. Monatt offered resolutions in
! tended to coneillate the objections to the
recent union. DR. Lowrie of Belefonte.
| Pa, acrose when the resolution had been
read and objected to statements that
synods and prebyteries Of Cumberland
churches had been added to rolls of Pres
byteran churches In the United States.
because, he said, many Cumberland mir
listers were said to be In session in st.
Louis to continue the Cumberland church.
DIR. Moffatt flashed back the reply that
union was a fact and that Cumberland
was within the larger church. The reso-
lutions were adopted. They set forth that
for fear some Cumberland presbyteriea
may be reluctant to acquiesce in the union
because of certain misapprehensions
which should be removed the following
declarations are solemnly made;
Declarations Are Made.
!. That IN the Presbyterian church no
acceptance of the doctrines of the church
is required beyond personal faith in Jesus
Christ as the Son of God and Savior of
the world and sincere acceptance of Him
as Lord and Master.
.. That ministers ruling elders and
deaeons In expressing approval of the
| Westminster conference of faith are re-
auired to assent only to the system OF
doctrine established therein. and not to
every particular statement; ii is further
declared no longer allowable to inter-
pret the system of doctrine in any fatalis-
tic sense.
3. That reunion works no change in re-
lation of communicates ruling elders and
deacons to their own particular churches.
nor except In few instances in relation
to their preshyteries and synods. The
hope is also expressed that all may see
that greater efficiency in the work OF the
church may be achieved through union.
Color Line Is Drawn.
The color line was sharply drawn. and
the negro question came squarey to the
surface in the Presbyterian general as
sombly here for the first time today. The
committee. on church policy submitted
report recommending the action OF q
synod in Alabama to include the presby-
tories of Birmingham Levere and Rogers
Vile to he known as the synod of Chat
tanooga The presbyteries are now IN
|
other presbyteres In the synod are
French Broad, Hoston, Kingston and
Union.
The presbyteries of Birmingham. Levere
| and Rogersvile are composed OF negro
| churches The others are composed of
white churches. The purpose Of the COM
mittee was to divide the races. No sooner
had the report been submitted than Rus
sell Taylor. a negro OF Levere, and one OF
the commissioners to the assembly from
that presbytery. took the floor. He vio-
Iently opposed the proposed synod on the
ground that the three presbyteries specf-
fled were not numerically strong enough,
or well enough versed in church law to
assume the functions and duty of a synod.
Members OF the committee for the erection
Of the synod carefully avoided the race
question. and empha sized the claim that
each of the three presbyteries mad asked
such action.
After spirited discussion In which the
negro commissioner received the major
ity of applause II was unanimously voted
to refer the whole subject to the assem-
bly, of 1907.
kilograms From other Assemblies.
The Presbyterian general assembly to-
day received kilograms from the United
Presbyterians. in assembly at Richmond.
Ind, and the Virginia Glass of the Re-
formed Presbyterian church in the United
States, congratnlating the assembly on
the Cumberland union.
Chairman A. 3. Marshall OF the COM
mittee on home missions, read n tele-
gram from the Presbyterian church. south
saying It does not charge the board with
improper practices burt the active workers
in the field. The assembly authorized DR..
Marshall to telegraph the southern as
sembly that IL such practices were be-
ing followed it was unknown to the as
sembly.
The committee church policy. today
submitted report recommending that
any member OF the Presbyterian church
renting his or her property for intem-
perate uses be disciplined
proposition to amend the Westmr-
ster confession of faith by striking out
the words east into eternal torment
was rejected by the assembly.
A new synod was created composed
| of the south and east synods OF Florida.
| and will be known in the future as the
svnods OF Florida. The presbytery or
| rIo,.epo was dafarhed from the SvnOd