Evening star., 1925-07-18
UNION OF CHURCHES
IS EXPECTED SOON
DR.. Whaling, Retiring Presby-
terian Moderator, Says
South Is Waiting.
Special Dispatch to The Star.


PHILADELPHIA, Pa, July IL
The Presbyterian Church throughout
the South is waiting TO see what the
special investigating committee named
to examine the spiritual unrest of the
Presbyterian Church in the North wirr
do. Rev. DR.. Thornton Whaling re-
firing moderator of the Presbyterian
Church in the United States, South
ern Assembly, made that statement
here while he was in this city for a
brief visit.
If the investigating committee re-
turns a sound conservative report" "
the reunion of the two churches,
which have been divided since the
Civil War, will be almost immediate.
he said. Particular weight is attached
to his words because DR.. Whaling is
professor of systematic theology in
the Presbyterian Theological Semi
nary of Kentucky, the only seminary
in the country jointly supported by
the two churches.
The Erdman investigating commits
sion; of which DR.. Cheesman A. Her
rick, president of Girard College, is
the sole Philadelphia member, has be
fore it one of the greatest opportuni
ties in the history of the Presbyterian
Church in this country, DIR. Whaling
said. The commission was named by
DR.. Charles A. Erdman of Princeton
new moderator of the Northern AS
sembly.
Sees Opportunity.
THE commission has a great oppor.
tunity," he said yesterday at the
Robert Morris Hotel, ito preserve the
church's standards through sound and
sane progress.
Dc
conducting a process Of Christian evo
luton or development in His church
But to wipe out the results Of the past
would be to show no faith in the pro
gressive development of doctrine with
In the church.
"I think that the Erdman commits
sion Will greatly advance the causes
of Christian union and unity. The
Presbyterian Church in the South. for
instance, will be glad to be convinced
that her sister church is firmly planted
in the system of doctrine and stand
ards, and does not propose to depart
therefrom. If the commission proceeds
on this basis the service it renders
will become great part of church his
tory in this country.
Has Faith in Erdman.
"Dr. Erdman is known to us in the
South as conservative at heart
While some brethren have been some
what puzzled at DR.. Erdman'S appar.
ent support by the liberals, yet our
confidence in him IS so great that it is
firmly believed he will throw his in
fluence and all of his constructive
powers behind the party of the con
sistent and historically orthodox Pres
byterians.
"Organic union between the Pres
byterian Church North and South is
out of the question until this question
Of policy is settled finally and conclu
sively. But attempt to secure unior
now would result in disruption. The
commission is the whole key 10 the
situation. The Northern Assembly has
expressed itself anxious for the re
union of the two churches. But if the
commission does not do anything but
play 1t will shove reunion way of
into the future"
In the South, said DR.. Whaling
there are some hesitant voices raised
against reunion with the church In
the North. but these We're largely
silenced by the action of the last
General Assembly at Columbus.