The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-05-22
CHURCH MAKES APLEA TO TAFT Presbyterians in a De-
 bate. CONGO CASES ARE DISCUSSED Savannah Meeting ts Aid Mis-
 sionafies. Young Men of general Assembly Carry Their Point. over the older
 mi.sioners--Invitsd
 to Geneva.

Savannah. Ga. May 21.--In . resolu- ton and an amendment to 1t adopted today by the general Assembly of the Southern Presbyterian Church. Prssi- bent Taft Is to be asked to use his in fuence with the Belgian Government to have postponed the trial of two American missionaries in the Congo, who are charged with 'icalumnious de- nunciation" of the company kassat, q. rubber company in which King Leopold Is principal stockholder, and then to see to 1t that the missionaries are properly represented.
 The resolution proper appoints May "a. Sunday, e day of special prayer for the deliverance of the missionaries. Rev. Dr. w. M. Morrison and Rev. pr. W. H. Sheppard from any mfscar- riase of justice under the forms of law, and also for the deliverance of the people of Congo indepedent State from the oppressor.'
 pr. E. M. Green of Danvfiie. Va, i'm troduced the resolution and D. Y. Hen- derson Of Aiken. s. c, the amendment which embodies the appeal to the Pres ident. One of the leading opponents of the amendment was pr. C ". Grafton of Mississippi. who stated that # was contrary to the church policy to appeal to the civil authoritiess that the As- sembly is ecclesiastical. strictly, and that the proper. Approximations had already been made to the Government.
 Rev. Richard Orme Flynn of Atlanta. read from the church articles of gov ernment which provide that no appeal shall be made to civil authorities ex- cept in the form of an humble petition and In extraordinary cases. He argued that the amendment was humble and the case extraordinary.
 The vote was taken and showed the young men of the Assembly lined be- hind the amendment. Some of the older heads were opposed to it.
 These missionaries are to be placed on trial next week. Dr. Sheppard wrote a series of magazine articles. in which he dealt with the sub ject of how the natives Of Congo Free State were by tHe rubber company. The cou1raBy sued for sis.eoe damages. and there ia also nrs ffnpriaohmefit psnhlts.
 R. c. Reed of Columbia. 5. C.. was heard on ..Cafvin's Contribution to the Reformation" and tonight T. C. John son of Richmond. Va. on "Calvin's Con. tribution to Church Policy"
 The membership of the standing committees of the Assembly was an nounced.
 An invitation from Geneva. inviting the Assembly to attend the Calvin cele- bratlon ct st. Pierre Cathedral in June, was presented.
 Among those enrolled today were Rev. Eastman Cole and Rev. J. D. Cole, Indian Commissioners.
 Privileges of the floor were extended to pr. James Orr. of Glasgow. Scotland. who is to speak tomorrow at noon on IT, sis of Scripture" and to Charles Merle d'Aubigne. of France.
 A number of changes, were announc- led in the program of addresses that will be made before the assembly. pr. A. M Frazier, Staunton, Va, will speak Monday noon. and Dr. R. A. Webb, Louisville. ky, Monday night: pr. s. L. Morris. Atlanta. Ga. Tuesday noon and Dr. George H. Devoy. Lexington, Va. Lexington. Va. Wednesday noon, and Dr. Henry Collin Minton. Trenton. N. J.. Wednesday night.
 The speakers Thursday will be pr. R. B. warneld. Princeton, N. J.. noon, and pr. Asking. Austin, Tex. Thurs day night. Calvin and Calvinism in many phases constitute the bases of these addressss.
 A feature of tomorrow afternoon's 8 program will be A boat ride down the Savannah River and out over the bar.
 Tomorrow evening. pr. John Little. of Louisville. Ky, wiu speak on the sub ject of "Colored Hvangelization."
 A communication from Rev. John Fox. of the American Bible Society, has reached the assembly. asking for assist ance in raising half-million dollars needed to insure Q gift from Mrs. Rus sell Sage of an equal amount to the Bible Society.