gmtritan Vrto4tErian.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1865
NEW PEEmnnus.—For two new sub.
scribers, paying full rates in advance,
the new Life of John Brainerd, elegant• .
ly bound and gilt and postage prepaid.
For three new subscribers : Life of
John Brainerd and Zulu Land, postage
extra.
For thirty-five new subscribers paying
full rates in advance, or four clubs of ten
each, a FIFTY-FIVE DOLLAR SEWING MA
CHINE, of Grover & Baker's make.
TEM SECOND PRESBYTERAN CHUM, On
Seventh street, below Arch, recently in
vited the Rev. E. R. Beadle to become
their pastor. The call was accepted,
and Mr, Beadle began his duties on Sab
bath, October 22d.
LIBERAL OFFER.-Our friend MT. W.
F. WYERS, the accomplished principal of
the West Chester Academy, offers, in hiS
advertisement, to give the sons of min
isters and young men preparing for the
ministry, tuition in his excellent institu
tion without charge. This is a generous
proposal and will doubtless be appre
ciated, especially in these expensive
times.
PRESBYTERIANS IN A SCARE.-WS
enjoy a paragraph, like the following,
from a Washington correspondent of the
Boston Recorder, for the reason that we
always love to see people satisfied with
themselves. The " intruder" referred
to, is simply a new Congregational
Church.
" Our Presbyterian friends have become
alarmed. Dr. Sunderland's church has sent
to Paris after their absent minister, although
eight months of his service there are yet un
expired. A meeting of the Presbytery has
been called to' meet here the next week, un
doubtedly to consider how to treat the young
but vigorous intruder. If we can continue to
meet in a church building, the coming ses
sion of. Congress will add-muulv-to-our mein
bers and,our strength."
DEDIOWON OF THE NEW OLIVET
CHURCH, corner of Twenty-second and
Mt. Vernon streets.—We bespeak for
the dedication of the Olivet Church`
next Sabbath, the 29th inst., as large an
attendance of the ministers and people
of our denomination as possible.
The object is of common interest.
The erection and furnishing of such a
church in that region is advantageous to
all our churches, whose members as they
remove westward, will here find a home
and thereby preserve the Presbyterial
elements for combination into an efficient
congregation.
Services will be held morning, after
noon and evening, and collections taken
in behalf of the church.
The Dedication sermon -in the morn
ing at 10i o'clock, by the pastor, Rev.
W. W. Taylor, assisted by Ray. Messrs.
Mears, Crittenden, Crowell and others.
Preaching in the afternoon at 32
o'clock, by Rev. Dr. March, pastor of
Clinton street Church, assisted by Rev.
Dr. Brainerd, who will offer a short ad
dress, by Dr. Adams and various pastors
of our own and other denominations.
Sermon at night at 7.3 . - o'clock, by
Rev. Mr. Calkins, pastor of the Calvary
Church,
A WORTHY ENTERPRISE.—We believe
that our readers have already been in
formed that, some two years since, a
band of staunch and loyal Presbyterians
in St. Joseph, Missouri, a city of twelve
or fifteen thousand inhabitants, broke off
from the existing church organization,
where the disloyal power had reached
the unendurable point. • They formed
themselves into a new church, to secure
for themselves public meetings where
they might unite in prayers for the Presi
dent and Government, and might afford
to the country their sympathy in its
hour of need. This new organization
they placed under the care of the Lex
ington Presbytery, in connection with
-our branch of the church. Of this
church, Rev. Dr. Nelson, of St. Louis,
well-known throughout our church as a
worthy witness, says
" I know of nothing in connection with the
'cause of evangelical religion, particularly as
it is cared :,for by the N. S. Presbyterian
Church, more important than that our church
recently organized, should succeed in their
present effort to provide themselves with a
suitable house of worship. St. Joseph is the
second city in Missouri, in commercial and
political importance, and is the metropolis of
a most important region. The formation of
our church there is a timely protest against
the pro-slavery disloyalty, which has cor
rupted other churches, and is a movement
which neither our church at large, nor our
, country, can afford to have fall short of de
cided success. From all that I have been
able to learn of this movement, I have judged
it to be from the most thoroughly Christian
motives, and on the soundest Christian prin
ciples—not primarily a political movement at
all, but a thoroughly Christian movement, too
soundly and intelligently so, not to be at the
same time patriotiO putting itself, from the
beginning, of all connection with and all taint
of disloyalty."
