plubttriait. THURSDAY, MAY 27, 1869 RED*. JOHN' W. MEARS, D. D., Editor No. 1334 ChestnOt Street, Philadelphia. TUE EDITORIAL COMMITTEE. nev. 1. Humphrey, D.D., Pastor of Calvor*, Church. Rev. Herrick Johnson, D.D., Pastor of tht First Church. /Rev. Danl. March. D.D.. Pastor of Clio ton St. Church. Rev. Peter Stryker, D.D., Pastor of N. Broad St. Church. Rev. George F. Wisurell, D.D., Pastor of Green Hill Church.. Rev. E. E. Adams, D. D., Prof. in Lin eoln IlJnivereity. Rev. Samuel W. Duffield, Special Correspondent. Mr. Robert E. Thompson will con tinue to act as Editor of the News Department. Correspondents in every Presbytery and Synod will promptly furnish us with fresh items of news from their respective • fields. The General Assembly. [Continuid from our First Page.] Reunion Committee's Report. Dr. Adams read the report of our part of the Joint Committee on Re union, with whose action our readers are acquainted. It'was referred to the Spe cial Committee of ten. It is as follows : In making their report .at this time, the Committee on Re-union have thought it expedient for convenience of reference and a right Comprehension of the case, to mord in compendious form the seve ral steps and stages of that important proceetlino• with which they have been connected' In the year 1866, the two Assemblies then meeting simultaneously in the City of St. Louis, a delegation from the Old School Assembly appeared in the New School •Assembly, and presented the fol lowing communication on behalf of the body which they represented: Resolved, That this Assembly expresses its fraternal affection for the other branch of the Prestiyterian Church, and its earnest desire for re•union at the earliest time con sistent with agreement in do , ...trine, order. and polity, on the basis of our common standards, and the prevalence of mutual confidence and love, which are so neces sary to a happy union, and to the perma nent peace and prosperity of the United Church. Resolved, That it be recommended to all our churches and Church Courts, and to all our Ministers, Ruling Elders, and Com municants, to cherish fraternal feeling, to cultivate Christian intercourse in the wor ship of God, in the promotion of the cause of Christ, and to avoid all needless contro versies and competitions adapted to per petuate division and strife. Resolved, That a Committee of nine Min isters and six Ruling Elders be appointed —provided that a similar Committee shall be appointed by the other Assembly now in session in this city—fbr the purpose of conferring : in regard to the desirableness and practicability o•f re-union ; and it, af ter conference and inquiry, such re-union shall seem to be desirable and practica ble, to suggest suitable measures for its ac complishment, and report to thenext Gene ral Assembly. In reply to this communication, the General Assembly, N. S., adopted, the same day, the following resolutions: _Resolved, That this Assembly tender to the Assembly representing the other branch of the Presbyterian Church, its cordial Christian salutatiGns and fellowship, and the expression of its earnest wish for re union, on the basis of one common stan dard, received in a common spirit. Resolved. That a committee of fifteen, nine of whom shall be ministers - Of the Gospel, and six Ruling Elders, he appoint= ed to confer on this subject, in the recess of the Assemblies, with the •committee •to be appointed by the other General Assem bly, and to report the result to the next General Assembly. Resolved, That we enjoin upon this com mittee, and upon all our ministers and Church members, to abstain from what ever may hinder , a true Christian fellow-. ship, and to cherish and-to cultivate those ,feelings and purposes which look to the peace and prosperity of Zion, the edifying of the body of Christ, and the complete union of all believers, especially of those who live in the same land; and have the same history, and the same standard -of doctrine and polity. Both Assemblies preceded immediate ly to appoint Committees, in accordance with these resolutions.. These Committees, in discharge of the duties assigned them, met in joint ses sion, in the months of February and May, 1867, and as the result of their ,confer ences, agreed upon a document contain ing proposed terms of re-union between the two branches of the Presbyteriau Church, which they represented ; which document was reported totheir respective Assemblies in May of the same year. One of the articles of this report was in these words: 12. The terms of the re-union shall be published, by direction of the General As semblies of 1867, for the deliberate exami nation of both branches of the Church. and the Joint Committee shall report to the General Assemblies of 1868 any modifica tion of them they may deem desirable, in view of any new light that may hive been received during the year. According to this recommendation, the terms of re-union were ordered to be pub lished by both