Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-06-03
The Murkrille enquirer,
Y0RKyILLE, s.. *: y
THURSDAY MORNING, JUNE 3, 1886.
THE PRESBYTERIAN COUNCIL.


THE PRESBYTERIAN COUNCIL.
The Presbyterian General Assembly in
session at Augusta, Ga, concluded its Ia
bors last Saturday night, after a session OF
nine days.
The most absorbing question before the
Assembly was that of evolution, a discus
sion of which occupied Tuesday and We'd
nesday of last week. AS showing the scope
of the discussion we print on the first page
a synopsis of Tuesdays proceedings. Two
reports on this subject had been submitted,
the majority report being adverse to Dr.
Woodrow's theory of the origin of man,
and the minority report covering a number
of points mainly intended to delay action
and evading the question. At the conclu-
sion of the debate the majority report was
adopted by a vote of 1877 to Is. This report
is to the effect that the Presbyterian Church
remains at this time sincerelyconvincedt that
the Scriptures, as truly and authoritatively
expounded in our Confession of Faith and
catechism, teach that Adam and Eve were
created, body and sould by the immediate
act of the Almighty Power, thereby pre-
serving perfect race unity. That Adams
body was directly fashioned by Almighty
God, without any natural animal parentage
of any kind, and of matter previously Gre
ated of nothing, and that any doctrine at
v~arience Herewith is a dangerous error,
inasmuch as in the methods of interpreting
the Scriptures it must demand, and in the
consequences, which by fair implication it
will involve, it will lend to the denial of
doctrines fundamental to the faith. This
sets at rest the question of Adams origin
so far as the Southern Presbyterian General
Assembly is concerned.
Thursdays proceedings were devoted
mainly to educational questions, and discus
sion of methods for raising funds to aid in
the work.
On Friday the Assembly was chiefly &C.
cupied in the discussion of home missions.
The Rev. Alexander Mclean, d. d., one
of the corresponding secretaries ofthe Amer
lean Bible Society, addressed the Assembly
in behalf of the Bible cause, whereupon the
Assembly reported and emphasized its COM
mendation of the said society.
The day of prayer for colleges was chang
ed from the last Thursday in February to
the last Thursday in January, thus making
it accord with the day observed in the
North Presbyterian and other churches.
The report on the foreign missions was
adopted, and two annual collections were
ordered for that cause, one in May and one
in October.
The report on theological seminarieS oc-
cupied the attention of the Assembly until
the hour of recess. The night session was
also devoted to a discussion of this report.
On Saturday morning the discussion was
resumed and resulted, by a vote of 65 to %
in the adoption of the following:
Resolred, That whereas this General AS
sembly is convinced that the Rev. James
Woodrow, D. D., one of our professors Of
the Columbia Theological Seminary, holds
views repugnant to the Word of God and
our Confession of Faith, as appears both by
hisaddress published in the Southern PreS6y-
terian's review in July, 1884, and other pub
locations, and by his statements made from
the floor of this assembly, does hereby, in
accordance with its action yesterday in re-
gard to the oversight of the theological SEM
inaries earnestly recommend the Synods of
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and
South Georgia and Florida, which direct
and control the said seminary, to dismiss
the said Rev. James Woodrow, ID. d. as
professor in the said seminary and to APP
point another i'm his place, and to speedily
take such other steps as in their judgment
will be best adapted to restore this Seminary
to the confidence of the church.
Quite a number were absent, otherwise
the majority vote would have been larger.
The Assembly having received favorable
answers from more than three-fourths of
the Presbyteries, adopted a resolution strik-
ing out of the Confession of Faith the clause
f%orbidding a nan from marrying any of his
wife's relations nearest of kin than Of his
own, and a Woman marrying any of her
husbands relatives nearer of kin than of
her own. This is commonly known as the
"Deseased wife's sister clause" and thus a
marriage of this kind is no longer forbidden.
A report was adopted giving ruling elders
the same rights as preaching elders to he
moderators of General Assemblies.
The special committee on a communica-
ton from the Woman's Christian Temper
ance Union reported. The report recon-
mends that all possible steps be taken to
stop the evil of intemperance.
st. Louis was selected as the place for the
next meeting of the Assembly.
CHANGING THE GAUGE.
The change of the gauge of the entire
system of the five-foot railways of the
United States, embracing about II, 900 miles,
south of the Ohio and Potomac rivers, is a
work of vast proportions, and yet last Tues
day was the day appointed on which to
accomplish the task, though of course much
had previously been done towards it. But
the actual work of narrowing the tracks by
moving in one rail was virtually done on
Tuesday. The agreement by which this
change was effected, vas made in Atlanta,
on the 9Th of last February. At an average
cost of $S5 per mile, which will cover only
the actual expense of changing the gauge,
the cost will amount to 81, 119, 900, though
this is only an item of the aggregate eX-
pense, as all the rolling stock of the various
roads must be changed to conform to the
new gauge. This work has been progress
sing in the shops, a full equipment of loco
motives and cars being ready to run out
Tuesday night and yesterday morning on
the standard gauge tracks.
Although much has been written and pub
lished in the newspapers for some months
on the subject of changing the gauge, there
may be readers who have an indefinite con-
ception of what it all means. The object is
thus stated in a paragraph on the subject:
"The standard gauge is now adopted all
pxnr tho North onl I1niforYoify hoS lnnr