Omaha daily bee., 1907-05-23

I
senting vote resolutions declaring y
/ permanent committee on tempera- y
/ not embark upon or interferp -
work and indorsirg the Al ~
Saloon leagues as a safe, :.
7 fective organization IN the advan of
/ temperance" The assembly pledge % the
league the fullest cooperation consistent
with the constitution Of the church
In anticipation OF a momentous fight on
1 the temperance question. every commits
sioner was in his seat and the gallery OF
Memorial hall was filed with spectators
when the assembly called for the reports
! OF the committee on church polity and tenn
perance. It became evident almost at the
outset that a majority Of the commissioners
were bent upon settling the controversy
/ with the Anti-Saloon league. A program
which sought to defer action had been
mapped out by the committee on polity and
temperance. but the assembly temporarily
put this aside. taking up the report Of the
committee on temperance, which had been
directed by the assembly 20 define the du-
ties OF the permanent committee on tenn
perance and adopted the resolutions as out
lined.
PoIity Committee Reports.
The report Of the committee on church
polity was presented by Rev. DR.. William
7 r + ullOn OF FLllautlpuld. All ONtlLbl
from the synod OF Indian Territory asking
the assembly for a deliverance on the sub
ject OF how the church might secure rep
resentation in nonecclesiastical temperance
organizations had been referred to this
committee. It reported a resolution that
while commencing the achievements Of the
Anti-Saloon league, Women's Christian Tenn
perance union and like societies, the assem-
bly, reaffirms the policy Of the church 10
avoid official representation in nonecclesias-
tcal bodies. but raises no objection to its
members or ministers connecting themselves
with such societies as individuals.
Rev. r. o. whitewells OF Oklahoma CITY
Immediately took the floor in opposition
10 the report and made an lrnpassioned
plea in behalf Of the work which he has
boon doing in connection with the Anti
Saloon league towards securing a pro-
vision for prohibition in the constitution Of
Oklahoma He declared that he had been
threatened by the brewery interests, who
had told him that when the Presbyterian
General assembly met he would be called
or his perch"
When threats had failed. he said. an
effort had been made to buy him of with
contributions 20 his church. He pleaded
with the assembly not to put a burning
torch in the hands OF the brewery in
terests.
Temperance Report Called Up.
When Rev Mr. semple proposed that the
report Of the committee on policy be
passed and that the report OF the standing
committee on temperance be received, the
assembly acquiesced.
Rev. Dr. Rosker Of Louisville. as chair
man OF the latter committee, then re.
ported that the committee had acted ad-
versely on the overtures asking that the
inter-church temperance federation move
ment be abandoned and that the basis
Of agreement for the inter-church fedora
tion be approved for reference to the inter-
church congress to be held at New York IN
1905
The first part Of the report adverse to
the abandonment OF the Inter-Church Tenn
perance federation was adopted but the
second part dcferring the definition OF the
duties OF the coEluittee on temperance
q raised a storm OF protests Rev. Mr. Sem
y pie declared there would be no further de-
a lay, that the question at issue would be
5 decided now Shouts Of approval greeted
= this declaration.
= At this point DR.. W. o. Thompson, presi-
: dent OF the Ohio State university. came
z forward with the substitute resolution, bar
ring the permanent temperance commit
! tee from any participation in political af-
fairs and which was subsequently adopted
In reply TO questions, he said he would
not object TO endorsement OF the anti
saloon league and Rev. DR.. Semple there.
upon offered an amendment endorsing the
league.
From that time until $40 when a vote
on the resolutions was taken the time
was occupied with exciting debate. dur
ing which the moderator frequently found
It necessary to rap for order.
Report on sabbath schools.
. The report OF the Board OF Publication
: and Sabbath School Work, made today "a
: the general assembly. showed that the
! year just closed had been a year OF de-
) velOpment and progress, the profits OF the
business being considerably in excess OF
those OF the previous years. The contribu-
tons to the missionary work had been
greater and more missionaries and colpor-
teurs employed. and more churches had
grown out Of the Sabbath schools organ
ised by the missionaries tnan in any pre-
ceding year.
The board had at work lS3 Sabbath school
missionaries and thirty cOip0rteurs. labor,
ing within the bounds OF thirty synods and
lis presbyteries. They organized 10 new
Sabbath schools and revived 2f7, into which
q. had been gathered 3,lsl officers and teach
= also encouraged and otherwise aided 2u,
, with a membership OF Sc SAG.
The year had been one OF aggressive ef
= fort in behalf OF the people Of the foreign
speech
The contributions were S2,576 more thar
the previous year and the expenditures IN,
II creased 81, practically all OF which wa
We used for missionary work. The total re,
u ceipts were a35,65.
a. Foreign Missions.
e. The report OF the Board OF Foreign Mis-
A. sions shows that the Presbyterian church
K has twenty-seven missions in sixteen DIFF
"a ferent lands. In the last year the board
n sent out forty-nine new missionaries, o
y whom seven are medical missionaries.
m The board now has under its care LA
a, educational institutions. These includ,
schools Of all grades from the primary Al
70 the university II has Il5 hospitals an,
- dispensaries- Last year the physicians con
M nected with the board, together with theil
native assistants, treated 2e.IM patients
The total number OF scholars IN III,
schools Is 8s24 and the total number o.