158 THURSDAY, MAY 31, 1860. D. C. HOUGHTON, ) TA-mr w > EDITORS. JOHN W-HEARS, ] ASSOCIATED WITH ' ALBERT BAHNEB. | GEORGE BUFPTELD Js, THOMAS BBAINERD, JOHN JENKINS, HENRY DARLING, 1 THOMAS J. SHEPHERD, THE ASSEMBLY AT PITTSBURG. SATORDAY AND MONDAY, Ou» full report is continued up to Friday of Inst week. On Saturday the Trustees of the Church Erection Fund and the Presbyterian House were elected and the discussion on the Standing Committee’s Report on Home Missions was resumed. In the afternoon the Assembly par took of the hospitalities of the people of Oaklands, a beautiful suburban district where quite a number of the families of the 3d Church reside. On Monday the Report of the Standing Com mittees on Home Missions recommending a Con ference with the New England Associations with a view to an amicable dissolution of partnership was again debated and after prayer by Dr. Wisner, •unanimously adopted, The Report on Church Extension urges the Permanent Committee to prosecute the work wiih all the energy they can command. It was adopted. The Report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Missions was under consideration at the adjournment on Monday. Communications and other matters have neces sarily been deferred. GENERAL ASSEMBLY. CORRESPONDENCE. Pittsburg, May 24, 1860, What is “The General Assembly?” and << What does it do?” are questions which, I do not doubt, many of your readers would find it hard definitely to answer. Were they here they would see an assemblage of about two hundred gentle men, wbo(if all were present,) would be one-half ministers and one-bulf elders. These are repre sentatives of the Presbyteries, and are elected an nually for this purpose, the Presbytery being the body consisting of the churches and ministers em braced in a given locality. Thus the Assembly is a representative council, in some respects analo gous to our National and State legislatures. To it the records of Synods, which are composed of several Presbyteries, are sent up yearly for exami nation and approval, or correction. To it appeals may be made from the lower judicatories. In it all the churches are united by a common bond, and through it they appoint and sustain different measures for the spread of religion. It is a judi cial body, but in all the history of the denomina tion since the division, there has been but one year in which there have been any eases for trial. This freedom from litigation is a cause of con gratulation and thankfulness, and a fact very notable. The General Assembly has various Permanent Committees —on Education, Publication, Church Extension, Foreign Missions, &c. These- Com- report each year the proceedings of the past twelve months. At the commencement of the sessions of the Assembly “ Standing Com mittees” are named, to whom these reports, after being read, are referred for consideration, digestion and recommendation. Other business, memorials, resolutions, &c., in like manner generally go to an appropriate Committee. Thus, for the first three or four days the most important matters (after being reported,) are out of sight and come into the Assembly on the report of the Standing Committees. By this division of investigation, discussion and labor, several subjects are being matured at onco, and by » comparison of views in the Committee a result is reached which expresses (ordinarily,) pretty fairly the views of the body. The present Assembly has now got to the con sideration of there ports of the Standing Com mittees, as will be seen by your record of its pro ceedings. The first Bubject of interest definitely disposed of, was the question of the power of a minister to dtmit, or lay aside, the ministry. On this a re port was presented by Dr. Hatfield, denying this power—a position which was sustained very de cidedly by the Assembly. The Report on Edu cation, by which is understood the plan for pro moting the education of young men for the minis try, with kindred topics, was brought in by J3r Allen, of Lane Seminary. The discussion of the subject was opened with a good deal of point by Dr. Brainerd. Mr. Mills, the Secretary of Edu cation, replied with earnestness, and was followed by Dr. Walter Clarke, of New York, and Mr. Dar ling, of Philadelphia. All of these gentlemen were heard with the deep interest warranted by the importance of the subject, and the difficulties of its present position. The main point to be answered is, how we shall obtain a general, har monious system in this kind of effort—-there being already independent local organizations which have the ground, receive contributions, and aid young men. The discussion was interrupted by other business, but will probably be resumed to-day. The Standing Committee on Publication re ported by Rev. John G. Atterbury, of New Al bany, Indiana. The fidelity of the Assembly’s Permanent Committee on Publication in making advances so steady with means so small, was com mended. The liberality of the Philadelphia churches was acknowledged, and suggestions of fered for*tbe promotion of the work. It was re commended that $25,000 be added to tlio Com mittee’s capital. The consideration of this subject will follow that of Educatidn. The most difficult and important question be fore the Assembly, that of Home Missions, as to its discussion, is yet to come. The report of the Commission to inquire into our relations to the American Home Missionary Society was read yes terday, by Rev. Dr. Stearns, of! Newark, New Jersey. It was an able and deeply ; interesting document; but as it, with accompanying papers, occupied about three hours in reading, it must be read to be understood. It proposed no action as the Commission were not authorized to propose any, but stated facte that will guide action. It was referred to a large committee representing all parts of the Church—being the Committee on Church Extension increased by eight members. Tbe graver business of the Assembly is varied bv the reception of the reports of delegates from ofher Christian denominations our own delegates who have visited and addressed such bodies The addresses of most interest by the re presentatives of sister Churches, have been those of the Rev. Dr. 