GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
&.SSICOJ - N OF 1865.
LCONTINIIED FROM PAGE 179.]
Rev. Chas. 11. Thompson, colored, said
that sitting in that Assembly had been among
the happiest times of his life. It had been
said that the freedmen were not prepared for
the ballot ; but surely, sir, if the negro, when
sober, knows as much as the Irishman when
drunk, he ought to have it. (Applause.)
He argued that the freedman was now pre
pared to vote, even though his education was
not what it ought to be.
Rev. Mr. Johnson, of Pittsburgh, said we
did not ask the foreigner when he was natu
ralized whether he was fit for the rights of
citizenship ; then why meet the negro with
this question? This talk about inferiority!
It is a very good word in the mouth of des
potism, but never ought to soil the mouth of
a freeman. The Irish are an inferior race
when England wants to oppress them. The
Anglo Saxons were once an inferior race when
the proud Norman forced his collar upon
their necks. The negroes are our best friends.
We need them. We shall seed them in the
future to counteract the Roman influence, for
the Irish when they vote, vote almost to a
man in one direction.
The Moderator said there appeared to be
little or no difference of opinion in the Asem
bly, and suggested that, to facilitate business,
it might be as well to take the question at
once. The memorial was then unanimously
adopted, and ordered to be appended to the
the report and take the same course. -
REUNION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
The same committee reported three over
tures for union with the other branch of the
Presbyterian Church. The committee report
ed that they had given the subject their most
careful consideration, but they believed it in
expedient at the present time to take any
action on the subject. Both branches of the
Church were doing a good work, and were-in
spiritual co-operation, and - fbr a further union
it, was deemed better to wait until Providence
shall indicate more clearly the course to be
pursued. The report was accepted and
adopted.
REV. DR. SPEAR,
from the Committee on Bills and Overtures,
presented the following overture and report
against the practice of
THEATRE-GOING AND CARD-PLAYING
Overture to the General Assembly meeting
at Brooklyn, N. Y., May 17, 1865.
The undersigned respectfully present the
following to the consideration of the Gen
Asseembly and invoke its action thereo
Nearly half a century has passed since our
beloved Church through its highest authority,
uttered its condemnation of theatres and the
atre-going. We have reason to fear that the
conscience of the Church is not sufficiently
sensitive upon this subject.
These institutions have not improved in
their moral character and influence with the
general improvement of the age. Believing
them to be inimical to the best interests of the
country and of the Church, corrupting to our
youth, and injurious to society, we petition
from the Assembly such an expression of the
views of our Church as shall leave no room to
doubt that we fully accord with the voice of
the Christian Church in the times of her pu
rity, in declaring it to be unlawful for Chris
tians and dangerous to all, to patronize these
places.
We further request from the Assembly a
deliverance upon the custom of fashionable
card-playing, which has, to a dangerous ex
tent, been permitted and countenanced in
many of our Christian households, and is par
ticipated in by members of our churches,
J. W. WEIR,
T. H. RonrivsoN,
W.M. R. DEwur.
THE CODLIHTTEE ,REPORT
that "in regard to so much of the above
overture as refers to theatres and theatre
going, this Assembly reaffirms the action of
the General Assembly adopted in 181 S. See
Minutes page 600, and New Digest, p. 262,
263. In this action the Assembly declared the
Theatre to be, a " school of immorality."
This Assembly, seeing no occasion to modify
the utterance then given, earnestly exhorts
all the members of the Church iu their prac
tice to avoid and by their influence to dis
countenance all such " dangerous" amuse
ments as being inconsistent with the spirit
of the Gospel and detrimental to the best
interests of piety in the heart.
In respect to the custom of "fashionable
card playing" referred to by the memorial
sts, and represented as being " countenanced
in many Christian households," and also
" participated in by members of our church
es," this Assembly would affectionately ex
hort all the members of the Presbyterian
church to practice the most careful watchful
ness in avoiding all recreations and amuse
ments, whether in the form specified in the
memorial or otherwise, which are calculated
to impair spirituality, lessen Christian influ
ence, or bring discredit upon their "profession
as members of the Church of Christ.
The report was adopted without debate.
Rev. Dr. Fisher, in behalf of thesCommit
tee on Church Polity, submitted a report on
a question in, thesi, that is upon a supposed
case, presented by a Presbytery. It related
to sentencing for contumacy in the volun
tary absence of the accused, although
ample testimony, to his guilt bf the
charge was in court. „T'he committee held
that he should be suspended for contumacy,
without proe6eding to trial on the charge.
Judge Williams vigorously opposed this, and
klively debate sprung up. The report was
recommitted and the Assembly adjourned
till Monday.
MONDAY MORNING---MAY 29.
