The San Francisco call., 1909-05-26
CHURCH URGED TO
AID OWN COLLEGES
'1Let Rockefeller and Carnegie
Alone" " Says DR.. Steffen to
Presbyterian Assembly
Money Devoted to Providing
Buildings in Place of Those
Lost in Tennessee

DENVER May 25.-'Let Rockefeller
and Carnegie alone-go into your
own pockets for college endowments.
was the advice DR.. j. C. Steffen of Du-
buque, Iowa, gave the general assem-
bly, of the Presbyterian church this
afternoon.
DR.. Steffen called attention to the
lack of bible study in church schools
and urged that a rule requiring at
least LA hours of bible study in each
school year be made compulsory in the
case of regular students.
During the day it became apparent
that Chicago instead of Atlantic City
was taking the lead as the next meet
ing place, but the subject was not of
ficiaIly before the assembly.
1t was officially decided that 100000
should be spent in the erection of
churches in the synod of Tennessee to
replace those taken from the church
bv the decision of the supreme court
of that state. which held the union of
the PRESBYTERIAN church in the United
States of American and the Cumberland
Presbyterian church was illegal
REPORTS ARE ADOPTED
The report of the committee on ad-
ministrative agencies encountered no
objection, although it was most dis
puted. but was passed substantially as
submitted by DR.. j. d. Moffat of Pitts
burg. Perhaps the only active recon-
mendation is that each board in the
church obtain legal advice as to the
enlargement of its powers, in order
Il
may be accomplished gradually.
The reports of the executive commits
sion were accepted after debate OBJ
lection was made to the appropriation
of only $4,000 to the temperance
board, but it was pointed out that this
sum was 81 900 in excess of the amount
usually appropriated.
The report on church cooperation
was submitted by DR.. W. H. Roberts,
the slated clerk, and adopted.
RECORD MISSION FUND
DR.. W. A. McEwan offered the re-
port OF the board of home missions.
showing that the amount received
$1.O73,971-was the largest in the his
tory of the church. He asked $500. 900
for the work of the coming year. DR..
Charles I. Thompson of New York, sec
rotary of the board made a plea for
the immigrant, saying that within 80
years the United States would have a
populat tion of 200 000.G0O and that a
special effort must be made TO Chris
tianize foreigners who come to this
country.
Congressman Bennett of New York,
who is a commissioner TO the assembly.
denied that the majority of immi gra nts
were idlers and criminals.
During this debate, DIR. Thompson
made a veifsa' thrust at the admins
tration for its removal of Robert
Watchorn, former commissioner of i'm
migration, stationed at Ellis island.
Politics. he said bitterly, ror what
not" was the cause of the removal of
a great man.
SALOON LAW DEBATED
Congressman Bennett and James
Yereance, both of New York. debated
sharply over the effort to close saloons
in New York on Sunday.
we wished TO have the law OBJ
served. said Mr.. Bennett. 1T was a
matter of expediency."
And 1 don't believe in expediency
where the observance of the Sabbath
Is concerned retorted Yereance
The report on Sunday observance,
which was submitted by Yereance, and
which criticised the action of the New
York committee of II, defended by
Bennett, was adopted.
DIR. L. NJ. Bailey of Washington, d. c.,
obtained the passage of resolution
that each commissioner petition his
congressman to work for Sunday OBJ
serVance in the national capital