Presbyterians to Remain in Council of Churches, a Buffer Against Unscrupulous Roman Catholic Church, May 22, 1923

Presbyterians to Stay in Council of Churches. . . Voted on at Assembly. . . Dr. Reed Says the Council Has Attempted Social and Industrial Reform and that the Presbyterians Should Add Their Part to the Work; Is the Only Way to Meet the Problems of the Churches

Montreat, May 21—The General Assembly of the Southern Presbyterian church here today rejected 146 to 109 a minority committee report favoring withdrawal from the federal council of churches of Christ in America. That left before the Assembly the majority report of its committee that would prove for remaining in the council approximating funds to take care of the assembly’s properties.

“The only safety to Protestantism in America is to have an organization in Washington to act as a buffer against the great and unscrupulous power of the Roman Catholic church,” E.W. McCorkle of Rock Ridge, Bass, Va., declared here today in urging the 63rd General Assembly of the Southern Presbyterian church not to withdraw from the Federal Council.

Dr. R.C. Reed, moderator of the 62nd General Assembly, declared however the Council has attempted social and industrial as well as political reform through the state and such a policy of the Presbyterian church is dangerous and not in accordance with its doctrines.

The tendency of reparation has always brought disaster to the Protestant churches. Dr. McCorkle declared in his defense of the council and asserted it holds in its hands the salvation of European Protestantism against the danger and menace of wrong.

The council Dr. McCorkle said has accomplished much and he announced he is in favor of that body continuing to present the cause of the Protestant churches through petitions to the government.

From the front page of The Wilson Times, May 22, 1923