The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-06-02
virrinin-W y Riobnrlson and G Dnhnev GRAY

Il
GeOrgia-Jas. L. Rogers and Jno. G. Whltner
.Kentucky-R. X. SmoOt and Saml Casseday.
Memphis-H. II. Paine and }. II. Mcclellan,
Mississippi-J Il. Bright, d. D., and Sam Z.
Greves.
Nashville. W. Neil and W, D. Robinson.
North Carolina-Coln Shaw and Neil Graham.
s. Carolina. l.. Bartlett and A. NJ Kennedy.
Texas-A 2. Siliman and James Sorley.
Virginia-Audrew Hart and A. d. Dickinson
Rev. DIR. Baird then read the report of the Ex
ecutive Committee of Publication, and 1t was re-
ferred to the Standing Committee.
After half an hour spent In devotional exercises,
the Assembly took up the oEder of the day, the
reception of Rev S. P Chestnut, of Tenn, the dele
gate from the Cumberland Presbyterian Church
The address and Moderator sreply will appear
again.
The next order, reports from delegates appoint
ed to visit Foreign Bodies was passed over, because
Of the absence Of those delegates.
PLACE OF THE NEXT MEETING.
DR.. Joseph R. Wilson read letter from re-
representatives. of the Synod of Kentucky, renewing
the invitation extended by that Synod to the As
sembly at its last meeting to hold its next session
in the city of Louisville.
Rev. Isaac j. Long nominated Little Rork, Ark.
Rev. S. S. Gill urged the acceptance OF the IN
vitation from Kentucky.
DR.. Matthews said that this invitation is not
merely pro forma but is rendered heartily; ne was
sorry that Little Rock has been named, for 1t Is
distant point If you come you will Ind our church
of the same disposition as yourselves. We are
a small tribe, but like Benjamin, strong one
We viii give you ooIlial welc0me 10 our
DIR, Bright would like to see Little Rock with
drawn, because we have been looking forward for
year to the privilege of visiting our Kentucky
brethren.
Mr.. Long said, if there is such general desire
to visit Kentucky will not be too earnest In con
tending for my nomination, though l have not
heard any reason why the Assembly should not,
for once, cross the Mississippi river. will, how
ever, withdraw the nomination.
The motion to accept the invitation to meet
next year at Louisville was adopted UNANIMOUSLY;
Dr. Robinson said: sAllow me in the name OF
Kentucky, to thank you for the double. honor OF
the unanimous election of one of her sons as Mod
orator, and the unanimous selection OF one OF her
cities as the place of meeting Of your next Assem-
bly,.
On motion of DIR. Matthews the meeting was
appointed for the Second Church on the third
Thursday of May, 1870.
The report of the committee on the Duties OF
Elders, Deacons and Trustees appointed by the
last Assembly, DR. Dabney chairman, was made
the first order of the day for Monday morning.
The committee to prepare Directory Tor the
oblation was called, but did not respond
THIRD DAY-SATURDAY.
The Assembly met at o'clock, and was opened
with prayer by the Rev. Henry Brown.
Reports of Theological Summaries were read by
the Stated clerk and referred to the Committee on
Theological Summaries.
MEMORIAL ON CHURCH PROPERTY.
Rev. T. L. DeVeaux presented the following
memorial from the Presbytery of Florida:
Tho roaoor;o1 of tho praehvtnrv of ElOIida IN
| the General Assembly Of the Presbyterian
Church of the United States, in session at Mo-
bile, hereby showeth-
| That the ehurch-building, parsonage, aud pro-
perty of the church of jacksonville, within our
bounds and belonging to our Presbytery, have
been, By small portion Of the congregation un-
justly and irregularly taken away from us aud
transferred to the Central Presbytery of Phiadel-
phia; and that said Presbytery, in receiving said
church. have connived at, and sanctioned an rregu.
| lar and unlawful proceeding, and have deprived
our Church and congregation In that place OF their
| house of worship, much to the detriment OF our
| Church and the true interests of Presbyterianlsm
| In the community.
| Therefore, your memorialists do, through you,
protest against the action of SAID Presbytery and
| the General Assembly to which it belongs, in re-
ceiviug said church, It's parsonage and property,
and pray that you will take such steps as In your
/ WISDOM may SEEM DtSI CdlCuld(6Q W oSSuAS Viz
speedy restoration of said church and property to
the congregation and Presbytery to which they
y riSnIiollY QelOnS, ~.
And your memorialiSts, as in duty bound, viii
ever pray, etc.
The above memorial was prepared by a Com
mittee appointed by Presbytery, and ordered to be
sent up to the Assembly.
T. L. DEYEAUX,
s. @. Presbytery of Florida.
April, 1869.
Mr.. Gaillard moved to refer to the Committee
OF Bills and 0vertures
Mr.. DeVeaux-The Presbytery have felt that
they were asking the Assembly to take action in
an exceedingly delicate matter | have papers In
my hand containing the history Of this transaction,
and request that these also be referred to that
committee The motion was carried.
Rev. DR.. Baird read the Report of the Execu-
tive Committee of Education, which, with the
minutes, was referred to the Standing Committee.
The Treasurer report was referred to the Finance
Committee
Rev. DR.. Wilson read the Report of the Execu
tive Committee Of Foreign Missions, which was
referred to the Standing Committee, and the
Treasurer report to the Finance Committee.
MEMORIAL ON THE BOOK OF GOVERNMENT.
The undersigned, ministers and ruling elders,
respectfully ask the attention of the General As
semby to the following facts and suggestions touch
I
of Government and Discipline. Our present Form
of Government and Book of Discipline, framed
unquestonably as it was for the use of small body
of churches in a narrow territory on the Atlantic
coast, and at time when, in their conscious feel
ings, our fathers naturally inclined to alliance
with the congregatiOnallsm contiguous to them in
the east (as eviuced in the Plan of Union of lS0l)
has long been felt to be insufficient for the govern
ment of so large body as ours, scattered over
ID nd FL fact
from the fact that so far back as 1857 and before
our separation the work of revising the Discipline
was committed to Drs. Thornwell, Breckenridge,
Hodge, McCIill and others, and has been prosecut-
ed in both branches, since the severance, until
after an elaborate revision of the Committees
lobors the Assembly ar Memphis, in 1866, sub
mitted new book of Order and canons of Discl-
phne, to the Presbyteries. Owing however, to
the then unsettled state of things in our church,
aud largely because of desire on the part of the
Presbyteries to delay the work until our brethren
in Kentucky, and others might if they desired,
have voice in the case, as well as on account OF
diyerSiteS of view about certain points OF interest
in the book these overtureS were declined by the
Presbyteries though general desire was express
ed for the preservation of what had been done,
with the intention, of continuing the work at a
more suspicious time. The undersigned are i'm
pressed with the conviction that the auspicous
time has now come. Our affairs are now settled,
our agencies for carrying on the church work are
established and operating successfully; our breth
rem of Kentucky are in organic union with US, and
there is no longer anything to embarrass the Pres
byteries or to interfere with the calm and patient
investigation so needfu to the matter in question
The positive reasons for an early and earnest
attention to this indispensable work are, In our
judgment, urgent
l. The great Head of the Church has been, and
is now favoring US with so much unanimity
among ourselves, and before possible troubles, agi
tations and divisions arise from questions to which
we are manifestly liable under our present defec
tive book, We are in far better condition to con-
struet Book of Order and Discipline than we
would be if torn again by controversies.
Al q time when the shirt of revnlntion. and