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

The General Assembly met at the usual
hour yesterday morning and was opened
with prayer by Rev. Donald MacGregor,
of Texas. .aoBslrs3snT
The minutes of Wednesday were read
and approved. ass.0 d ,u69 ia.gM
Dr. Hooper presented reportVfrom
the committee of correspondence suggest
ing the. following names as delegates to
the Presbyterian Alliance: The Rev
Allen Wright, of the Choctaw Nation,
instead of DR.. Peck, declined the Rev.
w. X. Marshall, D, D., of Texas, instead
of the Rev R. T. Farris, D. D., alternate,
declined the Rev, w J, Mccormick. of
Florida, in place of alternate w. E.
Boggs, d. d., who takes the place of the
Rev. II. G. Alexander, D. D., as principal.
The committee on correspondence re-
ported communications to the Cumber-
land Presbyterians, to the Associate Re-
formed Synod of the South, and to the
Reformel Episcopal Church, containing
the fraternal salutations of the General
Assembly. The reports were adopted in
turn, and the letters will be duly for
warded to the different bodies.
The committee on correspondence also
reported the following answers to the
questions propounded in the letter of
the Central Presbyterian church of this
city
!. " Is it unlawful for a minister in
your connection to be pastor of an In
dependent Presby terian church,"
There is nothing in our Book of Church
Order to prevent minister in our con
nection from preaching the Gospel at
any church where he has the consent
Of his own Presbytery.
2. "Can Presbytery by simple vote
of the majority, displace pastor against
the will of both pastor and congrega-
tion?"
The Presbytery has power to estab-
llsh the pastoral relation and to dissolve
1t at the request of one or both of the
parties, or where the interests of religion
imperatively demand it, (Form of Gov
eminent, Chapter 5, Section 4, paragraph
g.
While the Presbytery clearly has such
power, this Assembly decides that
Presbytery taking such action should be
thoroughly convinced that the interests
Of religion imperatively demand it.
L
Of Orange asking the General Assembly
to provide and have bound with our col
lection of psalms and hymns suitable
burial service for the optional use of lay
men-the committee on bills and over
lures recommended that the overture be
referred to the committee of revision of
Directory of Worship. The report of the
committee was adopted.
On the overture from the Rev. Mr.
Woodwork asking for full lists of all re-
ports from stated clerks of Presbyteries,
and that church session be required to
send up separate reports on systematic
benevolence-the committee on over
lures recommended that the first petition
be granted, and the second petition re-
fused. The report was adopted
On the overture from the Synod of
South Carolina asking the General As
sembly to assess the different Synods
the necessary amounts to carry on the
exercises Of the Columbia Theological
Seminary, the committee recommend that,
as the exercises of the seminary have
been suspended since the adoption of the
overture of the Synod, it is unnecessary
for the Assembly to take any action in
the matter.
On the overture from the Presbytery
of Dallas asking the General Assembly to
adopt some plan to equalize the expense
of commissioners to the General Assem-
bly, meetings, the committee on over
lures made the following report:
Various plans for equalizing the ex-
penses of commissioners have already
been tried and failed The present plan,
however faulty in theory, is the only one
which has at all answered the purpose of
securing due attendance at the meetings
Of the General Assembly If, however,
the present rate of the General Assembly
assessments be continued, it will yield a
fund which may be applied to neasurably
accomplish the desired end 1t is, there
fore, inexpedient, in the judgment Of this
Assembly, that any change be made in
the present plan.
DR.. Moore explained the reasons inhu-
encing the Dallas Presbytery to make the
overture 1t would be matter Of simple
justice, for the Western churches are poor,
and it is not right to tax them for the sup
port Of. the older churches. He did not
want his churches to come up to the AS
sembly every year asking favors and in the
character of benefciaries dependent upon