The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1877-06-20

and the true object OF the Committee Will d
advanced.
To work out of our present difficulties
and to work the new plan, three things are
necessary.
First-That heartily as one man we mus
stand up and protect the commercial honor
and credit of our Church, and give of oul
money to get on this new line. To do this
the action of the Assembly ought to be unan.
imous, so as to present the matter right be-
fore the people.
SecOnd-To ensure success, We must make
the change in the manner of work.
The third element is, thas we must make
a wise selection of an executive officer. II
he is inefficient, the whole work will fail,
even though we may have good Committee
Now as to changing the Committee. Ad-
NIT that they had made considerable mis-
takes, they show that they love the Church
in the way they took hold Of the work of re-
pairing the damage. It was nobly done.
thank you, Moderator and brethren, for
listening to me. If I have done wrong,
beg pardon; if good, 1 am glad.
Mr.. Davis asked permission to define his
position more clearly. 1t is pain to SEN
sitive man to be misunderstood.
Those who studied Turretine, recollect
that when he gets into tight place he says,
" Let us stop here and make distinction. "
So wish to make distinction. do vene-
rate the members of that Committee. But
is it not one thing to ask what sort of buSi-
ness men they are, and another to ask how
they have attended to our business?
Now, again How could censure these
brethren for the defalcation? 1 never re-
ferred to it. 1 only took the figures and
worked on them. 1t was insinuated that my
calculations were not correct am not re-
sponsible for any mistake based on informa-
tion that was not here. only took the fig
ures of the Committee and based my calcu-
lations on them. How can it be said, sir,
that am laying the axe at the root of all
the glorious enterprises Of our Church {! Sir,
that would be to draw knife across what is
dearest to my heart. have brother be-
loved on foreign shore as q missionary
Would lay an axe at the root Of that to
destroy which would send agony throug his
heart? / am secretary of the Sustentation
Committee in our Presbytery. Would lay
an axe at the root of that? Moderator, tits
one thing to cut the unfruitful branches from
tree and another to cut down all the fruit
bearing trees in the orchard Now, sir, what
I want is to secure this glorious literature to
our people, aud to save the funds of Gods
people from being squandered
Mr.. Davis said that the Assembly had
only given a quasi-apprOval to the purchase
of the publishing House. 1t is called an in
cumbrance. The deliverances were 30 eau
tious, so doubtful, that we are not to be
blamed for trying to get rid of this house.
Let the clerical portion of the Committee at
tend to the literary part of the work, and the
business men attend to the business part of
it. If the brethren will stand to that, will
vote for the report as long as,I can stand on
my feet.
The recess was announced.
After recess the consideration of the re-
port on Publication was resumed.
Gen. Prince said We are to consider our
selves as under the solemn obligation of VOWS
to God. 1t was not his purpose to asSail the
Executive Committee Their only fault was
in placing too much confidence in one we all
loved They erred, as we all do. When
moneyed interests are in the hands Of COM
mittee, they must watch the one that has
charge of those funds, however much ne may
be hOnored and trusted. Bonds ought to be
required. When we are dealing in business
matters we must act as business men. Sen
timentality opposes this; but mere senti-
ment should not be allowed to hinder the
work of God and bring it in jeopardy.
In reading the report of the Executive
Committee, it seemed to me that they had as
sumed debt for which the Church was not
responsible. l refer to the 81, 848 for which
DIR. Baird had signed in his official capacity
papers which were in no wise official, and
which the Committee were neither legally nor
morally bound to assume. This was the
opinion formed from reading the report Of
the Committee. And if. this report was In
error, why should he be blamed for accepting
their statements as correct!
He had not come here to make war upon
the Committee, and was mortified to heal
that such is charged on him as his reasoni
for coming to this Assembly. Gen. Prince
entered into personal explanation of hi
motives in speaking on this point. He wal
not speaking for himself but for others-th'
memorialists. They were not untrue to tn
Church. He showed they were men wht
could not be influenced by any but the pures
motives
He thought the committees were growing
in actual operation, like the Board agains
which DIR. Thornwell fought SO earnestly
that the work of the Church was purel..
spiritual one, and that the Church ought no
to 20 into commercial life. He had difere
from the Committee in one or two particu
lars. One was with reference to the metho
of conducting the sale of books. He though
too much discretion was left to the Executiv
Committee, not that he would not trust then
but this was trusting it to Committee tina
was opposed to the action proposed.
He was in favor, too, of selling the Put
, fishing House outright. There was no US
for such house, if the work was only to
done by contract. He was anxious, ther
that the house should be sold, provided tha
it should not be hurried off to sale at sat
ri6ce. 1t was argued that the house ehoul
t be kept for rent. Is the Church, then,
. speculating concern? Is it to go into rea
g estate speculations The expense of tn
house is another argument. The taxes, r.
o;ro ;nOurorco and interest made il an G,
!. pense and not profit. The Church ougl
e never to have bought it; and the truth
the Church never really endorsed it.
: their approval of the purchase they have
s ways put in some modifying expression. II
e Church wants it sold. But the Stronge
!. reason for selling the house is, that there
! q debit nnnn the house. II is disgrace to