New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-05-17
THE PRESBYTERIANS.

BUSINESS or THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY oP leIS-
TOPICS TO BE DIsCUS9ED-STATE OF TIE
CHURCH.
FnoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF TEE TgIBOSB-
DETROIT, Mich, slay 1G.-For quite num-
bee OF years pest the Presbyterian Ch5roh in tae United
States has occupied no inconsderablo share OF pnDc
attention. While al! eyes turned 70 thn' oii
School, Church In ST. Louis in 1906, whers the ast tan
OF the pro-southern party was made In the
Assembly, the question Of reunion between the Oau
and New School" branches suddenly came INTO prom
inence. No one had Anticipated reunion, nor even
! a movement toward one; and so everybody
looked with surprise TO see the merry
debates or the Southern trouble speedily followed oy
reunion speeches joint sdcraments, and c0mmtees 10
devise peace. And them when, after the auspclcus De-
ginning two General Assemblies or each body mes ah'
adjourned without accomplishing the union the public
interest maintained until finally IN 1902 almost az
unexpectedly the Grst movement, reunion was made
possible at the meeting Of the Assemblies in New
York A meeting 10 cOnsummate the union was fixed
for the Fan and in November OF the same year, at ire
city Of Pittsburgh, that dramatic scene was enacted
when 500 ministers and elders met another in the
middle OF a public street pennsylvania Prosbyteraniam
appaudng from the wndOwsl, embraced, aad marched
lovingly arm-n-arm to JOINT meeting
Then when the reunion OF Old and New had been accom-
pshed the great Memorial enterprise kept the world
agog. The Methodist Church had just put forth hercu-
lean effort to celebrate her centennial with thank
offerings and now IL became a matter OF curiosity
whether the Presbyterians could follow the example
The plan OF giving and OF reckoning the contributions
was devised with true CalUnistic complication; meet
ines local, presbyterian and synodical were held all
the country, and hardly American IN the land
could have escaped knowing that 1870 was Memorial
Year" The members OF the General Assembly Of 1871
Chicago, eager 10 hear the report OF the Memo
rial Committee; and worldly, misunderstanding CHI
cago crowded the church applaud the announcement
that the Presbyterian thanks for the Reunion could be
described in figures T33,o63 So. But 5till the Com
mstee could then fully present the final returns
and this year many looking for complete intel
lgence a. 10 the OF that undertaking
The General Assembly OF the Reunited Church, which
met here to-day, WILL this and many other accounts
be regarded with considerable public attention. 1t
tho occasion the reception Of reports Of the Churchs
success during its second year under the new regime
denomination OF Christians numbering 46l6 churches
$3.50 COMMITMENTS, representing fun constituency
OF nearly two millions OF people, can hardly adopt new
ecclesiastical methods or dismiss unsatisfactory ones
without exerting considerable influence upon Amer
lean CTstcndOm. The Church has 4,6 minister's, scat
tered through nearly every stare and territory ana
associated together II 50 synods ana 100 ptesO5
teres. Under the present apporuonmenI %,
representation, eFery = "a 90 ONE
cider The annual General Assembly as representatives.
Of theis nresJytery, ana Je NAys SseiHDy Jus ma
tuted will this year number about 300 members me
meeting will continue from to-day until about the 2th of
25t inst unless DEBATE sT1W !IrepfGSS4G on tSc Gt
tIe that re Old school portion of the Church has
had u general Assembly meeting IN Detroit; the NeW
school assembly during the period separation, sat
here iu 1850, when nc !-eV: d. L. 4A"01e' ~ ~ -'
OF Pittsburgh, was Moderator
REORGANIZISG TIE BOARDS.
