Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-05-09

A MINISTERIAL CANDIDATE-THB NEW
BOOK-DIvIsION OF sYNOD-sUNDAY
sCHOoLs-oRDINATIO OF A MINISTER
-PRESBYTERIAL KEPORTS-sTANDING
CoMMITTEEs-ADDREs OF MIss1oNA.
| RIEs,
&C., &C., &C.
Continuing tho report Of tho Lexington
Presbytsry which held its Spring Session
ut Loeb Willow church in this county last
week, and the proceedings of which were
given in tho last issue Of the VINDIcAToR
up to Thursday, we give to-day the pro-
ceedings OF tho last two days.
FRIDAY 4TH DAY.
Presbytery was called to order by tho
Moderator, Rev. F. cCutchen, was opened
with prayer by Rev. w. T. Richardson. On
motion Of Rev. J. E. Booker, Licentiats
Jas. G. Smith was allowed to labor outside
the bounds of Presbytery.
The committee appointed to consider
the measure advocated on Wednesday by
Rev. e. L. Hogue reported rs follows. Re
solved, that tho Presbytery Of Lexington
overture the Synod of Virginia to declare
| whether tho retail of Intoxicating drinks
~ beverage is contrary TO our standards. "
Adopted unanimously.
A CANDIDATE.
Rev. c. S. N. See proposed candidate
for the ministry, Mr.. w. g. Flemming, =
1 young gentleman who had for several years
been . member of his CHI urch; his inclina-
tions had led him to attempt other profes-
sions. but he had been constrained by his
conscience to pursue the ministry and
now wanted to attend the Seminary. AZ
ter IN examination by DR.. Junkin before
Presbytery on experimental religion and
the doctrines of the church, Mr.. Flem-
ming was received under tho care of the
Presbytery.
| THE NEW BOOK
coming upas the order of the day was dis
cussed at length by several members.
Rev. Mr.. Watkins saw no reason for
changing the old book when it would do
He was not welded to old systems, but 70
80 years We had worked under the old and
had NO trouble; why now change it? He
forcibly opposed the proposed rule in the
case of appeal from lower to a higher
court and thought the euds of justice
would not be attained thereby.
DR.. Junkin called the brother to order
General Assembly had requested Pres
bytery to merely vote aye or no."
Mr.. Watkins-I am not out Of order
and am giving my reasons why int nd tt
vote no.
Rev. G. W. Humphreys objected to thu
article giving the definition of an offence
He thought there was departure from
the Bible standard and a substitution O.
tho Shorter Catechism in its place. 1t wal
his main objection, and he did not SEQ how
to get out of 1t.
Rev. P. Fletcher was delighted with thu
book except for one thing in it, Article
Sec. was so rerulsivs to his ideas of thu
dignity of ministerial character that hl
would reject the whole on account of it
A minister in the Presbyterian church
must have received thorough theological
and doctrinal training Of at least tw'
years at tho Seminary, then he il CAREFUL!
examined on every branch, on experiment
nj piety and doctrines BY the Prssbytery
and after careful consideration he is Ii
censed to preach. If acceptable to tn
people, he 10 called, then again, he is OK
amined and finally ordained to the rsgula
ministry, and goes forth impressed will
the weight and solsmnity Of his calling
But it he wants to 60 to any othor presby
terry be must 20 through all this again Ant
if he should happen to fall upon broad
church presbytery, he il refused admission
and sent back whore he cana from. 1t Wal
stab to his Christian character and woulG
tend to ruin his usefulness and he would
on thataccount vote against book, the pain
full though it would be to do 80.
Rev. g. L. Hogue had voted against thu
provision the brother excepted to, VI
Waynesboro, but upon reflection since, hi
views had entirely changed and for the
very reason that Influenced the brother
who last spoke to hold contrary Vows
Suppose presbytery might tend to broad
churchism, was it not much moro probable
that a minister should become unorthodox
than whole prssbytery and if he is moi
up to the standard Of the church he ought
to have his influence checked. Some ar
ticles in recent numbers of tho "Southerr
Review" had convinced him how far 8
respected minister in high standing in the
church could get wrong, and if that dis
tinguished theologlan were now to apply
for admission into Lexington Presby tory
he would oppose him.
DR.. Junkin said We could not get any
thing to suit everybody, and the book OF
order if adopted was not Interchangeable.
We did not by adopting it bind ourselves
forever and ever as brother had intima-
ted. After three years, such points as did
not work we'll could be objected to and an
overture sent up to the General Assembly
and the mistake corrected. He was will
ing to swallow tho instrument as whole
with tho few defects in order to get all the
good there was in it.
Rev. W. T. Richardson said if We waited
to get book that would suitin everything
We would have to wait forever. In this
which they were to vote upon they had the
combined result of the labors OF the church
for twenty years past. 1t was IS near per-
lection rs it could get, had been revised
and re-revised sent by the presbyteries up
to the General Assembly and then sent
back again to the presbyteries until it as
now constituted represented the views of =
majority Of the church, which he did not
believe to be the case with tho old book.
He then reviewed the objections that had
been advanced, in short and lucid argyll
ment which carried conviction with it
/ and ended by declaring that he did not