gimetirait gtrslnjtirialt.
THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 1867
The General Assembly.
(Coaitinued from page 179.)
THURSDAY-EVENING SESSION.
The sacrament of the Lord's Supper was observed
according to appointment. It was an occasion of
profound and hallowed interest, where all the spirit
ual life and enjoyment which have eminently char
acterized the Assembly seemed to culminate.
EIGHTH DAX 4 --FRIDAY A. M.
The prayer meetin,gwas again full, being largely
attended by the citizens of Rochester, as well as by
the members of the'Asserribly. The time was well
spent in prayer and remarks, and when the time
was all gone the audience seemed desirous of anoth
er 'hour for the same service. These morning
AerVices are by no Means the least interesting por
tion of the sessions of the General Assembly.
Expenlms Paid.
The time for business having arrived, the Mileage
Committee reported, from which it appeared that
$7,879 had been, received from the Presbyteries, and'
that this amount was enough to pay the travelling
expenses of all the . members - of the Asst mbly in. full,
an event which has occurred but twice before in the
past. This report was received with
,demonstrations
of applause. Some Presbyteries, however, had not
paid their quota of the mileage fund, and remarks
were made, by various members severely censuring
that practice, and calling attention to the rule of the
Assembly requiring each Presbytery to pay its full
proportion,
.according. to assessment, of this fund.
The -Presbyteries • of Buffalo, Harrisburg,Phila. 4th,
were reported at fault in this respect. The Modera
tor also made a few remarks on this question. The
Presbytery of St. Louis pays its whole quota. They
claim no special credit for that, because they draw
out more than they pay in. They 'are too smart
not to pay their proportion. But if the larger. and
more central Presbyteries fail to, pay in their quota
it. bears bard on the more distant Presbyteries. He
hoped there would be no more such delinquencies
in the future. •
This business being closed, the Assembly again
took up the appeal of Mr. Miller from the decision of
the Synod of Illinois. The original charges were, in
substance: breach of covenant in forsaking the ordi
nances of the Church, disturbing its peace and har
mony, preventing persons from joining the Church
by representing that dissensions existed, and talking
in an - unchristian manner against its minister. On
these charges he was found guilty in the session ;
he appealed to , the Presbytery, where the decision
of, the Session was sustained; he appealed to the
Synod, and the Synod ordered a new trial ; from
that decision he appealed to the General Assembly,
where the question now is.
The reading of' Synod's records occupied nearly
the entire time of' the morning.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The Assembly reassembled at the usual hour.
The appeal case was laid aside to receive the reports
of delegates of the Assembly of 1866 to correspond
ing ecclesiastical bodies. Letters were read from
the Rev. H enry Little, the delegate to the _General
Synod of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, the
Re*: J. Few Smith, D. D., to the Evangelical La
tlieraa General Synod ; the Rev. C. P. Wing, D. D.,
to the General AssCiation of Connecticut; the Rev.
11. Johnson, to the - General Assembly of the United
pre,sbyterian Church ; the Rev. E. Bulkley, to the
General Convention of Vermont; the Rev. Joel
Parker, D. D., to the General Synod of the Reform
ed Protestant Dutch Churoh ; the Rev. F. S.
McCabe, to the General Association of 11Iassachu-
Setts.
~•A special committee of three—the Rev. Dr. W.
C. Wisner, the Rev. Dr. G. A. Lyon, and Joseph
Ditto, Esq., were appointed to consider the letter of
the delegate to the Cumberland Presbyterian As
sembly. It sets forth that Kr. Little had prepared
'to go to that Assembly, but on the persuasion of
tieVeral ministers decided not to go, because it had
rescinded the patriotic resolutions which it passed
in 1865, and has adopted others which would have
been approved by the Old School South.
Polity or the Church
` The committee on the Polity of the Church re
ports the following questions, I. 'Can a person be
admitted to the lull privileges of the Church by a
vote of -the Session ; without baptism? Answered in
the' negative.
An overture was received from. the Third Presby
tery of Philadelphia, asking for "Permanent Licen
tiates," or the licensing of laymen to preach.
:The Committee recommend that this be referred
to a special committee to report next year.
Dr. Wisner could see no reason at present to li
cense lay-preaching , according to the plan contem
plated. • He would have laymen preaching all the
time, and would not confine the privilege to a few.
Dr. Wisner, sr., concurred in .this disposition of
the. matter. He would . have all laymen preaching,
not a few.
