The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-10-21
comes. Let us guard against this encroacll-
ment OF ministerial power before we feel.

comes Let us guard against this encroaell-
Inent Of ministerial power before wc feel
Its dire effects.
Rev. Z. f.. Peck, D. D., did not think
that the relation 81 the minister and the
elder, as defined In our Book of Govern.
ment, affected this rule. And II the pro.
posed alteration were made that would
leave this matter, so far az the rule goes.
entirely untouched. II there was no sDe-
cite number mentioned OF either class OF
rules their relative power would be un-
touched. He objected to binding the Synod
beforehand by an iron rule. There might
cases occur where 1t was best 10 have ma.
jority Of elders on standing committee.
There might, for example, be more elders
than ministers deeply interested in foreign
missions, and therefore better suited to con-
stitute majority Of the committee. Let the
Synod be free to avail itself Of such an adj
vantage should 1t occur.
A. r. Blakey, elder from Charlottesville,
thought the weak point in the practical
working Of our system was the inefficiency
OF the elders. II they were discharging
their duties as faithfully as the ministers,
how much would be added to the power Of
the church, Why this? Because they
have not been drilled to the work. II they
something to do.
Rev. DR.. Pryor thought that the history
OF the Church would show that when the
Church was in danger OF heresy it had been
saved by the elders. He believed the elders
were as able as the ministers; yet the fact
that ministers devoted their time and labor
to ecclesiastical matters more than elders
could do made them more familiar with the
affairs OF the Church.; and that it was this
that led to their having more power in the
Church courts.
The question was now called for and the
vote taken. The motion was carried by a
vote Of IS in the affirmative to AZ in the
negative.
At3P. NJ. the Synod took recess till
1880 P. NJ, when it is the order OF the day
to hear the Rev. j. L. Wilson, D. D., on the
subject Of "Foreign Missions"
NIGHT SESSION.
from the Norfolk virginian.l
Rev. DR.. Wilson's address was delivered.
Rev. DR.. Murkland also spoke. Both on
foreign missions. He was followed by Rev.
DR.. Pryor, OF Nottoway; Rev. W. T. Hall,
pastor OF First church, LynchbrHg, Va. ;
Elder T. j. kirkpatrick, Of Lynchburg;
and Elder Blakey, of Charlottesville. All
delivered able and feeling addresses.
At the conclusion OF the addresses the
following resolutions were unanimously
adopted:
The first resolution, offered by Rev. W.
Il. Hall, is as follows:
Resolved, That the members Of Synod
here present pledge themselves to make
most earnest effort to secure from the men,
bership of our respective churches during
the coming year contribution OF ut least
one dollar for each member to the cause OF
foreign missions.
The resolution appended was offered by
Rev. DR.. Kirkpatrick:
RESOLVED, That the Synod do earnestly
entreat all the ministers absent from the
present meeting, and all the ruling elders in
churches not represented to unite in the
effort here undertaken in their churches re-
spectively.
On motion of Rev. DR.. Armstrong, Of the
First Presbyterian church, Norfolk, the
Synod contributed literally to the cause.
Prayer was then offered by Rev. G. W.
Finley, Of Rumley, Va, and the concluding
verses OF the 603d hymn sung, after which
the missionary meeting adjourned with the
bcnediction by the Moderator.
The Synod then continued in session,
when, on motion, it adjourned to meet at
81 O'Clock Friday morning.
Prayer by the Moderator.