The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-05-21
Presbyterian General Assembly
in Choice of q Moderator
win Renew Its Allegiance to
the Old Doctrine.
MEETS m 126TH CONVENTION
Consists Of 9e0 Members; Hal
Ministers, Halt Laymen.
Short Business Session Il
Scheduled for Today.

Chicago, May 21.@The Rev. John
Timothy Stone Of Chicago. moderator.
opened the 126th general assembly Of
the Presbyterian church in the United
States here today with q gavel made
from the pulpit of George Whitfield.
one of the founders Of Methodism who
died in Newbury Port, Mass, in 1863.
The gavel il small and light and its
mallet shaped head is bound by gold
bands. It was presented to DR.. Stone
last year at Atlanta when he was elect
ed moderator.
Election of this years moderator
was the most important business for
today. Sixty-five Presbyterian institu-
tons were represented in q pre-as-
sembly conference of presidents OF
Presbyterian colleges at which the
choice of a moderator was the lead
ing topic. It was said the assembly
in it's choice of q moderator whoever
he might be, would record its unshak-
en- adherence to the doctrines Of be-
lief in the miracles. the virgin birth
and the other time -honored tenets Of
the Presbyterian faith.
The general assembly Is composed
of 900 members, half ministers and
half elders. Representation is upon
the basis of the humber of ministers.
The interests Of the home missions
were expected to figure prominently
in the choice Of a moderator and in
the acts Of the assembly. The program
for today was short. The assembly
was opened with prayer and after q
report Of the committee on arrange
ment. recess was to be followed by the
election Of q moderator. There will
be a general reception tonight
Decline in Membership.
A net loss of members to the Pres
byterian church. averaging more than
$4,000 a year for the six years since
1908, was regretfully announced here
yesterday. This loss was stated to be
through the single item OF absentee
ism. In 1913. 50.s27 members were
dropped from the rolls and 1906 were
restored.
These figures. however. take no ac-
count of the yearly additions to the
church in new members. children, con-
verts, etc.
The loss, as given above, was stated
to be due both to what is termed -'ab-
senteeism' and to the negligence of
members to notify their churches of
change of address. The statement was
given in the report Of the committee
on the suspended roll.
1T is certainly lamentable that
there should be such a steady net loss
to the church." the report stated. 1T
makes the situation yet more the
cause for serious thought when it is
understood that this return Is made
by only 3,417 churches. while 6.474
churches submitted no figures. Twen-
ty-nine per cent of these suspensions
were made by 1874 churches. each of
which dropped more than fifty men,
bers during the past year."
The state with the highest record
for loss of membership was Pennsyl-
vania with "a churches that lost more
than so, and loss Of 1928 members
from 1904 churches. New York was
next with % churches losing, more
than SO members and g. loss of 1878
from 949 churches Illinois had II
churches losing SO or more members
and 6,052 Presbyterions were dropped
from the rolls OF 604 churches in 1913.
Ohio was the only other state in which
tho churches losing as many as so
members had to be numbered in two
figures. In Ohio there werc fifteen
churches and q total loss of $685.
members from the 674 churches that
submitted figures