The New York herald., 1869-05-16


wives 10 the number now laboring abroad. Their
receipts were nearly 81 900 from no churches.
The Education Committee reported that 81
churches contributed To is funds over $1,000 IL
aided either In an academic, collegiate tneolo-
gica course. 2D5 students.
The Presbyterian Publication Committee had un-
der it's hands two departments OF worS-namely,
| the publication OF new and valuable books and also
the distribution OF its books and tracts through
| pastors home missionaries and Sunday schools. IL
Sold during the year publications TO the amount OF
over $4,000 IL owns valuable building on ones.,
nut street. Philadelphia, called 1.-THE Presby terian
House."
The trustees of the Church Erection Fund received
collections from 300 churches OF nearly Sal 0O0 and
Afforded liberal grants to tnrty-fOur churches that
needed aid to complete their houses Of worship.
! The Presbyterian Committee OF Home Missions
sustains preachers in all portions of the frontier
| West, on the Pacidc coast among the Germans ana
viois to its last annual report nearly sis5, ,oeo The
number OF missionaries 1t employed the whole or
Of the year @ re Tnss sss o.
| pei In 7l2 places and ORGANIZED nfty-four new
churches There were 2,s47 hopeful conversions re-
ported.
The trustees OF the Presbyterian House received
during the year covered by their report to the last
Assembly nearly $1,000 which was distributed TO
different objects OF benevolence held In trust to
meet the demands Of the succeeding year
The Committee OF the Ministerial Relief Fund had
received over $4,000 for the nelp OF INDECENT aged
or disabled ministers and for needy widows and or
ministers, thirty-one widows and ninety-eight or
phans-in all. including the wives OF the ministers,
Isl Is Sb Schools has
| been in operation three years. and seems 70 have
been vigilant in considering al questions that relate
TO the welfare and efficiency OF the Sabbath school
work. 1t reported 143,369 children under instruc-
tion in the Sabbath schools throughout the de-
Besides the consideration of the interests entrusted
TO these permanent committees the principal bust.
ness OF the last New School General Assembly tnat
met at Harrisburg, the discussion OF the ques-
ton of reunion with the Old School Assembly. This
pages out Of the frty pages Of their proceedings,
| many OF them being entirely filed up by 1t.
among osner ateres'4 .nas aues,omS @ ta ax come pc
20 Will be the report of a committee to ascertain
what the churches are doing for foreign missions,
| and to make suggestions and recommendations Tor
their greater efficiency in this regard.
The Stated Clerk, Rev. Dr. Hatfield, and Rev. Drs.
to report the year upon revision Of the sub
jects for which collections are taken In the churches.
| This report will excite much interest.
| Another subject was also referred to an able COM
| mittee. which deserves to be well considered 1t
appeared from certain papers submitted the last
Assembly that out Of thirty-six chaplans IN the
army OF the United States twenty-One are Episc0-
pallans; that in our navy sixteen chaplains OF the
twenty also Episcopalians; that the chap
| lain at West Point has always been Episcopal with
for few years single exceptions; that the chap
| lancv OF the Naval Academy has also been filled by
Episcopalians for seventeen out Of the twenty-five
years OF existence. 1t claimed that the Eps-
1Se population of the country, ana that such favor
to single denomination is at war with the Impair
tallty which general government, including the
| departments OF war and OF the navy, are bound to
| show in whatever pertains to religion committee
IL ton this whole subject, and their report viii
doubtless be an able one and the discussion OF
it attract large audience to listen TO it.
This committee ls thus cOmpOsed:-Rev. Drs. Albert
Barnes. S. W. Fisher. f. +. Hatfield. Mr.. William
E. Dodge and Mr.; Edward Miller. This Assembly
| meets IN the Church OF the Covenant the corner
OF East Thirty fifth street and Park avenue, The Rev.
