Evening star., 1921-05-18
AWAIT CONFERENCE
| OF FPRESBYTER|ANS
Nearly 1000 Overtures for
1880 Assembly, Which
Opens Tomorrow.

| By tn" Associated Press
/! WlNONA LAKE. Ind, May Is
Nearly 1000 overtures from presby-
terIes and synods on twenty-five diff
ferent subjects will be presented be-
fore the 133d General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church, which meets
| mere tomorrow and continues until
May 20. This is the largest number
of overtures ever received. The last
high number was 500.
The overtures embrace resolutions
asking for changes in form of Pres
byterian government, limitation of the
office of stated clerk of the general
assembly. consolidation of various
boards and a revision and reallocation
of the Presbyterian annual budget.
There are also overtureS relative to
the question of the organic union of
evangelical churches. One overture of
this kind asks that there be no such
union. while another advocates that
even though the presbyteries have de-
cided against organic union. still nego-
tiations be continued and plans de-
vised looking forward to such
union.
At present the question of organic
union is before the presbyteries, hav
ing been sent down by the general as
sembly to the presbyteries for their
action last year. on April % the
records in the stated clerks Office at
Philadelphia showed that more pres
byteries were opposing the union of
evangelical churches than were favor
ing it, the vote at that time standing
as in favor and 104 opposed. To carry
Presbyterian law requires that there
be two-thirds majority.
A special committee of the general
assembly on church cooperation and
union will consider this vote at the
general assembly and will make a
report of special interest
Church Union Plan.
Besides the question of organic
union. this committee will also
bring in recomme ndations on a fed
erai plan of union for Reformed and
Presbyterian churches holding the
Presbyterian system. Considerable
headway is expected to be made in
plans for federal union of the
churches holding this Presbyterian
system. which include the Dutch Re
formed Church. German Reformed
Church. the Southern Presbyterian
Church and the Presbyterian Church
in the L. s. A. and the United Pres
byterian Church.
Another important question to be
considered will be relative to the
eligibility of women to the eldership
and deaconship of Presbyterian
churches. This also was sent down
by the last assembly to the 302
preSbyterieS and is now being voted
on.
In addition to the many overtures
to be received. one important matter
will come up in connection with the
election of a successor to the stated
clerks office to fill the vacancy left
by the death of the late Dr. William
Henry Roberts. Two overtures refer
to this office. one asking for its re-
organization and limitation of the
stated clerks term of Ave years and
a successor to DR.. Roberts. This last
advocates that the position be left
vacant this year. but that an cleo
tion be held with nominations from
the floor of all proposed for this Of
fee. These names would then be
placed in the hands of a committee.
which would go over them to select
a man they believe most suitable for
the position and a report of their
findings would then be given at the
would then be approved or disap-
proved by the 1S4th General Assem-
bly,.
Stated Clerk Possibilities.
Some Presbyterians propose that the
stated clerks Office be filled at this
years session of the assembly. the
newly elected clerk to take Office al
once. a committee OF the executive
commission on the stated clerks Of
fee will report during the first days
session and much interest is attached
to this report and to the several over
lures involving the stated clerks
office. The stated clerk of the general
assembly is the highest position in
the power of the Presbyterian Church.
outside that of moderator of the
general assembly.
The names so far proposed for the
office of stated clerk include the fol-
lowing: Rev. J. Ross Stevenson. D. D.,
LII. D., president of Princeton Theo-
logical Seminary. Princeton, y. j.:
Rev. James F.. Clarke, d. D., LII. D..
field secretary of the Presbyterian
general board of educa ton. and edi
tor of the Presbyterian Advance,
Nashville, Tenn: Rev. James NJ. Hub
bert. ID. D.. acting stated clerk of
general assembly. Philadelphia. Pa:
Rev. William P. Fulton. d. D.. super
intendent of the church extension
committee of Philadelphia Presby-
terry, Philadelphia, Pa: Few. William
Carter. pastor of the Throop Avenue
Presbyterian Church. Brooklyn. y. y;
Rev. John F.. Patterson, ID. D.. Orange.
" J., and Rev. Benjamin NICK. Gem
mill, stated clerk of the Synod of
Pennsylvania, Ivyland, Pa.
@~@na@rr