The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-19
Sub-Committee Favorable to Such Action is Named to
 Prepare Report
SYNOD IS CENSUREO AND
 IMPORTANT RULING MADE
Assembly Holds That It Has No Power to Force Session to Take Certain AetIon-Question
 Arose In Missouri.

After three strenuous session, the com mittee appointed by the general assembly to consider the articles of agreement adiourned yesterday afternoon and ap- nointed a subcommittee, consisting of the Rev. J. S. Lyons, Allen c. Hall and J. P. Trimble to formulate the report which will be submitted to the assemply Monday morning, and the first order or the afternoon session will be given over to it's discussion, continuing until the whole matter is finished.
 While the meetings were executive, the rnmor is already beginning to spread that ,ba renort will be in favor of adopting tha articles. In the first place the sub oonroittee is composed of three of the most radical adoption men in the whole church. They have been open nshters from beginning to end, both In the ch oh naners and elsewhere. The matter or formulating the report would propapiy not be assigned to them if 1t were not favorable to adoption.
 Committee Was Divided.
 The large committee is thought to nave ,oen nrettv we'll divided on the question. No doubt when the report is turned III, aeter two prominent lawyers, and one or q. sS,,es 1,esta1<nown ministers have spent hours ,r ,ts nrenaration, 1t will bear several E .,,,,andnents to the articles. In fact there have heen several important changes men tioned, and some of them will pc repof'eu favorably. ,,.
 Message Suggests Unity.
 .srir we all come in the unity oi .he
 1f h. m faith and of the knowledge or the ooh of God. untol a perfect man, unto the ,maasure of the stature of the fullness or Christ"
 such was the significant organic union sc,.intural verse to which the Noreieih 1,resovterian general assembly reieii eu to inc southern assembly yesteroay Il" t,,o exchange of fraternal telegrams Here is the message:
 Columbus, O., May IS, 1907. ..,, ,,.aa-a+or of General Assembly, Bir- mingham, Ala.-
 ..1he general assembly of the Frespy- 4erian church in session at Coiuuious' o'' send fraternal greetings to the general ossen,hly of the Presbyterian cnurch III session at Birmingham, Ala Read Ephe- sians fourth chapter and thirteenth verse
 .ewrrIJAM HENRY ROBERTS,
 Moderator" !"
 Meets Tomorrow Morning.
 |. o,o,oc,x yesterday the general as sembly adjourned to meet aagin Mon day morning at 10 o'clock thus allowing inc commissioners rest and qulet TOT nearly forty-eight hours, after three oays of arduous labors. The meeting yeseel- a,v was full of interest, including one or .ha rare iudicial trials and an address by Gov. B. B. Conner
 when the general assembly resolved it. self into court, for the trial or case it became the highest court or appeal in the church, and before its delibera- lions were over, the action of the synod of Missouri was censured, and set aside, while that of the presbytery of Lafayette, fin Missouri, was sustained.
 Question of Great Importance.
 The question upon which the vote was taken perhaps rivaled in importance the nroposed articles of agreement, for 1t decided the power of the assembly over the lower bodies, and by vote of S6 to 7o defined the assembly growth out of and a bond between the lower courts, whose power is merely to assert, endorse, and submit plans to the presbytries and svnods and whose actions are not man. datorv upon the individual church ses- sion. or layman's conscience.
 TO the minds of the majority this is in conformity with the old plans of Presby- terianism, which began with the session. and it's duties, and grew to the presby- tery. then to the assembly bond or unity. suggestive of the federal govern ment of the United States The argument was really a parallel of the argument for states rights, with the presbyterles claiming certain exclusive rights.
 In the forty-seven years of the southern church's history this is the first time that such point has been raised, be- ing the first time that a presbytery has openly refused to follow out the com mands of the assembly. It is interesting to note that the articles of agreement, in substance, call for the creation of an other court which shall bear the same relations to the various assemblies of all Presbyterian churches as the assemblies now bear to the presbyteries, with sew nnal restrictions.
 The Presbyterian system of represen- tation is interesting The lay members elect the pastor, and the members of the session. The session elects an elder to represent it. together with the min lster, in the presbytery. The presbytery elects commissioners to the synod well IS to the general assembly. and it is now proposed in the articles of agreement
 
 n~ Q