The Indianapolis journal., 1890-05-20
Northern Presbyterians Take a Step That
May Unrayel the Revision Tangle.
Re-Referred by the General Assembly to an En-
larged Committee After Debate BY Learned
DiVines on the Scope Of the Adopting Act
Work of Board Of Missions for Freed
menand of Education Discucussed.
Anti-Lottery Resolutions Adopted by South
ern Presbyterians- Bishops Elected by the
Conference of the N. g. Church South.
ASSEMBLIES OF pREspYrEn1Ass.
Reports Submitted to the Northern Gaths
tuC-Rayixion Ouasfion Reco,nmiffed-

ASSEMBLIES OF PREsBYTERIANs.
Reports Submitted to the Northern Gather
tng-Reyision Question Recommitted.
SARATOGA. N. Y. May 19.-The Presby-
terian General Assembly was opened this
morning with the usual religious exercises
After the minutes and various bills and
overtures were read and referred Dr. Kemp
shall moved that the report of the commit
tee on methods of altering the constitution
be referred back to committee enlarged
by seven new members, fairly representing
both sides. with instructions to report as
early as possible to the assembly. This
was seconded by DR.. Patton and opposed
by DR.. Roberts, chairman of the commit
tee who thought that the matter had not
been sufficiently debated. DR.. Kempshall
thought the reference back would prevent
waste of time and perhaps serious and last
ing dissension. DR.. Patton said he had
seconded the motion in the interests of
harmony. He thought such an enlarged
committee could secure substantial una
nimity.
DR.. Herrick johnson, of Chicago, thought
it singular that, if this was in the interest
Of harmony, the chairman of the committee
should not have been consulted. He
thought more discussion was necessary be-
fore such reference. Let US do as was
done In this house seven years ago In the
great debate on the amendment of the
rules of discipline, when two days were
spent in debate, item by item. He moved
that the motion be laid on the table. Lost.
The question of recOmmittal was then de-
ferred and the matter dropped for the pres
ent.
The Board Of Missions for Freedmen made
It's twenty-h fifth annual report through Rev.
Il. ID. Morris ID. d.. of Cincinnati, who said
twenty five years ago we had no church,
school, educated colored preacher or teach
er, while to-day finds us with PAS churches,
rs schools 1T colored preachers and 1873 col
ored teachers. and not less than 100000
freedmen are now reached by their good in
fuence. The receipts of the board during
the year were $4,000. q gain over
last year of $4,000. The freed
support Of their own churches and schools
$4,000. Nine new churches have been or
ganized. In the Carolinas the emigration
OF the negroes to the West has depleted
many of our churches. In Georgia the
colored population is increasing rapidly,
and is now about 100000, and in no State,
except perhaps Texas, are negroes getting
property so fast There is similar progress
in Arkansas, where many Of thosew hare
left the seaboard are settling. The negroes
as whole are multiplying far faster than
the means of educating them. But in the
regions where our schools are ilfiteracy
wanes. Parochial schools are especially
helpful At Brainerd Institute nearly
large three-story dormitory, for three or
four years. has been put up by the students.
During the year we have had 316 mission
aries, 252 of them colored, being 20 moro
municants IS 1862, and Of scholars in 254
Sunday schools, IL, 1872. In our other rs
schools arc 1O.169 scholars, and
III teachers. To our funds asst
women's societies and bands contribute,
| while 3.773 churches do not. The women
have been especially helpful this year,
raising $40, We have S46.S of invested
| funds. 1t was recommended that the sal
| aries or the secretary. treasurer and clerks
be reduced to sum not exceeding $500.
The Rev. X. II. Allen. ID. D., secretary of
| the board, followed in earnest advocacy of
larger giving and interest for the elevation
| of this race. He said there was serious
hundred negro children are born in the
| South every day, and In less than ten years
they will be in the majority in eight States,
and their votes, before long, will be cast
port girl for year in Scotia Seminary.
1 which has already graduated 200egirls, only
seven of whom have failed to do we'll. Mr..
| Alexander, colored, of the Cape Fear IN. c.
Presby terry. thought the Presbyterian pol.
must be done for the negro. No other
| church is square on the color line; not even
the C0ngregatiOnalist, that this year has
| gone back on it's grand record The Rev.
| Mr.. Hunt. colOred, of South Carolina,
He thought there was no more negro
problem, the Presbyterian Church having
| already solved 1t.
The motion to recommit the report Of the
Il .x,,sA -e -
taken up. and DR.. w. H. Roberts, of Lane
| Seminary, Cincinnati, said he did not
! speak to the motion. but to the report The
| report wns not shaped to favor one OF other
view of the revision question. What the
speakers say is only their opinion. The as
sembly is the supreme court of the ques-
| tions of interpreting the constitution. The
adopting act of 1883 has not been read as q
whole in this assembly. You have been
misled as to its character. What has been
act by which the Confession of Faith may
be amended. The Confession of Faith itself
was adopted. not in .17Ss, but in
1729. and the synod. having adopted
the Confession of Faith, provided in that
form of government a method for its
amendment, and also in the adopting act
| which refers to the amendment of the con-
do mainly with matters of polity and wor-
ship which were substantially those OF
the Church of Scotland. That synod OF
1888 itself exercised the power of altera-
tion and amendment. Surely they did not
mean to deprive the church of that power.
They would not have been the large
hearted men they were had they attempted
that. If they had We would have been
justified in getting relief by what on:
friends call revolutionary methods. were
there no other way. Notice in the adopt
ing act the word unless and what
follows: Unless two-thIrds of the
presbyteries,' etc. In fact, what Ii
called tho adopting act is simply provis.
ion for orderly amendment in the future
Ministers at ordination have always been
required to adopt the 'doctrinal standards.
but only To approve the form of govern
ment. So the synod. in making the adopt
ing act. recognized this sharp distinction
between doctrine and discipline requiring
only bare majority TO propose alteration.
in the latter. bnt two-thirds for alteration
in the doctrinal standards. We want free
dom in details of administration. Ths
General Assembly has always recognized
this difference. Two or three times
mittees of its own motion t.
consider thesexpedience OF alterations in
the Confession of Faith, merely requiring
two-thirds ratification by presbyteries be
fore declaring tho alterations obligatory
The assembly has right TO correspond
with the presbyteri on any subject i
deems of sufficient importance. All tha
we are trying TO do Is to unity methods
putting them in one place and forever be
yond controversy. am neither old or new
4 l. I.lDv xox y it'd ~lxxx~. -