Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-11-24

4
| The Assembly requires ofthis committee a sum
mary report Of what has been done throughout the
| church on this subject; but this we are unable
| 20 do in as full a manner the Assembly
| expected. In obedieHce to the Assembly's order.
| a circular was issued 10 the Preshyteries. asking
/ the requisite information. But few. however,
have S Yet yet rspSsd s5poS Il Es g. eSEs ss
| report, it is manifest that good deal has been
| done, notwithstanding the pressure of the times.
| The following statement embraces all the infor-
| nation, Official and unofficial, which We have
| been able 70 obtain:
CANDIDATES.
The Presbytery Of Cherokee, reports one
| student in the Academy, one in College. one In
| Seminary total expenditure of S229 30. The
Presbytery Of Macon, reports in Seminary one
| byteries of East Alabama. South Alabama, Tus-
kaloosa, Arkansas, Indian, Flint River. Florida,
| Georgia. Hopewell, Atlanta, Chickasaw, Mem
f9 !Ic HOTe CepTn lisMSR NeW
| Orleans, Red River, Tombeckbee. Holston,
| Knoxville Nashville, North Alabama, Concord
| Fayetteville. Grange. Bethel. Charleston; Har-
mony. South Carolina. BRACES. Central Texas
| West Texas, East Hanover, Greenbrier Mont
| gomery. Rappahanneck. Patapsco, Roanoke,
| West HanOTer, Winchester and Lexington.
The plan adopted by the last Assembly has
met with much favor with the church, and
some Of the Presbyteries which had heretofore
acted independently have resolved on cooper
ating with the Assembly. and Of acting through
| this committee The fact that the Assembly has
| thrown the whole responsibility for the candi-
| dates or the Presbyteries has removed every
just ground OF opposition to the existence OF the
committee; and the corresponding member
| which each Presbytery appoints will be the
| means Of drawing the Assembly's committee
| and the Presbyteries more closely together, and
| of establishing sympathy between them which
| will secure harmonious corporation. Thus far
| the plan has worked well, and we anticipate
| from it the most favorable results.
| There are some questions in the practical
4 WnrkfnO of the SphaTnQ which IL y ha we'll To
| submit 70 the consideration of the Assembly.
| lst. In some instances. Presbyteries which
| decline to contribute 20 the funds of the com
| mitttee but keep their own treasures separate,
| and attempt the support of their own eandi-
| dates have called on us for assistance. What is
| the proper course for this committee to adopt?
1 Are we 10 render assistance to the Presbytery,
| or to require that certain candidate. or GER
| tain candidates shall be taken on our funds; or
are we TO decline aiding them unlesss
| they see proper to unite with the As
sembly in its plan of doing this work
| through the agency of this committee7 Thus far
| we have construed the action of the Assembly
| literally, and whenever candidate has been
| recommended TO US by any Presbytery. the APP
preparation has been made withOut,any regard to
the position Of the Presbytery with reference to
| this committee. One Of the reasons of our act
ing thus is that it is less evil for us to do so
| than to allow the church to suffer the eonse-
! quences of different course Sometimes not
| only Presbyteries but churches undertake this
| independent course; and on finding themselves
elsewhere; and the consequence is that benevo-
lent individuals outside of our church have been
| unduly importuned to contribute to local ind
| private undertaking., which results in their
Withholding from the church itself the aid which
| they Otherwise would spontaneously extend to
its great enterprises and thus the church is in
jured and its respectability impaired. Nor is
| this the only objection to such course; for it
is a poor commentary on church unity when any
of our PresbyteTies or churches show stronger
dispOsitiont to trust to outside resources rather
1 10 Ia aoGr,y -v-s4b
| their own church. The whole tendency of such
NOV ements is hence, in the direction of disinte-
| grafton and independ ency; and though the As
sembly is undoubtedly right in allowing of this
Independent action, the question is, should il be
/ encouraged
ID. Should candidates, in any circumstances,
be allowed to give their notes or obligations for
the aid they receiver This question arose on the
| case OF young brother who has q small amount
| of property which IS at present unpT0ductive
| He wishes to finish his studies promptly,
/ but could not make his resources
| available for that object, and hence
| an application on his behalf came before this
| committee for loan, to be paid when his pro-
| perty should become available. This case Is a
| different one from that Of a man who is without
resources; but still il involves the same general
| principle in some degree What the church needs,
| and if she accomplished her mission, what she
| must have, is consecrated ministry, pioneer
ing ministry, full of the evaugei5tic spirit. Rut
| IL our beloved youth are helped into the sacred
| Office in such manner that they begin their
| professional career burdened with debt instead
| Of looking for fields of usefulness, they will be
| inquiring after the tattest salaries; instead OF
| inquiring where the church ought To elevate hel
banner ana push onward her cOnquests, he will
| be inquiring after the best prospect for money;
instead of seeking out the poor and the perish
ing, he Will be seeking after rich churches and
wealthy communities and no longer will the
| poor have the gospel preached to them, and as tC
the perishing heather, and the waste places o
Zion, so far as our young brethren are concerned
| who WOuld come out of the seminary in debt, i
| the Macedonian cry should reach them, they
| could not give the ready response Of Paul. bu
| must needs first look after barn and merchandise
| This itseems to your committee, is not the sort
! of a ministry we need; and hence we have giveT
| the young brother the money he required. leav-
| ing ID to his own conscience when and how h'
shall pay the church for it.
