The Cordova daily times., 1921-06-28
TO PRESbYTERY
 HOME AGAIN

The Presbyterian denomination grew more last year and raised more money than any year in it's history
 This is the report brought home from the meeting of the Presbyterian general assembly by J. c. Smith, of this city who was one of the 900 commissioners at this annual legis- lative body of the denomination. It met for ten days at Winona Lake, Ind.
 II Although official figures have not yet been sent out, reports from B. 900 of the 8,700 church in the denomi. nation show that last year there were added on confession of faith about 124,O00 new members of Pres byterian church. Death and other causes reduced the net gain to 77,O00. This is double the net gain of the lyear previous.
 1 Gifts to local expenses and to benevolences in the denomination in- creased $21,0o0,0oo in two years, practically doubling the amount of money passing through the hands of treasurers of the church.
 This result has been brought about, according to church officers, by more intensive work on the part of local congregations and on the part of individuals. This growth has been coincident with the operation of the New Era Movement, joint effort to intensity the work of all churches The development of the evangelistic spirit has also had much to do with the result. This plan makes use of neighboring pastors to work in near by fields.
 Plans were adopted at this meet ing for a thorough study of all the work of the church with a commit tee Instructed to continue investiga- tlons looking to report next year at Des Moines, Iowa, which may re- organize all the fourteen boards and agencies of the church along lines alleged to be more in keeping with efficiency and the present needs of the church.
 Another committee was instructed to continue negotiations with other churches looking to organic union of all evangelical denominations. An overture furthering this was defeated this year, it being alleged the effort looked to mere federation. Another effort at union rather than federa- tion was made in overtures to the Southern Presbyterian church.
 Requests from a number of Pres byteries that the general assembly be reduced in size and that it meet only every two years were not looked upon with favor.
 The national service commission. called into being during the war, which has since been aiding wound ed and sick soldiers were discharged, | and it's work absorbed by two other | agencies of the denomonation.
 The moderator, elected to hold of flee for one year was Dr. H. c. | Swearingen, pastor of the House of Hope church, St. Paul, Minn. The stated clerk, elected for five years to have charge of the office of general assembly with headquarters at Phil adelphia was Rev. L. s. Nudge, D. D. Dr. Nudge is pastor at Harris burg, Pa. and follows in office Dr. William Henry Roberts, who was stated clerk for nearly forty years, preceding his death a year ago.
 William Jennings Bryan was one of the we'll known laymen at the as- sembly. He addressed an audience of nearly 4,000 in the new taber- nacle at Winona Lake on Sunday night during the session, speaking on the need of teaching the Bible in higher educational institutions. |
 General assembly is composed half of the laymen and half of the minis ters, although the presiding officer usually is a layman. Many of the secretaries of the benevolent boards are laymen.
 Gifts to Protestant churches in France, Belgium, Czecho- -Slovakia, Hungary and other European coun- tries are to be continued. Thousands lof Hungarians are said to be looking to the Protestant church for religious leadership.
 Twelve Presbyterian colleges the