'Wylie, of Philadelphia, on behalt of theßeformed Presbyterian Synod, (Covenanter,) and Mr. Passavant, from the Evangelical Lutheran Church. The warm fraternal feeling manifested by these brethren, and their statements of the condition of the bodies from which they came, strengthened and enlightened the sympathy which we have felt for them. Our Reformed brethren have been brought into contact with the Assem bly by the meeting of their Synod in Alleghany city contemporaneously with the Assembly. The intercourse thus had has brought us nearer to gether. Their very kind expressions of good will will not be forgotten by us. On Monday evening, Professor Huntington de livered an address, of a very hear-able character, before the Presbyterian Historical Society, on the relations of Episcopacy to our Revolutionary Struggle. On Tuesday, Rev. J. Ambrose Wight, of Chicago, preached a fitting and suggestive ser mon on Denominational Public,.tion. On Wednes day evening, a Foreign Missionary meeting was held. But your report will tell these things. We are all most nobly entertained by the good people here, not ouly of oar own churches, but by. our Old School friends abundantly, as also by others. Dr. Kendall and his people omit, nothing desirable for our entertainment, Pittsburg is a place of much interest, but Assembly business leaves little time for other matters. . > As your report will show to your readers, the difficulties met with in the attempt to give unity to the educational movements of the denomination formed the leading topic of discussion in the Ge neral Assembly for .three days. It became at length abundantly manifest tha}, the whole matter was in a condition in which speeches would not mend difficulties. Whilst the work of education itself was in a prosperous condition, the position of the Assembly’s Committee and its secretary, Mr. Mills, was one of complete embarrassment. The efforts of the body in this direction had clus tered themselves by local subdivision around na tural centres, viz.: the Union Theological Semi nary at New York, the Philadelphia Education Society, the Auburn Seminary, and Lane Semi nary at Cincinnati, leaving only the corners and interstices open to the General Committee. How to drop the present organizations, and. lay hold upon a central comprehensive system, the more it was argued the more it did not appear. At last, upon motion of Mr. Field, (of the EoangrliM,') the matter was referred to the Permanent Committee on Education, (located at New York,) with the addition of one gentleman each from Philadelphia, Auburn and Cincinnati, to consider the subject, and report to the Assembly of next year. This proposal offers much more hope of a result' under circumstances of so much complication and deli cacy than can be found in the discussions of a large Assembly. The persons appointed by the Moderator to confer with the Committee, were Mr. Barnes, Professor Huntington, of Auburn, and Professor Allen, of Lane Seminary. The time occupied in the discussion was not lost. It brought out many facts and views that will be of value, and tend to a better judgment as to the adjustment of the whole matter so as to promote unity without injuring efficiency in this important branch-of Church work. Another matter disposed of on Friday, the 25th, was, the Publication Ouv.se. The report of the Standing Committee was taken from the docket, and after a short dtscussion adopted. The main feature-in the report is the determination that an effort shall now be made to put this enterprise upon a better foundation by the addition of *25,- 000 to its capital. Although this sum will not put our committee upon thesame level as that hejd by the older Societies and Boards, Union and Deno minational, it is sufficiently large to make the in stitution a permanent one. It is probably as large an amount as could be raised this year without unduly pressing our giving people, unless some large-hearted men should feel disposed to give it a strong impulse. The past services of the friends of the cause in Philadelphia were fully recognised. It was evident that the'eonvietion of the necessity of the use of the Pvess by us, as a denomination, is widely felt. There was little disposition mani fested to debate the subject. The last act of Friday, and the one probably most deeply interesting to the Assembly and the Church'at large, was the presentation by Dr. Pat terson, of Chicago, of the report upon the Home Missionary question. It was very brief, and, we think, satisfactory. It expressed approbation of the special report by Dr. Stearns, recognised the embarrassments resulting from an attempt to re tain in co-operation elements that have ceased to harmonize, expressed the belief that the difficulties would rather increase than diminish,’ and recom mended a committee of ten be appointed to request the appointment of a like committee of ten, two from each of the five Congregational bo dies with which we are in correspondence, that by. mutual conference a just and amicable result ntay be obtained. The committee of the' Assembly to report next year, aud in the meanwhile churches and individuals to give through such channels as their judgment approved. If our New England brethren will meet the pro posal in the good faith and Christian spirit in which it is made,' a solution of this difficult pro blem honorable to Christian integrity and favoT able to the spread of the gospel may be attained. The Assembly has no wish for any other settle ment of the subject. The delegates from New England who met the Assembly, expressed the sentiment that in their belief the time for an ami cable separation had come. If this be so, we. trust that it will not be found impracticable to discover a fair and equitable decision as to the duties of the parties. An agreeable item of business was the report of the Mileage Committee. Not only were the re ceipts from the Presbyteries sufficient to pay all mileage in fall! but to give a surplus of $874.62. No General Assembly, New or Old, we think, has made so good a showing. It proves that our plan is a wise one. The Assembly is going forward in a good spirit in its labors. All are loud in their commendation of the hospitality of Pittsburg. If the weather bss not been bright, we find that, in this, Pitts burg is hot peculiar. Within the house the air was a little foggy whilst education was under dis cussion; it was not, however, an unwholesome fog, arising from stagnant waters, but rather from the meeting of warm currents of air, well charged with wholesome moisture. The currents need guidance rather than purification. Rev. Mr. Guinness.