Assemblies. and the same Committees were continued for the pur poses above designated. ' In conformity to their instructions, the Joint 'Committee held a protracted conference in March, 1868, and in May of the same y ar, availing themselves of all the light a id information they could command, and presented their final re port to the two Assemblies meeting that year, respectivly at Albany and Harris burg. That report contained some "modifi cations" of the basis of union agreed upon the previous year, together with such explanations as were designed to prevent or correct misapprehensions, and adjust more fully the sentiments of the two branches. The twelfth article of the basis of union thus reported was in these words : 0 The terms of the Re-union, if they are approved by the General Assemblies of 1868, shall be overtured to the several Presbyteries under their care, and shall be of binding force, if they are ratified by three-fourths of the Presbyteries connected with each branch of the Church, within one year after they shall have been sub mitted to them for approval." The terms of reunion were approved and adopted by both Assemblies of 1868, and according to the agreement itself were sent down as an overture to the Presbyteries for their action. On the afternoon of the last day of the session of the General Assembly (N. S.) at Harrisburg, a special delega tion from the General Assembly (0. S.) at Albany, appeared and presented in behalf of that body a proposition to modify the basis of reunion, which had already been approved and overturned by both Assemblies. That proposition was in the following word's : "While the Assembly has approved of the report of the Joint Committee on Re union, it expresses its preference for a change in the first item in the basis, leav ing out the following words, namely: ["lt understood that the confession is received in it, historical—that is, the Calvinistic or Reformed sense. It is also understood that the various methods of viewing, sta ting, and explaining and illustrating the doctrines of the confession, which do not impair the integrity of the Reformed or Calvinistic system, are to be freely allowed in the United Church, as they have hither to been allowed in the separate Churches."] The Assembly believes, that by omit ting those clauses the basis will be more simple and -more expressive of mutual confidence ; and, if the Assembly at Harrisburg shall concur in the amend ment, it shall become of effect, as the ac tion of this Assembly also. After comference with those dele gates, the General Assembly at Harris burgh adopted the following minute : " The Assembly has heard with pro found satisfaction, and reciprocates with cordial fellowship, the statement of the delegates from the General Assembly at Albany about i ate place of Reunion." In respeetWowever to the proposi tion for a change in Article Ist, as our Assembly is on the eve of adjournment and greatly reduced is numbers. _Resolved, That we regret that no action can be had upon this subject, as it cannot, according to our rules, be reconsidered and amended at the present session of the As sembly ; nor can the proposed amendment be now sent down to our Bresbyteries in such a form' as that its adoPtion would be of any legal effect. At the same time tit was resolved by the same Assembly at Harrisburg, "That the Coaimittee of Fifteen on Re-union he .con tinued, and that the otlier Assembly be re quested to appoint a similar Committee to co-operate with this in furnishing such in formation as they may deem best to the churches, in order to secure intelligent ac tion on the subject of Re-union. Considerable time elapsed, when it be came evident that the constituent Pres-. byteries of the two Assemblies were taking action after entirely distinct methods. The Presbyteries of our Branch were reported, in every quarter, as taking ac tion of some kind directly upon the overture which had been sent down by the, Assembly. Meantime, it appeared that in ac cordance with the suggestions of several unofficial circulars which had been issued by members of the other Branch, their Presbyteries, very generally declining to vote directly on the Basis of Union over tared by the Assemblies, were conducting their action upon another basis, which had been recommended as preferable. This method, if sufficiently extensive, was, of course, equivalent to the defeat of the terms •of Reunion approved by both Assemblies, and the substitution, by one of the concurring parties, of an amended basis. Believing' that the time has come when, in accordance with the terms of• their continuance, some " information " might be" furnished " which might help " to secure intelligent action on •the sub ject of Reunion," your Committee held •a meeting in this city in the month of January last, As the result of their deliberation, all present unanimously agreed to issue the tbllowing address to the Presbyteries: [Here follows the •action taken