The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-06-23
geligiuils gntelligeate.
FROM THE SOUTHERN STATES.
BINGDoN NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. SUPPLIES


Rev. j. N. Naff and R. Gray, protracted meet.
ing at Radford Iron Works; Rev. d. B. Ewing
and w. S. Lacy, do. at Crab Orchard; Rev. Robt
Graham, do at Cripple Creek Rev. w. " Wilson
and H. NJ. White, do. at Mt. Airy; Rev. H. NJ
White, do. at South Fork; Rev. A. L. Hogshead
and Thomas Brown, do. at Russell; Rev. H. b.
Rose and B. Gilderseeve, do. at Lebanon; Rev.
j. III. Wallace, do at Scott G. H.; Rev. j. Lyons,
do. at Sharon; Rev. J. M. Humphrey, do. at
Kimbern; Rev. L. G. Brown, do. at Grayson.
Presbytery of Nashville.-A our Presbyteries
which can print their Minutes would do we'll to
follow the example of that of Nashville and incur
the small expense for the sake OF the good OBJ
tanned. From their Minutes sent us we extract
the following, in the report of the Committee on
Domestic Missions, which presents facts and views
of great practical interest.
eve desire to call the attention of Presbytery to
the extent and nature of our field Our territory
embraces twenty-sx counties, an area OF twelve
thousand square miles, Much Of it is a country
rich in all the elements Of material progress; a
country which must in any favorable condition in
crease rapidly in population and intelligence. 1t
will soon be traversed by Railroads, so that every
partof it will be accessible without serious difficulty
The population is about $4,000. Immigration
is rapidly entering portions of this field, and the
people thus coming are many Of them Presbyte-
rrians Now, the membership of all Evangelical
Churches will not exceed $4,000. There are less
than &C, 900 children in the Sabbath Schools
There are about $50 Evangelical preachers en-
gagged in this work. and at the utmost, Church
accommodation for 100000. There are probably
10000 who scarcely ever attend Church, and
MANY of the Churches of the various denomina-
tions have preaching only occasionally
Our own denomination has twenty Churches,
some of them very feeble; eighteen ministers reg.
ularly at work; less than 1000 members, and this
in only seven countess
Our Churches report as having raised, for their
for this work about 800 in the past year.
Now your Committee are satisfied that our sys-
tenn of government and our divinely appointed
means of work are adapted to reach the masses,
if we act thoroughly upon that system and yet,
these facts show that our Church is not up to the
measure of her duty in this matter.
After earnest and prayerful consideration we are
satisfied that our employment of one or two Evan.
pelists to do this work will not accomplish it. We
need regular system of itineracy; and we are
satisfied, this will not be an innovation on Presby
terianism but will give the Office of Evangelist
the position and work designed by the Scriptures
and our standards
We know that our people are not yet trained to
give to the support of such scheme. We know
also that most of our ministers look forward to the
regular settlement over Church as the main work
of their lives. We will have to train the people
to give according to the real demands of the work.
and our ministers must be trained to the work.
The office of Evangelist must take the important
position to which it is entitled 1t will take years
for us to put this system to work as it should be
done; yet we must begin it, if it be the true idea
We have found most OF the men fitted for this
work engaged in pastors, ALA labor over Churches and
out of Seminaries, and who would be specially
adapted to this work of aggression, are settled
soon as they graduate So that if we would have