Evening star., 1927-05-24
CHURCH S|DESTEPS
j. DANCING QUESTION
;.
Presbyterian Body Holds Is
&
sue Is Beyond Its
Adjustment.
Rr thn Associated Press.


LAKELAND, Fla, May 24.-The
= question of the right of church mem
hers to engage in dancing, with the
attendant side issue of the propriety
of public dance halls, was sidestepped
hv the General Assembly of the Cum
herland Presbyterian Church here yes
terdav with the committee pronounce
ment that such a task is beyond the
noWer of your body 10 perform or
adjust"
Renorting on the memorial Of the
Corsicana (TeX) presbytery, asking
for an assembly ruling on dancing, the
committee on overtures pointed, now
ever. to the historic attitude OF the
church." and added that ito generallze,
YOUR committee is of the opinion that
it is ample to guide all willing minds
concerning amusement and diversions
in general.
The report was upheld by the as
sembly.
With a probable open schism over
the Bethel College faculty controversy
averted for the time at least by rele'
cation of the matter to an elective
committee, representing both sides
equally, the assembly had cleared its
decks for final action on the problem
with indications that a report was
imminent
Maintain Date Fixing.
While the new committee was In
three hour executive session the as
sembly disposed of the dance ques-
ton and deleted from report, also
from the committee on overtures, q
section stating that the assembly can
not constitutionally set a new date Tor
meetings.
The Pacific Presbytery had memo
ria;iZed the assembly to move the date
of annual meeting from the third
Thursday in May to the third Thurs.
day in June, to permit attendance or
young people in school, and that dele
gates from distant points might take
adyantas.e of special Summer rates.
The committee reported the memo
rial adversely on grounds that there Is
no constitutional authority to set
definite new date, but it's report was
ordered stricken from the RECORDS,
thus leaving the way open for possible
future consideration.
A proposal that the General Assem-
bly, set dates for presbyterial assem-.
blies in such order that the board OF
tithing and budget may reach each
with a representative was reported
adversely and the report upheld on
the ground that constitutional author
ity for the assembly to give such or
dars is lacking.
j Publicity Move Defeated.
A resolutions committee proposal
that the services of Rev. c. Nj.
Zwingle of Nashville as publicity d.
rector be terminated and that Rev.
Robert c. Alexander be appointed to
the place for, the ensuing year was
defeated.
The Bethel College tangle barely
escaped open discussion on the moor
when special report of the resolu-
tions committee on a proposal when
had been generally considered as dl-
vorced from the generalities or the
problem made sweeping recommenua-
tion that all the major demands or the
assembly's educational investigating
commission be put into Immediate
effect.
This commission was appointed at
the 1926 General Assembly to investi.
gate alleged differences in doctrinal
teaching among members Of the fac
ulty, and has reported its recomnien-
dations to discipline certain members
Of the teaching staff.
Defer LeSallty ActiOh.
The resolutions committee report
was made on a resolution of Rev. /. K.
FLOYD of Dallas, Tex, retiring modera-
tor, asking that the commission oe
adjudged a legal body, but the assem-
bly voted to defer action on reports
dealing with the college, and later
adopted the proposal Of Rev. James NJ.
McLeskey of Chattanooga, Tenn. that
all affairs relative to the college be
given to a committee of six, three OF
whom were elected by supporters or
the church's board of education and
three by proponents of the Investigate
ing commission.
By this action the assembly post
poned passing on the demand OF the
investigating commission for the dis
missal of President j. r. Whitmer OF
Bethel College and of five members of
the board of education whose vote
kept the commission recommendation
from being carried out.
Appearance of the Bethel contro-
versy on the floor, which had been
scheduled for tomorrow, broke up the
DAVIS order of business. The factional
meetings to select representatives on
the committee of six took up the time
allotted to a conservation service, ana
it was indicated that time given to the
board of publication, Sunday school
and young peoples work tonight
would be curtailed.
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