Presbyterian banner. (Pittsburgh, Pa.) 1860-1898, June 02, 1860, Image 1

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    N'SCINET J. ALLISON S. LITTLE
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„ .
MAY MELTINOS—EACTIST, WESLEYAN, AND TURKISH linsaloss
MD SOOtemis—TNNl , R:olunktioN ANi) Outman SocirrrEs—
Exr,TER HALL PLA'rroNN7L-AIIIIRWAN VISIToNo—SIR JOHN
LAWRENCE AND COLONEL EDWARDS—CHRISTIANITY AGAIN
TABOOED IN INDIA—JUDGMENTS PROYOKRD—TDE LION OF
INDIA TRIMBLE:Kt ON'l TJONDON PLAT . PoNN—BIOI.r. SOCIETY'S
ANNIVERSARY--” A ELOWIR ,IN THE BUD MURRAY'S
SPILEOII--loNDON 0/41f 'ENCOURAGEMENT—
PuirrsaßlPT.
LONDON, May 4, 1860.
THE BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY, by
its annual meeting late in April, is the pi
oneer arid 'herald of those great gatherings
which'ire emphatically, the " May Meet,-
It is strong in the West Indies,
and the 'churches there are independent of
.Emmort from home. An, Institution has
•been established for training up a native
'Ministry of African blood and descent, for
the native churches. As to India, and es
pecially Delhi, where •one of the mission
aries perished in the mutiny, a remarka
ble blessing is being vouchsafed. Strength
ened in numbers, and headed by Mr. Smith,
who spoke so admirably last year of his ex
perience in India, and of the duty of the
churches to it, the Gospel is spreading, rap
idly in and around that city. During the
six months ending December 31st, no less
than ninety-four had been baptized. There
are sixteen native helpers, and these will
be augmented speedily. "In eight of the
villages we have native eonverts,"'writed
Mr. Smith, "and we hope during the pres
ent year, to see native churches organized
under their native pastors." At Agra, "a
marvellous change has come over the feel
ings and conduct of the people, since the
mutiny, in reference to Christianity. Go
-where we may—in the city or in the vil
lages—crowds gather around us, and will
listen as long as we have strength ,to ad
dress them." •At Allahabad, there is a
Bible Class among native-Sikh troops. At
Barrisaul, in Bengal, outrages have been
committed on native Christians. The, in
come of the Baptist, Missionary Society for
the past year, amounted to £29,000, and
the expenditure to £27,000.
TIEIE WESLEYAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY
held their annual meeting on the second
day of the present week, and as •usual it
was multitudinous and animated. Sir A.
Agnew was the. Chairman. The. Society
has missions in Germany, at Gibraltar,
in
India, China, South Africa, the West In
dies, the Cape 'of Good Hope, and Aus
tralia. The Canadian Conference has its mis
sions thus classified :—Among the Indians,
seventeen stations and seventeen mission
aries; in the territory of Hudson Bay and
Lake Superior, seven stations and seven
missionaries; among the French Canadians,
•five missionaries; and in British Columbia,
seven stations and four missionaries.
The number of members in the mission
ary churches is 32,180 (being an increase
of 4.042,) besides 6,807 on trial Jim mem
bership. In Fejee (a Cannibal population
hitherto,) the total number of those who
wished for Christian instruction, having re
nounced heathenism, is 60,000. Every
mission field demanded fresh reinforce
ments, and the fields are white to the liar
vest. Ground has been broken in India,
by the Wesle t yans. In South Africa,•twelie
additional missionaries are asked for, and
many more wanted in China and the South
Pacific. The income for the year is £140,-
005; the general expenditure has •been
£126,000.
THE PROPAGATION Or THE GOSPEL SO
CIETY held its annual' meeting in St. James'
Hall, the Archbishop of Canterberry in
the Chair. This is the only Society that
combines in missionary operation, High
Churchmen and Evangelicals, although it
must be said that the latter give it a very fee
ble support, and look upon its operations with
suspicion. Many of its agents in foreign
fields .are excellent men. The directing
Committee and powers at home, have been
generally " high,' if not also " dry." The
Society has existed for one himdrect and
six years; it has been more active during
late years than formerly. It trains mis
sionaries at the College of St. Augustine at
Canterberry, and has thus sent out fifty
elergyma. It has been efficient in India,
and native converts have been ordained as
missionarieF. The total receipts for the
year are £90;444,-besides £25,986 by do
nors, for speoial'objects.
THE HOME AND COLONIAL SOCIETY is
an Evangelical Church institution of great
value, .It has accommodation for onehun
dred and forty resident students, and has
also a daily training school for seventy-five
more. It is under the superintendence of
an excellent clergyman known to rne, rind
supplies admirably qualified teachers both
for home schools and the colonies—all
evangelical in their views and teaching.
THE TURKISH MISSIONS AID SOCIETY
is, as you are aware, specially- and mainly
designed to help on the work of American
missionaries in-the East, and also to afford
some minor assistance to the Episcopal and
Jewish Protestant Missions established
throughout Turkey. Lord Shaftsbury pre
sided at the annual meeting. 'The receipts
and subscriptions amounted to £3,693 6s.
10d. The total strength of the missions is
now 151 American agents, 316 native
agents, 125 preaching stations, and 50 prot
estant churches. The Sabbath attendance
reaches 5,000 ; there are 177 seminaries and
schools, and 6,115 schOlars, ofwhom . 4000
are females. Lord Shaftsbury -expressed
his opinion that-the Turkish . Empire ex
hibited unmistakable symptoms of decay,
and that it behooved Protestant Christians
to, give to its people evangelical life. He
characterized the American iiiissionaiies 1s
a "'marvellous combination. of COMnian -
Flense
and piety," and .preeminently adapted fbr
this speoial work. Among the speakers
were'the Bishop of Down and Connor, and
the 'Rev. W. T. 'Williams, American mis
sionary, from Nineveh. Lord' Stratford De
Radcliffe, the iVarret • friend—when Ambas
sador at Constantinople--Lof Dr. Dwight
and his brethren, was -unavoidably absent.
THE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY'S
annual meeting was very numerous,,and its
Chairman was the Earl of Chichester. The
income for the year ending 31st of March,
was upwards of £145,629, including ""spe
cial fund for India," which amounts , to
X 18,576. Of the latter, upwards 0fX9,000
has been spent, and from the contributions
of former years and the present for India,
there is a balance on hand of more than
X 46,000.. •
To every. lover of Evangelical .truth and
of the human race, this Society ought to be
dear. It holds fast to the glorious doc
trines of the Retbrmation; while Episco
pal, it is euiphatically catholic; its mis
sionaries are not, only evangelical in doc
trine, but godly and earnest; its: Commit
tee comprises the very elite of -the excel
lent of the metropolis and its neighbor
hood, and its affairs are - directed with con
summate energy anctirisdatn.
I had the pleasure of conducting to the
annual meeting; Doctors—Murray (" Kir
wan,") and Leyburn, and ;my friend Geo.
H. Stuart, Esq., of Philadelphia, and of
pointing out to theni, diatingiriahed per
sons on the platform, aniong l 4►hom Sir
John Lawrence and . .Coloriel;;Edwardes,
(so eminent in the assertion of Christianity
in India, and so honored ofGo ph e re,)
were conspicuous. The Bishop o . .. Wi
nchester, brother of the Arehhiehoiof OPEC
terbury, and an Old-and-fast ffidfid 'OfftEe!
Ck)
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WHOL .
T. - NO- '37 • . • - PITTSBURGH, -- " ° '''A'TURDA, JU NE '2; '1.860.
VOL. V
Society, moved the adoption of the report.
The second resolution was entrusted to
Edwardes, who was received with
great applause. I noticed that Sir John.
