The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-08

| The Synod convened at nine O'Clock yesterday
evening, and after the usual preliminary business
Dr. DIEHLr OF the Lutheran Church, was introduced
and addressed the Synod, referring to the pleasant
relations existing between the Reformed and Luz
theran Churches and their mutual prosperity. He
| trusted that the present fraternal feelings would
| long continue. He had long been aware OF the
culture and piety of the Reformed Church, and he
looked to the time when they should be united on
| a liberal basis and become one in the army OF the
Lord. The President, DR.. Elmendorf, replied in q
| brief address. DR.. Wilson, of the Presbyterian
| Church, and DR.. Davis. delegate from the Re-
| formed Church East, were also introduced and in
vited to seats.
President ELMENDORF announced the following
committee to consider and report upon the propo-
| siti0n to consolidate the various boards OF the
Church:-Rev. H. ID. Ganse, +. T. Corwin, william
r. Duryca, John H. Duryea, Philip Phillips, Jr.,
James Anderson and J. N. Brinkerhon.
/ The report of the Committee on Professorate
! being the special order was taken up. The report
which was alluded to in the HERALD of yesterday
sets forth that the Chair OF Didactic and Polemic
Theology in the Seminary at New Brunswick has
been vacant for the past eighteen months, but D..
Woodbridge had been acting acceptably. The falling
Off in the NUMBER OF students at the Seminary is
mentioned and it is stated that while there are 4o7
churches there have been but thirty young men IN
the theological schools during the past year.
DR.. VERMTLYEA in moving the adoption OF the
report, commented upon its vagueness, and wanted
DR.. Anderson, member OF the committee, to tell
him whether the committee in the course of their
sessions authorized their chairman to announce to
the professors at the seminary New Brunswick)
that they were in disfavor with the Church If that
were so, why not the fact stated in the report
This led to discussion, which continued during
the day.
President ELMENDoRF thought that the question
was not in order.
DR.. NERNILyEA was OF the opinion that he had a
right to ask for information and when it was asked
for he did not think
THE COMMITTEE SHOULD HIDE THEMSELVES
behind the constitution.
DR.. Abel rose to point of order, contending
that no member had anything to do with the mo-
tives actuating committee i'm making report
DIR. VERMlLYEA replied that it was not motive but
fact, and he was cndeavOring to get at IL. He said
the chairman of the committee had told the pro-
fessors that they were i'm dsfavOr with the Church.
and he wanted to know whether the committee had
authorized that action. He objected to the report,
committee, ana no report could be accepted MS q
whole nc held, which did not wholly report the
deal OF curious correspondence touching this pro-
iessorate in the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS which
the professors had accepted as an invitation to re-
said OF that IN the report The whole thing seemed
| like trick.
/ DIR. ANDERSON replied that the committee neither
authorized nor permitted anything of the kind al
| nded to by DR.. Nermilyea.
i DR.. VERMLyEA said that he knew there was no
/ official permission given; but, he added every per-
son knows that a small committee may act in quite
/ as effective manner unolicially as they can Of
1cially He knew, too, that there were certain i'm
portant papers read before that committee concern
1 ing which no report was made. In short he de-
| cared himself prepared to substantiate the state
/ ment that the chairman of that committee did re-
ceive authority to inform those professors that their
/ designations would be acceptable, and because
nothing is said OF this he held the report to be i'm
/ perfect.
| Dr. Abel was greatly astonished at this reveal
ton, but desired TO say that this was the first time
| he had ever seen an opportunity given in Synod to
any delegate to make q personal attack upon the
members OF any committee He considered 1t
GROSS OUTRAGE
TO assume that because any individual writes
letter, therefore his official associates are m
| spiracy against respected class of men. lie
thought the only manner in which the report
should be considered was by sections and he made
! n motion to that effect.
General PRuYN moved an amendment to divide the
reports into two parts that part relative to the
! seminary to be first considered lie SAID he was
member OF the committee, and not afraid to stand
! by what 1t had done.
arrived The Synod took recess until half-past Two
pm.
| When the Synod convened again the discussion
was renewed with considerable warmth.
| Mr. SEABRlNG thought the Synod had nothing to
do with the internal workings OF the committee,
and he objected to have the internal workings
brought out before the Synod.
| The motion and amendment before the house
were laid the table THE motion to adopt the re-
port and amendment to divide it, and a motion OF
Mr.. Fcrdon to have DIR. Taylor, chairman OF that
committee, explain, prevailed.
DIR. TAYLORs EXPLANATION
DR.. TAYLOR said that in drawing up the report IL
was confined to things acted upon by the commit
tee. In the OF the deliberations OF the COM
mttee great many things came up WHICH never
came to final action. DR.. Taylor communicate
the close OF long and painful discussion respect
inc the condition OF the seminary lat New Bruins
wickl and the cause of that condition, the chair
man OF this committee by common consent was to
be at liberty to confer with the professors and to
intimate TO them the state OF things as 1t had been
dcyeloped in the committee. Will say here that
the discussion had taken very wide range. The
opinions OF members Of the committee were d.
yided strongly divided In regard to the reasons Of
the - - -
an far "a IT'S number OF students went and other
things involved Immediately in that. Among
other things the question of resignation and of re-
organization of the seminary was distinctly named
| in the committee--taked Over-but, so far as my
recollection goes, resolution OF that kind was
! moved. IT was plainly beyond the power Of the