—This young minister whose preaching has attracted so much attention in his own country and in our eastern cities, preached twice in Chicago on a recent Sabbath; in the morning for Rev. Mr. Humphrey, and in the evening for Rev. Dr. Patterson. The impression made, as fur as we can learn, was less that of a very brilliant, or very pro found preacher, than a sincere, earnest, herald of the ; truth. —Chicago Paper. Yours, Clericus. Pittsburg-, May 26th, iB6O. Clertcus. Y ours, ||mftlrau * and <S* ltfScc diiMfliligt. ( Continued from first page.") acknowledge no potentate pr prelate to control us; that nil political communities are bound to conform to his law; that if human laws cpme in conflict with divine laws, we are bound to obey God, rather than man. This reverend gentleman made a most touching and admira ble address, and was listened to with great at tention. _ , Rev. Wm. A. Passavant, of the Ev. Luther an Church, was then introduced from that body. Mr. Passavant gave a sketch of the rise, progress and faith of the Lutheran Church. He said! that they were neither Calvinists, Methodists, nor Romans, but Lutherans. I hey had 16,000 communicants in the 26 Synods in the General Synod, and 15,000. in the 13 dis connected Synods. Their ministers, 1200. They have raised 1425,000 this year for benevolent purposes. There are 30,000,000 Lutherans in Europe. Mr. Passavant was lis tened to with the most intense interest. . An invitation was extended, from the Oak land people, to the General Assembly, to spend the afternoon there. The invitation was ac cepted for Saturday. Rev. Dr. Stearns, of Newark, read the report from the General Association of New Hamp shire. SIXTH DAY —WEDNESDAY. Pittsburg, May 23rd. —After half an hour spent in devotional exercises, the Assembly pro ceeded to business. Minutes read and approved. A communication from Rev. George. F. Wiswell, delegate to the General Conference at Maine, at their meeting held in Portland,. June last, was read; the Conference was composed of fourteen local conferences, 160 ministers, 248 churches, and 20,000 members. He was coi'dially received Little was said on the subject of home missions, and a desire was manifested to coutinue the cor respondence. Rev. Dr. Dodd, delegate from fbe General Con ference of Massachusetts, was introduced to the. Assembly. Afier conveying to the Assembly the warm Christian regard and sympathy of the body, he represented, he stated that the Congregational churches of Massachusetts were nevermore healthy and vigorous than at present. The institutions, colleges, and-academies were-well filled, .and tgi. unusually large number of promising young men were in them, looking to the ministry. The churches number 80,000 members and 600 mi nisters. On the subject of Homo Missions, the Congregatinnaiists of Massachusetts desire to co operate with the Assembly on the same principles that have guided the unity and action of the past. The society is dear to them, aud they are still willing to co-operate with the Assembly without looking specially to denominational results. 11 separation must take place, they hope it will be accomplished by calm, deliberate measures, and in an amicable spirit. Rev. John G. Attcrbury, Chairman of the Com mittee 5 On Publication, submitted a report. The •treat need of the enterprise is a working fund. The committee reccmmcnds .’-—First, an. endow- not less than $25,000. Second, that the Assembly enjoin upon the churches to make a special contribution to the 'fund in October next, the Pastors of the churches to preach to their people on the subject, prior to the contributions leiug taken. The report was accepted, and made the first order after the disposal of the report on Educa tion. . " ; . - Rev. S. B. Bell; of California; moved the fol lowing:— - Resolved , “ That so'much of the report adopted by this body as relates to the secularization of mi nisters, be referred to a special committee to pre pare scriptural proofs upon the statement in regard to ordination.” Rev. Mr. Seelye moved to strike out all after the word “resolved,” aud insert the fallowing: jSeso/uei/, “That in adopting the report of the committee on the demission of the ministry, the General .Assembly affirms its judgment on the main question only, and does not express auy au thoritative’opinion upon the nature of ordination.” Mr. Bell accepted the substitute. Rev. J. G. Wilson (Green Castle) did not be lieve the object could be reached by the amend ment- He wanted the doctrine of ordination clearly defined, ami in order to get at this and have a carefully prepared report on the subject of Ordination, lie trusted the-resolution would not be adopted, and that the vote adopting the report on demission would be recousidered. . The report of the Commission raised at the last General Assembly to ascertain, by a- thorough in vestigation, the facts in the-case, and to procure such other information as may be in their power relating to the history of our connexion with the work of home missions, and our present relations toiit;- also to learn the principles and modes of the administration of the American Home Mission Society over the entire field of its operations, and to submit the whole, well authenticated, to the next General Assembly, was read by the Chair man of the Ciitumissiou, Rev. Jonathan F. Stearns, D. D. It is a very ponderous document, and the reading of it occupied the attention of the Assem bly till the hour of adjournment. After the read ing of the report the Assembly adjourned till the afternoon. The report began with the operations of the Society a century ago.- As early as 1787, Conr gregationalists sent missiotiaries into New Eng land and’New. York. The Western Missionary Society, to which Pittsburg belongs, was estab lished in 1802. TofulJy understand the Home Missionary organization, we must go back. ■ It was formed at New York.in 1822, under the auspices of the Dutch Reformed and Presby terian Churches. It was designed to be a nar tional organization. It prosecuted its .work with great vigor. Its second annual report shows 78 missionaries ; its third report 121, and receipts $ll,OOO. At this point a movement was made by the Congregaiionalists of New England to co-operate. Meeting for conference with the United Domestic Missionary Society; was ealled in 1826 at the Brick Church, aud a plan was made and adopted,-and the United Domestic was called the Home Mis-ionary So- The Society thus formed was not new, but a modification of the old. It appears, Se cond, that the United Domestic Missionary So ciety was not merged into the old. Third, that the frierfds of the Society in New Eng land asked : to be admitted-to the Society: The New Englandsocieties came in gradually to the work, but acted* Ilf a certain.’ extent indepen dently. They contributed for the first year about $9,000. The following table for the first six years was given. The first year, 1827, the receipts were as follows * New England. New York, etc. $3,843 : $20,035 It appears from the report that.,the State of New York has always given more than all New England to the cause of Home Missions. The principles on which the. Society, was established show that this is not a sectarian So ciety. It is a voluntary Society. It is self controlling; it is independent of this Assembly; it invited the co-operation of Christians prin cipally of three sects. The Suciety pledged itself not to work for sectarian purposes. In 1826 the Committee issued a special report, setting forth that the Society was not intended. to forward sectarian views. Other were quoted. It whs also a fundamental prin ciple that all contributions should be voluntary. The largest liberty was allowed to all ,to co operate in the work. The relation between the Home Missionary Society and its auxiliaries wa3 based upon the principle that the latter should pay overYb the parent Society ali its extra funds after supply ing its own field; that it was answerabie.to the parent Society, the auxiliary being allowed to operate on its own field, and that a sufficient number of blank commissions should be*giveu to each auxiliary Suciety to cover all thgJa borers iu each field, who were to work fivder the endorsement of the said auxiliary bodyg ■ 7,641 8,094 ‘ 33,821 ,: i> 83,329 16,089 48,924 17,900 49,422 The report then yvent on to lay down from the early records of-the society the principles on which it was intended to act, and.the impor tance of holding to them now, was set forth. The Executive committee it was understood was not to interfere in the least degree with the relations of the auxiliary, to its particular held, the latter having rfSj&icontrol within its own bounds, and thesTpissio/iaries therein were to have their credentiA\s/r.om their auxiliary soci-r cty. The more reefenf movements of the As- 1 sembly in relation to the matter were then de tailed; the altered position of the society and the changed relations of auxiliaries and parent society set forth at length. , Denominational dis putes have sprung up which the society has as sumed the task of.suppressing. In 1857 a new rule was adopted relative to slaveholding. The General Assembly had’taken strong ground on that question, and there were very many of the most thoroughly anti-slavery men who did not recognize the right of an irresponsible commit tee to interfere with or to dictate in this matter in its relation toTthe church. The report then proceeded to a full exposition of the causes and progress of the trouble between the Alton Presbytery and the society, which Presbytery as it appears has acted independently in its,field of labor in the-Southern region of Illinois. AFTERNOON SESSION. On motion, the i order of the day was post poned; in order that'.the report on Home Mis sions might be 1 accepted and referred.. On motion it was referred to a committee of Gfteen. . Revs. R. W. I3atterson'(>H.' Little; H.- A. Nelson, S. T. Seelye, Thos. -Brainerd, D. H. Allen, W. N. M’Harg, J.*F. Stearns. Elders: J. B. Pmneo, Isaac Ash mead ; S. Wood, G. >E. Dolavun, T. Faruham, 0. L. Latimer, Isaac N. Mason, The order of the day, the 'hearing of the Reports on Synodical records iwas taken up. Reports on the Synods of A lbany, Geneva, Sus quehanna, Genesee, New York, New-'Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Pennsylvania, and Michi gan were read and adopted. The report from the Synod of Ohio -was in part excepted to 4n its- answer to-an inquiry, whether -a member who has received a-letter of dismission, and’still retains it, shall be entitled-to all the privileges of a seat in presbytery though he does not return the letter;--The committee on the record except to the answer of the Synod. f whieh is, that he is mot entitled to the privileges of membership, and propose to correct it, by de claring him entitled to all the privileges until he becomes a member of another Presbytery. - Considerable discussion’ followed upon the exception taken to the decision, and a variety of views arising out of the-different practices among the Presbyteries were advanced. ' The exceptionthe' 'Committee was ap proved. Another question' was 'announced: Can a number less than a quorum do'anything validly but adjourn? Can Jess than a quorum ordain a minister? This caused much discus sion, and was at-length referred to the Com mittee on Church'Polity: ■ The hearing of reports on Synodical-records was resumed'-and concluded. Rev. Dr. Stearns then real! the letter of the General Assembly’s Commission to the' Com mittee of the Home Missionary Society, and the reply of that’ society. As the reply has been published by the society, the Assembly voted to publish the letter of the Commission; and as it is to be presented in pamp’hlet-form we give no abstract. Dr. R. W. Patterson then presented the re port of the Clinrch Extension Committee, on Erection, recommending a new apportionment among thevSynods of the funds on hand amounts ing to $106,0 )0. , On memorial from lowa City Presbytery, asking for larger loans to churches in cities, and extension of time of loan, a report was made in favor of loans to city churches of $lOOO each; but Committee do not recommend achange of role in regartftid time of payment and iff-’ terest. Rev. Dr. Curtis read a report from the Com mittee on Church Polity, reporting favora bly on the application of the Presbytery of Kansas to be taken from the Synod of lowa and annexed to that of Missouri. Request granted and report adopted. The Committee also recommend that the bounds of the Synod of Pennsylvania be so ex tended as to include Maryland and the District of Columbia, and that the-Synod of Yirginia be stricken from the roll. Adopted. Overture No 4, on several points touching representation of churches in Presbytery, was placed upon the docket; also, a request rela tive to correcting accounts of Presbyteries, from the Presbytery at Chicago. Rev. Dr. Stearns was to preach on Home Mis sions, at the Third Church, on Friday evening. Adjourned. . Rsport on Publication —The report of the Standing Committee on Publication, was presented by Rev: John of Indiana. _ . In its commenji?emeiit it expresses satisfaction at the indications of'advance on the part of the Presbyterian Publication Committee, and the evi dence of the fidelity and laboriousness of the Committee. . -. It says: —The’ Publication Committee, after discharging the trust laid upon them, painfully realize the need of resources greatly beyond what has been supplied them. The only relief for this weakness and inconvenience is the foundation of a working capital; in some measure proportioned to the aims of the General-Assemblies which have established and continued the Publication Com mittee.. And until individuals of wealth may be inclined adequately to endorse that enterprise, we mart -look to the annual and continued collections from our churches to raise it gradually to a posi tion of ability, in which it. may . wield the power for good that was contemplated in its organization. This Committee therefore recommend: I'. That.the Publication Committee be endowed with a working.capital of not less than 825,000. 