REPORT OP MILEAGE COICUITIM
The Assembly was opened with prayer,
and after the reading and approval of the
minutes, the Committee on Mileage reported
that they had received $6,215 65 from the
Presbyteries; had paid for contingent ex
penses $l4OO, and to Commissioners of
Assembly 61 per cent. of their expenses.
Owing to the increased cost of travel, and
the refusal of many railroads to reduce the.
fare, there was a deficit of $3062. Few
Presbyteries had failed to pay their assess
ments to the fund. They proposed an assess
ment of eight cents per member. Adopted.
COMMITTEE OF ARRANGEMENTS
Rev. Henry A. Nelson, D.D., Rev. Frede
rick Starr Jr, and Messrs. T. Scarritt, G.
S.. Budd E. P. Freeman, M. Collins,W. S.
Barker,ll. D., E. Barnard, and J. . Par
sons, al of Si. Louis, were appointed a Com
mittee of Arrangements for the next meeting
of the General Assembly.
The Special Cow i tmittee on Manses and
Pastoral Libraries reported, and their report
was accepted; and the committee continued
until next Assembly.
TEE CHURCH AT CHATTANOOGA
The Committee on Bills and Overtures re
ported overture No. 18, presented by Rev.
Mr. Sawyer, setting before the Assembly the
fact that the Presbyterian church of Chatta
nooga, in the Presbytery of Kingston, is now
used for a hospital for Government employes,
while there still exists a sufficiently large hos
ital already standing, and moreover that the
Cominittee on Church Erection holds a mort
gage on the building making it peculiarly de
sirable that the building should be recovered.
The report of the Committee recommended
that Rev. S. Sawyer should convey to General
Thomas a request from the Assembly that the
church should be returned, repaired, to the
hands of the proper body. This suggestion
was adopted.
NATIONAL PROTESTANT UNION
The same committee reported upon over
ture No. 19 respecting g National Protestant
Union as follows :
The Assembly having heard a certified copy
of the minutes of the Protestant mass
meeting, held in the the city of Pittsburgh,
May 23d, 1864, and composed of the mem
bers of the General Assembly now in session
at Pittsburgh, Pa., and of "other friends of
Protestant Christianity," and being informed
that the other Assembly will probably
appoint a committee in accordance with the
request of the meeting, hereby appoint a
committee of 12 ministers and 10 elders to
co-operate with other committees similarly
appointed, to consider the expediency of
forming a National - Protestant Union, or or
ganization of evangelical denominations in
this country, and report the result of their
joint counsels and labors to the next Assem
bly.
DELEGATES TO CORRESPONDING BODIES
The Standing Committee to nominate de
legates to corresponding bodies, reported the
following appointments
1. Old School General Assembly.—Rev.
Henry A. Nelson, D.D., of the Presbytery
of St. Louis, and Edward D. Mansfield, LL.
D. of the Presbytery of Cincinnati, Princi
pals ; and Rev. David H. Hamilton,.D.D.,
of the Presbytery of Illinois, and Elder Isaac
Scarritt, of the Presbytery of Alton, Alter
nates.
2. Cumberland General Assembly.— Rev.
Joseph F. Tuttle, D.D., of the Presbytery of
Crawfordsville, Principal; and Rev. Alfred
Eddy, of the Presbytery of Chicago, Alter
nate.
3. General Assembly of the United Presby
terian Church. —Rev. 'Renick Johnson, of
the Presbytery of Pittsburgh, Principal; and
Rev. Addison Kingsbury, 1).D., of the Pres
bytery of Pataskala, Alternate.
4. General Syno of the Reformed Protest
ant Dutch Church. —Rev. Theodore L. Cuy
ler, of the Presbytery of Brooklyn, Principal;
and Rev. Dwight M. Seward, D.D., of the
Presbytery of New York 3d, Alternate. '
5. General Synod of the Reformed Presby
terian Church.—Rev. Thomas H. 'Robinson,
of the Presbytery of Harrisburgh, Principal;
and Rev. John W. Mears, of the Presbytery
of Wilwington, Alternate.
6. General Convention of the Congregation
al Chuiches of Maine. —Rev. Charles S. Rob
inson, of the Presbytery of Brooklyn, Prin
cipal; and Rev. James H. Taylor, of the.
Presbytery of Newark; Alternate,
7. General Association of New Ham p,
shire.—Rev. Ezra E. Adams, D.D., of the
Presbytery of Philadelphia 3d, Principal; and
Rev. John Spaulding, of the Presbytery of
New York 4th, Alternate.
8. General Convention of Vermont.—Rev.
Henry Darling, D.D., of the Presbytery of
Albany, Principal; and Rev. Lewis Kellogg,
of the Presbytery of Troy,. Alternate.
9. General Association of Massachusetts.
Rev. Daniel March, D.D., of the Presbytery
of Philadelphia 3d, Principal; and Rev. Ezra
H. Gillett, D.D., of the Presbytery of New
York 4th, Alternate.
