Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-06-05
MORNING SESSION.
MONDAY, May 25tb, 1874.

MORNING SESSION.
MONDAY, May 25th, 1874.
Resolred, That Committee be APP
pointed to inquire whether any
changes should be made in Theologi-
cal Education, If any, what cham es
should be made, and the Committee
report to the next Assembly, Records
of Synod of Memphis, approved as far
as written.
DIR. ii. M. Smith, Chairman of Com
mittee on Bills and Overtures reported
on Overture No. 4, what should be
done with Christians who habitual3y
refuse to contribute to the schemes of
the Church =? Answer. All ought to
do so, when they refuse they should
be exhorted to a better course. DR..
Smith said the Session ought to make
it subject of prayer. Report of Com
mittee on said overture adopted.
Overture No. 5 from Savannah
Presbytery can one Ruling Elder
alone without any other Elder or
Minister constitute, &c. Report of
Committee Overtures in answer to
Overture No. 5, adopted.
Overture No. 6, asking for intruc-
tons with regard to the relations of
baptised children 20 the church was.
by motion, docketed.
Rev. Mr.. Pitzer asked that q move
for reconsideration of the motion of
DIR. Pratt organizing a Presbytery in
China be made, and offered the follow
ing substitute.
% That the stated clerks of the
Presbyteries to which the five breth
rem now in China belong, be directed
to furnish their brethren with certifi
Gates OF standing, and that these breth-
rem be directed to meet in the CITY of
Hangchow, China, at the earliest con
venlent day, the Oldest minister pres
ent presiding until a moderator is
chosen and constitute the Presbytery
OF Hangchow, and this Assembly adj
wise that this Presbytery be attached
to Synod of Kentucky.
CD DIR. Pratt moved a reconsidera-
ton OF the action with reference to
said Presbytery, passed on his motion
for reconsideration, lost.
DIR. Matthews read from the consti-
tuition showing that the action admit
ting Rev. Stuart as a commissioner
from China, without first examining
his commission, was in violation of the
constitution. The Assembly now en-
tered upon the regular order of the
day, to-wit The hearing of Rev. J.
l.. Cooper. delegate to this body from
the Cumberland Presbyterian Church,
who addressed the Convention.
The Permanent Clerk read the re-
port OF Committee to recommend a
plan for increa sing the benevolent
contributions of the Church.
Overture No. from the Presbytery
of Hanover asks the Assembly to give
specific instructions concerning the
dlsmlsslon of non-communing mem
bers
The following ansa er is recommend
ed:
!. Baptlsed children being accord
ing to our discipline members of the
Church and subject to its government
and discipline, there should be kept
by the Session register of the names
of such persons.
whenever parent or parents in
full communion with a Church remove
from such Church to another: the SEES
sion IN giving the usual certificate of
dlsmisslon to such parent or parents.
shall also on the face of such oertifi-
cate state the names of all their chill
dren, resident in their families. being
baptlsed members of the Church, and
such names shall then be removed
from the Register of that Church. and
on the presentation of the certificate
by the dismissed communicates shall
be entered on the Register Of the
Church to which said COMMITMENTS
may be dismissed.
.. Whenever any baptised child
not COMMUNICATE shall remove from
the bounds of any Church to become
prospectlvely Resident within the
bounds OF another; such child having
reached the years of discretion shall
be furnished by the Session at his or
her request with Il certificate of such
relationship TO be transferred to the
Session of the Church within whose
bounds the proposed residence is to
pc made. And any baptised member
being an adult and not a communicate
shall be entitled to the same privilege
provided that in all such cases the
persons referred to shall be IN the
judgement of the Session of fair moral
character though not professors of
piety.
On motion to adopt, some speaker
here arose and said: that none but the
believers in the Covenant should have
their children bap.ised; there should
be some distinction.
Mr.. Hall, of Va, asks what would
be the effect of the adopting of this
On the statistics furnished to
the Assembly by the Presbyteries
DR.. Smith answered that they ought
to be reported in the usual forms as so
many .''baptised children" members
of the church.
DR.. Plummer having the floor, the
assembly entered on the usual deyo-
Iional exercises, and adjourned until
3! O'Clock, P. M.