Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-12-11
Synod Of South Carolina.
Editors. Kcogec Courier

Editors Rco'cec Courier
The Synod Prcsbytcrian) of South Carolina
met in tho thriving little town of Rock Hill,
situated in York County, OH the Charlotte, Co
Iumbia and Augusta Railroad, on the 2Gth of
November md continued in session till the 10Th.
The Synod is that church court which is
higher than the Prcsbytcry and lower than The
General Assembly, the supreme court of The
church. The Synod of South Carolina includes
in its jurisdiction the whole State, being made
up Of the ministers and churches Of the five
Prcsbytcrcs, into which the State is divided
The present Synod was quite a respectable
body, there being in attendance about one hun
drcd delegates from all portions of the State,
and for intelligence and picty could not be sur
passed by any similar body Of men that ever
assembled i'll solemn conclavc. Whilst We regard
ono hundred delegates very fair representa-
ton, yct it is quite small in comparison to the
number which would compose The Synod If all
entitled TO a seat in Synod had been present for
then the number would have swcllcd to about
three hundred delegates.
The statistical reports from The various Pres
oyterics revealed the fact that God is greatly
blessing prcsbyt crianisn, there being scarcely
report which did not inform the Synod Of new
churches being organized, petitions for other
organizations, or the successful efforts OF The
Prcsbytcrians in stretching their boundary lines
and occupying more ground. One Prcshytcry
had grown so large as to ncccssitaic its division
into two, and each bids fair soon TO acquire The
strength and efficiency Of the original This
progress Of Prcsby crianism 10 not confined to
The Synod Of South Carolina, for during the past
year not only have whole Prcsbytcrics sprung
into existence, but Two Synods have been dis
cussng the prcpricty Of division on account of
their unwicldly size Nor is this ALL FOR sta
tislics show that the Southern Presbyterian
Church has almost doubled itself in ministers,
churchcs and members during The last ten years.
During The past year alone about ten thousand
members were received into its fold. Whilst il
is quite small compared with The great Northern
Presbyterian Church, still its influence and rank
in The Pan-lrcsbyicrian Council (Which has a
constituency Of eight millions of mcmbcrs) are
by no means the least among The thousands of
Presbyterian Israel.
Probably the ablest report ever brought TO the
attention of Synod was lie report Of the com
miitcc, through Dr.. Cirartcau, on tho Office of
tho "Dcacon." Two years ago at the Synod in
Columbia This committee on dcacontc was ap-
pointed. lis first report was made to Synod
last year in session at Sparanburg This was
its second report, and its third and last will be
made one year hence at the Synod which will
assemble in Sumter. a careful study of The
Bible reveals The fact that eacA New Testament
church had two sets Of officers, The first called
elders (and sometimes bshops3 were the spiritual
officers, the teachers and rulers Of the church;
the other set called dcacons were appointed TO
manage the temporal affairs of the church.
The researches of the learned Dr.. Thornwcll
contributed much 10 crystalline the thought and
doctrine Of the church as TO the function and
duties Of the elder, and now the TASK seems TO
dcvolvc on his eminent disciple, DR.. j. L.
Glrardcau, of clucidaling the subject of The
deacon'$ clicc These papers of DR.. Girardcau,
when finished, though published in the Souhcy,,
FrcSdWefian Rc0ico, from time 10 time, will
probably be published in more permanent
form, and one copy ought to be in the hands of
every deacon Of the church
The Theological Seminary at Columbia oc
cupicd (as it always docs) much of the attention
and care of the Synod It's endowment hns been
from time TO time swept away, Till it is now
'"""S'"iiJ ihUCh cInDuffhSSCu. some Tears
entertained in some quarters that it may bc
compelled to suspend for time but it did not
appear to most of the Synod as being in q much
worse condition than it has been for years. It's
endowment has not supported it for many years,
and il has been dependent upon the gifts of
Gods people, which after all is its best. safest
and most reliable endowment An institution
that has given to the church more than five hun
drcd ministers surely cannot perish so long as
small gift from each church will enable il to
continue its blessed work. The Synod therefore
determined TO do what it has been doing for
years TO appeal TO the various churches TO send
In their gifts to sustain this noble institution.
plan is being operated to re cndow this Semi
nary, and the funds are TO be invested in such n
way MS TO secure them against another crisis,
such rs swept away its former endowment. lis
funds arc to he secured hereafter, not by por--
sonal security rs formerly, but by collatcrals,
mortgages, 60 Notwithstanding its present
distress tho opinion was publicly expressed by
many that this institution will yet be the pride
Of the church.
"Wor!dly omuscmenis' again camo up for
full share of the discussion and thought Of
Synod. Scarcely n church court ever assemblies
now without being vcxed with that same uues-.
ton. There seems 10 exist division of scnti-
mcnt in regard TO tho action of The last General