c amiri fan grob-gtaiait. THURSDAY, MAY 24, 1866 GENERAL ASSEMBLY. E93E/SSION OF 18643. FIRST DAY. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church met in the First Presbyterian Church of St. Louis, on Thursday, the 17th inst., at 11 o'clock, A. M., and was opened with pub lic religious worship, and a sermon by the last Moderator, Rev. James B. Shaw, D.D. The devotional services were performed by Prof. Hopkins, of the Auburn Seminary, and Rev. Dr. Curtis, of Knoxville. Sermon " 0 thou that hearwt prayer."—PaeLu lx.v. There are some philosophical objections to prayer, but the same objections are as good against work. That which would drive a man from his closet would drive him from his field. It were easy to show after the manner of some that the weakest thing 4 any man can do is to draw nigh unto God. "He is of one mind, and who can turn Him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth." A n d that is what your own book says. Turn Rini, and turn Him by any considerations which we may present—the man who approaches the Most High with any such expectations insults him to begin with. Now, I can take the same arguments by which the suppliant is convicted of folly, and Show that the weak est thing any man can do is to go into the field and put his hand to the plough. God has already determined whether the man shall have a harvest, and He is of one mind, and who can turn Him. Can ploughing and sowing and harrowing and all this careful toil avail if he has decreed that the earth this year shall bring forth no fruit ? An attempt to raise a harvest is only an affront to the infinite majesty, as if the Creator in anyway, eould be circumvented by the creature. But some will say, it is not to prayer in the abstract, but prayer s se represented in the Scriptures to which we °bidet' NOw'we can not deny that there are some strange things revealed in the Bible concerning Prayer, and things which ought, if possible, to be explain ed. It is strange that we should have to ask any thing of God. He knows our wants; He is abundantly able to supply them, and has represented himself as more willing to give than any . other father. Why, then, i the blessing withheld until we come and asl for it? But there is a stranger thing than this. In some cases we must keep coming, keep asking, press our request, become im portunate, stand at God's door as the sturdy beggar does at ours, determined not to be sent empty away. And even this will not always suffice. We must wrestle with the Lord, take hold of him, not let him go, de tain him until the day break, constrain him to give the blessing which we seek. Now we would remind any of God's dear children who have been troubled about these things, that our Heavenly Father has other gracious ends to secure by prayer, besides supplying Our wants. He who has done a great work for us, has also a great work to do in us, and this work is wrought chiefly through prayer; through communion with the father of our spirits, and his son Jesus Christ. This is the reason why we must ask, and keep asking, and sometimes wrestle before the blessing comes. There is something beside the bless ing, something behind the blessing, and in God's estimation far more important. Will He give only what we ask? Are our desires the measure of His mercies? Do we go to Him as the poor man in Judea goes to the oven, and get just as many coals as our pot sherd, our broken bit of earthenware will hold? One of old testified, saying, "He is able to do, exceeding, abundantly, above all that we can ask or think." And this state ment is verified by the experience of every man who 'bows his knees to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. But I have not come hither this morning to remove the objections which have been urged against this Christian duty. No one in this house doubts the efficacy of prayer. Many here would cease to breathe sooner that cease to pray. This is a congregation of suppliants— a company of intercessors—men and women who can tell what great things the Lord hath done for them in answer to their imperfect pe titions. As such believers I address you at the present time, and I am quite confident that I need not solicit your attention while I dwell for few moments on the thoughts sug gested by the text. It is a subject in which every one of us has a heart interest: "Oh thou that hearest prayer." GOD DOES HEAR PRAYER. This is the first thing to show. Now prayer is much oftener answered than many disciples of the Lord Jesus are willing to believe. There is some times a lurking suspicion in the• heart of the believer that after all God is not so ready to hear—not so willing to give. Have you never felt, in some dark day when you went to the mercy seat, again and again, that it is really harder to get anything from God than from a kind and generous-hearted fellow creature ? We hear much about the condition of prayer —it must be this, and it must be that, and it must be the other thing, or it cannot pre vail—and I am afraid we may have heard too much about the conditions of prayer. There seems to be an impression that, while we have a throne of grace, the Most High has put a tight fence round it, as he did around the Mount where he descended of old. Now, the fitct is, that no place