The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-06-09

ries made their report on the annual re-
port of the board of directors of the Co.
lumbia Theological Seminary, and re-
coramend for the action of the Gen
eral- Assembly the adoption of the report
of the board Of directors.
2. In view Of the urgent Importance
of reopening the seminary at an. early
day the committee recommend that the
General Assembly instruct the board of
directors to proceed, with no more delay
than can be avoided, to the election of
professors to the vacant chairs, or to such
of them as are indispensable to a com
Plete course of theological instruction, and
that the board proceed also, with, all
prudent expedition, to set in operation
the most efficient means they can en-
ploy for raising funds for the current ex-
penses of the seminary and for its per
manent endowment.
3. Recognizing the unqualified right of
the board of directors, under the consti-
tuition of the seminary, to elect all pro-
fessors, their action being subject only to
the veto Of the Assembly, your commit
tee would yet recommend to the General
Assembly an expression of its earnest de-
sire that the Rev. John L. Girardeau,
D. D., should, if possible, be induced to
resume his charge of the chair of didactic
and polemic theology, for which he has
evinced, by years Of actual trial, his
eminent qualifications as it respects alike
his learning, the soundness of his doc
trines, and his aptness to teach 1t is
confidently believed that his continuance
in the seminary would not only be highly
gratifying to its friends and the Church
at large, but also contribute greatly to the
success of the efforts that may be made
for its enlarged usefulness.
4. In the report of the board of direc
tors we find the following extract from
the minutes of the Synod of South Caro-
lima, viz: THAT it is the sense of this
Synod that, inasmuch as the Seminary
at Columbia is the property of the Gen
eral Assembly and, therefore, under its
control, the burden of sustaining the
same property devolves on the whole
Church; and that while this Synod is
willing, In the present emergency, to ex-
ert itself to meet the wants of the insti-
tuition, as heretofore, for the current year,
it cannot see the way clear to under
take, in connection with the Synods of
Georgia and Alabama, alone to bear this
burden in the future so long as the Semi
nary retains its present relation to the
General Assembly" We construe this
declaration as implying a wish on the
part of the Synod of South Carolina that
the Seminary should be restored to its
former relations to the three Synods
named. AT a meeting of the Alumni,
called by published notice, and held in
this city on Tuesday last, as we have been
informed, a resolution was adopt
ed with but one dissenting voice out
of about thirty concurring, advising
the re-transfer of the institution to the
above Synods. We recommend that
the General Assembly inform those
Synods of its readiness to restore the
seminary to their ownership and control
whenever they, the Synods above named,
shall indicate their desire to receive it.
s.. The persons named below are nomi-
mated to the General Assembly as direc-
tors for the three years from this time,
viz: The Rev. j. B. Mack, d. D., the
Rev. W. E. Boggs, D. d., Col J. j.
Gresham, L. H. Muller, Esq
A letter from the Rev. VIM. S. Plumer,
D. d., was read, saying that he was elect
ed professor in the Columbia Seminary
in 1856, and was inaugurated as such by
the General Assembly in 1867. In every
Assembly since that time his relation has
been recognized and his conduct as pro-
lessor approved. Matters of very grave
Importance affecting his honor and use
fulness were before the Assembly, and he
asked to be heard in these matters He
was sure the Assembly would not inhict
30 great wrong upon one appointed by
Itself to such important service as to re-
fuse to hear him under the circumstances.
A minority report from the committee
On theological seminaries was made by
Mr.. l.. B. Johnston in which he saws.
q l cannot see that the board had con
5titutional right thus to translate DR..
Plumer, without his consent, from an ac-
tive to an honorary connection with the
seminary, holding as l do that this action
Of theirs comes properly under article 5
Of the constitution of the Seminary, and
not under article II as is held by the
board"
The reports of the committee and the
letter of DR.. Plumer were docketed.
The Rev Mr. Wallace made motion
TO reconsider the action of the Assembly
in passing the records of the Synod of
II