10. General Association of Connecticut.
Rev. Howard Crosby, D.D., of the Presby
tery of New York 4th, Principal; and Rev.
Samuel D. Burchard, D.D., of the Presby
tery of New York 3d, Alternate.
11. Presbyterian and Congregational Con
vention of Wisconsin. —Rev. Baruch B. Beck
with, of the Presbytery of St. Lawrence,
Principal; and Rev. Samuel Wyckoff, of the
Presbytery of Knox, Alternate.
CONSOLIDATION OF FEEBLE CHURCHES
Overture 15 was reported upon by the
Committee on Church Polity, being a memo
rial of the Presbytery of Cincinnati respect
ing the union of feeble . New and Old School
Churches in the same place. The Commit
tee is of the opinion that the object aimed at
by the memorialists is a good one, and the
accomplishment of it on some plan satisfac
tory to both parties will greatly promote
peace, prosperity, etc. they recommend that
the subject be referred to the Permanent
Committee on Home Missions to consult
with the Board of Domestic Missions of the
other branch, and report to the next Assem
bly
The same committee reported again Over
ture 14, on the ''principles of discipline,
whether, after the judicatories have cited a
contumacious member without avail, they
could proceed to pass an ulterior judgment
as if the accused was present, or should he
be merely suspended for contumacy ? The
report took the ground that while a civil
Court could compel the presence of an
offender,
the authority of the ecclesiastical -
Court did not extend so far, and a refusal to
appear simply laid the offender liable for
contumacy.
Judge Williams argued eloquently and at
length against this report, instancing sev
eral cases where the Court should go beyond
the mere suspension fbr contumacy.
Dr. Fisher replied, and after considerable
discussion, on motion of Elder 0. E. Wood,
the entire subject, with the overture, was
referred to a special committee, consisting
of Drs. S. W. Fisher, Brainerd, E. E. Ad
ams and Judge Allison, to report at the next
Assembly.
THE CHURCH ERECTION FUND
Dr. Eldridge, on behalf of the Special
Committee on Church Erection, reported in
part to the effect that the Committee had
examined the subject submitted to them,
and after consulting learned counsel had
concluded that liberalizing changes were pos
sible and desirable in the Chuch Erection
Fund; and recommended the adoption of the
report of the Standing . Committee, with the
exception of such portions of that report as
required a two-thirds vote of the enrolled
members, and requested leave to finish their
report at the next Assembly at St. Louis.
This disposition of the matter was advo
cated by Dr. Eldridge, on the ground that
the Special Committee had taken legal ad
vice as to the possibility of using in a more
liberal way the proceeds of the - Fund, and
the opinions were all in its favor, and that
the Assembly was competent to make changes
by a two-thirds vote—which, however, could
not now be procured owing to the absence of
delegates. Re therefore desired the Com
mittee to be continued,. with authority to
procure the written opinion of one or more
eminent counsel as to the power of the Trus
tees over this Fund.
Dr. Spear opposed this course, and offered
in its place a resolution : That the Board of
'Trustees be directed to procure the written
opinion of eminent legal counsel as to the
powers of the General Assembly in respect
to the Church Erection Fund, especially in
reference to the question whether the Assem
bly having secured this fund 'as a special
trust,' and in 1854 committed the custody
thereof to a Board of. Trustees incorporated
by a special statute of the State of New
York, has the power so to alter the Church
Erection Plan as to make an absolute gift of
the increase of the Blind beyond the sum of
$lOO,OOO for the purpose named in the first
article of the plan, and report the same to
the next General Assembly, with the addi
tion of any recommendations they may deem
expedient,
THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 1865.
The subject was further ably discussed by
Drs. Fisher and Prentiss, and by Elder W.
H. Brown, and Dr. Spear's substitute was
adopted.
The election (by ballot) of the Trustees of
the Church Erection Fund, was then made
the first order of the day fpr the afternoon.
The Assembly adjourned with prayer.
MONDAY AFTERNOON.
Opened at 3 o'clock with prayer.
The assessment w.ps reduced from S cents
to 6 cents per member of the churches.
Elections by ballot were held to fill the fol
lowing offices, resulting in the choice of the
persons named :
•iSO e,"
Rev. E. F. Hatfield, D.D., Rev. S. T.
Spear, D.D., Messrs. Stephen Thayer and
Lane.
TRUSTEES OF PRESBriI,RIAN HOUSE.
Rev. T. J. Shepherd, Rev. Wm. T. Eva,
and Mr. John C. Farr.
The following were elected, viva voce, Au-
DiToßs of the accounts of the Trustees of the
Church Erection Fund : Oliver E. Wood,
John P. Crosby, Edward A. Lambert.
