The Evening critic., 1882-10-24
SYNOD OF BALTIMORE.
Action on Compipints-Misce eiianc-
ous business Transacted.

The Synod OF Baltimore resumed It's Sessions
at Alsquith.sircct Presbyterian Church yostcr-
day morning. Judge Drake, from tho Com
mittoo on Bills and Overturcs, reported that
n pnpor before them, slgnod by Rows. George
Morrison and George u. Buchanan, was IN OF.
feet complaint against the action OF the Daltl-
moro Presbytcry, and not protest, as repre-
sontcd by thom. Tho committee said that one
objection mndo In the papor was thnt delegates
10 the synod were elected by the prcsbytory on
tho basis Of tho ministerial element alone as
the unit OF representation, and was violation
OF the organic principle contained In chapter
10, section 2 OF tho form OF government
second ground OF complaint presented is that
the presbytery decided that all acting elders
were eligible for election, and did proceed to
paes by elders who were present In tho body,
or had been elected by their respective con-
gregations 10 represent them In the presby-
iery, and selected mon who had not boon
designated by tho congregations to represent
them. "This POSITION" the committee said,
"means that the presbytory had no con.
stitutlonal right to elect any elder as dele
cato TO synod unless no was at the time n
member OF tho presbytery, present therein or
appointed thereto. We know no provision In
the constitution OF tho Presbyterian Church
which lays down any such rule On tho con-
trnry, II is the constant practice OF presbyte-
ties to elect as delegates TO tho General AS
sembly elders who hre moi at the timo delegates
TO the presbytery elocting thom. There is no
reason why the same may not be dono In the
caso OF delegates to synod" The committee
recommended the complalntb be dismissed, and
after somo discussion the recommendation
was agreed to.
Tho REV, George o. Little, of the committee
on church erection, reported that applications
and grants during tho past year were larger
than over before. There were 2S7 applications
received, calling. for S1S1,500. Appropria-
tions were made for 213 churches, amounting
to Sl01, ,13O, an average OF $4SS TO cach church.
The gross receipts OF tho board amounted to
57,1S5, an increase over the preceding year
OF S33,02l. Contributions were received from
236 more churches than In any former year,
but there were still 1880 churches that con:
tributod nothing TO tho board. In this synod 20
churches In Baltimore Presbytery gavo SB61;
23i New Castle Prosbytery gave $3.50, and 1S
in Washington city gave SiiS, making total
OF 81 churches giving 1850. Aid was granted
TO one church In Now Castle Presbytery to the
amount OF 1900. making the gifts Of the Synod
to the board ~ ,050 more than that granted by
the board. Resolutions were appended urging
that the non.contrlbuting churches should
make contributions during tho coming year,
and also that each church within tho bounds
Of the synod forward u special contribution to
the board OF church erection of at least 50 for
the church OF Jacksonville, Fla. The report
of the committee was adopted.
The Rev. s. II. Howe presented tho report
OF tho committee on home missions. Tho
board employed 1908 missionaries, who
have organized 155 churches and have added
to the membership 11,4s5 COMMITMENTS.
Receipts were $i03,10S.S7 for tho year
against S3i5,011 for the previous year. or
this sum the Synod of Baltimore contributed
sG935.61, falling Off Of S1f3.01. The
presbytery OF Baltimore contributed 10
091.35. thirty Eight churches contributing
and eleven churches not contributing; Wash
ington city contributed $1,6S1.33, twenty
three churches contributing and eight
churches not contributing; New Castle con-
tributod 81 $50 06, thirty-eight churches con-
tributing and seven churches not contribut-
ing.
At tho evening session Rev. Samuel H..
Howe preached the annual sermon on foreign
missions, and the report OF the committee on
that subject was road. After the transaction
OF some routine business the synod was ad-
journed to meet in October OF next year.