Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-05-30
The Religious Bodies,

BAPTIST SOUTHERN CONVENTION
NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN PREsBYTE-
RIAN AssEMBLIEs-sOUT METHo-
DIST GENERAL CONFERENCE-vIRGI
EPISCOPAL COUNCIL.
The Southern Baptist Convention has ad-
journed at Fort Worth, Texas, after a ses-
sion Of the usual length. The most excit-
ing question of the session was the Board
of Publication. It's headquarters were
transferred to Louisville, KY.
The Southern Methodist General Con-
ference at St. Louis elected two new
bishops-Dr. Atticus G. Haywood Of Ala,
and Dr.. Oscar P. Fitzgerald of Tennessee.
At the session Friday, a communication
from the National Reform Association was
received, calling attention to the question
Of divorce, and asking some action such as
would aid in the elevation Of public opinion
Oh the subject. Rev. Samuel Rodgers, of
Baltimore, presented response in the
form of a resolution, the preamble of which
contained the information that in the past
twenty years 326,716 divorces have been
granted in the country. In that period the
divorces had increased 107 per cent. There
Territories, no two being alike. Thirty
causes for divorce are recognized in these
laws. The resolution was that the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church, South. recognized
but one (the spiritually clause of divorce,
and it will rejoice in the day when the laws
of all the States accord with the law of the
church in this respect,
Tie Northern Presbyterian General As
sembly at Saratoga has been considering
the proposition to revise the Confession Of
Faith. 1t agreed to do so and appointed a
committee of revision, but at the same time
passed this resolution:
Resolved, That this committee on revision
be and hereby are instructed that they shall
not propose any alterations or amendments
that will in any way impair the integrity of
the reformed or Calvinistic system of doctrine
taught in the confession of faith.
The Southern Presbyterian General AS
sembly at Asheyille, n. c., has been going
on smoothly with no doctrinal questions to
trouble it. On the subject of liquor it's
Committee on Temperance reported rec
ommending that the Church should not in
terfere in the legislation affecting it and
should declare neither for Prohibition nor
for License. By conceding the right Of
the Church to legislate on such questions
there was no telling where it would lead.
In fact, it would ultimately resolve itself
into church and State despotism. and was,
therefore, inimical to Individual liberty
and the rights of conscience. AS to the
scriptural Interpretation Of temperance, it
was held to consist in the moderate use of
both food and drink. The wines Of Scrip
ture were of an Intoxicating character. but
were regarded as blessings in their proper
and moderate use. The modern dogma
that the Greek and Hebrew TRANSACTIONS
signify unfermented wine as the wine in
use is clearly refuted by overwhelming au-
thority, many passages OF Scripture being
cited, The report was ordered to be sent
down to the various Presbyteries and to be
placed on docket to be discussed by the
next General Assembly.
The Annual Council of the Protestant
Episcopal Chui CHI of the diocese Of Virgin
ia closed it's session at Fredericksburg Sat-
urday. 1t adopted the following section to
Article II of the Constitution
"The council shall also be composed of the
cOlored ministers having seat and voice in
the council on the 18th day of May, 1889, and
of two clerical and two lay delegates from the
colOred missionary jurisdiction of the diocese,
as the same is now, or may hereafter be con-
stituted by cancn.'
Colonel James II. Skinner of StauntOn,
made a short, touching and forcible adj
dress on the work Of the brotherhood, and
called on the clergy and laity to do all they
can to develop this means of helping the
families left by deceased clergymen who
have spent their lives in the ministry and
leave families dependent on the cold CHAIR
ties OF the world.
Rev. d. Francis Sprigg, D. D., moved
that owing to the fact that the heavy and
devoted labors of the episcopate were more
than Bishop Whittle could bear in the i'm
paired state of his health. that the Council
grant him four months vacation and $500
to help defray his expenses. This was
heartily and unanimously carried by the
Council,
Colonel James II. Skinner of Staunton,
read very interesting report of the eondi-
ton of the Virginia Female Institute at
Staunton. This is the diocesan school and
is in an excellent condition.
Bishop Whittle in his annual report rec
commended a division of the diocese into
two, in view of the rapid enlargement of
the church. No division can be perfected
until the meeting of the General Conven-
ton in 1892. By that time, if the growth
in the State continues, it will have become
physical impossibility fol- one bishop to
visit the numerous churches of his i'm
mense diocese. The committee upon whom
the consideration of this question will de-
volve will report, and doubles action will
be taken On division at the next council.
At the closing session, Rev. Pike Pow
ers, ID. D., presented On behalf OF the COM
mittee On canon 10 the following amend
ment to the canon:
''Any member of the Church being a COM
municant thereof conducting himself or her
self in manner unworthy of Christian,
ought to be admonished OF expelled from the
Lords table by the minister of the parish OF
church according to the rubric Gaining, at
tendance On iidpsespaoing and theatrical
amusements. witnessing INN Oldest and lieen.
balls, habitual neglect of public worship, a
neglect of the holy communion, or denial of
the doctrines Of TIE Gospel as as generally set
church, are practices that all Christians
should abstain from This enumeration,
however, shall not include all the subjects of
I'm cases where It mar he deemed expedi-
ent by the minister, or may be requested by
the accused, the church wardens OF either Of
them shall be summoned to assist the minis
ter In asoertaining the facts of the case; pro
yided that il such warden CT wardens shal /