Lawrence, was much moved when Edwardes.
rose. The latter is a man in the prime of
life, vigorous in frame, handsome in face,
and keenly intelligent in aspect. He ad
dressed himself specially to the subject of
India, and , spoke ant'boldly his.solemn con-:
victions-as.to the real , cause of the Indian
mutiny—the keeping.back of Christianity-,
from the knowledge of the Hindoos, and
the 'guilt of the kindred policy now.
There seems little doubt but 'that otirla
dian. Governor.Getteral is adopting a cold
blooded policy. He-is one of-the Peelite
school, has no, sympathy with Evangelism,
and checks and frowns upon the attempts
of officers to speak about Christ to their
na
'tive troops, 'everrprivately: Our'Secretary
for India, Sir Charles Wood, is etapbati
cally " a strict neutrality man," by which
is meant, exclusion of the Bible from Gov
ernment schools, and a virtual disowning of
Christ. If a whip, is for the fool's back,
and if we, as, a, nation have repented , our
confessions made on the. Fast .Day held
during the Indian mutiny, then, what may
we not expect in the way of chastisement ?
In listeninc , to •dol. Edwardes one could
not help desiring that, such a man—so
thoroughly acquainted with, India, with
such .power of utterance, and moral weight
—were in Parliament. 'I have been told
that he is likely to remain at home, and
would have no objection to enter the louse
of Commons.
The health of Sir John Lawrence is very
delicate. I sat by his side at the annual
meeting of the Field Lane Ragged School,
.at St. 'Martin's Hall. He said, "I am
better, but not well." He moved a•vote of
thanks (as the meeting was about to close,)
to Lord Shaftsbury, the Chairman. He
speaks with timidity, and it' struck me
forcibly, when lonibefore he was called on
to say a feiv words, he was apprehensively
and repeatedly glancing at the notes of his
intended statement. Mere was the lion
hearted Lawrence, who looked the terrible
Indian mutiny in the face, and blanched
not in its awful presence, who yet was full
of fear, in risini , toaaddress a public meet
n
.
ing an London. iiGod bestows on his ser
vants,,various and different gifts; each has
his own work to do, and special strength
for its right discharge. Out of a man's
proper sphere, his locks are shorn, and he
is feeble as a child ; and all this is that the
Giver and the Lord of all, power and might
may alone receive the glory.
THE BIBLE SOCIETY had a. glorious
Anniversary. Its characteristic was em
phatically • that of evangelical fervor 'and
earnestness. Its circulation during the last
twelve months has been: upwards of two
millions of copies of the Word of God, in
various countries' and languages. The
revenue' was £.145,000. - A very large in
crease of circulation was reported from
Ireland, especially from the. Revival Dis
tricts, and £soo—the first free .grant ever
sent—was transmitted from the Hibernian
Bible Society. The good. Bishop of Cashel,
(once the. Rev. Robert • Daly, of Powers
court,) who forsfttly years has fought a
good fight against Popery and for a. free
Bible, was one of the speakers. Although
he •has a hesitation in his speech, yet he is
really and _truly effective on the platform.
One of the little, and yet notuninterest=
ing incidents of the day, was, that Lord
Shaftsbury, the President, brought with
him his youngest son, a very fine boy of about
twelve years of age. He sat near the 'front
of the 'platform,. and. his father ofttimes
turned his eyes toward him, as the meeting
went on. When the Rev. S. Martin, of
Westminster, rose to speak; he :referred' to
the boy's presence, and said thathe thought
he had been brought.thither by his father
in the spirit of dedication and sacrifice.
He thep Added, very tenderly,
"A flower, when offered in the bud,
Is no vain sacrifice."
The noble Chairman's head sank on his
breast, and` he was deeply moved, while
tears filled the eyes of very many.
Near = the Chair, on - this great occasion,
sat' the Rev. Dr'. Murray, and George .11.
Stuart, Esq., in the eharadter of Deputies
from the American Bible Society. Lord
Shaftsbury had previously saluted and
warmly welcomed them in the Committee
Room. Dr. Murray was the spokesman-for
his American friends and fellow-laborers.
His speech`was marked, by both humor and
pathos. His voice, manner; appeerance, and
statements, were all in his favor, and when
-he sat down, as well as during his speech,
he- was very warmly cheered. 'The two
deputies were, after the meeting, borne
away to receive the hospitalities of one of
the Wealthy friends of the Society, around
whose board, at every anniversary; guests
and Committee are assembled in Christian
fraternity and love.
First fruits of the Gentiles were pre
sented at this meeting, in the persons of
two converts; the one a licentiate of the
Free Presbytery of 'Calcutta, and one of
Dr. Duff's • spiritual
r shildren, the other
a Chinese. Ench wore ' his distinctive
dress ; each drew toward- him the instinc
tive brotherly love of God's 'people and
children present;'and' while the Chinese
was 'silent, the Hindoo-spoke, in beautiful
and well chosen - English; -- and with ad
mirable self-possession.
THE LONDON CITY :MISSION held its
annual meeting yesterday. Never was
there, a report given in so. gratifying. It
indicated—among other, great facts which
tell of the blessing of God, and the mighty
working of his Spirit--the formation of
clubs for cahmen, where religion presides,
and in which there are one thousand mem
bers ; the increase ' by two hundred and
sixty-five, of cabs'which do not ply on the
Lord's day, making a total of one thousand
four hundred and sixty-five; of the great
increase of sobriety among cabmen and
that some of them' are tract distributors,
(leavino• e' them 'inside the cab, for passen
gers.) There are now' , three hundred and
seventy-five city missionaries; being thir
teen' more than last year. Eight hundred
.missionaries, however, are required, the
population having grown to the enormous
extent of two million eight . hundred thou
sand. Not less than twenty thousand seven
lundrdd families have been visited. Copies
of 'Bibles Oa Testaments to the ••extent of
twenty "thousand ~ h ave been distributed;
and.the missionaries find, by the auxiliary
help, of the new and admirable agancy of
"'Bible women,"
that the number Of
houses without the Seriptures are greatly
less than formerly.," Religious Tracts have
been distributed,. to .the number of two
million five hundred. and forty-two thou
sand five hundred- and forty-five. Thirty
. _
six thousand five hUndred and twenty are
under instruction in Vble Classes, and
i'wo hundred and thirty-six thousand three
hundred and forty-nine visits hare been paid
to the sick and dying. Many of the dying
would •have passed into eternity without
any minister, to speak to them, but for
visits of the misaionaries. Besides'a fund
for disabled missionaries, the '! =General
Fund reached the large ammuit of £35',573
last year.
. .
These missionaries are a noble body, ,of
men. They are our' mord groove. They
have .-acquired '' an itaniense Influence :for
good. They :take E~the ventile ;:and,‘L4licif
children out oh rural excursions in Summer
times; they are of the people's own rank
and class; they help, comfort, and stand
by. theni ; and i• to a man, 'they teach a full
Gospel—Pauline, Scriptural,,Divine.
J-.w.
P. S.—The keform.Bill has at last passed
the second reading in' the'Commons.
The 'Emperor of the 'French has turrMd
spiritualist. The published , debates- in the
French Chambers indiCate that-he is not a
Free-trader, after. all. But that is said to
conciliate tke Protectionists. We shall, I
think, have no war this year.
There has been Much bloodshed in Sicily,
and the- King' of Naples is - cruel, as- usual,
to the conquered, and to ; thesuspected-also.
"Hold Fast Till I Come."
't
Our readers are all farm nu. h the
story of the braie bey Casablanca, who,
conituanded by his fatherto•retain his placa,
at the helm of the ship, in a:fierce fight,
till:he came to-relieve him, maintained his
post amid the consuming flame, : yielding
not, but waiting till he should hear his fa
ther's - Voice, not knowing that thdt father
lad" fallen in-the conflict.