on earth is so acces sible as the mercy seat, and no being so ap proachable as He who sits thereon. Any one can come, at any hour of the day or night, and never find the door closed or the One whom he seeks away. How can I doubt that God is willing to give, when there are so many things for which he does not wait to be asked. "He prevents us with the blessings of His goodness." He is beforehand with US. How can I doubt that God is willing to give when he leaves so many blessings at the doors which have never yet been opened to him—He the only one suffered to stand and knock? How can I doubt that God ling to give, when he paid such a price for some of the blessings which he bestows? Remember Bethlehem, remember Gethse mane, remember Calvary, and never again doubt that he is willing to give. God, then, does hear his children when they call. "He does regard the prayer of the destitute." The unanswered prayer is the exception. When Otho opened the tOmb of Charlemagne, he found the once mighty monarch seated on a throne, arrayed in a royal robe, a sceptre in his hand, and none to break the silence or share the solitude. But no dead King sits on the throne which you and I daily approach; and if this King on the mercy seat does not speak it is because we could not bear the sound ; if He does not shine forth in His glory it is because we could not bear the sight. No dead King sits on that throne. lu the dark ages, when the Pope took umbrage at the treatment of any monarch, tie laid his kingdom under what was called au lutaclict. At midnight, each priest holding a torch in his right hand, thannted the miserere, and when the dirge' was ended the torches were thrown down and extinguished, and the kingdom left in dark netts—and darkness it was. No church might opened while the interdict lasted ; no hi might be baptized;` no grave might be holy ground; no religious rite might be performed. The consecrated bread was taken from the altar; the cress on which the Saviour hung was covered with crape. The bells hung silent in the towers. The women and children stood aghast as : if heaven itself had been shut and they left out. But even then one throne might be ap proached ; the throne of the heavenly grace. Even then one ear was open, and that ear in which you and I have so often poured our complaints. No dead King sitteth on the throne which we daily approach. God does hear prayer. BUT WHILE GOD DOES HEAR PRAYER, YET HE OFTENTIMES ANSWERS HIS CHILDREN IN AN UNEXPECTED WAY.—This is the next thing to show. When we pray, if I may be i allowed to say t, we necessarily leave much to the divine discretion of our Heavenly Father. Such is our blindness that we do not know what may be a good thing for us, much less do we know in what way the blessing should come. The manner in which the mercy is bestowed, sometimes , is far more important than the mercy itself. And yet this must be left with Him, who knows us so much better than we know ourselves. My brother, you have often asked God to subdue your pride, to lay it dead at your feet. You know how he hates it, how hard it is for him to bear with it, and especially to have any thing so odious in the heart of his child, and you have often besought him with tears to cast it out. Did you ever dare to tell him how it should be done ? No doubt, if you ventured a suggestion, you would have him deal tenderly with it ; cast it out in a gentle way ; not resort to any severe:methods. See that lad rolling on the ground, foaming at the mouth, biting his tongue until the blood starts. What a pitiable sight. But it is over now. It has been too much for the poor boy. Ikhe not dead? There is no sign of life which any one can discover, but the Son of God. Ah I certainly that is not your way of casting out a devil. But it is the Lord's way. Oftentimes nothing short of this will suffice. Brother, before the pride which pos sessee your heart and mine' has been cast out, we, may, have to go through as much as that lunatic child did. This may be one of the eases where mild methods will only make things worse. A. devil is a,devil, and pride , is something more; the leader of the gang, the chief of the banditti.'' Have you` not heard that this is the wretch who awes, in heaven, to strike at God? And can you bind this Sampson with a tow string, or a green withe, or his own gory locks twisted into a cord? I have seen more than one man try to tame pride, teach it to speak softly, and walk humbly, and put on sack-clothand take the lowest seat. I have known more than one man to bring pride into the sanctuary ; to the table of the Lord, and try to make it a good church member. I have looked on as pride stood up in the broad aisle to enter into covenant with God and his people, and I heard it say, You thoUght that 1 was lifted up, that I carried a high head, and moved with a lofty step—that I felkabove coming into the church and ident4kg myself with the followers of the despised 'Nazarene. Now confess, that for once, you were mistaken. See how meek I am; I would wash the feet of Judas if he were here. Yes, and wear the towel with which you did it, as a badge, all the remainder of your days, and have printed on it in large letters, This is the towel with which I, Pride, washed the feet of the trai tor: Beloved