Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-02-11
PRESBYTER|ANS AND
PULPIT VACANCIES
Subject Discussed. Reasons Are
Given and Suggestions o.
fered for a Remedy.

Az Presbyterian General Assembly
c,nforancs held in First Central Church
Yesterday afternoon, definite plan for
handling pastoral vacancy ard supply
u,dcr IN, Presbvterian form of govern
nont was discussed The conference was
held under the auspices of the Permanent
Committee on Nacancy and Supply of
the General Assembly of the Presbyterian
church This committee comprises DIR.
George y. luccock, chairman, Wooster,
e.; Dr. W l.. McEwan, Pittshurg Pa;
pr. aJohn Timothy Stone, Chicago;
Or S. $ Palmer, Columbus, O.; Or
Paul Il. jenkins, Milwaukee. Wis; John
r. Bushnell, Minneapolis; Rev Walter
Houston, Columbus, O. corresponding
secretary DR. Houston presided at the
meeting Yesterday
The Prcsbvtery adopted the NacAncE
md Supply Plan in the sp1irg Of 1914
thus in effect making it part of the stand
.rc rules Of presbytcrv Tho committee
Is work tho plan was chosen by the
silent ballot Just as the plan prcscribes.
aud the members understand the definite
-csponsibilrtv which has been placed
upon them
The most important business feature
eSterdav was the discussion of the many
tulpit vacancies This state Of affairs IS
srd ~ he due 10 the large number of
ministers who gave their lives during the
World " M. and the decrease ID canditiatcd
f,r .h, ninistrv Although nothing dcfi
ne was decided upon NJ the meeting,
the attending laymcn and church mem
hers were enlightened on manv timely
subjects
Ihruchou, her hie'arv the ProSbv-
tenan church has rlmost continually
bein confronted b. the problem of the
vacant pulpit Conditions have 50 CI-
sted since The reunion Of the old and
new school branches IN 1870 Dung he
moro than 40 years thrt have clap~c !
the church has CorstantlN been called
- face tins question lu onc form oranother
Many special committees # tho Gcucai
Assembly have gwen consideration tn
~xistinE condiuors huf WITHOUT ,ll>-
covering remedy How - ctfecuyely
srndLe the vacut' pulpit and thc uncn-
TIoved minister and still keep WltiIU
paovisious Of the Presbyterian form It
: g,vernment is an historic problem
In 1911 the General Assembly an
recommendation cf lis committee au
Chnstjau life and Work. submitted to
he Prc-hvtcrv m overture giving au-
thlriN Il the Assembly IL establish
uernA neut committee On vacancy and
supply winch overture was adopted
hy the wcsbvtcrics, and IS result ~
his addition 10 the constitution Of tic
church the permanent committee o.
vacancy ard supply came into exlstenc"
heiug appointed hv the Assembly of 1912
After 8 wear of careful studv and wide
-o-ead investigation ar the whole situation
his committee became impressed with
he inadecuacy II The methods pcrsucd
IN most of the preshyteries in seeking 10
zeal with the problem. In order to securC
uniformity OF acton throughout the church
without ary movement for relief the
committee deemed II duty 10 prepare and
submit ~ the prerhyteries a definite plan,
ri The hope that 81 ter careful considera-
ron earh prrsbytery may he led 10 adopt
Il, without alteration, as the presbvteTv :
plsn for handling vacancy and supply
Ia this way the church Will immediately
he able 70 establish m affective system
II inter-presby1erlal cooperation, the
lack of which makes Il certain that on
proposals rclatng to this problem can
he widespread or Of ahidirg success
The following topics In connection
With Vacancy and supply were discussed
q the conference yesterday afternoon
Preshvterlan IN Contrast with Prelacy
and lndependencv. ~ Nacancy and Sup
ply, an Historic Problem, Lessons to
he Learned From Previous Attempts
20 Find Relief, + The Occasion for the
Assembly's COMMITTEES, the Work Given
4 BY the COMMITTEES. and the Limita