The Washington herald., 1911-12-10
Presbyterian Advance.

The executive commission Of the Pres
hytcrian Church. created only recently,
has been able within the last few weeks
to inauGUratc half a dozen reforms, and
to report to the church upon them. This
commission is composed OF eight ministers
and seven laymcn. and vas created to
make d continuing executive body for
the business side of the Presbyterian
Church. When me general assembly ad-
iournS it is without day. and the life OF
the commissioners composing il Is ended.
The commission remains officially alive
throughout the year.
Besides the provision OF Il permanent
executive body, the commission exists to
secure more public recognition of tn"
PRESBYTERIAN Church as an effective re-
ligioUs body To this end the COmmIs-
sion has exalted the Office of moderator
of tn" general assembly. and aims to
make the name and work known IN tn"
same way that the ma me bishop Is known
and respected. II is stated that the Pres
nytcrfan Church in the United States *
exceedingly democratic in its ideas. bu'
il j. also stated. and upon authority OF
those in position to know. that the DAY
is not distant when even Presbyterian
dcmocra.fc ideals will tolerate - mCd"ra-
tor .iud q commission 0r cabinet. All OF
trcrn .alarird. aIl OF them Possessed "f
administrative powers. and giving all "i
their tI.nc 10 tho ddNHur" Ot tn" gospel
u:rd"r PRESBYTERIAN HuSrir"$- II j. ad-
n.i;tcd that tho impendinE ,hanE'slS Il
radical one.
Fcu~ important matters have Just he'n
considered and recommendations made
hv tho commission. There have grown
up ~" societies for the relief Of aged
and deserving ministers. I'm some eases
Of their families one is a pure gratui-
~ the other a near approach t" AN in
suranCo society on a mutual benefit b.
sis Conflict Of method arns" between
th- old and the new. Adjustment has
now been made subject to a later re-
port and working ont or some details.
\ board Of church erection, one OF
several missionary agencies. operates
under laws passed in 1874. on" Of these
laws forbids a loan large ;han $501O.
Tho hoard received $3,"No"o under th"
will Of the late John =. Kennedy. of New
York. and some Pacific Coast and Rocky
Mountain region churches desire loans
Of lar"er amounts than 500 eaCh-aHd
ought 70 hav" them, 50 members Of tn"
commission think. Some changes Of
rules Will it is s.,id, Permit th"S" West
ern church uroicrts to make uso Of the
Kennedy and other monNy
Thcr" has long been friction. no; A.
WAYS w"u conroHled. over the admin
Srraliou "f general assem- .ly funds.
TEorc Is always complaint in some d
r""tion$ over general assembly ov-
U"n<cs. : committee Of five Philadol-
nhia business men WAS named uut long
since I" consider genera! assembly
GnaLc"s. Nov friction arose. Now th"
commission has been able. 50 It r"2"rt
iusj made scts for,h. to fix up these
matters amicahIy, and it is thong per-
Finally. tho commission has. with CO.
operation on the par, Of the honevo-
lent hOIrds. been able to put system into
tn" home appeals Of tho missionary So
Cioti"S. I'm the past there have been in
the Presbyterian church, eight different
societies issuing appeals. collecting money.
and paying expenses Of publicity work
The plan has duplicated effort and wasted
money. Now unity obtains. Not eight ap-
pcalS. hut one is sent out to the Presby-
terrain churches. Expenses are shared in
agreed upon. and system OBJ
tainS where the lack OF il has done. The
effect is a saving OF large proportions.