in january, viz., the recommendation to drop ^the explanatory clauses of the First and the whole of the Tenth Article, with which our readers are already fa miliar. The Committee proceed:] It will be seen by all who read this address with attention, that it was never designed in any way to disturb the pre vious action of the Assembly and the Presbyteries. To thrust any new and unauthorized terms of their own between the action of the Assembly and the Presbyteries would have been an unwar ranta.kle assumption on the part of your comaittee. But it occurred to them that without overstepping the modest limits of their instructions they might venture to recommend a course, which, conform ing essentially to, the expressed ‘! prefer ence " of their brethren. of the other branch, promised to extricate from any confusion which had occurred there— affording to the Presbyteries of both THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, MAY 27, 1869. branches, if disposed to adopt it, an op portunity, before the meetinc , of the As semblies now in session, of giving, with out further suspense, a final decision up on the overture of Reunion. The method suggested was not a substitute for the terms of Reunion, but a supplement there to, designed to meet the wishes of those who, appealing to " mutual confidence," desired to simplify those terms in certain particulars. The action of your com mittee is based on the supposition that the terms of the overture adopted by the two Assemblies have been approved or voted upon by the Presbyteries, in which case they suggest an amendment of the same, such ahas been desired and pre ferred in pa't, by our brethren of the other branch, not to supersede but to fol low previous action. The recommenda tion was made with the design of evinc ing, that having voted upon the terms of Reunion, approved by the highest Judi catories of the Church, we were ready to go further and accede to the wishes of those who desired a simpler basis resting largely on fraternal confidence. `What is the result of Presbyterial ac tion on the subject of Reunion, your Committee are not informed. Due no tice will undoubtedly soon be given in an official form. Should it appear that by the action of the Presbyteries on either side the terms of Reunion approved and overtured by the last General Assem blies have been defeated, we trust that there will be no disposition to deal in re crimination. It is to be assumed that the churches and the ministers of both branches, in the exercise of that liberty which is our common birthright, have acted in the premises according , to their best light and wisdom. In the event that the conferences and proposals of the last three years are not immediately suc cessful, your committee, as they were not charged so, would not presume to recom mend other terms and measures; but reviewing all the steps and results of that proceeding which, with Christian ,mag nanimity, was inaugurated by the Other Assembly in 1866, it will be a sot - nee of pleasure to us to be assured by them, as we are by our own consciences, before God and the Church, that we have been disposed to meet their several successive proposals in a spirit of Christian frank ness, honor, confidence, and affection. W. ADAMS, Chairnian. Drs. Adams, Patterson, Fish, Stearns and Shaw, and Elders Strong, H4nes, W. E. Dodge, Farrand and Knigh4vere appointed the Special Committee o ten to confer with a like Committee of the other branch on Reunion. Dr. Kendall read the report on *ome Missions, showing that the interdit in the cause was greater than even; last year. The annual' extension of roads from 1835 , to 1868 was MOO miles; in the last three years it has,been nearly 2,000 miles, and last year 2,500 miles. This rapid opening of roads and the influx of new population are the great impulses to Home Missionary work. Allusion was made to the chang ing character of the immigration, the Protestant element being largely on the increase. The Scandinavians are espe cially numerous in Minnesota. The process of disintegration going on in the Papal ranks is remarkable. Four or five millions of people are calculated to have been lost to the Catholic Church in this country. The prospect, of a. large immigration from China, amounting perhaps to millions in the next iwenty years, was referred to. Home Misions are the best agency to make the people homogeneous, orderly and peaceable. The reactionary influence of foreigners converted in this country, upon the well nigh dead Protestantism, or the Papacy in Europe, exceed any other morc'direct method by which we might seek to evangelize that continent.. We have ac cess to more Chinese in California, and to more blacks in the South than to either of these people in their own coml. tries. The effort to supply feeble and decayed churches in the older States, bi our Seminary students, has been very successful, sixteen of such in NeW York State alone having been resuscitated and