The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-10-16

UNION THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
was next read. 1t showed the condi-
ton of that institution to be good and
that there is no room for additional
students. An effort was being made to
increase the facilieies and some changes
were recommended. The report was re-
ferred to committee on the Union Theo-
logical Seminary, Rev. r. III. Fleming,
| chairman.
Row. DR.. Craig. of the Synod OF Geor-
gia, was introduced and invited to par
ticipate in the deliberations of the
Synod.
The next business in order was the
report OF the committee on systematic
beneficence, Rev. j. b. Brown, chair
man. In the absence of the chairman,
Rev. DR.. Parr presented the report. 1t
was listened to with much interest and
was compiled with great care. 1t took
up all the contributions for various
purposes mado by the church during the
year, and detailed the interest in various
benevolent purposes in Presbyterv and
locality.
CHURCH STATISTICS.
The report covering the statistics Is
as follows:
The Synod of Virginia has under its
care 10 presbyteries, 391 churches, and
32,779 members. The churches made
offerings to the minor causes as follows:
as churches to objects, 76 to s, 60 to z,
81 to 6, "a to 5, "a to 4, Is to 8, 22 to 2,
Is to /, and 90 to no object. 230
churches gave to substantiation, Sl3,-
304; 27S to evangelistic work, Sl2,595;
234 to the invalid fund, $50, 1852; 2ss to
foreign missions, $24, 521; 255 to educa-
ton, 50, 43S; 223 to publication, S2,16o;
1873 to colored evangelistic work, Sl,s94;
1873 to church erection, S7,470; 20 to
bible cause, SS15. The total amount
given to nine causes during the year
was S75,775, or an average of So. 81 to
each member.
a motion to adopt the report being
stated, Rev. Mr.. Flournoy rose and
stated his objections. He thought the
matter should be moro thoroughly dis
cussed. This @as one of the most i'm
portant points the Synod would con
slider and the question should be not
be passed over lightly Tho report
showed that there was great derelic-
ton of duty on the part of either
ministers or elders. The real pulse of
the work of the Synod could be kept in
motion only by strenuous efforts in rails
ing tho funds for systematic benefi-
cence. He considered that there was
screw loose somewhere. There was
great many churches which failed to
contribute OR make any report on this
worthy object.
DR.. Richardson said the report made
favorable impression on Shis mind.
lie did not SEQ anything discouraging
and could not see where the churches
had to any extent neglected this work.
There was not a denomination in tho
United States which contributed more
to this cause in proportion to numbers
There were many small churches, somo
with only twenty members, and it was
as much as these churches could do to
live at allie 1t was these churches who
sometimes failed, but as a small thing
they gave more in proportion than any
other church. He spoke of the churches
throughout the State, and urged tina.
those who were wealthy be called upon,
but not to press the poor aud struggling
churches He thought the synod should
be congratulated for the good work the
members had been doing.
Rev. Mr.. Cooke thought the synod
should be congratulated in the work
done. He saw no reason to be dis
couraged.
DIR. II. NJ. White said the matter
should be kept we'll before the minds of
the people. There was rub some
where. 1t might not DO in the ministry;
1T might not be in the ruling eldership,
but it seemed that the machinery was
net at work.
The subject Of the adoption of this
report created considerable further dis
cussion. Rev. Mr.. Matthews endorsed
DR.. Richardson, and said that he was
tired of hearing censure heaped upon
these poor people thrt u yhout the State
when they had done what any presby-
terry in the world might be proud Of.
"We must tell them what their duty is"
said he, land then let them como up to
that duty as far as they are able" The
report was deferred for the time being
AT this juncture Rev. DIR. Campbell
introduced Rev. DR.. o. L. Flippo, of
the First Baptist Church; Rev. w. +.
Hammer, of Greene Memorial; Rev. j.
A. Huffard, of ST. Marks Lutheran
Church, and Rev. r. r. Twine, of tho
olored Presbyterian Church.
sUppLEMENTING THE REPORT.
Rev. DIR. Rosebro, of the committee
on evangelistic work, submitted re-
port showing that much had been done
throughout tho Synod, notwithstand-
ing the many difficulties under which
the evangelists labored. Rev. S. S.
Wilson had done great work in the
Synod, and his report would give q de-
tailed account of his labors in the bar
rem districts.
Rev. James p. Smith, d. d., had &C.
complished much in his district. So
had Rev. s. l.. Wilson. M p. Barclay
has been laboring only short time,
but has done q great deal Of work.
Rev. DIR. William Dinwiddie had also
d0ua a zna1nuc nd fall{rn ,ro.1, - ~