in the Lord, we cannot tame pride. Pride can never forget that it was once in heaven, and there dared to confront the Almighty on his throne. Pride must have the breath beaten out of it, and it will take perhaps many a hard fall to do it. But this must be left to our Heavenly Father. And how much beside this must we commit to his Divine discretion ? Who would pre sume to tell him how the blessing which he seeks shall be brought to his door? A crea ture of yesterday who knows nothing. A worm of the dust, on his way from the cradle to the tomb, stopping before the throne to tell his Maker what is the wisest thing for him to do. It makes us shudder to think of it. " Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding ?" BUT I PASS TO SAY, IN iii THIRD PLACE, THAT SOMETIMES THE ANSWER COMES IN AN UNWELCOME WAY. NOW God's people for the most part, look for answers to prayer, only in the line of their mercies. There are many here who can bear witness to this ; many here ready to charge themselves with this mistake. 1 never thought that a trial, a sore affliction, the blow which broke my heart, could be an answer to prayer; and, be cause so severe and so hard for a Father to inflict, the strongest possible proof that the One whom I approach does hear, that the One to whom I have committed all is faithful, is mindful of the covenant and will send what I need, no matter how much 'it may cost Him. When the prophet stood before the king with that dread alternative, seven months of famine, or three years of war, or three days of pestilence, did the king suspect that the messenger might have come in answer to his prayer? If the offer had been three great mercies : seven months of plenty, three years of peace, or three days and not a death in the land, the son of Jesse might have said : Now know I that it is not a vain thing to draw nigh unto God. "I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined his ear unto me and heard my cry." And here the prophet comes with the answer. One whom the Lord loveth is sick ; you are standing by his side, and what does he say? My dear pastor, I needed this. I deserved it: I have felt for a long time that something of this kind was necessary. There he stops. Let us begin where he leavels..off. Brother, this sickness has come in answer to your prayer. You would never have been here had you not besought the Lord so earnestly that you might not fill away from him. Can you not recall the hour when you entered your closet and fell on your face, and with tears that almost drowned your words, be sought the Lord to keep you—keep you if he must build a wall of fire round about you ? He thought that you were in earnest; that you meant what you said; He took you at your own word, and therefore you are here. How faithful He is. With what care He watches over you. Alas, that is something of which we seldom think. In numbering our answers to prayer, we begin and end with our mercies. ' Jacob, at Bethel, besoughkthe Lord that He would be his God, and tlif , areswer came, you say in his prosperity, in his wealth, in great triumph at Peniel, when he won the name of Israel; and I contend that the an swer came also in the many afflictions which were sent to his door in the anger of Esau, in the perfidy of Laban, in the loss of Joseph, in the famine which brought him into such straits, in the parting with Benjamin, whom he never expected to see again. David knelt before the Lord, and said, "Create in me a clean heart, 0 God, and renew a right spirit within me." And..the answer came in the ruin of Tamar, in the death of Ammon, in the treason of Absalom, -in that rebellion which drove him a fugitive from his throne. I see the aged King going-Up the aides of Olivet, barefooted, weepingig he goes. I see troubles gathering thick and fast, like thunderclouds around his heid, and it is all in answer to prayer. .Peter, !Aveiro doubt, as every good man does,had often asked the Lord to show Iririletieirdence ; make him feel that he was nothing; and the answer THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, MAY 24, 1866. came in that desertion—that denial—that i m ch bl t e h d e t s e to hneesaro,f and pavement m swearing t an n d re c e u t rs h i a n v g e , that look of wounded love which broke his heart. When St. Paul returned from Para dise, be came back praying—have you any doubt that he did ?—Lord, let me not be ex alted above measure • let me not be lifted up by those glorious things, which I have seen and heard—let me toil as earnestly, and suffer as patiently—do my work as cheerfully and as well, as if I had never been to Heaven. The Lord heard his cry, and the answer came, in that thorn in the flesh, so sharp, so ragged, so embedded in the muscles, as not to be extracted by any human skill. " Jkir this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me;" and that, 0 man of God, was thrice too often. Has it not come in answer to your prayer? Did you not beseech the fiord that you might not be exalted above measure, through the abundance of the revelation? And this un comfortable and humiliating thing is the witness that God has heard thee and will not suffer that heavenly vision to prove thy ruin. Would the Lord to whom thou art so dear. who loved thee so that He could not