Sd. Are we ever to make appropriations Il
cover past expenses of young. men after they
| have finished their course? We have now be
fore us the case of brother who has finished hi
1 studies has entered the ministry. has even beer
| ordained, and has found the right field for labor
| where he is content and can be supported
| But in prosecuting his studies he got behinl
hand and entered the ministry $500 in debt
The prospect now is that he will be compelled
| TO lay aside his work, secularize himself anC
, proceed TO the business of making money unit
This debt is paid. When that is done is it to bt
supposed that his heart will be in his great work
as il was before-that he will have the SAM
, spirit of conservation and selfdenal? Thes
: facts would rather favor the opposite conclu
r sion and render it doubtful whether any mai
: | ought to De allowed 10 enter I0e al
while he is in debt. For the form of installa
; t0n itself requires the congregation to give th
pastor salary sufficient TO free him iron
worldly eares ana av9eationsii But assnredlJ
debt resting on his conscience, and harrassln
him during his waking and his sleeping hours
All which is respectfully submitted, by order o
= the committee.
The report of the Treasurer was also reai
by Rev. DR.. Baird, and was received an,
! referred to the same committee. 1t is a
I follows:
TRFAsURER's REPORT on EDucATIoN.
Report Of Chas Gennet, Treasurer Of Educatio
Of the General Assembly of the PresbyteTia
{ Church in the United States.
The Treasurer Of Education reports receipt
for the year ending October 3lst 1861. to be a
: follows, viz:
By balance from late Treasurer.........,.$ 2l3
4 | Donations from Nov. lst. 1856, to Oct 3lst,
/ Amount to be account $3.50
DIsBuRsEAEyTs:
| Stationery and Printing .-.-....-.-..-s -
), Appropriations 10 students. 1862 90
q Balance .,..--.-.-..... A lSiO
o CHAs. GESNET. Treasurer.
:. The undersigned, charged with that duty /
e the Education Committee of the General 4
+ sembly af the Presbyterian Church in the Unite
d States having examined the accounts of II
- ] Treasurer, IND them c0Frecf, ana Inat the pa
Il ance in his hands on the lst of November lsG
:, was forty -iOur cents. j HERNDoN,
e B. X MELLFoRD JR.
u Committee.
10 Rev. b. NJ. Smith, d. D, from the con
lie miitee on the matter concerning a unio
q between this and the Cumberland Presb,
4 terian Church, TO which the reports al
l. papers concerning that subject were r
ferred. presented their report, which va
n received and adopted, and is as follows:
le The committee TO whom was referred the T
re mort of the Committee Of Conference with q
Cumberland PresbyteriGn Church, report 4
adoption by the Assembly the following miuut
10 The Assembly hereby records its deyout a
n lnowIedeemenfs TO the Great Head ofthe Char
OF for tho manifest tokens Of his presence with q
D. ! COMMITTEES Of Conference during Its deliberano
ge as cvinced by the spirit Of Christian candcr fc
se bcarRnce and lore Displayed ny both parties
q their entire proceedings.
e The Assembly regard the objects for VIII
,- that committee wasappolnted as one iuliy wort
,s thP earnest endeavors and continued prayers
=. =. ODDS peorIe in both branches Of the Church
- rresented in the Committee, but nj the sar
M time iscompeiled in view Of the terms ier Gle
- ing any orT-anic union suggested by the Conn
Zee Of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
~ declare that rerarding the present pcrlod es q
al very unfavorable for making changes IN
4 standard Of faith and practice; IT. more espe
A ally 50 for eaecting changes 80 matsrlaily mo-
~ fvinc the svrreu Of doctrine which has tor &c
10 | turics been the distingulsbing pecailaFll ~
a. the eminent glory Of the Presby ter an Shufe
/ 4 -fN a ko4 MI fgf