The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-10-12

work OF sustaining feeble churches and sup
porting home missionaries The question be-
fore the Presbytery WIZ tho extent TO which
it would cooperate with the hssembly's COM
mittcc. On the table, referred to this meeting
from Il previous one, was report TO Presby
tcrv PROPOSING to conduct its domestic mis-
sionary work Independently, as heretofore,
but tn authorize n yearly collection in the
churches for the Assembly sustentation com
mittee This report also took for granted
tina; the General Assembly had assumed 4
power To control the missionary work which
did not belong to it.
Rev. T. l.. Preston advocated the views of
tn" report NJ considerable length. He con-
tended that the language OF the Assembly,
fairly Interpreted. claimed tho power 10 en-
Join upon Il Presbytery TO send all the money
raised for domestic missions TO the treasury OF
the central committee, and he also argued that
the Pres bvtcry could manage It's missionary
work better than the Assembly's committee,
and therefore it was bound TO do its own work.
Rev. T. ID. Bell presented 4 substitute for
the report under consideration, which pro-
vided for full cooperation with the Assem-
bly's committee. Some Of the reasons urged
for this course were rs follows 1t is n recog-
milton of the Presbyterial doctrine Of church
unity; it Will foster the feeling Of Christian
charity towards our whole Church it Will
cnahl" us, one OF the strongest PreSbyterIcS
pccuniarily, TO help most benciicially the
weaker Prcshytcries; ii will present TO our
people stronger and purcr motives for contTi-
buting 10 this object; it will greatly encourage
our poorer churches and Presbyteries il may
secure 10 US some churches that otherwise
will wander of TO more charitable bodies :;
similar plans have succeeded in other branches
of the Presby terrain Church, and by an ar
rangcmrnt very like this sustained our
chaplaius during the war: or fellow Pres
bytcrics are generally adopting it, and for on"
Of the body which is most able TO help the
common fund TO stand aloof looks selfish
After II prutr? Cted and interesting debate, IN
which many of the members took part
the original report, somewhat modified,
was adopted. The Presbytery resolved for
| the present TO continu" its independent action,
wilh Il separate contribution for the Assem-
blys committee 1t also protested against
| the Asscmbiy's action if it did intend To claim
| the power TO enioin upon the Presby ieries any
particular course with reference TO lis ms
siOnary operations.
| EDUCATION OF POOR YOUNG men FOR THE MIN
ISTRr.
| The subject of beneficiary education also
occupied for some time the attention OF thc
Prcshytcry. In this matter, also, The Ircsby
| terry declined cooperating, except very par
| tally with The Executive Committee OF
Education Of the General Assembly - esta-
| bishcd last fail 1t appointed IN Education
| Committee, consisting of Key. THOMAS -.
| Preston, Rev. Patterson Fletcher ana Eloel
| Joseph Waddcll, who were directed 10 Ioah ~
| Young men needing assistance the money
! " hich should be contributed by the churcheS
| for educational purposes. THIS loan may oe
! cancelled, after the candidate reaches me
| ministry by missionary labor, under the dIrec-
| ton of the Committee on Missions, or remit
ted entirely hy the Presbytery when crcum-
| stances seemed TO justify II.
FOREIGN MISSIONS.
| II being stated to Presbytery that one OF its
| candidates for the ministry, VINO VIII com
| pl"lc his theological course next spring, "lshed
to go TO China rs Il missionary, IL was proposeu
| that the PrcSbytcry pledge Itself Tor his sup
| port This was warmly advocated by some
| / was contcndcd that the in tcrcsl IN oreSn
| Missions, now languishinS in our churches,
| would thus be greatly revived. others, now
| ever hcsitatcd TO give a positive pledge Tor 4
| sum of money entirely Indefinite. The reSo-
| luton was finally modified so as to pledge
merely III earnest effort 10 secure TO this mis-
| sionary Il support.
STATE OF RELIGION.
! The free conversation on the state OF rcli-
gion, which occupied The afternoon Of the
second day Of the meeting, revealed u conside-
| IA bic amount of external prosperity III tne
churches. but less than the ordinary degree
| of spiritual prosperity during the last nan
wear. The most progress during this period mas
| been in Randolph county. w. v. where Rev.
| Robert Scott, late of Missouri, has been Ia
boring very successfully. The churches
| there were among the greatest sufferers du-
| ring the war. In Beverly the house OF
| Worship was destroyed by the Federal SOL
| di"rs even 10 the foundation stones. Mr..
| Scott has been very successful in gathering
| together the scattered members OF the
churches, and he has added upwards of forty
| new members His Sabbath schools ana other
| church oucrationS are quite ilOuriShlnG. pom
| apulicaton The PrGsbytrry provided for orEa-
niZing 4 church 1T Ihlilippi and one other
| point in that region.
| In view of the great need of reyivinG lnllil-
cnces Il day of special prayer for the spirit :
| presence was appointed. IL Is the tilru 81
| lurtlav of November.
| \ narrative of the state OF religion, cmbo-
diving The facts elected in the free cOnvcr>a-
! ton. was prepared 10y Rev. +. ID. .iunkin, and
ordered 10 b. forwarded to the Synod and The
General Assembly.
SUPPLIES.
Supplies were appointed TO visit the vacant
| churches ANA missionary fields. 10 the more
destitute parts two ministers were sent 1" IA
| Dor together for two weeks. ter. N. w. Cal-
hOyn, who has been supplying Pcnd!eton
! church for 4 year past, WAS, At his own re-
| quest, appointed TO preach stately III t"o
| points in that county never before occupied by
our church. one OF these Is on the SCUM
| Fork, and the other in the mountains ne
| tween the South Fork and the South Branch
| Of The Potomac.
! Rcy.L II. Gilmore was appointed to sup
! MY staledly Shemarl:h church, III connection
with Fairfield, where he mas becll preaching
| for some time past. .,
| Roy DR. Baird agent of the Virginia Bible
| Society and also of the American Bible so
| cieLy was present, and i'll accordance with an
|
| doing To supply the State with Bibles. a large
| number OF county societies have been formed
| and furnished with the Scriptures for distri-
| button The State Society Is largely Ill debt
| TO the American Society for books, bur this
debt, it WAS thought, was about 10 be freely
| cancelled
There was preaching every day during the
sessions Of the body IL T. o'clock, 10 good con
grcsalious. On the Sabbath the Episcopal
| church rendered for Tie occasion, was also
| occupied.
On the day Preshytery met, Mr.. Smith Oar
ncll took possession OF the Warm Springs
Hotel, which he has rented. He accorded 10
| the members of Frcsbylery the free use OF the
delightful warm bath, which The most Of
them gladly accepted. For this the Prcsby-
| terry passed Il vote OF thanks, rs well ~ 10 the
CONGREGATION and the citizens generally for
| their generous hospitality.
! After 4 pleasant and interesting session OF
four days, the Prcsbytery adjourned on Sa-
| turday afternoon 10 meet for its stated meet
| ing al New Monmouth church, near LeNlnS-
ion, on the third Wednesday of May next.
b.
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.