Overture No. 20 was a complete and com
prehensive history of the action of all pre
vious Assemblies on the subject of tempe
rance, comprised in about thirty or forty
pages of closely-written manuscript. To this
the committee gave answer re-affirming the
past action of the Assembly, and recommen
ding that the overture and report be together
printed in the appendix to the minutes of
the Assembly. The report was unanimously
adopted.
No. 21 was a report on a circular from the
Ashmun Institute, Pa.,which had been
placed in the hands of the committee for
consideration. This college, it was explained,
was designed for the education of colored
persons for the ministry, tid Rev. Mr.
Thompson, of Newark, spoke in terms of
praise of the good work it was doing and
had already done. Dr. Spear explained that
it was the intention of the officers of this in
stitution to make t an effort to raise $lOO,OOO
to provide additional professors,
arid to this
end it was designed to solicit subscriptions in
England, ScAland, and France, as well as in
this country. The report of the committee
was framed in terms of sympathy with the
movement and the objects of, the institution,
and was unanimously adopted. The colored
persons here being educated are deioted to
Presbyterianism.
Rev. J. W. Mears of the Committee on the
" Narrative" (which is in fact a grand resume
of church matters—a sort of annual view of
all the Presbyterian churches, given in suc
cinct form,) reported that document, which
is as follows :--
5041011.1:riiiknior.izawifitten
IN THE UNITED STATES
In, presenting the annual view-, of the
churches connected with the General Assem
bly, so far as the reports from -eighty-four of
the one hundred and eight Presbyteries
make it practicable, we shall naturally regard
first, their outward, and secondly, their inward'
and more strictly their spiritual condition.
Very great, perhaps unexampled, pros
perity has characterized the external history
of the Church during the year just closed.
Seventeen Presbyteries report twenty-eight
church edifices as in progress or completed,
one of which in Pittsburgh is expected to cost
$145,000. Several of the Western Presbyte
ries report encouraging advance in this depart
ment. Logansport reports two, Galena and
Belvidere two, Wabash three, Fox River
three, and even Dakotah and Lexington each
report one church building in progress or
completed. Great need' of church accommo
dation is mentioned by others. Cedar Valley
with fifteen churches reports, but two build
ings. Others report ? extensive irepairs and
improvements. The moveinent Mr cancelling
debts still continues. In the P s resbytery of
Newark $30,000 of debt has been paid, and
an effort to raise $BOOO for German Church
.erection completed; in the Presbytery of the
District of Columbia four churches have
been cleared of debt; in the Third and
Fourth Presbyteries of Philadelphia a general
movement to clear all the churches in and
near the city of debt has been finally com
pleted. Five Presbyteries speak of the erec
tion of parsonages.
In the matter of benevolence, many Pres
byteries report an extraordinary advance.
Some contributions to leading causes have
doubled or even tripled on previous reports.
Very few have found the multiplicity and ur
gency of outside calls or the financial burdens
of the country a hinderance to the wonderful
stream of beneficence that has flowed into
the treasury of- the Lord. Scioto Presbytery
says, "three-fourths of our young men are in
their graves, yet we have never given more
largely than the past year." Knox Presby
tery, "We have stood by our cpuntry, and
have been more benevolent than ever be
fore." From the single church in Pittsburgh
contributions are reported amounting to
$54,600, including $12,000 to the Commis
sion. The total of contributions from New
York Fourth is $178,000; from Philadelphia
Third $210,000; Monroe Presbytery has
more than doubled its contributions ; Genesee
Valley says theirs are unequalled in their
history ; Catskill says, "The churches in our
bounds are truly benevolent. The weakest
in this respect are strong. All have learned
to give, and that giving to the Lord does not
impoverish them." Illinois says, "The ap
peals fbrtid to objects which the civil war has
occasioned, have been met with a liberality
which has no parallel in the past efforts of the
church in the cause of humanity." Many
others speak of general and great prosperity,
of heavy debts cancelled, of ministers sala
ries increased, of churches becoming inde
pendent of Home Mission aid; while even
the most liberal admit that we need still
more of this Christian spirit in•the future,
and they call for God's help to meet the in
creasing demands from abroad and at home.
Our leading denominational enterprises have
evidently grown rapidly. in favor during the
past year. Thirty Presbyteries report con
tributions, including two large church enter
prises, on hand but not completed, amount
ing to $834,884.
The loyal spirit of our denomination is
boldly reflected in the Presbyterial narratives.
" Our churches and ministers," says one nar
rative, " are unconditionally and unqualifiedly
loyal to the National Government; preaching,
praying, voting, • and fighting for the sup
pression of the rebellion, and the restoration
of the lawful and constitutional Government
over the whole territory known as the United
States .of America. The ethics of political
action have been fully presented from the
pulpit, and the duty of loyalty duly incul
cated." Says another, "All our churches
believe that treason is a crime which should
be punished." Says another, "Our life is
bound up in the life of the nation." An
other, complaining of disloyalty within its
bounds, says, " It is chiefly among the vicious
classes, and habitual neglecters of public
worship." And the dreadful crime which
has robbed us of that great and good ruler,
who habitually trusted in God, and in the
prayers of God's people, created deeper grief
and horror nowhere than in the bosom of our
own people. "We never," says one report,
"wept so profusely bitter tears as when the
devoted head of the nation was pierced by
the demon of slavery."
