The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-05-20
Des Moines to
Welcome Hundreds

DeS mOlneS, Ia, May io.-1nlS city
is preparing to welcome hundreds of
commissioners, together with many
foreign missionaries, officers and rep
rescntatives of the Presbyterian
church, 10 be assembled here in an
nual general conference on May 18 for
an eight day session. The meeting
marks the 134th general assembly of
the church in the United States.
One of the outstanding reports of
the convention is expected to be that
of the special committee on reorgani-
zation and consolidation of boards, to
be submitted May %. DR.. John Tim
othy Stone of Chicago is chairman of
committee which mas spent two
years investigating the advisability of
consolidating certain boards.
Opening of the General Assembly
will be conducted by DR.. Henry Chap
man Swearingen, moderator of ST.
Paul, Minn., whose term of Office will
then expire.
There appears to be a strong posi-
bility that a layman may succeed DR..
Swearingen as boderator. DR.. John
L. Manson, banker, of New Haven,
Conn, has been suggested for the po-
sition. Only one layman moderator
has been in charge of the general as
semblies of the church. At one time,
DR.. John Willis Baer, banker of
Pasadena, Cal, held this position. Ow-
ing to the growing Importance of
mems work in the church, it was be-
lieved by many members that another
layman might take charge at this
time. The fact thaa the year 1923
ends the five year period for which
| the Presbyterian New Era Movement,
the forward organization of the
church was set up, is given as an ad-
ditional reason why layman mod
orator might be chosen.
Among the clergy, the name of DIR.
William Hiram Foulkes of New York
general secretary of the New Era
Movement, has been advanced as q
possible successor to DR.. Swearingen.
The New Era Movement is given
credit by ministers and laymen alike
for the fact that the Presbyterian
church in the United States is today
| stronger than ever before in its his
tory, having made great gains in
membership and more than doubled its
benevolent budget
One, of tht major features of the
assembly this year will be mission
AIRY exposition and pageant to be
given under the direction of the Rev
crcnd George G. Dewey of New York.
1t has been announced that more than
500 members of the Des Mones Pres
byterian churches will participate.
The Home Mission council of the
church is expected to arrive in the city
on May IL to open church exhibit
which will include booths representing
all branches of the church both at
home and in foreign missionary
fields.
A number of preliminary confer
ence have been arranged to take place
before the opening Of the general as
sembly. These include the evangel1
istic, the foreign missions and the
New Era Movement conferences on
| May 16 and II.
Two of the more notable figures
| among the missionaries who will at
tend the assembly will be DR.. and
Mrs. Frank H. Spence, coming from
the northern-most hospital in the
world, the Presbyterian mission sta
ton at Point Barrow, Alaska. This
hospital is located more than 600
miles beyond the Arctic circle. For
thirty years this mission has been ad-
ministering to the needs of the ma
tives there. Much of the financial
funds to maintain it was furnished by
Mrs. Elliott F. Shepard The Spences
were established at the mission for
five years before the hospital was
built. No other hospital txists within
radius of 1000 miles of Point Bar
row.