The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07

Samuel j. Price, Bethel.
The number deceased last year was 9: this year
it is pa very remarkable difference.
IL viii be seen IRON comparison of the two
years, that in general the reports are nearly alike.
The number Of ministers and licentates in each is
set down at 9I2. There is some error in this. The
hcensures (55l for this year, and the ordinations
(30l amount to 65. Substraet from this the 20
who have deceased and it would leave 40 to be
added, making the whole number 957. This diff
ference is to be accounted for by the want Of accu-
racy in the Presbyterial reports. In many in
stances Stated Clerks when making up these re-
ports take no notice Of members dismissed and IN
tr0RSitW: they are not reported in the Presbytery
to which they GO till the next year. and so for the
time being are dropped. 1t viii be surprising
2seto that the hand Of diligent research
supplied over tk1ty names e min
.-.atates who are not reported u the
.ias.ss Having no authority to insert them
there, ali that could be done was to insert them,
as accurately as was possible under the circum-
stances in the Alphabetical List, at the close. If
these 80 were added, it would very nearly make
out the total above referred to.
1t is gratifying to observe that the amount con-
tributed to Foreign Missions is nearly double the
sum reported last year, and in ether departments
Of benevolenee there is decided improvement
This part Of the Minutes, however, deserves sep
arate and more special analysis than can be given
at present.
1t seems necessary to call some special atten-
ton to the negligence of Stated Clerks in max
ing up their reports to the General Assembly,
As the Minutes are this year printed at the Office
Of the Presbyterian Committee, in Richmond, it
has fallen to the lot Of one or two in the Office Of
the Central Presbyterian Though not otherwise re-
sponsible in the premises) to undergo much hard
labor Through july in helping to bring order
out Of confusion What is here stated is therefore
from observation. We are obliged to say, then,
that the reports coming from many of the Presby-
teres are so dsereditabe that if returned for in.
speetion, as perhaps ought to be done, they could
hardly escape from the duty of calling their Stated
Clerks to account. One item has already been
mentioned; but there are others. What is to be
said Of the fact that l5S churches were returned
without any report Of the number of eOmmuni,
eants? Now, why is this? When church session
fails to send up its report to the Presbytery and
no other explicit information can be obtained the
Clerk is directed to insert the total members from
the Minutes Of the preceding year. This is an old
rule, published for their special guidance eray
gear. Yet the result is as just stated. If some
allowance is to be made on account of an unex
pecte2 short supply of Minutes last year, it still
must leave a large margin to the score Of sheer
negligence. Some large churches of 200 members
were not reported at all. After one or two forms
had been printed, attention having been called to
these defects, they we're supplied in II instances
leaving the number from which no returns are re-
ceiYed, at 81. Some reports have no totals given;
some continue to crowd'oout- :ute Jle oOIull,, in
spite of the request printed and before their eyes,
TO omit them. Some have no signature; though
it is tFobabe these same brethren would be among
the first to call the Stated Clerk to account for
emitting their names in the Summary View. b.
Some take old blank torn,s, in which certain col
umns now required have no place. and in which
the order Of succession is changed; and they
omit and tumble things in a way that would
be laughabs if it were not vexatious and culpable
One Clerk in the Synod Of Virginia, lin report
Of amentable confusion) entirely omitted to men,
ton the deceaSe of q prominent member of his
Presbytery though he must have known it quite
as well as the fact that he himself was alive.
a very common blunder is the way in which va
cant churches are disposed Of They ought all to
be put at the bottom of the list, and the Post
offices opposite, so that circulars and other CON-
munications may be addressed to their sessions
But you viii find the name Of some minister with
out charge (W. c. or some President of col
lege, &C., put down, aud. right opposite vacant
church is thrust in to fill up gap. In this way it
is impossible to ascertain the Post Office of the
church.
These are some, by no means all, Of the glaring
defects and blemishes found among our Presby. |.
terial reports; though many Of them are models of
accuracy and neatness. A careful inspection just-
6es the opinion, and seems to call for its express
sion, that not a few are samples of as mean writ
ing, Of as much earelessness and confusion, as
could be expected from man who had made the |