New-York tribune., 1906-05-15
TO LIMIT FRANCHISE.
PRESBYTERY FOR REFORM
Orerture to General Assembly to
CurtaI Voting Members

At the May meeting OF the Presbytery OF New
York yesterday the reform party scored a SIGMA,
victory when it forced the adoption OF a recon-
rnendation which. if approved by the General
Assembly. viii limit the right to vote TO min
Isters who have pastorates or are connected
with distinctly Presbyterian institutions. That
such a motion would be introduced and in all
prohab bilIty carried was announced yesterday
n The Tribune exclusively. The meeting.
which was not open, was. it is understood. not
50 stormy as those OF April and March although
there was strong opposition to the reform sched-
uIe
The question OF limiting the franchise men,
bership Of the Presbytery came up when tho
report Of the committee to which the matter
had been referred was submitted This COM
rnittee was headed by the Rev. Dr. Howard
Dufield.
The report OF the committee recommended
that the General Assembly OF the Presbyterian
Church be overturned to authorize that Section p
Chapter 10, Of the Presbytery rules, be amended
10 read:
ANY Presbytery may in its discretion limit
the right TO vote TO certain classes Of its menu
bers. but such Limitation shall not in any casa
exclude ruling elders. representing churches
within lis boundaries or ministers engaged in
active ministry OF in connection with dis
tinctive denomina1ional agency under the judi
CatoTy Of the Presbyterian Church.
This recommendation was adopted. but not
without some opposition. the extent Of which
was not made known after the meeting which
was executive. The General Assembly will meet
at Des 8loines Thursday. but this overture
cannot be officially presented by the Presbytery
this year, as notice OF two weeks has 10 be given
before such overture can be made.
Il stated that this would not prevent
the submission OF the resolution by one other
than q member OF the New York Presbytery.
Il WAS also stated that the same or similar
resolutions would be offered from other Pres
byteries.
The committee in question was appointed two
months ago and was the result of a movement
10 weed out certain members OF the Presbytery
not included IN the category of the resolution
who sometimes managed 10 sway deliberations.
The committee further submitted TO the Pres
byteTy for the consideration and opinion Of the
members for adoption at the October meeting
the following recommendations:
That the term Of office Of the moderator be
heightened: that the size OF the moderator s
council be enlarged. and that its membership be
restricted TO ministers and presiding elders; that
the PresDyteTy meet less frequently than once
month, and that much Of the detail Of the
regular meeting be left TO the moderator's coun-
Tie present term Of Office Of the moderator is
six months which, it is held, hardly gives him
time 70 acquaint himself with the business Of
the Presbytery before his term expires.
The moderators council made a report in
which II was stated that efforts TO get some
member Of the Nassau Presbytery to appear be-
fore il and substantiate the charges against the
Rev. F. E Shearer. stated clerk Of the Pres
byteryi had been unavailing. It was recon-
mended that the Presbytery itself endeavor to
secure an appearance Of the complanants. and
this recommendation was indorsed. The princi-
pal complaint against DR.. Shearer was made by
the Rev. J. Howard Hobbs. Of the Nassau
County Presbyterian Church. some time ago,
when he charged that DR.. Shearer was inter
feriHg with the affairs of the Nassau Presby-
rery-