The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-06-10
OUR GENERAL ASSEMBLY.


Two papers, viz, the report of the special
Committee on the report Of the Trustees Of
the General Assembly and the report Of the
Standing Committee on Foreign Missions, will
be found on the LIST page of this paper.
We here copy all that remain, of any public
interest.
SYSTEMATIC BENEvoLENCE.
Rev. DR.. Peck from the Standing
Committee stated that reports on this
subject had been received from eighteen
Presbyteries, and detailed the substance
of them at length. The report contin-
ues =
1t is manifest to your Committee, that while
there is encouraging evidence OF progress III
the churches in the matter of giving, there is
still ground for reiterating the judgment of
previous Assemblies, that all the ministers are
not as faithful as they ought to be in inquiring
what the mind of Christ is upon this subject,
and in afording the people the opportunity Of
worshipping him with their substance. 1t
cannot be believed. that Christian people will
fail to acknowledge God with their property,
any more than they fail to acknowledge Him
in prayer and praise, if they have been pro-
perly instructed and an opportunity has been
given them of making such an acknowledge
ment. 1t has been principle recognized by
the church in all ages, from the time Of Abel
| TO the present, that the people of God are to
worship Him with that which costs them some
thing. This kind of worship, God has or
dained for the good Of His people. He does
not need their contributions, but they need
them. The Committee. therefore, recommend
| that the Assembly enjoin it upon all the pas
tors, supplies and evangelists, under its care,
| to preach at least once during the ensuing year
on the Scriptural doctrine so clearly recognized
in our Standards, that it is the duty and bless
edness OF believers to hold communion with
God and with one another in their property,
as we'll as in the acts Of prayer, singing and
the Sacrament Of the Supper.
The Committee would further suggest to the
| Assembly the appointment Of committee to
prepare Directory for the Citation to be
inserted in the Directory for Worship" con-
sisting mainly of references to passages of
Scripture containing the doctrine Of citation
which might be recited by the ministers before
or during the offering of their gifts by the con-
| such directory would serve to keep this great
| believers.
| In the reports from the Presbyteries, and IL
the overture from the Presbytery of West Han
over referred to this Committee, there are
notices of the difficulty of exact compliance
with the orders Of the Assembly in reference to
the times of making the collections for the four
great schemes of the Church
The Committee recommend that the Assem-
bly, answer the overture of West Hanover
Presbytery by referring to the action OF the
Assembly of last year, 70. l42 Of the printed
Minutes, which allows sufficient discretion
in the premises
The Committee beg leave to conclude this
report with recommending the adoption by the
Assembly of the following resolutions.
Whereas the contributing of our substance
is not an optional, but necessary part of the
worship of Coda fruit, an evidence, and
means of grace without which Scriptural
piety cannot be maintained and developed,
therefore as a means of Fastening wider prac-
teal recognition Of the truth throughout our
whole Church, be it
Resolved, l. That all appropriations hereaf-
ter made by the Committee Of Sustentaton in
aid of pastors, supplies, missionaries, and
evangeists, shall be subject to the two follow
ing conditions in addition to those already en-
ready approved by the Assembly; (lst,) that
the pastor, supply, or evangelist, shall at least
once year, in a discourse exclusively devoted
to the subject, set before each Of the churches
and missionary stations regularly ministered
to by him, the duty Of worshipping God with
our substance as He hath prospered us. End.
That the said minister shall, in cooperation
with the session (if there be one see to it, that
in each Of the congregations ministered to by
him at regular periods, at least one annual col
lection, however small, be taken up for each
of the four great benevolent operations of the
Church.
Resored, = That it shall be the duty OF the
Treasurer of the Committee of Sustentation to
call special attention to the conditions above
annexed to appropriations, when making re-
mittances in aid OF the aforesaid minutes.
ReSOlved, 3. That it shall be the duty of the
minister receiving the appropriation, briefly to
report to the chairman Of the Presbyterial
Committee of Domestic Missions, at the end
of five months after the first semi annual in
stalment Of the appropriation shall have been
received, or earlier, the extent to which he has
complied with these conditions; and it shall
be the duty of the chairman to forward the
facts to the Secretary OF the Sustentation
Committee in advance of the time OF payment
of the second instalment Of the appropriation,
or of making new appropriation to the same
field.
Resolued, 4. That the Committee of Susten-
tation shall withhold the payment of the Sec
ond instalment of the appropriation, or shall
withhold new appropriation to the same
field when there is satisfactory evidence of an
entire failure to comply with the condition
aforesaid, except in extraordinary cases hereby
left to the discretion of the Committee.
Resolced, 5. That all appropriations for
church erection or repairs by the Sustentaton
Committee must be preceded by promise on
the part of the session Of the congregation re-
ceiving the appropriation, to enter upon and