made self sustaining. On city Evangel ization, the facts of the enormous growth of our cities and the failure of Presbyterian Church Extension in cities are most significant. City churcheh grow larger but do not coloniZe. An alarm ing statement was made of the exceed. ingly few movements of this sort igoing on in our cities, and the contrast was drawn with other denominationsr, more zealous than ours: The inadequacy of mere Mission school effort was panted out. Our plans must 'Conform to divine plans. ' 'Expense must•not be feared. Is not this the question resting on our churches to-day ? The Committee ,re luctantly entered upon the work in cities, but they , have found the results most satisfactory, as shown by churches aided in Chicago, Rochester and Phila delphia, which have since become self sustaining. Sixl missionaries have died; whole number employed 460. The receipts Home Missions and Freedmeii. and average appropriations are both in creased ; 832 missionaries report 2,111 additions on profession; 73 churches have been formed—a gain of 19 on last year. Thirteen students of the class of '6B of Union Seminary gave themselves to the work, and their presence on the frontier has so rallied the Church that the Pres bytery of Kansas, which reported ten ministers last year, reports 26 this year. The report discusses the need of men which, in spite of the gathering up of all available material in our own Church, and much from others, is still oppress ively great. The Secretary thinks that a public sentiment to send every graduate from our Seminaries to the West for the next five years. Fifty more missionaries would be located in a month if they could be found. Our city and Eastern churches snatch up our young men be cause they can be had for less expense, thus cheapening the ministry as a whole. If our young men would prefer the Home Missionary field, they would ele vate their profession and promote its in tet ests every way. Interesting reports from the District Secretaries were introduced. Dr. Hatfield read the First • Report of the Freedmen's Department. In this, the action, or rather inaction, of our body up to< last May, was reviewed, and the scattering of our monies and the habit of giving to irresponsible bodies, were justly criticised. The final action of the Assembly at Harrisburg loOked to the union of educational with religious ef forts, instead of separating them, as too often has been done. The organization of the department was commenced in June. The propositions of the delegates of the Old School Freedmen's Commit tee in October for co-operation, were deemed inadmissible; but no Secretary was appointed, in view of the possibility of joint measures being taken by the two Assemblies of 1869 ; Dr. Hatfield was, therefore, designated, to act in the interval as Secretary. The effort was fairly begun only about six months ago, when only two laborers were' t work on the field. The proposals of the Freed men's Union of Pittsburg to take charge of their schools and their whole field, were, after mature consideration, ac cepted. Mr. Oscar M. Waring, of Win chester, was one of the principal teach ers received by this arrangement, and his full and very interesting report of his first quarter's work will be published. The Freedmen's Bureau has also turned over a number of its schools in Tennes see to our Committee. Instances of per secution of our teachers have not been wanting especially in Florence, Ala bama;. and two school houses have been burned down. The education given is Christian in character. The Sunday school is regarded as a necessary ad junct. Two churches have been or ganized in Tennessee, there , being seven, freedmen's churches in that State, but only one pastor. Five brethren—main ly white—have been sent to the northern parts of South Carolina. Their efforts —especially educational —were most cor dially responded to, their schools are flourishing, and all classes of the people seem well affected to them. The Freed men's Bureau have, in some cases, built them substantial school-houses. The Committee intend to occupy this part of the State, which seems so open and fa vorable, to the full. The church in Charleston is prospering, and one thou- sand dollars have been appropriated by the Freedmen's Bureau toward finishing the basement for school purposes, the school now numbering 140 pupils, and having a very high character. Seven ministers and two licentiates are em ployed by the Home Missionary Commit tee, and 99 teachers had been commis sioned up to the Ist of May. A good record for six months' work. Mr. W. F. Mitchell was appointed general agent in February, and his labors have been acceptable and prosperous. Less than one-eighth of the churches have con tributed (189 in all); the amount received was $15,906:79, including appropriations from Freedmen's Bureau and other sources.. This has been attended by no diminution in the gifts to the general cause of Home Missions, but