Bridgeton pioneer., 1906-04-19
ASSEMBLY TO
MEET MAY nth

A"n OHuIcuI NOrGn, Will In the next
few weeks elect their commissioners to
the 118th general assembly, to take
place in Des Moines, Ia, beginning
May 7, and even now, in connection
with that gathering, there is much
activity shown in some direction, not.
ably the election of moderator. Last
year at Winona Lake there were about
700 commissioners, and it is thought
that the same number, if not more,
will be sent this spring The basis of
representation is one ministerial and
one lay delegate for every "a members
OF a presbytery and one extra for
each additional IL members.
The sessions of the assembly will
take place in the Central Church, Des
Moines, of which Rev. Mnrdock Nc
Leod is the pastor. The commission.
ers go to the Iowa Oity at the invita-.
ion of all the Presbyterian churches
there, as we'll as the Presby terian
Union. The invitation was accom-
panied by the pledge to furnish suit.
able building for the sessions and ao-
commodations for the officers without
charge.
Regarding the moderatorship, the
sitnation is quite different from a year
ago. At that time there was only one
man to receive serious consideration
REV. DIR. James David Moffat, presi.
dent of Washington and Jefferson Col.
lege. His name had been up on sew.
| eral previous occasions, and the elec.
toin was by acclamation In the pres
ent instance there are more candidates
than usual by far.
One of the most important subjects
to come up at the May meeting will
| be that of reunion between the Pres
byterians North and the Cumberland
Presbyterians. Two years ago the as
sem bly, voted to send down to the
presbyteries the overture to unite, and
last year at Winona Lake it was re-
ported that the presbyteries had voted
favorably by far greater majority
\ than was needed This year it re.
mains for the joint committee of the
two church divisions, to which the
whole matter was referred, to make
its report This is now being pre-.
pared by DR.. Roberts, chairman OF
the committee of the Presbyterians
North, and Rev. William Fl. Black.
representing the Cumberland body.
The. full report will be ready about
the middle of April, and union will
probably be effected next month.
Then in May, 1907. the two ecclesias-
tical bodies will meet in the same city
| and after due notice the commission.
ers to both will assemble in the same
place of worship and will march for
ward, two by two-one from each
body-and clasp hands, in token of
the union, something after the man
ner followed by the delegates in Pitts
| burg when the sold School" and
New School, Presbyterians came to.
gether.
mother matter which will come up
will be the report of special commit
tee to consider the advisability of
erecting Presbyterian Cathedral in
Washington. as has been suggested by
Justice John M. Harlan. This COM
mittee of three ministers and three
elders was directed to confer with the
presbytery of Washington, and in the
event of that hody's favorable consid.
Grafton of the movement "to define
more clearly and to develop more fully
what is desired in a report to the
assembly for its approval or disap-
proval.
The Book of Common Worship, 1"
reared by Rev. DR.. Henry VanDyke,
professor in Princeton Theological
Seminary, will be presented at this
assembly. 1t will be remembered that
when DR.. vanDkye's book became
public at Winona it was severely crit
icized because of what were called
1.-THE canned prayers However, the
book is being printed blythe boardvin
publication in Philadelphia and will
be ready about May 1.
A committee OF nine, withs the
moderator as chairman, is to report at
Des Moines on arrangements that they
were directed TO make for celebration
of the 200th anniversary of what DR..
Roberts claims is the oldest presby-
terry in the country, which was organ
lied in Philadelphia in the First
Church in the spring of 1905.