The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-10-28
s led in prayer b. Rev. Samuel II. Houston,

was led i'll prayer b. Rev. Samuel II. Houston,
I'D. D.
Rev. Richard McIlwaine. b. D., OF Peters
burg, Secretary of the Committee on Foreign
Affairs, delivered a most earnest and eloquent
address upon tiis subject.
Addresses were also made ON this subject by
Reys. DR.. r. l.. Dabney, of the Theological
Seminary, DR.. Theo. Pryor, and DIR. Saml. X
Houston.
A collection was then taken up and amount
ed to $136.l9.
EVENING SESSION.
Syeod raassemhled at half past three O'Clock
Rev. N. M. Woods, of Norfolk, offered motion
to appoint committee of three with DR.. DAB
new as chairman, to inquire into and report on
the subject Of rec, wing lay-lnembers into the
Evangelical work, Lersons not under ordina-
ton vows but belongi. g to some religious body,
and laboring on their own responsibility.
The motion was lost by vote OF Of to oS.
Dr. VIM. Brown presented the minority re-
port of the committee appointed at last Synod
on the records Of Lexington Prtsbytery. The
majority report of said committee had been
previously presented by DR.. Lefevre, both OF
which will be found below. The discussion OF
these reports was made the order OF the day Tor
Friday night at O'Clock.
MANUAL.
The subject of the; Manual was then taken up
and the report Of the committee was read and
passed upon in sections.
The salary of stated clerk was raised from SIS
to $3.50.
The hour of half past four o'clock having ar
rived the Synod adjourned according to pre-
vious resolution to accept an invitation from
the Principal to visit the Deaf, Dumb & Blind
Institution. Besides the members of the Syn
cd, number of visitors accepted the invitation
TO tt1o nf Ian md ri
were heartily welcomed, and expressed them
selves as highly pleased.
NIGHT SESSION.
The Synod resumed It's session in the lecture
room of the Presbyterian church at y O'Clock,
P. NJ.
The committee on the Virginia Bible Society
made their report. in which they Urge that the
recommendation of last Synod for holding a
collection on the third Sabbath of January in
all our churches be faithfully carried out.
Rev. NJ. w. Staples, agent Of the Virginia BIZ
Bile Society, spoke in support of the cause. He
was followed by Rev. L. l.. Preston, who pre-
sented the cause in forcibe manner and urged
it upon the attention of the members.
The reports on
DEMISsToN FROM THE MINISTRY
were taken up at s, P. NJ. A motion was made
for the adoption of the Majority report, pre-
sented by DR.. Lefevre in the morning, and DR..
VIM. Brown moved the adoption of the minor
ity report as a substitute.
We give the reports below:
MINORITY REPORT.
The minority report presented by Rev. VIM.
Brown, d. D., gave q synopsis OF the previous
steps taken in this matter, embracing the let
ter of DR.. Rutner to Lexington Presbytcry.
asking to be dismissed from the ministry, the
action OF the Presbytery in relation thereto
granting his dcJiton and demitting him from
the office Of minister-the report of the COM
mittee at last Synod excepting to the action Of
said Presbytery in the premises as being con-
trary to the rules Of the church, and the final
resolution of last Synod referring the Whole
matter to the present committee, and concludes
with recommending the adoption of the follow
ing resolutions
Resolued LIST, That in view Of all the facts and
considerations Belonging to the case, the Synod
does not judge it best to disturb the action TIA
ken by Lexington Presbytery.
Resolved Cd, That in view of the whole sub
iect, the General Assembly be and the same is
hereby respectfully petitoned to send down to
the Presbyteries, in such terms as may be deem
ed most suitable, all overture embracing the
questions involved; to the end that the mind of
the church may be clearly determined.
Signed by DR.. VIM. Brown and Judge Robert
Ould.
MAJORITY REPORT.
The majority report offered by DIR. Lefevre
was as follows.
Resozred, That the report of the committee
on the records ef;LcXingron Presbytery made
last year to tire Synod be adopted.
Signed by DR.. Lefevre and Rev. j. G. Barr !;
Judge Ingies was not present but concurred in
the report.
This last report, it will be seen, was mere
Of Io ria 1aCt n nj
ing to the action Of Lexington Presbytery, and
the question before the Synod now was as to
the legality or constitutionality of this action
of Lexington Presbytery in demitting Dr. Ruff
ner from the ministry.
Several members made remarks as to the sta
tus of the case and the relation of the two re-
ports to each other.
The reports were discussed with much abil-
ty. but no vote was taken and the Synod ad-
journed with prayer by DR.. Riddle.
SATURDAY, THIRD DAY.
MORNING SESSION.
Synod opened with prayer by Rev. Mr..
Brown, D. d., at O'Clock, A. NJ.
The committee on Presbyterial report on
Systematic Benevolence made their report. All
were reported correct except Abingdon, Green
brier and Montgomery. Rev. Mr.. Hooper con-
tended that the report Of Montgomery Presby-
terry had been made in accordance with the for
mula furnished by the General Assembly. and
therefore were not to be objected tC. The re-
port was re-committed to determine upon this
point.
Resolutions Of sympathy with Rev. W. w.
Reese, whose son was recently killed in a rail-
road accident at Culpeper Court House, were
adopted.
The action of Montgomery Presbytcry in
receiving Rev. G. NJ. Howard without exsmi-
nation was excepted to, and the exception sus-
tanned.
The subject of the manual was again taken
up and adopted in sections. On motion, all re-
ports from Presbyteres are TO be made from
April to April.
Rev. Jas. p. Smith, the admirable Secretary
of the Synod, who has filled that Office for sew
eral years to the entire satisfaction of that body
offered his resignation, which was unanimously
rejected by the Synod.
The hour having arrived for the order of the
day. Rev. w. E. Baker presented the report on
Sabbath schools.
Reports had been received by all the Presby-
teries except that Of Sac Paulo in Brazil. All
the reports ale very encouraging and the
churches are evidently taxing a great interest
in the cause, and are making steady progress.
The statistics given by the report are as fol-
lows schools, l7S; teachers, 1922 scholars,
Is, 612; number admitted to the church, teach
ers 50 ; scholars, 522 amount contributed 10
Missionary purposes, s[,9S0.44.
The committee presented a set of resolutions,
which, after amendments, were adopted as fol-
lows
l. Synod recommends, as q means of promo
ting the Sabbath school work, the adoption of
one lesson for the whole school; the memoriZnp