wait for thee to die, before He took thee to heaven, would He have sent this thorn if any thing but this could have keptthee down? And so I have thought when Paul and Silas was cast into prison, where they were treated with every possible indignity and cruelty; where they were scourged, their bleeding backs washed in brine, their feet made fast in the stocks, and they were so happy that they could not sleep, could not do anything but sing—l have thought that perhaps all this again was in answer to prayer. It may be that the apostle had besought the Lord to give him one more soul in Philippi; and all that befell him that night. And the jailer, with his drawn sword and lighted candle, and face whiter than the wall,. trembling before the men fast in the stocks, is in answer to the prayer. Oh ! that earthquake not only shook the prison—it wrenched the door from the jailor's heart. Beloved in the Lord, let us be wiser for the days coming, and no longer look for. answer to prayer only in the line of our mercies. It is a great mistake, and one which has robbed your souls of many a com fort, and in the dark day when you needed it so much. But I haste to say once more'that Many a prayer, if answered at all, must-be answered by an afflictive dispensation—by a terrible thing, as the Psalmist calls it. We are some times to choose between the terrible thing and an unanswered prayer. Blessed be God, He does not leave us to make the choice. He chooses for His people, and sends the sore affliction_the terrible thin; sends it—yes— because He knows thate can sustain us under it; because He knows that he can carry us through, and make this trial, from which we so shrink, do more for us than any bless ing His bountiful hand ever bestowed. This is the thing we overlook when we sit in judg ment, and we do sit in judgment on our Maker. Many a man has said, " I would not do as God does. If this were my world do you think that I would suffer it to he filled with mourning and lamentation and woe? If man were my creature, would I suffer him to shed so. many tears, endure so much pain, passing from one disaster to another? And when he had been worn out by misfortune, would I wrap him in a shroud and lay him under the clods, as if I were glad to have him off my hands?" Thomas Guthrie once found a woman in the deepest poverty ; he be sought her, as she seemed near her end, to think of her soul. Her reply was, "I am cold and hungry." He sent for bread, and while the messenger was gone besought her again to think of her soul, and her reply still was, "If you were as cold and hungry as I am you could think of nothing else. ' Now you say if that woman were my child, if my hand had made her, I would not suffer her to be cold and hungry. Now bear with me while I say, if that woman were your child and you were as great as God, had His 'resources, could see as He sees, and do as Ile does, and your heart, like His, were set on some blessed result which could be brought about in no other way, you would suffer her to be cold and hungry. You would suffer your child to .be thrown into the den of wild beasts, if you, like God, could stop the mouths of the lions. You would suffer your child to be cast into the fiery furnace, if you, like God, could quench the violence of the fire ; if you, like trod, could make it sure that , the flames ould burn nothing but the bonds of your child, and consume nothing but the dross; if you were as confident as 6' od is, that your child would come forth from that furnace everything that your loving heart could de sire. When shall you and I learn that God's ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts as our thoughts, and that it may be lawful for Him to do what it would be mad ness, and more, for a worm of the dust to attempt? And when shall we learn that these terrible things are answers to prayer,. and sent in love as our mercies are f and furnish the highest possible proof that- He who sitteth on the throne doth hear? Why are we so sure that God heard Elijah? Because in answer to his prayer he did that which it must have been so hard for him to do. "Elijah was a man subject to like pas sions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it rained not on' the earth for the space of three years and six °months." There is the wonderful thing, that the Most High, in answer to any one's prayer would have sent such a thing as a drought— such a thing as famine ; that He, so full of tenderness and love, tbr three years and six months would have withheld the rain and the dew because the Prophet asked him to do it. Who doubts now that he hear; prayer? 01 it is not that God in answer to the cries of the Prophet would open the windows of Reaven but that he would but them and keep them shut. And here again is some thing which we would not do. We would not send a drought or a famine. Yes, we would, if we could gain as much from these terrible things as the Lord God of Elijah did: The text suggests one thought more.