New-York tribune., 1869-05-26
THE NEW SCHOOL ASSEMBLY,
FIFTH DAY-MORNING SESSION.

THE NEW SCHOOL ASSEMBLY.
FIFTH DAY-MoRNING SESSION.
In the polity of the Presbyterian Church (Old
as well as New SCHOOL, there a series Of executive and
judicial bodies which carry the proceedings OF individual
churches up regular order until the General Assembly
at the top is able to take cognizance by this means OF oil
that has been done throughout the whole denomination
These bodies are judicial and executive but not legsa
five the fundamental law Of the Church being the Holy
Scriptures and its rules being laid down In accordance
Herewith in the Constitution, Confession &c. OF inc
Presbyterian Church. Laws cannot be enacted ior tne
Church except by the aggregated Presbyeres he Pres
bvterv being In the Church what the State Is In our
national system). constitutional amendment must DO
overturned by the General Assembly, having urs Oeen
overturned suggested to It by some PresDytey or fres
byeries to all the Presbyteries just as constitutional
amendment must go the States having first come from
Representative OF the States and when majority OF
the Presbyteries have ratified It, the General Assembly
put it final place as law OF the Church It's In
this form that the Reunion question has been treated
This relation between the higher and lower bodies Is
especially made the sufficient jurisdiction OF the whole
Church by tho Assembly; and the business occupying
the New School Assembly yesterday morning was the
form in which this control Is made 70 appear. The
Church sessions have immediate care OF the individual
churches and 1t is their duty to report TO tho an-
nua meeting Of the Presbyteries which are ne1t above
them their doings for the year The Presbyteres, in
church records to the synods and the synods report IN
the same way to the General Assembly II there appear
on the proceedings thus reported to either body any
thing incorrect unjust il comes up for consideration
when reported by the Standing Committee TO whom 1t
has been referred and may OF course, be reviewed II
wrong and Judgment reversed when the next higher body
takes up the record There also another mode OF set
ting right things wrongly done. An appeal may be made
or complaint or both, by any individual member OF
church. TO either body superior to the ono which may
have seemed to him unjust; or a session may appeal
from Presbyterys or Presbytery from Synods deei
sion The General Assembly the highest Court OF Ap
peal and it may thus appear that tho Presbyterian sys
ten gives the aity appeal more than the ministry
the aity are first subject to the Session whio the
through the judicial Standing Committee mere sngges-
tions, proposed new rules @c come throngn & ag b's m
to the Committee on POity. -,
apparently tedious routine business IN tho New
School Assembly yesterday morning. may aP
gandns 4GS TSHIS ooresPondns to the mum
Der Of SynOdsl reported upon contain the history OF the
Narrative Of Religion" win be resume Of part OF
this history. compiled, however from PresDy TO-
porance TO the Church, including not only the state OF
rather than Synodical life, but tho benevolent
operations, judicial Investigations aud decisions &C.
ovERTUREs.
The morning session OF the New School Assembly was
largely occupied with these synodcAl records reported
from the Standing Committees. They present no fea
Of general interest further than what Will be pre-
sented In the summary Narrative" toward the cose OF
the Assembly. The Committee Church Poty (the
Rev Henry Darling, D. D., of Albany, ChsirmanJ pre-
sented three overtuTes with recommendations One OF
Humboldt, and Smoky Hill, 20 DO formed into q new Sy
nod. The Committee reported, recommending that the
res which have hitherto belonged TO tho Synod Of Ms
yours that this new body be constituted In tho city OF
tbs Rev. W. II. Smith, or in his absence the Oldest
member Of the body act as Moderator and preach tho
WESTERN LIFE-AS INTERESTING SKETCH.
The story Of this Synod very interesting In the
class that graduated from the Union Theological Sem
mary this city last year there were IS young men, who
determined to abandon the overcrowded fields OF the
East and 90 to the country where there such great
need and such great opportunities. They were mar
shaed under the leadership Of Col James Lewis, for
mery officer OF distinction in the ll3d New York Regi
Carolina in cooperation with Gen. Sherman at the time
Of his famous march TO the sea- Col Lewis and bis IL
Permanent COMMITTEES on Home Missions (tbe Rev.
Henry Kendall ID. d., Chairman Immediately upon
their Western fields of labor. Tho Rev Henry
Beem"n settled at H9sevlhe, ONO MIheTs 5s
]. j. Brown went to Northwestern Missouri @. T. Ban'
chard reduced by sickness returned to the East D. r.
Michel went to Nebraska, and Col. Lewis O. II. Nc
Creery, - Jessup T. Y. Gardner, and 8 H. stoddard
the spirit sacrifice and devotion which the brought TO
struggling Presbyteranlsm IN Kansas caused the speedy
Synod OF Kansas made from what last year at
this time but single Presbytery OF 10 minister's
sends commissioners from s three Presbyteres repre-
senting % ministers This noble work deserves recogn
on and Is valuable evidence Of the which
tain 10 combined effort In any department OF fe
to build up worthy life in the new and waiting domain
Of the West.
OTHER ovERTUREs.
The Polity Committee also reported overture re-
spectng publication OF the expense list Of the permanent
committees benevolent operations Of the Church, ad
Versey as these enterprises yet in their infancy
Adopted. The same Committee also reported upon ON
overture from the Des MOues Presbytery showing that
AChurch has been dissolved by Prebyery letters being
gwen 10 the members 10 JOIN any other EyanReichi
Church and that member had continued 10 hold his
letter and had not become for more
than 10 months The overture inquiries whether he Is st
amenaDle 70 the original Presbytery (Dcs Moines
whether Presbytery should bring him 10 trial The Com.
nittee answer; That every Church member amenabe
70 some appropriate tribunal and that In this case the
tribunal must be the Presbytery and that every member
OF church continues to be amenabe to church until
he joins another This does not, however mean that
member may join an uneyaDgecal Church. without he
coming liable 70 trial by his session or presbyterv
The SabbathSchoOl Permanent CCmmittee 'oi,asf,on
finally disposed Of by the adoption OF the reporf AZ
the Rev Dr. Poor OF Newark, Chairman OF the standn
Committee. He recommended the dlsbandng of tbot
Permanent Committee, pursuant To their own reousst
This throws the direction OF Sabbath
&c. back into the hands OF the Publication Commtfeo
49, nIu q