Rev. B. B. Parsons, D. D., the pastor
of the Church, is now among us solicit-
ing the aid which must come from the
east, for giving to it a proper house of
worship. Dr. P. is , fully recommended
personally—a recommendation to which,
from personal acquaintance, .we can cor
dially add our own. Himself and his
cause are strongly commended by lead
ing ministers in New York, such as Drs.
HatfielA, Kendall, Adams, and others.
PROGRESS IN CIIBA.—The planters of
Cuba have addressed a memorial to the
home Government at Madrid, asking for
the abolition of slavery in Cuba.
NEW CHAPEL IN WILMINGTON, DELA-
WARE,
The ceremony of dedicating to the
purposes of worship and of instruction the
new RODNEY ST. MISSION CHAPEL in
Wilmington, Delaware, took place on
Sabbath afternoon last. The dedicatory
prayer was offered by the pastor of the
Central Church, Rev. Geo. F. Wiswell.
Remarks were made by the pastor, and
Rev. John W. Mears, of Philadelphia.
The occasion was one of deep interest.
The chapel which will accommodate 200
people, was not only thronged, but a
large audience clustered around the open
door and windows on the outside.. The
building was commenced in the latter
part of August, and has been less than
two months in the entire process of con
struction. It is free from all incum
brance. This gratifying result is due to
the energy , and promptitude of the young
men of the Central Church, two of whom
deserve especial mention : Mr. Wm. B.
Wiggins, formerly mayor of the city,
and Mr. G. W. Houseman. The build
ing will accommodate the oldest mission
school of the Central Church, who were
unceremoniously dispossessed of their
wonted quarters, during their summer va
cation, by some over-zealous persons of
another denomination. The Rodney St.
Chapel is near the terminus of the pas
senger railway, and is admirably situa
ted to command a growing population.
The whole vicinity is being laid out in
lots, and residences are rapidly going.up.
This is the second chapel erected•by the
young men of the Central Church since
the war, a third having been erected by
the young men of Hanover Street
Church, in a different and needy part of
the city some two or three years ago.•
Still another important mission Sabbath
.school near the Brandywine, is in charge
of the young men of the Central Church,
which in due time, and perhaps very
soon, will be supplied with a substantial
chapel from the same source, the question
of means being, we may say, practically
settled.
The absence from the dedication cere
monies of the venerated John R. Lati
mer, Esq., lately deceased, and of his
estimable lady, was feelingly referred to
by the pastor, and elicited a response in
many a tearful eye in the assembly. Yet
it is encouraging to think that so much
of wealth, consecrated to the Lord, is in
the bands of the young men of the Cen
tral Church, as to remove all fear of the
interruption of their evangelizing enter
prises. Would that -some of our con
tented, quiet, overgrown churches, who
have vegetated for a quarter of a century,
and allowed other denominations to come
into territory naturally their own, and to
make up new organizations in part out
of their own members, would take a les
son from this young, active, efficient
church, which, though less than, ten
years old, has judiciously planted two
mission chapels, and is about ready to
lay the foundation of a third, each of
which will doubtless, in time, prove the
nucleus of
.a church of our denomina
tion.
A pleasant feature of the exercises on
Sabbath was the gift of $5O to the en
terprise, by a gentleman of the Metho
dist Chinch.
SYNOD OF ONONDAGA, ON HOME MIS
SIONS,
Synbd has listened with peculiar
interest to the statements of Rev. T.
Ralston Smith one of the Assembly's
Committee of Home Missions, and Rev.
A. M. Stow, District Secretary, with
regard to the vast, field opening for
us as a church, in the prosecution of our
Home Missionary work, and the corres
ponding demands upon the churches.
