New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-25
General Assembly Even
Decides Against Com
mittee of Visitation.
Tears SHED WHEN
SUSPENSE Is OVER
Great Audience Joins in Singing
"BleSt Be the Tie That
Binds"
BY the Rev. G. W. WEIGH.
nv TELEGRAPH 70 Tho Tribunal

Atlantic City, n. j., May 24.-The
Presbytery OF New York, with It's 66
churches and 1856 ministers, is still a
part Of the Presbyterian Church. Not
outstanding the bitter fight made by
the Presbytery Of Cincinnati TO have it
expelled from the Church or otherwise
made TO bow to the wishes of that body,
the General Assembly voted unanimous
IL to-day TO continue the former cordial
relations which have existed between it
and the Presbytery of New York since
the very earliest Presbyterian history
in this country.
The General Assembly did not only
refuse 10 expel the Presbytery OF New
York from the denomination, but also
declined the request OF the enemies OF
that presbytery 10 appoint the com
mittee Of investigation or visitation so
vigorously demanded by the Rev. John
Fox and the partisan wing Of the
church Of which he is the New YORK
spokesman and representative.
The All Important Question.
For days the all absorbing question
in the minds Of the nine hundred com
missioners and the hundreds of visitors
TO the General Assembly, holding its
I2Sth annual meeting here, has been:
What will be done with the PreSy-
terry Of New York;" II was announced
Yesterday that the committee on bills
and overtures would report its recon-
mendations regarding the Presbytery
Of New York this morning, and every
che waited anxiously for the coming Of
the hour of conySning with mingled
feelings Of unrest and apprehension
for on every hand Il was freely stated
that the most heated contest ever wit
messed on the floor OF the Assembly
would follow the committees report
should its recommendations fail 70
meet with the approval OF either side TO
the controversy.
Promptly at o'clock, when the as
sembly was called 20 order by Mod
orator Marquis, the immense auditor
ium on the Steel Pier was packed to
the door with eager and expectant
listeners. The first statement Of the
chairman Of the committee, the Rev.
!. Ross Stevenson, president Of Prince
ton Seminary, was 10 the effect that
tho report 20 be presented In the New
York case had been unanimously
agreed upon by the committee. This
relieved the excitement, for u had not
been expected. since certain members
OF the committee were known 70 be
standing for the contentious Of the
widely separated schools of theological
though in the Church.
"Blest BE the Tie That Binds"
When the report Of the committee
had been adopted with q spirited unan-
unity the delegation from the Presby-
terry Of New York arose in a body and
began TO sing the hymn "Blest Be the
Tie That Binds" whereupon the whole
assembly arose and Joined in the sing
ing. while tears streamed from many
ewes. Thus was closed one of the most
dramatic incidents ever witnessed IN
this conservative body of churchmen.
The following is in essential part the
report adopted by the General As
sembly:
Complaint was made against the
members of New York Presbytery for
licensing recently and on previous oc-
casions candidates who could not af
firm their belief in the essential doc
trine of the word of God and our
standards. that our Lord Jesus Christ
was born Of the Virgin Mary. The
members of New York Presbytery felt
deeply panied and aggrieved that the
ovcrturing presbyteries should propose