GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
fff3..Eaf3t 4 VON OF 18430.
EIGHTH GAT
FRIDAY MORNING, May 25
[We now give those parts of Friday's pro
ceedings, which we were compelled to defer
for want of room.]
The Assembly met at 9 o'clock A. M., pur
suant to adjournment.
The first hour was spent in devotional ex
ercises, after which Rev. William S. Curds,
D.D., Chairman of the Standing Committee
on Education, read the. following.report :
REPORT OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON
EDUCATION -
The Standing Committee on Education for
the Gospel Ministry report that they have
given their attention to the annual report of
the Permanent Committee on Education,
which was placed in their hands.
Thee find gratifying evidence of enlarge
ment in both directions—that of means and
Mit of candidates for the ministry. The
amount of funds is about the same as last
year. The increase in young men is 35 per
cent. Thmigh the a mount paid to , each '
m oun g
emaa i a s
sc o o ns d ide A bby
in t h dvance of for-,
last Genera)
Assembly, the Permanent Committee have
been enabled to fulfill their engagements.
No suitable applicant for aid has been turned
away empty, it is believed the importance
of the edueatiolial cause in successfUlly carry
ing forwaryr tte''Fingdom of Christ is being
more getieftqll realized, and a deeper and
more perniabent state of feeling is being
awakened on the subject.
Nevertheless, notwithstanding all that is
calculated to cheer our hearts,- ancleneourage
the Permanent Committee• to' go forward in
their chosen work, the pressing demands of
the Church in this direction-have not been
met. All our efforts are disproportionate to
the calls of Providence. At the present rate
of bringing forward young men to the minis
try, the vacancies made by:the superannuated
and the dead ice only filled. Whenit is eon
sidered 'how many 'are taken froth the active
duties of the ministry to become Presidents
and Professors in our Colleges, instructors in
our Theologieil Seminaries, and secretaries
and agents in our benevolent operations (and
there seems to be no better way), and the
number who turn aside through failure of
health, it is not surprising that the demand
should outrun the supply, not,to mention the
wants of the slave States. When we con
sider the fields that are constantly opening
before us in the newer portions of the coun,
try, the case is truly alarming: Our excellent
Secretary of Home Missions tells us in, his
report that we have no missionaries in Idaho,
Utah, Arizona, Washingtos and the State of
Oregon—not because, there are not calls for,
-men, but because the men cannot' be found.
The reportiailso, on Foreign Missions speaks
of equal• wantof men for e the missionary.,work
abroad. The cry 'for men, alinost frantic,
from East Tenbessee, uttered on this floor,
still rings in our ears. The claims of the
freedmen also for a preached Gospel cannot
be ignored.
Standing as we do at the confluence of the
Mississippi and Missouri, pouring their flood
tide of waters at our feet to the ocean ; turn
ing the eye from this central position to the
North, the West, and the . South; viewing
the present population and the long lines of
emigration, both home and foreign, passing
up these mighty rivers and their numerous
tributaries; marking the moral forces already
at work on this field, the man of sin, as in
this city, strongly intrenched with churches,
schools and institutions for charitable pur
poses, and commanding millions of money;
the old fanaticism pt the early Church revived
on the banks of the Rhine in the form of
Rationalism and pantheism now transplanted
and made to flourish on American soil; and
the motley crew of materialism an& infidelity
of indigenous origin—contemplating all this,
the educational course in, preparing men for
the ministry becomes of vital importance,
because in its related az-pect-,'and in the in
terests dependent upon an educate&ministry,
the educational course should receive far
more of• the prayers.and contributions of the.
Church. Pious parents should dedicate their
sons to the ministry. The elders should''seek
out promising young men,` and confer with
them omthe subject. Pastors should confer
with young men recently converted to God,
and roll the burden orpreaching th.e Gostie,l
upon their - hearte. Presbyterial corniiiittees
on this subject should '!be more faithful.
Scholarships to the amount, of $2500 each
should be secured, the interest of which will
yield the annual appropriation' to tine yoting
man.
The day of fasting and prayer for colleges,
seminaries and other institutions of learning
should be more generally observed. Collec
tions' .
not in a few, but 'in all 'the churches,
should be statedly taken up. The plan of_
the General Assembly is a good one, and has
worked well. his only needful that Presby-
teries and pa•stors and churches be inorefaith
ful in putting it into ope ti i
ra....er-
The Committee would recommend the
adtion of the following resolutions:-
Rsolved, Ist. That the demand for edu
cated , ministers in our country- was never
greater than at the present time.:
Resolved, 2d. That the.educatidnal cause
should occupy a higher place in- the estima
tion of pastors and the Church. 1 .
Resolved, 3CTliat the7day of fasting and
prayer fore colleges and other institutions of
learning be faithfully obeerved. That pions,
parents consecrate their sons to the work of
the ministry; that this subject be annually
presented from the pulpit; and that continual'
prayer'beabffered to the Lord of the harvest,
that hioy,ill send forth many more laborers
into his harvest.
