The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1865-10-19

during many successive years ana IN love
Shall we dare to make the very Judgment
which our sins have brought upon us, al
excuse for continuance in them! The
impoverishment with which God has re
buked our worldliness, reason for with
holding from his cause what it now SC
greatly needs
"a CALL TO HOLY ENTERPRISE.
For, in the next place and in close con
nection with this, the Synod recognize.
in this state of things, solemn call upor
all our churches to seize with firm
. hand, a holy zeal, and determined will,
on every agency in their reach, educa.
tional, missionary, by books and personal
effort, to advance the kingdom of the
Redeemer within us, around us, and ovel
all the earth. God has spared us through
the war, and whatever is left to us by the
war,-not that we may resume the work
of accumulation, not to repair our private
fortunes ant makeup cur losses, but for
the same object for which lie brought
back the impoverished captives from
Babylon, to rebuild the ruins of his
house, to re-cstablish the crippled agencies
of Zion. Let us not utter, let us not
dare to indulge even in thought, the ex-
cuse of those returned captives, "The
time is not come, the time that the Lord S
house should be built" 1t is come. 1t
is here and now. There must be no delay.
"Seek first the kingdom of God" We
must prefer Jerusalem above our chief
Joy. The Lords house mnst be built, or
the judgments will not end, and in spir-
itual desertion we shall suffer more than
in worldly impovcrishment. "Thus, saith
the Lord, consider your ways. Go to the
mountain, and bring wood, and build the
house; and [ will take pleasure in it,
and I will be glorifed saith the Lord"
6.-COLORED POPULATION.
In regard to our colored population,
the Synod do cordially adopt as its own
the language of one of our Presbyteries
Il East Hanover); and "would express
its undiminishcd interest in the spiritual
welfare of this class of our people, and
its solemn conviction of the peculiar re-
sponsibilities now resting upon us in con-
sequence of the new relations they sus-
tain to us.
Remembering that our colored friends
have an equal interest with us in the re-
demption provided by Christ Jesus, and
mindful of the claims of those who were
born and reared among us, and many of
whom are still members of our families
and in our employment, and regarding it
both as our duty and privilege to do all
in our power to promote their spiritual
welfare,
"Resozred, That by means of family
and Sabbath school and catechetical in
structions, by the preaching of the Cos
pei for their special benefit, we will en-
deavor with unabated zeal, to advance
their religious culture, with the hope and
prayer that we may be made equally in
strumental with other denominations, CO.
laborers with us-in the great work of
bringing them into the fold of Christ. I"
DOMESTIC MISSIONS.
The Synod regards this cause as hav-
ing special claims upon us at this time.
Many of our churches are laid waste,
many focks are scattered, many are so
enfeebled they cannot sustain the minis
try and repair their desolations without
aid; many of Gods faithful ministers
are in want, and without employment
Other churches, and some whole Presby-
teries are well supplied. Now these
wastes must be rebuilt, these scattered
focks must be folded and fed; these un-
employed and suffering ministers must be
employed and sustained. These are
things that must be done, cost what they
will, and the burden must be borne by
all.
BOOKS.
In providing a religious literature for
our people, something should be done
Immediately, if possible. Never was
there so great need for some such agency
as at the present time. Therefore,
Resolred, That the Assembly's Com
mittee of Publication be requested by
Synod to prepare and publish catalogue
of such religious books wherever pub
lished, as may be best suited to meet the
pressing wants of our churches and peo-
pie, and in whatever way may appear
most practicable to promote their circu-
lation and that our pastors, Sabbath
schools and families be recommended to
send their orders and money to this Com
mittee, whose duty it shall be to secure
as promptly as possible their supply.
Resolyed, also, That collections be re-
commended to be taken up in all oul
churches at once in aid of this object.
"a DAY OF FASTING, HUMILIATION AND
PRAYER.
Above all, the Synod feeling that both
Gods great judgments and mercies will
be unheeded, that all these solemn calls
of our Saviour King, and all these ac-
acknowledgements, and declarations, and
resolutions made here in solemn assem-
bly,, and sent down to our churches will be
vain, without new baptism of the Spirit,
conscious of our entire dependence up,
on his promised grace, do hereby appoint
the second Thursday of November as a
day of fasting, humiliation and prayer
on which we may all unitedly gather
around the throne of grace, and there no
only have our obligations in all these re
spects deepened, but obtain the grace tc
meet them. 80 Lord revive thy work
in the midst of the years make known, il
wrath, remember mercy"
The Committee close this report will
the prayer that the deliberations of thu
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