The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-24
PRESBYTERIAN GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

PRESBYTERIAN GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
DISCUSSION ON THE HOME MISSION WORK or
THE cnURcH-pRorEsrs AGAINST ENTERING
THE souTu-IDoLArRy IN NEW MEXICO
SPIRITUAL DEsTITUTIoN.
Aftcr the devotional exercises yesterday morning
and the approval Of the minutes DR.. Morris reported
GU overture from the Synod OF philadelphia asking
for tho appointment OF day OF thanksgiving through
out tho whole Church, but tho last Assembly had al
ready appointed the first Sabbath July for such ser.
vice, and this not necessary An overture on
Romish baptism made the second ordcr for to-
morrow, whom DR.. Breckenridge vii speak on tho
question.
Last year tho Assembly appointed committee OF
Ave laymcn to inquire into the benevolent operations
OF the Church where any moneys can DO saved
Judge Williams, OF tho Superior Court OF Pcnnsyl-
vania reported on this matter, transferring tho
duties Of secretary, treasurer and clerk OF the
Board OF Church Erection to the Homo Mission
Board BY this transfer large will DO saved
and the Board OF Church Erection VIII have SUBJ
stantialy the same duties to perform they have
now Tho amount OF the permanent fund is sl2o OIL;
the disbursements OF 1874 500 200 to DIS
tribute which 80 s35. about fourteen per cont.
The next year the distribution Of $4,000 cost siO57s
about eighteen pcr cent OF tho whole Az the close
OF the year 1874 this Board had $751; 800 in cash in s
treasury.
In 1914 the thus lying lido was s64 000 In 1876
SOL, U0u and ~ tho end OF April 1876, the
$S4 $40 The Boards gross receipts last year
$l2 Ol6 a. which with the balance on hand and the
permanent fund gives total capital OF 1915 2l6 Il
The number Of churches erected during tho year
1885, located in 30 States and Territories under
the OF so and the amount thus spent
SO, 900 hirty-nine churches that CON-
plecd al the close Of tha last ecclesiastical year.
have since been nnshed added 10 the foregoing will
make grand total Of lis. And yet there arc more
than 800 organized societies that have no house OF
ship Of thor own. Tho Board holds insurance policies
those churches, amounting $545 2d0 During tho
year ~ churches were destroyed, and many OF them
had no insurance. Their cost was Sl74,500. This
Board holus mortgages on this property throughout
the land TO tho extent OF $l12,26S The report was
adopted.
rho order OF the day, tho report Of tho Standing
Committee Home Missions, WINS called, and DR..
Dickcy the report which showed that the year
fore tho separation Of the Old and New schools the
number Of missionaries 90, while the salary was
| only $3.50 per year But since the union OF
tho two bodies, ls7o-7s the number Of mis-
salary per annum to S2s2 This 10 an incrca SO or
OF missionaries and thrtytod salary The
amount raised for this cause last year was $zl772
decrease OF $l0C Goa
DR.. Cyrus Dickson, tho Secretary OF the Home Ms
sion Board, then heard on tho question A large
map OF the United states hung In front OF The organ
and DR. Dickson made this toa great extent the text
aud basis Of his address, The Doctor gave u brief
sketch OF geographical and ecclesiastical history not
merely OF this country ana tho Presby teran Church.
but OF the world and christianity. He kept
the house In roar OF laughter almost from
deavored to show how the discovery o America by Co
lumbus was related very clearly and directly with
bus ship In that early October day OF l492 and which
led the discoverers TO New SPAN instead of to Florida
from the present political aud religious fato or
Mexico and South America and has gwen 10 Prcsbytc
anism and Professionalism the work OF converting this
great continent Christ The Doctors address showed
also what homo missions had done for this country
Gully Tor the West but for the East.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
At tho opening or the afternoon session Dr. Mus
grave, tho former Secretary OF tho Home Mission
Board took the floor TO speak this topic. He
touched briefly upon the separation OF tho Northern
and Southern Presbyterian Church and protested
against calling III Assembly the Northern Assembly
II Is not sectional - national their fathers de-
signed that 1t should become. They might speak Of
the 'oui horn" Assembly for that body purely Sec
sonaL We, hc said, have done what We could to bring
about union and should wait until the Southern
Church shall come to us seeking for unon But until
that day not TO stand still We must go
at once into the Southern field and plant churches all
over the land Give me, said the Doctor 100000 and
men enough and Will plant synod IN every State IN
the South within eighteen months THIS ID u part OF
our mission and our relation TO tho Southern
Church and the people demands that DO this
And VIC must Il also save this land from tho grasp
OF tho OF sin, the son OF perditon This too, is
the bcst way 10 bring about tho raernal union which
all long for, and which may the good Lord hasten
In his time
ORE. Hcndy, Of Kentucky; wills, OF Washing
Cncmung Presbyicry Rev. Mr.. Murklsnd, or South
Carolina and others, spoke on this question, most OF
Assembly
missionaries INTO the southern country. DR.. Hsnd-
rick said there arc twenty counties In kentucky whcro
there is neither Presbyterian church minister
OF the Church, and that within his prcsbytery
from six to ten mon could DO immediately employee
DE- Knox, looking over tho report said he perceived
that the Home Mission Board had already
established its missions in ssvcn southern statos
and he could not Why the other States should DO
more sacred than those hut his brethren from Ken
lucky had just invited tnen to 60 State and
that just what this Assembly proposes 10 do and 10
do At once Dr. Fowler could not SEQ BY what right or
authority
THE SOUTHERN CHURCH
claimed exclusive jurisdiction that territory Tho
minds u Commissioners right on this point and TO call
their attention 10 tho devotion Of this day the
sdera'on Of the whole homo mission nsld and not TO
this one phase OF IL First the Moderator claimed
that this Church u neither sectional national IL
Is Church oil the Lord Jesus Christ ncd tho
Christian charity sha, call It's minstcrss They enter
this Southern hoId they would eper any ether field
70 cultivate for Christ and for the Church But they
don't 60 there Ia any spirit Of rivalry usurpation,
but N Of their right TO 20 anywhere Tor Christ And
he discaimed for DR.. Aussrsve and for every other
mombcr OF the Assembly any desire 70 interfere with
the work Of ther Southern BRETHREN but merely go
where they invited and where there IL room for
In the report that the Board OF Home Missions shall
make NO sectional distinction In liz appropriations TO
nras nS'c Ia. An hs came RON Eastern
ninety souls have been added 70 The Church last
the year. 2lo now Sunday schools wore organ
ixed, Is church buildings erected, ITO more helped
into beng. ~ churches have become sersus-
done a. ! cos. Or ji43iSl DR.. Kendall. one
OF the sccrotarios and Dr.. q. ID. Smith, OF SANTA w
spoke on this subject IN favor Of occupying tho Terrific
rics OF Utah, New Mexico Arizona tho indian Terri
tory &c. rather than enter the south at this time Dr
Smith exhibited an Indian idol worshpped IN santa
W. and spoke Of tho great need Of in New
Mexico where thcrS l2s, 700 souls and only one
Presbyterian missionary laboring among them
commissioners 70 try two judicial cases were ap-
pointed Maps Of the United States 100 years ago were
presented " the Assembly BY the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad. The discussion Of home misssons was con-