Resolved, 4th. That the appropriation to
young menifor the past year be the same,
namely, 33, per cent. above what the rule re
quires, $l6O to a theological, $l3O to a eta- .
legiate, and $lOO to a preparatory student.
The names of the following persons are'
presented to fill the vacancy occurring by the
expiration of tlae,term of office in the class
elected in 1863 :—Rev. John J. Owen, Jona
than F. Stearns, Jesse W. Ilenediet, William
W. Wicks, and Charles Taylor.
me following supplementary resolutions
In teg,ard AG- i.,cluoatio.n in East Tennessee
were prseqad:
.-
ResolvM pkt, the general bilbjee,t of edam
don, ireonAection with our Church in East
Tennessee be favorably received by our chur
ches, and that what funds may be, raised shall
be expendeiii rider the direction of the Presby
teries of East ennessee until the Synod of East
Tennessee nii 4 I have taken the whole-subject
under its care. ,
' Resolved, That this Assembly recommend the
Rev. Lucius". Root as an agent to raise funds
for this object, according to the above resolu
tion.
Dr. Mills said there never was a greater
call for ministerein -the - Presbvterian Church
than at .the the present time. This Assembly
met further West than itrhad, ever done be
fore. nuecalled to his mita an occurence
in -the , Viiihrience Rev. 'daffies t Glidliikher,
who eililiddihis ministerial life at St. Charles,:
and during his lifetime was' called .upon. to
spealroon Acme Miisions. While standing at
the confluence of ,the, Missouri and. litiesi.s
-4
sip Pi-: he arked di& L the MissMiti'liact
oomelth Itotiandt mils* frau. -thit Itoriky ,
Mountaiiik - rimeat th.tosatgre pf-tbe MiWs
sippi that had come 1800 miles, and to aiugle
its more turbid waters with the clearer waters
of the Mississippi; these.two rivers rolled on
together until they were met by the 1000
miles of the'Ohio, that had come from the
slopes of the Alleghenies; and as he stood at
the geat meeting of these waters the ques
tion. came to rule mind—Shall this land 5e
given up to Satan? He then raised his eyes
and hands to heaven, and said, "Lord Jesus,
all this land shall be thine." Thy Church
shall - never - give up the effort to secure it for
Christ. Men might as well have talked of
bringing this war co a successful termination
without officers as to accomplish the work of
e v a ngelizationwithout miiiiaters. Ministers
are the leaders of the sacramental host, and
it became the churches to use all their influ
ence in raising.up, ministers. Theyfirst,thing
to be done was to get the people of the
churches to pray. The churches must perse
vere. _ _ _
Rev. John F. Kendall, Rev. W. H. Smith,
Rev. H. B. Smith,, D.D., Mr. Edwards, Rev.
W. E. Tindall, Rev. Charles D. Mattoon,
D.D., Dr. J. M. Paul, and Rev. Mr. Water
bury, all spoke of the need of more men for
the ministry, and not only the need of more
rniuistcrs, but the need of an educated min
istry.
Rev. Mr. Tindall suggested that the report
of the committee be adopted withprayer.
Prayer was then offered by Rev. Dr. Mills,
after which the report was adopted.
The resolutions offered by the Committee
on Education were then taken up, when Rev.
Thomas Brown, of East Tennessee, proceeded
to speak of the need of ministers in that
region of country, and also to speak of the
institutions onearning. He Nought it the
Assembly could adopt any plan to educate
the colored , people, they
-would rejoice very
much.
The hour for adjournment having arrived,
Dr. Fowler hoped that all the members
would relinquish the idea of going home this
week, or at least until the work was all done.
Dr. Hatfield suggested' that the Home
Mission Committee had not yet reported, and
there was at least three days' work to do yet.
Rev. Mr. Starr stated that he had received
fifty tickets to the Strawberry Festival at
Mercantpe. Library- Hall,, ; which would be,
given to members, after the adjournment, as
far as they would go. also extended an
invitation to members, as far as they could, to
visit the Botanical Gardens of Mr. Henry
Shaw at Tower Grove on Saturday or Mon
day.
Adjourned to 3 o'clock P. M.
Afternoon Session
The supplementary resolution, offered by
the Committee on Education, was taken up.
Rev. Mr. Root said the whole region of
Tennessee was without educational facilities.
In the village of Rogersville• there had been
an acadepy, which at one time had been in a
flourishing condition, but now there was not
a Window or a' door in it, and' the floor was
covered with the filth of the stables of rebel
cavalry, and by seeing the literature on the
walls, it would be perfectly evident to every
body that there was a necessity for school
teachers in all those places to exercise their
vocation. This academy was once a very fine
and flourishing institution and had splendid
grounds and buildings all in good order and
had at one time from one hundred and fifty
to two hundred boarding scholars, and every
thing else in proportion. They had some
two, or three professors of music and some
twelve or more pianos. The buildings were
now all damaged, and the pianos scattered.