It is related that in one of.the battles'in
:the .late war, with Mexico, a; borapaity
brave soldiers were stationed to .protect, a
battery, which was capable of doing great
execution upon the enemy. In the course
of the conflict, the hottest fight raged
around this' battery ;t the :Mexicans were de
termined•to take it, :and dispatched alarge
force for that purpose, and as their cavalry,
the picked men of their , army, came d,own
with terrific force.upon the little band who
held' it, they showed' some signs of •falter
ing, but loud :above they-din-of battle rang
out the clarion, voice of their brave gener
al, as -he swept -by to attack the enemy at
another point " Stand your ground till I
can reinforce you," and thus encouraged
they held fast', and beat back their foes,
though almost ten times their . own num
ber.
Such is the Christian's position.. TO his
care are committed the batteries of Divine
truth; and the great - Captain of his 'salva
tion has. conananded - bim,'' Hold fast till .1
come. The hosts of sin may- rage , round
him; falsedoctrine ' corrupt•practice ; the
evil,propensities of his own heart, and the
deep depravities of a sinful world may, each
in turn, or all together, seek to drive him
from his -position ;. but- high above all the
, din , of conflict,is heard the Saviour's voice,
. sounding uut from the heavens, " Hold fast
till I come." Thus encouraged, shall he
falter ? Shall he yield for a moment to the
assaults of the adversary ? No ; for he who
gives the charge; hath passed into the heav
ens,:.and is no more liable to be .delayed in
his, coming:;. and when the power of the foe
is the strongest, and the fight thickest,- he
will come, and rout all his foes—and then
the glory of this overcoming faith shall be
given to those Who have remained firm in
the conflict—and to theta shall be given
tbrones and dominions;; them. power
over the nations; .to them, best of all, the
MORNING STAR, Jesus himself shall be
given, as their friend, brother, and coun
'senor. 'Hold-fast, then, till -11 E ,, our glori
ous leader, shall :come.—Examiner.
PROCEEDINGS'
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF 1860.
FOURTH DAY«
Monday Morning, May 21-0 O'Clock.
Assembly met. After singing, 11.ev. Dr. S. I.
Titres led the-morning devotion with prayer. At
a quarter-before ten the Assembly was called to
order and opened with prayer by the Moderator.
Fathei Chiniquy'was present this morning.
The minutes •of Saturday were•-read• :and -ap
proved.
Dr. LOCKE, Chairman of the Committee on
Systematic •Benevolence called for pie -reports
from the several Presbyteries ; from one hundred
and seventy PreSbyteriei they had received only
seventy: reports: on the subject.
Dr. E. T. BAIRD presented the.memorial of the
Presbytery of Tombeckbee, (published by us
some weeks ago g ) on the subject of a Church Com
mentary. This was read.
Di. BAIRD moved that this memorial be refer
red to a Committee of the -friends of the move
ment,,in different parts-of the Church, -to : report
to the nest General Asseinbly, on the character
'df title proposed 'Cominentary; its feasibility,lnd
the full measure of respensibility. .to . be assumed
by the General Assembly. Passed.
The Report of the' Corarnittee on 'Domestic
aissions . :was'presented-b3; Dr. - Wm..llt. SCOTT.
{See abstract on fourth page.]
The CoMmittee suggest the importance of
greater religious efforts.among the people' of col
or, free and bond, and among Roman Catholics,
and other deatittite persons.
Among the objects to be, undertaken; are the
provision of . Gospel. -privileges to • Emigrants
and Colonies, and .especially .the importance of
providing ministerial labor for•the Kansas Gold
Wines, and•for Utah...
On motion,
the report was received by the As
sembly, and Dr. SCOTT proceeded to speak upon
-the motion: to adopt.
He said the first item exhibited certain eviden
ces` of . progress, and . afforded' warrant for core
-mending the fidelity and 'energy. of the . mert en
trusted' with -the - work. It. enumerated :the in
crease of 'Monis (91) and a 'Small increase of
salaries, showing: a more 'adequate support of
missionaries. An increase of contributions from
the churches ($6,178) the great source of 'stip
ply. A :total increase of-$19','241.
An increase of-churches and members—an ex
tension of the work into new fields, and increased
energy in sections'where it had been manifested
before:
The second item noticed the large number of
churches neglecting to contribute to the work ; a
neglect that.occasioned snitch-anxiety: Doubtless
many of these churches could satisfactorily ex
plain this neglect.
The sp' eakerlad - tiolesire te.may.'ono - Innkind
word to any of those.churches,.but the Assembly
was bound to urge the ditty upon them.
The third item alluded to a- very important
department of their work w itjz.: - ministerial, labor
among the people of color, and Roman Catho
lics. The report showed that wgreat increase of
labor had been effected during thep_askyear, but
the field was a large one; and there was still a
great,want.
The fourth item related to .the relation be
tweet': the Ripply of ministerial' labor and' the ac-
Wel deinand created by the'Church. The, ead to
be aimed .at is to balance the tria,to haye all
the ministerial labor available for the work ite
tually:employed; and to.have; the Assembly know
how much could be done if the resources were
obtaitiod.
.In order to:set: the 4nind of the Atsembly. right
as to this want, it was to employ all the.ministe
rial labor it could, control, and thus ascertain
what-amount of money:wits required; .ands , the
.apeaker -had confidence..in ths •Prcsbyterian
Church that no one' who had a sickle should be
left mriimplOyed.
.•The -fifth item was- supplementaryte the fourth,
providing for the distribution•of•Tabor,
- The - sixth 'item regarded a matter' of - Vital
portance, ••the. attention tb e Assembly
-to the necessity-of a.rigid economy in the expert
-ditures of "the, funds ; lest the confidence of the
churches be disturbed, ,anti , their contributions
dried up, by a conviction of unnecessary expen
ditures. The aggregate, of last year • showed the
necessity-' 4 of tetrenchinent, thoitgh there' , was no
item that furnished „any. grounchfor r stispiciowof
improper eipenditure.
On motion of Mr.' BR.ADFORD, Dr.—lrapprit
sarr. was erequ'ested to . - -addres.s.the Asiembly on
the. nnual Report of the Board.
He 'stated 'that the receipts for Domestic-Mis
sions,had :inereased during the past .year 410,-
231; The increase from the churches alenelas
been $9,141. .
We. havotaketv up theigreat -mission ameng the
French. in .Illinois; . we:have- commissioned, that
venerable man Whom I see here to-day, Father
bhittiquy, and - vie want 'to sustain him, and send
more labbreislolhat important-field.
During•theLpast pear we have: - 'received $17,-
295,- worth :clathing for ;these. men of God.
One church Alette, had. sent twenty-four boxes.
In 1828 wOhad thlrty-:one missionaries` and
's2;4oo'redeipt's*; - rind'in: 1840 We'had five hail&
fed
fty 4 ii-X signalise; tute440, 1 784 re-!
oeipts ; .last ye't 'psi% hundred !and ninety-one
missionaries;; arA41.18,904.21 receipts.
During the p 1" year one.thousanchseven hun
'dred and five :: e dies haver:contributed to the
'funds. of • this'l rd, and one•thousand seven
,
hundred and thl reight have not' 'contributed.
Dr. ADGER re ed. De 'would' desire to res
pectfully contraitt some- of the 'statements of
the Seeretaryan tilers, that havebeen so-earn
estly made, viz.: . at we are doing:well enough.
In this matter lifthd•myself , ,itt 'opposition to
brethren whom'lfiVe, end , especially in opposi
h
tion to a 'father: Or.. Ilodge,),it whose' feet .I
have sat and recel o yed instruction; and4it4whose
feet I would gladit, now - end receive instruc
tionin many me."; , But Lam encouraged by
thel D
act thatr. :Rage has speittlis .whole life
in a Theological Seminary, 'rather than in beg
.ging money fromilthe•people. •We, then, who
have done somethitip in begging; know more
about this matter ilian: he' does. 'Again; I .flti'd
myself in opPositi ~,,, l'o:inetr inlthe. cities living
near the Boards. ' J ere is Dr. Boardman, who
-is in -name a.‘ , .// .tnan," a 'member of the
'Board. ki:. - - .