The great wants of the present time
appear to be two :--First, men ; second,
money. In view of the great want of
men, Synod would urge upon pastors,
elders, and all church members, the duty
of praying "the Lord of tfie harvest to
send forth laborers into His harvest,"
and they , would urge upon pastors espe
cially the duty of watchfulness in endeav
oring to direct the attention of pious
young men to the ministry ; and upon
parents especially the duty- of consecrat
ing their children to this work.
In view of the great want of money,
and whereas it appears that, of the sev
enty churches in our Synod , but forty
have contributed anything to this cause
the first year ; but seven churches over
$lOO each ; but eleven churches as much
as $5O each ; and the entire member
ship of the Synod have averaged less
than 50 cents per member,---therefore
Synod urges upon all pastors and elders
present the important duty of making
this cause prominent in our list of con
tributions, and particularly that no church
should excuse itself from contributing
to this object ; Synod also would urge
upon Presbyterial Committees diligent
attention to their duties in such commit
tees ; and in conclusion, Synod resolves :
lst. To endeavor to secure a contri
bution, however small, from every mem
ber of our churches.
2d. To endeavor to secure, if possible,
a contribution from every church, the
aggregate of which shall be an average
of $1 per member.
3(1. To endeavor to secure a contri
bution as much above $1 per member
as possible. And for the information of
pastors and churches not represented
here, the stated clerk of Synod is re
quested to have this action published in
the AIetERIOAN PRESBYTERIAN and the
New York Evangelist
A LrrrLE JUSTICE.—The guerilla, Champ
Feigusm, was hanged at Nashville,
20; and the guerilla,-Henry C. Magruder, at
lrailsville, October 0.
THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1865
The annual meeting of this body has
just been held in the Third Presbyterian
Church in this city. The session com
menced on the evening of the 11th inst.,
with public religious services and the
preaching of the Synodical sermon by
the retiring Moderator, Rev. B. B:
Hotchkin, from 1 Corinthians ix, 16--
Necessity is laid upon re ; yea woe is
unto me if I preach not the gospel. After
the close of the public service, Rev.
Thomas J. Shepherd, D.D., of,the Fourth•
Presbytery of Philadelphia, was elected
Moderator, and Rev. Daniel G. Mallory,
of the same Presbytery, Temporary
Clerk. Our farther notice of the meet
ing will be , topical, without regard to the
order of time.
Rev. Mr. Arbousset, of the French
Protestant Church, and its missionary
in the island of Tahiti, and chaplain to
the reigning Queen Pomare, addressed
the Synod on the state and prospects
of Protestant missions on that island.
When, a number of years ago, the French
took possession of the island, all the
English and American missionaries were
expelled, and Romish institutions estab
lished in their place. The expelled mis- ,
sionaries asked the French Proteitant
church to enter upon their fields, claim
ing as Frenchmen' the toleration allowed
by the laws of France. Mr, Arboiisset
and others occupied the ground 1111862,
and have secured toleration, and still
continue their labors. The queen and
the prince next to the throne, both of
whom appear to be sincere Christians,
have remained faithful to their original
church relations. The government has
authorized the establishment of a society
for maintaining Protestant schools, and
has itself built a school • house sufficient
for three hundred pupils under the au
spices of this society. As the work grows
in magnitude, increased expenses are in
evitable. , The French churches are noti
at present able to assume an extensive
work abroad ; hence practical sympathy]
l
from• America is invoked'.
Rev. Mr. Richards, chairman of the
standing committe on this subject, re-.
ported that he had not been furnished
with data for a minute account of the
benefactions of the churches toward this
cause. There has been a slight advance,
but far short of that demanded by the
loud calls of Providence. Dr..Mills, i tlke)
veteran Secretary of the Assembly's
Committee took the floor, and spoke with,
great earnestness of a still higher want.
—that of young men coming forward
self-consecrated to the work of the min
istry, in whatever field God should as
sign to them. He referred itakt-feblingly
to the failure of parental consecratibn
when the trying test comes—their Un
willingness, and, sometimes absolute re
fusal to surrender for their sons oppor
tunities to acquire wealth and live in.
worldly comfort, and expose them to the
self-denials of life in the ministry.' ; In
our. Home and Foreign Missionary work,
wide fields are open ; loud calls are made
for men, but they do not come. We have
often listened with interest to Dr. M.,
but never heard from his lips so feeling
an address, and ' never witnessed so
marked an effect from his appeal upon
the feelings of an ecclesiastical assembly.