The joy and thankfulness which would
BILLS AND OVERTURES
THE GRAND REKUE
naturally burst firth at the complete triumph
of the cause of Union and freedom, have been
sobered by this solemn and unparalleled
event. But a note of exultation, to which all
our hearth beat responsive, comes from the
Presbytery of Northern Missouri, a State
which, on the 11th of January, 1865, pro
nounced the immediate and universal aboli
tion of slavery. " Our joy before God
caused emotions of deepest gratitude. The
future became bright with visions of a free
State, free thought, free speech, free press,
free schools, a free Gospel, and a free church
—freed from barbarous laws, oppressed hu
manity, despotic rulers, partisan agencies,
social spies, secret informers, malicious pre
judices, polluted ethics, abominable princi
ples, a perverted gospel, and a trammeled
church. It has given us not only joy, but
great confidence in God and great boldness
for the truth."
INTEMPERANCE, PROFANITY, AND SABBATH-
BREAKING
are very generally deplored as on the increase.
Certain pursuits in rural sections, as hop
picking and cheese-making, are specified as
presenting unusual obstacles to the observance
of the Sabbath. And special mention is made
of our great railroad corporations as deserving
the severest censure of the Christian public
for bold and persistent violation of the Sab
bath, in running their trains and repairing
their roads on the Sabbath day. An unu,
sually large number of Presbyteries report
the revival of efforts for the suppression of
intemperance, several of them being under
taken among the young. The Long Island
Presbytery reports cordial support of its
County Temperance Society which has held
monthly 'meetings of unwavering interest and
with excellent results for 15 years. While
the evil is increasing, we are cheered with
indications that the. church is extensively
awake to its duty on the subject.
REV i v ALS
The most cheering feature of our year's
history is the increased degree of special re
vival influence enjoyed by our churches. One
hundred and thirteen are reported as having
been graciously visited by the outpouring of tie
Spirit. Most of the Presbyteries which re
port no`revival, strictly speaking, yet employ
terms indicating an awakened, hopeful, and
really revived spiritual condition of the
churches. The prevailing tone is such as to
gladden the heart and call forth devout
thanksgiving and earnest expectancy of great
er blessings from the whole church. Wash
tenaw Presbytery, after referring to the dis
tracting tendencies of the times, says, " It is
remarkable that but one of -the reports from
eikurches makes any allusion to adverse influ
ences to religion on this account. On the
contrary, our general religious condition calls
' out the public remark, that the cause of
Christ in these peeuliar, these extraordinary
times, is making more than mnary advance
ment." One church in this - Presbytery has
enjoyed quickening influence the whole year;
the young people of the congregation have
nearly all been reached. These precious in
fluences have been felt in remote darts of our
Church and upon our Home Missionary field
in a cheering degree. In lowa, Cedar Valley
reports 2, Keokuk 2,l)ubuque 1. In Minne
sota, Dacotah reports 1, and Winona 1; in the
latter case, the pastor engaged in the aposto
lic work of open-air preaching. In Wiscon
sin, Columbus Presbytery reports 6, Fox
River reports 2. In Illinois,Schuyler re
ports 1, in which more than 00 souls have
been hopefully converted, Galena and Belvi
dere 2, 1 of' which was unprecedented in the
history of the Church, and resulted in 67 ad
ditions, Knox 2. In Indiana, Greencastle
reports . 5, St. Joseph 5, Salem 4, Indianopolis
3, Madison 3, Logansport 1,-21 in the two
Synods of Indiana. In Michigan, Coldwater
reports 3, Washtenaw 3, Detroit severalr .
Marshall 1, Saginaw 2, Monroe 2. In Ohio,
Dayton Presbytery reports 2, Huron 2, Sciota
2, Hamilton 5, Elyria 1, Franklin 1, Cincin
nati-4. And , as if to add a crowning feature
to the elements of interest presented by the
redeemed fields of East Tennessee, God has
owned the labors of our true brethren titre
by a powerful revival in the church of Wash
ington,
Union Presbytery, over forty persons
being hopefully converted, including many
suffering refugees and some interesting cases
of conversion from rebellion at once against
God and against country.
In the city of Detroit, the revival has
reached the churches generally , of different
denominations, and has been of unusual power
and fruitfulness. The narrative says: "The
work has manifestly been of God ; it has been
precious and glorious, and it is still in pro
gress. Hundreds have been brought to the
Saviour. Our 'members have gone heartily
into the work, Sabbath-school children have
come by the scores to the cross." The four
churches in Cincinnati, including the first
German, have enjoyed great refreshings, re
sulting in the addition of 136 on profession.
