The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-19
Or. JOHN 4. NAaQUIs
NAMED MODERATOR
BE HEARD FIRST PRIVATELY
southern General Assembly Convenes
at Orlando and Reports Show Pres
byterian Work Generally Prosper
ing.

Atlantic City, N j.. May ls,--The
rev DR. John A. Marquis, president of
Zoe college,, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was
erected moderator of the General Pres
eyterian Assembly on the second ballot
'his afternoon in possibly the keenest
contest ever waged by the conference.
ne was named over William L Nc
EVAN pastor of the Third Presbyto-
Ran Church, Of Pfttsburg, Pa only
AFTER Rev. George L. Robinson, of Chi
cago withdrew after the first count
In favor Of the successful candidate.
rev. Robert Johnston. OF Montreal,
canada, was also nominated, but like
wise withdrew.
necessary for the election on the frst
count. On the second ballot, strength
ened by the following favoring DR..
Robinson. Sis votes were polled as
against 237 for McEwan. The new
moderator. who brings the supreme
honor for the first time to Iowa is q
descendant Of the silver tongued"F
Marquis who was one of the pioneer
preachers back in 1890. He is nifty
one years old and was born In Wash
ington County. Pa. Rev. Mr.. Marquis
was graduated from Washington and
Jefferson College in 1887 and the West
ern Theological Seminary in 1889. He
is the tenth graduate from the former
university to be named for the high
distinction out of forty-nine
Trouble Creeps In.
The Union Theological Seminary
trouble persistently crept into the af-
ternoon session in the nominating
speeches. The Rev. John Ewart, OF
Colorado, who seconded the nomination
OF DR. McEwan, let the trouble in
1.-The chin NJ ha ~
Ewart lis in danger of being torpedoed
by submarine. There are men rails
ing the voice of unbelief in the Presby-
| terrain body. It is grave crisis we
have facing US today. DR.. McEwan
stands solidly for the fundamentals of
the faith"
Delegates stamped disapproval of
the trend of the address. and the
speech may have harmed the candi-
dacy of his man. But DR.. Ewart went
on:
THE earlier teachers. such as schan
and shedd. were sound in doctrine. But
! / am grIeved that the SUCCESSORS Of
the men know are injecting the poison
of unhelief into the boys under their
care"
The New York men In the front rows
disconnected the speaker with their
actions and he suddenly stopped.
I rev w william Parsons, of Eugene,
| Oregon, nominated DR. Marquis
| An attempt to nominate a ruling
elder threw the convention into tumult
this afternoon. Presiding Moderator
Stevenson was asked If laymen were
| eligible for the chair, and If not, why
not? The constitution showed two
previous efforts OF the same nature and
amendments suggested on each occa-
sion we're voted down.
| John Wanamaker, long the principal
| power behind the Bethany Presbyte-
rian Church, Of Philadelphia and one
| of the pillars of the General Assembly
was said to have been the choice OF
this faction. with a possibility of John
Willis Baer, president of the Occidental
| College. of California
| Try the steam Roller.
| Steam roller tactics were later tried
as Baer named Rev. Robert Johnston.
of Montreal.
Immediately following another
speaker motioned to close the nomina-
tion and called for the vote.
The tension of the conference was
again illustrated on this occasion. when
delegates ieaped to their feet in voicin q
the strong opposition at II. -nexpected
movement Johnston's candidacy was
materially hurt by his membership In
the New York Presbytery, and there
would have been little hope for his
election.
The New York Presbytery delegates
tonight made sweeping dentals OF the
charges of alleged misconduct brought
by the Cincinnati assembly. Their an
swer will tend to show that incorrect
information OF the proceedings had
gone abroad, based mostly on the diff
ferences OF opinion. The conservatives
won partial victory this evening In Sc
curing the private hearing frst before
the matter Is aired on the floor of the
convention. The report will be sub
mitted in the morning to the COM
mittee on bills and overtures and ma y
never be heard from again as the re-
suit OF their efforts Both sides will
T be heard In private and the final de-
} cision of the case left at the discretion
} of the particular committee.
Z The Cincinnati Presbytery had gone
even stronger In it's recomm endat ton,
demanding In its resolution that the
New York Presbytery be excluded
Nashville and other corners are still
D loyal TO the metropolis. and have aske
In communications that the Ohioans be
called to account for the unchristian-
like movement responsible for this dis