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

tuS HIppttSI results. New lie ana new energy
have been impaired 10 all these; and perhaps
not more by the pecuniary aid extended than by
the sympathy manifested in their behalf In
rSsrol rsSsa[1l 20 4 very large proportion OF these
euufchssi IL Is hoped they will again soon be-
come sslt-sustaining, and will not need further
assistance. -.
The eemndttee have not been put in posses
SION OF hll IL form alton in relation TO what has
oeen dane By Presbyteries that are acting only
~ partial Coz operation with the Central Commit
tee. these Presbyteries have not been inactive.
1 some Of them have carried on their own nais-
slonary operations with much Elgor, and have
at the same time contributed literally to the
general fund. Taken altogether, larger nam
Der OF eyangelists have been employed during
the pasi year than ever before since the organi-
zation Of the church, and it is earnestly hoped
that this is but the beginning Of the new spir.
itual liis that g 70 pervade our beloved church
IN all future tire.
and missiers the call for earnest. persevering
effort Is tast IS Urgent now as it was year ago.
From the ynrious renorts sent up by
the. Presbyterisl committees. the wants
OF the church 20 large, though not indicated
by precisely the same geographical and ecclesi-
astlcal lines. are as great and urgent as they
were the last year. The failure of crops in
many parts ef the country. the embarrassments
years supplies. as veil as other causes, have re-
duced large portions Of the country to great
straits. and churches which last year could ex-
tend helping hand 10 their poorer sisters, will
themselves need help the coming year. Itwould
seem that God intends 70 teach us by these severe
and repeated providences, the duty and necessity
OF Inter.dependenee among ourselves, and espe-
cially show us the great Importance of being
united in one close and compact brotherhood.
At the same time. neither the Assembly nor
the Central Committee should lose sight of the
great Importance of establishing and maintain
ing q complete system of sustentation for the
whole church. A large portion of our ministe-
rial brethren must be greatly embarrassed and
crippled in their labors, until some such system
is established and enforced: and the object can
easily be accomplished by the joint action Of the
Central Committee and the Presbyterial Com
mttees of Missions To the latter it belongs TO
see that the resources OF every individual church
are fully developed, and to the former to pro-
vide a supplement for every salary wherever
there is absolute need of it. Every iaboring
minister should have competent support guar
anteed TO him, whether The minimum allowance
should be $780, 5000, or 500. the committee will
not undertake to decide.
But some standard should be fixed upon
and the energies of the whole church should
be directed to the attainment of il When
this Is done many of our ministerial brethren
will be freed from distressing endorsements
the church, so far as its temporal support Is
concerned, Will be placed on solid foundation,
and will thus be thoroughly equipped for any
work or aggression, or conquest to which her
Great Head may call her. .-.-
Nothing seems necessary, in the Judgment of
your committee, to carry out fully the scheme
ofsustentationi inaugurated by the lastAssembly,
but the rigid and faithful enforcement Of the
rules and principles that were adopted at the
same time. The general plan, pregnant as it is
with blessings for the whole churehSean be sus-
tanned aud carried out only blythe hearty CO.
operation OF all its parts The various presbyte-
rial committees Of missions, and especially the
Chairman OF those committees, must awake to
the full responsibilities laid upon them, and use
every legitimate means to bring all their
churches into hearty cooperation in the great
work. At the same time, the presbyteriesshould
see to it that their committees of mi5siens are
clothed with the necessary QHtbOrity
ing out these great ends.
1t should be borne in mind that about one
third of the funds used by the Central Committee
the last year came from sources outside of the
church. These outside contributions were made
in consequence of our peculiarly reduced con-
dition. They cannot and ought not to be expected
another year. The committee will have here
after to depend entirely upon funds raised
can easily be secured by the necessary
efforts. General contributions, instead
of large ones, are what are particularly
needed An average of one dollar for each
wants Of this particular cause, but in a great
measure those of all the other schemes of gen
eral benevolence. If ministers, church sessions
and committees of missions will only do their
duty, there will lbe no lack of funds, and the
church will at once be raised up from her low
and PROSTATE condition.