• Prayer is the same thing now that it was in the earlier days of the Christian Church. Many doubt it. Many take issue with me here. The age of miracles is past. Have you forgotten it? Those were wonderful times when the blind saw, the deaf heard, the lame leaped, the dumb spake, the dead came forth from the grave, as one leaves his bed is the morning. There was some en couragement to pray then. Beloved in the Lord, there is just as much encouragement to pray now. God now can give anything which you and I may lawfully ask, and do it with out a miracle, without setting aside the laws which he has ordained, without a direct in terposition of his almighty power. So any thing, we say, which the Christian may law fully ask ; this is the only limitation. It would not be lawful, for instance, to kneel down by the side of that dead child and ask the Lord to restore him to life. There is no reason to believe that any one offered such a prayer in the days gone, unless moved to do it by some special Divine impulse. Did David ask the Lord to quicken aga'M that little child in whom his heart was sct. much bound up ? He fasted and wept„and besought God for the child, while it was alive, but his last prayer went up with the last breath of the one so dear. And when that heavier blow came, when Absalom was laid in the neglected grave,'Where the sinner sleeps, did David ask God to bring him. forth? He did not venture to offer such a prayer, any more than you or I would dare to do it. Every- thing, however, which his child may lawfully ask, God can give, and give without any direct interposition of his almighty power. How often it is said, such a thing cannot be brought about without a miracle. Now, that is the ground that the unbelieving lord took —the man who paid so dear for his unbelief. The prophet predicted that before another day had gone food would be plenty in fam ine-stricken Samaria. "Then a lord, on whose hand the king leaned, answered the man of God and said: Behold, if the Lord should make windows in heaven, might this thing be," But the prediction was fulfilled, as this scoffing man learned to his cost, and no window made in heaven. The prediction was accomplished, through natural causes, by that same kind Providence which gives every one here his daily bread. Now, this was left on record that no one from that hour forth might distrust the power of Him who sitteth on the throne—that no one might ap proach Him with a hesitating step, and ask, in faltering accents, if he did not know whe ther the All-bountiful One could do it or not. 0, child of God ; is it not time that there were a stop put to this thing—an end to this shameful unbelief? Shall we limit the Holy One or Israel? Shall we set bounds to infi nite love? Shall we hold down the hand which feeds us and clothes us, and gives us every good thing? How many of God's dear people dare not open their mouths wide; dare not stretch out both their handsj; dare not borrow all the vessels in their neigh bors' houses; dare not ask great things, be cause they are not sure whether the Lord can bring it to pass without a miracle. We return to those words already quoted : "Eli jah 'was a man, subject to like passions as we are; and .he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it rained not on the earth for the space of three years and six months. And. lie prayed again, and the heavens gave ;rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit." And it was such a rain as had not fallen since the flood. Ahab had to hasten down to his palace, drive as Jehu did, or he would have been intercepted by the swollen stream. Every window in heaven must be opened. How it pours. God goes on as if he repent ed of having withheld the blessing so long. But, what have we here? An Israelite coming out from the houses with a pitcher, or a bowl, or a cup, to catch the shower, as if that cup would hold all that God can afford to give. A rain that was to replenish the'tanks,lll the pools, make the fountains flow, set the silent streams to surging again —and this Israelite coming, with his cup to catch it. Now, so it is with us. We go to God, the God WI o keeps the sea full and never lets the rivers run dry, in the same spirit, when the times of refreshing come, "when there are signs of abundance of rain." When the whole heavens are covered with clouds, and " the skies pour down righteous ness," we reach out our little vessel, as if that would hold all that God can afford to give. Beloved in the Lord, had we not better settle the question whether God is the living and true God; whether He is any stronger, or richer, or more bountiful than those who are marching with us to the grave; whether He did stretch out the heavens whether He did make all these worlds and hang them upon nothing; whether He did speak, only speak, and it was done ; whether He did command, only command, and it stood fast; whether He is the One who said, Let there be light, and there was light; the Lord God of Noah, who sent the flood ; the Lord God of Elijah, who answered by fire; the Lord God of Peter, who bowed the heavens and came down? Beloved in the Lord, we, as a Church, in our own case, have an interesting illustration of the fact, that. God does hear prayer. During the last Assembly, and especially dur ing the morning hour set apart for devotional services, the burden of every prayer was for the outpouring of the spirit. We felt our need of a baptism of the Holy Ghost, and besought the Lord not to withhold it. So it began and so it ended. And when we parted at Brooklyn, it was with the