Dr. Canfield endorsed the same view, and said
;he next forward movement of the church would be
using the great bodyofthe laytnen and getting them to.
preach everywhere. He never had any jealousy in
regard to the lay laborers:-the use of colporteurs
had created a demand for preachers. But he did'
think it desirable to license them.
The Committee were desired to amend their re
port so as to express these views.
Two Presbyteries asked for changes in the form
of Minutes of the General Assembly. It was re
commended and decided the changes contemplated
were not desirable at present..
'An overture was read asking if deacons may offi
ciate at the Lord's Supper, when the elders are
present. Answered that as we have no rule on the
subject, each church be left to act according to its
diseretion. Another on liturgical terms ; they were
discouraged.
The Presbytery of lowa City desires to know
when a person's rights and privileges cease after
having obtained a letter of dismission? He loses his
rights and privileges when he takes a letter. Be may
return it in proper time, if he chooses, and resume
them. But he is amenable to the Presbytery until
he joins another Presbytery. •
An elder loses his rights and privileges in a
church on taking a letter. He may in proper time
return it, if he chooses, and so resume his rights
and privileges. •
A minority report was 'presented by Rev. J. FL
Trowbridge, contending that one who has received
a letter of dismission does not lose his rights and
privileges, elder or private member, until he is re
ceived by some other church.
This question gave rise to considerable discussion,
participated in by Drs. Lyon and Wisner, Mr. Trow
bridge, Judge Williams, Nathan Lane, Esq , and
others.
Reformed Dutch Church.
A delegate from the Reformed Dutch Church Rev.
Mr. Hoover, was introduced and said:
It was his honor to appear as a correspondincr
delegate from the Reformed Protestant Dutch
Church, a church Presbyterian in its governthent
and _Calvinistic in its creed. In behalf of the
Church; I represent, , I extend to you, Moderator and
the General Assembly, her Christian. salutations
and friendly wishes. •
The pamphlet I hold in my hand contains , the
THE AIIERICAI, - PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 1867.
acts and proceedings of the last General Synod, held
in the city of New York in June last. In it will
also be found the statistics of the Church, together
with the annual reports of the Boards of Foreign
and Domestic Missions, Education and Publication.
Although we cannot claim to be amon g the larger
members of the great Protestant and Presbyterian
family, still our church is composed of three Synods,
thirty-one classes, 434 churches, served by 447 or
dained ministers of the gospel. It has in its con
nection 37,050 families, and 58,917 coinmunicants.
During the past year more three-fourths of a mil
lion of dollar% have been contributed to the charit
able. benevolent and congregational purposes.
Our College and Theological school are located
at New Brunswick, N. J., liberally endowed and re
spectably sustained. - We have also a college at
Ottawa, Michigan.
With respect to benevolent operations, we are' in
hearty sympathy with most of the great national
and benevolent operations of the day ; while 'at the
same time we have our Boards of`Foreign! and Do
mestic Missions, Education and Publication.
Our Foreign Mission 'operations are carried On at
Arcot, India, Amoy, China, and. in' japan,
During the past year the success of our Foreign
Missionary work was greatly imperilled in conse
quence of a larrgb debt w - hich bad accumlated, aris
ing from the high rates of foreign exchange; but in
a most providential nianner, God' Moved the heart
of one of the sons of the Church to devise liberal
things, and he contributed about $55,000 to liquidate
the debt; a sum larger than was ever before contri
buted by one individual to the same` object in thiS
cou n try.
These figures may appear small doinparedle'the
larger statistics of your Church ; but then it will b
remembered that your numerical strength is more
than four times as great as ours.
the
Assembly,
me, sir, to congratulate you, and also the
Assembly, on your prosperity and harmony,.and
especially that after so.long a period of separation"
from the sister branch of your denominatiOn, the
Providence ofGod has led both to'institute measures
for a closer union—nay, for an organic unity. The
invisible Church of Christ is one, and should we
not pray that there may be more of visible harmony
among all the branches of the great Protestant and
Presbyterian family? Whether , it is practiea,ble
and desirable that they should all abandon their
old system of government, and become merged in
one great organization, is a question of serious im
port, and which cannot. be easily decided. '
With reference to it there will necessarily exist a
great diversity of opinion, even' among those who
believe that all the followers of ChriSt should be
one, even as the Father, Son 'ifrid, Holy Ghost are
one. The Providence of God is evidently' drawing'
his people into closer unity, if not in external form
at least in spirit and aim. They now feel more than
ever, that while they may be marshalled under dif
ferent banners, they are still attached to one stand-.
ard, and that standard is borne aloft by the Captain
of one common salvation.
