The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-10-25

AS the mousse OF TuDllCdtluu 10 III n Sioi",
Virginia would receive the greatest benett
from it. 1t is of material advantage to the
capital and to the whole State. When the
agencies of our Church we're ell at Philadel-
phia the money from all our churches went
to this centre. For this no blame is to be
attached to any one; it was necessary re-
suit that the community where this money
was expended should be benefited. SO it is
here.
1t is now too late to raise questions as to
the propriety Of the purchase Of the PublIca
ton house. 1t was done by authority of the
General Assembly. This action, when taken,
was approved heartily by the whole Church,
with here and there an exception. The debt
rests upon us, and must be met, and now is
the time to liquidate it. He used to live in
country where "cotton was king" 1t was
proverbial there that men never got out of
, debt except when the price of cotton was low.
When it was high, they ran wild in specula-
ton; when low, they invested their receipts
in the payment of their obligations. And
in the present pressure ia our time to meet
this debt of the Church. If this depression
continues, he hopes soon to see the Church
come forward and pay off this obligation rest
ing on it, He had voted, as member of
the General Assembly of 1865, for the ap.
, pointment of DR.. Baird as Secretary; and
now, after seeing his work for years, ne
wished to say solemnly that be had never
/ cast vote, the results Of which gave him
more satisfaction. He wished to sustain the
Secretary and the Committee. He would
place this work on stable footing, and what
kwas needed was that the whole Church
, should come forward and take hold of this
scheme. He had been pleased with what ne
a heard in the Synod about the efficiency OF
r. the elders; all of which he heartily endorsed.
This cause now gives an opening for their
efficient services. They can take up this
f work, and raise in their churches what is
!. needed for this important enterprise.
g Rev. William Brown, D. D., made state
/ ment to remove Misrepresentation that
q seemed to be somewhat prevalent When 8
+ man has to pay debt for property which
s has become partly or wholly worthless, be
r may regard it as 80 much money that has
f been sunk. That ia not the case here. As
n already stated by others, the property of the
r publishing house is worth all it cost, and
e will in the future be worth far more. 1t now
g furnishes US, in an admirable location, al
J. the room We need, and all to be needed in
the future. In the mean time, the room no
o needed is, or will be, rented out, thus bring
e ing US good income. So it comes to this
o that the payment of this debt is simply 8
form of completing our endowment and SC
}, much money we'll invested.
is Rev. M. D. Hoge, D. D., next addressed
g the Synod. He believed that one of the bes
;, results of this work of publication was yet tt
d be realzed-the development of Christian
0 literature of our own. He alluded to wbs
If the Scotch and Huguenot religious literature
e had done for those churches and the world
if Often the noble thoughts Of great men perish
al with them because unwritten. But to- day
10 the great refcrmsrs are still speaking 10 the
e hearts of Gods people. A good book is 9
IS precious legacy, lasting power in TIT
Is Church. He spoke of the inspiring effects o.
|. such books as Palmer's Life Of ThorDwell. OF
i the Life of DR.. Addison Alexander. This
e book was written by the Moderator. VIVA
8. a tract or book might do he illustrated BY
9 some striking historical facts.
a The hymn writer's are living power il
the Church. He would rather have been tn,
If writer of some of our choice hymns, which b.
e quoted, than to have been the author of tht
+ pr reductions of our most noted poets.
: lie mentioned some of the choice books O.
IT the committee, written by the men of oul
oh
n "Children of the Covenant" DR.. Thorn
a wells works, DR.. Ramsey's "Spiritual King
o DOM" and others; all of which we're of tn,
e highest order of merit "The Family" b.
l. DR.. Palmer, recently published, is one of tn,
~ very best books the Church possesses in al
/ its literature.
% He appreciated the Importance of tn
= Evangelistic Work; but next to the voice o
d the living ministry is the circulation Of re
!. ligious publications. We need the work O
70 the colporteur along with the work of tn
10 evangelist. g..
n Our children in the Sabbath School, VIII,
# may be brought to Christ very early in the
J. childhood, need good literature. To fur
o nish this is part of the Committees work
Our books, too, 60 to the Indians-th'
10 wronged and outraged Indians, for American
,. philanthropy has not been of the color to sui
e the red man, but has been tinged with diff
is ferent hue. We have printed in the Choc
>, taw language the Shorter Catechism, bool
J. of hymns, and spelling book. We have ex
e tended aid to our other foreign missions, ant
n are ready to help others as the Church shall
q enable us. eng 5h
= He felt little impatient now when ht
n heard of men hesitating about this worl
n of endowment Some say if they had fore
d seen the present financial depression they
a would not have endorsed the purchase of tbis
e house. He was not of this number. Had
< he foreseen it all he would have advocated
a it as wise. The committee acted wisely in
r the purchase; the General Assembly acted
wisely in orderingit it. If there is failure tc
g carry out general scheme for usefulness
/. the responsibility will not rest with the
, Church.
y The speaker drew forcble illustration
from the great Corlss engine in the national
J. exhibition. AS it was not any one portion
= of the engine alone that did its vast work,
J. but all parts moving in harmony, so these
different enterprises of the Church must
work together to accomplish that which
Providence has placed before US. We have
all the machinery; but as the machinery will
not move without the firing of the engine, SO
now we need fire from above, infusing new
life and energy into the Church. -
At 2 P. NJ, the order of the day-the
cause of Educatiou-was postponed until II
A. M. to morrow, and the discussion of Pub