New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-05-31
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,.
DIR. HALL ON IT'S WORK FOR 1873

AZ
- tbo ir,nortance OF the decisions reached,
.h;s aDrraI Gathering of public interest as indi-
- tho direction and force of religious move
- A concise view of the Assembly as whole
- ,h.-.fore have its use in your columns.
tn. As.embly appears TO have been happy in its
,,-SS..tor Dr. Crosby of New-York; in its place of
Zinc the citizens Of Baltimore contributing much
- ,ho enjoyment of the members; and in its Wis
80. tbe delegates from sister churches and
-.,...;.IIv DIS Eadie and Calderwood. having
torched the right chord In their addresses.
Among the most important topics for discussion
vas the best way Of furthering the education Of
candidates for the ministry, for large and in
cr,ane proportion of whom aid is required as they
prosecute their studies. The Assembly ordered in
crossed ooseness OF supervision the part Of Pres
bvteries and college authorities with the view of
aatipg "a far as possible TO other caliiDgs those
mo however excellent, Lack the special aptitudes
t,- teaching and preaching" The Church has no
yrish 70 save money, but she is bent on having the
Mt nroduct Of schools and colleges in the pulpit
while men ike Webster and Chase, by force of char
.cter rise 10 usefulness and eminenoe IN their pro
tossion nv unaided effort there are pecuhartes, It
"A beleved about the ministry rendering ald TO some
anant desirable and the object is to prevent loss
Of force under this auxiliary process. Inadequate
intellectual progress viii be reason enough for with
holding assistance
The maintenance Of ministers, the recipients Of
whose instructions canuot from poverty. will not
being not vet alive to the value OF Christian truth
-sustain them have been aided by Board Of Home
Missions Many Of the twelve or thirteen hundred
ministers so aided, every way the equals of their
bretbren. arc no more missionaries, in the common
uue of the language, than the pastors of New-York
C;tv. To meet their case sustentatiOn fund. only
the same in name as that of Scotland was begun a
few wears ago which was administered on the prin-
rpe Of increasing the number Of settled ministers
a. distinguished from those temporarily engaged,
and of drawing out local hberaty. DR.. Jacobus has
been convener. without salary.
Difference Of opinion existed as to the wisdom of
the policy The friends of the old system appre-
hended collision, and the Assembly asked to
adopt preventive measures. The statement Of the
operations Of both plans. however, seems to have
disposed the Assembly TO allow sGstentatiOn" to
hold on its way. All that promotes hxity Of tenure
IN the pastoral office and that due sense of
responsibility on the part of the people is felt to be
good; and the employment of Home missionary
money for bona fde aggression, as upon the thinly
settled and newer regions of the country, commends
itself to the general Judgment.
There is in Kentucky Tennessee, and thereabouts,
astrOng body known as Cumberland Presbyterians.
About the beginning of this century they took leave
Of the old WAYS, mainly from a desire to meet the
popular religious cravings in less formal way
than was done BY the staid and orderly mnstra-
tions which physical manifestations" and strong
excitement sadly disturbed The force of the Scotch
Irish element appears in the fact that few men
formed themselves into presbytery in 1870 retain
ing in substance the machinery and the doctrines of
their Presbyterianism the latter, indeed, they sup
posed they guarded against what they were pleased
represented by 1,sOO churches and 10000 commune
sants. with two colleges and three universities.
There has been a growing appreciation of culture,
Of an educated ministry, of a definite order, and
perhaps ar increasing capacity to discriminate be-
tween fatalism" and what is known Calyinism.
These account, perhsps for the welcome appearance
Of a delegate, Dr. Baird, asking for preliminary
Tseps toward a union with the Assembly. This was
well received. and may issue IN rendering the Pres
ByteriaD family tree little more symmetrical to the
ordinary eye.
TIE spirit Of union was further shown in resolu-
lions Of a decaratory nature, directed toward the
Southern Church and the Synod of Missouri, both of
which were thrown off through the war. The Synod
Of Missouri indeed occupied a neutral ground, and
wished the Church 20 be neutral also. What the
issue of these pacifcatOry may be remains
to Do seen 1t is possibly felicity that instead of
before the community for a year. The second
thoughts Of communities as Of individuals, some
times gain upon the first, in moderation.
The feeling that nothing but what is exception
ally momentous should allure the Church from her
own spiritual field into the department of the State
Is very deep in many minds-perhaps growing
deeper from year to year. This was shown in the
cautious and careful treatment of the proposed Cen
tsnnial in Philadelphia On the hand, the
Church would not be wanting IN patriotic feeling or
grateful acknowledges Of civil blessings on the
other, she would not go outside her proper field.
On matters Of this kind it is excessively difficult to
make rules or statements Of principle that will cover
40 cases. The English High Church" men, with
strong convictions as to the duty Of the State are
nOw taking boldly Of the Church separating from
the State because they do not like the States adj
nnistration of Church affairs. There are crises for
which the disciples must trust 20 It's being given
them in that hour" what they shall say before
judges and magistrates; while there be little
doubt Of the general truth, which Americans, at
least should be prompt TO recognize, that the
Church can never gain in power for good TO the
country by becoming a branch Of the civil service;
and the true interests Of the Church and the State
must always be identical.
Wha; Is to be sung in praise is so much a matter
Of Christian discretion that difference of view
naturally exists in regard to IT, Several excellent
Hymnologies," from private hands are in use and
Of use. An effort Of the Church in this department
Is conceded TO be but approach to success Drs
Robinson, Hatfield, and Others have done well in
this field. Dr. Duryea Of Brooklyn aud commit
tee are expected TO produce something which the
Assembly can commend unreservedly There are il
is said about 200 collections Of hymns in use in
England. where much latitude Is allowed The
number is much less in this country but some APP
proach 70 uniformity is obviously desirable