Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-05-31

OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
CONTINUED.

Presbyterians In Council.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
CONTINUED.
THE proceedings of the 5th and 9Th days
Tuesday and Wednesday of last week-are
published on the first page of this issue.l
SEVENTH DAY-THURSDAY.
The seventh days session was opened with
prayer by Rev. John B. Morton, OF Georgia.
DIR. Mutually presented his protest against the
Assembly having taken the initiative in send
ing the message of greeting to the Northern
Assembly. upon the ground that under griev'
ance received from that church and never
atoned for it is unbecoming IN our church &c
take the initiative in correspondence of thii
kind, and because the Protestants regard the
Independence of the Southern church and dep
recate any tendency towards the surrender Of
that independence. Besides DIR. Mutually. the
protest was signed by Rev. Patterson Fletcher
Of Clarksburg. w. Va; Elder D. L. Young. o.
Mississippi. and Elder Geo. Wise. OF Virginia
The report on the Synodical records Of Mis-
souri, were approved with The exception thai
that Sy nod had decided the benediction wal
prayer. The committee considered them two
distinct ordin noes. After some discussion the
Assembly approved the report.
The reform and retrenehment question wai
then called, and after further discussion, en-.
gagged in by DIR. ]. B. Adger and Rev. ]. B.
Carne, of Tenn essee, the question on Mr.. Mar
tins amendment was called by Rev. ]. G. Nal
10y, of Kentucky, which was voted down. The
resolutions Of Rev. Mr.. Hopkins, opposing the
reform measures, were then adopted by vote
of l20 to 8. Mr.. Martin then gave notice of pro-
test, mainly on parliamentary grounds, and
spoke of that prophetic vision recorded in the
Scriptures, when the Angel Of Destruction
shall begin the slaughter of those who do moi
m ourn and sigh for the departure of Gods peo-
PIE from His work.
DR.. Hoyt deprecated the impression that was
sought to be produced that the minority had
not had every opportunity of q fair discussion.
DR.. Adger. from the committee on revision
reported that the work was in better shape
than 1t had been. The chief alteration is in
the last four chapters. and in the omission o.
ali forms except that for funeral occasions when
NO minister is present.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
At the afternoon session the moderator ap-
pointed as the committee to answer DR.. Null
lally's protest, DR.. Adger, Rev. A. G. Hopkins
and Elder 8. A. Lynn; also a committee on
SAS >~ASsoAASeSA SOSAO0ys ScAAPOoSo "a OAs Ala -
Hodge, DIR. VIM. T. Richardson, and Elder VIM
w irt Henry.
DR.. Adger, from the committee on revision
read the report. Among the recommendation
ministers are to preach rather than read theil
sermons; the Lords prayer and decalogue are
to be read in church worship; days of humilia
tion and pray r, as well as fasting are to be OBJ
served, the session to determine the days. Tn,
report was passed by and a vote was taken OF
the Turner appeal case, which had occupied the
greater part Of the day. The vote stood to sus
tain the appeal 80. not to sustain q not voing
NIGHT SESSION.
DIR. Armstrong, of Virginia, speaking to thu
report OF the Committee on Revision of the Di
rectory, deprecated the submission to the Pres
byteries of the question whether they wished
revision or not. He said that the Presbyteries
act in the Assembly through their delegates
and that the Assembly was competent to STOP
the revision if it thought proper.
The report of the committee was adopted
with an amendment attached, that a copy o.
the revision be sent to each session, in addi.
ton to the copies to be sent to the ministers and
to the clerks of Presbyteries.
The Moderator appointed as a committees tc
draft minute in the case of w. 8. Turner
Rev. D. W. Shanks. "a; Rev. A. G. Hopkins
Va, and ]. M. Buford, ESQ.,. Alabama.
A warm doctrinal discussion occurred on an
overture from the Synod of South Carolina
asking If good and necessary consequences
from the written law be themselves law?"
DR.. Girardeau held not, and was opposed by
Drs. H0yt and Girardeau. DIR. Girardeau said
that it was the purpose of the overture to as
certain whether it is necessary 70 go to the
very words in the Constitution of the Church
for authority.
EIGHTH DAY-FRIDAY
Assembly met at O'Clock, a. M, and was
opened with prayer by Rev. Patterson Fletch-
or. The minutes were read and approved.
: Maj. J. L. Buford desired to have his vote in
the appeal case OF " s. Turner changed from
the affirmative 10 ne alive but tue Moderator
decided thai he could not now change his vote
as the ay Is and noes had not been called.
SYNODICAL RECORDS.
The synodicai records of North Carolina,
Kentucky, Nashville. Texas, Alabama, Mem
phis. were recommended by the Committee
and approved.
In the case Of the records Of the Virginia
Synod the Committee refused to approve the
action sf the Synod in admit ing to the minis
try OF East Hanover Presb ytery, Rev. Mr..
Howison. who had been dismissed from the
Lexington Presbytery.
There was considerable discussion over this
exception to the records. many favoring the
exception for the reason that in licensing Mr..
Howison the Presbytery of East Hanover had
not conf'rmed TO the Constitution ofthe church
On motion the exception was stricken out and
report adopted.
A telegram of greeting was received from the
General Convention Of the Y. M. G. A. for the
United States and Canada now in session al
Cleveland, Ohio.
A letter was read from Rev. w. G. Handy
giving reasons for his non attendance on this
Assembly as representative of the General
Synod of the Reformed Church at Brooklyn.
The report of the Committee on Theological
Seminaries on the overture from Bethel Pres
bytery, 8. c., was read and adopted.
NARRATIVE.
Toe committee ON narrative made their re.
port, which represented the growth Of the
church as favorable. The reports sent up speak
of the faithfulness, zeal and industry of tht
pastors. In Texas there is some complaint O.
the deacons neglecting their duties. Intern
perance is spoken of as the great evil ofthe day
There have been NO special REVEALS in tht
church.
One of the most painful facts learned from
the reports is the neglect Of family worship
and catechetical instruction. The dissertation
of the Sabbath by the Government, common
carriers and worldly people is greatly deprecat-
ed. 1t seems that the colored people have, fol
the present, at least, passed beyond the reach
Of the Presbyterian church.
THE BETHEL OVERTURE.
In regard to this overture from Bethel, 8. c.
Rev. 81. B. Pratt moved a modification by strik-
ing out the clauses relative to the reorganiza-
ton of Columbia Theological Seminary and
urged the submission of the overture thus
modified to the Presbyteries for consideration
and action.
He argued that now was proper time to
send down the whole matter for the considera-
ton of the Presbyteries and the criticisms Of
the newspapers and still further important as
one of their seminaries Is now under process oil
reorganization. He wanted the whole over
ture AID moi a part Of it sent down to the Pres
byteries He claimed that the object of this
overture is to bring about broader study OF
the English Bible among students of Theology
1t proposed:
let. A study Of thu Bible as a whole.
End. A study of the Bible on an English basis