As this body which I represent have not instruct
ed me to bring to your notice any matters of busi
ness, I would, in conclusion, again tender to you its
Christian salutations and friendly wishes. May
God shine upon your beloved Zion, and abundantly
prosper you until you shall become a glory in the
whole earth.
The Moderator made reply, handsomely acknow
ledging the congratulations. He alluded to a re
mark of a clergyman of the Dutch Church, that the
way to bring the two branches of the Presbyterian
Church together:was to regard the Dutch Church
as the teal= quid, and allbecoMe one biall becoM4'
ing Dutch. The Moderator personally, had no se-!
rious objection to this, only the foreign name you
bear, which, we understand, you are quite willing
to drop. The Moderato:lr also made a happy alln
sion to a sermon, which he bad heard in his extrenie
youth, from the lips or the delegate. He remem,
bered the text, and the impression -;of the .sermon tol
this day. • • -
Again the appeal of Silas Miller aline up.. Rev.
George I. King, D. D., was heard in behalf of the
appellant.
EVENING SESSION.
This was devoted to a meeting in behalf of the
American and Foreign Christian Union. Prayer
was offered by Rev. Mr. Schofield, after which Rev.
Alfred E. Campbell, D. D., one of, the secretaries of
the society above named, made an address, explain;
ing the origin and objects of their organization.
Its object is to give a pure gospel to lands now filled
with a corrupt Christianity. .Their more particular,
design, is to give the light of the word of God to
Papal countries. The Society is laboring. in Italy
France, Greece, Hungary, Mexico, 'and South. Ame
rica.
The Secretaryzave a brief and interesting sketch
of the progress of the work of this Society in its va
rious fields.
Rev. Wm. Aikman, of Wilmington, and Rev.
Mr. Rosseter, Cincinnati, addressed the. audience
with earnestness .in favor of the same cause.
NINTII DAY-SATURDAY, A. IC
After'devotional• ekerciSes, the appeal of Silas
Miller was again under consideration. Rev. Edwin
Black was heard in behalf of the Session ; Rev.
George I. King, D. D., in behalf
.of the appellant ;
Rev. L. M. - Glover, D. D., and others, for the Synod.
SATURDAY-AFTERNOON SESSION.
When the members of the Synod of Illinois were
called on to
,(!ive a reason . for their decision, Dr. L. M.
Glover said: The Synod of Illinois took up this case
very reluctantly, and prosecuted it very, patiently
and praYerftiily throagh an unusually extended
session The spirit of the
,biethren was to do jus
tice and show mercy. The - appellant was present
and all felt kindly toward him. The church of
Tuscola was there by its representatives, and had a
due share of sympathy in their trials. Love toward
all parties seethed to rule in every heart. The deci
sion reached was eminently illustrative of this; for
while positively condemning no party, it suggests
the errors of all, and leaves the way open for com
promise, conciliation, and peace. In the final vote
too, so largely one way, there is much' significance,
and it is believed there would have been entire unan
imity had the issue been formed upon the merits of
the case.
The decision is justified in my own view by the
following considerations :
I. That part that sustains the appeal from the ac
tion of the Presbytery of Wabash was demanded by
the manifest error committed by that Presbytery,
in not entertaining and issuing the .appeal- of Mr.
Miller,-which, it was admitted, came in due form
before them, connected as this is with the unfortun
ate circumstance that the chairman of their Judi
cial Committee was an interested person, and so
disqualified to act in such a relation: It is not too
Much to say that the Presbytery of Wabash decided
the case without hearing it. Concerning this mat-
ter there was but one view. in the Synod, and' from
that part of their judgment relating to it no appeal
is taken.
11. That portion of the judgment of Synod which
remits the case for a new trial, is justified on the
following grounds:
1. It resulted from a desire on the part of Synod
that the lower courts might have an opportunity to
amend their proceedings, wherein they were infor
mal or improper, and that, both for the honor of
Presbyterianism, and the furtherance of truth and
righteousness.