In one church, nearly the entire Sabbath- '
school has requested prayer, and as many as
100 scholars have remained for conversation.
All the churches in .the city of Newark, four
others in the Presbytery, as many as 12in all,
report the enjoyment of special spiritual in
fluence, 624 having been added to the entire
number of churches on profession.
Other Presbyteries reporting revivals are
Rochester " several ;" Tioga, 3; Gen. Val
ley, 1, " more thorough and general than
ever before in the history of the Church:"
Brooklyn,2 ; Ontario, Genesee, "sev
eral ;" St. Lawrence, 1; Watertown, 2 : Os
wego, 1; Otsego, 4 ; Montrose, one of great
power ; Wilmington, 1 ; Champlain, 1; N. Y.
Third, 2 ; Troy, reports 2 ; 1 in Middle Gran
ville, in the neighborhood alluded to some
thirty years ago, in the tract entitled " The
forty years prayer-meeting." That same
prayer-meeting has been sustained with little
intermission and might now be designated
as " The seventy years prayer-meeting ;" in
the other case, the resident membership was
doubled and the number of praying men
quadrupled.
In a very large number of these reports,
the children of the Church and the Sabbath
school appear as prominent, and frequently
as leading subjects of the work. Besides the
cases already referred to, in Ann Arbor sixty
seven of the Sabbath-school rose to profess
their hope. Another Presbytery says, three
fourths of the cases of conversion came from
the Sabbath-school. The Presbytery of
Galena and Belvidere says the large mass
of those brought in were the children of
believing parents, having been baptized in
infancy and been blessed with Christian nur
ture. The Presbytery of Montrose speaks of
instances in which the children are maintain
ing meetings of prayer, where their tender
ness, judiciousness, and earnestness appear_
far beyond their years. Onondaga says :
" a very large proportion of those converted
and formed a connection with the Church,
have been gathered from the Sabbath
school." The Sabbath-school interest has ..
been most assiduously cultivated by our
Church during the year, and the influence
of this department of labor upon the pros
perity, spiritUality, and growth of the Church,
has been remarkably propitious. The very
decided action of the last Assembly on this
subject, has not been without its fruits.
Very few of the reports are characteristic
ally despondent. Several from the Eastern,
as well as the Western bodies, deplore the
scarcity of laborers, -and quite a number
complain of the want of settled pastors.
Some suggest an itinerancy,. 'others speak
warmly of the services or the Presb3terial,
and Synodical agents. One Presbytery
speaks of three Congregaitonal Churches in
its bounds, which have unanimously become
Presbyterian in polity and ecclesiastical rela
tions.
To fully appreciate the character of the
period under review, we must remember
that it covers the fourth, and final year of
our dreadful civil war, the most sanguinary
and exhaustive of them all. The most trying
year in many respects, through which Church
and country have ever passed, has proved,
by the abundant grace of God, one of, the
most widely prosperous ever enjoyed. May
not this fact be humbly accepted as testi
mony granted by Providence to the general
faithfulness of the Church to the high
principles involved and jeopardized, rescued
and exalted through our struggle ?
Yet we may not hide from ourselves the
fact that evil is yet dominant in the hearts
of men ; that intemperance, and Sabbath
breaking, and licentiousness are fearfully
prevalent ; that the main work of the Church
is yet to be done even in Christian countries;
that sinners are going by thousands in their
impenitency to the bar of God ; that the
religious movement of the year in our
Church has been little more than a ripple
in the life of the community; that not more
than one in twelve of our Churches has been
extensively revived. The grand lesson of
the year is not one of contented joyfulness,
but an attitude of aroused and hopeful expec
tation.
Says Philadelphia 3d, "There is a grow
ing expectation that the spirit of grace and
supplications will be poured upon us in
copious showers at no distant day." Dayton
Presbytery says: "We shall be greatly dis
appointed if in our report of next year we
cannot say, the Lord hath done great things
for us whereof we are glad." " Our
Churches," says Oswego, " are walking in
Christian harmony and love, anxiously look
ing for those pentecostal seasons which shall
result in the conversion of the world to
Christ." "Some of God'§ people," says Troy
"are expecting, when the affairs of the nation
are settled, a more copious outpouring of the
Spirit than has been enjoyed for the last
thirty years. Those who have faith, look at
the mercy drops now fallinvg as the prelude
of an abundant spiritual rain."
The following Presbyteries have failed to
send Narratives :—Utica, Steuben, Ithaca,
Delaware, North River, Pittsburgh, (reported
in part,) Grawl River Valley, Lake Superior,
Grand River,' Maumee, Athens,. Ripley. Ft.