There were atso institutions of learning at
Jonesboro', Marysville, and Greenville, all of
which were to be sold. All of these points
were in need of educational facilities. ' While
stopping in East Tennessee, not long since,
in the family of an elder of one of th
't
ehtt hesin thatrregion; Ite 1611111 .. t,, Y
send g two of his children some two mile•
on ft rseback, simply that they might acquir;
the tof penmanship, no other branch bein!.
taug t. A returned soldier had taken a •
the ' ea that he could make a •little money
by t thing writing, and these
,people ha.
avail themselves of this opportunity to ac
quire ;the art of penmanship. These years
of war had been a blank to these people i 1
East Tennessee. and parents had seen thei
childNn grow up almost in these years with
out any opportunity to acquire an education
He hoped that money might be raieed to buy
the institution at Rogersville, when it is sold
in order that it might be, controlled by an,
for the interest of the Presbyterian Church
New School.
Rev. , Mr. Waterbury spoke ot the utter
desolation of East Tennessee. It had been
the field of strife between two great contend
ing arinie for four years. To-day the Union
army bad driven the rebel armr out, and the
next week it would be reversed; then the
next week the Union army would occupy it
but between the two armies it had been deso
lated, and there were spaces for fifty or sixty
miles where no 'fir — fences were to be
seen, but where earth-works were thrown up
and the graves of the soldiers showed the
ravages of war.. In some places the care
fully selected libraries had been taken to
kindle fires. These stockholders in these in
stitutions of learning had forfeited their:
claims to them, and they were 'now brought
into the Ceurts and would soon pass under
the hammer of the Sheriff. 'Some of these
institutions had cost sloo,ooo, l and they were
scattered all over East Tenneseee, and would
nearly all be sold in a few months. Others
were now on the ground to puruhase, and
would: purchase largely., Not long since an
inatitution,that had cost $12,000 had, passed
into the hands of the Methodist Church for
$l4OO, and had been deeded'by charter and
'was Probribly forever gone. The institution at
Rogersville was not yet gorebut would soon
be .sold, and ,there were a few other institu
tions thatmere hot yet sold, that a few thou
sand dollarswould secure now ; but once gone,
they were gone forever. The Methodists,
Raptisti,"Old-Sehool Presbyterians, and Con
gregationalists are moving in this matter with
earnestness and energy. Our only hold upon
the South is through East Tennessee. The
young men of that country would unfurl the
banner of there! oss in the cause of Christ as
freely as they had done the banner of, their
country,.and no, soldiers of our country had
achieved a more
_glorious record than the
soldiers of East Tennessee. It' is no more
than right that .these 50,000 young men of
East Tennessee should, have an opportunity
for itistrbetiori, and he would urge •upon the
Assembly the necessity of judicious' action
in the matter, and that now Chancellor
Duffey had told him that they might draw
hp just such a charter as they wanted and it
would be passed by the Legislature, so great
and imperative was the call for institutions of
learing. Now was the time to occupy this
ground, and, if not occupied now,, it might
just as well be passed over until the Mille
.
Edam.
Dr. Clarke said he felt a great interest in
the people of. East ,Tennessee, and in that
portion of the New School Presbyterian
Church, and would be most happy to assist
them in _their-great need, but he thought the
report should be recommitted. He thought
this matter cif education in East Tennessee
should be underthe-guidance of some of the
committees,
who should give counsel, and re
port to the Assembly :What has been done in
Ilia matter. , .
Mr. Waterbury thought ,the result of
leaying'matter to committee at , this
time'would oily - lie to Show systema'tically
:how nothing .odead bedone. These iiistftu
tions must be secured in two monthwitild
two of them mast be secured in six weep;
then = why go through all this process. He
:had in his time raised thirty or forty thou
THE AMMUCAN PRESBYTERIAN , TRITRSDA.Y. JUNE 7. 1866.
sand dollars for churches, and he did not
know of any of it being lost through his in
strumentality, and he expected toko through
Northern Illinois and raise iuoney enough to
buy one of these institutions.
Dr. Clarke thought the report might be
recommitted and some day named for its
further discussion.
Dr. Curtis said he whole matter, has been
before the committee, and the plan
has been
fully presented, and no information, that I
know of, would be presented to the corn
mittee.
Dr. Taylor moved that it be a standing ;
rule that all speakers be restricted to five
minutes, and in support of his motion, said,.
that-- some ofthe men that the Assembly'
would most like to hear were the ones that
did not often speak, and some that the As
sembly were not the most ready to hear; were
the ones that were the most ready to speak.
Dr. Taylor's motion was then agreed to.
Rev. Mr. Griffes said that so far as the
common school system was concerned in
East Tennessee, it was simply dead, and
dead perhaps forever. The Marysville Col
lege was not in a condition to receive pupils,
but it could soon be put in a good condition.
