Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-05-23
CLOSING LABORs.
The Cumberland Presbyterian Gen
eral Assembly.
The FOrty-NInth Animal Convention
Winds up After Seven Days
wOrk---The Final Pro-
ceedlnvs, Etc.

Work---Ihe Final Pro-
c%eedlnus, Etc.
The Cumberland PresbNterian For.
ty-ninth annual assembly closed it,
work last night. To-day the majority
of its members will take their depar.
ture for their homes and their future
fields of labor. Among its represen,
%tstives are members from the far dis
tant shores Of the Pacific, from the
sunny land of Texas, from the arid
mountain elevations of Colorado, from
the p%rairies of Illinois, the bluegrass
fields of Kentucky, the cotton lands
of Georgia, the rugged hills of East
Tennessee, and many other points too
numerous to mention.
The deliberations Of the assembly
have been marked throughout by an
absence of anything like contention
while courtesy, brotherly love and
great piety has been a noted feature
Of the general sentiment in the pro-
gress of the manifold questions which
have been discussed and acted upon.
Yesterday afternoons session was
mainly devoted to the consideration Of
reports of the several committees not
previously presented. The first in
order was the report of the com
mittee on
sABBATH-scHoOLs
and was composed of the following
ministers and elders j. +. Sharpe.
R.. +. Lee, o. Il. Hart, s. J. Randall,
H. II. Norman, j. 7. McDavitt and
L. H. Perrin.
Their report wa adopted by the
assembly. It's leading features were :
The Sunday-school means devotion
ally and discreetly teaching the word
of God. with a view Of bringing souls
to Christ, and for the promotion of
Christian piety. If ministers, elders,
deacons or other members are indiffer.
ent to the Sunday-schoOl cause it is to
be seriously regretted, and such are
kindly advised to give it their support.
The holding Of State and county
Sabbath-school conventions is com
mendable, and is recommended to the
entire denomination. Where this is
impracticable the presbyteries and
synods should hold Sabbath school
institutes in connection with their
regular meetings. Congregations are
urged to procure for their Sunday
school readers the Sabbath school
Gem" and Our Lambs" from the
board of publication, and the board is
recommended to publish Lesson
Leaves for the use Of the church as
soon as it can begin the work. A CO.
operation with all evangelical Sabbath
school workers, and that efficient
catholic society, the American Sunday
school Union, is heartily recommended.
CORRESPONDENTS.
The report of the committee on cor
re~spondence was adopted. The COM
mittee were A. j. McGlumphy, F. A.
Jones, i. Bailey and j. p. Smart.
1t recommended that no change be
made in the appointment of delegate
previously named to represent and
bear fraternal greetings to the Cum
berland Presbyterian Church at the
Evangelical Union of Scotland, and
a committee on correspondence to that
religious body has already been ap-
pointed.
JUDICIARY.
The committee on Judiciary pre-
sented their report signed by the
members, as fellows j. A. Coulter,
chairman j. r. Brown, clerk; B. H.
PiersOn, John Gaut and u. NJ. Will
son. The report was debated and re-
ferred to the next general assem-
bly, for consideration on its sec.
Ond days meeting. The main
points Of the report are: The
form Of government Of the Cumber.
land Presbyterian Church being silent
regarding the right Of a congregation
to elect a deacon or elder, or to select
a person to be a ruling elder or deacon
TO serve for a limited period, the com
mittee are of opinion that there is nc
ecclesiastical authority therefor. The
usage Of the church has been in ac.
cordance with this decision. The
Offices Of ruling elder and deacon be.
ing perpetual in a congregation it, il
the opinion Of the committee, has {
right to retire such officer FROM oficia.
duty il SO desired.
FINANCIAL.
The committee on finance embraced
w. b. Farr, B. G, McLoskey and A
A. Bell. They submitted a resolution
which was adopted, requesting tn,
~presbytery to consider the proPriety o
providing funds in the future for com
missioners to the general assembly t
pay their board, for the reason tina.
the care Of members will be a burden
TO many communities where it woult