The morning call., 1890-04-29
PRESBYTERIANS.
Annual Session of the Synod at
Calvary Church.
sunday-schools Retrograding Ct Church Mem
bership Decreasing Missions
Considered.

The quarterly meeting of the Presbytery
of San Francisco opened yesterday morn
ing in Calvary Church, the Rev. j. M.
Thompson, as Moderator. occupying the
chair.
The Rev. j. w. Ellis was received, by
letter, into the Presbytery from Los An
geles.
The Revs. II. c. Minton of the Presby-
terry of San Jose, P. NJ. Macdonald, Ph.D.,
of Boston, j. A. Cruzan and Aaron Will
Jams of the Bay Congregational Associa-
ton, were invited to sit as corresponding
members.
After some discussion. it was resolved
that the Presbytery of San Francisco in
vite the General Assembly of 1891 of the
United States Of America to meet in Cal
vary Church, the Revs. DR.. Easton and A.
j. Kerr being appointed committee to
make convenient arrangements with the
railway officials for transportation rates.
etc.
The records Of the Central Church were
disposed of by the adoption of the COM
mittee's report, presented by Rev. DR..
Chapman.
Rev. j. w. Ellis. DID,. was chosen Mod
orator Of the session Of the church for the
remainder of the current year.
The report of the Committee on Home
Missions, presented by Rev. II. II. Rice,
stated that no new Presbyterian church
mad been organized In this city for over
eight years, that the entire membership
was less than 1t was two years ago.
ANNUAL REPORTS.
The yearly report of the Presbytery gives
the number Of elders at 1lS and that of
deacons 20. Communicates number 1868.
and Sabbath-school members 1857 The
years funds for home missions amounted
to S5176; for foreign missions to $4S1O and
Tor educational purposes to S256, $50. Under
the head OF congregational" that is to say
EXPENSES incurred by the various congrega-
tons in maintaining their services, etc.,
Sl10,662 is the amount disbursed. while
SzI16 Tor church erection, and SS857 for the
miscellaneous expenditures are the two
principal remaining items.
The assessment ordered of 20 cents per
head, with the exclusion of the Spanish and
French churches, for synod and general
assessment purposes, on total membership
OF 5047, will yield $1,000 49,
The report of the Sabbath-school Com
mlttee OF the Presbytery, presented by the
Rev: j. NJ. Thompson, brings out some
hard facts in very plain words.
RETRoGRADING SCHOOLS.
The committee, after stating that the
uuHloeI VI SCHOLARS Is less by 2Ol, con-
cludes by stating that :" we are, however,
profoundly impressed with the failure of
our schools In the past to ever hold the
ground once gained. We have been retro
grading sadly" 1t also pointed out in the
report that membership roll of 500S
scholars has resulted only In an addition Of
III to the communion of the church. A
lack OF sympathy had stopped any further
attempt at public school institutes or nor
nal classes.
THE EVENING SESSION.
The seating capacity of Calvary Presby-
terrain Church was not very greatly taxed
last night by those who attended the meat
ing to consider home missions.
After Rev. I. j. Curtis of Woodbridge
Church had read passage of Scripture,
and after prayer by Rev. Sheldon Jack
son, Rev. DIR. Rice read a report which
stated that IN San Francisco there are six
teen Presbyterian churches, with MEM
bership OF 3067 In contrast to this, there
are in the city $500 saloons. The report
demonstrated that the church membership
is decreasing, and the interest in church
work dying out. The missions at North
Beach and Bernal Heights are doing well,
and there is demand for two new churches
in the western part of the city.
Thomas Magee was then introduced, and
made brief address favoring personal
effort more than giving money in aiding the
poor.
Rev. DR.. Easton, pastor of Calvary
Church, was then introduced by Chairman
Rice, and spoke of the problem of evangel-
izlng San francisco. | am no pessimist,"
said the doctor in the course of his rem arks.
L 10 not believe that the devil has a
mortgage on San Francisco, which he can
foreclose at his pleasure. but we must be
wise and see our faults. If we can save the
metropolitan centers Of our country we can
save the republic"
DIR. Easton said San Francisco is possessed
OF heterogeneous population. About sixty
dialects are spoken in the city. The speaker
regarded the saloons as the greatest evil
church workers had TO contend with. He
termed it 81 the sum of all iniquities," and
said the saioOn-keeper is as red-handed a
murderer as the man who sends his bullet
into the heart of neighbor.
A CLEAN PRESS DEMANDED.
Sunday Dissertation, loose divorce laws and
the panderlnS Of the press to the low tastes
of tain class was severely condemned
We demand, in the name of the church, a
clean newspaper, press that is purged of
that which Is unclean. salacious and tend
ing TO aid vice, urged the speaker.
DIR. EaSton said that he had thoroughly
examined the city and particularly North
Beach, and found that that neighborhoOd
rivaled in sQualor and wretchedness MANY
OF the worst Sums of the Eastern cities
be urged that a mission be established
there and promised his services to preach
one night week if suitable hall were
provided.
Elder Charles Geddes of Westminster
Church and Rev. Mr. Smith of st. Johns
Church also spoke briefly on the subject of
home missions.
DR.. Easton. at the conclusion of the meet
nnnAnnpnd q mr. nf fha IL. u