expectation that God, during the year, would do great things for us. Nor have we been disappointed. " They shall not be ashamed that wait for me." "In the wilderness did waters break out and streams in the desert; the parched ground became a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water," and throughout all our borders there was scarcely an arid spot or a dry fleece. "This is the Lord's doing, it is marvellous in our eyes." And surely it is worthy of record, that no Church in our land has received such a blessing as that in which the Assembly met, and that no brother has been so highly favored as the beloved pastor of the Lafayette Avenue Church of Brooklyn, whose Christian kindness and courtesy some of us will never forget, so long as we can re member the One who put it into his heart. "Holybrethren, partakers of the heavenly calling," we have met at an auspicious time for.our beloved. Zion. This Church, dearer to - us than " the ruddy drops which warm our hearts," has seen dark days, has encoun tered hard storms, sometimes has had to shorten sail, more than once has been caught in the place where two seas meet. There was'a time when it was thought that she must go down, and some took to the boats and left her,.as they predicted, to her fate. But there is One who never left her, who never 'thought of leaving her, and because He is in the ship she still floats ; never so staunch ; never so well equipped ; never so thoroughly manned ; never so richly freight ed ; never such harmony among the crew ; never making such progress ; never so near the harbor and sure to make it.; moving majestically on, guided by Him, who guided the ark ; and all this in answer to prayer. But for the supplications of God's praying people, this good ship might have foundered or might have been so crippled, that all the pumps could scarcely keep her afloat. Let us, then, encouraged by our own experience of divine faithfulness, continue to call on God; let us keep the censers smoking through the year, remembering that which Satan, above all other things, would have us forget that the hands which do no work can never prevail with God. Importunate prayer, ear nest work, and that faith which takes the obstacles thrown in her way and makes them the steps by which she reaches the top of the pyramid, are the three things essential to success. Pray, work, toil, and God will make `oar walls salvation and our ,gates praise," and we, as a church, shall bear our part, in bringing about the blessed day, "when the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be seven fold, as the light of sevendays." We have heard that the Lord is in this place; that he is pouring on his people here a spirit of grace and supplications ; that some have conic to the Saviour; that others are on the way ; and would it not be a shame to us and a reproach to Zion—might it not even compromise the glory of the Master, if we, while here, should hinder the work--if we should come and go and leave no blessing? May this be known as the PRAYING. Assembly ; may the good people of St. Louis hold this meeting in grateful remembrance because by us so many were led to Christ. And when we part may each one go away with a lighted brand, pfepared to kindle - anew the flame on that altar where he is appointed to minister. After public worship, Dr. Shaw constituted the Assembly with prayer, when adjournment until afternoon was agreed upon. • AFTERNOON SESSION The Committee on Commissions. reported that there were p resen t skint one hundred ministers and upwards of ninety elders. The next business in order was the election of a Moderator, and the candidates put in nomi nation and voted for were Dr. Z. M. Hum phreys, of Chicago, 111., Dr. Samuel M. Hop kins, üburn, N. Y., and Dr. Edwin F. Hatfield, N. Y. The first ballot resulted: in the following vote : Dr. Humphreys, 49 ; Dr. Hopkins, io'; Dr. Hatfield, 65. After some discussion as to whether it re quired a majority of all the votes cast to elect or simply a majority, a second ballot was ordered by the Assembly, and the vote stood: Dr. Hopkins, 95; Dr. Hatfield, 50, and Dr. Humphreys, 34. Dr. Hopkins was declared duly elected and was welcomed to the Moderator's chair by the retiring Moderator in a few chaste and elegant remarks, to which Dr. Hopkins re plied as follows: " I am so entirely unprepared for the result of the election that I hardly know what to say in answer to the honor which you have con ferred upon me. It would have been very gratifying to me if yd . ur choice had fallen on either of the other candidates. In conduct ing the deliberations of this body I shall ask your indulgence, Christian brethren, and your aid, and will do all in my power to assist you in conducting the proceedings of the Assem bly to a just, proper, speedy and satisfactory conclusion." Rev. John W. Bailey, of the Presbytery of Bloomington, and Rev. Stephen Bush, of the Presbytery of Albany, were chosen tem porary Clerks. Rules regulating the proceedings of the As sembly were then adopted, after which the usual number of copies of the roll were or dered to ,be printed. Receiving Presbyterial reports, records, papers, &c., was made the special order for Friday at 10 o'clock. The annual report of the Treasurer was re ceived, read