Evening journal., 1921-10-24
PRESBYTERIAN
SYNOD OPENS
CONTINUED from First Pagel

fCOntinleQ from tlrSt Hdgel
Mcdowell, D. D., secretary OF the
Board of Home Missions; Harold
Robinson, ID. d.. secretary of the
Board of Publication and Sabbath
School Work; Merle II. Anderson,
ID. d., superintendent Eastern Dis
trict OF New Era Movement. Ar
drew Mutch, ID. D.. representing the.
Board Of Ministerial Relief; David
Wylie, ID. D., secretary OF the Board
of Church Erection. and Charles
Mcdonnell. D. D., representing the
mems work OF the denomination.
The opening session this afternoon
was largely attended. Following the
devotionals, the Rev Merle II. An
derson, ID. D., spoke on the IRE
sources of Power for Living
Church." The election OF moder-
ator, permanent clerks, and two tenn
.porary clerks. report OF committee OF
arrangements, report Of committee
on dockets, report of standing COM
mittees and miscellaneous business
were also on the program.
This evening the first of the pop
ular evening services will be held.
The Rev. Ethelbert d. warheld, d.
D.. IL. D., Lift. D., president Of
Wilson College. will speak on
christian Education" and the Rev.
Stanley White, ID. d. Corresponding
secretary Of the Board Of Foreign
Missions also will speak
Bible Reading In Schools.
Or. U. Franklin Smiley, pastor Of
West Presbyterian Church, as
chairman of a committee, will re-
port on the subject OF christian edu-
cation. at the Synod meeting. on
Wednesday morning. Among other
things he will recommend enactment
Of a law by the Delaware Legisla-
ture, for compulsory reading of the
Bible without sectarian comment
on the passages read, in the public
schools of the State. Opening of
school sessions with Bible reading
by the teacher. without sectarian
comment, is now being urged by the
International Reform Bureau. in a
nationwide campaign, and it Is ev-
/ Ipected the Synod will take some
! formal action advocating the plan
/ for Delaware and Maryland schools.
when the school Bible is belit-
/ tied by making the reading subject
to the local option OF school boards.
or the personal option of teachers.
it is an invitation to petty conflicts. ."
says Dr. William +. Crafts. secretary
Of the International Reform Bureau.
who is attending the sessions OF the
Synod. Massachusetts, in 1855, and
more recently Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, Tennessee. Alabama. Iowa
Ohio and Georgia. have settled tho
matter once for all by putting Bible
reading into the honor roll OF com.
pulsory education. The cities OF
Washington and New York also re.
/, quire Bible reading in all public
schools. Alabama omits the GUS
, tomary provision that the Bib,
, reading shall be without note Of
comment which is bad from tn,
standpoint OF pedagogy, and re,
! Election on the good manners and
good sense of teachers. II there II
? any limitation let it be that OF tn,
q South Dakota law and OF Australian
r practice, that the reading shall b'
- without sectarian comment II i
4 absurd TO say a teacher may not ex
! plain the meaning OF unfamiliar
s words. or suggest moral lesson
which a Bible passage teaches.
"In some cases Catholic bishop
. are cooperating in restoring Bibl
q reading 10 the schools. In any case
I when the Legislature settles ii
] Catholics and Jews have always ac
s cepted the result. and an thes
groups are stim more positively en-
e dorsing the International Reforr
4 Bureaus presentation Of wall charts
0 OF the Ten Commandments
.obooIq 30