The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-22
General Executive Committee
and Secretary are Authorized
ON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
Committee of Which Or. John w. Stagq
Is Chairman Makes Report on
Noted Case of the Rev. Viii
liam E. Caldwell.

GreenVille, >. e., May 1.-lhe EctlVo
hard work of the general ASSEMBLY Of
the Southern Presbyterian church. began
today and one of the first matters to
reach a conclusion was the adoption OF
the report of the committee on church and
Christian education, which urged the ap-
pontment of a general executive commit
tee and secretary to have charge of the
work. The location of headquarters for
the committee was not determined and
Moderator Hall named a committee to
decide this. The report of the commits
tee on publication was adopted
The complaint of DIR. S. S. Laws against
the synod of Virginia was made the order
for the afternoon session, on recommenda-
ton of the committee on judiciary. DR..
Laws claims that when man is convert
ed whose country legalizes more than
one wife, such a man should annul all
marriages excepting the first, and that
when he is brought into the church, he
should not be allowed to marry again
until he shall become a widower. The
synod of Virginia, ON the contrary it is
alleged, believes It unwise that such d
man should annul any OF the marriages.
but that he should be brought into the
church with all his wives, but should be
prohibited from contracting further mar
riages.
Some discussion followed the reading of
a telegram, alleged to have been sent to
a Fort Worth, Tex, paper concerning
the attitude of the general assembly to
the trial of the Rev. w. e. Caldwell on
the charge of heresy, which 1t is expected
will be taken up by the assembly within
day or two. The telegram was reported
10 have been sent by member in at
tendance ON the assembly, but no one
present would admit having sent the mes
sage.
Afternoon Session.
| AT the afternoon session it was decided
that the review of William E. Caldwell
hersy case be placed upon the docket,
which means that the case may be ex-
pected to come up at any hour The case
is known as the complaint of Rev. William
Il. Caldwell, against the synod IL Texas
and against the presbytery of Fort Worth
The case began two years ago. when Mr..
Caldwell was called to the First Presby-
terian church of Fort Worth. After the
customary examination the Forth Worth
presbytery installed him pastor. In
dividuals later complained to the synod
of Texas that DIR. Caldwells doctrine was
not sound and the synod recommended to
the Fort Worth presbytery to dissolve re-
lations between the First Presbyterian
church and DR.. Caldwell 1t referred the
charges back to the Forth Worth presby-
terry to be acted upon. The judiciary COM
mlttee, Of which Dr. j. w Stagg is chair
man. reported to the general assembly
today that the committee Is doubtful
whether this case should be referred to
the assembly for action and therefore
recommended that the case of DIR. Cald-
well against the synod of Texas be heard
| In open session tomorrow to determine
whether or not the case should come be-
| fore this assembly The committee re-
commended further that there be two
members of counsel on each side and that
each member be allowed two hours to
| address the assembly. 1t recommended
further that DIR. Caldwell be allowed to
| defend himself If he prefers and no fixed
| limit to his time for defense. All these
| recommendations of the Judiciary COM
mttee were adopted.
To Restore Old Hymns.
| The assembly discussed at length the
recommendation that forty old hymns be
| put back In the hymn book, and the re-
| commendatlon was adopted.
! There may be a reprint of the "Dstinc-
| tive Principles of the Southern Presby-
! terian Church." a book which was pub
lished In 1861. Members of the assembly
claimed on the floor this afternoon that
| the book should be revised, claiming that
relations had changed, as well as othe-
many changes had taken place. 1t was
| decided by the assembly that the moder-
| ator appoint an "ad interim committee to
| determine whether the book should be
| revised and report to the next assembly.
This committee also was directed to in
vestigate the reprint and revision of other
| literature.
The general assembly attended the COM
mencement exercises of Chicago college
an institution for young ladies'. controlled
| by several presbyteries of this state.
| The complaint of Rev. s. S. Laws
against the synod of Virginia did not
come before the assembly this afternoon
| as was expected.