The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-31
PRESBYTERIAN GENERAL ASSEMBLY.


The Assembly is beginning TO thin out and the nnal
chief business OF the Church has been already accom-
plished. rhe Assembly yesterday decided 10 record IN
iu the Of tho presbyteres for and against the
last Assemby's overture on representation and tho
number Of those failing to report The finance Com
mittce reported that they had examined certain 40
counts OF the trustees Of the Presbyterian Home, &c.
found them and asked that they be approved
0vcrturcs had been received from tho prcsby:eries
OF Allegheny, Pittsburg and Redstonc asking the
Assembly to reallrm former deliverances on
the subject Of the sanctny OF the Sabbath Such do
vcrance made though the committee declare that
the judgment of the Assembly this subject well
known and needs not repetition from year TO year.
An overture from Lincoln University asked Tor modi
lcason of the rules OF the Church touching the cens
ing Of colored candidates Tor the ministry. The
mittce answers that the Assembly has authority to
make any changes in the law OF the Church, but II
recognizes the proprety Of presbytercs using discrc
ton the licensing such persons who may not in
every respect the requirements OF the standard
of the Church. The APPROPRIATED OF $500 the Los
Vegas Northern Methodist church, made few days
ago, reconarmcd. there being some doubt about
the legality OF the former vote memorial on minis
eral read and politely returned TO tho
menorialists, there being assurance of supc-
ror benefit in this and no necessity Tor It. Dr. Brock
cnridgc presented an overture asking that all
judicial be referred to committee OF which the
Moderator shall BIO chairman, and that they consider
and report TO the next Assembly what shall pest DO
done with this matter, and that permanent commits
sion be appointed, who shall try all cases, and their
decision shall be nEal and conclusive tho commission
mercy reporting their action to the Assembly from
year TO year. committee or seven was appointed. TO
mittcd.s This committee to prepare plan to be
submitted TO the next Assembly, and also re-
qurcd t. print their plan al least two months before
the meeting Of tho Assembly. 50 tina. presbyter,es
may know what they shall be called to vote upon. Dr.
Aiken wanted the overture reported by
coMMiTrEx or CHURCH roLIry
Monday night (naking twenty ministers the unit OF
representation instead Of nty) sent down TO presby
tcries, that both parties have hearing this
matter. Dr. Aiken deemed this necessary to quiet the
agitation OF tho Church and settle In tho
next Assembly. Dr. Ryerson moved that no
presbycry Ic left without representation Of min
lister and elder This declared 10 be inconsist
tent with tho overture. delegate showed that the
TWO synods OF Atlantic uud Colorado, which
presbyteries seventy Minister'S will under this
overture. send twenty commissioners tho Assembly,
while the two prcsbytercs Of New York and Philnde
phia containing 2s6 minister's send only fourteen
Can anything be more inconsistent and unfair than
this? This amendment was lost and the itself
adopted aud vii be sent down TO presbyt ercs
with the overture making nty the unit q repre-
Committee on Church Poy made report on an over
turc from the fresbytery OF New York asking tho
Assembly 10 define tho relation OF mission pastors aud
churches to the parent churches which support them
and the pastors ot those churches The report calls
the mission minister emission pastor'' and his
chapel an ssassoeiate chapeu and that both be 30
recorded IN brackets in the statistical tables. Dr.
Adams spoke against this and moved 10 lay II
ON the table WHICH was done. The Pres5ytcry Of
Mattoon asked for an overture on the abolition of
synods The committee say It is inexpedcnt, and tho
Assembly ~, sud 50 TOO Another rs"s gave 70, retired
judcatorcs. Adopted Another overture provided
that Whenever church by majority OF Its members
decides electing term elders whenever such elders
shall have been ordained aud indicted INTO Office those
then in Office shall 70 hold their office unless they
shall be elected thereto. Adopted The Synod Of the
Pacific reduced ny taking thcreirom the Prcsby
terry OF Oregon, which prcsbyterya present comprises
$40 square mics Of territory. about 80 ministers. rs
churcnes aud over 1000 communicates The con-
dguration oil tho country makes II difficult for tho
presbytery to hold it's sessions, aud many OF
smbrnees this Wa
into the prcsbyteries OF Oregon, Southern
Oregon and Puget sound, and these three
were constituted the Synod oil the Columbia. Elder
Lockwood, OF Colorado, and Dr. Lindsey, 0i Oregon,
spoke favor of this measure though oilers spoke
against il financial grounds The synud oil Central
Illinois asked Tor a REVISION OF the Directory OF wor.
