The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-05-29

Churcn demand the removal OF TINS OolhmlItee W
Nashville. cannot see with what grace we can
ask the Committee to remain IN Virginia, unless
We are more liberal towards it.
DR.. Baird-Moderator, | am glad that my ex-
eellent and venerable brother from Nashville has
been pleased to diSavow any local consideration, In
settling this great question, or any which annually
come before us, because it relieves me OF din
Guilty, which experience whenever any local ques-
tons come before this body. My brother Arm
strong was pleased to inform the Assembly this
mOrning-and | was glad he did so, as 1t came
better from him than it would from me-that had
been called to the position | occupy, as repre-
sentative of the South west. understood 1t so
at the time of my election My residence was IN
the Synod of Mississippi, bordering on the other
Synods Of Alabama, Memphis, and Nashville. 1t
was my privilege for twelve years to unite In lao
and counsel with the brethren IN that section,
When | was called to this office, you had an empty
treasury. The fire that consumed the business
portion of Richmond reduced to ashes everything
that belonged to this committee There was no
building, no property, no means to start wlth-not
even to paw NV expenses from the Southwest to
Richmond to enter upon the duties of the office.
| looked around aud saw where was to begin this
work | remembered the understanding the As
sembly had with me wlen | was elected, or rather
which they gave me, for | was sick in bed that
day. and sent message that [ 'could not come
here without running myself That message was
not delivered; | was elected while lying on my SICK
bed and contrary to my remonstrances. but
felt that l would damage the Church if [ declined
and that it was better that should suffer than the
Church.
Such being the state of affairs at Richmond, l
turned my eyes to the Southwest. L went to New
Orleans and presented this matter to the brethren
there. On the same train were elders of the
Church who had gotten out of prison on parole.
Some of them met the Monday night at DR..
Palmer to consult in regard to placing the work
of publication on its e sin They fetC that If
this committee were ude Started our Church could
not maintain its position, or It's exstence-that IL
we sent our people to others for their literature,
for their Sabbath school papers and books, we
might as well send them to place themselves within
their fold Thirty five of the brethren met IN. Dr.
Palmer's lecture-room. He told me that he wanted
in few DAYS to present to them the interests OF
their own churehes-that they were IN debt eighty
thousand dollars. | told him to tell it then-to let
them know all that they would have to raise de
did so, and they subscribed that night eighteen
hundred dollars to our committee. Some OF them
had been absent three or four years, not knowing
what was left inside of their commission houses
which they had to open the next day. But they
felt the Importance of this great work. and trusted
in God. | went to Mobile, where they were in
about the same condition, aud they gave us three
thousand dollars. At Memphis where they were
luSL QGglOUluG 10 1901 tudG bankruptcy WulCu HGul
like crash through the South west, | received
eight hundred dollars. From smaller points on the
way received enough to swell the amount to six
thousand dollars. Afterwards that beloved elder
in jackson, John McKown, gave Us three thousand
dollars. Tdat was nearly all we got the first year.
Other contributions did not raise it to more than
eleven thousand dollars. There is where we began.
When we sent our agent to this beloved city of
Nashville, which now makes US this noble propo-
efffon thDv M n rhrpn thnuSand dollars
| cannot before this Assembly oppose any inter
est Of the Southwest. Those brethren have
shown me too much love. | respond to every
word which that brother has spoken with regard
to the love manifested towards me by the brethren
Of the Presbytery of Nashville, and | tell him
here that they do not love me more than love
them, and that have more occasion to love them
than they have to love me. | want this question
Invested of all local considerations; but whenever
there is any contest before this General Assembly
between the South west and any other part of the
Church, [ wish it understood that | am for the
Southwest But we are now to do what the in
terests of the whole Church demand
The question which has come before US on the
petition of the Presbytery of Nashville, has far
wider considerations than will occur to brethren
who have not looked at it in the strictly business
point OF view. and | do not suppose that any one
can look ut it as fully in that view as one who has
the weight of the responsibility resting upon his
shoulders
In the first place there is great question of
principle to be settled The original proposition
though II has been abandoned, was to establish
=" Book Concern. 4 Book Concern is very
different from any thing which the Presbyterian
Church has ever engagediP. It's design Isl to make
money. The Methodist Book Concern In New
York is conducted on this principles it supports all
their superaunuated clergy, and pays the salaries
Of their Bishops They have other funds for scat
terng tracts etc. 1t is strictly to make money,
according to the meaning OF the word. "COn
Germs" is an old fashioned word which our fathers
used for their effects. We have never engaged In
anything Of that sort. The Presbyterian Church
has held that its business Is simply and only to
publish the gospel, and not to go into manu-
featuring and the investing of capital for the sake
of profit. When our committees were organized
at Augusta in 1861, this ground was distinctly
taken | do not remember whether 1t is announced
in the constitution of the committee or not, but
remember well that in the discussions of che As
sembly Il was not there, but read them, for they
we're reported with great ability our venerated
brother lDr. Thornwell) who has gone to his re-
ward announced the great principles which under
lie this subject, and marked out where the duty Of
the Church began aud where it ended. 1t was
then clearly understood that the Church was not
to 90 into any mere secular business, as such, but
only 10 use money as an instrument for sending
abroad the gOsOel. 4QeleIOte the W0OlS WOrk OF
the Committee has been done by contract When
the Presbyterian Board lin Philadelphia was or
gaOized, this is not a new prlncpe the same
ground was taken, and that Board has never en-
gagged in bOOk-manuiaeturing as that is commonly
understood, unless they have done so within the
last two years. We want to invest our money so
that it shall pay It's way. II money is made on
one book it is invested Ia scattering abroad other
religious books aud tracts as leaves of the tree for
the healing of the nations.
The brother says that Nashville is the point
where the Committee ought to be located. Ii
we're to look at it as a mere personal question, l
should love to live in the city of Nashville, were
TO change my residence. have come to that time
OF lte, when moving about with my family is not
a desirable operation, but ii duty called there Is
no place | should prefer to Nashville. | should
be among old friends Within tWenty-iour hours
after getting there, should be perfectly at home
But that is not the question. The question is how
it will affect the interests of the Church. | wish
to explain to this General Assembly, land this is
the first time for several years that have had the
chance of doing so, our method OF doing business,
and how it is that with a small capital we have
been able to do the work we have accomplished.
| hold 10 my hand a catalogue of our publca
tiOns-the original publications we have issued and
stereotyped. | have also catalogue Of the books
we keep on hand for sale. There are on this eata !
lOgue tEe names Of about 6I,eeen hundred books |
and on the other about Que hundred aud fifty
The catalogue o. the publishing house at Nash |
vile, which | have 10 nv hands, does not separate
between the books published by HEM and those |
on sale. | inquired the other day of distin |
guished Methodist brother about this, because |
could not tell which was which. He said that |
nearly all were on sale And may now, as well |
as at any other time, say word as to the remark
able success Of that house. 1t has been success
ful but want to explain why that ought not to
be an argument in favor Of this removal AT the
end of the war, if l understand correctly, they |
were $50 900 in debt; but it would be wrong idea
to supposetbat they were that much worse off than !
M hnA r.r,hlt-h...- L,..aa LII ~ |