Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-05-18
.PRESBYTER|ANS'
ASSEMBLY OPENS
IN ATLANTIC CITY
Impending Heresy Trials Form
Chief Topic of Delegates
Conversation.
CHOICE OF MODERATOR
EVEN Is SECOND TO THIS
Significant Utterances Believed
to Indicate Hedging on
Part of Accused.
BY REV. A. N. sTUBBLEBINE.
Especial to the Newark star.l

A~fNNtai " tur 4<cWdrk Htar.
ATLANTIC CITY, May 1s.-The 1894
general assembly of the Presbyterian
Church was formally opened this morn
Ing by the sermon of the retiring
moderator. the Rev. Dr. Charles Lit
tie. of Wabash, Ind. e
DIR. Little in his sermon obviUuslv
alluded to the heresy questions when.
In commenting upon "the breadth OF
Christian doctrine" he said:
The Presbyterian Church has its
creed. We ask our ministers in their
ordination vows to pledge their fidelity
thereto, and while they may be per-
mitted some elasticity there should
be no Juggling with the phraseology.
Fully 75. per cent. of the commissions
ers are, already on hand, and an un-
dereurrent of expectancy prevails over
the election Of the moderator and the
important questions to be considered
at the assembly.
More groups of commissioners are
talking Of the heresy overtures against
Professor Francis Brown and Profess
sor William Adam Brown. of Union
Seminary, New York. than over the
election of moderator A very large
part OF the commissioners both East
and West are as yet unacquainted
with the fects involved in the heresy
case. A very significant utterance was
made at the commencement of Union
Seminary on Monday of this week.
when Professor Brown stated that
Union Seminary stood for three things:
First the divine authority of the Bible
as the word of God: second, the di-
vinity of Jesus Christ; third, vital
and practical piety In everyday life
In connection with the commences
ment the Rev. DR. Francis Brown
preached q. sermon on the Power OF
the Exalted Christ" which has been
printed and 1t is thought by some an
an effort to overcome In. part the i'm
preston of his former articles.
Course the Overture WIN Take.
The course the overture from the
Presbytery of West Jersey will take Is
that 1t will be referred to the judicial
commission, which will report its find
ngs and conclusions to the assembly.
Then the debate ON this overture will
take place, If any.
The findings will be either made the
action of the assembly or rejected. The
questions of long standing win be again
brought up for consideration and ac-
| tlon.
The consolidation of the different
boards of the church and benevolent
agencies will call forth great deal Of
debate and the opposition Of their
great secretaries and other officials.
For many years there has been a.
strong and urgent demand for economy
in the administration of these boards
and agencies.
Let us have fewer high-prlced sec
retaries,' has been the cry.
This problem has been referred to
the executive commission, which Will
make important recommendations for
action of this assembly. The commis-
sion is confronted with legal barriers
in an effort to find way to consoli-
date. An effort will he made by the
commission to consolidate the person.
mel of the boards members, or the
commission will ask permission of the
assembly to secure the resignation of
one-half the membership of certain
boards and to form a new managing
board with twenty-seven members out
of the various boards now consisting OF
fifty-four men. This will not Interfere
with the legal entity of the various
boards.
Two Boards Not Affected.
The only two boards not affected by
this scheme of consolidation are the
Board of Foreign and the Board OF
Publication and Sabbath School Work.
"A new plan might be evolved" they
say. IF the earth would conveniently
open and swallow all the existing Sec
retaries and clerks; or they might ALI
be packed in a leaky ship and sent to
the bottom of the ocean,
The important question Of reducing
the representation in the assembly.
which was voted down last year, Will
come up again this year.
The executive commission to whom
this reduced representation as been
submitted for consideration will sub-
nit two plans to meet the demands
of many parts of the church. In both
Of these the basis of representation will
be the number of ministers and
churches in a presbytery instead OF
only ministerial membership as pre-
walls now
The afternoon session opens at 2:so
with the calling of the roll of commis-
sIoners.