The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1907-05-17

GENERAI. ASSEMBLY OF PREsBY.
ALI Other Candidates Withdraw-Dr.
Ira Landrith Delivers Able Ad.
dress on Complete Union Of the
Church.

Church.
Columbus, Ohio, May 17There
were two features Of the opening ses-
sions of the 119th general assembly
of the Presbyterian church which
convened at Memorial hall in this
city yesterday, the annual sermon of
Reverend DIR. FRA Landrith OF Nash
vile, Tenn, moderator Of the last
Cumberland Presbyterian Assembly,
which was delivered in the morning,
and the election of moderator, which
took place in the afternoon. More
than niIe hundred delegates ans
wered the first roll call and several
thousand visitors looked on at the
opening sessions. Tho election Of
moderator was reduced to a formality
by the withdrawal OF all candidates
except Rev. William H. Roberts of
Philadelphia, who was chosen by ac-
clamation. Rev. DR.. Roberts has been
stated clerk of the assembly for Ia
years and is regarded as one Of the
ablest and most popular men In the
church.
The keynote OF Rev. DR.. Land
rith's sermon at the devotional SER
vices in the morning was an appeal
for concerted effort toward a com
:ppllssttee spllssttee ua.cn es she church , 49,
"The war is over. /" said Landrith,
Southern Presbyte erians Without our
cooperation can never sovertake the
presbyterian possibilities and the de-
mands of the south in general and
E the southwest in particular. The
southern church will welcome our
cooperation and 1t will hasten the
consummation so devoutly to be de-
sired, the ultimate union of the two
churches. It is favorable acquaint-
ance and not sectional exclusiveness
that brings churches together"
The communion of the Lords sup
per was celebrated last night by the
assembly.
DR.. Landrith's Speech
The theme of DR.. Landrith's SER
mon waa aThe Call OF Presbyterian
isms Enlarged Mascedonia," and his
text possess Thou the West and
the South" Deuteronomy xxxiii; %.
The design of the text discourse
was to arouse the general interest
of the church in educational and re-
ligious work in the south and south
west, where Cumberland Presbyter-
rams were most numerous at the
time of the union. The merging Of
the two churches has interpreted by
the preacher as enlarging Presbyter-
ianisms field OF work, and as utter
ing a clarion call to the united
church to possess the west and the
south. The marvellous material
prosperity Of the southern half OF
the United States, he declared, con-
stitutes both plea and a warning
of danger If the spiritual advantages
of the people do not keep pace with
their commercial development. He
favored cooperation and ultimate
union with the Southern Presbyter-
ian church; declared the south to be
ready for a widespread revival; re-
Viewed recent moral reforms In that
section, and announced his belief
that the wonderful temperance tri-
umph In the southern states were
due to the churches.
No War in Religious Matters
He assured the Christians at the
north that "the war is over in mat
ters religious, the south being fully
ready now to welcome the presence
and labors OF any denomination that
labors sanely and unselfishly for the
present and eternal veal Of the peo-
pie. The fact that the Presbyterian
church was mentioned, and the as
surance given that protesting min
TOrity, who have gone into the courts
to claimsall the property of the form
er Cumberland Presbyterian church
shall have IN the end every penny to
which they are morally entitled nc
matter what the courts may deter.