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

Presbyter1ans In Council.
PROCEEDINGS OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY
AT sTAUNToN CONTINUED.
/ FIFTH DAY-TUESDAY.
The first business before the Presby
terian General Assembly South thi
morning was the report Of the direction
of the Theological Seminary at Column
bia, s. G. The finances were reported
in better state than ever before. DIR
Girardeau, as agent, had succeeded ir
adding to the endowment fund the sum
of $50, 900; the present annual income II
Iestimated at Sc, 900. DR.. Girardeau has
sOr, and DR.. Palmer has been elected
ary Of tie Perkins professor had been
put at whatever the Perkins fund will
yield. The salaries of other professor.
ships are just 81, 900 per anpum.
DR.. Armstrong, from the COMMITTEES
on seminaries, reported the overture OF
Bethel Pre- bytery AZ to the necessity Of
closer application and more rigid exami-
nation of candidates In the study of the
English Bible, and recommended that
the assembly call the attention Of the
directors to the matter.
DIR. Pratt, of Bethel, 8. c., considered
the subject of prime Importance, and
had it made special order for to.mor-
row.
The report on foreign missions was
presented by DR.. Pryor and adopted.
| The discussion Of retrenchment and
reform was then resumed by Rev. ]. A.
Quarles, of Mo-, who made q strong
argument of more than an hour in its
favor.
| Elder J. D. Anderson, of Paris, Texas,
wanted something practical. or the as
sembly would sit right down on all re-
form propositions. They had had
enough theory.
Rev. J. G. Malloy. of Owensborough,
KY, wanted to shut off further debate
by call of the pending question, but
was not sustained.
| Dr. Adger, of South Carolina, spoke
fOrcibly in favor of reform. He did not
think that S130 600 for all the benevolent
objects was doing well for 120, 900 mem
bers and the system certainly admitted
of Improvement.
DR.. j, Leighton Wilson, of Baltimore,
made good speech in opposition to the
measures of reform, every word of which
had it's effect.
Rev D. o. Davies, of Kentucky, fol-
lowed on the same side with very sound
arguments, and DR.. Mullally closed the
discussion of the morning session with
a very effective address, opposing the
| refOrmers
DR.. Schaff. of Union Seminary, New
York, and chairman of the committee
of the revision of the Bible, being pre-
sent, was invited to address the body
He responded in q half hours speech,
which deeply interested every one, as
he gave short sketch of the work 0fthe
committee. Their work was done, and
now it was for the Christian people of
the country TO say whether they would
use it alongside of the old or allow it to
take its place. He respected the feeling
of reverence that attached to the old
book and wanted to see no violence done
that settlement. It was quite possible
that some mistakes had been made by
the committee, but they had come as
near to the original as could now be at
tanned, though IL was probable that in
fifty or hundred years an edition might
be made that would approach still more
nearly the original. In answer to ques
ton from the moderator, DIR. Schaff said
tAO WOulO OC al 6CSSlOu JHIs
week and wonld go to work on the Old
Testament, and perhaps in three years
complete that work.
SIXTH DAY-WEDNESDA
The Assembly met again Wednesday
morning at g.. m. The Auditing Com
mittee reported the correctness of the
accounts and vouchers of the treasurers
of Home and Foreign Missions and o.
Publication. The assets of the Publ
cation Committee were stated to bt
$50, 7l0 so. the liabilities of the commit
tee $36 966 SO
The Auditing COMMITTEE further re-
ported the correctness of the accounts O
the treasurer of the Tuscaloosa Institute
The Committee on theological semi
naries made report, endorsing the elec
ton of DR.. B M Palmer, OF New Or
leans, to the chair of Pastoral Theology
in Columbia Seminary. The committed
further recommended the restoration, BY
the Assembly, of the ownership and con
troll of the Columbia Seminary to the
SynOds of South Carolina, Georgia, anC
Alabama
A long and animated debate ensueC
on the propriety of the Assembly af-
firming that portion of the committee'l
report which expressed the hope thai
DR. Palmer would see fit to leave New
Orleans for Columbia.
In this debate DR. Girardeau, DIR. J
Leighton Wilson, DR.. w. E. Boggs, o.
the board of trustees for the Columbis
Seminary, and DR.. Mack of the same
board spoke in favor OF the Assembly
urging upon DR.. Palmer the importance
of his accepting the profeseorship DIR
Girardeau's address was one of the finest
ever delivered before q deliDerativt
body.
Rev. M. B. Shaw, of La, Rev. ]. T
Davidson, of the same State, Mr. w. r
Lyman. a ruling elder of DR.. Palmer'l
Presbytery, and others, made vigorous
protest against such action by DR.. Pal
mer, on the ground that he was fulfill
ing larger sphere of usefulness in hi,
present work in the territory of th'
southwest.
| DR. Adger stated that it was absolute
ly necessary that the Assembly shoule
either ratify or reject DR.. Palmer's elec
ton.
The report of the committee wa
adopted, with an amendment striking
out the clause that the Assembly ex
press the hoEe that DR.. Palmer will &C
cept."
ncV. DI. "A. v. u. Scnenck, OF Tn
Presbyterian Historical Society of Phil
adelphia, and Rev. Moses D Hoge, D
D., OF Richmond, Va, addressed tn
Assembly, by invitation, on the impor
tance of its cooperation with the His
torical Society in the preservation of til
historical records and statistics of tn
church.
! The Assembly then adjourned to NEE
again at Al p. m.
AFTERNOON SESSION.