Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1880-12-02
Synod Of South Carolina.

oynOu OF SOuCn Carolina.
The Synod Of South Carolina convened
at Sumter, S. c., on the 18th of November,
the opening sermon being preached by Rev.
N. W. Edmunds, the last Moderator. Rev.
j. L. Martin, of Abbevilc, was elected
Moderator aa his successor. No Synod for
years has had so large an attendance of
delegates as the last. More than one hun
dred delegates were present. and as many as
forty from ono Presoytcry alone. 1t would
be pleasing sight to behold, if there could
be a full representation present at one Synod,
erd would no doubt produce profound
Impression upon that community; but it
would be offset by tho disadvantages that
no church outside Of Charleston or Colum.
bia could entertain the Synod, and tho
blessings secured by meeting of such
church court would be confined to oply
few churches.
One o. the first acts performed after the
organization was tho holding of confer
ence by the Synod, in which the various
Prosbyteries were called upon to relate the
state OF religion 10 their respective bounds
and what work was being done by them.
This conference brought out the fact that
tho progress of Presbyterianism in the
State was moro permanent aud substantial
than rapid. Its advance was, however.
rapid enough to afford great encouragement
aud devout thanksgivings to Him who has
prospered His church. New organizations
have been formed, many members received,
new church edificcs erected, new pastoratcs
created and the great schemes of the
church sustained. One instance of this
prosperity may be mentioned as specimen.
Tho Edsefeld Mission, operated by the
South Carolina Presbytcry, has more than
doubled itself in strength and members
since last Synod. God is answering the
prayer of tho church, 80 Lord, bcscccb
thee send now prosperity
Dr. j J.. Girardcau presented the final
report of the Committee on the Diacopotc.
which was fully equal to any of the former
reports OF this committee in ability. All
these reports arc to be gathered by DR..
Glraldeau, edited and brought out in the
form of book on tho Office of the Deacon
The value of such work, coming as it
does from master workman, cannot be
estimated "Girardcau on the Diacopater
will surely become as famous as Edwards
on "Tho Will" It is destined 10 work n
great reformation in the church, especially
in the matter of the financial management
OF church operations. The church has
suffered her DIAGONAL arm to hang useless so
Ioug that it has grown weak, but no doubt
will soon be welding it as u mighty power
IN the cause of truth, which will give
new impulse to her work Of cvapgelization.
Each meeting of an ecclesiastical court is
characterized by and remembered for some
thing, which constituted its great work.
as the last Synod was noted chiefly for the
great debate on "Church Power" which
was carried even into last General Assembly,
so the closing Synod seemed to all to have
for its work the rcsuscitation of the Thco-
logical Seminary at Columbia. The Synod
applied itself to this task in earnest. The
Committee on the Seminary consisted of
Rev. 5. l.. Morris, Rev. II. j.. Girardcau,
Rev. Il. Fl. Law and Elders Bauks and
Jennings. This committee brought in a
report, written by tho chairman, adopted
unanimously by the committee, and almost
unanimously by the Synod 1t brought to
the attention of Synod the fact that the
Synod of Georgia had agreed to raise
fifteen thousand dollars for oudowing the
Georgia Chair Of Ecclesiastical Poiity. IL
proposed that South Carolina Synod raise
twenty thousand dollars for tho Chair of
b'bllcaI Literature, nearly all of which is
already pledged. 1t also proposed that the
Synod ask the General Assembly to restore
the Seminary to the three Synods originally
controlling it--South Carolina, Georgia and
Alabama. 1t also recommended that Dr.
Mack assist DR.. Girardeau in completipy
the endowment Tie prospect is now
bright for re opening the Seminary next
year. Tho Seminary has buildings and
library valued at fifty thousand dollars,
one hundred thousand dollars of ts cndow--
ment remains, nearly all of tho money
thought to be lost by the failure Of tho
Adger firm will DO recovered, and it is
expected that Alabama will raise ton thou
sand dollars. 1t is therefore expected to bo
opened next year under brighter auspices
than ever and equal any Seminary in tho