The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-04-15
BALTIMORE PRESBYTERY

follows
The stated Clerk read the minutes of the last
meeting, which, upon motion, were adopted.
The Chairman of the Committee on the Records
of the Frederick church then read a somewhat
lengthy report, which, upon motion, was approved
and ordered to be filed among the records.
Mr.. William u. Cairns, member OF Bethel
church, made application to the Presbytery to be
received under their care as a candidate for the
ministry. He was thereupon brought forward and
examined in regard to personal piety and the mo-
tives which induced him to seek to be Minister OF
God. The examination being deemed sufficient
the candidate was requested to retire, when the
Presbytery proceeded at once to act upon his case
The result of their deliberations was that the ap-
plicant should be put under six months probatlon
during which time he was recommended ana invited
to pursue his studies under Rev. Mr.. Dickson; he
wa. also requested to meet the Presbytery at its
next stated meeting.
The report of the Committee on Seasonal
Records of Mt. Paran and Springfield Churches was
then read and approved, without exception or
amendment
Mr. George W. Morrison, the candidate for the
Ministry whose protracted examination COM
menced the first day of the meeting of the Pres
bytery, was requested to come forward and con-
tinue the examination.
Rev. DR.. Smith conducted the exercise and ques-
toned the candidate mainly on facts relating to
the Sacraments and Ecclesiastical history.
Rev. Dr. Smith read a memorial from the Phila-
delphia Conference to the General Assembly, in re-
laton to the practice of congregations to contract
for expensive houses of worship and parsonages,
which, being unable to be paid for, had to be sold
The reVerendgentleman commented at some length
upon the habit and pointed out the evil results and
tendencies of such a course. He suggested that
Presbyteries in general should exercise greater
stringency in the matter now than they had ever
done before.
Rev. Mr.. Peck moved to have the memorial re-
corded among the papers of the Presbytery.
Rev. Mr. Gabraith read the report of the Com
mittee on the assessments of the churches III the
city of Washington, d. c., made last fall to be
collected in the spring. Approved.
The Moderator appointed Revs. DR.. Smith and
Burt as the Committee on Narratives for next
year.
Rev. Mr.. Dickson moved to suspend the order of
the day, relating to the election of Commissioners
| to the General Assembly. Lost.
| Mr.. Galbraith arose and read the following re-
port of the Committee the Minutes of the Cen
era Assembly of 1858, as follows
Firs-That they find page 299 of the Minutes of the
last Assembly, that overture the demisson of the
erred to the Presbyteres for their approval disap
proval. The overture is in the form of proposed ad
diton to the fifteenth chapter of the form of government
of our Church, and is as follows
Resolred it referred to the Presbyteries wheh
the following sections shall be added the 18th chap
of the home of Government, viz: XVI. The Office
minister Of the Gospel is perpetual and be laid
aside at pleasure No be Invested OF it but by
deposition Yet from various causes minister may be
incapable of performing the duties of the ofce
he may though chargeabe with neither heresy nor i'm
mortality, become unacceptable in his official character
~
XVII. Whenever mister, from any cause not infer
ring heresy crime scandal shall be incapable of
ing the church to edcaton the Presbyery shall take
der the subject and state fact together with the
sons OF it their record And when any person has
thus ceased TO be acting minister, he shall not be
member of any Presbytery Synod but shall be subject
to discipline other ministers, provided always that
nothing of this kind shall be done without the consent
the individual in question except by advice of the Synod
and provided also that shall be finally decided
cept at a stated meeting of the Presbytery.
XVIII Any ministers having Identified the exercise Of
bytery which acted his demisson think proper, be
stored to the exercise thereof and to all the rights Incl
dent thereto provided that the consent of the Synod be
obtained in his demsson ordered by the Synod
in the manner above cited.
With reference to this subject, the committee
proposed the following resolutions:
Resolred That the Presbytery is in favor of adding
the fifteenth chapter of the form of Government the
tons overturned by the General Assembly the subject
of the demssion of the exercises of the ministerial Office
3D. The question of a Church Commentary, which ha:
been referred to the next General Assembly of
fecng the peace and harmony of the church, that de
mand the notice of this Presbytery And with reference
to it your Committee would recommend the adoption
| the following re solution:
1st Resolved, That the preparation of Commentary
possessing the requisite unity and completeness tn,
plan proposed is in the judgment OF this Presby al
| together impracticable.