2. It resulted from an apprehension that the
Synod possibly, had not all the facts and all the
light on the subject which were requisite to the ad
judication of it upon its full merits. Christian pru
dence seemed to dictate that we should take advan
tage of that doubt though subjecting the parties to"
some delay. This, however, is to be added, that
had the Synod decided the case on its merits, as
they then appeared, no one questions that the appel
lant would have lost his case, and that the sentence
of suspension passed upon him by the Session would
have been confirmed, and probably by a unanimous
vote.
3. The decision of the Synod is justified on the
ground Of its kindness to the appellant. It provid
ed for a rehearing of the case within six months, and
it might have been within six 'weeks and less, had
not his notice of appeal stopped the proceedings in
that direction entirely; whereas, by appealing to
the Assembly, the case has been deferred six months
and more, with the danger here of beim: , e' decided
just as the Synod would have' ecided it, had they
taken the responsibility, in 'October last. The
Synod, theref .re, did the kindest thing , they could
to the appellant in the circumstances, and merit his
gratitude rather than the charge of haVing imposed
a hardship:or of'having acted oppresaitiely.
4. The Synod had no reason to doubt that the
Presbytery of WabaSli, to whom the 'ratter was re
mitted was entirely competent to 'try the case with
.,.
out passion or prejudiee, inaenauch as it had not
been before them in any such forin as ,to any
opinion or judgment whatever, upon its involved
merits. The same could not be said of the Session
of the church of Tuscola, becaVsp havjnk investi
gated and'Clecided'the'thatter once, it might be pre
sumed that they would bg morally, incompetent to
pass upon it
5. And then this adds' Much tO.'the reasons by
which we justify the decisiOn of the Synod, that it
was taken with the remaining hope that it would
result in comProthise between the parties, especially
that the appellants perceiving but one view to pre.
,vail in regard to his cause, and that adverse
,to it,
he - could not expect that any other cmirt, Composed
of good men, would see it differently, or be likely to
Adjudicate it in his favor, and so at once,. make
peaCe with the - chUreh he' had - Offended, by proper
concessions, and so be restored to their. fellowship
again: His appeal to the General - Assembly dashed
those= pleasing hopes, and saddened us when we
thought of so much laborspent in vain, but espe
cially.when we thought of the little church of Tus
cola, now happily united and peaceful, yet held in
anxiety and'painfutsuspensie, about a; man who,
though now living more than five hundred miles
from them, has power to disturb them in the courts
of the Church; and about a matter concerning which
they are, it is fair to say, of one mind.
The decision of the Synod of Illinois was.sustain
ed and the duty of drawing up a minute expressive
of the opinion of the Assembly in thecase, was re
ferked; with the minutes of the Synod, to a Commit
tee of which Judge:Williams of Pittsburg was chair:
man.._. • . • '
Adjourned to •Monday.
TENTH DILY-IEIONDAY, A.
The prayer-meeting was full of interest. Remarks
were made by Dr._ Mills who thankfully noticed the
fact that our Assembly had all..been preserved in
life and health; also by Rev-Herrick Johnson, on
the importance of prayer. for the gathering of the na
tions at the Paris Exposition, so that, like the gath
ering of the nations at Jerusalem, it might be made
a Pentecostal 6061:Sion.' . Rey.'C."C 'Kimball, of Le
Roy, urged prayer .a hoPei.on. the ground that
this is the Dispensationof the Holy Ghost, without
whose aid, all our ma4hinery•wciuld'he like the mill
by the side of the dry bdof the stream in summer.A bird flew into the ho se.!atid.riligliteci ron'the car
peti in front of the pi tform; quietly lookinn• for
food,—a pleasing , incidet to which Dr. Seward, of
Yonkers, gracefully allu ed in his remarks'.
After the•calling of tie roll, the Moderator' an
a;
flounced that he* bad r ceived officially" copy Of
the.resolutions in.relatio to the subject of a . iinion
of all the PresbyterianChurches; . adopted by the
Synod OC the Reformed•Aresbyterian Church 'of 'the
United States noW,iicS'elsSioir in' New York. . The
following are• the resolutions... i'
WHEREAS, The - interests of the cause of •ChriSt
require 'us at -this:tithe:to' 'inaugurate 'Measures'to'
heal Zion's breachesrand to bring into one the divi
ded portions of thePrbyter!ari familyl therefore, to%
Resolved, That . the S nod recommend the' Bev- .
eral Presbyterian - judic,tories,,nOw Met or soon to
meet, to unite with its i calling a general Conven
tion of the Presbyteri n'Churches of the United
States, to meet in the'ty of Philadelphia on the
ci,:)
2d Wednesday of Septe ber next, or at such time
and place as may be .s.dreeil -upon, for prayer and
conference in regard t the terms of communion
among the various branches of the'Presbyterian
family. .
