El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-05-06
Presbyterians Plan Union
General Assemblies of Three Organ
fEations VIII Meet in At
Ianta on May 10.
n r--oHarfe L HnsE7U-

l--By Frederic J. HaskiR--
~, lsHINGTON, D. C., May 6.-I'
M is hard for those outside OF
" Presbyterian circles to differ
entiate between the three bodies rep
resented by the assemblies which con
vene in Atlanta on May IS The largest
is that of the Presbyterian cnurGn IN ~
the United States Of America II y
Familiarity known as The u ? A. anu
represents the churches OF the nor lHetn
states The Presbyterian church IN me
United States is the official name OF ~! t-le
bC,dv representing the southern states
while the United Presbyterian church
is a body resultant principally from d
riniOn of several synods Of the assoc
ated Reformed church Wnlcn was Hla1e
in Pittsburg in 1898
northern Branch Is Largest.
The u. S. A, or the northern orancn
of the Presbyterian churcn, IS lar ses~
It's membership includes over two
thirds Of the entire number of PreSOy
teriaDs of the country and nearly three
foUrths OF the ministers II has nearly
10000 churches and at least Il Lneo-
logical seminaries. Its power was
greatly increased in 1906. when II was
united with the Cumberland Presoy-
terrain church, a body which at the time
of the union numbered about -OUiUVy
members and included number OF
educational Institutions, as wei as
large ana influential EAAul -AAIIa-
The umberIand Presbyterian churcn
was started in 1906 as result OF
controversy between the synod OF ken
lucky and the Cumberland Presoytery
over the ordination OF certain men -
ministers who were judged deficient IN
education by the higher authorities
The principles involved were SlInllar
to those which during the preceding
century caused the disruption or the
Presbyterian church into the new ana
old sides represented by the New YORK
and Philadelphia synOds-
The Cumberland church also desired
a little broader creed. 1t was calvin
istic in doctrine, excepting that IL
would not accent the doctrine of pre-
destination precisely as held by the
Presbyterians. The revision OF the
Westminster confession Of faith and
supDlemental statement adopted by the
Presbyterian church of the United
church Of America in 1903, paved the
way for the union by the slight mOdl-
ficatiOn demanded The union was Of
ficisIly adopted in 1906 although
small proportion OF the Cumberland
church refused to unite and there has
been considerable friction and htiga-
tiOn to secure the proper titles 70
church property.
Southern Church Organized In 1881
The Presbyterian church IN the
United States. commonly known as the
Southern church. originated with the
civil war. In August, 1851, delegates
from 10 synOds including A Presby-
terfes met in Augusta, Georgia. and
constituted the first general assem-
bly, Of The Presbyterian Church IN
the Confederate States OF America
This new organization at once adopted
a vigorous home and foreign mission
airy policy. 1t took charge Of the mis-
siOnary work among the indians IN
Indian territory who mad been per
suaded by Gen. Pike to cast their lot
with the cpnfederacy through their
~ lou "
uses IL received the Independent Pres
byterian church a body OF churches
and four ministers located in South
Carolina. The next year union was
also formed with the United synod
which represented in the south the
new side of the old Schism which had
separated the church in the 18th CEN
fury. It was composed Of the Scotch
Irish element which had settled IN the
southern states.
CaIvinistic Greed Emphasized.
The southern Presbyterian church IS
generally regarded as more strict IN
its requirements than the northern
church. 1t maintains Theological
schools at Richmond. Virginia, Cumber-
land, South Carolina, and at Louisville,
Kentucky, in each Of which the Cal
whistle creed is emphasized The
school at Louisville lately has been
partially united with the Seminary at
-Danville which is under the direction
Of the northern assembly so that in
the management Of these two schools
the north and the south are uniting in
a way that bids fair to promote the
feeling of church unity so much desired
by many Of the leaders of both bodies.
United Church Is Rigid.
The United Presbyterian church
which will be represented in the as
sembly by over 500 commissioners is
in some respects the most rigid of the
three bodies. 1t bases its doctrine upon
the Westminster confession of faith,
with a modification of the chapter
upon the authority of civil magis-
trates, accepts both the larger and
shorter catechisms and the judicial
testimony. It has five special arti-
cles for the regulation Of its members.
The first Of these articles prohibits
the owning of slaves. The second de-
clares against all secret and oath-bound
societies and recommends that church
members do not belong to them. The
third recommends close communion
upon the ground that the sacrament
should be administered only to those
who have assented to the doctrines OF
the church. The fourth advocates pub
lie testimonies or experiences at spec
ial times.
Psalms for Praise Services.
The fifth article is the one which
tends to make the chief distinction De
tween the United Presbyterian church
and the other branches of the same
denomination. 1t states that Ii is the
win of God that Psalms should be used
in service since hymns are the COM
position of uninspired men and, there
fore, are not suitable to be used IN
church service. In some Of the more
rigid of the United Presbyterian
churches, organs are not permitted
and the Psalms are chanted without
any instrumental accompaniment In
most of them, however, the best OBJ
tainable poetic versions OF the Psalms
are used in praise services, and these
are set to suitable music and are sung
in the same manner as the hymns IN
other churches.
The United Presbyterian church now