Evening star., 1954-06-01
U. 5. .Presbyterians
Send Merger Plan 10
Churches, 203-t6o
By cospor Names
Sfor StuH Correspondent


> MONTREAL, N. c., June L.
Three Presbyterian Church bodies
moved one step nearer union yes
terday when the Presbyterian
Church, U. S.. voted to send
merger plan down to its presby-
teries next year for approval.
The action by the Southern
church followed by two days a
similar action by the United
Presbyterian Church and by less
than 10 days the same move by
the Presbyterian Church. U. 8. A.
.(Northern).
The union proposal, which
originated in 1887 with the
Southern church, will not be vot-
ed on by the presbyteries of each
denomination. A three-fourths
vote of approval is required by
the Southern church 100000
members), a majority of the
presbyteries voting in the United
church (230,00O) and by two
thirds in the Northern church Is
rnillion).
Union Might Come by 1856.
If the presbyteries in each
denomination should approve
the action of their respective
General Assemblies, a final vote
on the issue will be presented to
the 1855 assemblies. The 3.5
million member new Presbyter-
ian Church of the United States
then would come into being in
May. 1856.
The vote here yesterday came
after four hours of ardent, some
times heated, debate which
nevertheless was featured by a
lack of acrimony. The final tally
In favor submitting the issue to
the church's "a presbyteries was
283 for and 169 against.
A bit Of parliamentary ma
fieuvering was entailed before
tlne question could be presented
for final decision. The Stand
ing Committee on Inter- -Churcn
Relations had brought in a ma
tority report, 22-16, calling on
the delegates to reject the union
pEoposak It was submitted by
Charles w. Alexander of Jack
son, Miss. Halbert M. Jones Of
Laurinburg, N. c., chairman Of
the committee, then presented a
minority report asking approval
of the union issue. Most Of
the four-hour debate revolved
around substituting this report
for the majority. When the
vote on this proposal eventually
was taken there were 280 for
and 172 against. Both sides
viewed the vote as an augury
of victory to come.
Foes Claim 35 Presbyteries.
Those opposing union, with
only % negative presbytery
votes required to defeat the pro-
posal, were claiming that che
assembly count indicated they
would carry 35 presbyteriess
Delegates favoring union as
serted the poll was far more
favorable than they had hoped,
and declared more than the
necessary 63 presbyteries would
approve the merger. The issue
win now be submitted to the in
dividual presbyterieS of each
church, but none may vote on
It until January /.
Among the arguments ad-
vanced favoring union were the
many common features of the
three churches, the historical
association of the Northern and
Southern churches (they were
one church until 1860, the de-
mand of laymen for a united
church, and the desire to make
the Southern church help form
q national denomination.
Opponents centered their fire
on charges that there were
sharp doctrinal differences be-
tween the Northern and South
ern churches in interpreting the
Scriptures, the stricter centrali-
Zation of the Northern church,
and organizational problems.
In a divided world we have
an historic opportunity to re-
duce divisions and promote a
more effective witness for
Christ" Mr.. Jones told the gath
ering.
DR.. P. D. Miller of Atlanta
noted that historically the three
churches are spiritual blood
brothers before God and the
world. They are still united in
ideals and they still stand for
the same things"
The Rev. Aiken Taylor of Bur-