Regarding the subject as, •at the present
time, entitled to more than usual consid
eration, the Synod passed the following
resolution, offered by Rev. W. T. Eva :
Resolved, That Synod has heard with great
interest, the statement and views of Rev. Dr.
Mills on the subject of education for the work
of the Gospel ministry, especially those por
tions which relate to the matter of increasing'
the number of candidates for that work ; and,
that a committee be appointed to prepare a:
short pastoral letter addressed to our minis-,
ters and churches, and especially to parents
and guardians in our congregations, urging
this subject upon their attention as one of
vital importance to the interests of the Church'
and country, and to the cause and kingdom
of Christ in the world.
Rev. Messrs. Hotehkin, Eva, and. Wis
well, were appointed to prepare the pro
posed Pastoral.
Rev. Mr. Hotchkin chairman of a'
special committee, presented the follow
ing report which, after a pretty full dis=
cnssion, was adopted.
The committee appointed to prepare a re
port ".in relation to the position and duties
of ruling elders in our ecclesiastical bodies".
respectfully report:—
Except in the church session, your commit
tee find no radical peculiarities distinguishing
the position and duties of the ruling elder
from that of ether members of the ecclesias
tical body.
For instruction respecting their place and
power in the church session, reference is made
to chap. IX of the form of government. It
is presunadd that no fuller statement is needed,
or can be given of the relative position of the
classes composing that court. Your commit
tee suppose that the resolution before them
has more special reference to the higher judi
catories.
In these higher judicatories, the ruling
elder represents the session. This may seem
like a very simple enunciation, but your com
mittee regard it as important in view of a
somewhat prevalent, practical disregard of
this elementary principle in the construction
of our church courts. It is the duty of each,
session, previous to the meeting of Presby-' :
tery or Synod, in a regular sessional meeting,
to appoint its own representative; and the
appearance of a ruling elder in these bodies,
by mere invitation of the pastor, and without
sessional appointment, is in violation of the
principle of sessional representation.
As regards the correlative position and
duties of the ministering and ruling elders
when assembled, our •form of government
allows no fundamental distinction. In ordi
nations and installations, the public services
are, as a requirement ofpropriety, committed
to ministers. The_provision for opening ser-.
mons by retiring Moderators of the General
SYDOD OF PENNSYLVANIA.
A VISITOR FROM TAHITI
The Synod responded to the remarks
of Mr. Arbousset with a resolution of
sympathy, commending his god *ark'
to the regard of the churches. •r
EDUCATION FOR THE MINISTRY
RULING ELDERS'
Assembly, seems to assume that a minister
will be called to the Moderator's chair. In
the rules respecting business quorums, care is
taken to insure that some ministers shall be
present. These are simply incidental distinc
tions between the two classes, and as bearing
upon their position and duties in the ecclesi
astical bodies under consideration, they are
the only ones known to our system. In all
other respects of privilege, duty arid authori
ty, ' they are, while here, not only equal, but
in ,a state of official fusion. They have the
same dillies, and the same responsibilities to
the church and its sovereign head.
From the discussion preceding the resolu
tion .creating the committee, it is to be pre
sumed that the Synod desired that some
action should be recommended which might
appeal practically to the ruling eldership, per
suading them of their real importance in our
church courts, and the solemn duty of the
sessions, no less than that of the ministers,
to be present by their appointed representa
tives. The principle to be preserved, is a
vital one in our Presbyterian system, the
union of the ministerial and popular element
in the government of the church. All the
provisions of our constitution upon this sub
ject, are not only affirmatory of this general
principle, but, in determining the ratio of'
sessional representation, giving but one rep
resentative to a plurality of sessions united in
one Pastorate, and to collegiate churches a
sessional representative for each pastor, it
was intended to make the nearest possible
approach; to a numerical equality of the two
elements. No fair effect can be given to this
provision, except by making the attendance
'of ruling elders just as much a conscientious
duty as in the case of ministers. The Synod
earnestly reminds the sessions of this element
in'our system, and commends to them their.
duty in giving to it a continued practical
reality. Its force can never be lost, except
through their forgetfulness of it.
