The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-05-18
Thousand Oyertures On
25 Subjects To Be
!, Considered
NEN SEATED GLERE
Some People Want Time
Limit On the
Office
ny Associated I'ressl

WINoNA LAKE, Ind, May 49,
Nearly 1000 oyertures from pres
byteries and synods on rs different
subjects will be presented before
the 133rd General Assembly Of tho
Presbyterian church which meets
here tomorrow and continues until
May 20. This is the largest NUM-
her Of overtures ever received. The
last high number was 600.
The oyertnres embrace resolutions
asking for changes in form Of Pres
btyerian government, Limitation OF
the offices Of stated clerk Of the
general assembly, consolidation of
various boards, a revision and real
location Of the Presbyterian an
nnual budget. ~
There are also oYertures relative
to the question Of the organic uti7
ion OF Evangelical churches. One
overture Of this kind asks that there
be no such union, while another
advocates that even though the
presbyteries have decided against
organic union that Still Iegptta ions
be continued and plans devised
looking forward 10 isuch q union
fltes0f iil6 Ion 81 ofeanfe
union Is before the presby byterfess
having been sent down by the gem
eral assembly to the esbytef efies
for their actionglast year. On April
20 the records In the stated clerks
office at Philadelphia, showed that
more presbyteries were opposing
the union Of evangelical churches
than were fayoring 1t, the vote at
that time standing Is in favor and
104 opposed; To carry Presbyter-
ian law requires that there be a
two-thiru majority.
A special committee Of General as
sembly on church cooperation and
union will consider this vote at
the general assembly and will make
report of special interest.
Besides the question Of organic
union this committee will also bring
in recommendations on a federal.
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 Presbyterion
system which include the, Dutch
Reformed, German Reformed, the
Southern Presbyterian and the Pres
byterian churches in the U.Ss. A.
and the United Presbyterian church.
Another important question to be
considered will be relative to the
eligibility Of women to the elder
ship and deaconship Of Presbyterian
churches. This also was sent down
by tho last assembly to the 302
presbyteries and Is now being voted
on.
In addition to the many oyertures
to be received one important mat
ter will come up In connection with
the election Of a successor to the
stated clerks office to fill the va
cancy left by the death Of the late
DR.. William Henry Roberts. Two
overtnres refer to this office, one
asking for Its reorganization and
limitation OF the stated clerks term
OF five years and another referring
to the election Of a successor to
DR.. Roberts. This last advocates
that the position be left vacant this
year. but that an election be held
with nominations from the floor OF
all proposed for this office. These
names would then be placed In the
hands OF committee which would
go over them to select a man they
believe most suitable for the posi-
tion and a report of their findings
would then be given at the next
general assembly. This report would
then be approved or disapproyed by
the 134th General Assembly.
Some Presbyterians propose that
the stated clerk s office be filled az
this years session of the assembly,
the newly elected clerk 70 take Of.
flee at once. y A. committee OF the
Executive commission on the stated
clerk office viii report during the
first days session and much I'M
tarest ii 1att tacheds to this report and
to. the several oyertures involving
the stated clerks office. The stat
ed clerks OF the general assembly
Is the higest position in the power
Of the Presbyterian church outside
Of that of Moderator ofl the Gem
eral assembly.
The names 60 far proposed for
the office 81 state ID clerk include the
J tollowing; Rev. Ross Stevenson,