George L. Prentiss 3D., PASTOR and VIII be opened
by a sermon from the retiring Moderator the Rev,
Jonathan F. Stearns, ID. d., pastor OF the First Pres
byterian church, Newark, n !. After this sermon
the roll is called and the Assembly proceeds to It's
business All the sessions Oh both this Asse nbly and
| also of the Old School Assembly are open to the
public, and it is believed that very many will avail
themselves of the opportunity thus afforded to hear
debates upon most interesting religious questions
We have made special arrangements to inform our
readers OF all that occurs I'm connection with these
important gaheriDgs. IN which so many OF our cti-
| zens take an interest.
| THE PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLIES AND THEIR RE
In 1881. for reasons which need not now be de-
tailed the great body OF Presbyterians In the United
States became separated into two bodies, known as
| Old School and New School. For several years there
these bodies by ministers and ssope that they should
be reunited. Measures looking to this result were
taken IN 1852 but nothing definite was % done In 1883
which recognized "a an Initiative toward better un-
to correspond with the other In the records Of the
Old school Assemblies proceedings in Newark In
1854, Is found communication from the
which very distinctly anrms the substaa.
tia oneness OF the two branches OF the same Church
| In all matters OF faith and practice THIS was
ferred q select committee, which prepared q
lengthy paper, In the course OF which the Assembly
said to have witnessed with satisfaction the happy
influence OF their correspondence sin preparing for
a still closer union at some future day." In 1865
| other resolutions were passed which were fraternal
| and expressive OF mutual confidence. Both Assem-
bikes met in ST. Louis IN 1860 when opportunities lor
| able informal conference committee OF nine minis
ters and six elders was appointed by each Assembly,
| thirty in ALL and measures were commenced in
earnest looking to a reunion OF both bodies at as
| early a day as would seem practicable.
| This Joint committee, after numerous conferences,
| prepared full report, recommending fourteen
| terms OF reunion and arrangement sufficient, II
adopted to bring both bodies harmoniously together
| into one united Church under one Assembly. These
| were still further discussed and amended by the
Assemblies which convened In 1893, the New School
meeting at Harrisburg, Pa, and the Old School meet
| ing at Albany, N. Y. The published minutes OF both
| show that this subject was the great one before
| them, occupying more time ana attention than any
| other.
The various articles, after a full comparison of
| views were adopted by both Assemblies. and were
sent down to be voted upon by the presbyteries IN
order that 1t might be known whether majority OF
| the entire Church was In favor OF them.
| The answers OF these presbyteries are to be re-
ceved by the respective Assemblies that so soon con-
that majority Of the presbyteres have not accepted
the articles transmitted to them In the precise form
In which they stand. Those best competent, how
| ever, to decide tnat the desire for union
is strong throughout the Presbyterian Church IN
bon Its branches that simpler basis-probably their
confession OF faith-wlll be substituted, and
that IN another year these twin streams will flow to-
gether, making one powerful and homogeneous
Cnurcn. lHelr uuitcu uuuiDcrs Wouiu Dc u lO-
| lows:-Synods, 40: presbyteries 1853; cen-
tates, 3l4; candidates for the ministry,
GIG; minister's 4.l3s; churches, 1927, men,
| bers 42l 487: annual contributions s., ,372 49,
The presence OF the representatives OF interests as
| great as these and to which such numbers OF our
fellow citizens throughout the country at large are
related, cannot fail to awaken general attention
| Once before-ramely in ls57-these bodies convened
at the time In this city, On tpat occasion they
were received with cordial hospitality, and much
| was done to render their stay agreeable. An excur
sion through the East river was made the scene of
| pleasant, though informal and temporary reunion,
| which recall occasion OF real endowment In
both OF these bodies snail have an opportunity TO
and hear men OF note from various parts OF the
country. The Oldest pastor present will probably be
the venerable Dr. spring. In whose church the Old
School Assembly cOnvenes, and OF which church,
the Brick Presbyterian church, Dr. Spring has been
pastor nearly hfty-nine years. This Assembly viii be
known as the eighty-hrst. Fftythree OF It's prede-
cessor Assemblies have met IN Philadelphia, two In
Carlisle, Pa, four In Pittsburg Pa three In Gin