The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-06-02
The General Assembly.


CLOSING DAYS OF ITS MEETING IN sTAUNToN
| On Thursday morning last, after various
routine reports, DR.. Mutually presented his
| formal protest against the action of the body
in sending greeting to the Northern Assembly
| The protest was signed by Revs. Mutually and
| Fletcher and Messrs. D. L. Young and Geo
! Wise A committee was appointed to an
/ swer it.
| The Assembly next took up the report of
| the Committee on Retrenchment and Reform.
| DR.. Armstrong and Rev. Mr. Cayae favored
| the majority report.
Mr.. Molloy took the same ground
The question was then ordered.
Mr.. Martins amendment was rejected.
The majority report offered by Dr. Hopkins
was adopted on division-ayes, 1870; noes, s.
The resolutions in the majority report forbid
any change in the present scheme of church
beneTolence.
DR.. Martin gave notice of dissent from the
action just taken
The case of Mr. Turner from the Synod of
Georgia came up, a brief statement Of which
was published last week. After considerable
debate, a vote was taken and Mr. Turner suS-
tanned by 80 to %.
AT the afternoon session, various commit
tees were appointed by the chairman,
Rev. j. B. Adger, d. D., chairman of the
Revision Committee, presented the Revised
Directory of Worship, as accepted by the
Assembly at Charleston in 1880.
This report covers the following points
viz, public worship on the Lords day; public
worship on other occasions the administra-
ton OF baptism; the administration of the
Lords Supper; the visitation of the sick; the
burial of the dead; secret and family worship,
and marriage
This Directory has been in the hands of
the Church Tor a year past, and Presbyteries
have given it, generally, q careful revision and
their criticisms have been sent up to this As
sembly for its further action. Many changes
have been made. Rev. G. D. Armstrong, D.
d., moved that the Revision be reprinted, and
that one copy be sent to each Presbytery and
two copies to the clerk OF each Presbytery,
requesting the Presbyteries to take up the
book again and give the next Assembly the
result of their criticisms, and that the expenses
attending its republication be paid by the As
ssembly.
Dr.. Armstrong explained that this revision
G1d not originate in the Assembly, but that it
frst came up from two or three Presbyteries,
esrnestly desiring such a revision; and fur
|. her, that over sixty Presbyteries have given
it a careful examination, and their criticisms
Al e now before this Assembly
Drs. 4Adger, Hoyt, and Revs. Shanks, An
le.'son, Halves, Hopkins, and others partici-
Dated in the discussion of the resolution, and
Rev. A. O. Hopkins offered the following sub
First, Tn at the Presbyteries be overturned
to ote first upon the question whether or not
hey wish any revision of the Diction airy of
Worship; antl
Second, tbs in view of the possible con-
urgency that "a majority of the Presbyt cries
hall vote for Irevision, they be also overturned
o send up their criticisms upon the revision
is now subm1tte\d; and if so, whether there
hall be such n, vision only of the present
Directory as shall make it conform to til e
orm Of government and rules of discipline.
A T NIGHT
he report Of the COMMITTEE on Revision of
he Directory of worship was taken up, and
t was decided not to submit the questions to
he Presbyteries. Ihe revision, after being
printed will be sent to the Presbyteries for
urther examination.
FRIDAYS PROCEEDINGS.
The most important report of Friday was
hat N ade by Rev J. A. Quarles, chairman of
ne co mmitte on narrative, giving an account
If the state of religion W thin the bounds of
he 9 ereral Assembly. The report said:
LO oking over the entire territory and OBJ
ervi Ing its hills and valleys, it is noticeable
has the highest points, where the sun Of pros
,erT " is most fully seen, are upon the Allan
ic S eaboard in the Synods of Virginia North
Jar Dina, South Carolina, and Georgia In
hes e parts of the field the work appears en-
,ou ragnglly prosperous. In the synods OF
iss ippi, Missouri, and Arkansas, the hiltops
re not so high and the valleys seem somewhat
lee per; and yet the view upon the whole has
no re of light than of shadow. We enter the
on grounds of weakness and need as we go
Mt o the Synod of Texas. Here the shadows
es m to prevail, and Gods people find their
Itch somewhat sorely tried. Texas is
nj ghty empire in prospect, but our people
vii hin its borders are but feeble folk Fol
oy wing the points upon which the Assembly
~ asked information, the committee find
L. That there is record of official fidelity
ga It up from all parts of tina Church. Many
If he reports emphasize the ZEAL the self de-
La |, and the faithfulness of the ministry.
,ol ne of them complain of the right of the
,as toral duty of visiting on the part of the
III ing elders. A few declare that the office
Tb lie others lament that their deacOns are not
Iii We to the importance of their work.
g. As to an attendance upon the ordinances
IF Gods house. and an appreciation Of them,
In testimony is substantially unanimous that
tn 9 condition is decidedly encouraging.
g. Not many of our Presbyteries, and but
few of our churches, have been visited by
SD ecldl OQJpOurlnSS OF tHc spirit VI COHNeISlOu
II ,e church at Fulton Mo-, has probably been
mt IRE highly honored in this respect than any
OIL ler But the majority of the reports indi-
cal de that the Spirit has been present, adding
to the Church such as should be saved
Il. Intemperance is everywhere bewaied as
the monster evil of the day But few churches,
however, find it amongst their members.
Worldly amusements seem to be giving but
little trouble Covetousness is mentioned in
some of the reports as prevailing to an alarm
ing extent
). One of the most painful features of the
situation is the general report OF the neglect Of
family worship The family is the integer of
the church Indeed, it is the Church in min
iature. Detection here demands the earnest
of our pastors and session..
6 1t is painful to learn in this connection
fiat the catechetical instruction is so largely
neglected in our Christian households; but it
is, on the other hand, encouraging to know
that our Sabbath schools are almost universally
attending faithfully to it,
7. That the Sabbath is everywhere, accord
ing to our ideas, desecrated by the Govern
ment, by common carriers, and by worldly
men, is a fact too well known. 1t is, however,
pleasant to know that in the general cemmu-
nitv and in the Church the reports show a
healthier sentiment and correspondence
better practice
s. In worshiping God with their substance
the reports, almost without exception, show
an increased and growing fidelity on the part
of Gods people,
O Eycent in Teyas from q fau vuooly Droo