Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-19
UNITING THE BOARDS
Consolidation of Four Propos-
ed to Presbyterian Assembly.
REDUCTION OF EXPENSES
Reports Received Showing Percent
age of Nom Church Members
in United States.

AILANllC CITY, n. j., May 19.-The
report Of the executive committee recon-
mending the consolidation Of important
boards Of church government home mis-
sions. church erection and missions for
| freedmen, was presented to the Presby-
terrain General Assembly today, and
aroused strong opposition. The idea of
consolidation is by reducing the number
OF directors and clerks to cut down ex-
penses and to facilitate the transaction
OF business. The reduction plan elm
mates thirty-eight men, cutting the COM
bined directorate from sixty-etght to
thirty. Opponents to the consolidation de-
clared that there Is now more than
enough work for the sixty-eight men.
| and that it would be a bad precedent to
make any change.
I'm Restraint of Trade"
The principal speech against the pro-
posed consolidation was made by Rev
Dr. j. b. MoHatt. president OF Washing
tom and Jefferson College, and himself a
member of the executive commission He
jokingly said 1t would be a combination
in restraint Of trade, and SO illegal, at
least, unless 1t was proved to be real
good combination. And. / would not like
to say just what good combination Is
when the ink on the recent remarkable
Supreme Court decision is not yet dry"
Dr. Moffatt said that he hated to see
the church follow in the footsteps of
modern business corporations
Rev. John r. Davis of PHILADELPHIA
spoke in favor OF the consolida ton He
declared it was the duty of the church
to reduce the number of directors, as at
present the combined board was SO large
that ii was cumbersome. The assembly
took recess for luncheon without TAX
ing a vote on the consolidation.
Reports Of Special Committees.
The Presbyterian general assembly,
having organized yesterday by the cleo
ton of Rev. DR.. John r. Carson OF
Brooklyn as moderator, the 800 commits
sioners were ready for business follow
ing the devotional exercises which opened
the second days session. The first bust
ness OF the day was the consideration of
reports from special committees. Among
these reports was that of the committee
on Christian life and work.
The report states that the presbyteries
have very generally given attention to
the recommendation of the last assembly
, that they appoint committees on inter
committees to attend to the matter of
the relationship of the EVANGELICAL
church one to another.
About two-thrds Of the presbyteries
and synods have acted on this matter, the
| report says.
The report called attention to an inves-
tigation made by the secretary OF the
committee which shows that throughout
the country as a whole the total number
Of non-church members is 600 per cent
1t also set forth in the report that
the number of vacant Presbyterian
churches has increased as between 1909
and 1910 from 1856 to 2161.
Southern Body in Session.
LOUISVILLE. KY, May 19-With Rev
William Russell Cecil. D. D.. Of Rich
mond, Va, the new moderator, In the
chair. the second days session of the
fifty-f1rst general assembly OF the Pres
byterian Church in the United States
(southern) was marked by the rapidly
with which routine business was trans
acted. The feature OF the day was the
address by Rev. T. H.Rice, D. D.. Of
Richmond. Va. on THE Present"
A number OF bills and overtures pre-
sented by presbyteries and individuals,
judicial business. foreign correspondence
and reports from theological seminaries.
women's societies and secretaries reports
took up the greater part of the morning
session, the latter part being devoted to
Dr. Rice's address