The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-10-07
synod I'd OF virgsnia.

that to parse a wofU Is 10 eApaia hs ie'a
lions to the other words in a sentence.
synod Of virSsnia.
THIRD DAT.
IRcpertei FOE the Dispasckl
as O'CLOCK A. n.
A large number OF members appeared
this morning who were not present yester-
dav, The usual opening services were con-
Quoted by the Moderator. Yae TUG Of
war-the question OF the diyisiou OF Synod
began. The Rev. George A. Caldwell. Of
the synod of Nashville, and Rev. }. D.
TauIoca, OF the Synod of Aentucky- We're
invited to sit ais corresponding members.
The report OF the committee OF the ques-
tion OF division was FIRST read- Rev. Dr.
s. r. Houston, OF Greenbrier, followed IN
IA speech He expressed great dfthdeDce IN
apnroachinc the subject; said be had never
made speech in Synod, but expressed the
hone that wherein he failed Others wouh
come IN 10 the work who could do Justice
TO the cause. His FIRST position was
that from Huntington to Norfolk was $50
miles; from Huntington 10 Baltimore 800.
Now. taking Richmond IS centre. the
ministers and elders would have TO travel
10000 miles. Fhe average distance wouM
be about 10000 miles az Soto. Thcre are
now upwards OF two hundred ministers.
and the territory is so las;se that we cannot
attend. Other denominations bad DIVIDED
the Baptists. the Episcolsliaas, the Meth-
odists. The expense TO ministers ana elders
Is tremendous. The expense to the coz
prerations in which we meet is very heavy.
I,ast SYNOD sixty slcmbeys had to be boarded
at hotels. a large maj ority OF ministers are
necessarily deprived Of attending He gave
statistics. At Charleston only one hundred
members were present. and three hundred
absent. In Other places more central still
large majority would be absent Only
fraction OF the Synod could be present.
The speaker then illustrated his position oy
showing that gome OF the Ffes5yterleS
virtually had no Synod owing to the great
distance. For ninety years no SYNOD
had ever met in this region I'LL the
present time. He showed that this Synod,
in contrast with others, was immensely
large. Many svnods were composed OF
only three weak Prcsbyterics. We had
eleven. We were eight times rs large as
some other synods. Some OF our pres,yteries
were as large as some synod$. The Synod
of Virginia is larger than the General AS
semblv BY 900 members. We could make
three Synods, every one OF which would be
larger than the General Assembly. The
Synod was too large to transact business.
This the speaker illustrated by stating that
a majority of Synod really never partici-
pated in the discussions. The case Of Con-
gress was not analogous. There all bills
were printed and laid on the members Ia
bles; they were always read three times,
and the sessions were continued for months.
We only remained in session two or three
days. This is very dangerous. particularly
in cases Of appeal. Only few places
Safa IL
after division it can meet in many places
where it is utterly impossible to meet now.
The influence Of a meeting OF Synod in any
place is most salutary. The speaker re-
futcd the idea that Hampden-Sidney or
Union Theological Seminary would be i'm
pcrilled. On the contrary, he argued that
greater interest in these institutions would
be excited. The same elements would still
exist, and the same friends that now rallied
to the support OF these institutions OF the
Church would still rally to them. He gave
a history OF the origin Of the Union Theo-
logical Seminary, and closed with an earn
est appeal TO Synod to accommodate the
brethren living in remote corners by giving
them the privilege OF seeing the Synod
meeting occasionally in their bounds.
The order OF the day-to hear DR.. Bullock
and DR.. Murkland on sustentation-now ar
rived, and the debate was suspended.
Rev. Dr.. Murkland, Of Baltimore, now
addressed the Synod. He expressed regret
that DR.. Mcllwalne and DR.. Wilson could
not be present. Their hearts were full and
they fully posted on the needs OF the cause.
The cause had suffered greatly from the
Strinoency OF the times. The receipts had
falIeE of nearly one third. He alluded to
the pestllence which would paralyZe nearly
one hundred churches. The Synod of Vir-
ginia had fallen of fifteen hundred dollars
this year, and now draws more than iL re-
ceiyes. Last year it guve surplus to fields
beyond our bounds. He spoke of the COM
mittee meetings, and learned the facts rs they
were presented there. He explained the
object Of >ustentatien: /. The supple
menting OF ministers salaries. 2. The
support Of widows and orphans. 3. The
evanSeliStic movement; and 4. The re-
lief fund. 5. Education of colored min
listers. He said if We could only meet with
the committee and hear the pleading for re-
lief Of the widows and orphans you would
understand how sad we feel when com
PEELED to cut down the appropriations. We
hear Of revvals, but revivals that do not
produce fruits OF benevolence are not geli-
uine. But for sustentation we would not
this day have southern church. Bear We
one another's burdens is the great law OF
Christ'S Church. Christian union is one OF
the great leading principles OF the Church
OF Jesus Christ. Now, we must supply the
deficiency OF the South. Ii wewere stricken
as others we would know how to feel for
Others. The pestilence has called out the
noblest sympathies. But we have to supply
diving sinners with the Bread OF Life. He
told OF the sutlerings Of families, but Whist
are temporal suferings compared with the
loss of souls. He urged to greater liberality.
DR.. Bullock followed, endorsing DR..
Murkland. He said he had often spent
sleepless nights, after the meetings Of the
committee in Baltimore, rejecting on the
wants and woes Of the people. He said we
were in a crisis similar in our Church to
that OF our people at one time during the
Revolution. ALI rallied then, and our lib
critics were achieved. II our Church were
aroused now fully we would meet all our
responsibilities. II we would deny our
we could and would realize enough to sup
ply oil our wants. The remedy for oil our
threatening ealamities In the State is the
Gospel. He closed by appealing to all to
do their duty
A committee was appointed to respond to
these addresses
The business in hand was suspended. and
the Committee OF Bills and Ogertures re-
ported in part They recommended that
the petition OF Union church in Alexandria
to be transferred to the Presbytery OF Mary-
land be granted.
Rev. Dir. Thomas opposed the melton.
DR.. Bullock replied, stating that some
churches In Maryland belonged to the Pres
bytery OF Maryland. which presbytery was
nks$~ Cwvxx Il