Evening star., 1923-05-18
Presbyterian Bodies Choose
Ne,u MOderatOrs to Preside
DR.. C.. F. Wishart
Heads Northern
Assembly.
Viii Hays Makes
Plea for the Aged
Ministers.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, May 1S.-Dr.
Charles F. Wishart. president of
Wooster College, Wooster, Ohio late
yesterday was elected moderator of
the General Assembly. Of the Presby-
terian Church in the United States Of
America. defeating William Jennings
Bryan on the third ballot DR..
Wishart was presented with the gavel
today.
The commoner had led a field of
four on the first ballot and of three
on the second. when he came within
eighteen votes of election, but after
all other candidates had withdrawn
DIR. Wishart forged ahead. winning by
451 to 427, with 439 votes needed to
elect
Friends of DR.. Wishart based their
campaign on the claim that an or
dained minister was needed to direct
the highly specialized work of the
church and on Mr.. Bryan's views on
the theory of evolution, holding that
his position as a leader of the funda-
mentalists would not be conducive to
unity.
Mr.. Bryan Declines to Talk.
The three times democratic nominee
Tor President declined to discuss his
defeat. He had left the hall when.
the nominations started and summed
1ns himself aaSt on bal balcony during the two
orator was the high spot of the open
ing days session of the 135th assem-
bly, of the church. DR.. Calvin c. Hays.
the retiring moderator, opened the
weeks convention this morning with
his annual sermon after the nearly.
900 delegates had partaken of COM
munion.
Hays Pleas for Aged Ministers.
Will II. Hays. president of the Mo-
tion Picture Producers and Distrib-
ntorS Of America and former repub-
1ican national committee chairman,
launched II campaign for $4,000
600 addition to the endowment fund
for aged ministers. in an address be-
fore the first popular meeting" of
the assembly last night.
Mr.. Hays. who is an elder of the
church at Sullivan. Ind. is attending
the assembly as member of the
pay of Presbyterian ministers to
many classes of common labor and
showed the average salary of pas
tor of the church is less than that
of an alien ditch digger.
Following the election of DR.. Wis
hart, standing and special committees
were appointed, and the assembly ad-
journed for the day. The actual husi-
ness opened today with the presenta-
tion for reference to committees of
the bills, overtures. synodical records.
minutes and annual reports of the
boards, permanent committees and
theological Seminaries.
Discuss Centennial Jubilee.
Part of the morning session was
devoted to the centennial jubilee of
Presbyterianism in Indianapolis. The
Rev. Lewis s. Nudge, the stated clerk,
this afternoon will report on the ref
erendum vote on oYertures sent down
to the presbyteries by the general
assembly at Des Moines last year. and
also present the annual neurology,
showing the death of 1917 ministers
during the year.
The four candidates nominated for
moderator included two California
divines, the Rev. Hugh X. Walker.
pastor of the First Presbyterian
Church of Los Angeles; the Rev.
Frank NJ. Silsley of Oakland. Calf.
and DIR. WiShart and Mr.. Bryan.
Will Hays. whose name had been
mentioned as possible candidate.
announced to newspaper men he would
support Mr. Bryan. The Rev. Silsley
withdrew in favor of his fellow Cali
fornian, after the first ballot, but DIR.
Walker also withdrew. after the sec
ond, when his vote fell off despite
MIR. Silsley's action.
A mass meeting under the direc-
tion of the board of publication and
Sabbath school work will be held
tonight.