The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-05-31
(From the Atlanta C0nstitation.)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
FOURTH DAY-May %.

TOOhlh DA1-bldy a..
The opening religious service was con-
Quoted by Rev. James Stacy, of Newman,
Ga
The report on Tuscaloosa Institute for
colored ministers was read by DR.. Still
man.
An overture was presented from the
Presbytery of Athens, for the publication
of hymn book with tunes. Referred to
the committee on publication.
DR.. Girardeau, from the committee on
Foreign Missions, desired to make par
tial report. A meeting of the Assembly
was requested for s o'clock at night, at
which Rev. Drs. Leighton Wilson, Pratt,
and others would speak. On motion of
DR.. Lefevre the req uest was agreed to.
DR.. Girardeau then announced that there
were many demands upon the treasury,
in consequence of which collection
would be taken up at the same time.
DR.. Bryson made partial report from
the committee on Home Missions. He
asked that Tuesday night be set apart for
the consideration of the question, and on
his request it was resolved that collec-
ton should be taken up for this purpose
also.
DIR. A. P. Smith, from the committee
on Publication, moved that Wednesday
night should be set apart for the consid-
Grafton of the Publication. interests of the
church, and that a collection be taken up
in connection with this subject also.
Dr. Lefevre called for division of the
question, as they were rather OVERRIDING
the business Of collections. So ordered,
and on vote the meeting was ordered to
be held but the collection was not to be
taken up.
DR.. Lefevre desired to present the re-
port of the Judicial Committee. The
Stated Clerk, DR.. Wilson, interrupted
with paper which he desired to present.
1t was for the appointment of E. g. Pey-
ton and S. F. Massengill to act as com
missioners of the Inslee Fund DIR. Lee
fevre then proceeded with his report. 1t
related to the appeal from the Memphis
Presbytery regarding the right of col
ored minister to seat in the Presbytery.
The committee reported plan by which
the Assembly should ia ke up and vote
upon the question by sections. The re-
port was received. DR.. Lefevre then ex-
planned that he would not ask to have
the question made a special order, as his
experience had taught him that special
orders only served to clog other business
of equal Importance He therefore asked
that the report be placed on the docket
to take its place in its regular order
That direction was ordered.
FIaternal Relations with the Northern
Presbyterian Church.
DR.. Brown, chairman of the committee
on Foreign Correspondence, submitted the
following report:
The committee on foreign correspond
ence report to the General Assembly that
Jour overtures have been placed In their
hands, viz: from the Presbyteries of Alb
ingdon, Holston, South Alabama, and
Maryland. Also resolution offered by
Rev DR.. Pitzer The object of all these
overtures, with some slight difference in
their forms of expression, is the same. They
desire and respectfully request this Gen
eral Assembly to establish fully and for
mally what are called "fraternal rela-
tons with the General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church of the United States
of America, by sending forthwith dele
gate or delegates to that body, now in
session at Springfield, Ill. The resolu-
ton referred to proposes also that such
delegation shall convey an expression of
our willingness to cooperate with that
body, as far as practicable, in the work Of
home and foreign evangelization.
After the most careful consideration
your committee have been able to give to
the weighty matters involved, they re-
commend tothe Assembly the adoption of
the following paper
While the General Assembly might
restrict its answer to these overtures and
the resolution, by a general reference to
the action of former Assemblies on the
same subject it may be proper to state
it somewhat fully, not only out of regard
to the sources from which these papers
emanate, but as useful to a right under
standing Of the matter in hand It's our
deliberate judgment that to accede to the
requests aforesaid would not be q meas
ure suitable in itself, nor would it minis
ter to the edifcation of our church and
this judgment is sustained by the follow
ing reasons:
/ Because it would be Inconsistent
with the position taken by our church
a position thoroughly considered and
thoroughly established.
In 1874 a committee was appointed
by our Assembly, at the request of the
Northern Assembly, to confer fully with