The Evening Bulletin

Presbyterians South.

Proceedings of the General Assembly at Chattanooga.

THE WORK OF THE FOURTH DAY

A Plan of Operation Between the Two Factions in the Church - Reports of Committees - The Next Session Will Be Held in Asheville, North Carolina.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., May 21. - The fourth day's work of the general assembly of the Southern Presbyterians was a busy one. The most important decision was that the committee had decided favorable to the plan of co-operation between the southern and northern assemblies as previously reported by the joint committee of the two bodies. This result was arrived at after a session of several hours.

The committee representing laity and clergy of each synod in the south had a majority of two to one in favor of the report, and the feeling of the assembly in its favor is thought to be in the same ratio. The co-operation plan will be advocated without any modification. This will be in the nature of a surprise, as it was expected that adverse action would be taken. If this committee's report is adopted by a decisive vote it will be a long step towards the organic union of the two grand divisions of the North and South church.

Co-operation is recommended in the educational and literary work of the domestic and foreign missions. The evangelization of the negroes in effect is almost a complete union.

A request from the Lafayette Synod that the headquarters of the committee on foreign missions be removed from Baltimore to Louisville, was referred to the committee.

The report of the committee on Sabbath observance was submitted. It contained complaints especially against Sunday newspapers, trains and saloons.

The committee on revision of the directory of public worship recommended: That session can require a public profession of faith, and made it a special order for Wednesday's meeting. The assembly decided in answer to an overture to report at the next assembly the concentrated efforts to evangelize the negro race.

The celebrated Woodrow case came up accidentally in the report of the committee to pass on the action of the South Carolina synod against the Presbytery of Charleston.

The synod passed a resolution declaring the action of the Charleston synod unconstitutional, irregular and unwise, in passing a resolution which declared that the general assembly has judicially affirmed the decision of the synod of Georgia, in declaring the belief of Rev. Mr. Woodrow, as to the origin of the City of Adam contrary to the word of God misinterpreted in the standards of the church, and this Presbytery regards the holding of the said form of the belief in the evolution as contrary to the word of God, and forbids the public contending against the decision of the assembly.

The synod in passing on this declared the action 'a trespass upon the sacred and inalienable right of private judgment which belongs to every court and all members of the church of Jesus Christ,' and directed the presbytery of Charleston to convene and correct the proceedings.

The committee of the assembly in the afternoon recommended, first, that the action of the synod be approved so far as it declares the action of the Charleston presbytery 'unwise.' Second, that it be disapproved together with the reasons assigned so far as it declares the action of the Charleston presbytery unconstitutional and irregular.

After a long speech in behalf of the synod, Rev. Mr. Whalen, of the South Carolina assembly, the assembly adjourned to resume the discussion in the morning.

It is believed that the synod will be sustained.

The assembly voted to hold its next session at Asheville, N. C. The assembly will not hold a session to-night.