I'd. Resolved, That regard it inexpedent for The
Church to undertake to give an authoritative exposition
of every passage in the Word and thus put end
further pathological, scientific and historical elucdator
matters not essential to salvation.
3D. Resored The revised book Discipline prepared b!
the committee appointed by the Assembly of 1857 for tina
purpose and which they about to report to the
Assembly to meet in indianapolis also deserves the aten
ton of the Presbyery Although it has not yet been
tured to the Presbytees for their approval dsapprov
al, expression of opinion to its merits might tent
| to facilitate final action in the matter.
Upon the conclusion of the reading of the report
great deal ofdscussion ensued, to the effect sucl
& course overturned by the General Assembly
would have upon the Ministry. Some of the rev
erened gentlemen argued that if a man took upon
himself the ministry of Christ and should shrinl
from work, and virtually withdraw from the minis
try until the time came round for the meeting o
| the Presbytery, and then come forward and CLAIM
his seat among that body it should be disap
proved in strong terms. No Presbytery would
be faithful to themselves, the church, God if the
other avocations to the neglect of the preaching
Christ
The advocates of the Committees report strenr
Ously urged the Presbytery to look well to til
matter before them.
The Moderator then briefly summed up the argr
ment on both sides, and submitted the questio
upon the several resolutions of the report. Th
first resolution unanimous v adopted. TIL
| second and third laid over for amendment Shortl
after, the report as amended was adopted
The Presbytery then proceeded to elect the dele
gates to the General Assembly, to be held in Ma
next at indianapolis, as follows, the part of tn
Clergy Rev. j. A. Lefevre, witt. Rev. MI
) Kaufman alternate; and Rev. A. c. Burt
tho Rul;nn Edoro w + Giles Fer with 90,
Dnndoja az oltarn.ta. ord W., Trodn Esn MI
Y NV w Snenca as aItarnate f' w"
Tba stated EIarI tbon read ,ba s,.t;ot;o,, roro
, of the condition Of all the churches, which was a
, proved, and on motion adopted.
Mr.. G. w. Morrison, as part of his examinatiO
$500 $3.50 ~ Pashtar re o''
D. NJ poi- road a. Nissio,orr Ronort p
: on,ond;no dnnat;ons 70 several nbyrchns ord !
ouaasa nT sai.raa in ono or Two ;nStanoas "A
d ~ -: - IT. M 49,
~; anmn;ar, ond;,;nn nn ~ uaod Pn
d Mr. Galbraith moved that the ronort be adonte
Carried
e Row Mr. Galbr,;tb arnouncad that tho HANK
e tba oail Of tba Iotb Chmrnh No. ALA u';th =,
! ! 6ruras e5o0 "
, s0n 1notion of,por NJ Diolso,, :, u,o, ,oso,r
Il tbo+ tho church ba aiowod 70 ,rosoouta tba oom
:, IN notion - vas aIsn rasolad - D.. NJ.
- DID, 10 S,'noho ,n:.i - : 80. ~
10y o+ H p;tb1 d appUanreu
ot tho Madison street cbnrcb fcolnrod CO.. trb;
/, nurpose $500 was voted Inv tbe Presbvierv
Rey NJ KanHnon onnonnoad tbo+ ~ oonr
oot;on ar RaIo;r b.r;no 1nrohosod hni,S;nos
Of which to worshin Cod ~ tha snm Of 60 noo II
70 L1:J wv. ~ PJ III t sun VI 800, ="
>. ,a9 pau one thousa mo uoilars on lhe puldlhg a
I'll sau 9oE IN manu- ineH heen 9aSo 70 GEAR tne
is ~ vi ~ anu 'sN l,e nelp vi tne lesoy te'
40 ne stateu that lne people were under lhe lmpr
~ SION tnal they Woulu receive aiu from lhe rfest
or tely Wn Zen tney appiiea.
d. nv L Nj Dichson thousII the rresoytery "
-. nv poInI ~ ne,g 'ien iie was nv. ama.e IN N
, .,,e na 'i5 "aue 10 tat enec''
rs Indars.and ,ha ratt H. sno
ce nod ,ho .nJ ontt nav,
a. I'D i"o tue pid .
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