The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-05-24

First Presbyterian church of Atlanta now
stands-the beautiful building in which
the General Assembly is holding its ses.
sions. There was then not even the sem
blance of a village, and the country
around was almost wilderness which
had only lately been coded to the State of
Georgia by the Cherokee Indians. At
lanta is now a handsome city of about
$4,000 inhabitants, and is advancing rap.
idly in wealth and population. 1t is a
great railroad centre, and perhaps no city
in the whole country illustrates more
clearly the influence of railroads on the
destiny of towns.
1t was well chosen as the place for the
meeting of the Assembly, and the dele
gates from every section were pleased
when it was Settled" that the meeting
would be held in Atlanta despite all the
rumors which had gone abroad in regard
to danger from the smallpox. The un-
certainty which was occasioned by these
rumors was removed in time to secure a
full representation from the Presbyteries
The Moderator, Dr. r. P. Farris, of St
Louis, Missouri, chose for the subject OF
his opening sermon the resurrection OF
Jesus Christ in its connection with the
truth of Christianity. He showed that
the present is not an. age of skepticism as
compared with the beginning of this cen
fury, and still less as compared with the
last century, quoting both from Christian
and infdel writers to sustain his position
The Assembly followed the good ex-
ample set by the last years meeting OF
having no contest over the election of a
Moderator. Only one person, Rev. R.
K. Smoot, D. D., of Austin, Texas, was
put IN nomination, and he was most
heartily and unanimously chosen. He
has already given abundant evidence that
the choice was well made.
The Annual Reports of the Executive
Committees Of Foreign Missions, of Home
Missions, of Publication, and of Educa-
ton were all ready to-day (Friday), and
will be severally considered on future
days.
The report on Foreign Missions shows
that there has been a steady and grow
ing interest in the work since our Church
entered on it twenty years ago. The
Church has now more than forty sepa-
rate organised missionary churches, Into
which have been gathered more than
1900 hopeful converts, the legitimate
fruits of her missionary labors." She has
a working force of fifty native laborers,
trained by her missionaries. She has
also twenty schools of different grades,
in which are gathered 500 native pupils.
These certainly are good results, and we'll
may the Committee urge the claims of it's
work upon the churches.
In the matter of Home Missions there
is vast work for the Church to do. AL
though many of the aided churches have
grown stronger and some have become
self-supporting, still there are 800 church
es vacant which have not been able to
obtain the assistance needed to enable
them to be supplied with the ordinances
Of religion, and there are more than 100
organised churches which need houses of
worship, but are not able to build with
out some assistance. The drought Of last
summer stretching over vast belt from
the Atlantic coast to the Mississippi, and
the floods of the past winter in the Mis-
sissippi Valley caused widespread dis
asters which have diminished the ability
of many congregations to support the be-
neyolent work of the Church, and have
compelled some to look Cor aid from the
Assembly's fund Our Church is still
doing almost nothing for the oolored pop
ulation. The subject demands more at
tention.
The report on Publication. showed the
gratifying fact (already mentioned in the
G. Presbyte,jan) that the debt which had
so long been a burden was at last eztin-
guished, and it is hoped that the time is
near at hand when this cause can be put
on better footing than it has ever been.
The Committee of Education show that
they have been better able than hereto
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