2. That-the General Assembly earnestly enjoin it upon all their churches to make a special con tribution for this object, in the month of October next. . . . . 3. And -that dive Publication Committee be authorized,-in ridfindiscretion, to employ an agent for the furtheianiee .of this dcsign.- It appears fruiA’tthe report before us that less than one half the number of our churches has done anything fordlie publication cause. 4th. That the Assembly enjoin it upon the pastors, to preach to their congregations on this subject, ip connexion with the call for a contribu tion in October. The report recommends the continuance of the arrangement by which churches are permitted to draw one-half :of their contributions in publications of the Committee. It also urges upon pastors and ciders to make efforts to circulate their books and tracts, issued by the committee for the benefit.of the-churches, stating that there is,reason;to think that our membership at large, and many of our ministers and elders areyet .very imperfectly awake to our weakness in. this regard, and the necessity of coming up with quick and resolute step, into line with other ecclesiastical bodies, if we would honor our. profession and satisfy the claims of our Master. There are some of both pastors and elders, who are no*, in this-way greatly subserving the aims of this enterprise The suggestion, is an important one;.that in Synods or Presbyteries a small amount,of capital might be investcjrih t|ie committee’s publications, and these fall frito the hands-of some suitable person in a central position for sale. The receipts from sales heingsre-invested- from lime to time, a perpetual stock*,could be maintained. It is'ob viously impossible for the .committee, with their limited means, to establish depots at many points. Among the papers put into our hands aro cer tain resolutions of the Synod of Michigan ex pressive of their views of the proper policy of the Publication Gonunitteo, which arc approved. A memorial from the Presbytery of Hamilton, desives the General Assembly, to instruct the Publication committee to issue; if practicable, an edition of the church Psalmist in smaller type than the smallest size now published, in order to bring it. within the reach of a greater number of people* and that the retail prico be not more than thirty cents. A favorable answeris recommended. The term of office of the following members of the Publication committee, expires during the session of the present General Assembly, viz.: Rev. John Jenkins, D. D., Rev J. G.' Butler, Charles Wurts,-M. D:, Samuel C. Perkins, Esq., and Hon. Wm.. Strong. They recommend that these gentlemen be re elected iu the committee for the term of, three years. They also recommend for preacher before the next General Assembly, the Rev. M. La Rue P. Thompson, D. D., principal, and Rev. S. T. Seelye, alternate. SEVENTH DAY—THURSDAY. After the, usual devotional exercises, the As sembly proceeded to-business. Tbe minutes were reaa and approved. » ~Dr. Wood, from Prudential Committee of the American Board of Foreign Missions, was in tra duced to the Assembly. ;, He alluded to the rela tions existing between the Boavd. and the- Assem bly, and denied that the Prudential Committee was. capable jgf,-acting to the detriment of the General Assembly, or, that any one in the Execu tive Board designed to exert any influence upon denominational work. , He explained the feelings of the Board upon the question of separation. • They do. not seek to promote or. hinder the; connexion already estab lished, and which has cpntinucd.so.long; it is not their business. If it can be continued with cor djality. a.nd l ,copfidenooj<;they .desire if above rall things.. But -they , contemplate ■ severance , upon two conditions, as the more expedient alternative. They are these—First,.if the Presbyterian Church think ihey can carry on the work of foreign mis sions, it can be better promoted by an exclusive denoniiqatlqnal.lpis. there' is' ivittholdihg *df confidence in the sincerity and uprightness in' *th'e manage ment, on the part of the Executive Administra tion of the Board, the Board must have free ac tion.in the,direction of the foreign work, though it;may be impossible to explain to the churches ■atlarge all the motiyesior causes.leddingito these changes.- He illustrated this J»y his own- mission ary .experience aud that of others. The missions ihe;divided into two-classes—the extending and the,non-extending. • Those among the Indians in .this counti'y, ithe;G,reok—the, Gaboon at ipresent, South African and the Sandwich Island,, belong to fhe, lattpr.-rClassy, and the remainder in,Turkey, Ni;s6oTia,ilnd|a, etc.; belong to. the former. - < : .From the Doctor’s statements we-learn that with all ;the care taken to keep downand reduce the expenses at home,;the .Board-have; found;-it necessary to diminish the approp'riations.for 1861, for the foreign work about §20,000. The debt which tHe'Board' labored'udder at the commence raenfof the year, it is expected .will •be provided for during the next month. The discussion on the report of the Oominittee oh Ministerial Edu cation was resumed.. ' -n- v, ■ Rev. W. W. • Williams stated 'that Maumee Presbytery had been strengthened by-'the*labor of the Assembly’s General' Secretary; We have brought forward' five young men, and" supported them without aid. ‘ • We want to'develop iuitid aS well as gefmoney.. We offer our yoting then as a Contribution to the Assembly's plan—as an evi dence that-it is no.t a failure. The ,men brought •into; the '-ministry under tlie care of’the Presbyte ries -at home, will probably occupy our ‘waste places, and be made ambitious hy goiog to Hew Ybrk eityrfor an education. All-that is necessary is to work upon this plan ancL work it out. Rev;"Dr. Clarke moved to<strike out the second resolution as redundant:—for there has been a Treasury and a Treasurer from’the organization of tfie'ednimitteei; Dr. Mills said there had been a TreasuryJibut that the field had been mostly oe cupied by loeal effort. The motion tebtrike out-was adopted. A motion was made to adopt the first resolu tion: v ' : ' ’ - Rev. J.-M.