Clarksville evening chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn) 1886-1890, 1888-10-20
PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD.
PROCEEDINGS Of Yesterday Afternoon and
This Morning.
AFTERNOON SESSION.

Synod met at 2:8O O'clock and was
addressed for few minutes by Rev.
]. L. Stewart, missionary to China,
and was led in prayer by Rev. NJ. H.
Houston, d. d. DIR. George S. Saw
age agent of the American Bible
Society, over Tennessee and Ken,
lucky, presented the cause of that
society, in brief and pointed adj
dress. The following was offered
and adopted:
Resolved, That Synod records ii
has heard with pleasure and interest
the Rev. DR.. Savage, agent for Ten
nessee and Kentucky Of the Ameri-
can Bible Society, and hereby again
commend the Bible cause to the gen.
erous support of its churches and all
lovers OF the work of God.
A communication was read from
Holston Conference, M. e. church,
asking Synod to memorabilia the
General Assembly of Tennessee to
pass an act prohibiting the sale OF
cigarettes to boys under Is years of
age. 1t was referred to a special
committee consisting of Revs. L. II.
McCallie, J. G. McFerrin and G. II.
Blair.
The following report of Committee
on Narrative was read and adopted /:
Committee on Narrative report as
follows
/. We are rejoiced that the reports
from the various presbyteries give
evidence of commendable zeal and
fidelity on the part of ministers and
officers in their labOrs for the master.
2. The attendance upon the serv-
ices of Gods house are generally re-
ported as excellent and the. interest
of the people increasing. Many Of
our churches report special out.pour-
ings of the Holy Spirit and from the
field at large the cheering news
comes of generous accessions through
the use of the culinary means of
grace; which is suggestive as con-
nected with the report of the faith
fulness of the regular officers of the
church.
8. AS to intemperance and worldly
amusements, the committee has rea-
son from the reports submitted, to
fear that in some perhaps in many of
the churches, all the facts are not re-
vealed to the pastors, and SO fail to
reach the presbyteries. But from
many of the churches the reports
reveal decided decrese of the sins.
4. 1t is with sadness we record the
fact that family worship is generally
neglected within the bounds of the
Synod. So long as this neglect con
tinueS we may expect an increase of
worldliness on the part of such fami-
lies, and failure on the part of their
children to embrace Christ in early
life.
5. We are constrained from the
narratives submitted. to think that
catechetical instruction in Sunday
Schools and families is not as faith
fully observed as it should be, bnt the
interest seems increasing, and your
committee would rejoice in a general
return to the observance of catechet-
ical instruction which characterized
the church in former days.
6. 1t is with pleasure that we work
in all of the presbyteries that the
churches are growing in the grace of
giving as an act of worship.
Z. The observance of the Sabbath
day is not by any means up to the
standard as prescribed in Gods word,
and in this their lies one of the most
serious obstacles to the growth of
Gods kingdom on the earth.
P 8. The colored people are generally
neglected by our church in this
Synod, and this very much to our
shame. But few churches report
at all being done for them,
bnt in them, few we believe are put
ting forth commendable efforts for
the uplifting of these people.
8. The regular services and times
of service are generally maintained
by all the churches, Many of the
weaker churches are now making |
more earnest effort to observe the |
stated services Of the sanctuary.
We are compelled to chronicle a |
very serious neglect on the port of
the churches in one of our Presbyter-
les, Ii. e. Holston) to send up their
reports, half are reported rs guilty of
this neglect. The items which con-
stitute the body of this report have
been selected from thenarratives sub
mitted to this committee and are pre-
sonted to you as briefly as possible.
But from them we see there are
many things which awaken a pro-
posed feeling of gratitude to God
that he is being honored by greater
official fidelity, increasing liberality,
and decreasing wordliness on the
part of his people. On The other
hand we have to bow our heads in
shame that there are Sabbath desc
crations, neglect of family worship,
serious failures in catechetical instru-
ton. But deeper feeling of inter
est in the progress of the church, a
move through conservation to the
cause of Christ, the outpouring of
Gods holy spirit are the remedies for
Ill these failures. God has over
ruled these failures in many instan-
,es and poured out His spirit upon
he neOnle. saving souls from the