Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-05-25
PRESBYTERIAN
SOuthern General Assembly Third Day.
Interesting Proceedings - Theological
SsmlHarits- Southern UniyersltY---For-
eign Missions Education.

II
Compiled from the Louisville Commercial Of
| Monday
The General Assembly opened yester-
dav morning with PRAYER and the calling
| The SYNOD of North Carolina wanted.to
| know il the proceedings of meetings held
without the presence of ruling elder
were legal under the constitution OF the
/ church. On motion, one portion OF these
overtures was referred TO the Pubilcstlon
| Committee, and the rest TO the Judicial
/ Committee.
/ The Presbytery of West Lexington
/ asked the General Assembly to resciud
| the action of the General Assembly Of
| 1869. authorizing the licensing OF laymen
/ to exhort in churches and among the col
| ored people. Referred to the Committee
| on Bills and OYertures.
! Presbytery of Roanoke also dissents
| from the a"tion of the General Assembly
of 1863, authorizing lay preachers, on the
| ground that ii is an assumption by Pres
/ bvteries of the power OF sessions whose
rights it infringes, that 1t Is without scrip
I tual authority further than the right every
/ Christian has to call on men to serve the
Lord, that it introduces confusion into
K the church, deFogates from the ministe-
| rial Office, and in times of excitement and
revival may lead to grave abuses. Refer
| red TO Committee on Bills aad DYertures.
The stated clerk reported that in July
| last he had received from the stated clerk
of the Presbyterian General Assembly
lfOld SchoOll meeting in New York, in
! ls6g for the consideration of this General
Assembly, a communication, IN which,
recognizing the Presbytery of the South,
and Gbe fraterpal relations between them,
| Christian salHtatiQns are sent TO the ten
/ eral Assembly of the Presbyterian Church
of the Southern States, TO meet IN LOUIS
vile, to give expression 10 warm Chris-
/ tian fraternity, as eminently proper, since
| both hau common faith, common forms OF
worship; the same sacred principles that
their common ancestors upheld, which,
\ in common, botk have held in the past,
/ and which both now upSOid, and there
/ fore the desire is expressed thai i I9ay
not be far distant when all branches OF
/ the Presbyterian Church Will be united In
one grand organization over the whole
land. Referred to Committee on Foreign
| corresbo udence.
| Union Theological Seminary, in Prince
/ Edward county, Va, made report.
/ There are four professors ana thlrty-nVe
students. There is SIzg90 to erect new
/ library buildings, besides legacy OF S2Ol9
a year to bay books. The total value OF
the Seminary property - Slg0,O00; library
! fund Sl7 600; 5000 volumes ~ tAs lprary.
Columbia s. c. Theological Seminary
has four professors and thiFty-tWo stu
dents. There are 1922 volumes in the
library, and six students in tbs senior
! class. The Treasurer reported the entlr
receipts at SI2, ,536 90 for last year, and eX-
penditures 81, $50 93.
Rev. DR.. Lyon presented memorial
/ from the Presbytery OF Mississippi, urg-
ing the Importance of taking measures TO
establish q southern Presbyterian uni
versitY worthy Of the denoWipation. ThS
memorial asked the appointments OF
| special committee dd interim to be COM
posed of one member from each synod, to
| whom the whole subject should be re-
| ferred with authority TO confer with the
| churches, learn their feelings upon the
| subject, and ii judged expedlent perfect a
| plan to be presenter TO the pext General
! Assembly. The memorial strongly urged
/ such consideration of the mstter Us shonld
/ lead to entire harmony in the church
which was abundantly able to have uni
versitY for thirteen rich and nosV pros
perons States. Deferred to the following
| committee;
Rev. DR.. Palmer, Loaisians,
Rev. Z. NJ. Green, South Carolina.
Rev. DR.. Davies, Arkansas.
Rev. G. X. Caldwell, Memphis.
Rev. DIR. Rice, Nashville.
ReV. J. II. Smith, North Carolina.
Rev. Or. !. W. Miller, Texas.
Rev. T. a. Hamilton, Alabama.
Rev. Thomas Il. Shelby, Kentucky.NGN
Mr.. Il. a, Fair, Georgia. 3,
Mr.. J. L. Campbell, Virginia.
