Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-11-28

4
tion TO ordain to the gospel ministry, and I
oIsanlze into separate CON gregations. duly quail
| lhed persons OF the cOiored race, and so declar
| tnat mere race or color is not regarded as a ha
70 ONCE or privilege in the Presbyterian Churcl
| tue following minute:
l Resolved, /. That believing the resolutions O
| Ihe last Assembly. pp- % snd 60. were evidently
| designed 10 be OF temporary operation and tha
| they contain many clauses which do not ade
| quately express the sentiments of our church OF
the subject contemplated, they be and ar
| hereby revoked ~ ''
2. That inasmueh as according to our eousti
tuition. the duty of admitting candidates to tn,
| once OF the gospel ministry devoYes solely OF
| the ffesbyteries. and that of electing Elders
and Deacons solely on the congregations, al
| naale persons OF proper qualifications for such
| othces. of whatever race, color or civil condi.
non, must be admitted or elected By these au-
thorities, respectively, in accordance with the
| principles of our church government and ia ths
| exercise of sound Christian discretion.
$. That the Assembly declines on the ground
| OF constitutional incompetency TO make any
declaration respecting the future ecclesiastical
\ organizations of such freedmen as may be-
| long to our communion. believing that the
responsibility. as well as the course TO be pur-
sued, deyoiyes on those persons who are both
politically and enthusiastically Free as all 9TH
| ers. to serve God according to the dictates OF
their Own c0nsciences- H ss
| T.. The Assembly earnestly enjeins on all our
ministers and people to use all diligence in af-
benefit of the enlored race, within reach of th cir
private and public ministrations, aud TO seek,
by all lawful means, to Introduce them into a
permanent connection with our church. And for
this purpose, the Assembly recognizes the law
tulness OF measures such as have long been used
N Vafl0as PORTIONS q our church, contemplating
the ludleious selection and employment of the
more pious and intelligent persons among
colored connunicants. ins suitable official Ca
paclties for the spiritual benefit of their own
DIR. Smith was gratifed to find that Of
those persons that had come before the
Committee all had agreed on the main
points. He had no sympathy with that
view that we only should do something for
that people because their skin is black.
He wished to do what we could for them
because they are heather and need the eos-
pei, and that ia the reason why we should
labor for them, and we are as ready TO au-
thorize one of one color to preach the
gospel, if he meets the requirements of our
book, as another.
After all the resolutions had been adopted
Se7Sdtim Rev. DIR. Doremus was not satisfied
that this paper went far enough. 1t was
not comprehensive as it ought to be. He
then read from the action of the Assembly
on last year, and said a part of this action
was all ight and ought not to be repealed.
He hoped that only those parts would be
set aside that were wrong. He could not
tell what the last two resolutions in this pa
per meant.
At this point the Doctor was called to
order, as the vote had been already taken.
Rev. j. Mack moved substitute in the
place of the paper adopted seTiafim. He
thought this was the most respectful way
to treat the action of the past Assembly.
b. W. kloseley protested against any
motion being made at this point
j. A. Lefevre was opposed to lionizing
the negro to elevating the negro to some.
thing almost divine; to all class legisla-
ton. He yielded to no one in labor and
prayer for the welfare of the negro race.
He thought there was vicious interpreta-
tIon of Scripture-the qualification of a
Bishop, and the qualification of one wish-
ing to join the church.
Rev. j.. Mack had been opposed from
the first to any legislation bv the Assembly
on this subject, and wished, when it had
come before this body, to have deliver
ance, scriptural and final. He did not
wish to lionize the negro.
The paper proposed by Mr.. Mack was
lost, and that of the committee unani-
mously adopted.
The records of the Synod of Alabama
were approved as far as written.
The hour for devotional exercises having
arrived, the Moderator called Rev. A. T.
Eorman, of Missouri, to take the chair.
Afterthese exercises were over, the Assem-
bly, adjourned to meet at Z O'Clock P. NJ.
NIGHT sFSSToN
Assembly met at o'clock, and opened
with singing the 565th hymn,
Daughter of Zion awake
and prayer by the Rev. Mr.. Junkin.
The Moderator announced that the busi-
ness of the evening was to consider the
whole subject of sustentation
On motion, the Assembly agreed to spend
the time between ii and II o'clock to-
morrow in exercises appropriate to the day
of thanksgiving, in respect for the procla-
nation of the President.
DR.. Wilson, Secretary of the Committee
of Sustentation, came forward, and said he
desired to explain the origin and work of
the committee. We have passed through
a trying crisis. Now is the time for breth'
rem to speak up.
1t will be remembered that in the pro-
violence of God, when the Assembly met
at Macon, the country was prostrated, and
the ministry could not be supported, our
brethren from Kentucky aud Baltimore
came to our help, and raisedour hopes. We
then inaugurated our present schemes-one
Central Committee and one treasury, hav-
ing no power, whatever, merely an advisory
committee. The power is in the hands of
the ,Presbyteries. The Chairman of the
Presbytery's committee is a corresponding
member of the Central Committee. This
Chairman is the link between the Central
Committee and the Presbytery. The Cen
trail Committee only receives and dis.
burses the funds contributed by the church.
They act only according to bylaws
approved by this Assembly.
Three objects were attempted by the
committee. One was to check the disinte.
grafton going on in the church, make the
stronger churches aid the weaker. Our
church was prostrated, 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 min-
listers should not be compelled to teach or
tend to secular pursuits. Under this
scheme the Presbytery must recommend
the applicant, and we have met this year
erery application made for relief What |
we need, is to have a fund sufficient to aid |
every feeble church in spport of their min
lister. We have received from Kentucky |
and Baltimore $4,000; and we are in
debted to them for many other fayors. 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 prostrated which last year
were self supporting. We shall not need |
less than $4,000 to support our feeble !
churches. He believed that the money
could be raised if the people knew the con-
dition of the church. TO do this, minis
ters must wake up and heartily cooperate,
and by the blessing of God we will be car
ried through the crisis.
DR.. ]. H. Rice said:
We cannot make question of this sub
iect; We are all united. The term has
been chosen designedly. Snstentation"-
uphold all the ministers of Jesus. That
which gives strength to a system of fortif-
cations is their mutual support. This is /
our agency, for these lines Of fortifcations |
are az available for attack as for defense. |
Our feeble churches are our outer redoubts;