Evening journal., 1922-12-29
57PRESBYTERIES
FAVOR A COUNCIL
So Far Only Eleven Have
Voted Against the
Overture
CONSERVATIVES
ARE OPPOSED

Despite the opposition of conser-
vative presbyteries. like those in
Pennsylvania, New York and New
Jersey. the overture creating a gem
eral council in the Presbyterian
church in the United States of
America is winning its way in pres
bytery after presbytery.
The Rev. DR.. Lewis S. Nudge,
stated clerk of the General Assem-
bly,, has been notified that ffty-sev-
en- presbyteries have voted in favor
of the General Council. Eleven
have voted against.
As the creation OF a general coun-
Gil is matter Of relating to the
form of government of the Pres
byterian church, a favorable vote
in a majority OF the 3O1 presby-
teries will make il a law. The over
ture was sent down to the presby-
teries by the General Assem- bly,
which met in ~ Moines last May
The vote OF 81 TO IL. church lead
ers say, indicates that the General
Council will win. Presbyteries west
Of the Mississippi are solidly for II:
the opposition is mainly in the very
conservative presbyteries of New
York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and
Ohio. presbyteries which by habit
shrink from any change.
Prominent among the ffty-seven
who favor 1t are the presbyteries of
Baltimore. Boston. Chester, Cincin-
natl. Columbus. Dallas. Dayton.
Portland, Ore; Santa Barbara. Syr-
acuse and Utica. The three largest
presbyteries voting against It are
Jersey City, Kittanning and Grand
Rapids
New Castle. Philadelphia and
North Philadelphia presbyteries
have not yet voted on the overture.
The Rev. DR.. William =. Fulton.
stated clerk Of the Philadelphia
Presbytery. Is vigorously opposing
the creation Of a general council.
DR.. Fulton fears that this proposed
body OF twenty-seven men. which
will take over the work of the
Executive Commission and the New
Era Committee, Is dangerous
Capitalization of power" II the
General Council, which is to have
salaried chairman elected for a
term of five years. Is created. DR..
Fulton believes that the General AS
sembly will find it has created a
body that ultimately will control the
whole Presbyterian church.
Nolan r. Best. editor OF the Con- |
tinent, ridicules DR.. Fulton's fears.
Philadelphia Presbyterians wers !
commenting yesterday on Mr.. Best's |
attack upon the opinions of their !
stated clerk.
The editor writes:
THE complaint which DIR. Full |
ton offers against the diction OF the !
new chapter Is 10 some extent JUS |
tilted. But what sort OF intellectual /
prig would one advertise himself to |
be who said. I believe in this new /
form of organization. but I won't /
vote for It until the idea is express
ed in perfect English prose? a
vote against the overture needs
more tarl;ible reason than a fastid-
lous taste for rhetoric.
Similarly the observation that
the new law. If adopted. would per-
nit Presbyterians not elders to be
lay members OF the council will
scarcely rouse alarm In any progress
sve mind. II by the use OF the
phrase 1aymen' instead OF ruling
elders the new law should permit
some business man not yet advanc-
ed TO the eldership. or even some
woman not yet advanced to the eld-
ershlp, to use his or her consecrat-
ed common sense for the well-be-
ing OF the church. who is going TO
take the trouble to be worried or
sorry about that?"