Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-07-31

and seceders. and that all ministers, of
ficers, members. synods, presbytene
and congregations who recognized
their authority constituted an organic
I continuation of the Cumberland Presby.
terian Church, and they undertook to
appropriate aud use the name Of the
church in order to more eiiectually pa Inn
OIL upon uniformed people this false
and deceptive contention.
ASSUMPTIONS or LoYALtsrs.
"rhey undertook to adjourn the As.
sembly Of the church, to meet on the
third Thursday in May, 1907, in Dickson
County. Tenn, on the ground where
the church was organized in 1910, al
though the land is now owned by the
united church. They assumed to own
and have the right to manufacture and
sell Confession of Faith of the Cumber-
land Presbyterian Church, although the
unexplred copyright to it passed by
operation Of law to the united church.
when the, union was consummated
Under the organic law of the Comber-
land Presbyterian Church the Presbyte.
ries were authorized to elect Commits
sioners to attend only one session of the
General Assembly. This law made no
provision for n called session of the AS
sembly, except when it failed to meet
upon its own adjournment When the
Assembly of 1906 adjourned, ,on May "a,
1906, the term of office of every Com
missioner expired. There ceased to be
any Commissioners to sit in General
Assembly No one had power to call a
meeting Of the Assembly, and the ex-
Commissioners cOnld not, even by un-
animous vote have set aside the adjourn
ing order. No attempt was ever made to
set it aside, nor was any attempt made
to call meeting of the body. The mi
nority Of eX-Commissioners who assem-
bled in the Grand Army Hall, as above
stated, was but a voluntary assembage
Of ministers and elders, with no authori
ty whatever to represent any Presbyte-
ries, or in any way whatever bind the
church.
INSPIRED BY COMMON PURPOSE.
"In assembling they were actuated by
common purpose and combined ana
conspired to accomplish that purpose.
Their purpose was to repudiate the
action Of the General Assembly and
the Presbyteries il entering into the
union agreement, and adopting the
basis of union and to renounce the re-
united church, which resulted from the
union. Their futher purpose was to
make the people Of the church believe
that that assemblage was in law, and. in
fact a continuation of the General AS |
sembly of the church, and that all Syn
DDS, Presbyteries, congregations or parts
thereof, who recognized that assmblage
as the General Assembly would consti
tute the truth and lawful Synods, Pres
byteries, congregations session, and
that all who recognized the General AS
sembly of the united church would be
mere revolutionists and seceders and
would forfeit all property rights and
other rights as judicatories ministers.
officers or members of the church. They
to lay plans and create agen
oies to induce by argument, persuasion
and other means which will hereafter be
'eferred to, as many as possible of the
and membership to accept as
rue their representations, renouuce the
United church and become associates
md co workers of the combination"
AS TO USE OF NAME.
Is it your contention that the opp)
tents of union have no right to use the
Iame of the old church, was asked.
Had they avowedIy organized a new
denomination no objection would have
'een made to their adopting the name
cumberland Presbyterian But they
lid not appropriate that name as the
lame of new denomination, bnt used
he name as one means Of making the
'ublic believe that their organization was
continuation of the old Cumberland
Presbyterian Church, whereas, it is not.
ither in law or in fact, a continuation
f the @ P. Church, but a new denomi-
ation 1t is the deceptive purpose for
yhich the name is being used that
makes it an unlawful use, and it is on
his ground, and this ground only, that
he bill asks that the congregations, ses-
ions, Presbyteries, and other iudicato-
les and the boards Of their organiza.
ons be required tn call themselves by
ther names so that the danger of mis-