New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-05-15
RELIGIOUS PROSPECTS.

| HArIos AND POWERS, AND THE QUESTION:
| COMING UP FOR DISCUSSION.
TO the EdttOr Of The Trtbune
| SIR; cheerfully act on your suggestion that
some notice Of the General Assembly which
commences tomorrow its annual session would
be of public interest. Tho life and character Of
anation must be materially affected by tho moral and
religious ideas it accepts Ecclesiastical action ia IN.
expression. more OF less articulate of these ideas
The deliberations Of the Churches therefore whether
in Conference" Assembly" or Conventions
cannot be without interest to the public The nam.
! by which the Supreme Court Of the Presbyterian
Church is described-the General Assemblies.
| so interviewer with the history Of the Amer.
| can nation as to suggest that between thu
methods Of the Church and those OF the State there
marked resemblance, IL not actual al least
historical These arise doubtless from the fact that
both the Church and the State Governments ar.
representative, each working on its own plane not
only without collision, but let Us hope for the COM
mon good. 1t is Of the fclicites Of the American
National system that so far, it has afforded free
scope for the movements Of the Churche7, aud tia.
however they may differ from one another they
have had with it 10 serious quarrel.
The General Assembly IN Baltimore representa-
Church formed from the recent union Of what vera
known as the Old School and the New School
bic body known az the United Presbyterian who
maintain a separate existence on the matter Of
praise" whether psalms OF hymns. and some other
questions. Nor does 1t include the large section Of
the Presbyterian Church in the Southern States
which, though intensely Presbyterian, stn
stands out on the issues Of the late
war nor does it include two much smaller
bodies known az COyenanters, who retain,
as far as possible peculiauties Of the historic
body in Scotland so called. Nor finally, does ii in
cludo the Reformed Church which lately dropped
| the word Dutch" from its title and which Is
| counted 30 congenal by the Presbyterian Churches
| North and South, that both consider fayorably
ganic union with it-a circumstance which suggests
that North and South might well enough be one, il
the principle hold in church affairs that things
equal to the same thing are equal to one another"
The General Assembly Of the Presbyterian
Church in the United States of America" includes
50 synods, 1GG presbyteries, and about 44j0 minis
teTs for the service of f. 40 churches. Many minis
ters have two or more feeble contiguous churches.
The number of communicates reported is 4GS Gi and
it is interesting to find that the Sunday men,
bership is a little over this number. The total
money contributions to church objects for 1872
S1OO86526. This does not include the aid given
to general and common schemes of beneyOlence
of which Presbyterians are liberal support era
| AS many Of the readers Of THE TRIBUNE know the
Presbytery consists of minister and An elder IRON
each congregation in a limited and manageable dis
trict. All the congregations, for example, on Man
haitian Island are grouped in a Presbytery. Is
exercises episcopal functions in its bounds licensing
ministers Ordaining, trying such causes as arise
| and generally governing the churches. From any
of the Presbytery's decisions that fail to give salts
faction to ministers people there Is the night Of
appeal to the Synod, which comprehends the Pres
byteries of wide district, such as North Indiana or
| Michigan. In certain cases that may affect CON-
mon interests. there is an appeal from the
Synod to the General Assembly, the mem
beers of which are chosen annually in the
Presbyteries and have their expenses paid
from a common fund. While rotation is directly
regarded in the choice of men, the representative
character of individuals is sometimes also recog-
nized, and any one having in the judgment OF his
brethren any substantial contribution to make toths
effectiveness of the Lody may be sent IL disregard
of the rotation principle. The meeting usually oe-
cupies a fortnight, implies steady hard work. and Is
looked upon with much interest by the Church gen.
orally. The strength of the system is supposed to
lie in its interesting every portion Of the Church ana
especially every member of all tine subordinate
Church courts down 10 the Session or gov
erning body of organized congregation.
however remote or relatively slnslshihCah~
OF course, all common action, such the manage
ment of theological seminares the direction Of mis-
sionary effort ut home abroad falls TO the General
Assembly It has laid beforei the reports Of all the
boards to whose members has been intrusted for
the year the business Of building church edifces
sustaining ministers in feeble churches missionaries
and aged and iufIm laborers, and of training then
successors. Ii has reports on the state of religion
from all its Il" borders" and is accustomed to give
such admoniOn instruction, reproof as may seem
to be needed. 1t is presided over by moderator
who is chosen by his brethren of each Assembly, and
who subsidies into the ranks 1t tie close Of his year
The Rev DR.. NiccOlls If st. Louis retires from TIM
position tomorrow.
There is no topic for discussion If such interest
to ey oke any special feeling in the present Assembly,
Elders have been commonly chosen for life but II
appears to some hatrotation would without emOar-
rassment withdraw such had ceased 20 be efecuVe
and admit of the introduction of new blood. This
point known in church parlance as the q" Rotary
Eldership question:" will come in for discussion 50
will tile operations Of new Committee calles
"Sustentation." which, aiming at increasing the
number of stated, as distinguished from casual
ministers and also their incomes, Is supposed
by some to be on the same ground WIN ls
Home Mission Board, whose province,
alleged on the other hand, is manly 10 ghs
religious ministrations to those who are wlthouto
ganized churches. Beyond these subjects, ana Po~
sbly the best form of educational aid TO eandlo1'e'
for the ministry. the present assembly has niue"
do except to see that the machinery OF the lAfs'
body represented be in effective condition, ana 'uS'
all portions are contributing their proper snA'
toward the common goOd-a work IN which, Wn''
ever his religious preferences, every friend OF oiuoi
and good morals may, without compromise WISH w