The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-04-26
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
To the Churches of East Hanover Presbytery


W
To the Churches Of East Hanover Presbytery.
The Presbytery at its recent session in Richmond.
determined to assume the direct control Of the work
of Domestic Missions (Sustentation and Evangelis.
tic work. within its own bounds. Without expla-
nation this action may be liable to misconstrucon
The Presbytery by taking this step does not ex
press any want Of confidence in the Central Com.
mittee, nor does it intend in any way to separate
itself from the general work of Sustentaton as con
Quoted by that Committee. On the contrary. the
resolutions of the Presbytery direct that 1.-THE of
all the contributions taken up be forwarded to the
Central Committee for its unrestricted use. The
position now assumed does not indicate any FESTIVE
ness under the management of the Assemby's
Committee. nor any desire on the part of the Pres
bytery to exercise its freedom in controlling its own
work merely for the sake Of such exercise. But
the facts developed by the annual reports of the
Presbytery are of such nature as to vindicate
thoroughly the course OF the Presbytery, if any
such vindication is necessary The question of the
value of uniformity in conducting all church opera
tons need not now be discussed This Presbytery
comprises thirty nine counties. with an aggregate
population of AGO, 900. about one-thrd of the pop
ulation of the whole State. 1t consists Of twenty
FIVE churches with twenty three ministers and one
centiate. OF these churches twelve are feeble,
needing aid in order to maintain the ordinances of
the gospel. OF these con1ties, at least twenty are
without the services of Presbyterian minister
Of the ministers Of the Presbytery fourteen are
located in the cities. The missionary field of the
Presbytery therefore will be seen to be very ex-
tensive as we'll as very destitute one. There is
but one Evangelist in the field.
The necessity for change of plan in conducting
our Domestic Missionary operations is first from
the fact that if the rules of the General Assembly
be rigidly applied, they will annihilate our weak
country churches. An overture was sent from this
Presbytery requesting that the fue gear rule be
modified to such an extent as to enable US to care
for these churches, but the prayer of the overture
was not granted. However wise and necessary
these rules may be, they are not good rules for
to cork by, and indeed are wholly impractcable.
The churches which five years ago received aid for
their support, as really need that aid now as then,
and generally need the same amount OF aid each
year. So far as is known not one Of these church
es has become selfsupportng within the fge years,
and the probability is that none of them will be
wholly independent for many years to come. Yet
it is indispensable to US that they be supported
and cherished at whatever expense it may require.
To allow them to lsnguish is to give up the whole
country within our bounds. If this cannot be &C.
complished under the rules of the Assembly, other
rules must be adopted which will render the &C.
complishment OF this end possible.
In the second place the contributions made to
this cause by the churches are inadequate to sup
ply the wants of the field. And yet the Central
Committee has used the most vigorous means to
insure larger gifts. More than one. half Of all the
money contributed this year to the cause of Sus-
tentation did not reach the central treasury but was
expended by the churches at their discretion 1t
is believed that under Presbyterial management
these contributions may be increased and that the
distribution of them may be more wisely conduct
ed by those who are thoroughly familiar with the
wants Of the different churches.
In the third place. We never receive any help
from the Central Committee in attempting to over.
take the work that lies before u.s. In all these des.
titute counties not single evangelist has been
placed by the Committee. A more destitute Pres
bytery it would be hard 10 find, and yet all the
help must come from ourselves. The manipula
ton of money and its tranimission from the hands
of one Committee to another never leaves in the
hands of our Committee a, much as we put into
the hands of the Central Committee. Now if
there be Presbyteries that have larger destitute
territory, yet there certainly cannot be any destitu
ton that we are more interested in supplying than
that which lies at our own DOORS If, therefore, we
are ever able to compass this work, it will be by
arousing our people to an active interest in this
matter which they have not felt under the present
administration. 1t is no affection upon the fdel
ity of the Committee to say that when the respon-
sibility Of this work is brought directly upon the
Presbytery without the Intervention Of any inter-
mediate agency, the zeal of both pastors and peo-
pe will be increased. The experiment. at all
events, needs to be made for it is evident that at
the present rate of progress We shall never be able
TO accomplish the work that lies directly before u.s.
We have no fear that what we have done will
be considered as the beginning OF process of dis.
Indignation, nasmuch as We are doing first what
the Assembly contemplated should be done, when
it established this agency 1t was the expectation
of the Assembly that those Presbyteries which
could manage their own affairs without help, should
do so, giving if possible, help to the weaker ones
The best possible position for any Presbytery to
OCCUPY is the one of ability to do its own work with
surplus for others. If we succeed under this new
arrangement as we confidently expect to do, We
shall be able to do more for the Assemby's work |
than we have heretofore done. AS the matter now
stands 1.-THE Of our gifts which we have ordered
to be sent to Baltimore, is larger proportion than
we have ever before given to the Committee, and,
as our contributions increase so will the amount
contributed to the genera cause SO that we are
not chargeable with any selfish withdrawal from
the help of others.
Finally, brethren, the uccess OF this enterprise
depends upon you. MAJ we not expect contri-
milton from each of our churches and from every
member of each church ii aid of this work. Will
not each pastor take pairs to explain distinctly to
ais people the needs Of this work, and to devise
plans for enlarging the contributions made. If
We will all do what we can, our resources will be
ample. PRESENTER.
University Of virginis.-At the meeting of the
lew Board of Visitors of the University held April
Sth. Mr. Stuart was elected rector. Messrs u
rt, Bocock, and Randolph were constituted the
Executive Committee.