Your committee recommend, as a suitable
measure for continually reminding the sessions
of their high responsibility as the representa
tives of the, church, that the practice of call
ing upon absentees for their reason for ab
sence, now applied to ministers, be extended
to.them. The following standing rule is ac
cordingly proposed:— -
The stated clerk shall, at least one month
previous to each meeting of Synod, write to
the session of each church which failed to be
represented at the next previous meeting,
to forward any reason for such non-represen
lation, asking them for such reason to be laid
before Synod, and urging them to be, repre
sented at the approaching meeting.
Your committee further propose to Synod to
recommend to the Presbyteries the adoption
of ,a rule respecting sessional representation
in their meetings similar' to the above, and
that the stated clerk notify them accordingly.
The Committee subsequently reported
I .i glistoralaietter as directed, and it was
i
l iAered to: l P . .l:ie published by the Stated
Clerk, and forwarded for distribution in
.the churches, and also to be read to the
congregation from the pulpit. We 'are
compelled to defer the publication of
this letter until another week.
HOME MISSIONS.
The report on our General Assembly's
Home Missionary work within the
bounds of the Synod, was made by Rev.
W. Aikman, Chairman of the Standing
Committee on that subject. Some
`churches, heretofore receiving mission
ary aid have become self-supporting,
and others are asking for reducdd ap
propriations. The missionary field of
the Synod is opening wider, and men
are wanted. this, was said to be espe-•
cially true in the State of Delaware.
The principal feature in the report was'
the fiscal one. The contributions of the;
churches were named in detail, and in
comparison with those reported in 1864. .
The Presbyterial summaries are as fol
lows
1864. 1865.
Distriot of Columbia $144 42 - $451 00
Wilmington 279 07 632 42
_ .. . _ ..
Philadelphia. Third 2,50 43 ' 3,373 40
Philadelphia, Fourth 2,023 70 2,276 50
Harrisburg 927 28 1.758 62
Total $5,937 90 $8,491 94
The increase for the year has been
$2,554.04, but thgre is a deficiency of about
$4,949, in coming up to the slim of $13,-,
440' named by the last Assembly as need
e'd from this Synod for the Home Mis
'ido:Lary work of our churches. The num
ber of churches from which no contribu
tions to the cause,,and which have reach
ed the knowledge of the Committee, are
four of the nine belonging to the Presby
tery of, the District, of Columbia; seven of
the thirteen in Wilmington ; eight of the
twenty-one in Philadelphia Third ; seven
of the• twenty-nine in Philadelphia
Fourth ;• and one of the eight in Harris
burg.
In addition to the above, there have
been large contributions of boxes of
Clothing for the families of missionaries,
the value of ivbich there are no means
of estimating• • •
FOREIGN MISSIONS.
A similar detailed and carefully pre
pared report was presented by Rev.
John McLeod, Chairman of the Stand
iug Committee on Foreign Missions.
The aggregate of the contributions of
the churches of the Synod to the Ame
rican Board, during the year, was about
$13,00. We hope to notice it more
at lengtii` hereafter.
PUBLICATION
Rev. W. E. Moore reported in behalf
of the Standing. Committee. Whereupon
it was
Resolved, That the Synod recommend to
the churches, as it may be practicable, to in
troduce into their Lecture-room and Social
meetings, the Social Hymn and Tune Book,
just issued by the Pfiblication Committee.
MINISTERIAL RELIEF FUND
In commending the cause of minis
terial relief the Synod adopted the fol
lowing resolutions of the General As
sembly :-
1, Resolved, That the attention of church
members be directed to the straitened circum
stances of many of our faithful ministers who,
having toiled for many years on small salaries,
arVilloW left in the decline of life,_ without
adequate means for the support of themselves
and families.