Resolved, That we retlorriniend that said conven
tioni .
shall consist of a minister and a ruling elder
from each Presbytery.
- Resolved,. That certified copies of this action be
immediately communicated by the' clerk of the Sy
nod to the bodies included'in this call. . .
Resolved, That each 664-represented 'in the said
convention shalt, •-without , respect to the number, of
delegates, be entitled to 'equal vote on all ques
tions submitted for decision:
Itesi)lved, That the
. dele'gates appointed by the
Presbyteries of- this church be required to report to
this Synod for its action at its next meeting, the re
sults reached by the convention.
_Resolved,: That Rev. J. N. McLeod, D.D., Rev. T.
W. J. Wylie, D:D., and. George H. Stuart, be and
they are hereby appointed a Committee of Arrange- .
mews and Correspondence in regard -to such con
vention.
On motion they were referred to a special com
mittee.
Ministerial Relief.
Dr. Sprague, from the Committre on Ministerial
Relief, reported that•the object of the fund and the
mode of . administering met with their entire appro
bation; enumerated many reasons which made this
fund a necessity; and recommended that each
church connected with the Assembly; he requested
to make an annual collection' in aid of this fund.
They also call the attention of each Presbytery to
the importance- of having a Standing Committee
through whom applications for relief may he made.
And finally suggest that the class of ministers and
their fatnilies for whose relief this fund has been
established, should not be forgotten or overlooked
in the prayers of Christian people.
Mr. Schofield wished the necessity for renewing
the application for help, from year to year, - could be
removed: There is an undue degree of requisition
upon the individuals needing help.
Dr. Seward 'replied that the minister applying
this year, may, in various ways, come into . posses
sion of property. 'Hence the propriety of requiring
a renewal of the application. . The cause lie - was
glad to say, was obtain increased favor. Over
GO were contributed by his own Church last year.
The appeals of the Scotch ministers on sustentation
impressed him deeply. They showed us that we
are not doing our duty to disabled ministers.
Dr. Sprague.—The renewed application to which
brother SchOfield objects is attended with little trou
ble. lam sure that this cause will be received by
our people with far more favor than we apprehend.
When I presented it last, a liberal gentleman asked
me: "Have you Appleton's new Cyclopedia? if not
I will send it to you just for making that appeal for
Ministerial Relief."
Mr. McVey suggested that the word " fund"
should be put in place of "charity," as this is not
properly a work of charity.
Dr. Sprague accepted the su g gestion.
Elder Fennel.—This motiorifor amendment is not
in order, as it refers to a rule of a committee which
cannot be amended on motion.
The Moderator decided it to be in order.
The amendment of Mr. Schofield was lost, and
the report adopted.
The Moderator said he had received a respectful
paper from Silas Miller, which, on motion, was
handed to the Committee on Appeal.
Delegates to Corresponding Bodies
The Standing Committee to nominate delegates to
corresponding bodies, presented their report, which
was adopted, and is as follows:
1. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church in the United States of America, that met
this year at Cincinnati, Ohio: Rev. John C. Smith,
D.D., of the Presbytery of the District of Columbia,
and the Hon. William Strong, of the Presbytery of
Philadelphia, Third, Principals, and Rev. Halsey
Dunning, of the Presbytery of the District of Colum
bia, and James W. Kerr, M.D., of the Presbytery of
Harrisburg, alternates.
2. The General Assembly of the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church, Rev. Thos. Lippincott, of the
Presbytery.of Alton, principal, and Rev. John M.
Bishop, of the Presbytery of Salem, alternate.
3. The General Assembly of the United Presbyte
rian Church of North America: Rev. Clement E.
Babb, of the Presbytery of Hamilton, principal,. and
Rev. Rollin A. Sawyer, of the Presbytery of Dayton,
alternate.
4. The General Synod of the Reformed Protestant
Dutch Church in North America: Rev. A. Augus
tus Wood, D.D, principal, and the Rev. Samuel H.
Gridley, D.D., of the Presbytery of Geneva, alter
nate.
5. The General Synod of the Reformed Presbyte
rean Church in North America: Rev. George A.
