The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1867-12-18
SUSTENTATION.

On the night Of Wednesday, 9th ult, the
Assembly met at o'clock, when after the
singing of the 565th hymn
Daughter of Zion. awake from thy sadness
The Moderator announced the object of the |
meeting TO be in behalf of SuStentatiOn.-
Thereupon addresses were delivered on this |
subject. As il Is one of great Importance to
our people at large, We place before them the
substance of what was said on this occasion, |
expressing our Indebtedness to the Free Chris |
tian Commonwealth for its report
DR.. wilson, Secretary Of the Committee Of
SustentatiOn, came forward aud said he de-
sired to explain the origin aud work Of the
committee. We have passed through trying
crisis. Now is the time for brethren to speak
out.
Ii will be remembered that in the providence
of God, when the Assembly met at Macon,
the country was Frustrated, and the ministry
could not be supported, our brethren FROM
Kentucky and Baltimore came to our help,
and raised our hopes. We then inaugurated
our present sehemes-one Central Committee
and one treasury, having no power whatever
merely an advisory committee. The power Is
in the hands of the Presbyteries. The chair
man of the Presbytery committee Is cores
ponding member of the Central COmritrse>
This chairman is the link between the Cent? ~
Sasun~--a -tbe PreSbytery. The Central
Committee only receives and diSburSes the
funds contributed by the church. They act
only according to bylaws approved by this
Assembly.
Three objects were attempted by the CON-
mittee. One was to check the di>integratiOn
going on in the ehureh-and make the strong
er churches aid the weaker Our church was
Frustrated, and We must act together
Another object was to awaken the spirit OF
benevolence. More than double the number
of churches contributed this year than last
Another object was to perfect our scheme OF
SustentatiOn until our ministers should not be
compelled to teach or attend to secular pur
suits. Under this scheme the PreSbytery
must recommend the applicant, and We have
met this year svey application made for relief
What We need Is to have fund sufficient TO
aid every feeble church in support of their
minister We have received from Kentucky
and Baltimore $4,000; and we are indebted
to them for many other favors. We did hope
this year to say to our friends We would be
self sustaining; but most of you must know
that now many of our churches are completely.
Frustrated which last year were self->upport
ing. We shall not need less than $40, 600 to
support our feeble churches He believed
that the money could be raised if the people
knew the condition of the Church. To do
this, ministers must wake up and heartily Co
operate, and by the blessing Of God We will be
carried through the crisis.
Dr. D. H. Rice said We cannot make
question of this subject: We are all united
The term has been chosen desiguedly. "Sus
tentatiOn uphold all the ministers Of Jesus
That which gives strength TO a system of for
ti6eations is their mutual support. This Is
our agency, for these lines of Notifications are
as available for attack as for defense. Our
feeble churches are our outer redoubts, our
strong churches are the inner, strong redoubts I;
and they support one another. And then
there is the necessity of having a central agen-
CIV and central power; that central agency l.
the Assembly, the power is in the Presbyteries,
and the communicating agency is the Central
Committee at Columbia. Without men and
munitions of war, the Notifications are useless.
This is our want How shall we provided
Only one way making ourhberality abound
to depths of our poverty" We need more
faith.
Dr. Hummer said This is a cause which
has high aud supreme claims upon us all
The great deSideratum is money to carry on
our designs. The government suStainS its stu
--penduous schemes by calling upon all the peo-
pie. The spirit of giving persuaded the Jew
ish theOcracy, to such an extent that the
poor widow threw in more than ALL We need
to set every brother to work and carry the
request to every household.
There is that in Withholding that tendeth
to poverty; there is that in giving that tendeth
to increase.
Rec. s. Robinson said. Some great master
has told US that words are things this is true,
but things are words, and upon that word you
have come to night The fear he had was
that the people would give way under their
trials God put you here to stand for the
truth. He MIR r was jealous of you with
a cody jealousy. Then the second blow
came; the early and latter rain was withheld,
then his fears were renewed But he was
brought into contact with the suffering people
of God. He knew nothing of the suffering Of
the ministry. Aud he wished that those who
have not suffered might be brought up to the
same standard of faith as those who have suf-
tered
He believed if the Assembly would appoint
an apostolic commission to go out all over the
northern district, from Missouri to Boston, and
proclaim every where, here are two live men
from the South, you will get a crowd every
where and get the money too
Dr. BrO,0n said: The time has come when
our Church should feel and act upon the idea
of selfreiiaRce; not as between us and God
but between US and other churches. 1t was
blessed deed for our brethren in Kentucky and
B. elsewhere 10 stretch out helping hand to us
when want came upon US suddenly as All
armed man. 1t was right for US, under
those severe providences, to receive it, thank
ful to them aud 10 the Giver of all good. But
if We carry this beyond the exigencies of the
hour, We become just so far improperly de-
pendent upon charity, and 50 far self-degraded
Now admit that We are greatly depressed in
our ability for self support But is it a mea
sure strictly beyond our power to reach2 The
Secretary of SustentatiOn says they ought to
have $50, 900 this year. Suppose for Foreign
Missions. Publication and Education, you put
down S5O,OUO more, IN all 100000 Why