In respect to the young men, he would say
that they had been educated by war for the
past four years, and instead of seeing smiling
faces, they had seen sober faces, and their
own faces had been made sober by a drill of
three years but all they now wanted was the
advantage -of educational institutions ; but
these they could not have unless the people
of the North assisted
_them. They, as y o ung
"men, did not ask the people of the North to
put broadcloth upon their backs. If the
schools were only established, they would
attend them in the linsey woolsey than' their
mothers would make for them. The Old
School Church, by their action yesterday,
were looking toward this field, and he now
hoped' OA New School Church would take
some action.
The fifth or supplementary resolution was
then adopted.
The following are Mr. Miller's remarks on
educating the Freedmen.
Mr. ~Miller said: Fathers and brothers of
the AiSbmbly,"permit me, in order that you
may not misunderstand mer-and in order that
I may bring myself as much as possible in
sympathy with you, to state that, like you, I
rejoice in the emancipation of the slave, and
that I am unwilling to withhold anything
from the freedmen which is necessary for his
emancipation, evangelizatiou, and for his
highest elevation. I thank God that lam
permitted here to address you, for I remem
ber well the wealth and the tremendous in
fluence which you represent, and. thou4h I
am not able to transfer the vivid impressions
which rise up to my mind, yet I wish to say
to you that my heart throbs with a deep
sense of the condition of these freedmen in
the South, and my mind rises to the difficul
ties that beset them on every aide. Could
you behold for yourselves their condition, it
would quicken your energies, and call forth
the resources of this Church in such a man
ner that by God's blessing they would be put
in a far more favorable condition than it is
probable they will be.
I cannot say much that I wish to say, but
I first ask you in order that the scoffer may
be but to shame—in order that you may sus
tain the wisdom and the humanity of the act
of emancipation—in order that the evils may
be averted from the freedmen—in order that
God may'be glorified there in that Southern
land among that race—that you will attentive
ly consider their condition and that when you
have considered their condition,
_you will,
do all that God :has placed in your power to
for their elevation and evangelization. I
believe that God has dealt in a wonderful
manner with thisipeople, and I believe in the
rotation of human happiness and the rising
of one race and the falling of another—that
the time may come t when the Ethiopian race
may occupy a proud stand among the nations
of the earth, and prfictically we believe in
human instrumentality, that God blesses us
in the means which he has placed in the
hands of his Church. ',That race stands with
outstretched arms ready for your missionaries
and your teachers. They feel a desire to
learn to read the Word of God. You ask,
why ? Why do they wish to learn to read ?
They answer, We wish to learn to read that
same Word of God that the white race .do.
They are impressed that the superiority of
the white race in a very great degree consists
in their being able to read the Word of God.
These People of the South stand in a great
measure 'by themselves. Your missionaries
and teachers do not reach them, and the
great question presented to the Chriktian
(.31:lurch is, what can be done that we are not
doing in order that we may reach this people ?,
There is a •rule in the Methodist Church
discipline by which ministers are directed
that wherever God opens the door and His
Spirit is poured out, there is the place to re
double exertions—that is the phice where
more ministers should be sent. All means
that can be brought to bear shouH be used
to bring that race under the influence of the
Gospel. The speediestinstrumentality by
which they can be reached, in addition to
the means that you are now employing, is
the establishment of institutions of learning
where teachers and pretiohers of the Gctspel
can be trained and from which they can be
sent forth as soon as it is possible to train
them, in order that they may go immedi
ately to the huts and hovels of this race, and
teach them the truth as it is in the Lord
Jesus Christ, that they may be brought into
that freedom wherewith Christ makes His
people free. God's spirit moved on the Le
gislature of North Carolina to remove the
deep-seated prejudice, and they have granted
a most - liberal charter, for the establ4htnent
of an institution of this .I:id. The cliarter
and preamble acknowleti.:,.s two important
principles. One is, that i is necessary that
this people should be edit,: tted, and the next,
that the people should nave a ministry of
their own.
The charter secure.s this institute to Pres
byterians, and no man can be a trustee who
is not a member of some branch of the Pres
byterian Church. I believe that an institute
of this kind can be managed in such a way as
to secure a Calvinistic ministry in the colored
Church, to go down there in the midst of
that fbur million People and preach the Gos
pel. Ilnow that you are pressed for time,
and I will not occupy your time further.
