The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-05-21
Presbyterlan General Assembly.


opened by prayer, after which the
Moderator announced the rest OF the
standing committees. u
The committee appointed by the last
General Assembly TO report On the SUBJ
jec. OF new final court OF appeals, re-
ported that the court should be consti-
tuted on the following principles:
First-It shall consist of eighteen msm.
bers, nine railing elders, not more than
two from any synod.
Second-The General assembly shall
choose its members by ballot as soon al
the Presbytery shall approve Of this
overture. There shall be three classes,
SIX in each, holding respectively for one
two and three years, commencing Sep
tember lst, after their election, and SIX
shall be elected annually thereafter.
Third-The court shall hold during
the sessions of the General Assembly,
even pending its actual lsbors.
Fourth-All its decisions shall be final
except in cases involving doctrine, which
snail go to the General Assembly alone
FIfth-Ten members shall be q
quorum, and if there is no quorum pres
ent alter three days from the beginning
of the session the places of the absentees
shall be filled by the assembly.
Sixth-A majority- of those present
shall decide any case. II there Is tie
the decision OF the court below shall
stand.
Seventh-All appeals, complaints, &c,
shall be prepared tor this court rs tor
the General Assembly.
Eighth-The principles prescribed in
the book of discipline, chapter 7th, shall
be in force in the court in all cases.
Ninth-The court may adopt Its own
rules for government All its decisions
shall be- reported TO the General Assem-.
bly, and recorded.
The Syuodical Committee made, in place
of report, some discursve remarks on
tie terms of the instructions by which
they are bound, and expressed regre,
that thereby they wero made catechists
who stife rather than promote benevo-
leuce, and ut some length they deprecste
this view of their mission, and submit
many propositions, including the follow
Ing: That they ought to devote them
selves solely TO the stimulation OF benev'
client aid to draw the congregation TO
higher level of cheerful, systematic
fruitful and truly Christian giving that
this giving has beneficial effect on al
hands. The praclice of the Presbytery
of Iowa South is specially commended
in that it secures by means Of
printed cards distributed to all the con-
tributors of aid Tor each OF the eight
causes. The plans used by other Pres
byteries are also commented, and many
practical recommendations are gwen
Several members criticised the spirit o
this document as fault finding, and OBJ
lection was made to its reception, but II
WAS final y put on the docket.
The question OF the abolition OF thi:
committee, on which neither New YORK
nor Philadelphia is represented, was dis
cussed without action.
The Moderator presented memoria
from the Presbytery Of San Francisco
asking that the work OF evangellzlng
one hundred thousand organized Chines'
| on the Pacific coast commence imme
diately under the lead OF the ForeigI
missions. 1t sets forth that they have
established in this Christian country
their heather gods, sacrifices and idols.
try, with hestnen vices which they prsc
tice openly IN our populous cities with
impunity. The memorial refers 70 'tht
importation OF Chinese prostitutes and
to the excitement of the public mind OF
the Pacific coast, and says the church
has but ono missionary III Los Angelo:
and one in San Frshclsco, and urgently
needs moro help, and calls tor one min
lister speaking the Canton dialect in eacf
OF the cities of San Francisco, Oakland
Portland, San Jose, Sacramento anc
Virginia City, with assistants and with
q church newspaper published in Chinese
| They ask that this should not be merel
an auxiliary of the mission in China
that the returned ministers be stationed
on the coasts as assistants; that the mis-
sion school have theological class as soor
rs possible; that if the Board of Foreigr
Missions proves inadequate, that tn,
work be transferred to the home mis-
sions. This was referred to commltte,
OF five.
Rev. A. r. Hewitt offered resolution
| Tor the abolition of fermented wine from
the sacramental table and the substitu
tion therefor OF untermented juice OF th'
grape. Referred to Special COMMITTEE
on Temperance.
Recess.