Lyon, D.D. of the Presbytery of Erie, principal, and
Rev. Samuel M. Sparks, of the Presbytery of Pitts
burgh, alternate.
6. General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in the United States: Rev. Henry E. Niles
of the Presbytery of Harrisburg, principal, and the
Rev. Thomas H. Robinson of the same Presbytery,
alternate. • •
7. The General ,Conference of the Conaregational
Churches of Maine: Rev. Francis B. *heeler, of
the Presbytery of North River, principal, and Rev.
A. Bordman Lambert, D.D., of the Presbytery of
Troy, alternate.
8. The General Association of New Hampshire:
Rev. Burtis C. Megie, of the Presbytery of Rocka
way, principal, and Rev. Seldon Haines, of the
Presbytery of Utica, alternate.
9. The General Convention of Vermont: Rev.
Timothy M. Hopkins, of the Presbytery of Geneva,
principal, and Rev. Benjamin Graves, of the Presby
tery of Dayton, alternate. •
10. The General Association of Massachusetts:
Rev. J. Glentworth Butler, D.D., of the Presbytery
of Philadelphia,
Third, principal, and Rev. Ezra H.
Gillett, D.D., of the Presbytery. of New. York, Fourth,
alternate.
11. The General Association of Connecticut: Rev.
T. Ralston Smith, of the Presbytery of New York,
Third, principal, and. Rev. Erskine N. White, of the
Presbytery of New York, Fourth, Alternate.
12. 'The Presbyterian and Congregational Con
vention of Wisconsin : 'Rev. George Duffield, Jr., of
the Presbytery of Knox, principal, apd Rev. Edwin
L. Hurd of the Presbytery of Schuyler, alternate. •
. It was also referred to the Standing Committee to
make nominations of delegates to the Free Church
of Scotland and the Church of Ireland. •
• Alterations in the Report on Foreign Missions
were reported by the Chairman, Re\T. William Aik.
man; leaving it to the, editor of the Presbyterian
Monthly to insert such Foreign Missionary matter as
he saw fit, into that journal, and taking notice of the
memorial on Kolapoor Mission from Detroit Pres
bytery,,qs well as of that from Monroe.
On this point, Mr. Aikman remarked that the
members from Champlain Presbytery to which Mr.
Wilder belongs, had appeared before the Committee
and had declared themselves perfectly satisfied with
the 'report on Kolapoor Mission. The Report was
adopted , [lt has already Npeared our,colums.]
Home MissiOns
The Report of the Standing Committee on Home
Missions was taken up. ,
Mr. Aikman.—There is, perhaps, no .more impor
tant missionary' field than that in :Delaware and
Maryland, between the Delaware' and Chesapeake.
bays. It was the original home of Presbyterianism
in this.country. ,It is a remarkable fact just now
that a very large Majority of the present immigrants
to it are Presbyterians. Nearly half of our churches
in Wilinington 'Presbytery are Home Missionary
churches. I hope .we shall have the sympathy of
the General AsseMbly on that field. As the Com
mittee on Home Missions of our Presbytery, I have
at times felt the missionary field in Delaware more
of a care than my own ChUrch. Here are small
fields where - a salary of only $3OO or $4OO can . be
raised, and $3OO more are asked from the Home
Missionary Committee. r write letters with a feel
ing of shame, asking men to come to this field and
labor for $6OO a year, when the poorest day-laborers
in NeW York city get $3 a day. I would press home
upon the elders this matter of the inadequate sup
port of the ministry.. We ought to put it. before our"
people. - For 'my Part, I have made up my mind to
try and educate all 'I Meet with to a higher plane of
duty in this matter. It is simply a matter of justice.
Men will pay their minister what they would not
think of paying their day-labOrer and carpenter.
And, yet he is the man who is at the head of the
community. We are to elevate the thought of the
people on the matter. It is a matter that belongs to
us—that belongs to the people through their minis
ter. How dare they pay their, clerks and day-labor
ers, and yet neglect those men'who have no higher
responsibilty for Christ's work than they themselves.'
We must aim at filling the Honie Missionary
treasury, so as to provide more abundantly for these
Men. We get the men to go down into the well and
we do not educate the men who hold on to the rope
at the top. •
• Rev. Mr. Thorp, of East Tennessee.—There is
perhaps no field that demands more sympathy than
the - field we - represent in- Ease Tennessee. I have
been afraid that we shall not get \ our quota of men.