There is Much to say . that I cannot say, but
I wish' to say to you in conclusion, that there
are influences at work in the midst of that
people that unless they are counteracted,
will seriously mar the prosperity of the peo
ple; ' And. I hope you will not ascribe it to
the prejudices under which. I have been
raised, if I remind you of the words reported,
to have been littered by Dr. McCosh in his
address to'the Old School Presbyterian As.-
sembly, that the Presbyterian Church should
take such measures as, would secure the ele
vation of the African race: He confessed
that the great question as to whether the
black man, would be benefited by contact and
association with the white man had not been
satisfactorily settled by the British Govern
ment, He spoke of theories that had been
broached, and, that were advocates in the
South, and that are believed in, with refer
enCe'fo the final destiny of that people; bat
I tell , you as one that has always lived in the
midst of that ,people,
and a's one that Will
9ield'to no other m a deep and true hmpathy
lor-them;qat glare' are infinende 'at work,
.and : many of these influenoes are clothed with
the name of religion, that will bring woe
capon that people unless they are counteract-
ea, and there is no More effectual way_ by
which they may be counteracted than by the
establishment of an institution by which
teachers and preachers may be trained under
Presbyterian influences, and sent forth to
preach the Gospel of morality and Christi
anity. I thank you for the hoaor you have
done me, and I hope that you will consider
thefintrjeetrfor_yooreelves.- - -
Judge Allison. Yon spoke in reference to
certain influences at work which would result
disastrously to the colored race ; what did
yott tridattliy that expression?
Rev. Mr. Miller. .Many , of them that have
been under Baptist influences, by reason of
tbeir,ignerauce and,of the jgooranee of their
teaclerk-glieverlonetitly- that going under
the water, gives them a good title to go to
heaven, and many . of those who have been
under Arminian influences believe that re
ligion consists Simply in emotion, and that
they can get religion and lose it day after
day.
Many of these teachers and religious lead
ers. are licentious men, men in whose hands
it is unsafe to trust the freedmen in their ig
norant condition. I will relate just one inci
dent here in relation to the freedmen. Rev.
Mr. Fisk, of Raleigh, stated to me that there
was a colored preacher there that could not
read one letter, yet he honestly believed that
he was inspired of God to read the Bible,
and would getup in the religious exercises
and open the Bible and say just whatever
occurred to him, and pretend that he was
reading from the Bible, and ,he hone i stly be
lieved that'God had "inspired' him to `r ead just
what he had said.
The Moderator stated, in explanation. of Mr.
Miller's remarks, that he was laboring to estab
lish a Manual' Labor Institution, for the educa
tion of colored preachers and teachers, and that
it was proposed to purchase a farm of 500 acres,
and that, by devoting a portion of the day to
raising corn and cotton, they expect to maintain
the institution. It was proposed to locate it
somewhere near Wilmington, N. C.
• NINTH DAY.
SATURDAY MORNING, MAY 26
Met at 8i o'clock.
First half hour spent in devotional exer
cises.
Rev. Dr. Campbell Secretary of the Amer
icanChristiao Union, addressed the Assem
bly at length upon the interests and condi
tion of the • Unicin siated_that it had a fund
of at least $30,000 or s4o;ooo„secured. from
the Old and New School Presbyterian Chu
rches, and from these two branches and thi3
Congregationalists it had• received about
$60,000, and but little from any other de
nomination. There were a great many
things connected with the work which it was
not proper to publish, or_even speak of, be
fnre this Assembly. There were many things
which gave a great deal of trouble. Two
years ago, at an anniversary in Italy, there
were some Catholic priests present, who,
eight weeks afterwards, published a pamph
let which came back to us, bearing bad re
ports in regard to the missionary work,
throwing prejudice upon that work until
it was ascertained horn whom the pamphlet
emanated. A great work has been done in
Italy during the past five years • they had sent
thorough going Americans and Yankees to
that field, who understood the value of money
and our mode of doing things. About ten
years ago there was no such- thing as tolera
tion in Italy ; the priests had it all their
own way. We now had our American Chapel
there; the Scotch Church and the Waldenses
have a seminary there, and during the past
year, with the agency of the American Bible
Society, we have been able to print and cir
culate 10,000 copies of the New Testament.
,`here were three colporteurs there and sev
eral Bible readers who• were laboring for-the
distribution of the word of God. Altogether
there were forty-seven laborers in Italy.
' Among other things, the government had de
, clared marriage a civil contract, so that the
Protestant ministers could marry members
of the Protestant churches and the Wal
denses, without the intervention of the
priests. During the past year there had
been 70,000 professed Rotnanists who came
to the missionaries and left the faith. That
was the work in Italy, They were a noble
band of missionaries, who had been, able to
convert even some of the priests.. He gave an
account of Mr. Constantine, of Italy, who
came to this country for an education, and
was now, laboring in Italy; described, the
work that had been accomplished in South
America at Valparaiso, by Mr. Trumbull,
who first went there seventeen years ago, in
in the service of the American Seamen's Aid
Society, and had been fighting the battles
for toleration; was first obliged to labor on
shipboard, where he could - be protected . by
the American flag. Also gave a brief history
of the labors and buccess of Mrs. Rankin,
who froth Brownsville 'hid - penetrated to
Monterey, in Mexico, and was now in , this
country in order to procure the sum of $15,-
000, with which to build a seminary at Mon
terey.
The report of the Standing Committee on
Home Missions, which was read to the As
sembli yesterday by Dr. Knox, was taken up.
