New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-05-18
localities where this gem is found have OecnceylOn aud
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PRESBYTERLANISM.
MEETING OF GENERAL ASSEMBLIES.

| GENERAL CONDITION OF THE CHURCH
The three largest Presbyterian churches IN
the United States opened the sessions OF their Genera
Assemblies on Thursday the Northern In the City OF Pitts
burg the Southern in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the
| Cumberland in Lebanon, Tennessee Taken together,
they number about 100000 communicates. since the
union Of the Old and the New School wings OF Presby
,eransm in 1870 the Northern Presbyterian church has
grown with great rapidly In 1872 there were reported
for the united church. All ministers, 4,73O churches,
and 472 023 communicating in 1877 at the date OF the
last General Assembly, there were 4SOl ministers, oo3
churches, and 557,674 communicates. The contriou'
tons for all purposes last year aggregated SS29o36l
| The question of fraternal relations between inc
Presbyterans OF the North and the South Is OF the
greatest to the public, nasmuch as 1t has to
do with the general pacdcation Of the country Whlic
there growing frendlness perceptibe In the inter-
course OF Northern and Southern Presbyterians, the
establishment of formal fraternity has not been quite
accomplished. Both assemblies adopted IN 1876 resolu
tons containing the same terms as basis OF agree
ment, aud beginning OF renewed friendly intercourse
As passed by the Northern body, tie resolution was
i'll these words In order to show our disposition to
remove part all real or seeming hindrance 10
friendly feeling the Assembly explicitly declares that
while condemnng certain acts and deyerances OF the
Southern General Assembly, no acts OF the NOrtherh
Assembly. or of the historical bodies OF which the
present assembly is the are TO be construed
| or admitted mpugning In any way inc Chrlsuah
historical body bodies Of which 1t is the successor
This declaration had already been adopted, with the
necessary verbal changes, by the Southern oody
Great rejoicing followed In TIE North the
consummaton OF this agreement but the Southern
Assembly its session last year. insisted that lt5
| original demand OF apology for language
u.ed during war had not been met. H." say the
Southern TO the Northern Presbycrans, Your Assembly
could sec its way clear to say in a few plain words 20
this effect that these obnoxious things were sah anu
done in times great excitement and are to Dc re-
GREETED. and that now, a calm review tue lmputa-
lions east upon Southern Church (Of schsn, heresy
and blashemy) arc dislpprOved that wOuld end the
difficulty at once" And at this point the negotiations
for the establishment Of fraternity rest at present.
There is little probability that either body WILL imme-
dIately recele from its position.
Tie large size OF the Northern Assembly and lis conse-
quert unwieldncss have created demand for reduced
representation but the method OF reduction has not
yet been made clear. Two overtures on tns subject
sent the Presbyteries by the Assembly OF 1876
rejected two moro were sent 10 Ihe fresOyeLes
by the Assembly OF last year. ana arc hkey 10 share te
same fate Meanwhile there has been ADDED TO the as
scssment for mileage an assessment OF two cents per
member for expense of the entertainment ot the com
missoncrs where such expense Is incurred inns some
what relieves of the difficulties OF large represent
tauon The Assembly has, however committed ltse TO
the principle OF reduction aud waits only Tor the deVs
! ing OF a satisfactory pan -
The denopinatonal work Of the Presbyterian Church
dnnc y boards which ire directly responsible to the
| Assembly The Board Of Home Missions reported
l last year receipts amounting to S21lO02, ana
aid gwen to .OI0 churches. The scheme Of sustena-
t.on placed under this boards care, by which It was -
nasoT has only impcriccy succeeded Its TO be
GREETED that plans OF ministerial sustentatloh are NOT
carried in the United states as they nave been by
! the Presoyterians of Great Britain The For
egn Missions Beard reported ieceiPts amounting
OF $50 900 from Mrs. John C. Green, OF TINS city, The
Assembly Is lis own puiIlshef roum Doa pn pun ~
iisnns hoq5e ~ "a 4 wfrn 1890 s,3 Connected
with the work the publishing board Is missionary and
% m t6e ctmrches In horoughness OF theological
fha BTesl
| always been preemnent An Educatlon Board taxes
~ students OF theology As an illustration OF the inter
est et IN theological culture 1t may be stated that there
have eightyone scholarships founded Tor tho bene
IN OF the students of Princeton seminary The Assembly
has supervision Of thirteen theological schools Two OF
them for the training OF German ana Two i9r tne uah-
ing OF colored ministers; And yet wlthal the astons
is6mg fact stated that the number OF preachers fur.
