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

Il zed themselves as q committee. and entered
i upon the work assigned them by that venerable
/ body. Sincethat time they have prosecuted the
believe in strict accordance with the spirit and
principles of the plan recommended by, the
| Assembly. A circular was addressed TO the
churches, explaining the nature ef that Plan
/ and urging their cooperation. The chairman
| Of the various Presbyterian Committees Of Mis-
| sioRs were informed Of the duties that had been
| laid upon them. .aAdthey were urged likewise q
| enter upon those at once; at the same time very
| general Information was given that the Central
| Committee had entered upon its duties and We're
| ready 70 consider aud act upon any properly en-
dorSed applications that might be lad before II.
| whether they referred to aid for feeble churches,
| ASSISTANCE in rebuilding church edifees. or for
the support of missionaries and evangelists,r, II
| was not until the middle OF the Spring, how
| ever, that most of the Presbyteries could take
| action in relation to the plan of sustentation
| recommended by the Assembly. but the COM
| mittee are happy to report that the great body
| Of them have adopted it with much eordiality,
| and they have reason TO believe. that when it Is
better understood and its practical workings is
more fully appreciated. 1t VIII be universally
| Thirty-seven of the Presbyteries have already
| adopted it in full, six in part; one has not been
| heard from, and only one has adopted an en-
tirely independent course. and this. 1t IS under-
Stood intends to reconsider its course. if il has
/ As vet there has not been time to testthe full
| value of this general scheme. In many cases
II
i fore il was fully understood, and were probably
i much less than they would have been under q
fuller appreciation of its great Importance The
4 chairinen Of many of the Presbyterial commit
teesdid not feel free 10 enter upon the work uu-
til their Presbyteries had taken action, and they
4 have. consequently, had but little time or OPP
| portunity to exert any direct or personal infu-
| ence upon the churches. At the sa me time the
| scarcity of money over large portions of the
Southern country IS almost without parallel.
| Bat notwithstanding these and other hindering
4 "a oh nut avid hot aha
| plan is regarded with great favor, and is work
/ ing out the most important results, not only in
/ sustaining the churches In their present trying
circumstances, but in laying the foundation for
| great energy and prosperity hereafter. The peo-
| pie of God are beginning to feelthe power of the
| broader principles of beneyolence involved
in this scheme, new and stronger
1 of 5eneTolence in our stronger and
| older churches; whilst the feebler and more re-
/ mote have been aroused to new life by the SYM
! large is beginning 70 feel the obligations
4 of christian unity and common
brotherhood; and nothing. with the favor
Scheme % great great and unspeakabie blessing % to @ onT
| whole church, but the earnest. hearty and
| united cooperation ofOur ministers and church
| courts.
The receipts from all sources have been S30,-
/ 343 80. 0fthis amount above $1,000 have been re-
l ceived from christian brethren in Baltimore and
/ vicinity and $1,000 from sympathiZing friends in
Il
christian friends for their continued liberal and
| most timely assistance; and especially woul
1 this committee congratulate the General Assem-
bly, in having on the present occasion. the rep
1 own body The whole amount contributed by
/ the churches is Sl8,256 ~. This exceeds the
| amount contributed by the churches last year
| about ifty per cent. This is very encouraging
| fact, especially when taken in connection with
the unparalleled destitution5 of the last winter
/ and spring, and the unusual scarcity of money
i IL k1fa tz~
| probable that the contributions would have
more than doubled those of the previous year,
if it had not been for these untoward influences.
i But still more encouraging feature in the work
/ is, that the number of Contributing churches
have more than doubled those OF the previous
year-being 450 Of the present year to 2l7 of the
/ last. This material improvement, both as to the
l number Of churches that have contributed, as
/ we'll as the amount given, is undoubtedly to be
ascribed to the healthful and inyigorating in
/ huenee of this general scheme of sustentation,
and calls for expressions Of heartfelt gratitude
| to Almighty God on the part of all those who
| labor and pray for the welfare of our Southern
/ Zion.
/ from the marked progress made in their good and
great work, it is painful and humiliatinF in the
| extreme to remember that so large proportion
| of our churches have contributed nothing at all
| to the general fund. A goOdty number have
| no doubt, contributed TO local and presbyterial
| operations, but when the largest abatement
is made on this score, it will still be found true
/ churches have contributed nothing at all to this
/ OF any of the general schemes of benevolence
| This is painful and humiliating fact, and call;
General Assembly,, but Of ali the inferior churcE
| courts. 1t is not for the committee to point out
the causes Of this sad delinquency. They would
| not refrain however, from expressieg the strong
! and decided cOnviction-a conviction founded
1 upon the general and concurrent testimony Of
| all the pre5byteTiaI committees throughout the
| church-that the fault lies nlOiniB at the door o
| min IT fnr
| reason or another, fail to bring these claims 10
| the attention of the congregations under their
care. 1t may be well for the assembly to con
| slider the pr0priety of addressing special com
| municatiOn TO ministers and church sessions OF
| this particular subject.
