The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-05-27
essage From Harding To
Winona Assembly
5SSIONS START TODAY
any important Matters To
Come Before Meeting; Other
Gatherings
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch

Winona Lake, Ind, May 19.-Pres-
emit Harding was cheered and the
mmissioners from Presbyterian
urches all over the country rose to
cir feet in homage to his office
men a message of greeting and in
,iration from him was read by the
oderator, Dr. Smauel S. Palmer of
)lumbus, o., at the opening session
the General Assembly of the Pres
terrain Church in the U. S. A.
President Harding in his message
id: 81 am very glad, indeed, to ex-
-ess my interest in every such good
ork. Surely there is no intellectual
Id moral body in the country to
hich we may more confidently turn
ice than to the Christian people
no make up the body of our chur-
les. Whatever may stimulate them
greater activity. and, l feel, to in
easing recognition of the concern
, Christian citizenship with the ad
Illustration of our public affairs.
lust necessarily be of service 70 the
alton. (Signed) Warren G. Hard
ig."
Union of Clutches
A constitution calling for the union
!
aurches in the United States into
q organization known as The
resbyterian Reformed Churches in
.merica" will be submitted in con-
ection with the report of the spec
II committee on church cooperation
nd union, at the session mere today.
The proposed constitution provides
Dr. the united churches TO function
through an assembly which shall be
nown as 1.-THE United Assembly of
he Presbyterian Reformed Churches
a America" This assembly will re-
resent in one body all the consti-
uent churches and will constitute a
sond of union, peace and correspon-
fence among all the congregations
nd tudicatories of the constituent
.hurches. 1t will be declarative.
administrative and judicial agency Of
he united body, but shall exercise
Jnly the powers delegated to it, in
he proposed constitution.
Presbyterian system affected in this
Inion include the following: The
Presbyterian church in the U. S. A.
Northern)' the Presbyterian church
the u. s. (Southern)' the Reform
I'D church in American, The Reform
I'D church in the U. S. and the Uni
red Presbyterian church. The special
committee also reported on the Fed
eral Council of Churches of Christ in
Faith and Order, the World Confer
lence on Faith and Life and the
Council on Organic Union of Evan
gelical Churches.
Referring to the question Of Evan
gelical union, the committee offers no
recommendation, pending the action
of the presbyteries to which an over
ture on organic union was sent down
by the last general assembly.
The report, however, points out
that the proposed organic union of
the churches of Christ was not in
tended to displace the federal coun-
ell of Churches of Christ in America.
1t declares that there is no identity
of constitution, constituency, or pur-
pose between the two. 1t declares
that the constitution of one was
drawn on the express understanding
Of no organic union; while the con-
stitution of the other Is based on
such union. 1t declares further that
the federal council of churches is an
advisory body only, while the Coun-
body.
The United assembly would meet
at least twice a year and would be
composed of eight representatives
from each church, for each LOCO
communicates or fraction thereof, VI
to 100000 then representatives for
each 1000 additional communicates
or major fraction thereof. The United
assembly will have the power of sup
eryision and direction, within limits
set by the constitution.
Address of Retiring Moderator
Hope that a spirit of unity and
good will would prevail in a desire
to work with other denominations in
facing a common task, was expressed
here today by Dr. Samuel S. Palmer
retiring moderator, before the as
sembly. DR.. Palmer said in part: eve
have passed through the World War
We kept our churches going at home
aud for the most part away from
missionaries in the great war has
opened doors of which we did not
know. When some leading men in
Asia were asked what effect the wal
was, having on moral and religious
ideas, they received such answers as
these-'All other regions in Asia
must try to do something better for
brotherhood War proves that might
is not right, but right itself always
remains right. War reveals the real
meaning of the Christian term right
eousness and it's relationship with
sacrifice. God be merciful unto us
and bless u.s."
The ignorance of children today
regarding the teachings of the Bible
is lamentable. When We teach ouI
children not only in the Sabbath
School but through the week about
God, and therefore about justice and
righteousness and love and duty, we
shall then find the blessings OF
heaven upon the church in create,
measure than We have ever known
I trust that we shall hear also about
the blessings of unity and good will
nj GU rchurchr. No Presbyterian ex-
poets his denomination alone to con-
quer the world for Christ. He re-
joices in the privilege Of cooperating
with others. We teach that there is
but church. ! hope we, are blessed
with the spirit of unity and good
will in our desires to work with
other denominations in facing a
common task.
For the past seventeen years a
permanent committee on church CO.
operation and unity has been at work
under the official instruction of the
general assembly and among other
things has said that a committee
should be appointed by the moderator
to consider the whole subject of a
cooperation and confederation and
consolidation with other churches.
xac,,If Of ha ruo..l,