The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-04-27

Necessity Oh giving cneer1ully TO the
cause of Christ" While not so intended
by the author, the report in this whole
scheme of retrenchment would conduct
the work Of the Church on the narrowest
and most sordid SCALE" and thus "takes
sides with the avarice and selfshness
of the human heart" Of course every
body is in favor of economy, but the most
economical course would be to have no
collections at all. All, however, agree
that the Church has work to do, and all
that DR.. Wilson contends for is that we
must not practise that Improbable econ
omy which would destroy the efficiency
of our schemes for the doing of this work.
Nor is it true that the scheme of the
Minority Report will result in economy.
2. This report tends to disintegration
of the Church by disparaging remarks as
to the usefulness and powers of the Gen
eral Assembly.
3. 1t is intimated that ministers who
act as treasurers for our benevolent
schemes, violate their ordination vows in
performing duties belonging to deacons.
This is refuted, first by reference to
what was done by Paul and Barnabas,
and second, by what has been, and often
must be done by missionaries in conduct
ing their work in heather lands
He.then takes up three questions:
l. "Will it be found practicable or
economical to substitute one central treas
urer to be located in some rural town for
the sake Of economy, in place of those To-
cal treasurers now employed?
2. Can any Of our Committees, and es-
peciallyour Executive Committee of For
eign Missions, carry on its work with sys-
tenn and efficiency without Secretary?
3. Has the present mode of conducting
Foreign Missionary work proved fail,
ure, and IS it necessary, therefore to 90
back to Apostolical times for model
upon which to conduct it?
These questions are considered in their
order, and as the affirmative has been
the burden of the minority report, our
reviewer overthrows its positions fully
and completely. The last part of the arti-
Gle in which the writer considers the ques-
ton whether our Foreign Missions are
failure Is ably dealt with. They
are so only in the sense in which the
Church of Christ is itself failure. That
is to say, we have come lamentably short
OF our duty But speaking relatively,
the work of missions in these late years
has been anything but failure. The
splendor of success has become the ad-
miration of the world. This part at least
of the article should be published by all
our religious papers.
But we must close this notice, and with
a few distinct remarks:
l. This whole scheme of the minority
report with one or two exceptions on
points which did not originate with it) is,
to say the least, novel. 1t has no support
in the experience of any Church, and it
proposes in place of that long experience
to substitute what is untried and vision
airy.
2. We do not believe these speculations
have, at any time, met with any wide &C.
ceptance. 1t is safe to predict that when
the matter comes to be weighed in the
balance" at the next Assembly, it will
meet with but little favor at the hands of
that body. We may observe that if there
is more than trace Of sympathy towards
it in the Synod of Virginia, the fact is
not within our knowledge.
3. When this matter is acted OF in our
next General Assembly we hope that the
conclusions reached will be regarded as
final, and that there will be no further
agitation of the subject. Free discussion
is indeed a part of our Presbyterian
birthright, and we most cheerfully accord
it to all but we think the time will have
come, when the Assembly shall speak,
for acting harmoniously together through
out the whole Church on some deter
mined and established plan which shall
be acquiesced in by all DR.. Wilson most
pertinently says-"If spirit of innova-
ton becomes dominant among us; if
fault-fnding becomes chronic com
plant; if change and REIMBURSEMENT are
perpetually insisted upon, then we can