-Sherwood opposed this, as the facts in'iegardiio' the Working bfithe plan ire not fully before the Assembly. Rev. E. L. Hyrd, of Schuller Presbytery,' was in favor of tlie-resblutibn. He stated thathhe plan of the-Assembly had done good in bis Pres bytery, That the Secretary’s labors have reached minds and* hearts.ali ? over the: church. The plan has not failed, atfdbhne/will show it. ?Revi Dr. Allen saidi he had not been charged with being an abstractionist. He had been called too practical. ; Eirst, wo should inquire what is the plan.; : what the foundation. It seemed to him that the fundamental idea of the plan is that the Presbytery is the working body on its own field; that it should be influenced by no mortal power front without. The life of the church is in the heart* of its members. It is true we sent to Phila delphia when we wanted funds, and not in vain. We ought to make each Presbytery help and sup port itself. •’ ' “ ; '' s . : " 'v... Rev. Dr. Seelye said he would inquire whether the work w.as accomplished under thorplan. No thing had been done in Albany until the visit of the Secretary of the Permanent Committee; after that his people went to work,- and had worked with success. The Committee: had ddne much. It would Be a sad thing to give it tip. Dr. Mi 11sj as Secretary, has the-most.eh viable position in the eburch; Iu this plan bach presbytery takes eaTe of itself, and puts its surplus into* the general treasury. The Synod of New York and New Jersey fails to fall in with this plan. They are in favor of supporting the whole country. They say,- “Come to New York, and we will give you 8120 per year; but stay at. home,-and we won’t give you ’more than half that.” I desire to see the time when the Presbyterian Church shall be one; when the one heart shall-beat'with the same aspirations. _ ... . Dr. Clarke said the Synod of New York 'and New Jersey is carrying on a great educational work, iu its own way. The EducationrSbeiety.of Philadelphia are doing a noble work, also. The Synod oi‘ Cincinnatihas; done: well, and a great work has been done by it. Let each he fostered, and built up, and at length they will be combined: The [trouble is, the 7 Committee is . not: connected with'it. ' The.only.organic changesuggested is to take the work out of the hands of synods, and put it into that of presbyteries.. It won’t work. Em ploy the Secretary to. go to each ‘presbytery and get a pledge that, at a given time, they will each combine in a thorough and general; arrangement, according to that of the General Assembly; ,1 Emr ploy the Permanent.. Secretary now; for' one year, in effecting an organization. Dr. Bra third took the floor, and held it at the hour of adjournment. , 7 ; . -j The report of the -Committee on Mileage was read. The whole amount reported as collected Is 83,364.57; whole amount qf; bills, 82,489.95; leaving a surplus of 8874.62. . The bills as; audited, were ordered to be paid, and the surplus to go to the contingent fund. Assembly adjourned. AFTERNOON SESSION. : Dr Curtis, from the Committee on Church Polity, reported Overture l|q. J. Ought the Eldership to take part in the ordination, of' mi nisters by the laying on of bands? The com mittee recommended that the Assembly answer the Overture in the negative. v _ Also, Overture No. 6, a memorial requesting information.on three points: 1. Have the female members of a Presbyterian church a right to vote in the election of ehureh officers? ‘2. If they have this right either originally or constitutionally, or from Both sources, cap they by force of eustom, or by a previous waiver of its exercises, or by any action of the male mem bers of the church be deprived of it? : 3. Have members of church, male or female, who are in the minority, a right to vote on such elections? Recommended that the Assembly answer the Ist and 3d question iu the affirmative and the 2nd in the negative.■. Report put on ,the docket. Overture No. 8, from Synod of Ohio; has any number of members less than a quorum a right to transact business other than to adjourn, and other* similar questions, were answered. at some length, and placed on the docket. At this point the Assembly took up the or- Ir of business, The subject of education was up for - ie*»oke of organized pow?r, poleon dictated to Europe through the 600,000 Ln in his army. Only give us the men, ana we will spread the Gospel everywhere. What ™ need is the men. He desired to stir up *ffie "Secretary to'a comprehenswn'of the of personal labor among the cburehefc „„ P «d from the “TX | Iml Presbyteries visited by the becretar,y. -results of bis visits. He wßntedy * f,e ’ whole se/ 4. a given .result. : We; nrart put into this, pia a practical element,; or it will fall _ .. J Mr Mills answered several of the objections mate by'De. Brainerd. The society was or ganized; , We have always had a treasury. S Rev. Dr. Sherwood, Secretary of tire Educa tion Commit! ee of Synod of »«w Yojk and New Jersey took the floor. The _6el^of^roy labor embraces about" one-half the church. Three-flfths of the entire amount for education comes from us. We have contributed about $3O 000 within the last two years for ministerial education. We did not ask a student applying for aid, where he is going to pursue his studies; one of our churches sustains twenty-two young men, twelve of whom are at Auburn Seminary. One single member of that church sustains thir ty-five young men. .The young men of New England come to. Union Seminary aS a middle ground church' institution. The. speaker an swered at length the intimation that the Synod of New York and New Jersey is hostile to the Assembly’s plan. They may think it impracti cable. They do not fully understand what it is. If we can modify the plan and'adapt-it torex isting things, it may, succeed. He then laid down' his own views of ; the ■ pyoper plan, And how it should be carried out. • The Committee of our Synod claim the, right to dictate where -their donations shall be applied. He thought the Assembly’s plan had not had a fair trial. The contributions'to the GlddS'chool Fund were last year. $52i000-; they-aided 391 students. ■Wei have raised, $3Q,000, and. have; 30fl^bene ficiaries. ■ ■ Rev. Mr; Eldridge, of Detroit, spoke of what they had done in Michigan; that they hid sup ported eleven young men ; we were aroused to it by: the labors of- Dr: Mills. He hoped ‘ that the plan would not.be broken up. ...iwi". Rev. E. Whitaker said the Assembly’s plan is .bearing fruit. In Long Island Presbytery we have been stimulated to increased activity byjt.. n .:„- ; ..r :v .j ... , . Mr. Bell moved that the subject be postponed nntirt&imbfrbw morning, in order that ’we have