The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-05-27
DECIDES FOR LARGE sum
N HOME MISSION WORK
General Assembly In Session at New
port News VIII Ask For Almost
Twice Last Years Contribution.
RAPs FEDERAL CHURCH COUNCIL
Steers Clear Of Nationwide Prohibi-
ton Amendment and Declares
Evangelism Is the Great Movement
to be Pressed.
By WM. s. oAMpnEI.I.

BY WIN. s. CAMPBELL.
Today has been day of debate in
the Presbyterian General Assembly,
now in its nth days session. The spe-
cial occasion of speech making on the
part of the members of the body was
the report of the committee on syste-
matte beneficence.
One item was the amount to be
asked of the churches for the AS
sembly's Home Missions. The assem-
bly, asks the churches to give for the
year 1916-1si7 s324,0 600 for this cause.
The amount given during the past
year was 100000. Some members
felt that the Increase was too great.
The speakers said that the whole1
amount was needed, but they did not
believe Ii best to ask so great an
increase at one time. as IT would dis
courage the churches, since they feel
little interest in attempting to do
what they would feel II was impossible
for them to do. But the assembly
decided that the effort should be
made, and the large increase in con-
tributions for this cause should be
asked.
Appeals For Benevolent Causes.
Another point in this report which
was warmly discussed was as to spe-
cial appeals for contributions from the
churches for the various benevolent
causes. One side favored the restric-
ton of these appeals to the special
months assigned to each cause and
to those churches which have not
adopted the every member canvass.
The assembly decided not to place
any restrictions upon these appeals
beyond what have already been i'm
posed by former assemblies.
Relations With Federal Council.
The special matter of interest in
the report of the committee on for
about the relation of this assembly
to the Federal Council of the Churches
of Christ in America. The following
extracts from this report will give
good idea of the action of the as
sembly:
! We commend to the Church for
their favorable consideration and CO.
operation as far as possible the work
of the Federal Council through it's
committee on church and country life.
Calling attention to their program for
the thorough investigation of present
conditions and for the most of their
plans to improve or provide a remedy.
I'VE also strongly commend the re-
port on family life on the lax rela-
tions of the Church and home and the
report of the commission on Sunday
observance.
while there are thus many things
In the reports Of the council which we
approve and heartily endorse there
are actions taken which SO do vio-
Hence TO the historic and scriptural
position of our Church that we can do
naught else than decline to accept res
possibility for them. and enter our
protest. In some instances they are
contrary to the doctrine of the sepa-
lration of the church and the state and
the only proper attitude of approach
which the church has to the affairs
of the state. in others they deal with
the recognized mission of the church
on earth.
The note sounded for our forward
movement in the Church is Evangel-
ism. Is 1t not then of the greatest inn
portance that we guard the pure
tEvangel from accretions that may
turn us aside from our great mission
and dissipate our energies on the
perishing things of time when they
ed to the mighty things OF eternity.
"Troublous times such as these
caused that action in the Presbyterian
Church which necessitated the birth
| of the Church South; should We not
then most carefully guard against the
LACE tendencies which are turning the
forces of the Church into SO many
side channels and so weakening the
force Of her one supreme call to save
men for time and eternity?
! The matters which we would dis
avow are such as these:
| Action concerning the European war:
The Felerai- Council hereby suggests
to President Wilson and Secretary
Bryan that they take steps at an early
date TO urge upon the governments OF
the world the need of an universal trea-
ty providing that the signatory pow
| ers agree to enforce observance of the
argument upon the nation that trans
crosses the treaty. by immediate mil
| IIary intervention.
THAT steps be taken to secure SINH
| lar action on the part of the Roman
| Catholic Church of the United States.
appealing to the Pope, to take similar
action In the matter.
I'VE express the hope that the Con-
xress of the United states will give
| the several states of the Union the OPP
portunity according to the principles
of our government to vote for or
against y constitutional prohibition
amendment"
I'm view of these facts your commit
tee 10 forced TO one Of two eonclu-
sions. Either that the Assembly should
now sever its relations with the Fed
eral Council or that we postpone act
ion with the hope that the said coun-
ell may yet regard the principles for
which our church stands and we recon-
mend that action to deferred for one
year.
Further that the sum OF s3li.o0 be
appropriated for the expenses of tho
council and that two delegates and
two alternates be appointed as per
their request for the General Coun-
ell of 1877"
Ts Ala Schools for Lay Workers.
The following action Of the assem-
bly, was taken concerning the training
school for lay workers at Richmond:
Resolved: l.. That In view of the
fact that the school Is an enterprise OF
the General Assembly, and is equipped