The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-06-09
Central 8)rrsbptolalr,
Report of the Executive Committee of
Education.

record of continued and successful progress.
The work entrusted to it is very simple, and
a statement of what has been done is easily
rendered. The whole number of candidates
for whom aid has been requested is So; OF
these. two withdrew before receiving any
aid, one was taken off our hands by church
which agreed to support him, and apprOpria-
tions were made for the assistance of all the
others. These students were reported from
thirty Presbyteries and from ten Synods.
The Treasurer's report, herewith sub
mitted. shows the whole amount of receipts,
including last years balance, to be SILL
54S Il: the various expenses Of the Com
mittee were S1093 90; and S11,117 50 has
been paid to candidates, making a total ex-
penditure of S12,2I1 %. There is, there
fore, now due the Treasurer the sum OF
1862 50. To meet appropriations required
for the present collegiate year, terminating
the LIST of July, viii require an additional
sum of S4O7 The deficiency is, therefore,
$1,000 81.
At the last meeting of the General As
sembly there was reported deficiency of
funds for the then current year, which was
promptly raised by liberal collection taken
ND at that time. The Committee, however,
foresaw embarrassment as about to arise,
because the annual collection for this object
does not occur till November, whereas the
COLLEGIATE year, for which provision has to
be made, begins about the LIST of September.
An appeal was made to the public, which met
with a very inadequate response; and ne
cotiable note drawn by the Secretary, and
endorsed by the Treasurer, not IN their Off
eial. but in their personal character, was
discounted to meet pressing wants. More
over the gratuitOus services OF the Rev,
James G.. Hammer, ID. D., were secured as
a travelling agent to present this cause, and
its urgency, on such of our churches as he
might be able to reach. By these means we
were able to pass by that crisis, and by a
careful distribution of our funds to keep our
Young brethren from embarrassment, until
the receipts from the November collection
came to our relief DIR. Hammer rendered
US valuable assistance by his zeal and energy,
and the funds of the Committee were much
increased as the result of his self-denying
and unr2quited services. His travelling
expenses were nominally S95 %; but spe-
eial funds reached the treasury out of which
these expenses were paid, which otherwise
would not have been contributed, and which
fully paid them all.
In addition to this report of our own work
the Committee is required to ascertain the
state of this interest throughout the Church,
and to report also all that has been done by
other agencies and in other ways. In order
TO obtain this information the Secretary of
Education, under the order Of the Committee,
issued a circular to every part Of the Church,
making such inquiries as would develop all
the facts in the case. The result is that the
number of candidates under the care of the
respective Presbyteries is reported to be
1855; the number studying for the ministry,
but not reported as under the care of their
Presbyteries, is Il; the number detained
from school for the want of means is 8; and
the number who are still undecided, but a
majority of whom will doubtless study for
the ministry is q; the total number report
ed is 245. These are reported from 80
Presbyteries From IL Presbyteries no re-
port was received.
These reports further show that q stu.
dents have received aid, besides those aided
by the Committee, making the whole num-
Der who have received aid the past year, not
less than 104. The amount expended in
their support, so far as reported, was ST.
29S 81, making the whole amount thus ex
pended $16,509 so. There has been con-
tributed to the support of Columbia Theo-
logical Seminary $6,4S2 81 To furnish
rooms for candidates at Davidson College
$780, Also, to Stewart College, $1,000;
to Kings College, Qate Bristol Academy
$4,000; and to Hampden Sidney College,
$1,000. The primary object in the estab-
lishmentO of these colleges is the raising up of
an educated Christian ministry; and, hence,
it is proper, in making this report, to in
clude the donations to those institutions with
the other contributions of the Church, so as
to show in compendious view all that has
been done The funds of Union Theological
Seminary have also been increased but no
report has been received in answer to our
circular. 1t is believed this increase was
chiefly by contributions from outside sources.
The whole amount contributed by our own
people, to this one great cause, in its three
aspects, the support of candidates, the sus-
tanning of our Theological Summaries, and
the equipment of our colleges, amounts in
the aggregate to not less than $50, 900.
The large number of candidates now I'M
der the care of our Presbyteries, and the in
creasing number of youths, in various stages
of advancement who have the gospel minis
try in view, is the most hopeful manifesto
ton Of vitality which our Church furnishes.
in all her departments there is evidence of
renewed strength; but the dedication of her
sons to the ministry of the gospel on the
part of Gods people, and especially the con-
secration of so many of them to the work of
Foreign Missions, is evidence of the presence
and agency of the Holy Spirit in the bosom
of the Church, and it ought to inspire her
with increased zeal and fresh spirit of de-
vout conservation. For
/. The ministry is the preeminent ascen-
sion gift of the Lord Jesus Christ to His
blood-bought Church. When the youth of
Zion are found gathering to her courts to
offer themselves to become her standard
bearers, it is a precious evidence that Christ,
the King and Captain in the camp of His
saints, is present,
,. This blessing bestowed on US, by lions
King and Head, should occasion humility,
and the exercise of pious gratitude. 1t is
mark of Christ's cOndescensiOn, that not
withstanding our great unwOrthiness, He
should thus honor US as a Church and peO-
pie, and cause the bones which He has broken
so soon to rejoice.
In Aamands from ns n rannund cnnsa-