The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-07-08
Seventh Annual Report of the Executive
Committee of Education.

committee OF EuucaIlOn.
The Executive Committee of Educa
ton, in submitting its Seventh Annual
Report, has more gratifying statement
to make than on any previous occasion.
In our last report, the number of candi-
dates receiving aid from the funds in
trusted to the Committee, was stated to
be eighteen; since that time, on recon-
mendation of various Presbyteries, appro
priations have been made to twenty-five
additional candidates, showing the whole
number now receiving aid from the funds
of the Committee, to be forty-three.-
But application has been made by their
respective Presbyteries for aid to be ex-
tended Immediately to several candidates
in addition to the above. Owing to in
formality in these applications, however,
no appropriation has been made, although
the Committee has given assurance of its
purpose to grant the aid requested, as
soon as all the facts are made known
The whole number, therefore, now look
ing to the Committee for aid is over fifty.
The Treasurer Report will show the
whole amount of funds which has been
received to be So, l1O.44; that there has
been paid to candidates the sum of ST.
757. 81, and that there was S352.87 in
the treasury on the first of May. But
this would give a very untrue idea of
the condition of the treasury, without
supplemental statement. At meetings
of the Committee since the 1St of May,
not only was the whole of this balance
ordered to be forwarded to candidates,
but in addition the Secretary was author
ised to borrow-which he has since done
the sum of 5000, to satisfy the claims
of candidates falling due. To meet the
necessities of candidates, at least 81, 900
additional will be needed between this
time and the close of the current collegi-
ate year.
1t will be observed by the Treasurer's
Report, that the whole fund has gone to
the candidates. There have been no ex-
penses for officers salaries, or on any
other account.
1t will give a more just idea of what
is doing under the auspices of the Com
mittee, to include in this report so much
of the period covered by our last report
as will make the statement for the cur
rent collegiate year complete. The Treas
urer's books show that 81, ,262 of the dis
tursements reported to the last Assem-
bly, were paid to candidates for the col
legiate year which is still current. This
added to the sum now reported shows
the whole sum paid to candidates, up
to the 1st of May, for the current collie
giate year, to be $4,019,57. Since the
date of the Treasurer's report, $S61.25
has been sent to candidates as already
explained. Hence the whole amount paid
to candidates for the present collegiate
year is $4,9o082. The appropriations
made since the first of May will of course
be included in the Treasurer's report for
next year.
The Committee has the pleasure of re
porting to the Assembly that several of
our Presbyteries which have heretofore
conducted their educational affairs inde-
pendently, have cordially resolved on
cooperating with the Assembly's plan
The objections which they had to the
scheme of the Assembly were removed
by the action taken at Memphis in 1866,
according to which the whole responsi,
biity for the candidates is left where the
Constitution of our Church places it
in the hands of the Presbyteries. The
Committee is no longer esteemed supe-
rior to the Presbyteries, clothed with au-
thority to revise their proceedings, or
inquire into the propriety thereof; but is
simply the executive agency through
which the Presbyteries perform this part
of their work. Appointed by the Gene
raj Assembly as central Committee for
the whole Church, it is the recipient of
the Church's bounty, and dispenses it
wherever needed; thus constituting a
bond of concord between the Presbyte-
ries, giving unity to their action, and
efficiency to their efforts. There are but
few of the Presbyteries, so far as the
Committee is aware, that still stand aloof,
and prefer to isolate themselves in con-
ducting their educational affairs; and it
is believed the agreement in the princi-
pies on which this Committee is now or
ganised is so cordial, that the only OBJ
stacle to the unanimous cooperation of
all our PresbyterieS, is their distrust of
the ability of the Committee to meet
their wants.
On this subject the Committee desires
to explain its views to the Assembly,
The doctrine of our Church is, that God
calls his own ministers, and that in this