The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-05-17
Nearly 900 Delegates Awaiting
Opening Of Annual Convention
Tomorrow. Reports Show
Progress
TO CONSIDER HfRESY CHARGES
Cherished Doctrines and Fundamental
Beliefs of Church Said TO Have
Been Attacked by College
Head and Professor.

Atlantic City. N. j.. May I7-Nearly
all of the S6S delegates TO the annual
meeting OF the General Assembly OF the
Presbyterian church. which opens here
tomorrow. have already arrived in
town, together with large number OF
visitors.
With the calling TO order of the for
eign missionary conference this after
noon the assembly began to get under
way, though the formal opening does
not take place until tomorrow morning.
The annual report of the Board OF For
eign Missions shows the largest gifts
to missions ever made by the Board.
amounting to $1,69s,5OO. The receipts
OF the Board were also the largest, and
were sl,6S2.OOO from regular sources.
Big Contest For Moderator.
The most important event of the first
regular session Of the assembly tomor-
row will be the selection of a modera-
tor ordinarily the election is preceded
by n more or less spirited contest.
though the candidates themselves never
take AN active part. This year, however,
there appears to be an unusual dearth
of candidates. Some of the eastern
commissioners have launched good
sized boom in behalf OF DIR. Mark A.
Matthews of Seattle. The only candi-
date thus far offered by the Eastern
part of the country Is Rev. John r.
Carson. ID. d.. pastor of the Central
Pres hNfarfap oh. -
er candidates for the moderatorship
will probably appear before the cleo
tion tomorrow afternoon.
Heresy Charges Friday.
The much discussed heresy charges
are likely To crop up Friday. when the
reports of the presbyteries are read.
The clergymen against whom the
charges of heresy have been made are
the Rev. DIR. Francis Brown, president
of the Union Theological Seminary In
New York city, and one of the most
eminent theologians in America, and
the Rev. DR.. William Adams Brown. a
professor i'm the Union Seminary.
The charges against these two cler-
gymen are brought by the Rev. DR.. w.
L. McEwan. pastor of the Third Pres
byterian church Of Pittsburg. DR.. Nc
EVAN complains about certain state
ments made by the two clergymen In
recent newspaper articles written by
them. which he construes to be I'm di-
rect opposition to the most cherished
doctrines Of the church, as well as the
acaanffal q
Christian people.
Suggest Radical Changes.
The executive commission of the as
semby, body recently created to car
ry on the work of Presbyterianism dur
ing the year, met today to put the fin
ishing touches TO the reports and re-
commentators to be presented TO the
assembly. The leading recommends
tions affect the various boards of the |
church, grouping them In four classes. |
and providing that the trustees or di- |
rectors of one board may serve on any
other In the same classification The |
plans, IL is said. call for some radical
changes in the present system of man
agement, and the fear Is openly ex-
pressed that the commissions recon-
mendation will meet with vigorous op-
position I'm the assembly.
Body Becoming Unwieldy.
II is believed the effort To reduce the
Of members of the assembly |
will be successful this year. OF late
years the body has increased in size
until it has become unwleldy The ex-
ecutive commission is expected to re-
a reduction 20 about 600
members.
Another important recommendation
Of the commission. which is to be con-
sidered and acted upon by the assem-
bly,, Is that the budget committee con-
fer with the boards in New York Phil
ldelphia. and Pittsburg. in proposed
financial campaign for the benevolent
fund Of the church. to be carried on
under the direction of the commission.
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