, .
It may be said hilknows.something about-the
matter, and I knowifmothing, since he is inside
and I outside. Thiide.nottrue. He is like a,
.man who is in theloitivardicar of a•train,.whiles
Tam in - the rear,• attdleftmay 'know that some-
thing is out of. -.order -i - iicme :wheel. Wrong, of
-Which he-knows not
, 4.`
- )..
Now, of. the sl46,oenk,li 1 joie ,
slops, only - $83,000i1 gOt-icliviugfiheinber
s
•of the Church. Neu!"Yhtlint:a, thing to-glnry in?
We. have three thous 'fourlittidred and eighty
eherehes and two -h — tired; and fifty , thousand
Members, and - we ,, giite:sE4ooo - for `this'objeet.
Is that -doing, well< *ugh ? -Yonsay that the
missionaries are reeekiing - sBoo'per -year-salary.
Now - $l,OOO is little , enough if they needit, - -and
no doubt many of th*mten• are - paying 'for • the
privilege• of being .missionaries; more -than the
Church and Board arelivhig them.
And yet they tell us nve aresdoing--well enough.
They-say. we are prcgtessingrapiclly. What•is
the:annual increase •?' Why $5,000.- The; think
that looks big-5,000 ,dollars.' 'Why'who gives
it-? How many Churehisl. - Sow many people ?
When we look' at it in this may these figures look
very very small. The: only language -that ought
to be employed -in' sneaking • of•• this matter
should be the language of bewailing. We whd
are outside tell you. yen--are'Mot. reaching the
pulse of the Church, arid you ne - ver-willreach- it
with- your present - organiZation. Nowthe only
proper :field- for the 'Board is:the great frontier
settlements outside of our hettlederganizati on.- The
; several Presbyteries- should 'have' the control: of
the field-inside of our- settled'organizatione. God -
has given us a• Divine Systemuof Sessions and
Presbyteries and SynodWand•eholy• of these you
may. consider as a wheel, several Sessions form
ing a Presbytery and so On. .
A Synod should not- dii: the.work - df a Presby
tery, 'nor-a, Presbytery; tile , work.: Of a Session.
You try to do the work of Domeatic . -Missions by ,
one great - . wheel, arid vliat'is.thei consequence?
The - consequence-is that there are - one thousand
seven-hundred and five contributing churches, and
one thonsand seven hundred ancleighty-three non
contributing churches. The reason•these church
es'ile not contribute is; that! they do n't like the
system-; they think they know where' it' came
from, and they don't"like anything- .from that
quarter.
Now our brethren muit not tell.ns -they -will
not yield; The• - fact is we must come together,
we must work together. It -is idle•for you•to say
that we desire- change for-the sake of change.
We want to work together, but we don't like your
system, and, we must work- apart, ityou insist
upon your: present= system. :You ereetyour great
wheel, in the wrong -place, of big men •and big
names; big titles, and all that- looks , big, but a
few. du the-work, and , the rest is all , moonshine.
And when the Presbyteries come; together they
say:it is no-Use for us to•do•nnything forDomes : -
tic - Missions, for we have -n 4 big'Board. at Phila
delphia °Pa-lithe biggest memin the land to-do
it - for Ms. 'That is the' practical working of the
matter. You -have a-big Board-tut-a 'mighty lit:.
tle•purse. You think it's a.tnightylng purse,
but I call it a very little' purse.'' You may
chuckle over it; but iv don't f.a.Mhunt; to ' much.
The -'Presbyteries• should, do 'the ework*th,
own:hands ? •and the.Cential-410mitilitterthirulartir- Is
calve the surpluses from the rich - Presbyteries
and give them to those' who areqmor. '
A - conimunication -was read from theTritstees
announcing the death of Hon. JOEL JONES, and
that therwwere, nOw-felfr'vacarMies in the Board
of Trustees, which could , maly be , fdled by the
Assembly-meeting in:Ponnsylvania.--
The- hour of, adjournment having , arrived, the
Assembly took -a recess- to-3 P. M. - Dr. Adger
haring the floor.
Afternoon Sesslon,-3 OTlock P. M.
'Miserably met.
• A communication was presented front the New
York Central Railroad, offering the Assembly a
free excursion to Niagara Falls.
The invitation was aecepted, and. a. commitee
consistineof Rev. J. W. Blithe, Re'vl iJr. 'Hick
ok, and Mr.: Bradford, was -appointed to :return
the thanks of the Assembly, and make the
,ne
oessary-Arrangements. • • '
The unfinished business came up, Dr. •Aziaga.
having the.fioor: He said we ought not to con
gratulate ourselves on the amount given for mis
sions when. probably the children of the Pzesby
terian-Church spent that amount for sugar candy,
and thottght he would'not' be much but'ef the
way if he said the ministers :of. the Church spent
that amount for tobacco and,smolted it np. The
speaker had been asked whit he proposed to do.
He would answer.: :was.. this Bedizae: 'the
Board-to a simple form and effective size, say
seven, nine, eleven, thirteen, or whatever nuin
ber is thought best, so - that a- few, men 'living
near the centre of operations might do the work.
This would obviate the ,trouble we now expe
rience of +laving the Presbyteries neklecting•toido
the work they" ought to do; because they have-a
large'Board to do it for them.
2cl. The Presbyteries should . do their own work
and the Board . Cortfine•thenntelves 'to unoccupied
fields.
.• .3d. Throw upon ther•several Presbyteries their
own work, and Jet them overtake their work as
fast as possible, and if they can do more let
them do it.- This 'would - only be compelling tLe
Presbyteries to . ao •ttie• work : that Jesus Christ
gave them to do. •
Carry out this plan and I do believe: you will
see a gretainerease oVer•our present. operations.
What- we want is life,. activity ;-not,rnachinery,
not big men, not big Boards.
- How small the number of contributing
churches. • One thousand seven hundred and
eighty-three contributing nothing to this Board.
Now with regard •to these'''churches. -- There is
the Harmony Preshytery•of South Carolina, they
do their own missionary work,' and their contri
butions last , year were .$2,600, -and- ik is not
rich Presbytery, yet they have not a : particle of
recognition here. Then-the Presbytery of South
Carolina:, when.they were auxiliary, to this Board,
a few : years ego,gave .$BOO or $4OO a Jeer ;• they
cut. loose froze it however, and the very next year
their contributions' rose to $1,200, mid.: it -now
'stands -31,800. They never would have done
this' if they had remained auxiliary to• thie
Board.
The •Board claims - credit for itself where 'I think
it does not belong to.it.
Now, 'with regard to the argument of 'Dr.
Spring that we. ought. not to, disturb the present
organization; in view of: the distracted ,state Of
the country: Now, Mr. Chairman, I don't
think Alm Board is any bond of union. . The
people where I lire do n't ;know.- the' Board.
Some'of Remembers that live theeirdoii'Vknow
that; they have-been elected; Bilt-AheitrWone
thing we do know. We know the. General 'As
sembly, and we consider that a- greet hend"Of
union, for here we meet as. brethren. vie • dom't
meet to discuss - politics, but to transact business
concerning the Kingdom of God. [Dr. ADGER
was here called to order by the Chairman' for
wandering from the question under' dituniegion,it
being on the report on Domestic Missions,. a nd
th e 'reorganization ot the' Boards.] •• • ; •
Dr. SCOTT then took the standin, favor Aithe
adoption of the report. He asked what thepawae
to justify the statement of Dr. Adger thBt the
committee was - glorifying-itself.
Dr. A., interrupting; replied that it,was in the
remarks' of the SeereterY.
