The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-05-31
ing habits and eccentricities remains to
be SEEM Christian at Work
(From the Presbyterian
The Northern Presbyterian As
SemblY.
SPRINGFIELp, liz, Man 20

in the capitol. The attendance of citi-
zens and strangers was larger than yes
terday, Notwithstanding the rain, which
commenced to fall early in the morning.
The Moderator announced that he had
sent kilograms to various Presbyterian
bodies in session in the country, with the
congratulations of this body. Among
them was the following :-"To the Gene
raj Assembly of the Presbyterian Church
in session at Atlanta, Ga. Fathers and
brothers: We send you our hearty salu-
tations"
The annual report in relation to the
Relief Fund for disabled ministers and
the widows and orphans sf deceased
ministers was presented, as we'll as that
Of the Standing Committee. The report
states that the whole number assisted
during the year ending April 1st, 1882,
is 1866; of these there was 1876 ministers,
244 widows of ministers, and 90 orphans.
The total number are found in 119 Pres
byteries. During the year "a Of those
who enjoyed the fund died. The re-
ceipts during the year amounted to $780,
CSC 81, and the expenditures to $50. 9O4.
The Permanent Fund held by the Trus-
tees at the time of the reunion, in 1869,
was sos, 50l Since that time over
100000 have been added, making the
total at the present time S277256, the
income from which amounted last year to
$13,1O
Rev. DR.. Prime also urged that an eff
fort should be made to raise at least
100000 the coming year for this fund
so that the pittance now bestowed upon
the fathers, widows, and orphans of the
Church may be increased.
Rev. John Fernand, of Indiana, sub
mitted the following:
RESOLVED, That this Assembly views with ap
prehenson and sorrow the growing negligence
on the part of our members to attend to their
solemn duty of presenting their children to the
Lord IN the ordinance of baptism, and that we
earnestly recommend and urge upon our minis
tiers and elders to see to it that the heads of
families under their care shall take upon them
seve their covenant vows, and that the children
OF the Church receive the seal of the covenant"
Referred to the committee on the Polity
of the Church.
MONDAY, May 22nd.
After the religious services the Assem-
bly, proceeded to business.
The afternoon mainly devoted to the
consideration of the work among Freed
men. The financial statement shows that
sec, ACT were expended in this work last
year, against $43, 100 for the previous
year, while the receipts from all sources
for schools and missions exceeded those
of the preceding year by $4,000, which
amount came largely from the colored
people themselves. There are now 1853
colored Presbyterian churches, with -
456 members; Sc schools, with 6O88
scholars; 3 chartered institutions, with
967 students; 4 choools, with 976 schol-
ars, and 157 Sabbath Schools, with TO-
249 scholars
Judge Strong, of Washington City
read the majority report of the Assem-
bly's Committee on Home Missions The
majority of the committee recommended
the reconstruction of the methods of con-
Quoting the Home Mission work of the
Church, and proposed that individual
Presbyteries should decide the manner
of disbursing the means raised for this
cause within their territory, instead of
allowing the Board of Home Missions to
control these matters as at present.
In the afternoon DR.. Noyes, of Evans
ton, presented the minority report. urg-
ing the continuance of the present
methods and protesting against the radi-
cal changes proposed by the majority as
unnecessary.
Notes from the Assembly.
The theme of DR.. Darling's sermon
as he gave it in the sermon itself, was
" Methods of Evangelism" Over all
methods he placed an ordained ministry
as Gods chosen fundamentally for car
rying out His purposes Of love to our
humanity" as the chief He demanded
as the first reconstruction in methods
OF Evangelism that we should give the
ordained ministry of Christ its scriptural
place in the church No class of individ-
uals or organization of men should be al
lowed to take its place nor in the way
ofsaving our humanity should be allowed
IN any way to compete with it," Law
evangelists and Christian associations
&c, were hidden to stand aside.
Coming as he does from Central New
York, and from the region of Auburn
Seminary, the protest of Dr. Darling
/ against Rtualistic forms in the sanctuary
was considered significant
In the speech made by DR.. Herrick
| johnson in taking the Moderator's chair
he referred to two well-known men. He
said -" I remember in the old reunion
| days, something more than a decade ago