I Dr. Campbell thought that the simple re
' commendation that $120,000 should be raised
would not meet the case; that there ought
to be a co-ordinate Secretary at;the West,
instead; of at Philadelphia;
that more col
lecting agents should be put into the field,
the best men in the Church, to go among the
churches. Explained what Rev. Mr. Winnes
had accomplished in : the establishment of
German Presbyterian Churches in Newark,
and insisted upon the need of Presbyterian
publications in the German'language.
Dr. : Parsons believed that the General AE-
I semblies did not feel the importance of this
Subject of Hoine Missions as they should
feel it. The time was when we could preach
the Gospel in this country to every creature,
bat we neglected to do the work then as we
should have done it, caring 'more for the
roods and acres of these prairie farms than
for the souls of men. It was now again pos
-1 Bible for us to preach the Gospel to every
creature. There were some ministers on the
frontier who felt the importance of this
matter sufficiently to convince them that they
must work and induce others to work. We
•had given to this object of our abundance,
and not of our . penury. It was not enough
for us to say that we recommend that $120,-
000 be raised for this object during the cur
rent year. It was necessary something should
be done here which would reach individual
members of the churches. Last yenr they
had besought the General Assembly to care
for and assist them in Northwest Missouri.
The General Secretary and those associated
with him had done what they could, but the
work had not been done. There were churches
to be occupied--numbersof men were wanted.
Should they who are placed at the outposts
of Zion go home from this Assembly and say
that they had an able report on llome Mis
sions, which Was received with marked .in
terest; that 'many.elaborate speeches were
made, and the recommendations of the com
mittee passed, without a dissentiog,, voice,
to raise $120,000 this sear, and be compelled
to stop there? Should they be permitted' to
go home and say to those who look up to
theni from the right' and left and a:sk the w
say they:
couldn't' they finct &man to send into th e i r
country , who will visit thireteen or• fourteen
counties iri.that section and only ,
- hoped antitrust:6d; h e t could n'tiaiy anything.
::definite abOutiaylt seemed to hitn that the
time had come when they should not only
feel deeply the obligations resting upon them,
but should also do something eauuneesexate
with the demand—when the giving must be
not only from their abundance but from our
penury. An utterance from this Assembly
was needed that should say that this work of
Home Mi3.9i0118 must be prosecuted as the
work of Foreign Missions is.
The report was adopted.
Mr. Foote introduced the following resolu
tion:_.
Resolved; By this Assembly, that the de
liverance on the state of the country be read
in the several churches on the first Sabbath
of the month of July; and advocated - the
adoption of the same in a few remarks, to
the effect that the restoration of peace to the
country, was, in a great measure, due to the
clergy, and that the clergy might now exert
a large influence towards settling the matter,
now in 'controversy upon a proper basis.
Resolution adopted.
Dr. Parsons, of the Committee on Bills
and Overtures, made report as follows :
"Overture. A church member comes be
fore the session makes a voluntary confession
of heretical sentiments, acknowledges a
breach of covenant and waives the formality
of a trial, in view of, and in order to be excom
municatedfrom the Chinch ; can such Church
member be excommunicated on such confes
sion and declaration without the actual pro
cess prescribed by the book ?"
The committee find that the.question thus
raised was answered substantially by the last
Assembly, [see minutes, page 12,] and whilst
they recommend that the party asking be re
ferred to that response ' also recommersithat
affirm the Assembly arm the impropriety of a
Church Court reaching and recording such a
grave result of discipline as excommunication
from the Church, without a strict adherence
to these forms of fair impartial trial, by
which alone the result may be justified. If
an accused person confess judgment the actual
process may be shortened, but should not be
dispensed with.
Rev. Mr. Kendall thought there was no
necessity for a trial when a person pleaded
guilty, and asserted his readiness to be ex
communicated.
Mr. Fowler said the Assembly should be
very careful how it nullifies the decisions of
a previous Assembly; advocated following
the example of civil courts in this matter,
stating that trial was never dispensed with in
the civil courts by reason of a plea of guilty,
though the testimony might be ; that both
in the civil and religious courts a fair and im
partial trial, in cases of confession ' had its
advantages, which ought not to be over
looked.
Report adopted.
Dr. Parsonsreported another
" Overture. From certain members of
Madison Presbytery,c4cho desire to make the
following inquiries
"A person is under suspension in .one of
our own churches. He removes' aid unites
on examination with another of our churches,
the session of the latter one being wholly ig
norant of his former membership, and, of
course, of his, suspension. The facts are
however afterward discovered. Would this
discovery of itself vitiate his second member
ship, and leave him simply a suspended
member of the former church?
" Would unworthiness for church mem
bership, clearly manifested while in the latter
church and before said discovery, rightfully
add efficacy toward : producing these results?"
To the first of the above questions the
committee recommend an answer in the
affirmative.
