Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-05-23
FOR CLOSER RELATIONS
Reformed Synod To Consider Adop-
ton Disagreement.
CENTRAL COUNCIL AIMED AT
To BE Composed Of Representatives
ofrhe OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Mike Their Reports.

Wake tUciF HSPSfkos
York, Pa, May 21.--The General
Synod Of the Reformed church pro.
Iceeded to transact the business Of the
session Wednesday
The cammittee appointed by the
General Synod on Federal union with
the Presbyterian church consists OF
Rev. John H. Prugh (chairman). Rev.
Cyrus Cort, Rev. Joseph l.. Murphy,
Rev. A. e. Dahlman and Elder John f..
Roller. The committee has prepared
its final report, but 1t will not be
made public until after 1t is received
10y the synod. However, the cammit-
tee will unanimously recommend to
the synod the adoption OF the articles
lof agreement adopted at Charlotte n.
c., March Is, by the committees on
closer relations of the Reformed and
Presbyterian church General synod,
the Reformed Church Of America. the
Presbyterian Church in the United
IEtates of America, the United Presby-
terrain Church, the Presbyterian
Church in the United States. the Re
formed Church in the United States
and the Associate Reformed Presby,
eriarS Church.
The articles provide for an ecclesi-
astical council to be known as the
Council OF Reformed Churches In
America Holding the Presbyterian
System" consisting OF four represent
alive ministers or ruling elders from
each OF the constituent churches fol
each 100, 900 communicates or fraction
thereef up to 100000
Every church is to retain its dis.
tinct Individuality, its own creed, gov.
lernnl lax and worship.
The council is to exercise only such
powers as are conferred upon 1t by
the articles OF agreement, or such as
may hereafter be conferred upon 1t by
the constituent churches. 1t shall not
interfere with the creed, worship OF
government of the churches. All dis
cipline shall be left to the Judgment
of the ecclesiastical authorities OF the
churches concerned.
The council is to promote the co.
operation of the constituent churches
in their foreign missionary work and
their general work in the United
States of America.
The council Is to have power to deal
with questions which may arise be
tween the constituent churches, and
any matters of interest common to
any two or more of the constituent
churches, which may be referred to 1t
by the supreme judicatories Of the
churches concerned for its action.
The Incidental expenses of the coun
ell are to be met by fund to be
provided by a pro rata apportionment.
The expense OF the representatives is
to be borne by the churches.
After the council has been consti.
tuted any church holding the Reform
ed faith and Presbyterian polity may
be received into the council by ma
jority of the representatives of the
churches, voting by the unit rule. and
upon its adoption OF the articles of
agreement.
Any church in the council may with
draw on notice officially given and on
its observance OF the same constitu-
tional steps as were followed In its
adoption of these articles.
These articles OF agreement shall
go into effect when any two or more
churches shall adopt the same by
proper action and elect their repre-
sentatives in the manner herein 'ro-
vided.
The triennial report OF the board OF
foreign missions shows that the Cen
eral SYNOD has cause for sincere graf
itude for its great success. The work
OF the church in foreign missions has
been largely confined to Japan and
China Six years ago the annual in
come Of the board was less than S40.-
600 and the number of missionaries
was %. In the last three years the
school buildings at Sedai, Japan,
which lay in ashes, were rebuilt, to-
gether with other buildings. To pro-
vide all these buildings with addition
a. ground more than 100000 was ex-
pended By the church, and at least
$4,000 has been spent in school build