Dr: SCOTT replied that the Assembly' was :dis
cussing the report, and not the Secretary's re
marks. Now with regard to the non-contribut
ing- churches, Dr. Adger complains that,the re
port censures 'them, and, yet le complains that
those who have contributed 'have fallen far short,
and hi thus censures those who have done most,
more than the •report . censures ,Those who have
done nothing. With regard to the other poipts
of the report, 4 l. cannot see that Dr. Adger finds
any fault. -I- be,long to neither the party whom
my brother 'represents, nor the party of the
-Boards,-as it is called, .Myrdoctrine is Whatever
_stands in the way of the progress of Gods
work, be it men, Boards, or any organization of
- tiny kind, itihould baimrnediately and'. entirely
swept away. , •
HOD. SAMUEL GALLOWAY, Of Ohio, took 'the
'stand in favor of 'the- report.' -He thought we
ought to be very c'areful howwe arraignthe mem
bers of these Boards,.for the duties they have to
- discharge 'are 'often unpleasant' ones. Let the
- specific charges be mtula,:if they have any; before
the Committee, anti Jet She rgeult of their labori
come before us. But they'bay that-Botiltdawiti
not a Gespel . plan. Then give us a Gospel plan.
Is••there any more authority-in the Gospel for an
Executive Committee than for Boards? Where
:is there any-authority in•the Gospel-for a General
ASseMbly r -True, there was . a council at; Jeru
salem about circumcision, but I doubt whether
it was an -assembly eonstitutedlikethis. - - I doubt
whether in that. council there was any ComMittee
on Billiand Overtures. • I doubt whether there
was any machinery, such as we have here.
The speaker was called to order for wandering
from4he subject. -
On motion, the report under'consideration Was
recommitted for consideration. • -
The unfinished:business of Saturday was taken
up.,
Dr. B.n.sas had the floor, but yielded' it to Dr.
THottswELL, who said that he had been accused
of making the Clergy the Church. He had, said
that Prod Mid given us a Church fully constituted,
a free conunoriwealth. What connexion there is
between these statements he failed to see.. It re-
Minded - him of the story,of the 'hard=shell bkip
tist. minister attempting to prove that, immersion
would become the universal mode of baptism,
Srom-thelext, " The voice of the turtle shall be
heard in the land." The preacher was one of
_those who believed that he.ought not to, select a
Subject beforehand, but when he arose to speak
and opened the Bible, the first verse that, met
11is eye must •32. we used and. sit liataine24his•
-f v " . ''r*Y4 4 7 l,titriorritii` h`
Wit
iltalrb4itiittalia the la7ndl" At Irk he thoUght
he was stumped. At length he said, " Brethren,
at first sight one would think that there.was not
much in this text,. but on, a little consideration
yeu - Willeee there is a good deal in it. Now you
`all know 'what a. turtle is. -If you have been
along by &pond you have seen them on the logs
sunning themselves. Now it is said, The
.voice of the turtle shall be heard in' the land.'
But faille hasn't any voice that ever anybody
heard, so, it, must be the noise that the turtle
; Made in idetiging off the log into the water; hence
we conelude that immersion is meant, and thus
that immersion will be Pnivergal."
`The speaker thought there was about as much
.connexion in one case as•the other.
Ile had been accused of inconsistency, in say
ing that he would not leave the Boards even if
,they t are
,not changed. Not until lie was ordered
to - believe what he could not conscientiously be
lieve—not, till, he was ordered to do what he
'could, not conscientiously do, would he" fail to
yield to the will of his brethren.
My brother has said we htive no Apostle. I
Contend that we have the Apostles in the in
spired writings. Ahd I wish to have Paul, settle
this question, and settle it forever. The breth
ren referred t•o the parity'of the clergy as Tres
byterian. ' But, that is a'doctrine held by all non
prelatic churches. He speaks, too, of the power
of .the people. But that is rather a distinctive
feature, Of independency than Presbyterianism.
Again, he says,, the Church is one. But that
is a , principle held in some degree by all
churches.
The- brother would thus Make us eVerything
in -general, and nothing in particular. But I
contend that the great principle of Presbyterian
ism is government by representation. Do we
ignore the people? No ;. they choose the repre
sentatives.
Aaother fundamental principle of. Presbyte
rianism, is the fact that the representatives are
of two classes, viz.: teaching and ruling elders.
Without concluding, the speaker gave way for
_
an adjournment.,
The Connittue. on the invitation received from
the New'York Central R'ailrOad, reported Satur
day next , as, the day for the .excursion. The
report was adopted.
.A.djourned to 9 A. 111., Tuesday
FIFTH DAY.
foca da „ y Morning, May 22-9 O'Clock.
Assembly met.. First half hour spent in devo
tional exercises. Minutes of yesterday read and
approved.
The Committee, on Bills and Overtures re
ported Overtures No. 1 and 2, recommending the
observance of the second week of January,
1831, as a week of prayer for the conversion of
the world. Adopted.
The same Committe,e reported. Overture'Ne. 8,
gespectirc ealedonia; , ..church. Placed on , • the
Also, Overture N0. , 4, respecting the Presbyte
rian Historical Society, recommending that So--
.eiety, to the favorable consideration of • the
churches. Placed on the docket.
Ale6,_Overture No. 5, from the Presbytery of
'Cincinnati, concerning stage plays, private the
atricals and dances. Adopted, and is, as follows:,
To the first questiom.viz.: .Are social dances and private
theatiicals included among the sins forbidden by the Seventh
Commehduient ? they make the following reply: That whilst
the pleasures of the ball room and the theatre are primarily
intended by the " dancing . and .hage plays forbidden, the
spirit or the prohibition extends to all kindred. amusements
whiciinre eiticulated . to 'awaken thoughts and feelings 'nem
afstent with the Seventh Commandment, as explained•lsy the,
Saviour.
To the eecond question, viz.: Is it the duty of the 'Church
SossiOns to exercise , discipline upon those members of the
Church who send:their: children toi (lancing schools,. or • who
give and attend dancing parties; and if so, ought such (BR&
pline to be carried to the extent of exclusion froth the eacra
'ments, where other means fail of producing reformation, the
Assembly. answer that, while we: regard tho.practice of pit.
miscuous social, dancing by .members of the Church,.as
mooriifiil ineonsistency, and the giving of parties (for such
dancing,) on the part of the heads of Christian'fiunilies, as
tending to .compromise their religious. profession, and the
!tending or their eltildren.by Christian parents to tllit dancing
saheb], as a' sad error in family discipline, yet we think that
-the Session of each church I'l.llllly competent to decide. when
discipline is necessary ; and the uxtent to which it should be
administered.
••• 'Also; Overture No. 6,• from Tombeckbee ' asking
if. a minister. has.a. right to lay down his.office
when feeling in his own conscience that he
•should do so; and with the advice of his Presby
,tery.• Placed on the' docket.
' Dry WiLms Loan, acting as Stated Clerk, pre
sented.) a •letter' from Dr. Monod, President of
the 'United Synod of . the , .Evangelical•• French
•ohurolies.
• Mr.•Donom was added to the Committee on the,
Narrative. •
.: The:Report of the. Committee on the Board of
Foreign Missions was read. (An-abstract ofthe
Report .of - the . Board was published II.: 'my-last
week.) . .