2: Resolved, That every Presbytery be direct
ed to appoint a Standing Committee, whose
duty it shall be to inquire into the necessities of
disabled ministers, and of the widows and
orphans of those deceased, with a view of
bringing the eases of such to the notice of the
Eiecutive Committee of, the Relicf Fund.
3. li:esolved, That the Presbyteries earn
estly request the churches under their care to
make annual' collections for this fund ; and
that they encourage, also, bequests and dona
tions toward the formation of a permanent
fund for this AM.
MINUTES OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Rev. Dr. Shepherd, Chairman, re
ported as folldws :
The Committee on the Minutes of the Gen
eral Assembly report the following items as
worthy the attention of Synod,.viz. :
I. The Assembly's action in regard to
Home Missions, p. 24.
The Committee recommend that this action
be read by pastors and stated supplies to the
churches of Synod, as the basis of appals for
increased contributions in aid of the enlarging
and vitally important work which, in our own
country, our denomination is prosecuting.
11. The Assembly's action in regard to
Ministerial Relief, p. 29.
The Committee recommend that so much
of this action as urges.the churches to make
annual collections for this fund be reaffirmed
and very , earnestly commended to the pastors,
sessions, and churches of Synod.
111. The Assembly's action in regard to
Publication, p. 34.
The Committee recommend that so much
of this action as contemplates the "increase
of contributions to the Publication Cause with
a view to more extended and thorough opera
tions, and with special reference to affording
facilities for the gratuitous distribution of
tracts and books among the Freedmen," be
reaffirmed.
IY. The Assembly's action in regard to the
State of the Country, p. 36.
The Committee recommend that this action
be reaffirmed.
V. The As.sembl's action in regard to
Theatre-going and Card-playing, p. 45.
The Committee recommed that this action
be reaffirmed and entered at larg,e• on the
minutes of Synod, and the matter brought
to the attention of our churches at some suit
able time.
VI. The Assembly's action in regard to
Intemperance p. 53.
The Committee reccommend that this ac
tion be reaffirmed and that the " Testimony
of the Presbyterian Church in the United
States of America on the sin, the evils, and
remedy of Intemperance, Y2 as found in the
appendix to the Assembly's minutes be read
by the pastors and stated supplies to the
churches of Synod, at some convenient time
on the Sabbath, and be brought to the notice
of the Assembly's Publication Committee as
te suitable tract.
The report, after a full diseassion of
some of its items was adopted.
AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN
The committee appointed at the last
meeting to secure an increase in the cir
culation of the AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN,
and collect facts bearing on the subject,
presented a report containing an encour
aging account of progress during the
year, and naming several churches where,
through pastoral. and other effort, this
progress had been especially gratifying.
The report goes on to say :
Though much has been done, much still re
mains. Our churches, with some few excep
tions, still need to be educated to clearer
views of their relations to the denominational
weekly journal. The last General Assembly
in two distinct papers *ave its testimony for
the first time on this subject. This testimony
is remarkable for its comprehensive and em
phatic character, and your committee would
beg leave to present to the "notice of Synod
the following extracts : •
The Standing Committee on Publication,
speaking of the three religious papers of our
_church say : " These are our denominational
organs, and we should do more than has been
done to push them in advance of all others,
and even to the exclusion of some which have
stolen in where they do not belong. Out
spoken efforts to set ourselves right before
the people and keep the principles we have
fresh in the hearts of those who are with us,
but are many of them being insidiously per
verted, are absolutely necessary." -
Says• Judge Mansfield's report, specifically
upon the Religious Weekly Press : "It is
patent to every man that the newspaper has
a wider and deeper influence upon the mem
bers of our congregations than tracts, books
or quarterly reviews. ' It comes nearer than
any of them to the living preacher in the
time and'inanner of its ministrations. Hence,
if the press is to be recognized by the church
as an instrumentality for good, supplied to
her by the Providence of God, she ought to
take a deep interest in the most popular and
influential of its issues, the newspaper, and
try to use it so as to - promote the good of
men and the glory of God." The families of
our churches at present neglecting this duty
are exhorted to subscribe for at least one of
our papers, the committee declaring the in
fluence of such a paper as "second only to
that of the preached word in the moral and
spiritual culture of the Christian household."