and referred to the Auditing Co mittee. It was ordered that the report of the Trus tees of the Church Erection Fund be the first in order of receiving reports from the Perma nent Committees, on Friday, and that the re port of the Standing Committee on the re port of the Trustees be the first in order on the 4th day of the Session, in the course of receiving the reports of the Standing Com mittees. It was also ordered, that it be a standing rule of this Assembly, that a standing committee be appointed to whom shall be referred the whole subject of Sabbath-schools, and to whom the Permanent Committee, when there is one, shall report, and that the nomination of a Permanent Committee be referred to this committee. . . The Assembly , then adjourned until Friday morning. , Evzrarre SisslON. According to the custom of the last five years, meetings for prayer, with reference-to, the state of the country, were held in the churches of Dr. Nelson and Mr. Starr. In the former, the pastor presided, and after be stowing upon the Assembly a cordial welcome, and expressing his great desire that its visit might be instrumental of a spiritual effusion, referred with satisfaction to the presence, at the present time, of so patriotic a body in the State of Missouri. Rev. Dr. Clarke, of Buffalo, said that the whole history of our government indicated, on the part of Christ, a purpose to set up His great kingdom on this soil. The char acter and results of the late civil war were the latest and most signal illustration we have had of this. Never in the history of the world, had there been a war in which the car nal strife had been so much eclipsed by the spiritual element in the conflict. Let the Church understand this purpose of God, and shape her course accordingly. Rev. Mr. Bradford, of Northwestern Penn sylvania, gave an interesting account of the work of the Spirit of God in his region. Hon. John A. Foot of Cleveland, (brother of the late Admiral hoot,) spoke of his joy in seeing the sittings of this Assembly graced by the flags over and around the Moderator's chair—the stars and stripes, and not the stars and bars—here in Missouri. It was one of the glorious fruits of our Home Missions and our Bible distribution. The fight had been between the Bible and slavery, and the Bible had conquered. He hoped the men of both the Assemblies now sitting in this city, would pray here for the Union, and then go home and vlre for the Union. In illustration of the moral power of the vote, lie spoke of a gentle man and his wife, Union people, dwelling in the heart of Missouri, who were obliged to go armed because of peril of life from their rebel neighbors, but who, after the tidings of the overwhelming defeat of V allandigham in the distant State of Ohio, were no more mo lested, and lived in security. Prayers were offered by Rev. Mr. Hotch kin, and Rev. Drs. Taylor and Hogarth. SECOND DAY. FRIDAY, May 18, 1866. The Assembly met at 8} o'clock, A.M., when the time was occupied until 10 o'clock in devotional exercises. The minutes of last session were "approved. ROLL OF THE ASSEMBLY. oTricras Rev. Samuel M. Hopkins, D.D., Moderator. Rev. Edwin F. Hatfield, D.D., Stated Clerk. Rev. J. Glentworth Butler , D.D. ; Permanent Clerk. John W. Bailey, } Temporary Clerks. Stephen Bush, Mr. William A. Booth, Treasurer. COMMISSIONERS I. SYNOD OF ALBANY 1. Presbytery of Champlain—MiniSter, H E. Everest. 2. Troy—Ministers, N. S. S. Beman, D.D., Jonathan H. Noble. Elder, Silas K. Stowe. 3. Albany—Minister Stephen Bush. Elder, Edward A. Durant. 4. Columbia—Minister Charles T. Berry 5. Catskill—Miniater, William Hart. IL SYNOD OP 'UTICA. 1. Champlain —MiMster, Moses Thaeher Elder, Wm. Wheeler. 2. St. Lawrence—Minister, S. W. Pratt. El der, W. A. Eldridge. 3. Watertown—Minister, J. T. Porter. El der, Samuel Bond. 4. Utica—Ministers, W. E. Knox, D.D., James B. Fisher. Elder, G. M. Giffert. 111. SYNOD Or ONONDAGA. 1. Onondaga—Minister, J. F. Kendall. El der, I'. R. Porter. 2. Cayuga—Ministers, S. M. Hopkins, D.D., Henry Fowler. Elders, W. J. Cornwell, A. W. Allen. 8. Cortland—Minister, G. M. Smith. Elder, J. R. Dixon. 4. Tioga—Minister, Samuel F. Baeon. IV. SYNOD ON GENEVA. 1. G eneva — Ministers, Ezra Jones, John C. Moses. 2. S tenben—Minister, W. A.. Niles. 8. Ch eumng — Minister, Isaac Clark. Elder, J. M. Reeder. 4. Ithaea—Elder, Nelson Noble. 5. W ellsborongh—Minister, George Spauld ing. C. 8. Lyo ! . ns—Minister, Wm. L. Page. Elder, Cron P. SYNOD OP 81:3QUEILIENA. 1. Otsego —Minister, George 0. Phelps. Eld4r, Robert Russell. 2. Chenango--Ifinister ) John L. Jones. Rl der, William Newton. 8. Delaware-Minister,LeonardE Richards. Elder, Elijah Churchill. TI. SYNOD or GENESEL 1. Buffalo--Ministers, Walter Clarke, D.D. Richard M. Sandford. Elders, Stephen M. Clement, Joseph H. Plumb. 2. Ontario—Minister, Levi G. Marsh. 3. Rechester—Ministers, James B. Shaw, D.D.i Charles P. Bush. Elder, Simon Har wood. 4. Genesee—Minister, Allen Traver. Elder Phineas Stanton. 5. Niagara—Minister, Lucius I. Root. El der, Myron P. Hopkins. 6. Genesee Valley—Minister, Isaac G. Og den. 'Elder, Alfred Lockhart. VII. SYNOD OF NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY. 1. Hudson—Minister, Robert R. Kellogg. Elder, William S. Webb. 2. North River—Minister, 0. H. Perry Deyo. Elder, Edward Wells. 