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.