Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-04
PREsBYTERIANIsM.

AlttI the regular OpShAh6 VI tiiC CShSA Al
Assembly, the Form of Government" was
still further considered.
The following gentlemen we're announced
by the Moderator as constituting a COM
mittee TO confer with the committee from
the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, viz:
Revs. J. o. Stedman, d. D., T. ID. With
erspoon, John Waddel, ID. D., ia. Lyon,
ID. D., and J. H. Gray, d. ID. On motion
Of the Rev. Dr. Baird, the. name Of the
Moderator was added TO the committee.
f, The order of the day, viz: the further
consideration Of the Relation ofthe Church
70 the Freedmen" having now arrived, after
some discussion as to a further postpone
ment, the subject was taken up.
The question being upon the adoption Of
the resolutions presented by the committee
on Thursday, the Rev. DIR. Baird took
the floor and addressed the Assembly at
some length. .--. rs.. r-..- W r. I
After an expression Of views on this SUBJ
ject, Col. Msrye, on behalf of the special
committee TO whom was referred the papers
upon the "Relations of the Church to the
Freedmen" submitted as their report the
following resolutions:
l. Resolved, That this Assembly enter
tains for the freed people the gincerest senti-
ments Of good will and affection; that it
earnestly desires and prays for their saliva
ton, and would encourage the employment
of every legitimate means for the promotion
of their spiritual good; that this Assembly
believes the present condition Of the colored
race in the country to be one of alarming
spiritual jeopardy, and that it is binding
on US, as Christians, to do all that lies in
our power TO save them from the calamities
by which they are threatened, and to con-
fer on them the rich blessings of the gospel.
2. Resolved, That it be recommended TO
all our ministers and churches 10 exert
themselves to the utmost of their ability to
continue to give the Gospel tothese people;
to church sessions to urge upon parents
among them the duty of presenting their
children for baptism, and Of bringing them
up in the nurture and admonition of the
Lord and especially to pastors, evangelists
and missionaries to devote portion Of their
labor 10 the promotion of the salvation Of
the freed people.
3. Resolved, That in the Judgment OF
the Assembly, it is highly inexpedient that
there should be an ecclesiastical separation
of the white and colored races; that such
ameasure would threaten evil to both races
and especially 10 the colored, and that
therefore it is desirablethat every warrant
able effort be made affectionately to dis,
suade the freed people from severing their
connection with our churches, and to retain
them with us as Of old. Should they de-
cline this fellowship Of ordinances, and de-
sire separate organization, then our ses-
siOns are authorized to organize them into
branch congregations. In such cases, the
Assembly recommends that such congrega-
lions shall be allowed, under the sanction
of the sessions, TO elect from among them
selves, every year, such number of super
intendents or watchmen as the session may
advise, who shall be charged with the over.
sight Of such congregations. Their super
intendents shall report to the sessions for
their action all matters relating TO the vel
fare of said congregations. .a." l.'7'.
4. Resolved, Whenever Presbyteries may
find il necessary to organize separate color
ed congregations, they shall appoint com.
mission of elders who shall discharge .the
functions committed TO the sessions in the
preceding resolution.
8. Resolved, That whilst nothing in our
standards or in the Word Of God prohibits
the introduction into the Gospel ministry
of only qualified persons of any race, yet
difficulties arise in the general structure Of
society and from provideutial causes which
may and should restrain the application in
the Church ofthis abstract principle. Hold.
ing this in view, the Assembly recommends
that wherever session or Presbytery shall
find colored person who shall pc sess suit.
able qualifications, they are authorized to
license him to labor as an exhortor among
the colored people under the sessions of the
body appointing him.
6. Resolved, That the Assembly recon-
mends that whenever il is practicable, Sab
bath schools for the benefit of the freed
people, especially the young, be established
in connection with our churches, and that
the sessions of the churches take these
schools under their charge, and provide
suitable teachers for them.
z, Resolved, That the heads Of families
are exhOrted TO encourage the freed people
in their households to attend upon family
and public worship, and that they provide
for them, as far as possible, catechetieal in
structions in the doctrines and duties Of the
Gospel. $500. ...s
Resolved, That the General Assembly
earnestly desire the intellectual and moral
Improvement Of the colored race, aud
hereby tender to all persons suitably quail
fled, who may labor in the work, its hearty
encouragement and support.
The resolutions as above were adopted
seratim without debate.
The Rev. Dr. .Adger offered resolution
authorizing the Committee on Revision to
incorporate as many hymns from the
minority committee or elsewhere as they
may deem expedient, subject only to the
Limitation that the hymn book shall not be
made larger than the one now in use.
The Rev. Mr. Mckay, from the Com
mittee on Beneficiary Education, presented
a majority report, which was as follows:
The report of the Executive Committee
on Education, referred 20 your committee
for review, is very brief and exceedingly
meagre in statistical information, which
mainly gives interest to and constitutes
almost the only permanent value of such
productions. II is, in fact, merely apollo
getic, rendering good and satisfactory
reasons for the inaction and consequent
inefieiency Of the committee, growing out
of the uncertainty thrown over the whole
subject of beneficiary education by the
hesitancy of successive General Assemblies
as TO the continuance of the committee