• WAtrzit -Lowals, •%Seerettay :of• the • Board..
spoke:at -length, :setting forth. the :greatness of
the:work; the claims and extent of the different
elds,::.the success that has attended our mis
the- enoouragement at present ..given in
many.. places,:the reniissnees of the -Church at
hom6 to pray:and contribute, and the solemn ob
ligations resting upon the whole Church and
every-member of the~ Church. ..In. closing, he
said :, More -.than one-half of. the organized
Presbyterian churches. did not contribute a single
dollar to.t.his Mission. It was a solemn 'reflec
tion. lie had once added the - number of minis
ters arid. communicants in these-non-contributing
churches..: There were of this class sixty thou
•sand communicants, , and:among them:five hundred
•Ministers. . -
..:Sommtime ago a missionary in China employ
ed.;tv.teachiri .-who, on one occasion, told the
:missionaryLhat+lhe•bad been reading•of Jesus,
'whom, he-regarded as , a very good • man. The
missionary explained that he. was; God•as well as
and Ihen , his:plan:of - seivation. The teach
er was.astonished, 'and asked how long the Amer
ican nation:had known •and believed this. He
was told, and the teacher asked why it was the
raissionary.had ;so long postponed his visit and
his missionary labors. This sis tvquastion that
each man should ask hinisAdf. This great agency
was now established, and it - Was now just as easy
to:rest:eh Hie hetahen•; abroad, aei the unconverted
at home.
In•conolusion,' the speaker remarked' that' the
Foreign". Mission is:. a.work that.pays, but it re
quired-the associated: elforts.of -the Church.
: - ::Hathen. related several instances of martyr
•dturf of-native converts, who refused to renounce
their: 'profession. * Twenty-nine had been - skilled
AtYl the sword, on one occasion, for -refusing to de
ity their Lord, and-so far as. known; one con
'weft .had yielded, in :order to save -his 'life. It
.Was:on account.of his -wife and children, who had
no , other means of-support. He afterwards went
, again to the -mission and professing sincere re
:pentance, :was received' again into the church.
~ One native, whO had become an enthusiastic
iconvert.;- , was bound to' the mouth :of a cannon,
'and in'this pcisitibu was called upon to - renounce
'religious profession, or t &fel' instan t* death. • He
refused to -deny . .iiis -Lord,- and the match was ap
plied to the gun. It flashed in' the pan ; and a
second timeiC was•applied, with a similar result.
The' Governor: then ordered the' soldiery to cut
him to pieces with their swords, which they in
• stointly did.
MATTOON, cilthe•Presbytery of Siam,
.spoke of-the -progress -of the' work in the king
dom of Siam. -He said lOwaszelittle over 'thir
teen years %since >he •firsti..visited -Siam. For
eleven years. %with a -Single .assistant, -he: had
toiled in that land. It was then-under the rule
of a despotic monarch, shut up in his palace,
and going forth. but once a 'year, to visit his
liagen -idols in the mOnasteries. The-officers of
the government refused to present the petition-of
ithe Lmissionary to the :monarch -for a place to
establish their mission. They were; .therefoie,
`it one time about to abandon the missionlijcon
'sequence, but.the•trionarch-dial, , at the very time,
when the Assembly.wtut praying•that the mission
Ibe •saved. The monarch's brother succeeded,
I 'and -had 'at the very - tithe , Of his coronation'
-pledged his'protectiantalidfriendship to the mis;
, sicin •• eau* . 'and had "nebboredeemed his -word.
'They could-now:travel - Under the passport of: the
'monarch in every part of 'his •doitiiiiionvwith:'Ssi
Math difethistin•thre'doillitry.Th j
The speaker described the monasteries, and
the systems upon which they were conducted,
the habits of the people, &c. lie pictured the
situation and condition of the two missionaries,
unacquainted - with the language, and with un
translated Bibles ; the months of patient toil in
enforcing conviction upon the hearth of these
materialistic people, worshipping materialistic
gods. Was it a wonder that the misaionary
could notreport a city evangelized, or a nation
converted to God?'But they had, notwithstand
ing, accomplished much. They had sent printed*
pages' over the whole land, and nearly all the na
tive population could read. Almost every family
in the city had been supplied, and, the mission
aries had received calls from all parts of the
country and different provinces for tack books.
The Assembly adjourned to 8 P. M.
Afternoon Seasion--3 O'Clock r. N..
The Assenibly met, and was ppetteff
prayer by the Moderator., ,
The order of the day was postponed, to accs
tinue the' business off the..mo,rning, the con
sideration of the Report - On •Foreign, Alissiens.
Rev. Mr. J.9.vvine, of, the• Synod of Northern
India, spoke of the great difficulties of the work
in view of the education of the people in their
peculiar tenets. The common ; people, are: not
educated, but when worsted in argument they
say,,, we will ; bring ~our learned man to-rpo'rrew,
he can t answer, you ; so: that - reach them with
the Gospel we try rather, to• soothe them than. to
argue with, them. They , had experienced great
losses lately, but none of the Lodiana . Mission
haffseliered. • .
I .think the Sepoy war was a Mohammedan
movement; one , of the great expiring struggles
of Mohammedan Antichrist.
Rev. Mr. Brrvaxox, ..from the Choctaw Mis
sion,-remarked ,that, Ike had just come from, an
Indian ,congregation. he. last: : Sabbath I was
there I was : with then], house jam full, and now
I am with you,. and Lthink I see..more ministers
than ever my Saviour,saw. Now I. hope, breth
ren,,you will. hold,on. You.believe in the,perse
verance,of the,saints. This: falling, from grace
is none of our doctrine. I think you .need a
missionary, among the English. We have no
whisky with us. 'There , is no distillerramong
the r :Choctaws. How far do, you suppose, we
would have to,go.from,here to find one? ..If any
one brings any whiskey
.there, he is shot down.
That's the, government I live.under. We, don't
know anything about moral suasion; it is mortal
suasion.there.,
can't say much, but-we have been -to 'work.
We preached in a little out building, a log, cabin,
with a place in one -corner with hay ler the
horses. -Now .I want you,,to remember these
people, and these churches. „
The. Report was, adopted. It embraces the
following resolUtions:
Readved; That from the details of said Report. it is mani
fest that our.Boreign. Missionary work is irea highly prosper
ous course, of .operation,. and, Ahirs . afford.. great .cause af
thanksgiving to Him whosehlessing alone has made it thus
to prosper.
-licsetved,!‘That the:increased•benevolence of our;churches,
during the past year, in sustaining, this great cause oral's
sieve, is a matter of special eueouragement, Mid thhe AsSem
bly-trnsts thatthere be a still more'liheral , rind •steddy
increase of, contributions to the ;funds- of this Board, from
year to year.
Resettled, That in order to accomplish this result, it is ire.
cuMbent mi all ourelnirches to' aiii•by their Contributions in
scouring sneh anincreasei nor. can the Assembly forbear ex
, pressing their sense of pain in finding. that .somany, of our
churches, from year to ,year, are standing apart froth 'this
great work; md the more especially are they, thus• effected,
when the way. to. the great heathen nations is so fully.opened,
and the Assembly would call on all these churches to join
their brethren - in making known the only Saviour to these
'Perishing multitudes.
:Resolved, That the'General Assembly would:encourage the
Board to go forward in their labors of loveylaying broad and
• deeptim•fontalation of the Lord's work 'among the heathen,
'the Roman Catholics; and the Jews, •
Besolval, That the General, Assembly would cordially ap
prove of the action of the. Bciard. in receiving under their
care the.lnissionarics aunang the Choctaws, who were former
ly under the care of the American Board, and the Assembly
would ; remind all lie churches of this additional charge on
the funds of the Beard and that increased donations will con
'sesmently be needed for tbeir support.
Resoteed, - That. the Report of thedioard be approved •and
referredto the Executive Committee for publication. .
The unfinished business of yesterday afternoon
Ras taken up.
Dr. Tacnorwra . .T. resumed his-remarks
He said the only Ypower that the organized
representatives of our Church have is- minia
terial.ande declarative. The groundthat I took
-was that there was aii increase' a authority be
yond what 'lves necessOry, beyond what was
given them in these organized Boards. What,
ever is. necessary to execute - the command, to
educate men for the ministry, &c.,- is the duty
which the Assembly ought to do.
