Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1906-01-05
PRESBYTERIAN
CONSOLIDATION
TWO BRANCHES OF THE DEMON
INATION WILL UNITE.
AFTER DIVISION 0 100 YEARS
Joint Committee From the Churches,
Setting at st. Louis Completes Ar
rangements for the Union.

A0446CA4Cnto 4OI buc Ou1uus
st. LOuis.-After a division of
about 100 years steps were consum-
mated in the joint session of the gen
eral committee which, when formally
ratified, will unite the Northern Pres
byterian church of the United States,
OF America, and the Cumberland
Presbyterian church. Almost two days
have been consumed by sub-conlmit-.
tees in arranging details for.the un-
ion. Their reports were submitted
to the general committee representing
each church. Within two hours the
general committees had met in joint
session and agreed upon basis for
the union of the two denominational
bodies. The agreement will be re-
ported to the general assembly-sf the
Presbyterian church at Des Moines,
Ia, on May l, 1906, and of the Cum
berland Presbyterian church meeting
In Decatur, ILL.,, on the same date for
formal ratification by these two as
semblies, which will be followed by
the official announcement that the un-
ion of the two churches has finally
been consummated.
The general committee of the Cum
berland Presbyterian church had its
full quota Of twenty-one members
present, the chairman being Rev. Dr.
w. I'll. Black, of Marshall, Mo. Only
sixteen of the twenty-one members of
the Presbyterian general committee
were present the others being detained
Rev. DR.. W. H. Roberts, of Philadel-
phia, was chairman The joint ses-
sion was executive in character. 1t
was stated that on the proposed union,
there was but one dissenting vote, that
being cast by Elder Lawrence
W. Keller, of Knoxville, Tenn,
member of the Cumberland committee
was appointed seven men known to be
in opposition to the proposed union
were placed on the committee. The
vote indicated that six had changed
their minds during the deliberations
in committee. The substance Of the
report adopted in the joint session of
the committees follows:
The report after carefully reviewing
several similar efforts for union Of the
two churches, recites. the legal steps
taken, beginning with the appoint
ment Of committees in 1908 and de-
clares that the effect of all these steps
is primarily that the confession of
faith of the Presbyterian church -
the U. S. A., as revised in 1osSiS 4 nd
the other doctrinal and eclos;ast;aaI
standards of the the Church have beer
eonsla ss1dfssonally adopted by the Cum
berland Presbyterian church, as has
already the report prepared by these
two general committees two years ago
that the reunion and union of the
two churches has been fully agreed to
by both and it is recommended that
Immediately after the foregoing eff
forts of the steps thus far known
have been announced, the confession
of faith and the other doctrinal and
ecclesiastical standards of the Pres
byterian church of the q. S. A. shall
be binding upon the ministers, ruling
elders, deacons, officers, churches, ad-
| Indicators, boards, committees and all
other agencies of the Cumberland
Presbyterian church; that when this
announcement has been made by the
moderator of the general assembly of
the Cumberland Presbyterian church
and that body shall have adjourned
sine die as a separate assembly and
when the general assembly of the Pres
byterian church of the u. S. A. shall
adjourn sine die. the moderator Of
the latter assembly shall announce
that all of the presbyteries of the two
churches shall elect commissioners TO
the united general assembly of 1906
on basis of one minister and one
ruling elder for every twenty-four
ministers thereof; that until the new
moderator of the united assembly
shall be elected the moderator of the
Presbyterian general assembly, shall
preside over the united assembly of
1906 and it is recommended that the
moderator of the Cumberland Pres
byterian assembly Of 1896 shall preach
the opening sermon of the united gem
eral assembly of 1906, the stated clerk
of the Presbyterian assembly with the
assistance Of the stated clerk Of the
Cumberland Presbyterian assembly
making UP the roll of the united as.
sembly. Finally that when the fore
going has all been adopted and official
announcement of the fact telegraphed
by each Of the assemblies to the 9TH