Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-19
TEMPERANCE A THEME
Presbyterians Much Troubled
Over the vexed Question.
ONE MINISTER RESIGNS
DR.. Wills Declines to Participate in
Anti-Salooh Fight.
HIS SUCCESSOR Is APPOINTED
Anti-Saloon League Members VIII
Put Up Stiff Fight and the
Other Side Is Strong.

COLUMBUS. Ohio, May 1s-whether the
general assembly of the Presbyterian
Church shall indorse the effort of the tenn
perance committee to organize a church
temperance federation or shall give its I'M
divided support to the Anti-Saroon League
is question which will be pressed for set
Element before the assembly at the earliest
moment. probably next Wednesday.
The controversy, which was aroused by
the organization of the Interchurch Tenn
perance Federation in Pennsylvania, and a
conflict which followed between the fedora
ton and the Anti-Saloon League over tenn
perance legisla ton in that state, cropped
out in the general assembly today when
DR.. David Wills, IT., of Oswego, who had
been appointed chairman of the temper
ance committee. resigned. DR.. Henry E.
Dos!:er of Louisville KY, was then APP
pointed chairman. Or. Wills refused to
discuss his reasons for -resisning. but it
was said that he did not care to be in the
Thick OF the fray 49,
!, The question of which movement the as
sembly will indorse will not be allowed to
go 10 the temperance committee, however,
if leaders in the assembly can prevent.
The Vexed Question.
took the vexed question by the horns by
appointing Rev. Henry Z. Dosker of Louis
vile. KY. as the successor of Rev. David
Wills, jr., of Oswego. n. Y, who created
somewhat of a sensation today by an
nouncing that he would not accept the
appointment as chairman because of the
fight in the committee over the temper
ance question
The controversy is Involving nearly all
don.
the assembly. but it did net get to. the
floor of the assembly today because o. i,d-
tournament to Monday soon after neon.
Moderator Roberts. according to state
ment he made after adjournment, is de-
termined that the temperance question be
settled at this meeting. He said:
Il appointed Rev. DR.. Dosker because I
know him to be man who has not taken
either side of the temperance question,
and, therefore, 1 hope for some definite
action by the committee through him as
chairman. 1 am determined, if possible,
to have the committee come to some
definite acton on this vexed question"
Ministerial Relief
The convention adopted the reports on
ministerial relief and Presbyterian broth
erhood.
The report showed that there were on its
roll last year 1924 names-421 ministers, Sal
widows, "a orphan families, one widow of 4
medical missionary, 8 women missionaries
and 10 guests in the Merriam Home at New
ton, N. ]. This is the largest number ever
upon the RON.
The receipts were s21s,130. or, including
S28, O15 for the permanent fund, $246 IS.
The aggregate amount of securities, cash
ON hand. is now $1,472.235.
A statistical report contained the follow
ing figures: Membership. 1,t5s, 662; church
offerings, 81 ,120 COS; legacies, $685. $50; other
sources, S2,T5. 1884, total income from all
sources for 1907. 81. 45S,522
Breaking silence for the first time since
the Presbyterian commissioners, the Anti
Saloon League issued this statement to-
day:
Developments yesterday fully confirmed
time in the Presbyterian general assembly
over the temperance question.
Gratuitious Interference.
ut is claimed that instead of helping to
get local option legislation in Pennsyl-
vania. the position of the assembly's tenn
perance committee was that of gratuitous
interference with the work Of the league
representing the united action of all the
churches.
Those who are here from Pennsylvania
are saying that the fight for-}ocal option
was near completion when the Pennsylva-
mia committee formulated bill of its own
and called together an informal and I'M
official gathering Of a few representatives
from other bodies to indorse it's action.
1T was. said by a gentleman yesterday,
who for the past year has had intimate
knowledge of the whole controversy, that
there Is no doubt that the assembly's COM
mittee has sought to handicap the Anti
Saloon League, and that in this effort they
have had the active backing of few
leading radical party prohibitionsts, who
for of fhafr had
sympathy with the league
The first committee to report was the
judiciary committee. The report contained
an appeal Of the Lafayette presbytery from
a decision of the synod Of Missouri, and
recommended that the matter have spe-
cial hearing before the assembly. The ques-
ton involved the weight to be given by
lower courts to recommendations of the
general assembly. Tie assembly then re-
solved itself into a court, and proceeded
with the hearing The appeal was based
upon the refusal of the Lafayette presby-
terry to commend the endowment fund for
quest of the general assembly, which also
prescribed a way to raise funds. Complaint
was made to the synod of Missouri of the
action of the Lafayette presbytery. and the
complaint was sustained and the presbytery
censured. The presbytery then appealed.
The appeal claims that the syEod of Mis-
souri, did the presbytery E. great injustice
in declaring that 1t wfilfully ignored the
general assembly. 1t also AYERS that in
taking such action 1t places the power Of
the general assembly SO high that 1t exceed
ed the constitution. ]. H Cheney, jr.. an
elder presented the presbytery's side of the
controversy. He argued that the entire
question was whether the word 'enjoin'
used by the general assembly is mandatory
upon presbytery to adopt the method pro-
posed and il the assembly meant it that
way, does not the assembly go beyond its
authority?