Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-11-30

Also Df. smith presented the following
which was received and adopted. and is q
follows; EE bEEseE 1 "a
Overture No II. from the Presbytery of Ia.
Alabama, requesting explanations Of the aetio
Of the last Assembly, respecting the service 9
! elders IN vacant congregations. \ our com
mittee recommend the following: fFg H-sa
i Resolved. That the action OF the last Assem-
| big on PIP. 80. 81 of the minutes, is hereby re
| affirmed, and the parts relating to the service
| Of elders explained TO mean substantially tbs
IN accordance with our constitution when
| vacant congregation does not enjoy the service
of Any elder. who for any proper reason Is com
| petent TO perform the duties contemplated
shall be the duty Of the Presbytery to appoin
/ anlelder or elders from some neighborin9 con
| regatiOn-prOyided nothing herein contained
| shall be regarded az jastifyinz any Presbyter!
! IN extending its jurisdiction within the bound
DR. Smith further reported Overture No
II, which was adopted, and is as follows:
eFgiare E0, Y. from q ~. I. isiIdssslsvs ana
others, PROPOSING that the Assembly take appro
pTihte action, recommending the Southern Pres
tpttrioa Regisi0 to the confidence and patronags
OF our church. The committee report the fol
Resolved, That while this Assembly. as min.
isters and elders, might cordially adopt the
pepper presented, yet, as an Assembly of the
Presbyterian church, in its ecclesiastical eharac-
ter 1t is not competent for US to enact anythipe
concerning other matters than those which ar5
strictly ecciesiAstical.
The Assembly adjourned until 7 o'clock,
?. NJ. Closed with prayer by Rev. W. H
Vernon.
NIGHT SESSION.
7 O'CLOCK. The Assembly met. and was
opened with singing the 18th Psalm, be-
ginning,
Il love thy kingdom, Lord"
followed with prayer by Rev, Mr.. Por-
ter.
Rev B. NJ Smith, D. D., from the spe,
cial committee on the address of Rev. A..
=. Forman, presented the following report,
which was received and adopted:
The Assembly has heard with profound inter
est the address made by Rev. Mr.. Forman on
behalf of the Synod of Missouri, and desires to
place upon record the high appreciation Of the
principles and conduct of that venerable Synod,
as set forth by Mr.. Forman.
The Assembly expresses its deep sympathy for
the brethren in Missouri. both officers and mem
beers of the church. in the great fight of affection
through which they have not yet fully passed.
though il is hoped they have successfully sur
mounted the greatest trials to which the great
Head of the Church has been pleased to call
them. ....r
The Assembly feels entire confidence in the
full and cordial attachment Of the ministers and
members of the Presbyterian churches of Mis-
sour. as represented in the Synod, for the prin
ciples Of doctrine and government set forth in
the time honOTed Standards OF Our church. and
Is entirely persuaded, that should that Synod be
prepared to form an organic union with this
church, no difficulties can arise owing to discre-
pancies OF opinion on any fundamental or i'm
portant doctrines Of the Gospel, or any theories
of church government which find practical ex-
preston In our Standards.
As TO the future relations of the Synod, this
Assembly AaRa faal rad 4
opinion, whatever il may desire. But it is but
due 10 US aud TO them 10 say That this Assembly
cordially sympathises with the Synod of Mis-
sour ~ expressing a longing desire for the day
when throughout our land all who agree with
in the great truths of the "GOspei of the grace
of God" and especially who fully sympathise
in our position as a truly simply spiritual body.
ever teStitying for the supreme and sole author
ity Of the Divine and exalted Head of the
Church, shall constitute one organized Christian
communion, prepared by the spiritual weapons
Of our warfare to contend earnestly for the
Faith once delivered to the Saints, and sue
cessiul in casting down imaginati0ns aud eV-
cry high thing that eXalteth Itself against the
knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity
every thought TO the obedience of Christ"
Rev. A. p, Forman rose and adressed
the Assembly. 4f
Mr. Forman. Of Missouri. said he was gratRed
at the adoption of the paper. as he had been
with all the acts Of the Assembly. lie loved
yOu he said. before be came. but since seeing
The brotherly love exhibited that had been, he
loved them far more. lie should go back to
Missouri carrying with him to Synod the liveliest
feelings of gratitude to the Assembly. Farewell,
and may God be with you.