Now, if a ' Eoard was the agency through
which the Assembly did the work, it would' be
'right that they should remain.
,But theEiecu
tive Committee is the agency, and The Board is
only amachine joined an to the Assembly, and
appointing the Executive Committee. doc
trine is, that the Assembly-is the Board, and all
we need is the Executive Committee directly at
tached t 6 the Assembly. But we hal ean Execu
tive Committee joined to the : Nara, and nee
Nerd created within the Assembly. Is that er
ecuttVe agency? Now, what; I'propose to do, is
to.aboliSh the Board and let _the Assembly be
the Board, and let it do the work through its own
Executive -Committee.
Suppose we stand on this platfOrm, then why
should we erect another body between the As
sembly and its executive agency? What has
the.-Board-ever been? Nothing but a wall of
separation between the Assembly and the warm
affections' and sympathies of the people. Do
you believe the efficiency, of. the Church will be
as great when you make every member of the
Assembly a member of the Board, as when you
select a certain number. Do you think it con
sistent with the dignity of this Church to , allow
Men to purchase positions in this Boaktitith
money ? I .love simplicity, and 1 think •the
machinery of, this Church should be a model of
simplicity. You have complicated this matter.
You have put wheel within wheel, until there
cannot .be that sympathy with it from the people
that there ought to be. It is idle then to tell me
that it is a small matter. I loy,e the whole Cath
olic Church,, but especially. d . e ,I,loye the Preisby,-
terian,Cburch, and Lwant.to !els her free front sll cumbrons machinery, and go. for ward in her
glorfoils mission.
Dr. Honor: took the floor.
My remarks were pot intended.to develop any
theory of Presbyterianism. Ti. was all con
tained in three sentences. These threesentences
Dr. Thornwell developed into thin air, and held
me up as undeserving even.the ; name of Presby
terian, congratulating himself that the doctrines
bad set forth were discarded by the Institution
with which I have been connected for more than
forty years. Allow me to say that. those doe
trines embodied in a pamphlet in answer to, the
question, what is Presbyterianism, have been
adopted and circulated by our Board of.Publica
tion' and taught by Dr. MAGILL, in Princeton,
and have, been recognized by Bcotehman across
the water with even more heartiness then in our
own land. '
The fundamental doctrines of Preutqterianisin
- 4:4' ; the; Holy Spirit
is, in'the first'instance,..the,gertn4f, the . Church.
.
2d. That:nen thus renewed : past exercise their
power in the way Pointed out in the sacred Scrip
tures, and • that there are only three officers
therein recognized, viz.: ministers, ruling elders,.
and deacons. • ,
• Dr. hpbcs then ably reviewed the position of
Dr. Thernwell, setting.forth the.doctrine of the
Church siud the only bailie on -which its system
could be carried out. .'
Dr. KitErts said : .
We do not delegate our authority when we ap
point a Board tci . cirry oat . die commands of this
Assembly. • The3noillit. 'this body sits only a
few. Weeks in a ye,nr, :ereatas..the -necessity of
some such agency. •If -you want simplicity why
not take one•man, say:Hon. Walter Lowrie,, far
the Board of Foreign; Missions, and Dr..RaPPer
sett Or . . the . Board of Domestic
Missions, and let.us commit the whole matter to
them. •
Adjourned till to-morrow morning. Closed
with prayer by Mr. Chiniquy.
• SEITH.DAY.
Wednesday Morning, May 23. 9'O' . •
Assembly met. First half-hour spent in devo-:
tional exercises.
they
had Committee on. Finance reported.that they
had examined the accounts of the Treasurer and
found. Diem correct. .Report adopted.
On.motion, the bearing of the delegate from
the Reformed Dutch Church was made the order
of the day for three o'clock.this afternoon.
The Finance Committee reported, recommend
ing the adoption of the proposition made by Mrs.
Mary Anne Richardson,.formerly Ayres, with re
spect to the donations made by. her to.the New-
Albany Seminary. Put on. the docket.
-The report of the Committee on Domestic
Missions was-adoptedi•-and •the nominations to
fill vacancies were placed op the docket.
The report.of the Committee ;on the 'Board of
Edunation,was read by. Dr. Bonsuiststi, and is as
let. The reports should be publislied'and otreulated.inder
the direction of the Board. .
2d: The Aeberably • records With fervent gratitude to the
great , llead of the Church; thediteutl prosperity of this Im
portant egeney, as seen, especially, in. the .unesampled in
crease of candidates daring the paptlear ; the number of new
candidates being 181,
.with ntotal Of 493.
' .3d. The Atiseinblrtediiices to. heir , of the success • which is
OftoPOillg 80 many of the tool:1001N academies and:collegestin
der the care of our Church ; and whilst nchnoWledguag the
;value of well conducted public schools. especiallY those in
which 'the principles and preeePts Of the'.Bible are inculcated,
!wed bidding Goddipcolal Bvtingelical Christi.= educators ot
whateirer name, we cherisestith a peculiainterestthrtsi
made within our own bounds to establish and
PRESBtrERIAN BANNER.
A Square, (8 'boa or leas,) one Insertion, GO cents; each
inibeequent insertion,-40 mute ; each line beyond'eight, 5 - Fie.
A sqbare per quarter, $.1.00 ; eu9lrlirie additional; 33,oesrle.
A REDUCTION Mribe to adVertiNerall: I`.ll°4Px:***
BUSINESSNOTICES'er Tea lines or Yet!, *-00 sash" ad
'ditioit'al line, 10 tenni. • • ' • ' ' ' •
- DAVID 111%1111VEY
PROPRIETORS AND . TIVSLISIOZSII.
NO. 401
narks oflearning,..whether under the direction of the,Chnrcit
or under a general,,P,reatiyierien influence. .
4th.' The' A'ssernbly observes with *nth sailsinetion; :that
Vie Board is: giving increased attention to the interests of
education in California, and again commends that : distant
field to its *Cita consideration.
sth. The Assembly vencwedly expresses its sense Of 'the
vital iniportance of: tnaintaining (thigh standard of ministie.
. rial education, and. refers ell concerned to the lucid. end obie
amument on this topic contained in the report now•under
'egnsideratioa.' •
';•.6th.:That this .:Assembly renew they resolution of the Aii
-sembly last year. and " earnestly urge all our • Presbyteries
And Committees, ad ifiterfin, to guard with a becoming mu
tton and a firm vigilance' the' door to the holy office. of. the
• Ministry, so as not to admit to the sacred. Calling 'men want
,ing.in mental and moral gualilicationlor4fithigh.functions;"
ankfurtherreore, aB, a, means of axelucliag improper persons,
thatthe Arscirilily enjoins`upon every Presbytery which has
not , done so, to appoint a Committee; whdise duty it obeli be to
make , careful inquiry as to the conduct ancl • proictees in study
eel! the Candidates. under Its care, aiid:to roalie„reli e rt. to
their Presbytery at every stated meeting; or.ofteneridf Pres
byterial action is needed..
7th. liotwithatanding the increase of candidates, the As
sprouty is constrained tg•hplieve that with k irroper fidelity on
the
.part of parents, teachers, and pastors, a- usuch,larger
proportion of the young men-'of piety' and' talent th the
Church would, 'by. God's ••blessing,, - find • their way , into - the
ministry, and under this conviction they renew .the recom
usendation,of former years, that the, last Thursday of
.Pcbru
- ary nest be observed thronghMit our coinmunion as a' day of
• special • prayer for the Ybuth:. of dur :land; .r.especially • for
prayer to the. Lord of the, harvest that, he .wonid send. forth
laborers into his harvest. ' •
The following_ statistical - table ..exhibits the
operations ,of the. Board of diction ;the
, department, of, 9a4didates for, ,the uwastat :e
.The, number of candidates received litubeen . 181
'lifahingin alt frdrii the be:ginning (fiitsll) 2,41§2
The whole number ou the roll daring the past • •
year has. been ' 492
In their Theological course '
Collegiate 178 •
it Academical ti 107
Stage of study nocreported • • 8
Teaching or otherwise absent
The following is general view of the peon
, .
niary affairs of .the. Board. during, the ecelesiasti
ealiesr.ending:May ;Ist:
L CINDIDATp:„YI7.O.
