New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-20
FOR DISABLED MINISTER'S.
ADDING TO THE CENTENNIAL FUND.
DAT OF KINDLY FEELING IN TUE PRtsbf ETHAN
GENERAL ASSEMBLY - TIE EARNiN's of =
GARNET BREAsTPIN.

GARNET BREAsTPIS.
fBYrELlsGaAru THE rs.BusE-l
philadelphia Nav lD-Thc skies were somewhat
brighter here to-day than they wore yesterday In
Tho streets umbrellas wcro carried under the arm tho
threatening weather making il unsafe TO leave them
?. the hotels. In horticultural Hall, where the
. nearly 500 commissioners TO the Presbyterian Gen
cral Assembly met for three hours and nan 'h's
morning. tho clouds had also disappeared. When the
Assembly adjourned yesterday everybody felt that
somebody else had blundsrcd TWO phases OF the
Southern question come before the body the work
among The freedmen and organic union In the ho'eis
were seen groups OF delegates discussing the days
work in most cases deprecating the attempt to force
o discussion ON this important question before Inc
memorial meeting of both assemblies on Monday next
Some comment has been caused by tho somewhat
singular letter which the Southern Committee OF Con
ference sent the Northern Committee In whch
they asked questions regarding the doctrine OF the
Northern Church and the duties Of its board not 10
speak Of heIcsies, Pclaglan and semi Pelsgan ali Oh
which questions could DO satisfactorily answered ny
one OF their own number, II he should spend an ho'
I'm reading the minutes of the Northern Assembly. III
speaking of this matter Tho Tribune correspondent,
a prominent mcmbcr of the Northern Commiuoe sa'o
that these questions had all been discussed by inc TWO
committees in an oral conference extending over t"o
DAYS before the letter written, and that the OBJECT
of the letter was not TO inform the southern Cohf
mi.tce but 10 give them formal replies 10 Prcsc W
their constituents. Tho people do not know uo Pi'
They are I'm vast minority. If union comes " means
Tho surrender therefore, of the traditions held dear 10
thousands II union Is forced now, against the VIII
OF the leaders IL the breaking up OF the southern
Church. The leaders viii not come INTO INC u'ho''
nor Will the large following which stands ioya 10
them In the opinion Of this able representative OK
e Northern Assembly tho time for the organic union
has not come 1t difficult to say 1t will not GOMEZ
hutohe most that seems probable now is the appoint
mcnt Of committees by both assemblies, II ooth ADOPT
the report which camo up yesterday TO CONSIDER inc
method Of union at any other time, perhaps next
year. possibly later.
To-day nothing was said about the Freodmen's
Bo2rd 1t is a day Of sentiment day OF thanks
giving, day for congraulatory speeches. day when
the rule of the Assembly forbiddng applause is not
enforced We're tho commissioners members OF
another denomination. many an audible amen would
ascend For two three years the Presbyterian
Church all over tho land has been waking up to a
sense of its dutJ to ifs disabled ministers and tho
widown and orphans of deceased ministers. Public
meetings have been held, the press, secular and re-
c,ous has been used extensively. Circulars almost
without number have boon scattered through every
State and Territory, and In return for their aoos tho
Centennial Fund Committee have boon adding to tho
million dollar permanent fund for the ministerial
BOARD OF Relief The gifts have ranged from
check for $4,000. given by a member OF Dr. Johh
Halls congregation NewYork, TO the garnet breast
pn contributed by the daughter of deceased Presby
terian minister New contributions arc reported by
every mall Tho treasurer to-day reported
total on hand and pledged OF $3oo'ooo
Tho Secretary Of the Centenary Fund, the Kew. DE-
George c. Hickman, presented pathetic appeal ior
the aged ministers, an appeal sufficiently pate,c 10
decmate the number of theological students In tho land
and to turn all the college students into trade.
or send them into the coal mines 10 earn
their lvings But he closed his address by
holding up the orphans garnet pin. j. H. baiu"h'
ha .odN
dollar from every commissioner, the money gwen 10
the fund and the pin returned TO its rghtfm owner
Hundreds Of amens, silent amens, were ut'creo'
Handclapping followed that shook the blue bunting
I'm the badly ventilated hall and two men WIN SIX
hats stood on the tables to receive the dollars. NO
one knows whether the moderator put the question:
One man. fearful lest the proverbial nine should not
return give thanks, put in dollar apiece ior 'ho
nine brethren along with his own assessment Ihcro
were many s. bills and so bills The orphans INTO
will be far productive than the gifts OF many
prominent churches In the denominations.
The speech of the day made by Governor
Beaver. of this State. who was made vice'moderator
Yesterday. When the order OF the day. tho report OK
the committee upon the work OF the PRESBYTERIAN
Board of Relief for Disabled Ministers and the WIDOWS
and ORPHANS of Deceased Ministers, was called for,
Governor Beaver chairman Of the committee. read
comprehensive report, reviewing the WORK OF tho
Board. There had been a falling of In the controu-
tlons but nevertheless the balance was larger 'nah
Tho last wear amounted to 500 ,922 So, compared
with 500 7e0 the previous year from individuals
slls13 %, compared with S2oO01 II; interest nom
permanent fund.- S17,942 OF. compared WIN
sl6378 19: interest from deposits In banks $4Z3'
compared with 1900 So miscellaneous recoipts'
sG0G 49, compared with $805 SO. The total receipts
wore Slo979S AZ, compared with $136,3o3 90 the
preyious year Notwithstanding this decrease In the
receipts the expenditures were so mucE less that inc
balance on hand was s4,75o Sc. the largest working
al at
"A new year 1t was gratifying also to note that the
church collections had increased moro than S2'ooo
over those of the previous year one reason ior
tho falling off in the individual contributions was
the fact that many wealthy and generous members
have responded literally TO the appeal for the Con-
tenary Fund and, while largo individual gifts three
for $4,000 EACH had been received by the Centennial
Committee there had been no such gifts Tor current
use The committee, however thought This iuhd WIS
one of the best things started by the Board
Tho duty Of the Church was plair. and pastors ana
elders and members should that collections ana
individual gifts added to the annual interest OF inc
permanent fund of 81 100000. This Will suince III
the future drive hard and bitter want away from
the homes of sick aged servants of the Church
and the bcreaved homes Of those whose husoanus
have so faithfully served the Church
Tho number on the roll Of tho Board TO whom re-
nittapces wore sent upon the recommendation OK
Presbytcries 564 ministers 226, widows OF min
isters 49, orphan families "a and one female mis-
sionary who, according TO the directions Of tho Cen
eral Assembly is placed the roll for the beneiac
tions of THIS board upon tho same conditions minis
tiers" The number Of families provided Tor during
the year tho Ministers House, Perth Amtoy, N j.,
was 90 maang upon the roll of the Board during the
past year total OF 5e4 families. The number OF per
sons who share in the appropriations maoe Uy ono
Board TO these families may be estimated at ABOUT
5000. There have been forty-fou names removed
from the roll by death; thrty-one minister's Twelve
widows and one orphan.
The General Assembly of last year, at Omaha, rec
commended that not less than $4,000 be annually
contributed to this sacred cause" This sum was
named by the Assembly Of 1855, at Minneapolis when
the number OF families upon the roll of the Board was
only asa Just 100 less than during the past year
But the whole amount OF contributions last year for
current use, from church collections and individual
gifts was only S110,736 0S, or nearly 100000 less
Than the recommended and urged by the Assem-
bly,.