3. Long Island—Minister, Thomas Harris. Elder, Stuart T. Terry. 4. New York, 3d—Ministers, Alfred E. Camp bell, D.D.; Edward F. Hatfield, D.D.; Sam'l D. Barehard, D.D. Elders, William A. Booth, William A. Christie, Alexander Milne. 5. New York, 4th—Ministers, Henryß. Smith, D.D.; George W. Wood, D.D. Elder, Albert N. Brown. 6. Brooklyn Minister, William S. Karr. Elder, Hon. Edward A. Lambert. 7. Newark —Ministers,' Charles E. Knox, Nelson Millard, Joel Parker, D.D. Elders, James Reeve Sayre, John C. Hines, A. H. Holden. 8. Rockaway—Minister, Lewis Thompson Elder, Hon. John Hill. - 9. Montrose—Ministers, Oliver Crane, Ho ratio Pattengill. Elder, Saninel N. Thacher. VIII. SYNOD OF PENNSYLVANIA 1. Wilmington—Minister, George F.Wiswell. Elder, Samuel Barr. 2. Philadelphia, 3d—Ministers 'Beriah B. Hotchkin, William E. Moore. Elders, Hon. Wil'r Worthington, Hon. Joseph Allison. 3. Philadelphia, 4th—Ministers, Thomas J, Shepherd, D.D.i James Boggs. Elder, J. Marshall Paul, M.D. 4. Harrisburgh—Minister, Thomas N. Rola. inson. Elder, Lewis G. Holing. 5. District of Columbia—Minister, John N. Coombs. Elder, Ociavins Knight. LX. SYNOD OF WEST FENNSTLYANLL 1. Erie—Minister, Thomas T. Bradford. El der, Jonathan A.• Marsh, M.D. 2. Meadville—Minister, Whiting C. Birch ard. Elder David Compton. 3. Pittsburgh—Minister, Peter S. Davies. Elder, Hon. Henry W. Williams. X. SYNOD OF MICHIGAN 1. Detroit—Minister, William Hogarth, D.D. Elder, Alanson Sheley.. 2. Monroe—Minister, Charles N. Mattoon, D.D. Elder, Brackley Shaw. 3. Marshall—Minister, Livingston Willard. Elder, Philo Merrill. 4. Washtenaw—Minister, George P. Tindall. Elder, William H. Gregory. 5. Kalamazoo— Minister, Milton Bradley. Elder, Luther IL Trask. 6. Coldwater—Minister, Joseph A. Raenny. 7. Saginaw—Minister, Donald B. Campbell. 8. Grand River Valley—Minister, George Ransom. Elder, Jonathan Hoyt. 9. Lake Superior—Minister, Frederick H. Adams. Elder, Joseph Iv o. Edwards. XI. SYNOD OF WESTIRN RESUME 1 Grand River. 2. Huron Minister, Ebenezer Bushnell. Elder, Thomas Stillwell, M.D. 3. Trumbull—Minister, Levi B. Wilson. El der, Martin Allen. 4. Cleveland and Portage—Ministers, Wil• Ham C. Turner, John Monteith, Jr Elders, Truman P. Handy, Hon. John Foot. 5. Elyria—Minister, James E. Vance. Elder, Isaac S. Metcalf 6. Maumee—Elder, Mayor Brigham xti. SYNOD OF OHIO. 1. Athens—Minister, Charles C. Hart. El der, Luther Edgerton. 2 Pataskala—Minister, Ebenezer Bucking ham. 3. Franklin—Minister, Henry Calhoun. FM der, Asa D. Lord, M.D. 4. Sciota—Minister, James R. Gibson. El der, David C. Anderson. VIII• SYNOD OF CINCINNATI 1. Cincinnati— Ministers, 'Joseph Chester, John L. French. Elders, Franklin V. Cham berlain, Andrew Flesher. 2. Dayton—Minister, Joseph B. Little. El der, Solon Massey. 3. Hamilton—Minister, J. P. Elder, Benj. A. Hunt. 4. Ripley—Minister, Henry V. Warren. El der, Theodore W. Colins. XIV- SYNOD OF INDIANA 1. Salem—Minister, Thomas A. Steele. El der, Silas Moore. 2 Madison—Minister, Amzi W. Freeman. Elder Edwin G. Whitney. ;. Indianapolis—Minister, Philip S. Cleland. Elder, Thomas Hamilton. 4. Greencastle—Minister, Thomas S. Milli gan. Elder, John Ott. "Y. SYNOD OF WABASH 1. Crawfordsville—Minister, Edward C.John stou. Elder, Edmund G. Wilson. 2. St. Joseph—Minister, George C. Noyes. 3. Logansport—Minister, Martin M. Post, D.D. Elder, Lewis Martin. _ 4. Fort Wayne—Minister, George G. Little Elder, Geo. W. Rhodes. XVI. SYNOD OF ILLINOIS 1. Illinois—Minister, William L. Tarbet. El der, Joshua Moore. 2. Schuyler—Minister, Alexander Duncan. Elder, James R. Curry. 3. Wabash—Minister, Samuel Ward. Elder, David Ewing. 4. Alton—Ministers, Cornelius H. Taylor, D.D.; John Gibson. Elders, Wm. Storer, sainueljWade. XVII. SYNOD OP PEORIA 1. Ottaway—Minister, Levi r. Crawford Elder, J. R. McLain. 2 Knox—Minister, Wm. S. Curtis, D.D. Elder, Ira I. Fenn. a. Galena and Belvidere—Ministers, AraVus Kent, John W. Cunningham. Elders. H. New hall, D.D.; Manley Rogers. 4. Chicago—Ministers, Zeph. M. Humphrey, D.D.; J, Lyman Morton. Elders, Stillman B. Bingham, Edwin S. Wells. 5 Bloomington—Minister, John W. Bailey. Elder, °mine' Rugg. XVIII. SYNC]) OF WISCONSIN. 1. Milwaukee—Minister, Peter S. Van Nest. Elder, Samel C. West. 2. Fox River—Minister, James W. Stark. a. Columbus—Minister, Edmund S. Miner. Elder, Ephraim G. Stitt. XIX. SYNOD OF lOWA 1. Des Moines—Minister, Alex. M. Heiser. 2. Keokuk—Minister, Gamaliel C. Beaman. Elder, Solomon Beckley. 3. lowa City—Minister, George D. E. Heb ard. Elder, Beaumont S. Holmes. 4. Dubuque—Minister, Albert True. Elder, Proctor C. Samson. 6. Cedar Rapids— Minister, Hannibal L. Stanley. xi. SYNOD OF MINNESOTA 1. Dakotah—Minister, John P. Williamson 2. Minnesota—Elder, Daniel W. Ingersoll. XXI• SYNOD OF MISSOURI 1- St. Louis—Minister, J. Addison Whitaker Elder, Russell Sc,arritt. 2. Lexington—Minister, Benjamin B. Par sons, D D Elder, John Y. Carson. 3. North Missouri—Minister, Thomas IL Tatlow. Elder, Homer B. Winchell. XXII. SYNOD OF TENNESSES. 1. Union—Minister, James A Griffes. 2- Kingston—Minister, Thomas Brown. S. Minister, Calvin Waterbury Elder, John Lynn. COBRESPO.NDLNG BOMBS. General Convention of Vermont. Rev. Dm jamin F. Ray. E. Kumler
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers