The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-21
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
WHAT THE PREsBYTERTAN COUNCIL
DID YESTERDAY.

A Brisk Debate Over the May Walk Of the
sunday school Chiidre n-t!oiug to the Gene
tcuniaI 10 Confer with the Commissioners
on the sunday Qusstion-Tbe Pntrinrchs'
The third day Of the Convention OF the
General Assembly Of the Presbyterian Church
was opened with religious exercises. BESIDES
the ordinary prayers and hymns. addresses were
delivered by several delegates. The hymns were
not regularly announced from the platform, but
at intervals familiar verse was started by some
one Of the delegates, and sung 10y all in the
Tabernacle. Prayers were made In the same In
formal manner, somewhat after the manner VI
q Quakers meeting, and fervent petitions were
offered in behalf Of the Jews, GODS ancient
people; that they might learn to look with peni-
tence and humility upon Him whom they had
pierced"
At $50 Dr. Van Dyke took his place In the
Moderators chair, and the clerk read the min
utes Of Fridays sessions, after which motion
was made TO reconsider the vote declining the
invitation OF the President Of the brooklyn
Sunday School Union to attend the parade on
Wednesday. This. however, was vigorously OPP
posed. on the ground that two years ago the
consideration Of the question Of Foreign Mis-
sons had been made the permanent order Of the
nrst Wednesday OF every General Assembly.
There was an evident desire ON the part of the
delegates to attend the parade, and the Moder-
ator declared that = majority had voted to re-
consider their refusal. A resolution to adjourn
over Wednesday would probably have been
adopted had not Dr. Adams, who is a standard
authority on all points Of parliamentary usages,
made the point that II required a two-thirds
vote to reconsider resolution already adopted.
This materially changed the aspect of affairs,
and the motion TO reconsider was lost. Various
devices we're then put into operation. and much
time was occuuied In eudsayoriug TO postpone
The hearing u reports OF tho hoard ~ Foreign
Missions until Thursday, and SO enable the As
kembly to witness the parade.
HOME THRUST.
MIR. sullivan Cutcheon, Of Michigan, COM
Ylaned that the Assembly was ready To- accept
all sorts of invitations to 70 for excursions on
railroads or rivers. while It felt itself too busy
the brooklyn sunday school Union parade.
delegate thought that very soon more time
would have been wasted In discussion than
rade. Or. Talmaee thought the delegates did
not understand the importance Of Wednesday $
celebration 1t was the day OF days In Brook
Ign, and the Assembly might ms we'll decide to
attend the parade, for II would be impossible to
transact ai-x'nsiness. 1t was like half dozen
Then 1t was resolved to lay the whole subject
upon the table until Wednesday morning But
utes afterward a motion to reconsider the vote
Go lay II upon the table was carried, and, after
original standpoint, and the report OF the Board
of Foreign Missions was made the first order OF
the day for Wednesday morning.
Mr. John VI. Mackenzie, a lay delegate from
Cincinnati, offered a resolution that IL was the
sense Of the General Assembly that some more
appropriate name should be used 10 designate
the Lords day than the old heathen title OF
sunday. and that In future the word Sabbath be
substituted in all its books and publications.
The resolution was referred to the Committee
on Bills and Overtures.
An invitation TO visit the Packer Institute on
NYs 1tT lsrlg
convenience OF the Assembly would allow. and
report was then read from the committee APP
fer with other bodies OF Presbyterians with a
view of holding a General International Con-
yention: IL was. In effect, that at a conference
meet in General Alliance ON July H. 1876. the
details OF the convention and the selection OF
the place Of meeting being placed In the hands
Of the scotch brethren but i'm view OF This be-
ing the American Centennial year, the Alliance
was POSTPONED until July. 1877. on motion Of
pr. Adams the report was accepted and referred
10 the Committee on Correspondence.
THE VISIT TO THE CENTENNIAL.
The Rev. DR.. 5. 1reneus Prime said that nu-
mcrous inquiries had been made respecting the
departure for Philadelphia OF the committee ap-
pointed on Friday to confer with the Centennial
commissioners respecting the closing OF the En-
Rev. Dr. u. H. Beadle had gone to Philadelphia,
and would see Gen. Hawley, the chairman OF
the Centennial Commission, to have day ap-
pointed when the remainder Of the delegation
might meet the commissioners. Moreover, the
brethren having In charge the erection OF the
gates 10 visit PhiiadeYphia toward the close Of
their lahors In Brooklyn, as they desired to I'M
veil the monument in the presence OF the Cen
eral Assembly, and the United Presbyterian
Church, now In session. II tho invitation was
accepted. and the General Assembly went to
Philadelphia In body, the order Of Friday ap-
pointing delegation to confer with the Centen-
hlal Commissioners might be So modified to
be much more significant of the great desire Of
the General Assembly to oppose anything like
DESCRIPTION OF sunday in the Centennial year.
DR. Prime announcement was received with
great applause. and IL having been resolved to
hold no afternoon session the Assembly ad-
1uurnod until Monday morning.
To-day the delegates will occupy pulpits in
churches of various Protestant denominations
" and around New York, jersey City and brook
THE PATRIARCH OF THE ASSEMBLY.
The oldest delegate in the General Assembly
IL the Rev. DIR. q. W. Musgrave Of Philadelphia.
who Is said 10 be ninety years Of age but to an
ordinary observer he looks fully twenty-f yo
years younger. There Is none Of the attenua-
tion Of extreme old age Observable in him; his
form is stout and his face full and rudy His
eyes tremblo mirthfully through glasses with
blue side pieces, but despite their brightness
recognize persons around him. His hearing,
too, Is so imperfect that friend has To sit con-
said In the Assembly Yet with these appa-
Tently insuperable drawbacks he is an admirable
Speaker His mental powers arc unimpared, and
bly,; when on Friday Dr. Adams objected
g. Professors OF Theology serving upon Com
nlttees on Theological Summaries, Dr. Mus
grave argument sustaining him largely ntu-
enced the final vote.
The second oldest delegate to the Assembly is
the hev. Or. Cox, Of BROOKLYN a venerable min
lister, with long hair bleached TO a snowy white
ness 10y the winters Of eighty-four wears. Time
has dealt with him much less lcniently than with
Dr' Musgraye, and his addresses have, for long
Time, been more remarkable for length than
logic. His mental powers are somewhat en-
fecbled, and his voice Is tTemulOus that,
though he often speaks to the Assembly, only
those near him can understand what he says.
ne has been, In his time, pillar OF the church TO
winch he belongs and few preachers have been
Presbyterian Church, which grows stronger as
J." grows older. causes him To look with some
\ son Is the Episcopal Bishop Of Western New