Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-05-17
ALTERING OF Church
|. Government PLANNED
IMPORTANT MATTER TO COME
BEFORE PRESBYTERIAN GEN.
ERAl ASSEMBLY.
CONSOLIDATION OF
BOARDS is PROPOSED
Change Would Greatly Increase Pow
er of Moderator and Make Him
Practically Head of Organization
Contest Over Office Expected.

/
Columbus, O., May 17.-One of the
most important reports to be made
during the session of the Presbyterian
general assembly which convened here
! Thursday, will be that of the special
committee appointed at the last as
sembly to consider the overture pre-
sented by the Cleveland Presbytery
proposing consolidation of the
eight boards of the church into one
large executive committee. This com
| mittee will report finally, but it will
make some most important recon-
mendations, which will result In ma
terially changing the church govern
ment if they are accepted by the as
sembly, and then by the presbyteries.
If accepted, the questions must go to
the presbyteries for ratification by a
majority-a majority being required
in matters of govern ment and two.
thirds in matters of doctrine.
Moderator as Head of Church.
The committee will recommend
changes which will greatly enlarge the
powers of the moderator and in ef-
feet practically make him the repre-
sentative head of the church. 1t will
recommend that he be given an admin
istrative council, to be composed of
prominent men Of the church and ex-
moderators and that he be given some
power and functions between assem-
blies. At present his only duties are
to preside over the assembly then to
open the next assembly.
This extra power to moderators Is
to be extended down to synods and
presbyteries giving the moderators of
those subsidiary organizations author
ity between meetings. 1t will not be
incumbent upon synods and presby-
teries to adopt this plan even though
it should carry, but the action will
give them the power to do so If they
40 wish.
Dr. Coyle Of Denver called the as
sembfy to order In place of DR.. Hunt
er Corbett, the moderator. Rev. Ira
e. Landrith, former moderator Of the
Cumberland Presbyterian assembly,
delivered the annual sermon. His
reference to the race question and his
declaration that the property of the
minority of objectors to the union In
the Cumberland church will be bought
were received with applause. DR..
Landrith, it is rumored, will be made
chairman of the committee on bills
and overtures, the most important
committee in the assembly.
The 400 seats in Memorial hall, on
East Broad street, were filled when
the general assembly convened.
Roberts Leads for Moderator.
Interest among the commissioners
present at the opening of the assembly
was centered on the contest for mod
orator. Friends of the candidates are
trying to line up votes for their ia
vorites. The leading candidate seems
to be w. H. Roberts Of Philadelphia,
stated clerk of the assembly for years,
who was defeated for moderator at
Los Angeles last year. His supporters
declare that his faithful services for
the church should be rewarded
Friends of the other candidates, how
ever, insist that DR.. Roberts has been
honored for years, and that he should
permit other worthy men to receive
their reward.
Seattle is an active candidate for
the honor of entertaining the assem-
bly, next year and is reported to have
offered $4,000 tc pay the expenses.
Atlantic City and Kansas City also
are mentioned.
Physicians Needed In China.
birmingham, Ala, May 1.-THE re-
port which the executive commission
of the Alliance Of the Reformed
Churches throughout the world hold
ing the Presbyterian system will
make to the general assembly Of the
Southern Presbyterian church, which
met here Thursday, says that each
year it becomes more apparent that
the Christian church cannot furnish
enough missionaries for the evangeli-
zation of heather peoples, nor can
enough physicians be sent to supply
the foreign fields. Three hundred
thousand physicians are needed in
China alone. The report says the
only way of meeting the need is to
establish well-equipped schools, semi
naries, colleges and hospitals for the
education of native ministry and
native teachers and physicians.
Dr. J. R. Howerton of Montreal,
N. c., was elected moderator.