tn supply tue newly organized churches leaving no sur
| hoard of Church Erection has permanent fund of
sI5O 600 reported TO the last assembly the reccpt0
SIJ2OOO for the year, and hep gwen 10 lI2 churches
For freedmen, the sum OF Sj2,7li collected was re-
| ported tncre are 9ss9 colored communicates III rs
rhurcies For tue and Of disabled ministers there is
pc PEI h RnarI OF Relief last reported we're SIO2 lis.
| An of these Boards complain that many OF the
churches contributions whatever TO their funds
or Ias SG% he'" dates from 1851 il grew out
! tnc necessary separation OF the Northern ana
Among the moderators of ITS General Assembly are to
be found the names OF Palmer Moore Robinson, Pluner
aui lOge Its latest statistics show IL sSn0ds o3 pres
byteries 10 ministers and licanates $50 churches
]
cants and 6G,62l sunday-schOO scholars. Tue total
contributions Tor the year ending with May 1877, were
pastors salaries, aud S302,OJ3 for congregational
purposes. This church has had since 1865 severe
struggle with poverty. Tho people, exhausted by the
war have only mperfecy supported their pastors the
work of ecclesiastical reorganization has nevertheless
been entered upon with spirit, ana good results have
pto rendcrsd IN Tie Northern Church by boards and
are classified IN much the same manner The Committee
on Foreign Missions reported S39As3 contributed for
their use. foreign missionaries had then been sent
ont for two years 1ne Executive Committee Educa-
ton dlsbursed III the same period $4,000. Two thee
logical schools are maintained-One at Columbia = G.,
and anotner Farmville. Va A training school for
coored ministers also has been opened a Tuscaloosa
Ala yet reported only six students, and an
annual revenue OF only l,O29 The sustentaton Com,
Ittee charged wilma variety OF duties, having charged OF
susenaton fund twoevangellstlc funds relief innd
and invalid fund The receipts OF the Committee last
reported the Assembly sJ4772. The facts which
IL is the duty of this committee 10 meet must severely
la the fath and courage O ITS members. Oneha and
into pastoral changes unable without assistance, to
support stated ministry Perhaps more than 400
churches vacant because they cannot receive d Ill
HE affairs and troubles of tho Southern Publishing
House, at Richmond have become well known TO the
country. Ii should 0c said that since the Adjournment
OF the Assembly OF 1877 the proceedings III tue courts
eainst The late manager OF tie House failed The
Assembly ordered the Executive Committee on pu9lea
tion sell the Publishing House as soon as TINS c0ud DC
done without too great sacrifice and to conduct the sale
and publication books hereafter by contract the fra
other churches VIII henceforh be carried ON by letter
only instead of by the personal attendance OF delegates
revised OF church order has been prepared Tor
the churches and ITS publication directed ,- .,
Governments but hardly followers OF Calvin in doctrine
They maintain, however, traternal correspondence Win
the Southern General Assembly AS the name indicates
they originated III Kentucky They have spread widely
over thai State and Tennessee, and are established IN
California In the management Of the pasOrate and III
tnel Partially for camp meetings, they resemble the
M,tbods,s. A few years ago oycrtures we're made 10
| mem Tor q union with the Northern Presbyterian
tburcb but nothing came of IL. Their ministers number
considerably over OOO, ana their commandments about
I35 900 Tnis active growing church, and has i've
colleges, besides numerous religious periodicals.
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