The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-11-15
POSITION OF PREseYTERIANs.

The Selma Journal, in a news report of the Presbyterian synod held in Selma,
 has this to say in reference to the reaf-
 f1rmation by that body of the different de- liverances on the subject of temperance and prohibition by the general assemblies
 of the same church:
 'When the resolutions were brought
 forth by MT. Dean and read, there was no discussion on them except from MT.
 F. P. Glass, editor of the Montgomery Advertiser, who called attention of the body to the fact that the church did not put itself on record as favoring any po- litical party. The members of the synod did not consider that such was being done in the indorsement of the resolu- tions The ayes voted strongly and when
 the noes were called for there was death-like stiffness to see If any one in the synod would vote against the resolu- tions. No man opened his mouth. not even MT. Glass;
 The Journal quotes members of the sy- nod as construing these deliverances as strong prohibition documents, and there is distinct intimation of surprise that MT. Glass did not oppose the reaffirma- tion
 It would have been difficult for any
 Presbyterian, in a subordinate court of his church, to have opposed the reaffirm-
 ation of any deliverance by the highest court of that organization. If the mat. ter had been before the general assembly itself, and MT. Glass had been a member,
 he probably would have taken the posi- tien that some of the deliverances were not to the point In the light of the pres- ent situation in Alabama and other south ern states. and that they were not fair and complete statements of the church's position.
 The Journals report of what MT. Glass said in his remarks is not full and com plste. MT. Dean, in presenting the va rious deliverances, which were printed in full in yesterdays Advertiser, did not read them all; he chose the first and the last, as sufficient to let the synod under stand what their tenor was. MT. Glass arose and called particular attention to
 the deliverance of 1897, and read it as follows:
 '1s97-In response to the communica-
 tion of the executive committee of the
 prohibition party of North Carolina, ask ing the assembly 'to make some deliver ance and declaration of principles on the all-important subject of temperance" this assembly would reply: That alike by uni- form practice and constitution we ars forbidden to intermeddle with political parties or questions, and that the con- stant and Scriptural attitude of our be- loved church on temperance and intem- perance. as shown in past deliverances on |, record, is too well known to require re- statement. Resolved, That In the action by the assembly in adopting the re- port of the committee on bills and over lures in reply to a communication from
 the executive committee of the prohi- bition party of North Carolina, this as- sembly Is not to be construed as intend- ing to commit the church to the politi- cal theory of prohibition, either pro or con- (Alexander, D. 142).''
 It will be seen that this deliverance went much further than declaration against cooperation with a political party it very emphatically asserted that the Presbyterian church is forbidden to inter- meddle with political questions. Further
 more, the accompanying resolution posi- lively refused to take a stand on tho political theory of prohibition. MT. Glass directed the special attention of the sy- nod to what was involved in that spe- cif1c deliverance in order that no mem
 Der mght be in ignorance of just what was under consideration. And what the
 Journal says is true: no man opened his mouth against that specific declara- ton. and no man voted against it. That deliverance contained the historic position of Presbyterians upon political
 matters, which, with very few exceptions, has been put forth by them at all times.
 One exception was in 1861 when the Pres
 byterians of the north took a different
 attitude upon the political questions of
 that period, and this led to the separation of the southern Presbyterians from their northern brethren-a separation which still exists. The southern assembly again, as late as 1907, in response to various requests, refused to create a committee on temperance because 1t would involve the possibility of political entanglement." It cannot be denied. therefore, that any southern Presbyterian court or minister is not in line with tho highest court, whenever the one takes sides in political contests, or the other undertakes to change votes by going on thu stump.
 
 TAFT AND BIRMINGHAM.