Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1919-05-28
PRESBYTERIANS HOLD NATIONAL
MEETING.

The 131st General Assembly Of the
Presbyterian Church held in st. Louis
from May 18th to May oath will stand
out as one Of the most important
General Assemblies in the history OF
the church.
It is unique in the first place be-
cause for the first time 1t elected a
,layman as a Moderator. This was the
first year in which layman was
eligible to this office. 1t was gen.
orally agreed that in the election of
John Willis Baer. the Presbyterians
had chosen as their Moderator the
most popular layman in their ranks.
In the second place, the General
Assembly paved the way for co-opera-
ton in the Interchurch World Move
ment Of North America. 1t adopted
a plan approving the principle Of the
Movement and named con-
ditions upon which it would cooper
ate. 1t then gave the Executive Com
mission plenary power to bring such
cooperation in due manner and time,
The General Assembly rejected a
proposition to delay action on the
Interchurch matter for one year, be-
cause it felt this would be evasive
inasmuch as the Presbyterian Church
through the General Assembly Of 1918
had taken the initiative toward or
ganic union of all evangelical church
es. 1t was felt that Presbyterians
could not now fail to meet the Inter-
church proposition promptly and de-
The New Era Movement received
the greatest ovation given by the as
sembly. DR.. William Hiram Foulkes,
general secretary Of the Movement,
was received with very great enthus-
iasm when in the report he showed
the success of the Movement, despite
the limited time and the many OBJ
stacles with which 1t had to contend
during the first experimental year.
Assembly authorized the
to proceed on full FIVE
year basis dating from May 1919.
In the great expansive program to
which the Church has set itself, that
Of the General Board of Education
stood out conspicuously. 1t involves
the raising of $35,OOO,OOO within FIVE
years for the Presbyterian colleges.
OF this amount $5,O00,0O0 a year is
to be raised by the colleges them
selves and 100000 is to be raised
in the New Era Budget. DR.. Edgar
P. Hill, secretary of the Board was
most heartily supported in the state
ment that the crying need of the time
the Christian college must very large
ly supply this need.
1t is worth while noting that the
Assembly took definite action toward
q constructive policy in the interests
Of capital and labor. Throughout the
deliberations there ran determined
note for the Church to take a posi-
ton of leadership in helping to bring
about amicable and constructive re-
lations in the great industrial world
This eliminated in the adoption of a
strong resolution committing the
Church to such policy.
Simultaneously with the General
Assembly the Brotherhood Of Railway
Conductors and Telegraphers was
holding it's annual convention in St.
Louis and the General Assembly sent
fraternal greetings to this body. Per-
sonal greetings were exchanged with
the Episcopal Convention meeting in
the, city A letter was sent to the
Southern Presbyterian Assembly again
proposing organic union and the As
sembly returned a proposal for closer
federal union.
Rev. W. A. Montgomery, pastor
Of the Manchester church, Rev. Mr..
of Coggon, R. A. Wallace of
and VIM. Probert Of Volga,
represented the Dubuque Presbytery
at the sessions of the assembly.