the floor, when he is fresh for the discussion. ; MAMills made some statements in regard to the plan, and its practical working. Rev. Dr. Huntington took the floor, and the .Assembly adjourned until 9 o’clock"this morning. EIGHTH DAT —MORNING SESSION. After the usual opening exercises. Dr. Curtis, Chairman" of the Committee on Church Polity, reported .overture—-No. B—on the question Should baptism be administered to persons who do not intend to make a profession of faith in a particular church ? * : The answer recommended was, that iii ordinaiy cases it should. not be. administered. Rev- Dr. Chester, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Missions, read the report of that eom mittcci ;; It set forth first the duty of every Christian and denomination to labor for the conversion’ of the world. " It stated that each should do this in the way iii which lie can do it best; whether co operating dr deriominatienally. The practical quostiori- for .the Presbyterian Church is wlidliier; she shall continue to operate through the American, Board orshall establish a foreign missionary agency of dtAbtvh.' ; The views and suggestions of the Permanent Comiriitteo in regard to fuller reports of the" missionary activity- of-the church, and to correspondence with its missionaries, were com mended. -The report approved'of ; tlil li re"sults'.df the, conference of the Assembly’s Committee, with the Prudential Committee,of the American Board; That portion of the report of the Permanent Committee, whigh is in reply to the memorial'Tbf the establishment of missions in Mexico' anti Central or South America, may be accepted as the proper reply, to the' resolutions of the Presbytery of Detroit, a’s it argues at lengththe iinpractica bility of attempting to establish separate and inde pendent missions at the present time. "; Tn rc-peet to the report of : the'committee of conference with the American Board;'the 'com mittee say that every thing sought by oiir‘ com mittee or: desired by the General Assembly, was cordially assented to, add we rely on the good faith of the Prudemial'coLmiiittee to carry out their own declaration that’ “ reason add 'charity - deniaud the fiicUibtidh of sdch organization (in ihe foreign presbyteries) whenever cifeutnstances and a due regard ip tlm great object of this Board will allow;” and, in view of tjie offer of the Prudential com mittee, it is ’ ’ ' ■ Resolved, That the General Assembly will gladly welcome the annual delegation Sent to confer with them by the American Board.' ' . The Assembly wish to be understood as ex pressing their undiminished confidence in the noble institution’ with which they hare, been so lbng as sociated in the work of evangelizing the world, andtheir 'design still to co-operate with their brethren of another denomination, in spreading the news of salvation to the ends of the earth*. Especially in this “jubilee year,” would the Assembly enjoin upon all its churches to lend most liberal aid in furthering ya result so desirable as that which is Sought, viz.: To bring the Board to its next anniversary free from debt, and prepared, with increased ardor and energy to begin its second half century in the glorious work of bringing' all mankind into subjection to Jesus Christ.. ” ; Dr. Wing; from the committee oh* Bills' and Overtures reported upon the question in relation to the loaning of money by members;at a rate higher thhn legal interest. The report saystthat the loaning at exorbit ant rates is al ways a sin and an. immorality. If-the State where the money is loaned has determined a rate of interest every professed Christian is bound to conform to the law. The former part of the answer, was adopted' and the latter relative to State laws Was put upon the docket. ■ ’ ' . ■ ’ Also ah overture proposing a substitute for the formula of doctrine referred to the Presbyteries by the last General Assembly. This is relative to the admission ofpersons Iff immature age to the church. This was put uptori the docket. Overture No. 8, from Dr. Adamson, missionary of South Africa, 'that a Commissioner be sent to Edinburgh to celebrate the establishment of the Pree church. Dr. Adams of Madison Square Churph and Booth, of Stamford, Jenkins of Phi ladelphia and Thompson of Cincinnati be appointed delegates. * - . • - ■ The Assembly then resumed the order of the day, Prof. HuntiDgton of Auburn having’the floor. ' ■■ ;: ' h: ° The subject in hand was education for the m, ; n JS try. Dr he only rose to speak. He said any plan adopted ought to be impartial towards all the lßstitiitiobs under the charge of j Ch V. As respects the plan isabhuittel, he hadlmdoulrts. With regard to Mattritions oF Auburn it could 'boast more than any other * among which' ; ;hb'Wold name thb Tbilbgieiii Seminary, Senator Seward, the Orphan-As^'um and the State Prison. [Laughter ] Wo/hS* ever, p not press our particular advantages % e askonly strict impartiality. It had been published that the Synod of New York and New Jersey fad j£»? ed . to P a ? MW to each student 2g to Umon Seminary. Thereason why Auburn slim nary was closed for a while, was because the Pro- f eD, t A e y c »»«d not be to P |i, P ;r Present board was selected with a view t 0 -fLahghter.] The com: crash of ISST partiklarse^rl students a sl a^ 0U, ® e P® o ß ened ‘heir doors to the Student* rT tbei ; eby B ave th£ »r daughters to the students. [Laughter. J We have straggled on, and have now, more students than we can take S°k’ aDd 8hal ! W - - if Plan of &eat£ shall be impartial. Union Seminary is not con- agreed with *3_ ch -ovemment. TheV ignore the question of Theological R e ". Phis view. In -„T,oation and -®bv. Mr. Sherwood raansfid some sensation, auu. ***■ “ronouneed the statements T)r Ilun started what he had said from tingion s Mo u gave. .He did not intend the authoi?ty,! . * jj e declared that such towever( md that impressions ;.,.,fie4>elieved the Review i n work. He had nothin, nSSreS-k-taff’. H. only wam.il he AsSbly to maint#|RD* •«P« rt “ I relat, . l>D 1 Itds all Thfe'was one of the best speeches the o. b S Bftbb,. of Cincinnati, moved that that whole report be committed to a committee u f they report, if possible, to-morrow M' Field of the N- Y. Evangelist pro - H. M- e w |j o ] e matter be re ?° SP d hirkto the’Permanent committee with the SEtaS S£*S,« mirssfssS^sss* wiftin «W bonndn, ”?