The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-05-22
General Assembly OF tho Prcsbyscrian
Church tSoushcrnl ne Knoxville,
fsepertcd for fhc nispaschl
rrIaD DAY--coNTyNuER.
SATURDAY, May 18th

onire the use OF denunciating language,
and smoke with much vigor OF the bad pas.
sions displayed by editors OF the religious
press. ,,.,.
p NJ. having arrived, the General Assem-.
biy spent the usual time in these exercises.
The moderator suggested that special
PRAYER be offered for the recovery from,
sickness OF Or. j. Leighton Wilson, the
aged and venerable secretary OF the Assem-
blv's Committee of Foreign Missions, DC.
The Assembly then adjourned till Mon.
dav morning at 8 O'Clock. SO as to give an
opportunity to its committees to prepare
business this afternoon. ;.
SABBATH, May IS, 1875.
Members OF the General Assembly, by
invitation, preached in the Presbyterian
and Methodist churches (Northern and
Sou,hern), in the Baptist church, and In the
churches OF the colored people. Several
adjacent town and country churches were
also supplied. A sacramental service was
held in the First Presbyterian church,
where the Assembly meets, at 5 z. NJ. and
n meeting OF Sabbath schools in the South
crn Methodist church at Al 2. NJ.
MONDAY. May Goth.
A fraternal communication was received
from the Methodist General Conference at
Atlanta. and reply was ordered.
A communication received from the Rev.
J. E.. c. Doremus, secretary and treasurer
of the InSlee fund, was appropriately re-
ferred; also, an overture from the Presby-
terry OF Mecklenburg asking that the word
children" be dropped from the column
which requires the number in Sabbath
schools and Bible classes land another over
ture from the same asking for deliyerance
on the use OF ardent spirits, and also an
ether from the same asking that the g Direc-
tory for Worship" be reversed.
The report of the committee (appointed ut
the last Assembly, to examine the affairs OF
the Publication Committee, which has been
already extensively published, was referred
TO the standing Committee on Publication.
The Committee of Bills and Overtures
recommend that the complaint of members
OF the Presbytery Of Louisiana, in reference
to the method by which the vote on the
Book OF Church Order was taken in that
PreSbytery. should be carried first to the
SYNOD to which that PreSbytery belongs,
and that the complainants be allowed to
withdraw their complaint and present it to
the Synod. Report docketed.
The Committee on Bills and Overtures, in
reply 10 IN overture on the subject OF send
ing up overtureS to the General Assembly
first through the lower courts, reported
against restricting the liberty OF sending
oyertureS by the lower courts or by indlvi-
duals directly to the General Assembly.
Adopted.
DR.. Hendrick, OF the committee appointed
for this purpose, presented paper, in re-
spenSe to the address OF DR.. A. S. Hunt,
messenger OF the American Bible Society,
commencing this Society and its auNiliaries,
and recommending that the churches take
up collections for this cause.
The annual report OF the Presbyterian
Historical Society, located at Philadelphia,
was received and referred to the Committee
on Bills and Overtures.
The unfinished business Of S aturday-the
report OF the Committee on Bills and Over
lures on oyertures from South Alabama and
Memphis, on the religious press-was taken
up. The report OF the Committee on Bills
and Overtures referred offences of this
class to the sessions or Presbyteriesto which
the offenders belong. t.,
Rev. Mr.. Darnal offered a substitute,
adding that this Assembly did not claim a
censorship OF the press.
Ruling Elder j. A. Billurs, OF Georgia.
argued that the responsibility Of editors to
the sessions OF Presbyteries to which they
belong was sufficient guarantee.
Mr.. Jamigan, OF the Presbytery OF Mem
phis, earnestly advocated the complaints OF
the religious press contained in the over
lures as necessary and proper.
Mr.. II. L. Mckee, of Georgia, thought
action needful.
DR.. Preston objected to the charges, be-
cause while they might be true OF some OF
the newspapers, they were not true OF all.
lie had not noticed the kind OF language
complained Of, and would not permit any
paper containing it TO come into his house.
He defended the usefulness OF our editors
and the Importance OF their berculean
blows against errors, and for the sake OF the
great advantages derived from their fidelity
TO the truth we might bear with some in
temperate language.
Rev. Mr.. Chester said there was cause
for these complaints Of the press. Where
so much smoke there must be some fire.
DR.. Rice offered an amendment to the
substitute, setting forth that the right OF
petition should not be used to bring before
the Assembly matters trivial and inappro-
pirate. This was voted down-the substl-
tute was voted down, and the subject was
laid on the table.
The Committee on Bills and Oyertures
presented reply to an overture from the
Presbytery of Western Texas, which
asked that two-thirds vote OF the Presby-
teries be required TO adopt the new Book.
The committee answer that the Constitution
OF the Church declares that changes in its
form OF government, &C., may be carried
by majority. Adopted. ..
The Committee on Bills and OYertureS
presented reply TO another overture ask
ing that the stated clerk and Our permanent
clerk OF the Assembly be elected annually
The committee recommend that it is mex
pedient TO make any change. The law al
lows iudicatorieS to continue such clerks In
Office at pleasure.
Rev. S. Taylor Martin offered 4 minority
report, which he advocated in q speech OK
considerable length. He mentioned va
rious contingencies which might arise TO
make the present arrangement lnconyenlent
and dangerous. tzf7ss +. %.l..as 81 r..
Rev. j. ID. Gillespie opposed Mr.. Martins
doctrines as revolutionary. Rev. DR.. Pres
ton delivered an earnest speech in the same
line; during which the hour arrived for
devotional exercises. 80 n
The stated clerk read dispatch from DR..
r. l.. Patton, Moderator OF the Presbyterian
General Assembly (Northern), now in ses-
sion at Pittsburgh. Pa, rendering the Chris
tian saintations OF that body. Referred TO
the Committee on Foreign Correspondence.
81 stx s'la p.
IBy telegraph to the !Dfspatch.l
KNOXVILLE, May 2i.-The Judicial Com
mittee OF the Presbyterian General Assem-
bly,, South, to-day reported the appeal and
complaint against the Synod OF Texas, and
1t was made the order of the day for We'd