The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-05-29
Vol. 7.-.-NO. 45.

/
Church Sessions, to discipline and separate from
the Church those who loved the world, and pracc.
tised conformity thereto, rather than the love OF
Christi. For four years the Presbytery OF
: Ouachita did not obey this injunction The As
sembly of 1869 earnestly eDjoined upon sessions
the necessity of enforcing discipline in such eases
of worldly conformity, as attendance upon thea
trical exhibitions and promiscuous dancing, DC:
The Presbytery tried to obey this, and eDjoined
ministers and church sessions, to set before their
people clearly, and earnestly the evils OF this
amusement, and "the exercise of such discipline
as shall exclude from the Church all who give evl.
dence that they prefer the world to the love and
service of God" They used the word excluded
instead of separate thinking that the Assem-
bly, meant communication, for the reason that
accommodation was the drift of the whole de-
liverance, and that the word separate from the
Church" meant to turn out of the Church, es.
pecialy as the Assembly had referred them to the
i 10th chapterof Matthew. They wish to do as the
/ Assembly has enjoined.
/ DR.. UeZch Dr. Plumer in the chair,) read from
the Minutes of the Synod that they were OF opin-
ion that the penalty was disproportionate to the
offence specified. He was sure that the Assembly
did not intend to visit upon the offence of dancing,
penalty due to the grossest offences.
The report was adopted.
aHE REVISED BOOK oF-DIsoIpLINE.
/ The fssemb1y took up the order Of tbeday the
kconsi1ekation of the reEort of the Revision Com
uiistee IN TIE Book OF ~Esaejpline.
TIC speFt gas sead: ssis.es follows;
Ine 4,enerai Assembly, - 1r1is.siie aasi az r.
ferred "a the original Committee on Revision all
the pF posed Amendments by the Presbyteries sent
up to taat body, to be examined and Incorporated
in the New Book according to the mind OF the
majority in the Church as therein indicated, which
in its amended form should be reported back to
the Assembly; that Committee have discharged
the duty imposed on them to the best OF their abll-
ity and would submit the following statement
OF the ffty-fve Presbyteries on the roll OF the
Assembly in 1870 returns were received from forty
nine. Upon deliberate and careful examination
of these papers we find that seren Presbyterles ex.
pressed decided disapprobation OF the Revised
Book. viz. Fayetteville, Louisiana, Mississippi.
Montgomery, North Mississippi, Tombeckbee, and
Pennsylvania.
TDo Presbyteries expressed general disapproval
with appreciation of some portions OF the Kevl-
sion. These are Muhlenburg and Atlanta. The
former considered the time unauspicious and re.
jected the Book as a whole, but expressly. COM
mends two portions of it. The latter declined to
adopt as a whole, but expressed appreciation OF l9
important items.
Eleren Presbyteries declared their inability at
that time from one cause or another to give an In
tellgent, harmonious or decided vote, and there
fore postponed the matter. These were Bethel,
Brazos, Central Mississippi Central Texas Har-
mony, Macon, North Alabama, Orange, Paducah,.
South Alabama, and West Lexington. Three OF.
these eleven, viz: Bethel, Harmony, and Orange,
were very strong in their expressions OF desire to
have the revision continued and the book divided
into portions, so that the Presbyteries might have
full opportunity to examine it before any decision
The remaining t,oat-niae, viz: Abingdon, Ar
kansas, Augusta Charleston Central Ohio, Cher
okee, Concord, East Hanover, Eastern Texas,
Florida Greenbrier Holston, Indian, Knoxville,
Lexington, Mecklenburg, Memphis. Nashville,
| New Orleans, Ouachita, Red River, Roanoke, Sa-
yannah South Carolina, Tuscaloosa, Western Dis
| trict, West Hanover, Wilmington, and Winches.
ter, may be classed together as all favoring the
New Book either as it stands or as it might be
made by further emendation. Twelve of these
Presbyteries, viz: Abingdon, Arkansas Augusta,
Charleston, East Hanover, Greenbrier, Lexington,
| New Orleans Roanoke, Savannah, Tuscaloosa,
and West Hanover, devoted very great attention
to the consideration of the Revision and sent up
full and most valuable suggestions for its i9nE0Ee.
ment. Others of the number were less
minute in their examination or rather, -
they found less to object to and amend. Several
of these twenty-nine are very strong In their tes-
mony to the excellence of the revised Book while
others BAY nothing in is favor but only labor to
make it better-but most of them evince deep
sense Of the necessity of proceeding with deliber-
atiop and allowing ample time for the Prcsbyteries
/ the end if possible harmonious conclusion on the
part of the whole Church.
Touching the emendations proposed by these
Presbyteries, it affords your Committee lively sats-
faction to report that not of them evinced any
captiousness, but all evidently were intended to
promote the acceptableness of the Revision; and
that as we suppose, nine out of ten of all the
changes proposed-perhaps we might say nineteen
out Of twenty-were such as would commend them
selves to the immediate and unquestioning adop-
ton Of every Presbyterian. The Committee can
not say that they have Incorporated in the New
Book every change suggested, because they were
not instructed by the Assembly to accommodate
the Book to every suggestion which any one or two
or three Presbyteries might make-but to follow,
as well as they could, "the mind of the majority
in the Church as therein indicated
The result of the corrections of these Presbyte-
ries has been Of course to make the Book very
much the better. They certainly have operated
greatly to make it more than it ever was before the
product not of any one man or of any ten men
but, in very just sense, of the whole Church. If
we were called on to say how many OF our minis
ters and elders have from the beginning contrib
uted to bring the Book to its present shape and
condition we would have to count them, as we be-
lieve, by hundreds.
| The Committee would in accordance with the
wish expressed by number of Presbyteries re.
port now to the Assembly for its action only the
Rules of Discipline 1t is believed that that por-
tion of the Book has been so long before the
: Church and so much discussed that the mind OF
the whole body is somewhat definitely settled con-
cerning it-at least that it is not more than the
next fall and spring Presbyteries will be able to
dispose of.
y Your Committee propose to retain the Form OF
Z Government in their hands, until they can with
due care aiix to it the necessary proof texts In
{ the meantime the Presbyteres and the ministers
and elders of our Church should have the privi.
f ege we conceive of suggesting any further emen-
O dations which may occur to them.
h For the Committee OF Revision,
!. JOHN B. ADGER Chairman.
. DR.. Armstrong offered the following resolution:
y Resolred, That in accordance with the recon-.
!, mediation of the Committee of Revision, the
= Book of Discipline, as reported by them, be sent
- down to the PresbSteries to be by them either
adopted as it stands or to be further criticised and
thar criticisms sent up to the next Assembly, as
they may elect
It DR.. Wilson moved the following as a substitute
/, The General Assembly having heard and con-
sidered the report of the Committee of Revision,
IS upon review of the whole subject which has now
l. for so long time agtated the mind Of the Church
e and occupied the attention of successive Assem-
b bes, do adopt the following as their final Minute
in the premises, viz:
e l. They approve of the care and diligence with
which the Committee have prosecuted their labors,
} and to each and all the members of said Commit
p tee would express the thanks of the Church for
l. the assiduity and fidelity with which they have
} discharged the duty laid upon them.
d 9. The Assembly expresses no opinion IN regard
i to the Rules of Discipline as now submitted by
e the Committee, either as to the general principles
y or the details contained therein
q 8. In full view of the facts bearing upon this