To the second, if the question means
whether the session of the second church has
jurisdiction in the case of unworthiness mani
fested in the second relation, the committee
recommend an answer in the negative;,but if
the question means whether the unworthi
ness manifested in the second relation be
proper ground of separate process by the
session of the first church, the committee
recommend an answer in the affirmative.
In respect to the whole matter, the commit
tee agree in the statement following :
The person uniting with the second church
on examination, united deceptively. As soon
as the facts are ascertained by the session of
this second church, the proper order of pro
cedure is for thatc session, after conference
with the accused person, to strike, his 'name
from their roll of church members, as not
under their jurisdiction; to communicate
their action to the session suspending him,
with the reasons for it, and to request the
said session to proceed against him on sepa
rate process, for duplicity and disorder.
Recommendation adopted.
Rev. John W. Chickering, Jr., delegate
from the General Association of Congrega
tional Churches in New Hampshire, was in
vited to address the Assembly.
He tendered . to the Assembly the Chris
tian salutations and congratulations of the
Congregational Churches of New Hampshire.
Of those who joined the Presbyterian Church
it might be said nulla vestzgia retrorstot i
though the Congregationalists had received
from that Church the. Rev. Dr. Smith, who
was now engaged in reconstructing " Old
Dartmouth,' and was succeeding most glori
ously. There were 188 churches in this
association, 6 of them Presbyterian, with a
membership of, over 20,000, and 177 minis
ters. He referred to the large accessions to
the Presbyterian Church from the Congrega
tionalists of New England; to the revivals of
the past year ; •to the - reliance of Congrega
tionalists upon the teachings of the Bible
rather than upon the decisions of any church'
organization, and the readiness of his, con
stituents' to unite with any and all denomina
tions who held to the truth as laid down in
the Bible, in, efforts to Christianize the world.
He concluded by expressing his joy that he
was where he could see the old flag over the
pulpit; that among thil'Assembly there, had
not been even the taint of treason, and that
the Assembly had seen fit to utter the noble
sentiments of yesterday's session on the state
of the country.
The Moderator responded in fitting terms,
affirming that a converted Congregationalist,
if only thoroughly converted, made a pretty
good PreSbyterian ; that the Assembly were
all lovers and friends of New England; that
there never was : a more senseless babble or
disgraceful outcry of insignificant politicians
than that, which was raised in some parts of
the West, that New England should be left
out in the cold; that that cry of senseless
party hacks deserved to be hooted with con
tempt; that New England had - a cold place
geographically, but had a warm place in the
hearts of all this great people.
Dr. Samuel D. Burchard then read the re
port of the Standing Comthittee on Publica
tion, as follows :
REPORT ON PUBLICATION
The committee having carefully examined
the documents placed in their hands, would
res_pectfully submit the following:
That from the time the General Assembly
resolved to issue a distinctive literature, bear
ing its, own imprimatur, setting forth and
defending its own doctrines, there has been a
gradual and growing interest in the work.
Doubt and distrust have given way to con&
deuce; funds and facilities of usefulness have
steadily increased; so that now there is an
(veil 'field,' hearty 'eo-operation and the tini
sersal conviction „that the publication cause
Is one of the mightiest instrumentalities
committed to the Church for her vindication
,her spiritual vitality and: her ,promisedrand
permAnentuvictory, Books issued .by , fher
owls press arei , both the source andtheiindii3a
tion of ecclesiastical and spiatual life, a power
and a blessing which it is our privilege to
wield and to enjoy.
Your committee rejoice, therefore, that the
cause has passed the period of the doubtful
experiment and is now to be piished and pro
secuted with a vigor equal to its importance
and to the increasing wants of the field we
occupy.
The past year is a prophecy of what is to
be. The receipts have been greatly in ad
vance of any previous year, and there ha&
been a consequent increase in the number and
value of the tracts and books issued , and cir
culated. Still the field is widening; the calls
are becomin_g more imperative and universal;
the entire South and West are open; the
cry comes up from the missionary, in his
open yet.half .occupied.field, for< books and
tracts authorized by the '
Church where - with
to supplement his labors and this is met"by a
whole chorus of voices from the is
of the land pleading for a life-giving
and heaven-inspired literature.
God's voice to the Church -in this depart
ment of service is evidently, "Go forward l"
We cannot afford to pause; we must go up
and possess the land.
It is the judgment of your committee that
some system or colportage should be inaugur
ated, under the superviston of the Synods or
Presbyteries, securing a more extended cir
culation to the publications of the committee.
The plan suggested is this : Let each Synod
or Presbytery employ a colporteur, whose
work shall be twofold—the disposal or sale of
books, receiving his salary largely from oom
missions allowed, and co-operation with pas
tors in attending upon social ineetings - and
aiming to extend a deep religious interest
throughout the bounds of the. Presbytery or
Synod. This would help many a deserving
young man in his preparatory' course, give a
wide circulation to our. literature, and encour
age and , facilitate the pastors in their work.
