St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-29

closer relations between the two churches
might be entered into. DR.. Crosby intro
auced a resolution appropriating $500 for
the Assembly Journal, to be paid only in
case the paper does not pay for itself.
The resolution went to the proper COM
mittee.
The judicial committee recommended
that the complaint of Rev. Leo Baler
against the synod of Minnesota for not sus-
tanning his complaint against the Presby-
terry of st. Paul be referred back to the
snyod for new trial or more specific
statement.
DR.. Pierson offered a report that the
second Sunday in January be held as day
of special prayer; that the last Thursday in
January be the day of prayer for colleges,
etc.; that the special day of prayer
for children in June be specially
observed; also the concert of prayer
for the Y. NJ. c. A. in November.
DR.. CAME next addressed the assembly
again upon the proposed consolidation OF
the three church papers which he thought
impracticable.
DR.. j. III. Montgomery read the report of
the standing committee on temperance, in
which the report of the permanent commit
tee was reviewed at a considerable length.
AS conclusion, the report stated that as
only twenty-five churches contributed to
the committee during the past year, the re-
ceipts scarcely equaling the salary of the
secretary, and as the debt had been more
than doubled, that it was
BEST TO ABOLISH
the permanent board of temperance. or. if
it is continued, the assembly should direct
churches to contribute to its support as with
the other boards; also to place temperance
in the statistical tables, otherwise that it
was useless to prolong the precariouS con-
dition of the committee by goOd-natured
resolutions passed annually by the general
assembly. The committee therefore
recommended that the permanent
should be dropped for the reasons that 1t is
useless to be further burdened with Use
less board, the churches by failing to re-
spond to the assistance of which have
already condemned it as superfuous; third,
the work can be done through other agen-
cies-through the board of publication by
the circulation of temperance reading, by
the synod and presbyteries, by every church
and minister.
Rev. John F. Williamson of Nassau read
minority report, which started off with
the expression: THE standing committee
recommends that the permanent committee
shall go forward in the name of God" and
and in effect asked that the committee be
continued. Quite little furry was
created in accepting both of the
reports in order to get them
before the house. DR.. J. H. Montgomery
then took the floor and coolly proceeked tC
show that the permanent committee was
entirely useless. One Presbytery, one good
temperance pastor, or one local branch OF
the w. G. L. o., would accomplish more
than the permanent committee. One tenn.
perance newspaper at the cost of 80 cents q
year would furnish all necessary informa-
ton. To abolish this committee was moi
taking backward step, it was simply de-
Gliding as to means.
HE WOULDN'T STOP TALKING.
DR.. W. P. Brown. secretary of the per.
manent committee. mounted the platform
and proceeded to make long-winded tenn.
perance speech. After listening for some time
patiently, tall, gaunt commissioner of the
assembly arose and suggested that there
were about 4S0 other gentlemen present
who could make good temperance speeches.
He understood that the only question be-
fore the honse was whether the permanent
committee should be abolished or not. He
would suggest that Dr.. Brown confine him
self to the question. The moderator stated
that the easiest way to get rid of Mr..
Brown would be for the assembly to let
him alone. This was accordingly done and
the commissioners for the most part went
to reading the newspapers, while the
doughty Brown held the platform for the
following hour and half and went ON tC
tell what he had accomplished for the
cause of temperance. He was strenOusly
opposed to the abolition of the committee
OF which he was secretary. He was also
in favor of constitutional prohibition, .
which was advocated by the minority re-
port.
Elder Shepard of Baltimore came for
ward to offer
LITTLE COMMON SENSE.
He remarked that there was no difference
+ of principle; all the commissioners were
| temperance men. The only question wa:
! that of method. He thought it was ap
parent that the churches were contributing
more literally than ever before to the cause
of temperance, but still they did contribute
to the support of the committee. Whyi
Simply because they no longer need of the
committe and employed other agencies. Ii
view of this he offered substitute to the
majority report, which read to the effec
that the committee having. during the five
! days of its existence, organized boards Of
temperance in each synod that the farther
organization of the work in the presbyterie;
be referred to the synods. and the commit
tee discharged. This seemed to strike the
commissioners as an easy way to avoid the
semblance of backing down by abolshins
! its temperance committee, and the substi
tute was loudly applauded. Rev. Henry
Ward of Buffalo made rampant speech
in which he said the obliteration of the
committee would be generally accepted as
retreat. The hour for adjournment having
arrived, it was decided that instead of the
popular temperance meeting arranged, thai
q continuation of the debate should be hello
in the evening.