The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1877-07-25
GENERAL PRESBYTERIAN COUNCIL.

1
burgh, July 5th, from which we give such
extracts as will most interest our readers.
WEDNESDAY MORNING.
The aspect of the Free Assembly Hall at
the opening of the first business meeting of
the Presbyterian Council this morning was
somewhat disappointing. The benches on
the left of the Moderator were scarcely occu.
pied during prayers, and the right was only
thinly attended. The MOderator's and side
galleries were we'll filed, but the great public
gallery was almost barren of occupants. A
rapid influx of members during and immedi-
ately after the devotional exercises, however,
rapidly filed up the vacant spaces. Proba-
bly, the prompt punCtuality of the Chairman
of the morning, DR.. Stuart Robinson, Louis
vile, KY, had not been anticipated on the
opening day, and naturally the various at
fractions of the city on fine July morning
had exercised a seductive influence on strsn-
gers.
The gradual assembling had this adVan-
tage, that it enabled onlookers the better to
master and exchange notes on the compost
ton of the Council.
The first matter of business after the read
ing of the papers and making up the roll Of
members was the report of the Business Com
mittee, which was laid on the table by DR..
CalderwOOd, Edinburgh, and DR.. Iren@us
Prime, of New YOrk-Dr. Cslderwood being
speaker. The report was chiefly body of
Standing Orders, which stirred no divergence
of opinion in the Council, but some amuse-
ment was caused by the unusual style of put
ting the vote. The Chairman's House of
Commons manner of asking the question
aye or nc" took the members by surprise,
and Presbyterians not being apt at responses,
he followed the rule that silence gives con-
sent, emphstically declaring each motion
carried, before the members had had sufficient
time to recover breath to utter syllable
By y,and-bye, however, the Chairman, who
seemed surprised by the merriment of the
House, caught the joke, and cOnfOrmed' to
the accustomed usage of show of hands
A little breeze seemed for moment posi-
bic, on a suggestion of the Business Commit
tee regarding the devotional exercises at the
opening of each session. A delegate took
exception to the instruction that those who
conduct these services should be expected to
do so shortly" He approved the aim Of
the Committee, but disliked to see the word
" shortly" coldly printed in hard and fast
type. He appeared at first encouraged BY
DR.. CalderWood's admission of the awkward.
ness of the word to stick to the point of bis
objection, but was finally placated by an as
surance that the recommendation of the Bu
siness Committee was only laid before the
Council as suggestion, and not intended tt
be positive instruction.
, The real business of the day was next ap
preached, and the Assembly was at once
plunged into discussion of the absorbing
{ subject of the Confessions of the Reformed
Churches, whose harmony Professor Schaf
(; of New York, and Professor Godet, of Neu
j, chatel, had undertaken to establish. Al
amusing episode was the occasion of rathe
d elaborate introduction of Professor Schaff t.
n the meeting. The Moderator, sharing il
/ the enthusiasm with which his friend was re
If ceived, pleasantly observed that though a
10 American theolOgian, he was, likemany Othe
ie eminent transatlantic theOlOgiapS, an Amer