Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-26
OPPOSES ACTION TAKEN
BY FEDERATED COUNCIL
committee OF Presbyterian Assembly
recommends That Its Stand
BE Regulated.
FINAL ACTION is POSTPONED
commissioners Protest Against Adj
wee to Wilson on War Problems
ana Its Interference in Prohibition
'hmpaign-MayA Act Next Year.

Il ne presbyterian General Assembly to-
Il 'N H"hatcd without action a commit
\ recommendation to repudiate the
NtahH taken by the Federated Council
oi the Churches of Christ I'm America
sHFdlnS some features of the Euro
b ''' war ana national prohibition: re-
.Fed glowing reports from the cxecu-
committees on home missions and
t'on and Sabbath school work:
"er'd a united prayer for peace among
"" nations of the world and took a
~ 10 norfolk and other points OF In
.r''S' IN the Hampton Roads district
"'eh's session was given over to a
..SI0SSion of sabbath school extension
IhH proposal to erect memorial to
~ ~ L. Phillips. -. d. of Richmond.
We !at" superintendent OF Sabbath
'.oo'S ana young peoples work
H'houph IT appeared at one time
ring the discussion as II the assem-
NY would withdraw from the Fehcrat-
| ed Council OF the Churches of Christ I'm
-.'uer!ca. the commissioners voted to
.''er action regarding any change in
,"e relation to the courc.' for one year.
'"Flhk which time it r'ss informally
s-fscSted that the council might so
"'""IiE It's attitude AS 10 make further
acton by the assembly unnecessary.
POINTS OF CRITICISM
IN COUNCILS ATTITUDE
n" councils advice to President
HSon in connection with the war
PiohIems and its advocacy OF n vote by
states on constitutional prohibition
amendment were the principal points
OF criticism in the report Of the com
mlttee on foreign spondcnce
which recommended the reputation OF
ne council. The councils reference to
ac,lon taken by the Roman Catholic
'nIrch also was included in the oh
!ecions brought out by the commit
tees report. The text Of the commit
tees recommendations follows:
while there arc many things in the
reports OF tho council which we APP
prove and heartily ndorse. there are
actions taken which do violence 10
10" historic. scrlptural position OF our
'huich th"t NC can do naucht else than
nse!in" 20 accept responsibility for
mem. ana enter our protest In some
instances they are contrary 10 tho doc
'rne % The separation Of church ara
state. In others they deal with mat
t"rs that are wholly eXtraneous TO the
recognized mission Of the church on
earth.
The note sounded for our forward
movement in the church is evangelism.
is II not. then. OF The creates; irnpo--
lance that We guard the pure cvangel
rom things that may turn us aside
from our great mission and dissipate
our energies on the perishinE things or
time when they should be conccntrat-
I'd and consccratcd To the mighty
,h.nrs o: eternity?
Iroublous times such as these
caused that action in the Presbyterian
| church which necesstated the birth o.
the church South Should wc not then
most CAREFUL! guard against the age
1 tendencies which arc turning the forces
az the church into so many side chan
rels and so weakening the force OF her
one supreme call TO save men for time
and eternity.
The matters which VIC would dis
aYow arc such as these; The federated
! council hereby suggests 10 President
wilson and Secretary Bryan that they
Il,ake such stems AT an early date 10 urge
| rpon the governments Of the world the
need Of a universal treaty. providing
! thar the sicnatory powers agree TO en-
force the observance Of the agreement
| mon the nation that transgresses the
. t-"aty by Immediate military interview
ton
That steps be taken to secure sim
1 Tar actions on the part Of the Roman
! Catholic Church in the United states
> appealing to the Pope. etc. TO take
similar action in the matter.
We express the hope that the Con-
e!ess OF the United States Will give
the several States OF the Union the
u opportunity. according TO the principles
OF our government TO vote for or
against A constitutional prohibition
ancndment'
In view OF these facts Your com
r,!tteo Is I0TCei 10 one or TWO con Clu-
slons either that the assembly should
now sever It's relations with the fed
Grated council or that we postpone ac-
ton with the hope that the SAID coun-
ell may yet regard the principles for
which our church stands. and we
recommend that action he deferred for
one wear"
= FLATTERING REPORT
ON HOME MISSIONS
The report OF the executive commit
tee on home missions was considered
one Of the most interesting and one of
the most encouraging that committee
ever has presented Notwithstanding
the financial depression OF the past
year the report showed decided ad-
vances along all lines OF home mission
endeavor and contributions were well
up to the standard.
Til churches OF the assembly sub
scrihed 10 home missions during the
year sl6z. 566.43. this amount being only
sll34.i3 short of the receipts during
the previous year. Contributions Of
churches and societies have increa sed.
and there has been no serious diminu-
!aneous gifts.
Additions to the church through the
- channel of home missions showed an
Il increase of so per cent. or a total of
about $500. in previous years this in
crease having averaged about 5000
-
The committee gave hearty approval
10 the Ellen Wilson Memorial Fund for
:. the Christian education OF mountain
youth, which was inauEurated by an
interested band of women in memory
of Mrs. Woodrow Wilson. who was
u deeply Interested in the work OF secur-
ing better educational advantages for
The youth of the mountain sections Of
the South.
The reelection of Rev. r. L. Morris,
u. D., of Atlanta, Ga, AS executive sec
rotary and Rev. J. Ernest Thacker D.
H., of Norfolk. as general evangelist
for the assembly. both for n period of
three years. was recommended by the
committee
The afternoon session was dispensed
with in order that the commissioners
might mako the trip on a specially
chartered steamer to Norfolk. where
- they were entertained al luncheon by
the First Presbyterian Church Of that
city, later steamng around the har-
Dor and seeing the various points OF