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

VIZ 1NOAASA l. uiiQ NC k'iiSSO III IlS SuoOOQ(
ofthe Executive Committee of Home
Missions. The report was docketed.
By the report of the treasurer of the
board of trustees of the General Assem-
bly, the amount, of funds belonging to the
Relief Fund in has hands May, 1879, was
$30, 0o0@During the past year the total
fund increased to 1874, 125.
The reports of the auditing committee
ON the reports of the board of Home Mis-
sions, Foreign Missions, and on the insti-
tute for the education of colored ministers
were all adopted
The report of the committee on Publ
cation, ! which was offered on Monday,
was, then taken up and adopted by vote
of IS. to 49,
! The unfinished business of Wednesday,
the consideration of the debate on the
authority of church courts, then came up.
1t may be well Just here for the informa-
ton of the public to. say that a deliver
ance IN theSi is a declaration of an-eccle-
siastical court concerning matter of
doctrine or discipline upon which its
judgment has been asked, which is only
didaeticl (teaching) or declarative in its
nature, and has no reference to partic-
ular case. The discussion was opened
by the Rev. James Woodrow, D. D., in
reply to Dr. Girardeau, the gist of whose
remarks has been reported. DR.. Wood
row made most finished and logical
argument of the whole subject. He said
that he was the only member of the Louis
vile General Assembly present, and he
felt it to be his duty to say something
upon the subject. He agreed with much
that had been so eloquently said by Dr.
Girardeau-the Importance of the ques-
ton, the Interpretation of the meaning of
the last deliverance, the supremacy of
God over the conscience, the power of'the
Church to give to utterances Of truth the
force of law, Che dogmatic power of the
Church, not of the General Assembly,
and the administrative power of the
Church and the Church courts He re-
GREETED that he could not fully agree with
all that had been so ably said on the 9TH
er side of the question.
DR.. Woodrow stopped during the de-
livery of his most complete argument for
recess. He made profound impression
on the Assembly
I'VE regret that our space will not al
low us to give full report of the speech
Mr.. D. G. Collins, in order to facilitate
the work of the Assembly, moved that
the speeches. of all the members of the
Assembly in the discussion of the subject
be limited to ten minutes except in the
case of Dr. Girardeau, the chairman of
the committee on overtures, and the au-
thor of the minority report.
The Rev. S. n Neel hoped this motion
would not pass and believed that the
Importance of the question demanded the
fullest discussion
Mr. Collins did not want to cut off de-
bate, but to condense the speeches of the
members.
DR.. Leyburn said that in the great AS
sembly where this discussion first came
up, and after two of the members had
spoken for hours, DR.. McClung had
spoken ten minutes, and in that time
said more than the long speakers.
The Rev Mr.. McIlwaine moved that
Mr.. Collins's motion be laid on the table
Lost.
The Rev. Mr.. Raymond moved to
amend by striking out the exceptions
Lost
Mr.. Collins's motion was voted upon
and passed
DR.. Smith then proceeded to discuss
the question.
On motion his time was extended in
definitely, or until, as Judge White ex-
pressed it, the Assembly got tired hear
ing him.
During the delivery of DR.. Smiths
speech the hour for adjournment arrived,
and on motion the Assembly took re-
cess until half-past o'clock, to meet in
Glebe Street church for the further pro-
secution of the debate
The Night Session.
The Assembly met at half-past 8
o'clock. The special committee appointed
to review the majority and minority re-
ports of the committee on retrenchment
and reform reported that they were I'M
able to recommend unanimously the
adoption of either of the reports as a
whole, and recommend that the execu-
tive committee of Education be diseon-
tinued, and the matter Of educating
candidates for the ministry be referred
to their respective Presbyteries; that the
Presbyteries be requested to send any
surplus Of funds for the cause of educa-
ton, if any, that may remain after pro-
viding for the support of their own
Al