South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1883-11-09
Virginia Presbyterians.
Elders Declared Eligible to Moderator
SLIPS -A6jpurpnen of Synod.

a correspondent of the Baltimore
Sun writing from Charlottsvill,
under date of Saturday last SAYS
No subject during the session OF tn,
Presbyterian Synod of Virginia hac
elected SO much discussion and attrae
ted SO much interest, both in and out.
side the body, as the resolution will
reference to eligibility of the elders tc
the moderatorship of church courts.
has been the custom of the church
heretofore to contine its selection OF
mOderators to the ranks of the minis
try.
Rev. DR.. Il. NJ. Smith, OF Uuion
Theological Seminary, and the ma.
jority OF his committee claim thai
elders, according to the Book of Or.
der, are eligible to the moderatorship.
and early in the session presented the
following resolution:
Resolved, That the next Genera
Assembly be requested to send down
the following overture 10 the presby.
teries for consideration and decision
viz: That TO the clause in the Book
OF Order, chapter +, section 3, subsec.
ton 2, stating that ruling elders poss
ess the same authority in the courts oil
the church rs the ministers of the
word, shall be added this sentence
when, how ever, ruling elder is
moderator of presbytery, synod OIL
General Assembly, any official duty
devolving on him, the performance OF
which requires the exercise of the
functions pertaining only to the teach.
ing elder, shall be RENTED by him
for execution to such minister Of the
word, being q member OF tie court,
us he may select
DIR. Smith presented his views upon
the subject i'll IN hours speech at the
time tine resolution was offered, and
last night special session was held
i'll order to give time for a full dis
cussion, which ran through a long
night session and continued to L.
NJ. to-day, when vote WAS finally
reached.
Among those who debated tine i'm
portant question were Rev. r. Il.
llowison, of Richmond; Gen. Lilley,
OF Staunton DR.. Norman. OF Sn
lem; Judge Treadway OF ritteylva
MIA: Judge Gregory, OF Petersburg ;
Rev. f. Il. Hoge, OF Southwest Viz
sinia; Rev. DIR. II. f. Peck, of I'm
ion Theological Seminary, III advo-
cacy OF the resolution and in opposi-
ton to it, Rev. DR.. Richardson and
Rev. DR.. Read, OF Richmond; Rev.
DR. Hopkins, of Charlestown, W. Va;
Lieut.. Gov Marye of fredericksburg;
Rev. w. A. Campbell, OF Manches-
ter, and Rev. DR.. Lcievcr, Of Ba!ti.
moro.
On call of thc ayes and noes the
resolution WAS adopted by vote Of
g. to IS, half Of tho members having
left for home. ana the matter now
goes to the General Assembly. which
meets at Vicksburg, Miss, in May.
The Kent legacy Of one thousand
dollars, for intirm and needy minis.
tiers, WAS directed to be distributed by
a committee. of which Rev. D. ".
Preston, OF Witheville, is chairman.
The report of Dr.. Hopkins on home
missions was adopted, and the church
urged TO observe the day iii Novem-
Der appointed for special prayer for
candidates fOg the ministry
After a recess, Synod aud a large
congregation heard an eloquent ser,
mon Tonight from Rev DR.. Lcfevre,
and WAS then adjourned with the ben
edction by the moderator.
This has been the fullest meeting Of
the Virginia Synod ever held. there
beng 20l delegates present. Rank
ing next to this were the sessions held
seven years ago in Stanton, 1913 de.
legates and twelve years ago in Rich.
mond 200 delegates present.