The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-24
ASSEMBLY STANDS
BYFORMER ACTION
Question OF Political Deliver
ances by Church Courts
Considered Settled.
FINAL SESSION is HELD
Recommendations Offered Con
corning Fight on Romanism
Excluded.
Especial TO Tho Tlnes-Dlspatch.l


Bristol. Va. May 23.--The business
OF the afty-second General Assembly
OF tho Southern Presbyterian Church
having been completed and the docket
therefore having .ccn cleared this
morning few minutes before II
o'clock. the moderator. Rev. Thomas s
Clyce. declared the assembly dissolved
after sa%!ng from the chair these
words:
BY virtue Of the authority deiegat-
cd to me by the church let this as
sembly be dissolved. and do hereby
dissolve 1t. and require another Cen
craI Assembly. chosen In the same
manner. 10 meet In Atlanta. Ga. Thurs
day May 10. at II a NJ, 1919" and
following these words with the apos-
tolic benedict!on
1t is probable that no General AS
sembiy in the history OF this church
during recent years has completed the
business OF the body in so short a
time.
Following the devotional service and
the reading ot the minutes OF Wed
nesdays sessions. the first resolution
presented this morning was that o.
the special committee which had un
der consideration the resolution pre-
scented hy f. NJ Green on yesterday
touching the authority of any
church court TO recommend political
measures for adoption by the State
Legislature or attempt to control the
votes OF the citizens. The majority
report OF this committee reads as fol-
lows;
Resolved. That /, IS the Judgment
OF this assembly that mo church court
can constitutionaily recommend poll
teal measures for adoption by the
state Legislature or attempt 10 con-
troll the votes of the citizens
~. B. FICKLEN.
"R. W. RAILEY, JR."
Minority Report Presented.
The following minority report was
presented By "A member OF this com
mittee. In reference TO the rcsolu-
ton proposed concerning political de-
liverances By church courts. your COM
mittee would report as follows: mas
much as the General Assembly is on
record as having already made numer-
Gus deliverances on this subject. we
would refer the assembly to these de-
liverances. d. NJ. NEWER"
Hon. Allen G. Hall addressed the
assembly with reference TO these re-
ports. He referred first TO the fact
that for the assent bly, TO adopt the ma
jority report would be TOR that body
to take an action which would he al
rtopening of the "Sirnott case He
then stated that many of the commits
sioners had left Bristol feeling that
this case had been settled by the ac-
ton of the assembly on Wednesday.
and that he felt the assembly could not
AFFORD to adopt the majority report OF
this committee and by this action do
Indirectly to-day what II refused to
do directly on Wednesday. Mr.. HALL
said further that under these condi-
tons he felt that he must insist upon
the call for the question upon the
minority report.
The moderator put the question to
the house at once and the minority re-
port was adopted.
The following resolution was adopt
cd with rising vote:
THE General Assembly of the Pres
byterian Church in the United States
In session at Bristol. impressed with
the strategic location Q. King College
and of its potential importance in the
centre Of rapidly developing section
and among people from whom have
come some OF our most useful leaders,
and profoundly grateful for the i'm
mense contribution this college has al
ready made TO our church. would re-
cord It's appreciation Of the instttu-
ton and commend it most heartily and
earnestly TO the symputhies. prayers
and benefactions of the church at
large. and OF all people who are inter
ested In Christian education"
REV. De "a. w alldCc expressed MS APP
probation for these words and this
action OF the assembly regarding King
College.
The next report subrnitted was that
OF the committee on mileage. and the
report was adopted.
Action Romanism.
Tho report of the ad interim COM
mittee on Romanism was taken from
the docket. but contrary to expecta-
daho tI,t-
ject. Debate was avoided by the pre-
scntation of the following resolution
by Rev. r. G. Reed. ana the statement
OF Hon. Allen G. Hall. the author OIL
I<,--.i-..-A "--.n paa.N