The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-25
.CUMBERLANDS ARE
 FUR PROHIBITION
Assembly Stands Pat In the
 Resolutions Adopted
DEBATE VERY SPIRITED
Collection Is Taken of Funds to Con. duct Litigation For Church Prop erty and Memorial Service
 Is Held.

Bentonyille, Ark, May 24.-Not only did the general assembly of the Cum
 berland Presbyterian church declare It's adherence to the principle of prohi- bition today, but went a step further, adopting resolutions declaring that mo person or set of men who favor the | license or sale of liquor has the right 10 expect or receive the votes of Chris tian men and any candidate for office who declines to speak openly against the traffic deserves not and should not receive our support.
 We have not the control of mems mouths, nor can we hope to gain that control, but by our prayful united of- fort 1t is possible and probable that we can control Fhis traffic before it reaches the mouths of our future and many of our present generation"
 The adoption of these resolutions came after the original draft, which proposed that mo party which favored the licensing of the liquor traffic should be supported, was amended to read as quoted.
 Debate for a time was spirited, it
 
 resolution might be construed as po- litical statement on the part of the church.
 Several members of the committee on temperance remained firm, however, and the cir noes" prevented the adop- tfon of the report as amended being made unanimous.
 of ing of reports was continued. those of the committee on education, of the stated clerk, Rev. J. T. Goodnight of Lincoln, H., and of the legal board of finance. Each showed satisfactory con ditions existing in the different branches.
 An Indian minister, Henry Bond of aicCurtain, Okla, delivered a sermon and sang a hymn partly in Choctaw and partly in English. Other procedure of the afternoon was the collection of pledges for legal funds to conduct liti- gation as to church property in gen. eral, the total amount now in hand reaching $15,000. The session concluded with memorial service for deceased ministers. Tonight other reports were submitted, the programme being con siderably advanced
 A misconstruction of the intent of motion offered immediately after the l formal session of the morning was con-
 cluded produced an incident indica- i tive of the temper of the delegates 1 with reference to the church with which
 a majority of the members of the l Cumberland amalgamated several years ago. It was proposed that fraternal 1 greeting should go to the Presbyterian church of the United States the south ern branch now in session at Savan- Dah, and separate organiza ton than that with which the so-called union ists" joined forces. When the motion was submitted there came a few feeble i ayes" but the "noes" came Justify The i matter was made clear, however, and the vote to send the greetings were unanimously adopted
 The reading of committee reports then began. The first was that of the historical committee which proposed the completion of church history which was adopted. Then came the report of the temperance, and with a rather spirited debate over a phase which was thought might be construed as tending toward political alignment as originally drawn. The resolution. while disclaiming any intention of the church CT tering the political arena, originally provided that no party which favored the licensing of the liquor traffic has any right to expect, nor should 1t re- celve the votes of Christian men. This brought forth vigorous protests and the resolution was amended to read that mo person or set of men who fla vored the saloon or liquor traffic has any right to expect or receive the votes of Christian men"
 After adopting uAe report as amended the morning session was concluded. This afternoon other reports were reaG and then a meeting in the interest Of education was announced. It Is pos sible that the assembly may conclude its meeting tomorrow night, though it Is more probable that a session Wednesday morning will be necessary. So far the matter of compromise with i fhe different factions who united with the northern9 church as to property rights has not been brought before the assembly.
 Should 1t come up at all. il would be 1 in connection with Ihe reading of tho committee on ovortures. possibly as a minority report.
 Nedro Ie Insapa