New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-05-31
titled with regard to the purchase and sale Of several
thcr ira fa nf land
TIE PRESBYTERIANS.


MISSIONS AND woMEN's INTEREST IN THEM
POPULARIzING THE PRESBYTERIEs-TIiE AS
sEMBLY AS A CoURT-ROTARY ELDERsHIP.
IRON AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TBBUNE
DETROIT May 25.-Two necessities may be
assigned causing the annual converting OF the Gen
era Assembly of the Presbyterian Church-bat OF re-
viewing tho things done by the churches during the
year. as shown by the syuodical Records and that OF
fostering the benevolent enterprises Boards OF the
Church. There are eight boards in all, though
three Of them are not incorporated. The General AS
sembly has this adopted the plan OF devotng all
the sessions OF day to the great department OF Home
Missions, and OF second to that of Foreign Missions
Both these sections have representatives who
are regularly commissioned members Of the
Assembly, and the secretaries OF the boards are
by rule entitled to deliver comprehensive address
The foreign missionary work, discussed by Dr. Film
wood seems greatly prospered important feature
Of IL being the increasing interest felt ana
aid afforded for It by the women OF the Church
as shown in their rapidly growing societies
woman's auxiliary society was instituted in
Philadelphia several years ago, and move
ment TO establish similar societies among the women OF
the churches in every Presbyery has had great success
thus far The Home Missions interest," however, has been
coupled with the other by the womens society which mas
been formed in NewYork City, and also by the one IN
Chicago SO that two different forms OF womens auxiliary
Church. The women's societies formed TO some ex-
tent in the following auxiliary society to help
the Of missions, home or foreign or Dotn' Is
organized by the in given church; this society
sends ITS President delegate to semiannual con-
Of all similar womens societies within the Pres
bytery to which the church belongs 1t is easy to sec
that if this women's convention meets at the same
time and place with the Presbytery the latterbody
viii become Of greater interest at least to these ladies'
than 1t otherwise might be- The Presbytery, being prl
cpaly conducted by minister's although the elders have
an equal share in it, has become very undressing
fOrmality in the eyes Of most church-members. When
they come in this way however not to read of it, or hear
an occasional of its dongs but to be present as
interested in Of the topics Of business before it, they
begin to regard it as directly concerning themselves and
to discern 1t in its real characterhe bond Of union be-
tween the churches The mode at present IN vogue,
however looks rather to the assembling or the ades a
the Elders Convention, popular meeting OF seFeral
days duration, Oilcered and conducted by Tue men
who represent the laty. This Is becoming almost UNI
yersa throughout the Church. ana, ueVeiopus ulscus
sion Of church questions among the people, gives tAe
PresbyteTy real value in their eyes -. 81, ,-o,
means Of service TO the churches, are contnuauy
coming up. The Committee on UnemPI0yed 4hi5 5
and Vacant Churches,sn IT'S report wheh mas Goen
adopted, has just recommended that every Pfes3ytel
shall take measures to secure the utmost lFeeuo VI
communication between these TWO INTERESTS bringing va
cant churches TO the knowledge or unemployed minis
tors and the reverse. The stated clerk OF each PesDy
terry Is TO establish sort OF bureau O ths
and the stated clerk OF the General Assembly Is 70
nent officer of each Presbytery, at least, WIN pc
come known in every church within ms limits the
churches will be newly shown the value to them OF me
Presbytery; and 1t Is Thought that thls acI0n o. e
present Assembly will do something toward reducing
IN hOut charged in the church statistics. The Assembly
has authorized the various Mission Boards to ask Tor
specific each in the coming year. Foreign missions
had R457OOO last wear, and asks for s5500O0; Home
Missions expended 1891 000 and asks for s5OOOi Cnure
$4,000 The Committee on Work among the Freedmen
hopes raise $25OOO; and the Education Board wants
ana Dr. Heacock OF Buffalo, at the popular meeting I0r
foreign missions produced profound sensatlon hIey
sugpesed TO the audience view OF the Board as
the only agency political, civil or reHgiOus Dy WulGn
the aro country Of Persia is brought INTO ufee1 rG
tons with Us. In calling attention to the great famine
still desolatng Persia, DR.. HeacOck urge1 upon tne
members of the Assembly to memofalze Congress 10
and a large aud influential committee was appointed al
the next session of Assembly TO proceed at once 20
Washington to urge the interests OF the cause. The
churches were also recommended " contribute eSpecny
The business at present before the Assembly s the
perysiOn Of the ecclesiastical records 1he enurches
send the books OF their records twice year to their re-
snectv Presbyterie where they are examined, and APP
proved or censured The Presbyteres, in turn, send
their records TO the Synods once year and nnay'
the Synods send their records TO the General As
sembly. At the beginning of the meeting these
records are assigned 10 committees one Tor
each record, and in due time passed upon by re-
port OF that committee \ certain church IN Pennsyl,
rotary eldership," somehow exposed exhibited the
fact in their books The Presbyery and the synod APP
proved OF It and as the church itself Is entrey Us one
about it, there seemed no probability but that the Great
Valley Church would continue to keep acceptable elders,
and vote out unacceptable ones long as the PresDy-
terrain Church should last But there Is one looph0le In
the Calyinistc WALL through which. If by no other way,
discOrd may enter Any member OF the synod can APP
peal from unjust decision TO the Assembly but here
was no Injustice for all tho Great Vaeyans were unanl-
mously in accord with the decision. But member can
not only appeal, but complain and the difference be-
tween appeal and complaint was precisely what enabled
an outsider to bring up the Great Valley practice in re-
gard to elders before this Assembly. One OF the mem
beers OF Philadelphia synod, within which the church IN
question hes felt that for his Synod to allow the system or
rotary edershp was subersve OF the Constitution or
Church; on which ground lie complained. The case has
probably proong the session OF the Assembly till We'd
nesay All the indications thus far with the church
AZ Great Valley and IL probable that this CUSTOM
which many consider the only point whereon Presby-
terians differ from the Reform Church, Will heneetoIth
have at least partial sanction. Presbyterans nave
generally elected their elders for le but In the able
and powerful historical speeches which have been MADE
has been asserted that nearly 500 churches WITHIN the
denomination have adopted the other mode that Is TO
elect elders for term OF years, and ordan and install
them then while the ordination holds good for life, the
installation holds only for the term OF election Tue case
has been slfully argued on both sdes but the SYM
pathy OF the audience seemed TO be greatly with those
arguing In favor the rotary term service edershp
The Assembly takes the matter judicial case and
sits as a court. In reaching decision the long roll or
800 members called and each one may occupy as much
time as he chooses with statement or his views ana
reasons for vote For this reason, chiefly judicial
cases are deemed the bane of the Assembly.
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