New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-05-21
THE PRESBYTERIANS.
GENERAL, ASSEMBLY AT ST. LOUIS.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY Al 81. LOOio'
HISTORICAL INTEREST CONNECTED WITH PLACE VI
MERTING-GKSRRAL ASSEMBLIES OF $780, ioeo'
AND 1s74-coNsoLIDAuO AND OTHER CUES
rIoNs-rINANCIAL AND SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY
OF THE CHURCH.
An annual cOnvOcatiOn which represents ~
matters of religion nearly 100000 Of the people Oh inc
limited States and which this year will recall Ill ns
place OF meeting one Of the most interesting historical
events Of years. will begin Its session III ' ~
OF st. Louis to-day. The congregations "nch "o,u
the Cayinistc scheme OF Christian beief ana 'ne f
byterian form OF church government nutnper III a.,
their varieties, North and South. United he'ormeu'
Cumberland Dutch &C. nearly 10000, comprising some
ak millions of people and Of these the ueherai
Assembly which meets to-day at st LOUIS ioP
sents Is02 congregations. The latter make up 'no k
Church OF the North scattered
all the States except one or two ID New'Eusian', ~
the sister denomination of Ccngregationasts teaches
reoion after the same doctrnal manner though separ
'.ted by mode OF church government. few churches
connected with this Assembly have been formed III thc
South in circumstances where the presence OF
residents or pecunlary inability OF the southern Churcn
have called them into being; so that there Is hardy
State or Territory which the Northern Presbyterian
Church has not some adherents 10 look towaro o''
LOUIS during this and two following weeks
These 1900 churches represented in the Assembly
by about 600 ministers aud elders equally appointed,
the representatives being sent according to permanent
rating each of the la presbyteres which bear TO
the IS synods relation similar to that OF counties 10
States In the Union The latest reported membership OF
the denomination MAY, 1881 479,o23 and Sunday
school attendance OF IS2.762 children. The sum OF
t9622O3o was raised in 1878, OF which
N,543712 were benevolent funds. SO large pro-
portion OF population as these figures represent,
including as they do especially people OF the middle ana
upper classes makes the meeting OF the body which leg
sates for them occasion Of interest throughout the
all at
cradle attention to the meeting st. Louis Is hstori-
cal city to the denomination. 1t was here in 1866 the
year after the war; and also after the Southern part
Of the church has become entirely discovered tha ING
two great Northern branches then existing, the "Od
School" and the New school,, met at the same ume'
and we're led to initiate that course of proceedings
which ended in the famous reunion of 1870 The selec
ton of st. Louis the place OF meeting TOT
both bodies I'm 1866 an unexpected coinci-
dence to most of the members OF the Two 1863
Assemblies and considerable apprehension was eA-
pressed by many lest large number OF DELEGATES
more than the reunited Assembly now contains-wouid
oyertax the Inequalities of the limited Northern Pres
bvterian population Of st. Louis. But accommodations
were found all the members The decision OF the
Old School Assembly in the discountenancing or the
stuart Robinson disuniOn party in the famous LOUIS
vile church broke down the last remains OF an ola
wall OF and finally overtures OF intercourse look
ing toward reunion sent from the Old to the New
the last evenings Of the New School session. joint com
muuiou service-an occasion memorable to Amerl-
can Presbyterians The two Assemblies had once before
found themselves meeting the same city, In NeWfofK
1885, but until this happy occasion was fraterha
intercourse at all secured At St. Louis the past was
forgotten; the members OF each Assembly were
gathered together, with hardly an exception IN
the Old School church on Fifthst., opposite
the Southern Hotel, where for many days an
Ca ger multitude had been present at tue poltico-ecces
astical debates the Louisville question: DE- H. H.
stanton Kentucky, Moderator for the Old school anu
Prof 8. NJ. Hopkins OF Auburn, n. Y, for the New
School Jointly presided; the leading men OF both de-
nominations spoke at the past bitterness was
laid aside aud il felt that new era had Indeed
begun TO dawn the Church The arrangements for
reunion finally completed at Pittsburgh, Penn, IN
1869 sent from the two branches to one
Assembly, at Philadelphia, the next Spring ns7W and
the Assembly of the present year will be the hfth
united
The Southern branch has yet shown any general
signs OF Willingness return to fellowship WITHIN the
past year overtures have been made between that
branch and the reformed Dutch Church, looking to-
ward union in that direction. The 81. Louis Assembly
will receive gratifying report from its JOINT Commit
tee OF Reunion with the great Cumberland PRESBYTERIAN
Church of the Southwest IN whcht Will be shown that'
while the common understanding between the Two
branches has made progress far enough for actual
organic reunion there get every reason to hope for u
al no very distant day.
The reunion questions Will not, however. be the most
interesting features OF the Assembly. First in impor-
lance among the proceedings will be the consolidation
matter The list of benevolent undertakings OF the
denomination will be carefully examined with view to
reduce the number. There eight Of these-for
elgn missions hone missions. church erection, pub
hcation ministerial education. freedmens mis-
sions disabled ministers fund, and the new scheme
(since 1870 OF sustentation of pastors. commit
tee charged with the consideration OF the matter by the
last Assembly in obedience to very general anxiety
throughout the Church, put forth majority and
also "A minority report, which has been the main theme
Of debate the Church papers for two months past
The majority including all but of the committee OF
ten. recommend that such changes be made as VIII
throw the Board OF Publication upon the voluntary
offerings OF the churches for it, colportage work. now
sustained by regular contributions and merge
the sustentatiOn scheme into the Home Mission
ary Board Tie plan in its details provides for such
an Arrangement OF the Home Missionary Board as
obtains I'm The Baptist Home Missionary Society. making
A bureau in II at less expense than independent
agency for each OF the four parts-liome Missions
nroner sustenation of pastors OF struggling churches
church erection and missions among freedmen. sim
liar combination is proposed for the Education Board
and the Disabled Ministers Fund. The minority report
by the Rev Dr. Herrick johnson OF Philadelphia pre-
fers TO continue the collections for coporage and tract
distribution under the Publication Board and operate
the Church Erection Board independently Of Home Mis-
,ions as now. There is in the church an impatlehce
with so many separate undertaking. apparently capable
OF greater consolidation while at the same 'lne much
pride is in the superior ecouOmy which, IL mas Deeh
found on careful examination, manages the present
BOARDS al total expense Of only seven anf onelhird
cents on every dollar contributed. The schemes
OF instentation and freedmens missions seem
10 DO most likely 10 be tue subjects OF con-
,olidation Another important movement on foot