The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-06-21

heartily believe it is the interest OF the Church to
30 it now. We have one Secretary doing the work
Of two. If the Church is to be benefited by the
change, we ask it. If we are enabled to do more
work for our Master with these opportunities di-
vided among the different parts OF the Church,
then let each one bear portion OF that burden.
c. Lynn, ESD have a duty to discharge in
regard to this matter My Presbytery Memphisl
expected me to advocate this charge upon good
and sufficient grounds; which am prepared to do,
if thought it We're proper at this time: Fat in
view of the surrounding circumstances, see very
clearly that We have got the "string hault, Z"
| Laughter and therefore [ will not urge the mat
ter. What would say would be mlsconstrued.
l talk plainly sometimes, and am emphatic, and
therefore am accused often of being TOO lndepen-
dent and too bold. Though | do. not intend to
urge this removal Ton account of the peculiar cir
cumstances surrounding this Assembly, yet we
ask it as matter of right, as we say. have no
modesty in using that term, because the commit
tee was first placed in Memphis. This Assembly
did it. 1t was removed through the force OF cir
cumstances. We do not intend to intimate at all
that anybody has done wrong; We think those
brethren are just like Caesars wte-above suspicion.
I would have withdrawn the overture II had had
power to do so. would not have presented it to
this Assembly at all.
Dir. Knkpat1ck-I am in favor of adopting the
offered by the committee, yet under
other circumstances would be in favor OF some
what dispensing these agencies. DO not now re-
fer to any particular circumstances which have
been developed at this meeting. hope the time
will soon como when each Of these Committee s
shall have : -Trch business to do as to require the
services of two additional secretaries Then shall
be in favor of removal At the present it would
involve an additional expense without sufficient re-
turn. That would be unwise. trust that our
brethren in the West who advocate this removal
will not feel that others OF us are opposed to the
principle at the right time The resolution decides
the question only for the present. which means that
state of things may arise 1--WE hope it will arise)
when we shall need additional otlcers. When that
comes let them be dispersed.
Mr. Cdter-This question is one of far greater
importance than the brethren OF this Assembly
seem to think it to be- There is an increasing
anxiety for these Committees to be restored to
these portions of the Church. We are fully salts
fed that the return of the Committee of Educa-
ton to Memphis will involve no additional ex-
pense. The work can be as cheaply done as at
Richmond We expect that the present Chancel-
lor of the University of Mississippi may be in
duced to take charge of this enterprise. The
Memphis Synod is moving in this matter with that
expectation. There is no man in all the Western
country better fitted than DR.. Waddell to take
charge of our educational interests. He is known
all through the Valley of the Mississippi, and
through the East He will make very excellent
Secretary. Under his management, such an in
crease of work would arise as to compensate for
the change.
Dr. A. A. Porter-Texas, from which State |
come is particularly interested, especially in the
SustentatioI work and everything that concerns
that Committee This subject of removing this
Committee from Columbia to New Orleans was
brought before the Synod at its last meeting, and
fully discussed. The decision OF the Synod was,
if not unanimously very nearly So adverse to re-
moval can say confidently that that portion of
the Church does not desire any change in the To-
cation of that Committee, at least at the present.
The greater part of the Synod would regard it as
That Committee, as it is at present
constituted, and located will do as much for the
the Sustentation cause in Texas, and
more thin any other Committee in any other place
that could possibly be found. 1t is far more i'm
portant to have this Committee situated near the
sources Of supplies of funds than near the princi-
pal field Of distribution. To remove it to the West
would be to remove it to a greater distance from
the source of supplies The inevitable conse.
quence of that would be diminution of the sup
plies think it is stated in the report that only
four Synods contributed more than they received
and | think all four of those Synods are in the
Eastern and Northeastern portions of our church.
We should be the sufferers by the diminution OF
receipts which would follow removal. | would
impl0 the Assembly to consider the matter well
in all $50 INJECTIONS and relations before they make
any chan ) in this respect
Anothe idea which had great influence upon the
mind Of the Synod of Texas was that it is exceed
iugly important for our Church to husband its
especially in regard to its active labor
ing, useful minister's We feel there as you feel in
no other portion of the Church. the dreadful dearth
of ministers, and the need Of more ministers than
we can obtain. This change would demand the
services OF at least two of our ministers-men who
are already employed in other fields of labor. Very
possibly it would be necessary to take both or one
of them at least, from pastoral charges. We feel
that notsane man in all the bounds of the Church
should be withdrawn from direct labor in preach
ing the gospel. We regret that during the last
year two, several OF our most useful pastors &C.
cupying important field have been withdrawn from
that sphere of labor to others. No doubt the lat
ter were exceedingly important and the change
may have been necessary, but we could not con-
template without regret the facts that the Rev.
DR.. Lyon resigned pastoral charge to take pro-
fessorship, that the Rev. DR.. Wills in like manner
resigned his important charge at Macon to become
President of Oglethorpe University, that the Rev.
DR.. Wilson was withdrawn from the pastoral work
to pass into a Seminary. might mention other
examples. do hope the Assembly will not make
it necessary for any other changes to be made in
this respect that can possibly be avoided.
AS to the expense--it will certainly cost more to
sustain four Secretaries than two. If we can pos.
sibly manage these four schemes with two Secre-
taries let us continue to do so rather than double
the expense.
| would also remark that it appeared from pa
pers which were submitted to the standing COM
mittee on Sustentation, that the brethren in New
Orleans do not desire any change which would
place the Executive Committee on that city. While
they express their willingness to undertake the
work, should the Assembly make the change,
their judgment is that the change should not be
made.
Dr.. j. Leighton Wlson-It has been stated in
the public prints that the Committee at Columbia
particularly was opposed to the removal of the
Sustentation Committee to the West. Now, do
not know that single member of that Committee
has ever uttered in public or written single line
to that effect. On the contrary, at the Assembly
which met ia Baltimore, | myself brought the
matter distinctly before the Assembly. | stated to
hem that Domestic Missions and Foreign Missions
we're united under the same administration during
The war as a matter of convenience and economy.
And as l had moved Tor the proposition which
united the two, felt bound to urge that Assem-
bly, to consider the question whether that alliance
should not be dissolved. The Assembly considered
t, and declined to separate them. That has been
our feeling all the while. 1t is my own feeling
hat whenever the interests Of the Church require
it., and the Assembly is ready to recommend it, we
will cheerfuly give it up. 1t would relieve me
personally from great amount of labor.
think the statement made by DR.. Porter in re.
gard to the expediency of a removal, is an impor-
ant and weighty one. The five Eastern Synods
counting Alabama as one) contributed during the
asst year two-thirds of the funds given to Susten-
alton. The five Western Synods (not including
Kentucky have received more than so per cent
mistake in saying that not one of the Western
3ynods had given as much as it had received The
Synod of Mississippi this year has given more than
t received. l state these facts with great deal
# pleasure, to show that so far we are cotcerned
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