The Rev. DIR. J. l.. Wilson presented the
ninth annuul report of the Executive
| Committee on Foreign Missions. The to-
| tai Segeipts last year were S27, ,253 81, which
I with funds Gn band, amounted altogether
to S29, ,054 81. OF this sum, ~ ll2 49 came
! from outsiders, and S3254 from SUNDAY
| school children. The funds came mainly
I ti-,tr, % oh Of whom six hundred
/ and thirty-three sent contributions, while
| only i've hundred and nj inety-eight did so
/ last year. This increase is gratifying, but
| eight hundred Rnd twenty-seven churches
| didn't give anything. The expenditures
| were S5975 on Indian missions; slle7S II
on two Chinese missions; $1,000 the
! Brazilian missionf Sl765 IS on the Colon
| bian. s. A.. mission, and 5000 on the Ital-
| ian mission. Total on missions, Sl9, AIS 95.
The balance being about twenty-five per
| cent. of the whole amount, was expended
| for officers, salaries and office expenses.
| The missions are reported TO be in a
| tiOurishiug condition, the missionaries be
ing well, and several 9f them having
/ schools.
The Executive Committee on Educa
| tion made their ninth annual re9.e'ss15a
| Receipts during the year just s6ded,
Sl7, ,26s, which is S6l7S more than last
| year. They paid ont Sl7, ls7 OF; lost s. by
| a bad BILL and have Sl77 in the treasury.
| They will not need more than $500 60
| meet engagements for the ensuing year.
| All aid properly asked was granted.
| Having to pay unexpected back balances
| appropriated by Presbyteries; they have
adopted rule that all appropriations
must hereafter be prospective. 1t is
probable that the number Of students
aided will during the ensuing year be
two hundred and seventy-hve or three
hundred. The committee have tested
| paid agenGes and are satisfied that the
system will not york. The report
showed that Of the expenditures Ala
bama students got $500 35; Arkansas,
S747 81; Georgia, Sll92 90; Kentucky,
S4g2 SO; Virginia, S6I5 80; and North Car
olipa, 5000 IS. The entire aHlOnnt paid
to support students was Sl5,07S GO.
The Rev. DIR. =. Robinson, from the
Committee on Bills and 0yeFtHTes, made
a partial report. On overtures fiFst, SEC
ond, third and fourth, relative TO lay
preaching, he was prepared to report, but
as q number of other Overtures on the
same subject bad been handed to the
clerk and not vet tFasss tied to the COM
mittee, be withdrew that PeftSp Of his
report.
Winchester and Montgomery Presbyte-
ries, In relation to ministers serving as
stated supplies for churches of other de-
nominations, COngregatlonalists or 9th
srs,- the committee Teeommended that il
be left entirely 20 the FFesbytaries To
WHICH such ministers belonged. The re-
port of th6 GGmmittee was ordered TO be
put on the docket
On overture seventh, from Montgomery
Presbytery, asking that the Book of Dis
cipline, chapter fourth, section nineteenth,
in reference to not making public church
trials and censures for MINOR Offenses, the
committee admitted the propTiety of the
| suggestion, but did not consider it OF
ent,asonsequence to take up the
time ofghe Assembly. Adopted.
The fraternal greetings of the Southern
| Methodist Church were warmly received
and appropriately referred.
An overture was presented from the
| Presbyte.y of North Mississippi asking
| that the location of the executive COM
1 mittses on sustentatiOn and education
| should be transferred back 20 their
original locations at New Orleans and
| Memphis, from whence they were re-
moved during the war. Referred, on mo-
tion, TO the Committees on Education and
Sustentetion severally.
An overture was received from West
Hanover Presbytery giving reasons for
rescinding the action of the last Assembly
in referring 10 licensing lay exhorters
among the colored people as, first, unne-
cessary; secODSs an lnfrlnge1nent OF min
isterial rights; third, unconstitutional.
Referred to Committee on Bills and Over
lures.
Overtures from the Presbytery of Roam
oke and West Hanover, against the esJab-
lishment of a SOuthean University, were
presented. First, IL is as wrong for the
4 church 70 engage In secular education as
to influence political action: second, il
has not been generally desired by the
/ II. I'D IL
for the undertaking. Referred TO speeia
committee on university.
DIR. Palmer asked thai fOlr more mem
hers should be added to the COMMITTEES