by a large increase. The action of the Assembly of the other branch, appointing a Committee of Conference on Reunion, as previously stated, was here announced, .and the Stated Clerk was instructed to communi cate the like action of our body. Here took a recess till 2i P. M. FRIDAY AFTERNOON Mr. E. A. Lambert, Treasurer, read the Home Mission Committee's financial report which showed a balance on hand last May, of $3,175.72 ; receipts from the churches during the year, $127,151.60; from individuals, $3,861.98; from lega cies, $2G,158.87. These amounts with in terest on various funds, make a total for the year of $162,420.82. The bal ance on hand this year is over twelve thousand dollars. The increase over last year is $24,398.05, of which $5,908.91 is from the churches. Four Synods : Albany (New York), and New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan show an increase, all the others a de crease. 56 more churches contributed this year than last. Only 2 Presbyteries, Smoky . Hill and Humboldt, reported every church as contributing; all but one of the 34 churches of Newark Pres bytery, and all but two of the 34 of Philadelphia IVth have contributed. The contributions to the Freedmen's De partment, $15,941.09, added to the above amount make a total of $174,906.54. EAluesitlon. The Permanent Committee on Educa tion commenced their report by a notice of Dr. John J. Owen, long Chairman of this Committee, who died April 14th. Rev. James P. Wilson, D.D., has been chosen Chairman of the Committee. 210 candidates have been under the care of the Committee during the year. Re ceipts, $24,037.97; $6,530Z8 greater than last year and nearly $4,000 greater than in any previous year. The congre gations contributing have risen from 277 to 372 as compared with last year. Yet there has been a decided deficiency, so that only 25 per cent. of the fourth quarter's payment to the candidates could be made. A real movement of the churches is evident, but it does not keep pace with the missionary spirit of the Church. The causes of the want of in terest were discussed. The impression that we have enough ministers and more, was considered. 400, or 23 per cent. of our enrolled ministers are marked "without charge." The greater number of these are broken in health or superannuated. Yet it is admitted that for many cases, of unemployed ministers no satisfactory reason can be given. The Committee regard these facts as not disproving the, need of more ministers. The congestion is local, the need gene ral. Our work in Home and Foreign Missions is nearly at a stand still for want of men. Our candidates are well reported of. Twenty students 'complete their studies this year and receive li cense. Three colored young men have been added to our, list of candidates; two of whom are in Maryville College. This last named institution has given honor able evidence of its emancipation from the power of caste by opening its doors to this hitherto proscribed race. The zeal of the Synod of East Tennessee in giving men and money , was honorably mentioned. The deficiency at the be ginning of the new year, is $4,085, the amount due on the last quarter's ap propriation to the students. Publication Mr. Dulles read the 17th Annual Re port of the Publication Committee. Eight tracts and thirty-seven bound volumes, most of them for the very young class of readers, have been issued during., the year. The prizes offered for new books were mentioned. The Presbyterian Monthly is still published, and is com mended anew to pastors and churches. No call for donations in books and tracts, that seemed legitimate, has been re fused. This is an agreeable feature of the year's work. The Synodical Colpor teur in Minnesota, Mr. Wait, is doing a good work. This colportage work should be extended. Tie Home Missionaries say that the people regard our books as the very best that are published. A Sub-Committee on Sabbath-schools has been appointed. To this Committee be longs the supervision of the Sabbath school literature and the suggestion of right methods of Sabbath school instruc tion. The appointment of a Secretary is recommended, and' the work hereto fore cut out for the. Assembly's Sab bath-school Committee is proposed to be assumed by the Publication Committee. The financial operations show marked ad vance. They are as follows : Sales, . $48,409 00 Donations, . . 