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

provement. We must so bear our par
in the great experiment which has beer
inaugurated, that if it be for the ultimate
good of the race, we may have the salts
faction, as christians, of knowing thai
we have co-operated with the providence
of God or if it end in their ruin, our con.
sciences may be clear.
Observation-Disclosures OF THE CHURCH.
A conspicuous feature in the State oi
the Church is the PROSTATE condition oi
the instrumentalities of the church fol
the spread of the gospel.
We have scarcely any connection with
the heather world; We have no men
ready to bear the cross to distant lands,
and none known to be preparing for this
service nor have we any funds on hand
to send any. We have, however, the In
dian Missions, from whom call for help
has already come up, and which must be
supported and carried f4ward
The Domestic Missionary fieldwill more
than ever demand our attention, espe-
cially in the work of aiding feeble
churches.
Union Seminary must have its losses
repaired and its endowments increased,
and young men must be sustained in
prosecuting their theological studies.-
These must be sustained bey the church,
and religious literature, for the instruc-
ton of our people generally, and parti-
cularly for the training of the young
This is to be accomplished by the united
efforts of the whole church-the share
of this Synod in the work being Justly a
large one.
We have not thought it necessary in
this summary notice of the several de-
partmcnts of the work of the church to
attempt to furnish the Synod with de-
tailed information as to their condition.
This will be done by those having charge
of these enterprises, separately. But
we have grouped them together, that we
might call attention to the fact that
most of them are PROSTATE, and need to
be restored from the foundation, and that
all require the liberal support of the
church. In one aspect there is advan-
tage in this condition. AS we are to be-
gin at the beginning, we may now, with
such wisdom as God may give us, remedy
the errors of our former organizations,
and infuse it with more yigor into our
operations.
4.-THE SUPPORT OF THE MINISTRY.
The remarks submitted above are nat
urally followed by reference to the
straitened pecuniary condition of the
whole country.
The Providence of God has permitted
our people to be stripped of their sub
stance. This will render more difficult
the gathering of the hes into the store
house of the Lord. ause of this there
may be danger II ppples for the
institutions aboye-me. ii, VIII be stint
ed. There is still .ser danger that
there will be l.5sck in u adequate support
of the ministry, the great instrumentality
for the spread of the Gospel, and the only
one positively prescribed. 1t may per-
haps be the duty of the Synod to issue a
warning and an exhortation to the church
es on this subject Of this we may be
sure, if the Spirit of God will infuse
into the hearts of Christians just sense
of their obligation to Him, who loved
them, and gave himself for them, and
sincere purpose of conservation, then,
merely Just proportion of their worldly
goods will, out of their poverty, bring
into the treasury of the Lord larger
amount than was contributed by grudg-
ing church in the days of its abundance.
And God, from whom the increase comes,
will be better pleased, and will give an
efficiency to humble sincerity, which per-
haps was withheld from ostentation and
self-suficiency. When there is little
pressure, the incense will be sweeter.
5.-ECcLEsIAsTIcAL RELATIONS.
This is the first meeting of the Synod
since the consummation of the union be-
tween the two branches of the Presbyte-
rian Church in the South. We have rea-
son to thank God that this union was eff
fected at a time when we seemed to be
weakened by other causes. We haverea-
son to thank him too, for the spirit Of
true Christian love in which it was con-
summated, and for the happy results
which have flowed from it, Under this
action of the two bodies there has been
already a consolidation of churches in
different localities, and the same may be
expected to be the case with other con-
gregations hereafter. No synodical ac-
ton will be necessary on this subject
The Plan of Union was so happily de-
yised, that it will work out its own details
as time and the providence of God may
mature the necessary conditions.
The present is also the first meeting of
the Synod since the territorial limits of
the General Assembly, with which it is
connected, have again become subject to
the government of the United States.
If the organization of our General AS
sembly had been caused only by the or
ganization of a Northern Government,
and the late war, an opportunity would
now be presented for the coaIescence of
the two Assemblies; and such coales-
ccnce would be a matter of necessity, if
the church depended for its organization
upon the State, or was so inseparably
connected with it as to follow its changes.
But our separation was caused by eccle.
siastical action, the action of the General
Assembly in Philadelphia, May, 1861,
(see page 9th of the Address to the
Churches;) and the action of the last
Northern Assembly has been such as to