After Mr.. Forman had concluded, on
motion of Rev. j. A. Lyon, d. d., the AS
semhly invited visiting brethren to parlici-
pate in the exercises to which the evening
had been set apart.
Il -, n r a.
Executive Committee Of Education, ad
dressed the Assembly, explaining the mode
of operation adopted by the committee in
the accomplishment of their work
He said that we were responsible to the Pres
hyteries and had nothing to do with the candi
dates The object is 10 aid young mer TO get
through: when they were not able 10 get
through it was their duty to help them. If the
appropriations were not large enough TO meet
ali expenses. then they would have 10 discrimi-
nate and cut the expenses down. There are
twenty two young men under our charge at the
Union Seminary Of Virginia; there are twenty five
ut Columbia, S. c.. there are twenty one students
in the last course OF their studies. There are
several young men whose hearts are warmed
with desire TO enter the ministry, but are de-
tered for the want of means, and the different
PTesbyteries have net the means to encourage
their entrance upon the holy work They
could not be encouraged because We had not the
means There would be on the road to the min
istry two hundred and fifty young men if we
only had the means to tell them we would sus-
tain them-butthe churches do not furnish the
means The speaker once presented the cause
of education to the people OF Mississippi when
the crODs had failed. and there was no means.
He told them that the churches were languish-
ing for. the want OF aid and finally, when the
people became energized upon the subject, they
found they had more than they thought they
had Whatever as due to the Lord we must feel
obliged to pay; If We can only give dime, why
give that. The Lord has pr0speTed you, ana
according to that prosperity we must contribute.
Our brethren should oil be impressed with this
truth, and there would be no lack of means or
candidates for the ministry:
There will be an increase IN the ministry. In
Mississippi aud Virginia the spirit of God Is
moving upon the hearts Of the people, and tai
ented and worthy young men are turning their
minds to the ministry We must aid them and
contribute to their success God works through
instrumentalities; these instrumsntalities must
be sought out and sustained. We are deeply in
tercsted in our foreign and domestic missions
How are these to succeed without a ministry
and how Il that ministry 10 be procured without
the aid of the church. Many young men whose
hearts ere inclined TO the ministry, have been
Turned toward secular pursuits for the want OF
means 10 prepare themselves. tie suggested
that some brother move day OF prayer for our
baptized youth, for our schools and theological
seminaries. lie wanted the thirt and fourth
Sabbaths of February next ns the days when
these united prayers should be sent up to dOd
for his blessings upon our baptized youth, and
ASKING MIN 10 Talse W an SILCatcu Soous iHtu-
istry.
Alter DIR. Baird had taken his seat, Rev.
b. NJ. Smith, DID, offered the following
paper, which was received:
The Assembly would earnestly impress
on the minds Of all having ia charge the
government and instruction of our theo.
logical seminaries, the vital Importance of
training our future ministers, not only 10
be able and faithful ministers Of the word,
but also to be- fully imbued with an im-
plicit faith in the plenary and literal in
spired authority of the sacred scriptures"
Or. Smith, in support Of this paper re
marked:
The people were everywhere waking up 10
the subject of education and intellectual acttyl-
~ THIS awakening Of the people will prove an
era in oar history. The spirit ct inhdelity Of
Tie times will be c0unteracted BY 1T The int.
dehty we have most to tear is the iRhdeiity Of
the theological teacher and that OF the student.
Biblicat knowledge and learning into the depths
III theology, alone will e0unteTsct H. The sea
enees Of Geology, MineTalOgy, etc, can be fally
combatei by biblical truth. We must teach
them that the Bible ls true Il ala else be a lie.
He had an implicit faith and reverence Tor the
Bi6le-hs learned his first lessons Of the best
teacher of tbeology-he learned them az a
mothers knee. There is ne science. no Pr0PO-
sition that can come in conflict VITA the IN
epired uaths of the Bible. for thus saith the
Q T. N.aa.- u .