Receipts
Balances 1859
l'oUainemne
Tayments
Balances,-1860
111. ansezp.Azirous rusTr.
Receipts - • $155.00
, - Balances, 1.6613 • 48.76
Payments
Balances,lB6o 8.76
Of the African Fund, $l,OOO is funded.
pwing to the illness of Dr. VAN Rensszr,Ann,
Rev. ROBERT M. WATTS presented the claims of
Re opened with an- affecting -allusion -to the
serious illness of Rev---Dr. Van Rensselaer, from
- whose sick chamber on; the banks of the, Dela
ware,. the speaker had, recently returned. He
then proceeded to review the report of the-Beard
of 'Education, stating that - the proseperity of the
past year had no parallel. in the history of the
Board. There were now
. onehundred and
nine
ty-seven candidatesfOr the ministry, and the re
ceipts for the past term exceeded those of any
preceding year. He made a general review of
the affairs of the,Board.
, .
Rev. Mr. WOODEND presented the difficulties
the. Board bad to contend with in , making corn
prehensive reports. He.thought it would be pro
fitable to occupy time in perfecting some plan
for increasing.the benevolence of the churches.
The report was further discussed by the Rev.
The Report .was adopted.
The acting Clerk here read a resolution ex
pressive of the sympathy of the Assembly with
Dr. VAN - RENSSELAER, now lying at the point of
death. The resolution-was-accompanied with a
letter of 'Condolence addressed to Dr. VAN RENS
SELAER, and .testifying to .the prosperity which
the Board of Education had acquired under his
administration.
-Dr.SPRING remarkedlle had known him for
-many years. What gave deserved preeminence to
-his character was; that he had labored with so
much disinterested Christian benevolence. In the
course of the speaker's experience, he had known
so many- young men who bad become lukewarm
in The cause, that he greatly admired the man of
worth who so nobly stood up to the Master's
work. --He -was-now 'about to die, and he (the
speaker). intended to visit that dying chamber,
and tell ,the brother how greatly he was beloved
by, this Assembly, and there endeavor to catch a
little of that dying fervor which would continue
with him.tu the end.
The letter was then adopted, members rising,
when at -the request of the Moderator, Dr.
SPRING led in prayer.
Notice was given that the members of the As
sembly would have the privilege of signing this
letter.
On motion of. Dr._SratNo, the hnfinished busi
ness, viz:: -the - 'consideration of the first recom
mendation of the Committee appointed by the
last Assembly, on the Board of_ Domestic Mis
sions, that is, that the organization of the Board
remain- as it is.
Dr. SPRING iemarked that be had intended to
make a speech on the subject of the Boards,
which had been under discussion, but under.the
present• State of feeling, when the subject just
now before us had brought us so near to eternity,
he had nothing to say, and he thought that if we
had the right feeling, we could dispose of this
subject in twenty minutes. He therefore moved
that the matter be taken up.
The motion was carried.
Dr. •Kumis had the floor. He said that Dr.
Thornwell, in his argument, was thirty years be
hind the age. The. Church has disposed of vol
untary agencies forever. He was not ashamed
of the fact that Boards were used on the ground
of exPedieney. God had compelled the Church
in all the details of its administration to do that
which seemed right; that which seemed best and
most practicable.
Much ado has been made about our paid mem
bership. But he would remind the gentleman
that. these members had no voice in the action of
the Boards, t4ey were only honorary members.
' Without concluding, Dr. Krebs gave way for
an, adjournment.
Adjourned to 3 P. M.
. Afternool Seaston-3 P. XL
Assembly 'met. Opened with prayer.
The first regular order this afternoon was the
hearing of the delegate from the Reformed Dutch
Church, Rev. JOHN DE WITT.
Be contended that the only difference between
his. Church and that of the Assembly, was that
his was rather the more Presbyterian of the two,
and though they would not contend for the name,
they never would yield the principles. He had
been very much edified by the discussions of the
pastlew Idays, and the 'definitions of high and
low Church , Presbyterians. With some slight
• changes:he might. •have felt that he was in the
Synod of the Dutch Church.
He said : It has been intimated that your As
sembly selected the late. delegate to our body,
(Dr.ilinkns) . on account of his peculiar physical
adaptedness to.beuppreciated•with the Dutch. I
assure you -we- do not believe any such thing.
• However adnfirably adapted•be is by configura
tion. to sit down • with us,•We shall always • wel
come any one of you who brings as sound a head
and *arm a heart as Dr. Sassy.
The Moderator responded in behalf of the As
sembly, assuring him that they fully recipro
cated. the cordial Christian 'feelings he 'had ex
-:pressed: ' .• •
•.11e•Report.Of 'Theo ;Finance Committee in ref
,lire2loo to the- memorial of Mrs. RICHARDSON,
was taken up.' • •
Dr. Wit. Scorri:opposed the recommenda
tion pf.4e 2 Comul,ttes...• It was not pleasant to
anyone * fox money, ofd especially a lady.
Glut duty tOge.institutien *Which. he had been
Pieced brit% Aisietably, :I.v:tired him to oppose
this . pcommendation. The title t o, this property
Was vested in tliq'Trnstees, and . they banded it
.over *toiliii - AisierntlY,.ithen they save up'New
, Albany Seminary to the Assembly, one year ago.
Dr. BoannifAx Moved that the report be refer
red to a Select Committee consisting of the Fi
nance Ctimmittee, and others.
Col. Ross SNOWDEN spoke in opposition to
thii• refeienee. There was only one way in
which the Assembly could decide. If the,pur
pose§ to 'be accomplished by the donation, had
:•*fail.kid, according to the conditions of the ,origi
. Dal grant, it Minn, revert to her. This Assembly
would never attempt to compel a donor to.apply
his or her gifts' in a Way not desired.
Rev.,.T. W. Bit - TilS '
D.D., said that Mrs. Rich
* ardion•siMply wished to sign over her right and
'title to 'the Seminary property in New Albany to
certpiii paitiei; for .the benefit.of Hanover Col
lege. •Ifer-legal right in that. property must be
tested elsewhere.
Dr: Wsi. 1§9.0n , thought the reference
should be made.
' Mr. floirtrz / A.*CLARK, said that the memorial
teas obseut4' aid' ex parte, and required.careful
Questions. of both ) Ittw ap tl ..flket
`'were involved, and caution
,s 4 pr4deneetntist.
St observed:.`• •
' fotairinkOditiona walla : ado' to.the.rpm
'litittee ihiatc Lord, ' gi; •GallorOY,
and 11 0 1 7..C9. 0 Per.
••Dr. siiaus moyed,tkiat Dr. tie:rag:nest ,
ed . tiiliddreas the Apagaildi!witll,regrid to the re- •
mark made by thr. horn*
.4b1 . ..0r..t* ago;
Alit The diso.gre.etne4hetiesen Dye. krGill and
' •Thidge,on the subj ect of chtirde:Giiiernment•
'Dr:;3l'ol# . said It la .ttuei,itiat:Dr. Thorn-
to say , tliiit.4l4;ee with his
idoetiinei Priisbyteiianksih.. ay
. I#e substan
theorrisf - Pr i t,p.thrjitrism. I
have no sympathy •agitkion with ie.
Publication Olnee
GAZETTE BETLEINGS, 84 FryTa ST.,
,Prrraimnail,
PHILADELPHIA, 'ScrarzWasi COIL OP TVIE: AND 011(ZaMOT
ADVERTISEMENTS.
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