The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1922-05-18

Des Moines, Ia, May 10 With
more than 1000 ministers and lay
men from ell sections of the United
States present here today at the
opening of the 134th annual General
Assembly of the Presbyterian church,
Des Moines is a veritable Mecca of
religious leaders.
The assembly will be one of the
most historic and important since the
first General Assembly met in Phila-
delphia in 1889. Chief among the
scheduled items of business will be
the report of the Committee on Re
organization and Consolidation of As
sembly Agencies. This committee
was appointed by the General As
sembly of 1920 and was continued
and enlarged by the meeting in 1921,
charged with the duty of perfecting
a plan for the reconstruction of the
boards and agencies of the church,
which, during the more than a CEN
tury'S deVopment have become what
bersome and duplicating pieces of
machinery.
DR.. John Timothy Stone, pastor of
the Fourth Presbyterian Church of
Chicago, is chairman of the committee
and will make the report. other
members of the committee are: Min
isters-Dr. Alexander MacCoH, Phil
adelphia; DR.. William Henry Black,
Alpine, Buffalo, N. Y; DIR. William
r. Taylor, Rochester. N. Y; DIR. Leon
D. Young. Dallas, Texas; DIR. Freder-
lex limit. Indiana. Pa; DR.. Will
I-aymen : Andrew Timberman. CO.
lurnbus, Ohio; John H. Dewitt. Nash
vile, Tenn; Nelson H. Loemis
Omaha. Neb.; Prof. Bernard G. Stei-
ner, Baltimore; George P. Conrad,
New York City, and Ralph W. Harbi-
son, Pittsburgh.
Guards Report
The committee has jealousy guard
ed its report from premature publ
cation, but it is known that it pur-
poses a radical reduction in the num-
Der of boards and the setting up of
a sort of superboard designed to take
the place of the Executive Commits
sion and the New Era Movement for
executive and promotional jurisdic-
ton through the year between the
sessions of General Assembly The
reorganization of the boards is de-
signed to re-establish the denomina-
ton along modern and progressive
lines in the interests of business eff
cheney.
The more conservative element in
the church is expected TO oppose any
the old boards whose identity would
be lost in the merger will doubtless
be heard from on the floor of Cen
era1 Assembly. To many Presbyter-
ians the idea of a superauthority is
repugnant- Indeed, there are many
Presbyterians who have never be-
come reconciled to the existence of
an Executive Commission, the germ
of individuality and democracy being
so thoroughly implanted.
Instead of having bills presented
for passage, as in Congress, the Pres
byterian Church has what it calls
overtures. These may originate in
individual PreSbyterieS or be sent nv
General Assembly down to the Pres
byteries for a referendum vote. Two
important overtures were sent down
to the Presbyteries by the General
Assembly of 1921. One of these pro-
office of deacon. The returns Off
cialy received to date show 40
Presbyteries voting in favor of max
ing women deacons to 80 voting no.
Another important overture referred
to the Presbyteries proposes to elect
commissioners 10 the General As
sembly for terms of two years, in
stead of electing all commissioners
The sentiment of the church seems
to be decidedly against this innova-
ton. only % Presbyteries voting in
favor of it. as against $50 voting no.
Many OVertureS Expected
Other overtures which are expected
to be presented for action by General
Assembly are based on the following:
Several Presbyteries making the ap-
devise a plan to reduce the number
of commissioners approximately one
half.
Several Presbyteries asking the
General Assembly to give such a de-
hverance on THE Shorter Bible as
will safeguard our people and especial
" cur young people against the dam
ger of its use
A considerable number of Presby-
teries asking the amendment of the
Presbyterian Form of Government so
as to permit the installation of or
dained missionaries as pastors
abroad" to churches supporting them
Some PCresbyteries are objecting to
the merger of the Freedmen's Board
with any other board or boards
DR.. Charles H Keesor an elder in
the Second Presbyterian Church.
whe cling, w Va, and chairman of
Wheeling PreShytery's New Era Com
naittee, has originated an overture
which has been adopted bxhis Pres