OF THE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

OF THE

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

IN THE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

NEW SERIES, VOL. XVII, AUGUST, 1917.

Proceedings, etc., of the 129th General Assembly.

PHILADELPHIA:

Office of the General Assembly, Witherspoon Building

BY THE STATED CLERK.

1917

MINUTES,

ETC.

THE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA met, according to appointment, in the Central Presbyterian Church, Dallas, Texas, at 10.30 A.M., on Thursday, May 17, 1917, and was opened with a sermon by the Moderator, the Rev. John A. Marquis, D.D., LL.D., from Ephesians vi: 13; "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

The Committee of Arrangements, through its Chairman, Rev. J. Frank Smith, D.D., presented a Report recommending

1. That when the Assembly take recess this morning it be until 3 P.M.

2. That the rule requiring the Lord's Supper at the session of the Assembly to be celebrated on the evening of the first Thursday, be suspended by this Assembly, and that the Sacrament be administered this morning immediately after the sermon.

On motion duly made the Report was adopted.

The Stated Clerk drew attention to the desirability of changing the Docket so that the constituting of the Assembly by prayer should be the first order for this afternoon's session. The change was approved.

In accordance with the custom of the Assembly and under direction of the Committee of Arrangements, the Assembly proceeded to celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. The Moderator presided; the prayer of consecration was made by the Rev. Dr. J. C. R. Ewing, of India; the Bread was administered by the Rev. Frank P. Gilman, of Hainan, China; the Cup was administered by the Rev. Robert Johnston, D.D., of Montreal, Canada; the prayer of thanksgiving was made by the Rev. John Hood Laughlin, of San Francisco, and the benediction was pronounced by the Rev. W. H.