New-York tribune., 1879-05-22
THE PREsBYrERIAy ASSEMBLIES.
FOREIGN Observation-Disclosures THESE SUB
JECTs DISCUSSED ~ LENGTH.

FOREIGN MlSSIONS-EE PRE>fNiA llpN 1ill-9L u D.
JECTS DISCUSSED Al LENGTH.
SARATOGA. n. Y, May 21.-At the Presby-
terian General Assembly the special Committee Oh Trust
Funds reported the total trust funds S9ll1GO D.
The report on foreign missions contained the follow
ing fercs Receipts the year S42763l 81; eXpen-
dures S4il s3i Sc deficit S15 203 80 added to debt
last year. si7.329 26; leaves debt now, $62jJ2 5o.
The expenses reduced az The beginning of the year
.25,OOO The income must be Increased OF The work
contracted Fortunately within few months the large
peauest Of q well-known lady becomes available, which
viii rcmOAc the debt.
The Rev DR.. Rice secretary, spoke in behalf of the
report He said the conversions had increased 20 per
the past year, and showed net gain or over
16 per cent.
The Rev Or. Bushnell, of the Gabson Mission, spoke
regarding the mission, showing how light has been let
i'm by commerce and exploration, that instead OF
bare fringe Of teutory-as AZ trst-2O0,0O 100000 of
people are now open TO receive the Gospel. lie com
mcnded the womcns work for missions. simua-
neolsy with the beginning of w0men's work here.
there was q rush Of women and girls TO the schools in
Africa. Now the board can get ten Young women to
20 to Africa where it could get young man.
The Rev Matthew ID. p. HI, Of seuben made an ap-
peaI for more generous contributions
Charles Cuthbert Hail. of Brooklyn suggested that
the General Assembly should send each year one
person to visit all the mission stations and report
therefrom lie urged instead OF reducing expenses,
TO 90 on and increase its expenditures.
The Rev D.. ward, of Rochester formerly mission
ary related OF the trials Of missionaries and
collected prayers for them.
william Rankin Of the board, said that in
forty-two years S9,76O,OoO had been expended, OF
which $s750,00O had passed through his hands Dur
Ing few years past 100000 had been paid in pre-
mums on gold
The report missions adopted.
At the afternoon session to-day the Rev Dr. Wolcott
Caklns, chairman Of the Special Committee Repre-
senatou read report He said IL had been agreed to
by large majority by mutual concessions. 1t recon-
mcndcd that the Assembly send overture to the
Presbyteres to amend section ?, chapter H. of the
form Of government by making il read as follows:
"E Each Presbytery consisting Of not more than forty
eight minister's shall send minister and elder,
and each presDytery consisting of more than forty
eight ministers shall send two ministers and two elders
and the ike proportion for every fOrtyeight minis
ters." The section makes twenyOu the basis Of
represcn taon instead OF forty-eight.
Mr. Cakins sGid he really hoped this overture would
be adopted, and that il would be seppng-stone to
provincial assemblies.
the Rev. DR.. Patterson, Of Philadelphia opposed the
report as only temporary t1Pedent' ana said n the
past, ten years hence 1t would find the Assemblies
grown too large again.
Elder LOUIS Chapin. of Rochester, spoke the
side as Dr. Patterson The average eIghty-scyen
Presbytercs less than fifteen ministers The result
would be that this small minority would get control in
tho Church. Mr.. Chaplin closed by moving that the
whole subject be laid on tho table. Lost by vote Of
l7G to 25..
The Rev Erskine y. White, OF New-York said he
of the representatives OF the Preshytcry which will
be most affected by the proposed change; yet lie
favored it, lie said inequalities inevitable. In
New-IOrk city few churches with over Loo members
each 10 equal representation in the Prosbytery
with churches having less than 100 members. The Rev.
Chalcn Burgess, o. Buffalo. opposed change. The
Rev. Joseph 4. Gibson, OF Baltimore, opposed
duction Of representation Judge Drake, Of Washing
adopted the views OF the Rev ChalOu Burgess and
moved 10 postpone the whole subject indefinitely.
The Assembly adjourned without taking action on
Judge brakes motion.