ship, provide ritual Tor marriages, funerals,
positions IN church worship &c, in which, according
to Dr. Edwards, OF Peoria. there nothing like uni
formity in the Presbyterian Church. Tho Methodist
Congregatonallst says Lot rise and sing" .Let
The case may be- But the Presbyterian minister says
LET sing or pray and the people do both they
please Tie discussion Was cut short by the hour OF
recess
AFTERNOON SESSION
At the opening Of the afternoon session the decisions
OF the several judicial were approved in
accordance with the decision OF the Mouera, or that
those decisions na and need not be approved sep
aratcly by. the Assembly. Certain persons were
elected the Board OF Education. Tho Mileage Com
mttee reported receipts for this Assembly, "a S34 81,
and the payments to 527 commissions is SIS s2s, or
was s33 Is per delegate Ii 1874 II was $50 in 1878
$i3 1872 SIS and in 1871 So So l-3. THIS Assembly
has cost 5000 more than that OF last year III Clcvc
land Eleven foreign presbytcrcs have commission
here. During those years there has been
accommodating balance, which amounts
$4,000. that the committee recommended mile
age OF i've cents per capita for the next Assembly
Adopted.
Dr. towards again took the door the ritual rcvs-
ion aud asked Tor committee 10 consider and report
additions emcndations &c, TO the ritual to be laid
before the next General Assembly. The whole matter
laid on the table. The Home Mission Board
asked TO enforce tue rules OF The Assembly, requiring
all the mission churches to contribute to all the boards
Of the Church. THIS was opposed by Dr. Kendall as
lmpraccablc The Board could not enforce IT, that
it would dead letter the statute books. DR..
Breckenridge opposed IT, because II would be great
burden and grievances 10 many feeble churches,
board which aids them. and two OF which. whom he
ministers, unable 70 pay him one dollar for the sup
port of the ministry The statistical ables In the
Assemblys minutes previous TO 1875 were restored,
twenty thirty presbyterics having overturned the
and tho Asscn,by's tax omitted instcad Tho Presby
terry OF Northumberland asked Tor an overture
mcnding tho order Of deaconcsses in the churches.
Denied Tho foreign missionaries ask for Presbyte-
rian alliance in India which shsl have jurisdiction
certain that may arise there without referring
them 10 this court Referred TO the Foreign Mission
Board to report to the next Assembly. request TO
permit responsive readings by the people IN church
worship was answered by the committee that there IS
prohibition TO that practice aud need for
delvcraDcc on the subject An overture asked II II
was right admit To the Lords table persons who
not in membership IN any church, and the answer
negative. overture from Boston Presbytory asks
what shall be done with members OF presbytcIy who
never appear IN prcsbytery, give no re-
ports nor lot their brethren know their whereabouts
IL answered TO keep the the
roll until the brethren can be found aud they be- dis
ciplned for violation OF ordination pledges submit
10 The gody admoniton Of their brethren. church
uskcd how could be anserrcd 10 another
on answered by 81 its presbytcry tho
property question involved be dccidcd by the civil
courts.
Tho report on church erection was taken up and
Rev. DR.. Wilson, Secretary OF the Board, spoke there
on The amount received last year was $4,000,
which S2o0c0 more than that Of the previous year
The expenditures amounted TO $4,000 and though
the number Of churches aided were frwer the separ
appropriations larger Tho cost OF collecting
md aIsbursng this amount was only eight per cent
The Board supplies designs ana specifications Of build
IN In CHI fnr Thev ar