St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-17
MANY VACANT PULPITs.
Eleven Hundrei Presbyterian
Churches Without Pastors.


Churches Without Pastors.
SARATOGA, N. Y. May 1G.-The min
listers and elders composing the Presby-
terian assembly of 1899 were early riSprS
this morning. At O'Clock when the
assem- bly, was called to order every COM
missioner was in his seat and the gal
leries were well filled with spectators.
The minutes of yesterdays session were
read and adopted. Nineteen standing
comm tteeS were announced by the
moderator. The more important COM
mittees and their chairman are as fol-
lows: Bills and Overturcs. William 9;
Roberts; Judiciary, DR.. K.mpshall.
home missions, Ii. S. Little. for
eign missions, ID. j. Burrel: educat-
ion. r. F. Patterson; publication. How
ard Crosby; theological seminarieS, G.
I. Thompson; freedmen, e. ID. Morris:
church erection. d. p. Putnam; col
leges. Hemphill Brown; correspond
ence, Fl. w. Jefferson. The report of
the special committee to inquire into
the best means of preventing the liquor
traffic i'll the Congo region was read.
adopted and the committee discharged.
The report says that after conference
with the proper authorities 1t was
learned that the relation between the
United States and the authorities at
Brussels concerning the Congo region
were of such a delicate nature that the
United States could not take the initia-
tory in the attempt to abolish the trade.
The stated clerk reported that on the
general question of the revision, 132
presbyter;es had answered in the at
tirmative, Is in the negati We. declined
to answer and s had not yet re-
ported. A committee OF five was ap-
pointed to canvass the answers to the
overtures az follows: DIR. Francis L,
McCracken, of New York; }. ID. Thorn
ton, San Francisco: Maurice d. Ed
wards. st. Paul. and r. p. Shanklin, of
indianapolis. The special committee
on the board of publication reported
against the purchase of complete pub
fishing outfit. Its report alleges great
eXtravagance in the Ratter of publish
ing books. 1t recommends the appoint
ment OF three additional members Of
the board, who shall be elders residing
in different synous. The board of pub
Hcation business committee offered an
adverse report OH the same subject.
Both reports were received and referred
tO the standing committee on publlca-
ton. A report on missionary work in
the United States army and navy
was read and adopted. The report
of the committee on supply of
ministers showed over 1,100 vacant
churches. Three hundred and seventeen
churches have been disbanded during
the past five years. The committee re-
ported in favor of reducing the standard
of educational qualification and of mag
njfuit,or n Inf Of lo mi ct ttEIn
hope Of our church is not in theological
education, but in the religious instruc-
tion of the family" The report was re-
ceived, ordered printed and referred for
consideration Monday afternoon. The
afternoon session was opened with
prayer by DR.. Joseph L. Smith, of
Baltimore. The report of the COM
mittee on methods of amending the con-
stitution was taken up. After reading
the proposed amendment. there was
general discussion. DR.. Francis Patton.
of Princeton college, said this is the
most important question to come be-
fore the assembly; vastly more i'm
portant than the question of revision, as
it deals with the mode in which revision
may be had. Two features of the report
wera objectiOnal; first, in explicit
terms, it denies to the assembly all
functions Of legislation, wiping them
out forever. This was revolutionary.
DIR. Van Dyke, of New York, said he
liked the report, and his mind was not
Patton, whom he loved. but whom he
proposed to handle without gloves. He
said he knew all about the adopting act
before DR.. Patton was born. Judge
Robert n. Wilson, of Philadelphia,
a member of the committee, defended
the report. Elder Junkin, of Philadel-
phia, opposed the report. After ful ther
remarks the session was closed without
action on the reDOrt