New-York tribune., 1921-05-22
\ nlited CHI ,1rcln
Demanded bv
Presbyte, ,ians
Northern Assembly c hlls for
Closer Co-operati pss Of
Branches 10 Eliminate
Duplication i'm W ork
Sunday Reform is Urged
Decree Is Sought Against
Baseball. Finn Shows
and Trade ON Sabbath

wfNorA LAKE, Indv May 21.-De-
Termination to insist apen nothing less
than actual union with the other
branches of the Presbyterian Church
was EXPRESSED to-day at the 13Sd Cen
eral Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church (Northl. Speakers declared
that proposals for closer cooperation
With the other branches we're useless,
and that efforts should be made now
gax an organic union.
Discussion of the question OF church
union was followed by debate on the
question of reorganization AND con,
Solidation of the various boards ana
agencies in the Church, to reduce the
number of boards and eliminate much
overlapping work.
Call Made Union Action
8 Resolutions adopted following the re-
port OF Dr.. J. Ross Stevenson, president
of Princeton Theological Seminary
and chairman of the committee on
church cooperation and union, declared
that the assembly, while willing to ap-
frove any measures which will promote
cioser relations with Presbyterian and
Reformed churches, is united and
earnest in the desire for an actual
uYtion of the churches of the Reformed
faith and order"
Tne resolutions also instructed the
moderator to send a message to the
assembly of the Presbyterian Church
in the United States of America (South-
ernl, now III session at st. Louis, eX-
pressing the desire of the assembly
here for the real union of the churches
and also expressing the hope that the
assembly of Che Southern branch may
take such action as will secure reunion
Of the two bodies. 1t was also directed
that q similar message be sent TO the
assembly of the United Presbyterian
Church. the synod of the Reformed
Church in the United States of Ameri-
ca and the synod of the Reformed
Church in the United States.
Churchmen expressed the belief that
the eject of to-day's action would be
to postpone until next year further at
tempts toward a union of the various
branches of the Church.
Plans for Sabbath Reform
Plans of the Presbyterian Church to
combat desecration were outlined in a
report TO the assembly by DR.. Ii. L..
Bowlby. of New York City. The report,
which advocated abolition of Sunday
baseball, Sunday movies, Sunday thea
fers and unnecessary Sunday business,
was adopted by the convention.
The Rev. Hugh B. MacCauley, of Pat
erscn, N j., submitted a report showing
/ the bad effect of the war on the
churches in America and assailing cor
rupt movies, easy divorce, foreign
propaganda and other temptations"
DR.. Bowlby, in submitting his report,
said that a nationwide propaganda
was being carried on in favor of wide
open Sunday. This movement, he said,
was inaugurated at Washington No
vembar % last by powerful amusement
Z ard sporting organizations, and had
had s'the generous help of the daily
press."
Calls Real Purpose Obscured
aThis propaganda was used as a
smoke screen to hide their real pur-
pose of a commercial Sunday and by
rnisrapres tations, exaggerations and
4 string of lies published through the
press and in the movie houses and in
tensive advertising, extensive efforts
were made to fool the people and make
good the formers threats of wiping out
every vestige of laws protecting Sun
day from the statute books of every
state in the United States" said Mr.
BowIby.
DR.. MacCauley's committee, summar-
izing the results of a QUESTIONABLE
addressed to stated clerks throughout
the country, finds:
Many home ties were broken by the
war. Many drifted. away from the
church. New standards of behavior are
set up. Temptations swarm around
the young The crowds throng the COR
rupting movies. Foreign propaganda is
strong, making US suspicious of our
allies. Divorce is easy and increasing.
Grimes of violence are multiplied. The
Church has her troubles. Even the
Lords Supper reaches only so per cent
of church members. In many quarters
the prayer meeting is neglected, the
Sunday evening service is failing, and
family worship and even religion fad
ing from the home"