Evening star., 1928-05-20
UNION IS DELAYED
BYPRESBYTER|ANS
Assembly Blocks Debate and
Votes Committee to
Submit Plan.
nv the Assnciated Press.

4
ATLANTA, Ca. May 19.-Blockinf
attempts to debate the merits of thu
proposed union with the United Presby.
terian Church. the sixty-eighth general
assembly of the Presbyterian Church ir
/ tbs United States voted today to con-
tinue its committee on closer relations
and through 1t to send the question in
formally to the presbyteries.
Action of the commissioners was by
motion of DR.. T. l.. McElroy, Kings
Mountain. N c.. and differed only
technically from the recommendation
of the committee on closer relations
It was held that union was STEP
eventually to be desired, but not one
for hasty action and required more
time for consideration by the church
at large.
Opposition to the proposal which
would unite great Southern and North
e1n arms of the church, was voiced by
several speakers
Loses Appeal.
After Dr. Dunbar II. Ogden and
others had taken the floor to discuss
Or. McElroy's motion. and had pointed
out what they believed to be obstac,e,;
confronting union at this time. Dr.
Albert Sidney Johnson, Charlotte. N
C., got up to deal with the whole mat
ter of merits of union. He was stopped
by the moderator. but pleaded that the
merits of the case were pertinent to
any dicussion of it. Appealing from
the moderator's ruling that the merits
of the plan were not before the body,
DR.. johnson lost when the assembly
voted to sustain the moderator.
nv T1x n
Canlpbsll were approved as fraternal
delegates to attend the general ses-
sion of the United Presbyterian Church
at St Louis.
DR.. Ogden opposed needless agita-
ton" and believed the union issue
should be faced squarely He saw
great risk III union unless distinct adj
vantagcs were obtained"
Women's Status.
Overlapping of territories would no:
be solved" ne said I'm addition, thu
united church has decidedly different
outlooss upon many matters. especially
on the question of participation by
women In the church and on politics
They favor bold stands on political
questions"
Or Ogden praised ti1a United Church
and its membership. however. and said
no one more than he favored eventual
union Of religious forces having the
same eh'cctiyes in view.
DR.. j. r.. Mccain. president Of Agnes
scott College. Decatur. Ca., said he was
sure ths people Of the United Church
we're ready to meet the Southern
Prcsbyterians half way on any problem
to bring about harmony
Those opposed to DR., McElroys s
motion argued that the presbyteries
might not give the matter serious con-
siderat;on If merely put to them hy the
committee on closer relations rather
than the general assembly itself.
Secs Great Strength.
N. Fl. Mccain Potosi. Mo. arose to
take issue with DR. Ogden on state
meats concerning solution OF over
tapping boundaries between the two
churches, He heartily was In favor OF
union, he said, believing IL would add
great strength 10 the church. In his
region were many churches Of the
Northern Prexbyterians. he said.
The assembly voted To refer a plan
for recall of missionaries to the CONF
nitfee ON the assembly's work. which
In turn was instructed to forward the
proposal to the mission fields for advice
and criticism Of the people to be
affected.
Dr. j. w Henphill Petersburg Va,
was name6 chairman Of judicial COM
mission. which will try the synod Of
Mississippi on charges preferred by DR..
J. H. Hutton, Jackson, Miss. and others
The case involves whether the synod
had a legal right TO meet In Memphis,
Tenn. outside its synodical boundaries
Fourteen ministers and - elders were
named to the commission.