New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-18
General Assembly Com
missiOnerS Await Word
OF New York Body.
SERMON TO OPEN
SESSION TO-DAY
Foes of Metropolitan Division
Say McEwan Alone Can Save
Day as Moderator.
BY the Rev. E. W. WEIGH.
rs Telegraph n The Tribune

izing OF the l2sth annual session OF
tho General Assembly OF the Presbyte
rian Church Of the United States on
the steel Pier here tomorrow morn
ing. At that time tho Rev. j. Ross Ste
venson, former pastor Of the Fifth Ave
nue. Church, Of New York, the retiring
moderator. will preach the opening ser
mon on The Plea of Christ for Belief
in His Mission"
As the hour for the opening session
draws near the atmosphere surround
ing all the COMM ssioners who have ar
rived grows moro and more tense with
speculation regarding the attitude OF
this assembly toward the Presbytery OF
New York IN view OF the demands
which arc being made By the ultra-con-
servatiye branch Of the Church that
that presbytery be expelled from the
denomination. This demand grows out
OF the licensing Of candidates for the
ministry who, it is claimed. are not
willing 10 subscribe to the fundamental
standards Of the Church.
The race for the election to the Mod
eratorship has. at a late hour tonight,
narrowed down to the point where the
candidate being backed by the enc
mics Of the Presbytery OF New York,
the Rev. William l.. McEwan, OF Pitts
burgh, is being proclaimed as the only
man in the present Assembly who can
save the day for the defenders of the
Presbyterian faith.
Others Seek To BE Moderator.
There are a number Of other can
didates for the position, but the
sixteen commissioners from New York
and those who are not aligned
with the ultra-conservative branch
have not agreed on any one can
didate. Those seeking this honor, in
addition 10 the Rev. Mr.. McEwan. are
the Rev George l.. Robinson, of the
Presbytery Of Chicago; the Rev. Hugh
X. Walker, Of the Presbytery of Los
Angeles. and the Rev. John A. Marquis.
president of Coe College, Cedar Rap
ids.
President John Willis Baer, Of Oc-
cidentsl College, Los Angels, has been
suggested as a possible candidate, but
the rule that a lsyman has never oc-
cupied the Moderator's chair will not
unlikely cause the friends of President
Baer to push his candidacy very vigor-
ously The rumor late tonight is that
he will not even be nominated.
Friends Of the Presbytery OF New
York are declaring that statement Of
facts will show that the Presbytery has
lived up 10 its obligations to the de-
nomination. However, there is a wide
chasm between them and those who
are clamoring for its expulsion. The
former assert that the three young
men licensed by the Presbytery April
10, about whom the present protest
was framed. are as sound doctrlnally
as the standards Of the Church require;
while the protestants are certain that
they not only denied belief in GER
tain fundamentals but evaded other
doctrines.
Friends Of the Presbvterv OF New
York are also asking that a dlstinc-
ton be made in the attitude Of those
who are condemning Union Theological
Seminary between the fight being made
On that institution and the basis for
the present uprising against the Pres
bytery in whose bounds the seminary
is located.
To Seek To BE Clerk.
The overtures to the Assembly will
be referred TO the committee on bllls
and overtures. which will either bring
i'm a report recommending action by
the Assembly or advising a reference
Of the whole matter 10 another stand
ing or special committee
Another matter expressing many OF
the commissioners is the election OF a
permanent clerk 10 fill the vacancy
caused by the death of the Rev. Will
lam b. Noble. Of Coronado, Cal. Il IS
said tonight that there are more than
twenty candidates for this office, among
Them the Rev Charles +. Erdman, OF
Princeton Theological Seminary.
The reason so much importance at
tachcs 10 this election, il is claimed by
friends of the Erdman candidacy. IS
that Stated Clerk W. II. Roberts, VINO
Is now seventy-two years old, cannot
efficiently I'LL this Office much longer
and as the permanent clerk would log
icallv succeed 70 that Office a strong
man should be elected 10 oil the pres
ent vacancy.
To-morrow's programme includes the
opening sermon, the Assembly com
munion service, the election of commit
tees. the adoption of the docket for TINS
session Of the Assembly, the election or
the Moderator and the reception 10 De
rendered the Assembly by the CITIZENS
of Atlantic City.
The commissioners representing tne
Presbytery of New York are the Rev.
Edgar W. Work, the Rev. Robert John
SION. the Rev A. II. Limouze, the Reyy.
G ". Welch. the Rev. Charles A. Stod-
dard. the Rev. Robert Watson, the Rev
r. II. Deems. the Rev. L. j. Russell,
Joseph Morehouse, John A. Parke,
lanes D. Andrews, William 5. Coffin,
William s. Bennett. J. 7. Stanley
George Hannah and James /. Beyea.