Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-29
ASSEMBLY PRAISED
|. BYPRESBYTER|ANS.
Meeting Most Far-Reaching in
History Of Church, Says
New Moderator
GREAT STRIDES ARE TAKEN

That the General Assembly Of the
Presbyterian Church in the United
States, which closed at the Academy
Of Music yesterday, was the most sig
nifcant and far reaching in its results
Of any in the history Of the church was
the opinion expressed by both the Rev.
Samuel S. Palmer, newly elected mod
orator, and DR.. William Oxley Thomp-
son, president of Ohio State University
and member Of the executive COM
mission Of the assembly.
Not only was a great step taken to-
| ward organic union of all evangelical
churches, but the much debated Inter
| church World Movement was settled,
as far as the Presbyterian Church is
| concerned, for some time to come. An
other interesting phase was the hu-
name and strong stand taken by the
assembly toward the perplexing indus
trial problems of the day.
"A Wonderful Assembly"
1T was wonderful assembly" said
| Doctor Palmer. I'VE received the
Welsh Calvinistic Church into our
ranks, made decided move towarl
| organic union Of evangelical churches
and settled the lnterchurch World
Movement question. We took the step
of severing connection with that move
ment not only because Of legal com
| plications. but because we prefer a
union Of this kind to come through the
church and not through corporation.
| There was an Indebtedness Of SS,5O0,-
600 incurred by the movement and We
would have been responsible beyond the
amount underwritten.
1--WE have been entertained royalty
in Philadelphia. Our reception couldn' t
have been better. Taken from every
standpoint, it was one Of the best man
aged assemblies ever held.
| Everything points to decided for
ward movement in the church. The
collection of moneys has been the great
est during the last year that we have
ever had. 1t shows that the springs OF
never was better spirit in the assem-
bly,. During the most heated discus
sions there was at no time any mani
festation Of bitterness.
Educational Advance
1--WE have gone ahead in our edu-
cational program to the tune of $685.
600 .OOO." said Doctor Thompson. LAS
result Of the plan the assembly will
raise $4,000, 900 year for the next
five years. the balance being raised by
the church at large. We have awakened
l 500, 900 Presbyterians to the impor-
tance of an improved educational pro-
gram.
The desire expressed by the Presby
terian Church for organic union is an
important step and will encourage other
denominations to do likewise. Hero.
tofore there have been fifty seven varie
ties of Protestant churches, but soon
there will be but one. We shall ther
be friends and learn to know each other
1t means a humanizing of the Protestant
churches.
1.-THE Interchurch World Movemen
was one Of the by products Of the war
Then we were talking in terms of mil
lions and thousands Of millions. Th
program of the movement was built oil
war basis. II the movement had com
to the present point during the war i
doubtless would have gone through
without much trouble. But the peopl
tired of the fast gait at which the,
were travelling.
Caught in Reaction
The Interchurch Movement wa
caught in the reaction. We will tax
up the Job again, doubtless, but tn
RELAPSE was unfortunate. But in spit
, of this fact the Christian church ha
come across with more money than ever
At present the Christian people are tn
, most forward Of all.
Tho lnterChurCh incident was hu
, an incident in a big wave of activity
, The Interchurch Movement was not
) doctrinal one, but rather a program o
] service.
, But fully as important as anythin
. else the assembly did. especially in it
promise for the future. We're the steps i
took toward making industrial rela
, tons human. Through the influence O
9 the church recently, and to still great
o or degree in the future, there has bee
n slowly but surely a process of idealiza
4 ton both among the working and tn
Canitalistic class that will mean a grea
deal towards the solution Of an age
old problem.
Working Man Grows
THE working man has become self
, respecting. His ideals have been raise
70 n tremendous degree and in the beS
sense Of the word, his standard of liv
, ing. On the other hand, there is ten
I dprcv on the part of the big empioyc
10 also become more idcaliStic, mor
! human. He has discovered that mcrel
q making dollars isn't everything and ha
realized that you cant get efficient scrv
-, ice on n basis of ignorance and poo
- working conditions.
r Social service is projecting tse
r across our horizon as one of the mo-
Y vital features of church work, Huma
n rights are coming to the fore. All
d alI the prospects arc bright for II
:. church TO become a real. practical lead
. or and force in the everyday affairs I
? men and not merely an organization fr
:. worship from time to time.