We have 55 loyal Churches, in East Tennessee, and
not more than a dozen of men. The churches, and
especially . the Presbyterian Churches have done
more than any other influences, to keep that section
true to. the - country. I am the only man able to
preach at all over a space of 110 miles, in which
we have 12 or 14 'churches. The lower counties are
less loyal, and- we need more help there.
I will mention my own ease in this connection.
When an application fora larger salary.was made to
the Secretary of Home Missions, he . answered that
God's will was not that the Home Missionaries
should 'have large salaries, for lie did not give the
Committee means to vote them. I wish it, would
appear God's will by a great increase. of contribu
tions. Old Thomas Brown now laid aside, r got but
$250 a year in one of the most important cnurches
in our section. For myself, I have been compelled
to teach school to supplement a meagre salary. 1
need all my time for my proper work: I haVe been
unable to prepare sermons and go atnong the
churches as I would like and as I might. The re
bels have been trying to get these churches froth us,
and we must have the means to meet them.
Elder Steele, of Auburn.—Our rninisteltal breth
ren should compel our people not only by con
science to their work of giving, but by the love of
Christ. This working by conscience alone is hard
work.
Dr. Sprague.--The great question is, how to get
this adequate compensation? Is there money
enough in the Church? Yes! amply sufficient to
carry on all the plans of our Assembly. But how
shall it, be reached? By touching people's
consciences. I would like, just at this point, to
ask counsel of the Lord. Let us come on
,to'the
Bible plan. Let us ministers set them the example.
Let us not tell them to go, but let us lead them just
as we lead sinners to Christ by going first ourselves,
I read, in the hi-tory of God's ancient people, of
one tenth being required, besides provision being
made for free-will offerings. Are we in this age to
do any less in spreading the Gospel over the world,
than was done by the Jews? I would have every
minister first look at the ground himself ; all he re
ceives is from the Lord, and He holds back one
tenth, and says he did not give that. Let that
course be taken by every minister, and I am sure
we will find the remaining nine-tenths better for us
then the whole was. [A voice, Amen.] I find it so.
I keep in my family what is: known to all as the
Lord's Box ; of every single dollar that we receive,
one-tenth goes in that box. Brethren, whatever
,your circumstances, lend to Him out of your purse.
It is safe to do so. [Applause.] We have got to be
gin there, before we can answer these claims.
• Rev. Mr. McCorkle, of East Tennessee.—l am
supporting a Missionary and have provided for him
for 30 years by my will, although' a Missionary my
self a salary of $450. The Lord has prospered
me in this. Now if a poOr Missionary can do so
much, what 'can not our members generally do, if
they have the diaposition ?
The Moderator expressed his extreme gratifica
tion that we had heard from the brother in Tennes
see. I hope the churches will take notice how our
East Tennessee Silesia:Mary is leading the way in
this work.
Dr. Kendall, :Secretary :Of Home Missions.—We
encounter this difficulty in - endeaVorint , to give am
ple salaries: We give two litiridied dollars to make
up $lOOO for a Home Missionary. A neighborine ,
Church receiving nothing from us, gives but'sBoo to
its . pastpr. 'That church will not make 'a collection
for us, because the Home Missionary church near
by is just as able to support its minister as they.
We cannot regulate this 'matter, still we are
.en
deavoring to do our, part to level up this matte - 10f
salary.
,We are often, satisfied that churches ap
plying' for aid are not giving" What they ought them
selves. - We sOinetimeigive . on condition that they
increase their sUbscription, and .sometimes, we are
sorry to say, the Missionaries suffer in the process.
Bro. Thorp speaks of what I wrote to him, Per
haps he does-not know bow I wrote to his own peo
ple. I told them of the Knoxville Church of
Freedmen, who pay their minister $lOOO. They
give $5OO, and we add $5OO, very cheerfully. While
at Athens our brother's whiteeongreg,ation proposed
to raise $2OO, and wanted us to give $6OO. [Sensa
tion.] We cannot always touch the people by con
science or the power of love, but must sometimes
do it by shame. I doubt whether the churches are
at the point of allowing us to:fix the aniaount;of our
Home Missionary. support where it ought to be. We
frequently ask iu our Committee, when making •an
appropriation, How does the man live? And yet
he does live. And-yet again there are those who
went West early, as for, instance,, one pastor in
Michigan, whose people could do no ;better than
pay his salary in pieellands,- and:now, bylthe rise in
the value of that property, they' with their pastor
have become rich. He also has made provision
for the perpetual support,of one or More ministers.
