Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-05-27
THE CHURCHES.
PRESBYTERIAN General Assembly.

Presbyterian General Assembly.
SARATOGA, May 26.-At the opening
of the Presbyterian General Assembly,
the Mileage Committee reported and
were directed to pay sums due to sew
/ eral commissioners.
The Committee on Theological Sem
inaries made a report, showing the
| number of seminares TO be 81; number
of students last year. 534; number OF
professors, 81; graduated students, l6l !;
| amount of property held, 4,4l5, Ia.
! The report recommends the seminaries
| for colOred men TO the large liberality of
! the church. German seminares were
| spoken for as necessary at present, but
TO be merged in the older institutions as
soon as possible. Great pleasure was
expressed in the raising Of the standard
| of scholarship in the seminaries. The
exclusion of the lazy, dull and worldly
minded was recommended. Applause.
The death of three professors was no.
ticed. The report was unanimously
adopted.
The Committee on the Policy of the
Church reported several overtures sent
up from Presbyteries, generally OF local
interest. and the suggestions of the Com
mittee were generally adopted.
On the overture of the Presbyterv of
New York, i'm regard To the reconstruc-
ton of SynodS, it was ordered that a
special committee be raised to report to
the next Assembly.
Overtures regarding sitting with
closed doors on trials was referred TO
the Standing Committee on Revision OF
Rules.
The Committee on Corresponding
Bodies reported that they had reports
from Rev. 4. Gevin, delegate to the
General Assembly OF the Presbyterian
Church Canada; John ID. Jones, to the
General Cumberland Presbytery; VIM.
Irving. to the General Synod of the
Reformed Church, and Lloyd Brayton,
to the General Assembly of Scotland.
They had been cordially and fraternally
welcomed. They say that inasmuch as
all the PRESBYTERIAN organizations are
ioined in the Presbyterian General Ali
ance, which has stated sessions the
practice of sending delegates to other
Presbyterian bodies be discontinued.
Rev. Drs w. Z. Breed, c. 4. Dickey,
S. J. Prime, s. j. Nichols, Elders Geo.
Junkin, w. Tenbroeck, w. +. Dodge
and Channey Nolds were appointed
committee to select thirty-two others to
be reported at the next General Assem-
bly, to be delegates with them to next
session of the General Alliance, to meet
in Philadelphia September 81, 1880.
Delegates to corresponding bodies:
Rev. DIR. Sylvester +. Scoville, to the
General Synod of the Lutheran Church;
Rev. DIR. John Jones, to the General
Conference OF the Methodist Episcopal
Church; Rev DIR. Peter Stryker, to the
General Association of the COngrega-
tional Church; Rev. DR.. William X.
Hall, to the General Convention ol the
Reformed Episcopal Church.
The overture on reduced representa-
ton, sent down by the last assembly,
was reported lost.
On the question of extending the ter
ritory wherein the Board of Church
Erection may build churches, in certain
States named, it was ordered to include
all the States and Territories.
The Committee on Publications de-
clined to recommend the publication OF
PRAYER Meeting Topics" and requested
that it be left to the Presbyteries.
A resolution was adopted compliment
tary to Signor Farind, corresponding
delegate from the Waldensian Church
10 this Assembly, commencing the Van
dos Church to the sympathy and aid OF
the Churches.
The committee was ordered TO report
some plan by which the officers and
soldiers in the army may be reached tcr
religious instruction.
1t was voted to hold the next session
in the State House at Madison, Wis.
The following resolution was offered,
regarding the attendance OF church
members at theatre and opera perform
anCes:
Resolred, That in view OF the increased
attendance Of church members at thea
tire and opera performances, this Assem-
bly bears earnest and solemn testimony
against this practice as inconslst-
ent with the Christians duty, since it
not only gives countenance TO and sup
port to an institution Justly described
by a former assembly as a school OF i'm
morality. but is in itself spiritually
hurtiul, and tends TO oblterate the line
which should always be plainly visible
between the followers of Christ and the
world. Adopted.
The resolution offered regarding the
reading of secular papers on Sunday,
was then reported on:
ResOiccd, That the General Assembly,
believing that the practice on the part OF
church members of reading secular
papers on the Sabbath day is
alarmingly on the increase, and be-
heving also that it is Il grievOus
injury to the personal piety OF the
readers and serious obstacle TO the
cause of Christ in every community,
would deprecate the practice, and would
urge on all who love the Lord and de-
sire the spread OF His kingdom in this
world to do all in their power to dis
countenance the same. Adopted.
Regarding the overture against recog-
nizing Roman Catholic baptism, the
committee reaffirm the action OF the
General Assembly of 1875, leaving it
with the pastor and convert to decide
whether a rebaptism shall be made.
Adjourned.