New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-05-19
THE ANNIVERSARIES.
NEW SCHOOL PRESBYTERIAN GENERAL
. ASSEMBLY

| name of the individual elected. The Standing Com
| mittees were then announced. From the report of
| Committee on Assessment for expenses of Commis-
s;cners il appears that in instances the whole of
the amount assessed bad been paid by the Presberes
in Others part Of the amount, while Others had paid
no.bipp and some Of these had expressed them.eves
onnosed to the system of taxation and favor of vol
upiary contributions During the reading of the re-
ror which consumed considerable time the Assam
| by took recess for Refreshments. When the New.
ton Presby tery of Newton, Miss, was ied the Rev
| Mr. Wood said that the Newton Presbytery never
hacked out from the wishes Of the General Assembly.
had paid their assessment the church erection
fund and was ready to pay their in this
They did not oppose the wishes of the General Assem-
Div until they inquired of them how many negroes they
The Rev. Mr.. SPEAR of Milwaukee offered a pre-
ambe and resolution for the consideration Of the Gen.
eral Assembly, which was adopted. Itrecited the
satisfactory accounts they had OF the extent to which
Home Missionary Efforts were made il the Mississippi
Valley and asked for the appointment of aCom0ittee
of three to collect facts upon the subject and report
such action as they might deem best to the General
Assembly.
SATURDAY, May IL, 1856.
Afer half hour passed in devotional exercises the
Moderator, the Rev. DIR. HIcKocK, called the assem-
blv 10 order at 81 o'clock. The reading of the minutes
was Sspensed with. After sor'e unmportant business
The Rev Dr. DUTFIELD, from Committee of Bills
and Oyertures reported two overures on church ex
tension, which were referred to the Committee on
Also. memorial from the Presbytery Of Detroit
upon the subject of psalmOdy, and moved its refer
epce TO the Committee on Publications. discussion
arose to reference to standing committee or special.
The Rev. Dr. WIsSER contended earnestly for refer
ence to a standing committee. The Rev. DIR. MILLS
objected to reference to any committee before the me
mortal had been read. 49,
Dr. DUrFIELD then read the memorial, which at cen
siderable length argued for uniformity in the use OF
Hymn Book and especially return to the simplicity
OF the Psaer arranged according to the Hebrew IN
parallel columns for responsive singing. It was con.
ard rhetoric truth would be impressed upon all wor-
sbippers. and especially the young Moved that the
memorial be referred 10 the Publication Committee
The Rev. ID. BEMAS remarked that the memorial
proceeded upon erroneous assumption, VIZ: that
the Assembly has no appropriate committee upon psa
mody, whereas it has no such committee. he was In
favor Of ipstituting some reform IN our p.amody ne
question, however, opened very large field for dis
Cussion. NJ,
The Rev DR.. MILLS called the attention Of the Mod
orator TO point of order. The main proposition was
to commit. He wished an amendment 90 as 70 express
the sense of the Assembly upon the subject matter Oh
the memorial
DR., DUrrTELp concurred with DIR. Bemau that
psalms should be adapted to chanting, ana that the
best tale mt of the Assembly would be required to settle
the matter of psslmody He tired Of the existing
chaos in church music Some of cur church music and
chors better adapted to opera Or the tteser
He hoped a reform would be inaugurated by this As
sembly, though doubtless some years would be requisite
to accomplish ii.
".
referred to in the memorial and he was glad bad
He deferred instead of the Old Psalter, our modern
authorized version Of the Psalms. DR.. Beman gave
way fsr Commissioner to introduce the following:
Fsso.eed this memorial Be committed 10 the Publication
comm,ttee wh instructions report to the Assembly
misceIIaneous discussion arose TO which Dr. BE-
MAN put end by claiming the floor. He continued
his remarks in favor of revised and purer Psalter
He moved reference to Special Committee to re-
The motion 70 refer to the Pubicstion Committee
was withdrawn.
no Other subject would come before this Assembly in
which his prebyteiy had deep an interest as this
In bis presbytery no two churches use the same hymn
book.
A motion to postpone was Lost.
The notion Of reference to the Publication Commit
tee was lost.
Moved by the Rev. DR. SPEAR that the subject be re-
feIed to Special Committee to report TO the next Gen,
not be discussed candidly and deliberately during the
short time Of the se-slons of ~ Assembly
The Rev. A. ScHoyHLD, OF chigan, sald that there
ject LIES study. lie wished report made to IA"
Assembly.
The Rev. DIR. BRAsARp contepded that some &C
tion should be taken COW. Money must be raised to
purchase the copy. right of the hymn-beOk.
DR.. BEMAS protested against an impression that he
had asked $4,000 for the copyright Of his book lie
never asked that sum. He was willing and desirous
to sell his book to the Assembly at price desgnated
by committee of three capable business men. he
had devoted the best part of his life to this book, and
he believed it to be the best book in use among the
Presbyterian churches.
DR.. Asa ID. SMITH favored Dr. Spears motion; be.
cause first the Assembly desired reform, and second
the time OF this session is too brief to affect anything
He hoped for the Introduction of the Psalms adapted
to chanting There was nothing Puseyistic IN chant
ing;
The Rev. 5. McArFEE of Missouri feared that Prac-
tcaUy chanting could never be introduced into the
majority OF our churches 1t was hardly worth WINE
to waste time IN this discussion, which praccay eau
consummate nothing.
DR.. A. ID. SMITH informed the last speaker that
many Presbyterian churches in this city did chant the
PsaIns acceptably.
The motion to refer to Committee TO report to the
next Assembly was lost
motion to refer to Special COMMITTEE to report
TO this Assembly was carried. 80
The unfinished business of the previous day 1.-THE
Rev. Dr. Miler's res outon was called up
The motion of DIR. Spear pending was TO refer inc
subject to the Committee on Church pouy.
The Rev. Dr. Mills said he would have no op)ec'
ton to the subject going to the Committee on Church
Extension, Committee was appointed ls. yesi
with SPECIFIC and limt duties, with the name oil a
whole y STEM He thought conf aston would be avoa
ed anu business simplifed by the appointment OF Ger
tam new Committees. The Committee on Church
Pohty had nothing 10 DO with the subject. tie woua
refer to the Committee on Church Extension.
The motion to commit to the Committee on Pohty
was carried.
MI. Mill resolution was a. follows:
Extension required be appointed at the opening OF
each GENERAL Assembly by the Assembly OF lsss nav
ing been greatly diminished by the action OF the AS
semoiy OF leSt, dispensing with special annual reports
IRON the Presbyeres on that subject-it Is ordered;
That, hereafter, the subjects Of Domestic Missions
and Church Erection shall be assigned the province
OF thai COMMITTEE, and all papers on these SUBJECTS
requiring reference, shs be referred to It N course,