As this arrangement isdesigned to be only
occasional and temporary, your committee
suggests that a place of sale be designated in
every principal town thrcrughoui the land,
where the publications of the committee can
be obtained after the retiring colporteur shall
have sown the seed, awakinectan interest and
done his work.
- . .
Your committee beg leave to call special
attention to the Hymn and Tune Book as in
their judgment well adapted to the devotional
exercises of the lecture-room, praypr-meeting,
and even- to congregational singing on the
Sabbath. The book everywhere will be found
a grand aid to worship.
The Presbyterian - .Monthly is hailed as a
benediction wherever it is taken, and the
only regret is that it should not be taken by
every Presbyterian within our bounds. The
information it contains is needed by every
pastor and session, while every family would
be greatly enriched by its monthly advent.
A large circulation which, by a little effort on
the part of pastors and elders might be real
ized, -would make it self-supporting at the
low price of fifty cents a year. Your com
mittee would recommend that a copy be sent
to every pastor, sine sumptu, in the hope
that his church will Ae a collection, during
the year for each of the objects represented
in this monthly.
While your committee kayo suggested
measures by which the remunerative circula
tion or sale of the committee's publicatiohs
may be vastly increased, they are not un
mindful of the purely benevolent character
of the work. Thousands of pages must be
gratuitously circulated in the hope not of
pecuniary but of moral returns in the actual
good done, and a full reward on the great pay
day of the world, when every man shall re
ceive according to his .works. With this
view, collections are recommended in all our
churches.
There is one more item to which your com
mittee would call the attention of the Assem
bly—the wants of the rapidly increasing Ger
man immigration.
The numbers landed monthly on our shores
are immense. These are the most inquiring,
the most given to reading, of all the people
that come to us from abroad. Though many
of them are skeptical in their tendencies, yet
the Protestant portion, in their ecclesiastical
affinities, are with us. True, on their arrival
they are ignorant of us, and skepticism would
misrepresent us and mislead them - ; but pro
perly instructed by means of our Presbyterian
publications, they affiliate most naturally with
us in doctrine and polity, and become an
element of strength. They may be easily
turned to infidelity, or to a Protestant, and
vital Christianity,. according to the influences
first brought to bear.
It is the opinion of
your committee that no more hopeful field is
now open for the circulation of our religious
literature.
In conclusion and:in review, the committee
would respectfully propose the following
resolutions:
1. That we gratefully acknowledge the fa
vor pf God to this cause during the past and
previous years.
2. That the Synods or Presbyteries be re
commended to appoint students, unemployed
ministers, or earnest Christian laymen, as
colporteurs, to circulate the , books of the
Publication Committee, and. to co-operate
with pastors in every good word and work.
3. That a place of sale be designated in
every town, where it shall be known that the
committee's publications may obtained,
and at the lowest retail price:
4. That the " Social Hymn and Tune
Book," raceitly published by the committee,
be•commended as pre:eminently adapted' to
social and congregational worship.
5. That more vigorous efforts be put forth
to introduce the Presbyterian Monthly to all
our congregations.
6. That it is recommended, that collections
be taken to aid in the gratuitous circulation
of the committee's publications."
7. That a special committe of five be ap
pointed, who shall prepare fresh tracts and
books, or, if thought desirable, translations,
to be published in the sgernuln language, in
co-operation with the Assembly's Publication
Committee, and wbo shall take into consider
ation the expediency of publishing a German
religions newspaper adapted to the wants of
the German population of the country. The
following persons are nominated for that com
mittee, viz.: D. W. Poor, D.D., Geo. L.
Prentiss, D.D. Itev. Joshua U. Guenther,
Rev. J. J. F, .Brnnow,, and Rev. Nelson
Millard.
The committee recommend that Rev. Dan
iel March, D.D., Rev. J. G. Butler, D.D.,
Wm. F. Judson ! Esq., Samuel C. Perkins,
Esq., Hon. William Strong, Whose term of
service now expire, be re-elected for the en
suing three years.
The committee would also reeomment that
John A. Brown, Esq., DI. W. Baldwin, Esq.,
Samuel H. Perkins, E4q., ReV. Thos. Brain
erd, D.D_ Rev. Ezra E. Adams, D.D. whose
terms of service now expire, be re-elected
trustees of the Presbyterian House for the
ensuing three years.
Rev. J. W. Dulles, Secretary of the Per
manent Committee - on Publications, addressed
the Assembly upon the subject of- the report
—alluded- to the addition, that had: been made
to the publishing house,. an establishment
which did not belong to the committee, but
to the Church. Called the attention of the
Asserpblyto,the publications of the commit
tee, 'Which were to fie disposed of by dona
tions and sale;
that'every one might become
# preacher by beinKinstrainental in.distribut
nig the traom ofitle committee. Collections
were needed - to , aefray the expenses of dons
.tions aria the Publication of German books
and papers. The circulation of the ifesby-
Cerium Monthly ought to be extended until it
was to be found in every family.
(Continued on Page 180. )