Wayne, Alton, Chicago, Bloomingon, lowa
City, Chariton, Minnesota, San Francisco,
Sierra Nevada, San Jose, Washoe, Union,
Kingston, Holston.
(List of deaths will be given hereaftef.)
CHURCH ERECTION.
Resolved, That the Trustees of the Church
Breed°ft Fund be directed to issue a circular
addressed to all the churches under the care
of this Assembly, inviting them to make
contributions during the present year to a
supplemental fund to be appropriated in aid
ing church erection, in accordance with the
suggestions of the trustees in their additions
to the report of the special committee.
Rev. Dr. Adams, of Philadelphia , arose to
present a set of resolutions formini
A VOTE OF THANKS
to the citizens of Brooklyn, which he proceed
ed to read, as follows :
Resolved, That this Assembly gratefully
recognize and record the kindly welcome
and generous entertainment given by the citi
zens of Brooklyn to the Commissioners of
this body.
That we tender. special thanks, to the belov
ed pastor and people of Lafayette Avenue
Church for their good service in making
arrangements for our sessions, and for their
manifold attentions to our comfort; also to
the esteemed pastor and people of the First
Presbyterian Church of this city, for the
pleasant excursion which they provided for
us on the water;
to the members of the press
of Brooklyn and New York—particularly to
the editor and reporter of The Brooklyn Daily
Union—fo; their faithful reports of our pro
ceedings; to the officers of the Lone Island
Historical Society, of the Packer C r ollegiate
Institute, of the Five Points House of Indus
try, of dig American Bible Society, for cor
dial invitations: and to our honored and be
loved Moderator for the prompt, cheerful,
impartial, and able manner in which he has
'presided over the deliberations of the Assem
bly; also, to the excellent ladies who have
sent boquets, and to the railroad companies
who have kindly aided the assembly of the
body by remitting any part of the usual fgxe.
After the adoptioniof thes6 resolutioa, a
special vote of thanks was presented the
Moderator, at the suggestion of Dr. Adams,
of New York.
The Moderator replied in a feeling speech,
in which his relations with his brethren were
modestly touched upon, and during which he
took occasion to commend the faithfulness
and ability of the clerks who had sat on
either side of 'him during the sessions of the
Assembly.
THE CLOSING SCENES
After discharging the Committee on Bills
and Overtures and on Church Polity, to
gether with numerous others whose duties
had been fulfilled; having ordered the jani
tor's and printing bills -to be paid, and the
minutes to be printed, no further business re
mained on hand. At this point Rev. Dr.
Cuyler appeared upon the platform, and pro
ceeded to deliver a short, impromptu, but
most feeling address.
DR. CU ir LEA,' S VALEDICTORY.
He addressed them on the behalf of the
people of Brooklyn, to whom they had pre
sented their thanks but a moment befbre.
But the people might answer to the Assem
bly, on the contrary, in a resolution framed
somewhat as follows:
Resolved, That the Christian people of
Brooklyn owe their thanks to the Assembly,
who have shown them how affable Presby
terianism could be in private life—how faith
ful and eloquent it can be in the pulpit—how
loyal to the nation's flag and the rights of
humanity.
The Arssembly had waited until Brooklyn
had become the third city in the Union be
fore they had turned their steps hitherward ;
but Presbyterians would feel stronger for the
visit; they had made the place memorable,
- for the important acts that had hem, been
inaugurated must have a place in history.
Here it was that the door had been opened
for the returning Presbyteries of Tennessee;
here they had welcomed two colored men,
delegates from the churches ; here they voted
their approval of the negro's right of suffrage ;
here they had declared that the hand that
had grasped the musket should bear the bal
lot. In conclusion, the speaker eloquently
alluded to the brotherly feeling that subsisted
between the members of the Assembly, and
finished with the hope that they might, after
life's battle, be spoken of as D'Auvergne,
who, though fallen in battle, was answered
for by his comrade, when his name was
called : "Dead on the field." He hoped that
when his brethren had gone to that last As
sembly above, - some one whom they had led
to Christ would step forward in answer to his
name, with the record: "Died on the field
of battle for Christ, and Truth, and Liberty."
At the conclusion of this farewell address,
more .than one eye was suffused, and a gene
ral emotion pervaded the hearts of all pre
sent. After an earnest, heartfelt prayer, the
concluding hymn was sung by the congrega
tion, beginning:—
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellovrship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.
The apostolic benediction by the Modera
tor concluded the formalities of the occasion,
and on motion, the Assembly adjourned, and
was dissolved, and another Assembly.directed
to meet again oh the third Thursday m May,
186b,,at 11 o'clock A. M., in the First Pres
byterian Church of St. Louis.
After thee adjournment, the members clus
tered about- the platform, and wrung each
other's hands in affectionate leave-taldne,
and then the Assembly dissolved away in
twos and threes.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 4)F THE 0. S.
PRESBYTERIAN CEURCEL
Hitherto we have been abke only to
announce the organization of this body.
