The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-05-19

ator Howerton read the following tele- gram dated at Columbus, Ohio:
 --The General Assembly of the Pres bvterian Church in Columbus, Ohio, sends fraternal greetings to the Gen- eral Assembly of the Presbyterian Church -in the United States Tn ses- sion at Birmingham. Ala. Read Ephe- sians,- fourth chapter and thirteenth verse"
 The telegram was signed by William Henry Roberts, Moderator. The. scrip turaI reference noted in the dispatch refers to Paurs elaboration to unity.
 The report of the ad interim com
 nittee on summer schools or tneoiogF at Montreal, N. C., was read by pr. w. A. Alexander and referred.
 The first committee to report was the judiciary committee. The report con- cerned an appeal of the Lafayette Presbytery from a ruling of the synod of Missouri and recommended that the matter have a special hearing before the assembly. The question ihVoIveu the weight to be given by lower courts to recommendations of the General As sembIy On motion it was determined to settle the matter today.
 Appeal From Missouri.
 The assembly then resolved itself into a court and proceeded with tne hearing. The appeal was based upon
  tery to commend the endowment fund for the ministerial aid in accordance with the request of the General Assem- bly 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 com plaint was sustained and the presbytery censured. The presoytery then ap- pealed.
 The appeal claims that the synod of Missouri did the presbytery- great injustice in declaring that 1t wilfully ignored the General Assembly. It also ayers that in taking such action It places the power of the General Assem- bly, SO high that 1t extends the con stitution. The vote in the Missouri synod sustaining the complaint was s9 to 37.
 J. M. Cheney, Jr, an elder pre- sented the presbytery's side of the con- question was whether the word "en- join" used by the General Assembly, is mandatory upon a presbytery to adopt the method proposed and if the As- sembly meant 1t that way does not the Assembly go beyond its authority. asked MT. Cheney.
 !. G, Trimble of Kansas City gave further details of the controversy. He argued that the General Assembly has the sovereign power ito create and that power is given by the constitu- ton"
 During the trial of the Lafayette case Governor Conner was presented to the General Assembly. He assured the members of the Assembly that they were cordially welcome to Alabama and to Birmingham in particular Mod orator Howerton replied to the Gov ernor thanking him for his welcome. The trial was then resumed and MT. Cheney made the closing argument for the appellant. He eentended that the General Assembly did not have the right to say that a certain method must" be pursued in collection for a fund. @
 On roll call the case was discussed by a number of commissioners. On the final vote the Assembly voted to sustain the appeal, the vote being S6 to sustain, "A not to sustain and two fin favor of sustaining in part. The moderator was authorized to name committee to formulate judg ment of the effect. The report of the committee is expected to define the powers and. limitations of the Gen. eral Assembly,. The Assembly then adjourned until Monday morning. All the protestant pulpits in> Birmingham and suburbs will be filled tomorrow by visiting Presbyterian ministers.