Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1910-04-21
STATED MEETING
OF PRESBYTERY

the Mahoning church at 2:3O o'clocl
Monday afternoon, there being a
good attendance.
After prayer by the moderator, the
Rev. DR.. W. 7. l.. Kieffer, d. D., OF
Milton, the roll was called, after which
a moderator and reading clerk were
| elected.
For moderator the names of the Rev.
James Wollaston Kirk, the Rev. DR..
! William Hanson, of Mt. Carmel; the
Rev. DR.. Thompson, of Lewisburg
and the Rev. j. w. Erny, of Potts
| grove were placed in nomination. Mr..
Kirk very urgently requested that his
name be dropped as candidate, owing
to the multiplicity Of duties devolv-
ing on him during the presbytery. On
motion Mr.. Kirk was excused.
The Presbytery proceeded to ballot
when it was found that the Rev. DIR.
Hanson had twenty-five votes CON
stituting a majority. He was according
ly declared elected and took his place
as moderator. The Rev. J. II. Gregory
was elected Reading Clerk.
The Report of the Committee on Ar
rangements was made by the Rev
James Wollaston Kirk, pastor of NAH
oning Presbyterian church. 1t was
prefaced with some appropriate re-
marks, in which Mr.. Kirk extended a
warm UnlcOD,a to +ba vie;tipr, ,lor,,,.
men and laymen, explaining to them
that the present is the l25th year of
Mahoning church's existence; also that
Danville is historic, being the town in
which the first 7 rail in America was
made. Mr.. Kirk made some recon-
mendations relating to the order of
business, which on motion were ad-
opted by the Presbytery.
At this juncture the Rev. Harland
4. Gould, of West Pittston, associate
secretary of the Pennsylvania Bible
society, was introduced. Mr.. Gould
explained that he was present to re-
port that an utilization had been eff
fected between the Pennsylvania Bible
society and the American Bible So
ciety; that the latter has made an ap-
/ preparation to take care of the Penn
! sylvania society and that henceforth
all money raised for Bible societies
must be contributed to the American
| Bible society
/ The minutes, embracing the stated.
adjourned and special meetings of
Presbytery for six months were very
voluminous and were read by the Rev.
j. ID. Cook, of Remove, formerly of
Danville, who has filled the position
of stated clerk of the Northumberland
Presbytery for some twenty-five years.
The Rev W. r. Preston is permanent
clerk
The congregations at Beech Greek
ana Bald Eagle extended "a call to the
Rev. y. ID. Bateman, Phi. D., of Bash
er Falls, n. Y, the former Offering a
salary of 800 and the latter a salary
of 5000 together with use of the manse.
Mr.. Bateman being called upon de
| clared that he was willing to accept,
after which having satisfactorily an.
: swered all questions he was formally
received into the Presbytery.
Two other churches extended calls,
/ but these got no further than the Pres
/ bytery where they were declared in
valid owing to the fact that the clergy
I man who otliciated as moderator when
/ the calls were extended was not Il
member of the NorthumbeI land Pres.
btyery. The two churches involved
were at Trout Run and Lycoming
Center. The pastor called was the
Rev. W. ID. Hevner of Sunbury. When
the meeting was held for the purpose
of calling Mr. Hevner, the Rev. a. p
Mershon of Philadelphia, who had
been officiating as pastor of the
churches for year, consented to act
as moderator.
! There was doubt among the mem.
| bers as to whether this was legal and
a discussion ensued during which the
matter was thoroughly threshed out,
! the chair rendering IA decision to the
effect that for a clergyman not mem
Der of a Presbytrey to officiate as a
moderator i'll it is to act in violation
of Presbyterian law and the call was
accordingly declared invalid.
! On motion it was decided that the
/ Home Missionary committee hold its
meeting in Williamsport on May 9th.
On motion the Rev. Dr. John d.
koehne, who delivered a series of
lectures in this city recently was made
a corresponding member OF the North.
umberland Presbytery.
A feature of the evening session was
an able sermon preached by the retir.
ing moderator, the Rev. Dr.. W. L. L.
Kietfer. The sermon which was found.
ed on Matthew 23-23, was an appeal
for Presbyterial missions and made a
strong impression.
During the evening special music OF
a very high order was rendered by the
choir.
The narrative of the state of relig.
ion in the Presbytery was prepared by
the Rev. Joseph O. Fields of Muncy,
L.. .... =.