**•[ ISm blv’a plan and report to the next General Asse n bly P On the question of postponing Mr. Babb s to take up Mr. Field’s resolution, the previous question was ordered, and then the question of being pnt, it was corned on dm.,on ‘'{MS tic. talc. on the odoptio. of Mr. wiefd’rresolution, which was carried, and tLs the wholefflatter was disposed of Brs Joh'i T Owed, Si % Stearns, Win. Jessup, J. M. were clectedtnembers of the Permanent committee, to serve three years, and T. t- Cjler was elected to serve two years, m place of Kcv* ■ A.-A.-, "Wird. . » The report of the publication committee then cameup in order, and was read. This we have already P published./ It particularly, recommends the addition of 525,000 to the capital for Publi cation AFTERNOON SESSION. The Assembly tdok up the regular order of business, the Report on Publication. Jos. Wilson, of Wabash Presbytery moved to strike out from report all that which authorises the em ployment of an agent; ■ ■ ... Dr. .Brainerd said that if they could publish histories or fictions they would, sell. The books which i: are demanded are -ordinarily not those which command ready sale. Hence the necessity for a combination ih the church to secure publi cation and sale. Hut for. Philadelphia the credit of the Book establishment would have been crushed out When we fohnd-that the concern must fail, we raised he're aij-d- thercrthe Ufljgssary to keep it affoat. We ask the church to SJtae to our aid. What we more need there than money is some plan similar to that of the Methodist book concern, who.blear .3170,000 per annum, which goes to the support of the ministry. Each of the ministers is an agent-for their booksj ■ theygo every where, they labor every where. Why may we not adopt that plan;, why not make pur ministers agents? In tlJe three years since this book concern was set in operation wejhave accumulated $15,000, though when we began ;we,had nothing. Dr. Wisner, of Ithaca, advocated the importance of this arm of the-Church's power. * It was only second to that of the pulpit. For us tOoverlook Its value would be great folly. The trvmh. is the instrument in ~the conversion and edification of souls, and.w.e-jnust see..toi it,: that. we spread the truthron 1 the- printed page. He had long been convinced of. the necessity of giving attention to this matter. .-B&v.? MfoDbla9lttfof *■ warm endorsement of the iinportenjce of supporting and rendering: efficient this enterprise. At the West they deeply felt the ’need -of publications such as this eomjnittee would issue. ’‘“ ; MT. !r Masbh‘, ;i t>f^Wisconsin,'urged the import ance of .giving (be committee.a suitable capital. " • Kev. 1 Mr. Butler* %f Phila'delpbia, showed that ■the difficulties of the committee, from their own Ovbr-forwardbessy but from the fuel" Chat they obeyed the. instructions of the successive as semblies without being suitably sustained by the Ch'urches. '• - Mr. Wilson withdrew his amendment. Rev. John W. Dulles, Secretary of Publication, addressed the Assembly, briefly stating some of the difficulties' under which the Enterprise had la bored. It Was a establishment, amid full grown Boards and Societies, yet expected to stand beside them in all things. To do this _it must 'have supprft. • The circulation of the committee’s publications must lie-’secured. To establish de pots would demand a* scaftering of capital, which would'be impossible. Even societies so well en dowed as'the American S. S; Union, had found Depositories wasteful; and‘they had sold out all bf"'their; Depositories, 'except' that At’ New York. But it was of great importance that the books shq^ld i j>e'got to the‘people; He suggested that Presbyteries 'ahouldseCure a sniall capital to be invested, in the publications and put into the hands of some person in a eentral’ position, who should sell them and reinvest the proceeds so as to keep up a stock. . Al; the outset of stich an undertaking there must he outlay. The time for planting and tilling preceded the time of harvest. - Mr. Riggs,.elder, had not met with the Com mittee on .this subject, and was- not prepared to Say that he concurred, as - he had questions with regard to the best mode of managing the Publica tion cause, on whieh he had not as much light as he wished. The report was adopted without dissent. Mr. Busbneli read the report of Church Exten sion Comhiittbfe on the chttfeh erection fund. They recommend the appropriations for the coinin': year he as fullSwsr: AlbSny Synod, 2 per cent., Alta California, 3;'Ciocinhati; 3* Genessee, 5; Geneva, 3; Illinois, 10; Indiana, 4; lowa, 7; Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio. 5 ] Onondaga, Pennsylvania, Susquehanna, Wabasb, and Western Pennsylvania, each 3; Peoria, 8; Tennessee, 5;. Virginia, I; Western Reserve, 4; Michigan, 8; and New Jersey,#; Utica, 2. V- The substance of this report“in relation to money, loaned to churches in' cuies, and time of such loan, we have already published. An aiuend- was offered that, in place of u actual census 7 ' Uiere he ihsefted' “on' satisfactory evidence.” This .was. lost. Motion was made, that 3000 be inserted in jilace of 5000, as the 1 ’ population ri towns to whoge chnrches 81000 are to be loaned; Rev. Mr. Seelye, of Albany ! opposed this as a d.^j& e ypus innovation. inquired if the increase of the' loan, involved a corresponding in crease in the amount they have to raise, and it was answered vib the affirmative. Mr. Smith moved to refer that part of the report relatin': m the distribution of the fund to'the Permanent to repbrt at next General Assembly. _, 1)l ;s. Hatfield, McLean, and Wisner, spoke- The latter gave some of his experience; how he had first, preached in a school-house which w»s tqrn down by a ttioh- thence into a barn, that' into a stab Wand so on to a chorch- Me loved to see churches, as well as individunh? grow bj dp on their own strength . Let the ideas of the donor be carried out. . Griffith, of New York, one of the Trustees e un< i> opposed any reference to the ib a straightforward'business speech. The tund was inaugurated-for the purpose of poor and scattered congregations in the West, a®* to that alone he asked.it should he appropriat'd- A motion was made to strike out that p» !t the report relating to the fund, and, on this »®- tipn; Dr. Patterson, of Chicago, spoke. He s® 1 * there teas an impression in the West that the fund was not doing the good it was intended m- The motion carried by a large majority. Tbe H 5? was then adopted nem. con. Ih-' - of the Reformed Presbyterian Oil® 7 '- 1 ? fhen took leave of the * of which he was a corresponding member. ' first order morning will be the turn of Trostees of the erection fund. Dr. Patterson, of Chicago, then read the re port on Church extension. The firm and gentle restraint of parent ■ authority commands respect. lay 31.
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