. One thing we do :.whatever we promise we pay. We
expect to pay every dollar we promise. We always
pay it. (Applause.) On the last day of April, we had
paid every man who had, sent• on his claim.. Not
every one absolutely, but all whose reports were in.
The lesson'of the year. past.-is, that whatever we
must have, God provides for us. If we have occa
sion to use $250,000 the coining year, experience
teaches us to believe we shall have it. We want
men and we can't-find them. We want many more
men in Delaware, Tennessee, and Kansas. We can
find many middle-aged men with families who are
inclined, but, Who do not seem ,to _be the men. This
year 'we shall try .to, send- younger men.- By the
time their families are grown. up, in these new coun
tries. the schools mill be there. There is great pro
priety in these young men going.
We shall want men, because the Church. Erection
Fund is now in working order. Although not seek
ing a specific sum, I do desire that the Assembly
shall indicate that we should have a larger. sum.
The Lord will 'help us firul;the'means we need.
Mr. Trowbridge (Chicago) wished it to be known
(l) that ministers are better paid in the West than
in the East come and you will be better supported
there in churches of the same'grade.. Our Commit
tee is a• generous. Committee in its, policy. (2) Our
feeble churches at the West, for the most part, do
nobly for their ministers,as a rule. I can name one
Church of thirty .odd members, without .a house,
who pay a-salary averaging $2O a member. There
are Elders on this floor .that could buy up that en
tire Chorch. I can name 20 feeble Home Mission
ary churches which pay an average of $l.O a mem
ber, for the support of their ministers. •
Rev. Mr. Lowrie.—l object to - a proposal to in
crease in this way Home Missionary. salaries. The
fund was not raised to• increase, salaries but to carry
the Gospel to places not yet reached. We must
throw the burden, on, people. 1 have been on my
field three years; the first year they raised $BO for
my, support, the nextsl3o; and on the 3d year $2OO.
Next y,ear they will be self-supporting. I never re
ceived,auy money with so much reluctance as that
from the Home Missionary Committee. If I feel
that I owe any debt. it is to that. Committee. Every
year I have paid just $2OO from my resources for
the privilege of -supporting the Gospel.. I rejoice in
the privilege of giving it. If the Treasury of the
Committee is not filled to overflowing, the fault will
be, not with the people but with the ministers. If
we feel the importance of the work sufficiently we
shall bring our people up. .1 - jr people,gave to be
nevolent causes the first year $2; the. second $5 and
the third year $lO. There are only 13 members in
the church.
The report was adopted.
Rev. Herrick Johnson offered a resolution calling
for $250,000 for Home Missions during the coming
year, and said: We
_do better when we ,have a defi
nite object before us, Our Secretary tells us that
Providence has always met . the emergency, and yet
he gOes.down to our Horne Missionaries and tells
them that Providence does not allow their wants t..)
be met. [Sensation.] Now my view is, Providence
helps those who help themselves. Let us name an
amount, there will be an effort to reach that sum.
If there is to be an effort to build churches, we
shall need this largely increased appropriation. I
should be glad to have our proportion in the
Third church named by the Secretary, and I promise
him to double it. [Applause.]
Rev. C. C. Kimball of Le Roy.—l rejoice at this
rising spirit, and I am anxious to see such a swel
ling of the tide of liberality as to adequately sup
port-our Home Missionaries. Let us give those no
ble men something to work with; let them have
every opportunity to do something for the Lord.
Let us act in a noble,d,beral, business-like way, and
the Lord will help us. Let me give a case in point.
I know the Pastor of a good, strong Church who
has paid annually for the support of the Gospel
seventeen times more than the highest paying mem
ber of his Church has contributed.
Rev. Mr. Carnahan.—l have been preaching on
the same field for three years. These hands have
cut the wood for erecting the hoese of worship. I
have preached under the shadoW of the trees for
want of a house, rode 80 miles and paid my own
way, without receiving a cent. My salary has nev
er gone over $625, and has frequently been less. than
$350. I have been compelled to mortgage my
house to get money at '7 per et., to pay my debts,
and save my ministerial character. I have not
lived on my salary by more than $2OO a year. I
have risen at 4 o'clock and ploughed the ground
and raised'my own vegetables. Years ago, I deter
mined that I had property enough, and I have en
deavored to use what I had for Christ.