Ministers are also reqnested to preach on the
subject, impressing upon church members the
duty of being loyal to the denomination in
this respect, and the duty of parents to pro
vide the right kind of papers for their chil
dren to read."
Did these views prevail, and were -these
duties felt to be obligatory, the Synod of
Pennsylvania, with nearly 15,000 members,
and a Presbyterian population of perhaps
100,000, could alone sustain a religious weekly
paer.
Your committee recommend the following
action.
1. That the recommendations of the Gen
eral Assembly on the denothinational press are
cordially accepted and reaffirmed.
2. That Synod will aim through its churches
to add at least 300 new names to the list of
the AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN during the
year, to be distributed among the Presby
teries as follows : Wilmington 35 ; Philadel
phia 3rd 90; Philadelphia 4th 135 ; Harris
burg 25 ; District of Columbia 30. Those
churches especially which dalittle or nothing
last year are requested to give early attention
to the matter.
3. That a committee be now appointed with
instructions to take suitable measures to carry
the wishes of the Synod into effect.
A committee of one from each Pres
bytery was appointed under the last re
solution, viz :—Rev. George H. Smyth,
of the District of Columbia; Rev. J. G.
Hamner, of .Wilmington ; Rev. B. B.
Hotchkin, of Philadelphia Third ; Rev.
A. Culver, of Philadelphia Fourth ; and
Rev. William Sterling, of Harrisburg
Presbytery.
THE FREEDMEN
Rev. Wolcott Calkins, Chairman of a
Special Committee on the subject, pre
sented a report. The Synod heard from
one of its members, J. M. Paul,..M.D., a
moving account of the distresses which
call for relief, obtained from much per
sonal observation on the ground. His
remarks secured profound attention. The
report is as follows:
The committee to whom was referred the
resolution in behalf of. Freedmen, recommend
the following paper
Synod feel a painful interest in the wants
of the Freedmen. They are suffering for
food, for clothing, for instruction, and for klia.
Gospel. We feel that we must take prom&
and decisive action to relieve these immedi:-.
ate necessities.
We have therefore recommended our
churches to send contributions for food and
clothing and common-school education,
through that agency which, in our judgment,
will distribute them most impartially, and
with the least expense among all the needy.
At the same tune we believe it to be the
Christian sense of the whole country, that the
distributors of charities and especially the
teachers sent to the Freedmen, ought to be
faithful Christians. The constitution of the
Commission we commends the character of its
President and members, and the decided ap
probation of the Christian soldier at the head of
the Freedmen's Bureau, warrant us in expect
tng that its whole influence will be cast on the
side of evangelical Christianity. We do not
desire the Commission to be sectarian. We
are glad to unite with all benevolent men in
feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and
instructing the ignorant. But we feel that
we have a right to demand that a society dis
tributing the charities of a great Christian
nation shall be a Christian society ; cherish
ing the deepest reverence for the inspired
word of God, and pointing the emancipated
to our Lord Jesus:Christ who alone canmake
them free.
But while the indirect influence of this
Commission will, as we hope, be decidedly
Evangelical, we feel that neither this, nor any
secular organization can do the spiritual work
of our Church. Therefore, while we minister
to the physical wants of the Freedmen through
this national organization, we must, at the
same time, sustain our own Home Missionary
Committee in the work they were orderedly
the General Assembly to undertake, viz:
Assembly Minutes p. 26. The Committee
have already begun this work and we invite
our ehurches to offer special contributions foi
this branch of their operations.
The Synod, therefore, earnestly recommend:
Ist. That until the next meeting of the Gen,.
eral Assembly, our churches contribute for
the relief of suffering, and for week-day
schools, to the American Freedmen's Aid
Commission ; and that wherever practicable
auxiliary aid societies be immediately formed
in our churches to co-operate with the Com
mission.
