New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-16
MANY MEETINGS IN PROSPECT FOR THE VISITING
Neutrality-suspicious. OF THE CHURCH

MANY MEETINGS IN PROSPECT FOX THE 'isi'iN"
PREsBYIEhIAYs-GRowTH OF THE CHURCH
Philadelphia May 15.-While the Inhabitants Oh
other CITIES are filed with thoughts Of politics and
possible candidates, this staid town has only one
Neutrality-suspicious. is returning to Its home.
Already the delegates to the General Assembly are
gathering and the local committees are busy IN ar
ranging for tho hundreds Of clergymcn and laymen-
commissioners not delegatcs-an equal number OF
each class many Of them accompanied by their wives
and sisters.
AS announced in THE TRIBUNE on Sunday the
Centennial Assembly will convene Thursday at IL
a. m. In the old historic First Presbyterian Church
I'm Washington Square. The commissioners VIII
meet an hour earlier In Horticultural Hall and Will
proceed in body up Broad-st., down Walnut-st and
across washington Square to the church Tho open
ing sermon will be delivered by Dr. J. T. Smith, Of
baltimore, the retiring Moderator. The business
sessions will all be held in horticultural Hall, the
first one being held on Thursday at 30 p M, when
the Moderator and other officers Will BIO elected. In
the evening the Lords Supper will be administered In
the First Church
A series of popular evening meetings will be held
I'm the Academy OF Music during the sessions OF the
Assembly. Theological Education Will be presented
nm Friday evening of this week by representatives, OF
princeton. Auburn and Western scminaries, and on
SATURDAY evening Lane, Union and Mccormick
s.m,naries will be heard On Monday evening Mis-
sons among the Freedmen viii be the topic tuesday
evening. Home Mission Work, and Friday evening,
Foreign Missions.
Wills Presbyterianism in this country dates back
IN the earliest settlement by the English tho nrs'
presbytery was formed at Freehold n. j., In 100,
In 17I7 the General Synod was organized, ana 1860
the Church had grown to that extont that Genera
Assembly was necessary The first Assembly met id
the Second Presbyterian Church OF Philadelphia
church founded rs result Of the abors OF the ceie-
hnatad evaneelIst and eloquent preacher, the Rev.
George Whiteleld. The first Moderator was tho rev
Dr. John witherspoon, president OF Princeton coi-
lese and the only clerical sgner Of the Declaration
of Independence His successor presiding NJ INC
same Assembly for DR.. Wltherspoon only pfeachcd
the opening sermon, was Dr. John houscfs' pas'o'
of the First Presbyterian Church.
In connection with the centennial ceieDra'ioh IL
interesting to note the growth OF Pfespyeiiau's ~
this country From entertaining sketch OF us
history written BY the Rev. d. W. H. ROBERTS, oi
Lane Seminary, the efficient Stated CIcrk OF INC
General Assembly one finds that while the popu'
,ation Of the country has increased fifteen tunes
since 1850 the membership oil inc fIcsus .e.la,i
CHURCH counting in its three branches, mas lhcieaSsu
mora than ffty times. Especially mas pros perry
folowed upon reunion. In the 100 years oi INC
cxist@nce of the General Assembly now nearly com
nIefed the Church has added to her membership ny
profession OF faith about 1,5OO,OoO persons, VI mnn
6a2 600 have been received since low DuI ..n3
tLe ame neriod the benevolnt contributions aHouhtcu
70 about S67 600 600 of which more tnam F1oy ,,
have been given since the reunion; Inc ioilo"ihs
statjsticaI table contains in brief the record OF inc
crow and progress OF the Church Tor nearly 2oV
Prior to 1850 accurate figures seem u Do