-Four general objects or departments Of labol
! are regarded as included in the general plan O
| sustentatiOn. First. to aid feeble churches il
| the support OF their pastors and supplies, ant
thus accomplish the two-fold object of main
| tanning the stated preaching of the gospe
| in ali these churches, and at the same tim,
| secure a competent support for every labor
ing minister throughout the whole church
This, principle, II fully carried out as i
should be. will place our church. so far a.
| the support Of the ministry is concerned, ON th,
| same solid foundation with the Free Church O
| Scotland, but so as to avoid some of the evil
inherently connected with their system, and a
the same time be brought about BY process
much more aecordant with the genius of our owl
| people. I'd. To aid in the support of mission
| aries and eyangelists, whereyersueh aid is asked
3D. To assist in rebuilding or repairing ehurcl
| edifces where the people have not the means o
| themselves TO do it. 4th. To assist missionar.
| or ministerial laborers in getting from one fell
| of labor to another, where they are without tn
| means Of doing this of themselves.
The first of these, at the beginning of the &c
| clesiasticat year, was the most urgent, and tn
committee always gave its claims the preferene
| so long as there was any doubt about its abilit
| TO satisfy all the demands that might be mad
| against its treasury The combined influence @
| war. drouth and unfriendly legislation had re
4 Of fba q.
| TO extreme distress, so that the great questiO
: | with multitudes of our people was, how the
| | might procure the bare means of subsistence 70
| themselves and their families Under such cir
| cumstances it became utterly impossible fo
, | many of our churches to maintain the preachin
! | of the gospel; ministers would be compelled /
| betake themselves to school-keeping or otht
| secular employments to obtain the means
| support for their families and hundreds {
| churches in the meantime would not only be lie
| without the ordinances Of the gospel, but woul
i | be in danger of losing their organization |
| churches Of the Lord Jesus. The first and gret
| duty growing out of this state OF thini
| was not so much the estapussn.nlehe l oi ne
| churches, as the susteptation OF those aread
| establish ed. The committee made IL one of the
6 bylaws, therefore, always to give the preferent
| to this class of claims. They are happy TO n
3 | port however, that they have been enabled.
= | the Divine blessing, not only to meet fully q
the claims presented on behalf of feeble churcbe
| but also to meet fully all the reasonable claim
| presented in behalf of all the other departmen
| of the missionary work. 1t IS possible that son
| urgent and deserving claims may have been ke
q | hack from apprehensiOns of over taxing tl
| Central Treasury, but 80 far as the commit
: | are aware, every reasonable application has be-
y | granted, and, with two or three exceptions.
) | the full amount asked. Surely sentiments
u | profound gratitude ought 10 arise from eve
- ! Christian heart 10 the great Head of the chur
! | for such distinguished favOrs bestowed upon o.
- afflicted churches
The appropriations made by the commit
have not been restricted to any particular 20
| ton Of the church or section Of the country. b'
l. have been diffused very generally over the who
N | surface. Thirty-seyen Presbyterles have song
! and obtained aid from the Central Treasury,
= sums varying from 500 to $500. In the Synt
q | OF virginia S4735 have been appropriated to an
| ing feeble churches, assisting in repairing chuT
| edifces and in the support of missionaries al
Is svanVelists In the Synod of North Carolin
$3.50; in the Synod Of South Carolina, SIP
| in Georgia and Florida, s6l2]; IN Aiab
ma. S2220. in Mississippi and L0uisisu
's s2is4; in the synod cf Memphis $500; in q
y synod Of Nashville SGD synod Of Arkans
y $50. and il the synod Of Texas $3.50. %
L hundred and four ministers have received al
a averaziBg about 500 each. Itisnot known pr
= cisely how many churches are represented
y these ministers. bat Il IS supposed that IN
!. number at least 20 Twelve Of these ninlsle
I" lust mentioned are regarded ns missionaries
eyaugeiists, and appropriations nave been ma
n | for these accordingly. SeTenteen congre
y | tiors have received assEt1nce IN reouhdi
81 | their church edifces.
Q Whilst the EpproPrlatlgnsh nave eeen e1Ieno
1e Icss or more over the whole field there has ne
t | c-+hei ees been 4 good deal Of inequality 50 {
& | os the different rresbyteries are coneerne
10 | Th;s vvas +o he exDected and II Is in strict