Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-24
THE SOUTHERN PREsBYTERIANS.
Various Committee Reports Acted on-A
Pretty sharp Contest.
nv tslegrhph 10 the Dispaichl


AsHEvuLE, N. c.. MAY 23.-In the Pres
! byterian General Assembly report Oh the
Standing Committee on Publication was
considered seriG,im II was adopted after
striking out the clause recommending that
the report Of the committee be printed at
the same Office a. the regular proceedings.
Concerning an overture from the 1ransyl-
yania Presbytery asking the assembly to
add TO Topics 9 and II Of the Narrative OF
Sessions the words. among church MEM
bers," the committee recommend that the
request be granted.
An overture was read from the At
lanta Presbytery asking the assembly TO
consider the subject OF Psalmody, with u
view to supplying churches with new
hvmn-bOOks better adapted TO the
use of churches than the present one.
The committee recommended that the
overture TO declined, since the Executive
Committee, with the sanction OF the as
sembly, has put its imprint upon psalms,
| HYMNS, and spiritual songs which seem 10
be equal to present requirements. III was
recommended that no books, tracts or
other literature should be published by
the committee which have not been exam;
| med by at least two Of the examiners ana
approved by u majority or the committee
! The report of the Standing Committee on
norton was adopted at once. That part
recommending that $4,000 beraised TO aid
| in the education of young ministers called
out several speeches but was hnally
adopted. The report OF the COMMITTEES
was then adopted as a whole.
The report of the Committee on Sabbath
| Schools showing their gratifying condition
was read and adopted.
POINT coETEsrED.
The report on systematic benehcence
was read with answers to number OF over
lures (being part of this reporO asking for
| the repeal of the present schedule of col
! lections, and recommending that couec-
| tons be taken up during the months
named for the causes specified. Two sec
| tions were adopted. The third section,
which was considered too broad Tor the
assemblyto endorse, was dropped. When
the time came for adopting the report as a
whole DR.. Davies earnestly opposed IL on
! the ground that it was revolutionary and
| that il was opposed 10 the Directory OF
| Worship, and DIR. Shoarer seconded him on
| the ground that the adoption OF the report
would put tho Presbyterians on Level
with tho Methodist and other churches.
| The report favored the issuing OF license,
20 preach to men not regularly educated
/ for the work. This was the contested
| ground and the assembly prolonged us
/ session half an hour 10 discuss II. Al the
/ end Of that time n vote was taken on us
adoption and it was lost.
FURTHER oyERTUREs.
The Committee on Bills and Oyertures
/ submitted reports. The first overture was
/ one from the Greenbrier Presbytery ASK
/ ing that the constitution be amended so
/ that elders and deacons may be required
/ TO take an examination on cburcn uoc-
| trines and rules before they can be or,
! dained. The committee recommendeti
| that this overture be docketed and spread
/ on the minutes to come up berore tis'
| next assembly. After some discussion the
/ recommendation was accepted. An over
/ ture from the Synod Of Arkansas asking
what were TO be considered the oinc'ai
proceedings of church court. ana II an
error was afterwards found how II was 70
be corrected. was answered that whsn sne
minutes OF meeting were approved they
| became official proceedings, and the cor.
rection could be made at o suosequen'
meeting. Adopted.
The report of the Committee on Nara.
| tive was read by DIR. Jacobs. IL stated ths'
sixty eight presbyteries had submitted re-
ports and they were based only on par
tial reports from the churches. Not more
than 80 per cent. of the churches mao
made any report whatever. This failure
TO report was W DO regretted. Ihe STATE
OF things IA .presbyteries heard from was;
however, highly satisfactory. Many smsil
churches were making no Advancement,
but the general report was good II was
| estimated thatsnot moretha four ffthSol