National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1883-04-05
Tho Appointment Of Committees and Election
Of Delegates to the Assembly.
The Report Of the Committee on the
Revision Of the Discipline.
The Changes Suggested Compared With the Present
Book-The Report Discussed,
Examination OF Candidates at the Even
ing Session.

Robinson temporary clerk. Yesterday morn
ing the presbytory reassembled at o'clock.
There were present the following pastors and
ruling elders;
Minislers-Theo. W. simpson: William I. Van
Chester, John l.. French, Jos, +, Nourse, Alex.
Farley, Charles r.. V. Romondt y. u Riddle, :.
s. H. Howe, George o. Little, JOS i. Kelley, g. H.
Patch, =. II. Burghardt, Charles y, Ramsdell, N
Cobb, A. McSweell, a. y. Henry, +; NJ. Iodd, r. j.
G5i%ES j. & FraiRgG SSI s. T. MS a & eJ, 6h
Dudley, Charles Bulsley, and Thomas s. Chids,
Ruling elders-John leech. G., b: jewell, f. -.
Wariield, !. Is. Slack, Charles Lyman, George
Hcrcus, Charles b. Church, J, ". Easily, John r.
Trimmer, s a. coe, j. b. ". Moore, j. Ii. ThOmp.
son, and Mr.. smith.
The churches in the prcsbytery are
Hyatsyille, Neelsye,. Jamestown. Herman
and Boyd's station, Maryland; rirst, Alexandria;
lewnsville: First Prince william; Big Oak
Mount Zion, Manassas, Russell Grove, Clifton AL
ginia West Street, Georgetown, d. G., and New
York Avenue, First, Fourth, Fifteenth Street As
sembly, sixth, Westminster, Western, Metropoli'
tan, North, Eastern and Unity, Washington city.
The moderator announced the following
committees:
On bills and ovcrtures-Sunderland, Nourse and
Easily; judcial-Kelly, Todd, and Jewell; min.
utes Of general assembly -Little. Grmke, Church I;
statutes for general assembly-Bittenger, Craig
The seasonal record-First Washington, Patch
York Avenue, Kelly and Dalrymple; Metropoli.
tan, Ramsdel and Church Unity, Fairly and
street Burghardt and Jewell; North church,
Cambpell and BOhfer; West street, Georgetown,
Todd Westminster, French Sixth church, Cobb
Herman Riddle and Hercus Falls Church, Simp-
son First Alexandria, Farley aud Coe Nlanassss
willie, Van Dozen and Robinson Jamestown,
Henry and Coe; Vienna, Miller and Lyman;
townsville, Riddle and Linton; Hyattsyille
Wallen and Thompson Boyd's Patch and Linton ;
narrative to assembly, Ramsdell and Patch.
Revs Messrs. Little aud Burkhardt and
Elder Jewell were appointed committee on
absentees and excuses Tho election of dele
gates to the general assembly was made the
order for II A. IN. Falls Church was chosen
as the place for the next meeting of the pres.
bytcry, on the Tuesday following the first
Sabbath in October Free conversation was
made the order of the day Immediately after
recess.
Rev. Mr. Grimke made report from the
committee OH education, which was accepted
and adopted. The case of Mr.. Kicks was re-
ferred back to the committee, with instruc-
ton TO take such action as they saw fit. A
communication from Eastern church was re-
ferred to the committee on bills and overtures
The committee on schools stated they were
unable to report formally. The matter was
postponed to the next meeting.
The report of the committee on election of
delegates to the synod was accepted and
adopted.
Rev. Robert H. Fulton, of the Baltimore
presbytery, and DIR. Blanchard were admitted
to sit as corresponding members. The COM
mittee on education reported verbally that
two applications for aid had been received and
aid extended.
Rev. DIR. Fulton, of the Baltimore synod
by permission, addressed the presbytery in
favor of a Baltimore Presbyterian.
