Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-05-24
NO LEGAL BAR TO UNION
Illinois Judge Refuses to Epjoin Merger
Of Presbyterian Churches
IWO AssEMBuEs EXCHANGE eREETlNes

Sentiment of Messages Indicates that
Union VIII BE an Accomplished
Fact within Few
Days.
DECATUR, Ill. May a.-Judse Johns to-
day refused the application for an injunc-
tion to restrain the union Of the Presby-
terian churches. He said the case has
no parallel in the Jurisprudence Of the
| United States He treated the church as
voluntary organization, the acts OF whose
highest tribunal are binding on all men,
bers and will not be lnterfered with by
the courts II the acts are fair ana honest.
He held that courts of equity will not pass
on doctrinal matters. the decisions of &C.
clesiastical judiciaries being pinding on
civil courts as TO matters of faith. The
decision sets forth the various acts Of the
Cumberland general assembly and says;
These actions of the assembly must be
held to be a determination of It's right and
power"
As to doctrine the court held that
whether the doctrines Of the Cumberland
Presbyterian church are widely variant
from those Of the Presbyterian church Is
an ecclesiastical question solely, upon
which, having been decided by an &C.
clesiastical judiciary, the civil court is pow
erless to inquire"
The decision adds:
mo court has ever enjoined an &C.
clesisstical body from considering what
action it should take. This application is
without precedent"
Retain Doctrine.
The judges Of union were read in the as
sembly. DR.. Steel introduced a resolution
that in entering the union the Cumberland
Presbyterians do not surrender any integral
: part of their doctrine. He read a state
ment made by the original Cumberland
Presbytery which, he said, with the excep-
! tion Of fatality, would not affect the Presby-
terian system of doctrine. The resolution
! was adopted by 162 to 10e
Dr. w. II. Black. president of the Mis-
: souri, Valley college, the chairman, read
the report of the committee on fraternity
and union.
: The report on union was adopted, 1853 to
81. The anti-unionists filed a protest.
t CumberIands Ready to Adjourn.
The Cumberland Presbyterian general as
sembly practically completed it's business
tonight but postponed adjournment to
, await the action of the Presbyterian as
, sembly on the question of union. dele
E cation was appointed TO visit the assembly
a at Des Moines Immediately after the ad-
: journment of the Cumberland body to bear
the greetings of the latter. A special COM
mittee replied to the protest filed by the
a anti-unionists, pointing out that all of the
h points mentioned in the protest had been
= adjudicated by the church courts and had
been affirmed by the civil courts The
: work OF the board of publication was ap-
proved by the assembly. The anti-unionists
declare their purpose to organize and ap-
committees. It is said that these, boards
may constitute suits against the existing
boards.
e Compromise on Book Forms.
/, DES MONIES, Ia, May 23.-rhe famous
/; controversy and debate over the proposed
q Presbyterian book of forms ended in the
general assembly late this afternoon in q
q compromise in which all words that might
Indicate that the book is authorized wer,
, stricken from the resolutions and the tex
:, and title pages of the book itself and IL
which the resolution Of opposition was alst
Incorporated declaring specifically that tn,
A assembly made no recommendations will
y reference to 1t.
With these limitations the report OF DIR
j. Henry Van Dykes committee was adopteC
and all bitterness between the factions
avoided. The book of forms will continue q
:, will be found anything to indicate that 4
- bears any authority from the Presbyterian
general assembly. all such words and
- phrases having been stricken out II will
be published merely "for the purpose con
templated by the general assembly OF 1908
: and for voluntary use" BY its actiol
:, today the assembly virtually rescnded tn
action OF the three preceding assemble
. of 1903, 1901 and 1906, in which progressiv
. steps were taken for an authorized bool
of forms. The compromise was agrees
upon today after numerous conference
between DR.. Van Dyke, DR.. Moftatt an
= Dr. william McCauley OF Cincinnati tn
- latter leader Of the opposition. The resolu
y tions offered this afternoon were in accor
with the understanding reached by ther
: and the vote thereon unanimous.
N Messages Exchanged.
j. The following telegram was sent by tn
ae assembly in session here to the Cumberlan
A. Presbyterian assembly, which is in sessio
n at Decatur, H.;
10 Presbyterian general assembly, In sessio
a at Des Moines, sends sincere greetings
o. Read First Corinthians, first chapter, tent
a verse. Csignedl w. H ROBERTS,
,e Stated Clerk.
,s The passage referred to follows;
, Now, / beseech you, brethren, throug
u the name Of our Lord, Jesus Christ, that y
all epeak the same lnlnB ana lnhL lneTe .
no divisions among you but that ye be pei
h. fected together in the same mind and 1
- the same judgment.
- - This reply was received from Decatur
'n With prayerfui good will and hrotherl
is love We acknowledge gratefully your gree
rs ings Read First Thessalonians. secon
chapter, sixteenth and seventeenth verses
Csigned) IRA LANDITH, Moderator
n The scripture referred TO in the repl
v follows:
Forbid US TO speak to tb Gentles, ths
re they mey be saved to MI their sins
ways but the wrath has ome upon theI
70 the uttermost; but y brethren, bein
bereaved Of you for short season
presence, not in heart, endeaVor the MOI
exceedingly to see your face with great d'
ed sire.
a This exchange Of sentiments is take
on here to indicate that before the adjourn
nent Of the assemblies union between n
de two churches will have been effected.
- Resolution Against POIyEamy.
~ The assembly today adopted the follow
ing anti-polygamy resolution:
h. The assembly records its qualification ar
W satisfaction In the proposed submission
NO the legislatures OF the several states
or new article, 10 be known article XIV!
80 FnNs -