Along with this report the committee submit
to the Assembly for its revision and approval a
code of bylaws, which was adopted at their
first meeting and by which they have been gov
erned in all their disbursements, together with a
few notifications and additions which they
propose to make to that code 1t is the opinion
of the committee that this code, brief as it is,
demands the careful consideration of the As
sembly for upon these hinge the practical
working of the whole scheme.
All of which IS respectfully submitted on be-
halfOf the ex-eommittee,
j. LEIGHTON WILSON, Secretary.
Rev. Mr.. Jones presented overture No.
2, which was received and adopted, and
is as follows;
In response to the Presbytery Of Mem.
phis, the Committee on Overtures answered
that they could not approve of any change
in the existing arrangement and location ot
the committee at present.
Also overture No. 3:
In response to the second overture of the
| Synod of South Carolina, the committee
recommend to the General Assembly the
following action:
Resolved, That this Assembly recon-
mend the Oath day of January, 1868, as a
| day Of fasting. humiliation and prayer
and urge upon our churches, in view of th'
| extraordinary distresses of Gods people
in this land, to observe said day by suit
| able religious exercises.
Rev. DR.. Wilson gave notice that Rev
| A. H. Kerr, DID,, desired to be excused
for leaving the Assembly without report
ing himself TO the Committee on Leave o
| Absence, as he had been suddenly callet
home on account of still another afiiiCtiY
dispensation of Gods providence.
DIR. Kerr was excused, and the sympa
thies of the Assembly were rendered Z
him.
1t was made the order Of the day for i
o'clock on Monday morning, to hear Rev
E. Pressly, the delegate from the Asso
ciate Reformed Church in the South.
DIR. Wilson also read the bylaws of th
Executive Committee as well as the repol
of the Treasurer of the committee, whic
were also received and referred to tn
Standing Committee. They are as follows
| BYLAWS.
| lst. All appropriations made by this eOEnmit
tes whether to assist feeble churches, to aid i
| church erection, or TO support missionaries an
| evangelists must be based on the recommend,
| ton of the Presbytery's Committee of Donlest
| Missions, within whose bounds the money is
| be expended-it being understood that th
| Chairman or Secretary is regarded az the Orga
| Of the PresbyteTy' s committee
| I'd The committee shall always appToprlai
| specifically to the different objects presented B
| the Presbyterial Committee OF Missions, an
only for the current year; and unless prete
ence is expressed 10 the contrary, 1t will alwa.
| give the precedence to applications in behalf
| feeble churches
Sd. No appropriation shall be made to supple
meDt the salary given By feeble church Unle
| the Presbyterial Committee, through Thich II
| application Is made can certify that ~ congrl
| CATION itself has done all that c0Rsd reasOnab
be expected of 1T TO raise a sufficient salary an
| further, thatthe minister is not himself engage
| IN any secular business which renders him
competent support and that the sum of 81
per annum shall be tbe maximum given to a
| a feeble church, except in extraordinary eases
4th The NAHUM appropriation that shall
made for the support Of home missionary
evangelist shall not exceed the sum Of tbtV, e.
cept in extraordinary cases.
Substitute for No. So
9TH No appropriation SHAH be made 10 AID
repairing OF erecting q church edifce, excel
where the committee Of MISSIONS can certify. Il
| That the conEregation themselves have not Il
means TO do it. ID, That no collection has Z
ready been made for this purpose ia Il
churches that are expected to contribute to d
| general fund.-. Sd. That the appropriation I1a,
by the COMMITTEES will be sufficient to put Il
house in condition to be used for puhiic v0
ship.
9Th Nc appropriation shall be made
churches or missionaries in Presbyteries whi
do not carry on their domestic missionary 20
in accordance with the plan adopted BY q
ErPogr OF TIE TREASURER OF SYSTEMATIC
The General Assemble Of the Presbyterii
| Church in the United States in account wi
I James Woodrow, Treasurer, lor suseentati0n
Dr.
! | To cash PAID svangelists. domestic
missionaries. and 70 support pastors