14,213 00 Total, including other items, 60,214 00 A fund of $lO,OOO is asked, the inter- est of which shall be appropriated to fur nishing gifts of books to needy ministers It appears that Mr. Tenbroek had at tended 66 out, of 74 meetings during the year. urch Er4,6tion The Church Erection Committee re ported that's 9 churches received regular grants, against 34 last year; besides about 20, considered as special cases, most of which are-secured to the denomination. The Board hereafter will only report such special contributions as are secured by. bond and mortgage, to 'the body. 854.996 had been received during the year, $36.918.59 being regular contribu tions to the fund. 329 churches have contributed this year, against 290 last year. 98 churches have sent contribu tions on account of old donations. Here. after, no distinctions will be made be tween these and other contributions. The average amount given this year to the churches, has been $475, less by $2OO than last year, and far too little to be a practical aid of much importance ; in. deed it is so small as often to be rather a discouragement. The whole sum raised last year, is no more than is needed in some single Synods. Many excuses are made by churches, when asked to contri. bute to this cause. They have their own work on hand from a hundred thousand dollar church, down to a new fence or a coat of paint. The Third church of Pittsburg was held up as maintaining its contributions in this cause, while heavily engaged in work of the same sort at home. While our churches have been spending between one and two millions in erecting suitable edifices for themselves during-the last eighteen months, we have been giving but fifty thousand dollars for those who are unable to build houses of worship thethselves. The experiment of Agents or District Secretaries to visit the churches and raise funds, has been but partially' successful. 21 churches have given $5OO, or more apiece; the Sabbath-school of Brick church, Roches ter, gave $l,OOO. Over one hundred of our churches are without buildings. From the Treasurer's Report it appears, that it has taken $ll,OOO, in expenses of various kinds, to secure the collection and distribution of about $55,000. The value of the Permanent Fund in mort gages on , church property and other in vestments, is $126,000. Ministerial Relief: The Fifth Annual Report of the Ministe rial Relief Fund was read by the Secretary, the. Rev. Charles Brown, and gave an en couraging account of the condition of the enterprise. There has been an increase in the num. her of applicants for aid, but a greater in crease in the receipts for the treasury. The Report covers a period from May Ist, 1868, until May let, 1869,—within which there was received, from ordinary sources, thirteen thousand four hundred and sixty-eight dollars, ($13,468,) or nearly three thousand dollars more than was received the year previous. But in addition to the collections from the churches, there was given to the permanent fund, by Henry M. Schieffelin, Esq., eight thousand two hun dred dollars, ($8,200,) Making the total re ceived for the year, twenty-one thousand siz hundred and sixty-eight dollars, ($21,668.) The Relief Fund went into operation in July, 1864. Since that date, fifty-one thou sand seven hundred and thirty four dollars, ($51,734) have been gathered into its treas ury. - During the last year, 29 ministers, 33 widows, and 4 orphan families were aided; who with the children of the widows, and aged wives of Most of the ministers, make 200 persons now being benefated by the fund. The ages of 24 of the ministers stand as follows Seven are between 81 and 89 y . ears old, Twelve " " 70 " 78 ,‘ Five " " 63 " 69 " " Their ages will average each nearly 7G years,. and the period of ministerial life, or years spent in the ministry, more than 46 years to each man. Of the widows, 27 have children depend ing on them for support. _During the last year four ministers died, aged respectively 88, 75, 70 and 54 years. The Report closes with a number of in terestingfacts, in relation to the history. character, and present circumstances of several of the persons who are, in part, supported by the fund. The Trustees of the Publication House also reported the state of funds in their charge. The Treasurer of the General Assem bly reported expenditures of $9,274.63 in mileage, printing, &c., for last year. Adjourned, closing with prayer by Rev, Dr. Cox. This prayer was one of his most thrilling, surprising, and character istic utterances, and held the whole an. dience rapt and breathless from the first to the last word. SATURDAY XORNINR, MAY 22. The prayer:meeting was more animat ed than that of yesterday. Complaint was made that no one in the middle of the church or beyonl could hear More than an occasional word from the platform. The Sabbath-schools through Dr. Poor, repOrted that they could accomplish nothing of the pleas• ant and important work appropriate to them, without a paid Permanent Secre tary which the Assembly had twice, in its wisdom, seen fit to refuse them. The Committee therefore renewed their re quest or asked to be discharged. This and all the other reports of Per• manent Committees were referred to the corresponding Standing Committees. Bills and overtures. reported papers from 4 parties in regard to the reduction of assessmen ts ii ' withdrawal of delegates to correspond ing bodies, and proposed, 1. The re4uction 'of the assessment s from 8 to 6 cents p i er member and
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