Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1889-05-31
PRBSBYTBRIANS MEET.
The 1O1st General Assembly
in Session at New York.
Southern Presbyterians Gather
at Chattanooga, Tenn.

The Rev DR.. Howard Crosbys Fourth
Avenue Presbyterian Church, in New York
CITY. was filed to overlooking when the
1O1st General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church in the United States of America
ODened its annual session with prayer.
Altogether there were 4S0 delegates or
commissioners to the Assembly, half Of them
clergymen the other half ruling elders.
They represented twenty-eight synodS, or
state districts, the synods being divided into
30 presby teries, which correspond to local
or city governments, and these again includ-
ing $500 churches with 760, 900 communicates,
and representing total population OF about
$500 900 persons.
The Rev DR.. Charles L. Thompson, of the
Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, of
New York city, the retiring Moderator, de-
ivered his final sermon, after which DR..
William c. Roberts, the President of Lake
Forest University, was elected the new
Moderator.
On the second day Of the Assembly the
Rev Dr. Morris, of Lane Theological Sem
mary, reported that 1139 churches, or II per
cent of all. had vacant pulpits in 1885, and
that 400 or 500 will remain vacant for lack of
a supply and lack of money. The rate Of dis
solution Of churches is increasing from mi
grafton and from UNCONVENTIONAL rivalry, but
most of all the cause lies in lack of ministers
and lack of money. The committee recon-
nended that the separate Presbyteries
should especially care for the weak
churches and supply ministers when there
was a chance Of nursing feeble churches back
to vigorous life.
The Committee on Revision of the Comics
sion of Faith asked to have Professor W. G.
T Shedd, of Union Theological Seminary;
Professor E. D. Morris, of Lane Theological
Seminary, and Professor r. B. WEIGH, of
Auburn Theological Seminary, added to the
committee and the work continued until next
year. The report was adopted.
Colonel Elliott f. Shepard, Chairman of
the Committee on the Observance of the Sab
bath reported that there is an increasing
disposition to observe the Sabbath in this
country, especially in the matter of trans
pOrtatiOn. The committee had also reason to
believe that the circulation of Sunday news
papers is decreasing
The Rev. DR.. Joseph T. Smith, of Balti-
more, Chairman of committee which met
a similar committee of the the Southern Gen
eral Assembly, reported that the committees
agreed to work together in many ways-nOt
to tresspasS on each others territory and to
let the work in the colored churches go on as
heretofore. A minority report by S. M.
Breckenridge, of Kentucky, declared for an
absolute union of the Northern and Southern
General Assemblies
In the evening there was reception in the
Metropolitan Opera House. given by the
Presbyterian Union to Commissioners of the
General Assembly. Governor Beaver, of
Pennsylvania, as Ruling Elder in the Assem-
oily, and others spoke.
On the third day of the Assembly 967 per-
sons, including the delegates and their wives
and children accepted the invitation of Colo
mel Elliott F. Shepard to make pious pill
grlmage on board the steamer Sirius to Perth
Amboy, where is located the home for
superannuated Presbyterian ministers.
The excursion set sail at Z O'Clock in the
morning, and the pleaSure-seekers did not re-
turn until late that afternoon. On the fourth
day the General Assembly adopted important
resolutions in regard to freedmen and aged
ministers The emigrant population and
home missions were discussed
On the fifth day of the cOnvocatiOn the
General Assembly adopted reports commend
ing the Home Mission Board and the Board
of Aid for Colleges.
The report of the Freedmen matter was
laid and the report of the Standing
Committee was considered.
II shows that there are 1892 missionaries i'll
the field; that 31S missionary teachers are en-
plOyed by tho board; that II, O75 persons have
been added to the various churches ministered
to by these missionaries; that 100 new churches
were organized during the year. and that the
amount received from all sources was
S838 1874, an increase of nearly $4,000.
Southern General Assembly.
The General Assembly Of the Southern
Presbyterian Church met in its twenty-ninth
annual session in Chattanooga. Eleven
was called to order at IL A. NJ.
in the First Church by the Moderator, j. j.
Bullock, OF Washington, D. c., who con
Quoted devotional exercises. The Rev. DIR.
Bullock delivered the annual sermon of the
Moderator.
DR.. H. c. Hill, of Fayetteville, n. c., was
elected and Installed as the new Moderator.
J. W. West, of Mississippi, and R. E. Cald-
we'll, of Louisville, were elected temporary
secretaries.
A good portion of the second days session
of the Southern Assembly was devoted to
reading reports.
The report Of the Conference Committee
with similar committee of the Northern
Assembly, on unifcation, was read. 1t is
similar to to the report presented at the
Northern Assembly.
A telegram of salutation was received
from the Northern Presbyterian Assembly
in session at New York.