Delegates TO the general assembly were then
elected, as follows Drs. Chester and Bittin-
ger; Revs Cumpston and Burkhardt, alter
mates. Rev. Drs. Pettigrew and Dinwiddie
of the Chesapeake presbytery, were allowed
to sit as corresponding members Elders Coe
and GUSTS were elected lay delegates to the
general assembly, and Elders Frost and
Jewell alternateS.
The presbytery then proceeded to the ex-
animation Of Mr. Frank Burdick, "a candidate
for ordination as follows DIR. Billinger pro-
pounded the questions in theology, Rev, Mr..
Little those Of church government and sac
ramGnts,
Recess was then taken n lunch was served
by the ladies' of the church, and at 1870 the
presbytery reasscmblcd.
On motion of Rev DR.. Little, the order of
the day was laid aside, and the report of the
committee on revision of the discipline
substituted. Rev. DR. Craighead read the
report of the committed, which was as fol-
lows:
Your committee to whom the duty was as
signed Of examining the report on the book of
discipline ~ the committee OF the general assem-
bly,, would respectfully state:
That they have given faithful attention to the
work nSsi gned them. They have held number
ofmeetlngs, at which all the members were pres
ent; when each and every section OF the assem-
present book and fully considered, As the result
OF said examination, II is our united judgment
that the Hsscmbly's committee have made many
and much needed changes aud reforms In our
present book.
/, In the way of abridgment; removing large
amount OF vGrbHgv thus reducing greatly the
number OF sections, aud the space occupied 0y
them, aud where me same general principle
and rules were applicable in our several ecclrsias
teal courts, and 10 the parties in action, 50 applys
ing them once for all.
>, In the way OF perspiculty substituting known
and understood WORKS and expressions for obso-
lete ones, direct and concise Tor indirect and cir
cumulucutory statements, with marked sim.
picily OF language and correctness in style and
III the way of conforming the methods of pro-
ceedure In trs in our Ecclesiastical courts to the
well known principles of common law. This ap-
plies especially to Witnesses the rights Of the
prosecutor ana defendant, the Judgment of the
court, appeals from its decisions and the jursdlc-
ton and dntic. OF appellate tribunals.
4. The associated COMMITTEES present two alter
nate sections a. The first IL In place of section
8, chapter l, defining who are, proper subjects of
infant baptism, and their relation TO the church
before baptism. This alternate section is an en-;
deaver to harmonize the different opinions held
in the church on this subject-particularly the
view held by some that children of baptized
persons are born members Of the church, us dis
unguished from our present article, which says
"baptized persons" are members.
The relation of unbRptzed children TO the
church Is not defined in our confession Of faith.
In chapter % IL is implied that all children Of
believing parents are born church members. In
chapter Is, !, II is stated they are made members
by baptism.
In the Judgment of your committee It is desira.
BILE, II practicable TO explain In what sense
discipline IS employed in this connection. and the
obligations of the church TO this class OF members
those baptized but not communicates,
.. lnseCtiOn 3d. page %, OF the assembly report,
which conforms TO our present book, judica-
tories appealed from are not allowed to sit, de-
lbpTate, or vote in the case when under cOnsid-
Grafton by superior judicatory. Tho alternate
section proposed coniers the right as they not
regarded as RpaTty.
The report OF the asSemblys committee also pre-
sent an amended folm OF chapter 10 of "The Di-
Teetory OF Worship" which relates to the mode
of iniicting and removing censuros. This
your committee approve us more concise simpler,
and clearer avoiding any danger Of civil actions,
such us have been Instituted against church judi
catorles' -, IT. CRAlGHEAD,
Chairman Committee.
In the appendix the assemby's committee pre-.
many and repeated oyeTIures TO previous assem-.
the first confers authority upon church sessions
10 excuse from the Lords table, and finally to
erase from tho church roll the names OF commu.
niCants whoaTe convinced they are not Chris
tians,
The second gives authority to presbyteries, for
prODer reasons, TO allow Il minister TO demit his
office and return TO private membership In the
church, aud 70 erase his name from the roll Of
presbyterY.