The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-11-04
syNoD OF VIRGINIA.
x,uety.tourth Annual Session.

Reported for DC DisPas0h'I

l "a several additional delegates from
~, Siaerent prcsbytericS, who bad arrived
e. eitv after the session of Wednesday.
ID ~. these was the Rev. Edward Lane,
a =. ~ 7presbvtery OF Sac Paulo, in South
V'D,ica. who is In Virginia on furlough.
pcx DR.. WitheTspoon, from the Com
,.,,c on devotional Exercises, made a re-
NJ recommending hours Of daily meeting
ir5 adjournment OF synod.
Tbo committee also recommended that
-, ,adrcss OF the Secretary OF Foreign
az. ions be made the order for Friday at
il T u S'y renorts Of the Committees on Memo
Ii are made the order FOR 10 O'Clock FRI
FREspYTERIA1. RECORDS.
The committees appointed on Prcsbyte-
.;.i Records Of the different presbyteries
r,sde reports approving these records, as
80 a. written. with exceptions in several
rssos. The exceptions were stricken out
~ vote OF synod, and 70 amended were
adopted.
pcv. ]. G. Read, Rev. DIR. Blackwell,
pcv DIR. Edwards, Rev. Mr.. Chandler,
pey +. II. Wilson, Rev. ii. G. Smith, and
Pey Dr. +. NJ. Richardson, Of Memphis,
were introduced to the synod and invited
n take seats rs visiting brethren.
Rev. Mr.. Campbell presented an over
turc from East Hanover PreSbytery for the
sppojntmcut Of n day OF fasting and prayer
in view Of the small number Of additions
10 The Church during the past year, and Of
the small number Of candidates offering for
the ministry.
THE CoLORED CHURCH.
The stated clerk read the report Of the
Committee on Minutes OF General Assem-
blv. The committee found nothing re-
ouiring special action OF the synod. The
committee recommend that the commune
cation from the Presbyterian Historical
Society, Philadelphia, The suggestion con-
famed therein. be complied with, and that
synod appoint a committee according to
the recommendation OF the General As
sembly.
To This report Rev. Thomas Jones sub
mittcd following amendment:
Resolved, That the stated clerk Of synod
be authorized 20 correspond with the stated
CLERK, Of adjsccnt Syn0dS with the view Of
forwarding the establishment OF a Prcsby-
terrain church for the colored people; that
the whole subject be referred to commit
Tee, TO De reported on at this meeting.
DR.. Mutually offered a further amend
ment. that it i recommended that COM
mittec be appointed TO report at this meet
inc Of synod on the question Of col0red
church. as referred to in the General As
sembly minutes.
DR.. Muilally's amendment was lost, and
the report, with Mr.. JOncs's amendment.
was adopted.
Rev. DR.. Richard McIlyaine, in referring
TO this matter, said that two Of the SynodS
he had visited during the year had taken
action on this subject. The matter elected
avery interesting discussion.
THANKSGIVING.
Rev. DR.. Smith offered the following re-
solution, which was referred to the Com
mittee on Bills and Oyertures:
RsSolred, That all ministers and churches
connected with This Synod lie earnestly ana
aflectionately invited to unite in observing
the first sabbath Of December next ne sea-
son OF special acts OF thanksgiving to God
for His goodness and continued blessings
TO our Church and our whole nation.
At 12s O'Clock, after season OF devo-
tional exercises, the Synod took recess
for fifteen minutes.
ADDRESS Of EDUCATION.
The SYNOD rtassembled at quarter be-
fore O'Clock. The Moderator announced
NJ. Richardson. Of Memphis, the secretary
Of education. DIR. Richardson was intro
duced, and spoke at some length or the
great importance OF the cause he repre-
sents. lie said that last year there were
only IA candidates for the ministry re-
ported to the General Assembly. OF these,
so had received aid from the committee.
So far this wear onlyG9 have been reported,
but there will probably be as many to assist
as there were last year. The TACT stares us
OF the small number OF candidates ana Inc
great work 10 be done. There are sixty
seven presbyteries on our roll, and our
territory covers nearly one hall OF inc
United States and embraces over ] ,OUO,OOO
OF people, and yet our increase OF minis
tiers i'm all this territory i only about six
Der annum. In the Inst i've years there has
been an increase Of only f.ity-seycn churches
and twenty-nine ministers in the bounds
of the General Assembly. DR.. Richardson
spoke earnestly in behalf OF a serious con-
sideration of the great want Of the Church
in this respect. Each minister should look
TO his own responsibility in the matter,
and the churches and people may not con-
slider themselves iaultless.
The duty Of the Church to accord its
ministers q proper support was remarked
upon i'm connection y in the fact that so
many OF it, ministers are compelled to H.
Dor elsewhere for living. The Church
should be educated TO a higher apprecia-
ton Of It's ministry. II The people ana
ministry feel in their hearts that The CAufch
needs more pastors, We shall certainly nave
them. Another matter OF great importance,
said the speaker, il the conservation OF our
children 10 the Lord. The failure 10 90
this l. q source Of great injury snd eYii TO
the Church. And then, too, every chl'rch
should strive 10 do II, utmost IN tins mat
ter. lie mentioned one single church III
the South that had through the influence OF
one pious elder sent out sixty minister's
He urged that every church contribute TO
the support OF the cause OF education
At The conclusion OF DR.. Richardson's
address Rev. Mr.. Dabncy offered the ioi-
lowing:
Resolped. That our duty to God and His
Church in the southern states demand ah
increase Of fifty hcentiGtes annually ID our
ministry at this time.
Resolved, That pastors, elders, and pa
rents are earnestly requested 70 instruct
the cOnscicnccs OF Christian young men OF
the claims Of the ministry.
Res0lced. That an increase in the cOlec-
tons for education, and in individual effort
for educating deserving young men, Is de-
manded BY the immediate wants OF The
work.
DR.. Dabney spoke to the purport OF the
resolutions, and was heartily seconded ana
supported by Or. Brown, Or. Smith, Or.
Pryor, and others.
The resolutions were adopted.
DIR. Witherspoon, from the Committee on
Trafo;o,, f.odidofes for the Ministry, sub