The Stated Clerk shall notify- the General
Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church,
that in consequence of the action of our Gren
eral Assembly on the subject, our special
commendation of the Freedmen's Bureau of
their body, is necessarily withdrawn ; at the
same time conveying to them the assurance of
our continued regard and sympathy with
them, in this and every good work.
The Synod hereby memorializes the Gen
eral Assembly to take such further action for
the religious cultureof the neglected whites
and freedmen of the South, and for the disi
semination among them of the principles and
polity of our denomination, as shall give
these objects the specific and prominent po
sition before the churches which their great
importance demand, and as shall fully de
velope the liberality of our people, whose
hearts are warm, and who seek some larger
channel in connection with our church for
their benefactions towards the neglected
white population, and the wonderfully eman
cipated African race. And the Stated Clerk
of Synod is instructed to forward this memo
rial to the General Assembly, in due form.
STATE OF THE COUNTRY
Rev. Mr. Aikman, chairman of a %e
-clat committee on the state of the coun
try, presented the , following series of
resolutions which, on a vote taken by
yeas and nays, were adopted by a vote
entirely unanimous, except that two
members declined to answer to their
names, saying however that the senti
ments of the resolutions secured their
hearty concurrence, but reasons of an
other nature forbade their taking part in
the vote.
Whereas, The Synod holds its annual ses
sion now t for the first time after the close of
a great civil war; and,
137tereas 2. It becomes a recipient of bless
ings given in answer to prayer to return hum
ble and grateful thanks to trod ; and,
Whereas, By Divine command, the Church
is to bear in her heart before God the rulers
of the land, and cannot therefore but have
the deepest interest in the purity and stability
of the Government ; and that, in a country
where the Church enjoys such freedom and
protection so beneficent from the Govern
ment, she is bound by every principle of
honor and of gratitude to God and to pledge,
as we have in time of its danger, and as we do
now, her loyalty, and to express her joy in
the hour of its success therefore,
Resolved, That we give humble thanks to
God most high, for the overthrow, so sudden
and so entire, of the great rebellion ; for the
virtual extinction of the system of human
slavery, the baleful growth of two centuries
of wrong; for the elevation of four millions
of men firom the degradation of absolute ser
vitude into freedom and citizenship; for the
entire establishment of the Government and
the vindication of its authority and honor;
for the spirit of peace over the whole land;
for the rich promise of returning harmony
and brotherhood, and of a new and purified
life to the nation.
Resolved, That we give thanks to God for
the inspiration of faith, courage, and con
stancy which has borne the nation through
four years of self-denial, suffering, and death,
and which has held it unfaltering on its way
to this day of light and triumph. To God be
all the glory.
Resolved, That the dangera and sorrows
through which the nation has passed, and
God's Providence, all declare that absolute
justice must be done to all men, and do point
unerringly to the duty of lifting as speedily as
possible, those whom God has made free, to
the rights of citizenship before the law.
Resolved, That to the soldiers of the "Union,
to whose valor and endurance under God'we
ewe the triumph and peace of to-day, we re
turn our grateful acknowledgement, and pray
that God would crown them with the richest
blessings of his grace.
Resolved, That to the great multitude of
the bereaved, whose loved ones havel fallen
bydisease and exposure, by the arms and in
the prisons of the enemy, we bring our sym
pathy, too deep for words ; and the memory
of their dead we will hallow, and hold them
in everlasting remembrance.
Resolved, That the Synod would record its
grateful thanks to the Great Head of the
Church that He has so largely preserved the
lives of our young men who went forth to do
battle for their country, and that He has re
turned them, in so many instances, with piety
only deepened b,y the experiences of camp
and field ; that He has blessed our churches
with revivals of religion and with such har
mony and general prosperity, that the close
of the war finds us with more evidences of
vigorous life than - ever before.
To these resolutions another was sub
sequently added, by unanimous vote, as
follows:
Resolved, That Synod expre'ses its hearty
approbation of the sentiment repeatedly ut
tered by our Chief 'Magistrate, that treason
is one of the highest crimes known among
men, and, as such, must be punished, and its
confidence, accompanied by its prayers to God,
that his future action will be in - accordance
with this sentiment