Some new and some very old problems are likely to
agate this esastcal council Beside the final report
on the collections OF Memorial Year Gas already alluded
to the matter OF first importance will BIO the modes OF
benevolent operation. This s TO be discussed probably
from tho bottom n the last step IN the Churchs organ
tHfts ltta
vcar-frm spaclai COLLECTIONS at the sabbath service.
win or without the pleas or agents or pastors To the
more scfiptura mole OF weekly apportollchts J eci
indvidua-a similar reduction OF tie number OF boards
ar qpeuces OF distribution Is also mOOled. There are
very urgent advocates of reduction or these podris
wach now number seyen-tOreign Alssions Home MS
SLOWS, Church Ereeaon, Education for Ministry;
Pulcation. Disabled Ministers Relief, and
the church leaders are ~ anxious 10 pre-
serve h, arrangements and others. again, would add
several more to the LIST Inc iong DEBATES OF last year
Cacago resulted IA no change IA lle boards D.s IN
the appointment of Commit oI bIteen on BSeeIO-
York Chairman, Who were 20 ue all proper means 10
promote. through tie Church. the re laF ana
conservation OF property 10 ne oI ahl % ~
tue collection of funds Tor the whole OeheFOleuI NoIA OF
opinions, win cause considerable deDaie lie Nh9le
question OF rccOnstructlHg TINS hSntF Hhor.dls ~
rr-icrt of the Church Is greatly interesting 10 the
gau publc and can hardly fail to be o. note 10
other denOuiuaiions
TIE sUPPoET or MINISTER'S.
Another leading topic upon which there two very
H.
Transatlantic mode OF insuring support TO all the settled
pastors in tie denomination by establishing fund 10
which ali the churches shall ultimately conribate out
OF which every pastor shall receive in return Fixed
amount, which his cuhgfs. ION ny OF my M otps
tbet abundance 50 10 AID the poorest ones In paying
living salary 10 their pastors whle the poor chnrcn
viii make sucha pro- IN on nc 80 ~
increase tie mutual spirit among al the chlfcheo
This .vsfer has been engineered by the eminent
acotlsA divine who is now President ot Princeton Col
lege the Roy Or. Net oh, IN co.lthy WIZ l.e ~
Prof NJ W Jacobus OF Allegheny Ihooosical seminary
! IL re hone OF D. McCos that the scheme winch has
been worked rs a separate Board GhOugh called Com
mitec during the past year, may DC permit 70 nave
cc,,tfn4ed seiarl re existence for tine longer, until
fbe scheme has become fairly known ana understood
SrisiT, In 11eraed into the work of the Home ill aons
Boari; While others still NOT favorable 20 us con
HI, friends Cur.n. thIs first year OF rs trial
MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION
One O.! the most interesting questions 70 the loyal and
bospbe Presbyterans Of all our great cities Is that Of
the proper number and constitution and mode Of enter
tan,ucut OF the General Assembly. An Ecclesiastical
Counc which represents millions Of people cannot,
n The hest be very brief in its session. nor small in num-
bcrs Rut "a generally felt that the entertainment OF
500 or gentlemen tor iortnisAt Is tsk uP1 tno
most hosptabe OF towns; ana the present A.seIly re-
mornbrrng the prosperous growth OF he esOlhn2tlOn
viii certainly try to reduce lts numerical loIce, al' WIZ
very probably also debate again the proper NODE oi Gu
Another thing that tvo-th'ris Of the Presbyterian
Church have very personal interest Al is the ecesIae
tca aspect OF the woman question: The preachhg OF
Miss SuaiIev In Dr. Cuyers church, IN BroOklyn mas
9ii certain members OF the PresDyt ery Of Brooklyn
70 propose the problem TO the Assembly; and aehough
il may acted on without debate, there VIII Dc MANY
more readers OF the semiOfcia reports on tins account
tTon usual Possibly it may cause 70 be discussed III
the course of possible debate On ths theme now t e
General Assembly has power and authority 10 decide
such questions. ,,... rn..h-.o.so,i,,,
Another innovation Od-time PresDyterlanisn'
which comes neither from cotand nor from
! sfe,hossm but from the HOlandish church, WIZ
1rohahIv claim share OF the Assembys tine-r0tlry
ersnin Trustees rotate without any dlincutyi Dut
as ders are solemnly ordained, like minister's 10 per
office in the church. it question whether they
con vftEdraw from active service, While they must
necessarily continue TO be elders Inc same question:
iIaed ia nooted concerning ministers. The last AS