Its sessions closed on Thursday at last
week, after a session of thirteen working
days. Among the items of -interest in
its proceedings, we notice that its two
committees, (Eastern and Western,) on
the edudation of the freedmen, have pur
sued their work vigorously and success
fully. Their aggregate receipts have
been nearly $12,000. Between thirty
and forty teachers, male and female,
have been in the field—several of them
ministers of the gospel.
'The exchange of interdenominational
courtesies constituted, as usual, a plea
sant episode to relieve the b heavier class
of proceedings. The reception of Mr.
Monod, delegate from France, was of sub
stantially the same character as in our
own Assembly—cordial and conducted
with Christian gracefulness. Dr. Ilea
cock and Judge Stillman were the bearers
of the fraternal salutations of our Assem
bly. Concerning the relations between
the two bodies, Dr. Heacock, who, with
a sincere heart for Christian fellowship,
has nevertheless no sympathy with any
re-union movement said :
"Perhaps it is not right to say that the
causes of our former alienation were alto
gether transient or accidental, fbr it might im
pugn the moderation or wisdom of our
fathers. Those causes were for a long time
latent, yet from time to time during a period
of one hundred and fifty years did they dem
onstrate their vitality and vigor. Brethren,
we are children of the same womb, twin-born;
yet, even like those twin children of old—
children of strife even before our birth. And,
sir, while in other respects alike, we yet differ
somewhat; our branch seems more to illus
trate the ideas of progress and freedom—
yours, those of conservatism and authority.
These are the pre-eminent characteristics of
our bodies, and yet in these there is nothing
to prevent close fraternity or the existence of
a more kindly spiritoeven though apart, than
was manifested when we wrangled with and
disturbed one another under one roof. Let
us continue then in the unity of the spirit
and in the bonds of peace, and toil together
in our great fields of evangelical labor. -
" The interchange of kindly words, though,
perhaps,
impossible earlier, we trust is now
never to end. And, excuse me, Mr. Mode
rator, if I ask, can it be more wisely employed
than in devising plans of being to each other
elements of help in the newer regions of our
broad land? May we not concert some plan
by which the present number of our minis
ters and churches might thus become more
effective' or good? Would not the execu
tion of such a plan be one of the most pre
cious first fruits of our love to each other and
of our common love to Christ?"
In a truly fraternal response, the
Moderator, Rev. Dr. Lowrie, not exactly
accepting Dr. Heacock's well-expressed
view of the respective characteristics of
the two bodies, said :
" The extension of Christ's kingdom is in
deed your great work, and it is my prayer
that He wll bless all your efforts in it in this
land and throughout the world. One of you
has refereed to the distinguishing attributes
of these two bodies; and yet pardon me if I
say I think both can claim both features of
this description. The Presbyterian churches
are sometimes spoken of as governed
churches, and sometimes as such are held up
to odium. It is true, we are governed
churches, we are under the government of
the Lord, of this Holy Book of God, of the
Standards of our Church, and of the Form of
Government which we hold to be Spiritual.
We are both conservative, I trust, in a good
sense, and in the sense of the -Gospel, pro
gressive, or I prefer to say, evangelistic. We
count it our highest duty to promote Christ's
cause throughout the world."
Our readers may recollect that, some
months ago, we noticed the proceedings
of the Synod of Kentucky, censuring
the action of the previous Assembly
against slavery. The present Assembly
in reviewing the records of that Synod,
recorded its disapproval of that censure,
and took this further exception V the
Synodical records :—" That the ynod
has wholly failed to make any deliver-.
ance during the past year calculated to
sustain and encourage our Government
in its efforts to suppress a most extensive,
wanton, and wicked rebellion."
The reports of the several boards
having in charge the different depart.
ments of evangelical enterprise were,
in general, highly satisfactory. - The
subject of Domestic Missions took the
same line of interest which it now inevi
tably follows in all our denominations—
Southward. The Asseinbly resolved on
a vigorous campaigki in the lately rebel
lious States, among both whites and
blacks.
The relation of the seceded Synods t 6
the Assembly; occupied, as was ex
expected, a large amount of attention.
It will be remembered that, although
those Synods four years ago organized
themselves into the " General Assembly'
of the Confederate States of America,"
they had not, up to the time of this
meeting, been stricken from the 1011, and
die question whether they might or
might not 'return a their convenience,
on the basis of their 'former status,
seemed in abeyance. After a full dis
cussion, it was resolved to drop from the
roll the names of all Synods, Presby
teries, and ministers, who have gone
into that organization. Accompanying
the resolution there was a recommenda
tion of kind treatment of the schismatic
members, and that where a sufficient
number of loyal Presbyterians can be
found, new churches be formed, to be
placed in connection with the ssembly.
The Assembly also took the initiative
in a measure which, if acquiesced in by