New-York tribune., 1891-05-26
THE SERPENT ON THE CROSS.
nEnArE IN THE ASSEMBLY ON THE ouEsIipN


OF THE SEAL.
Detroit. Mich, May 25 speoaD.-The repor. VI Slo
commitsee upon the Zeal, being up for consoerau'n
ss.s .,t.r,oon IN the Presbyterian Assembly, the
stated Clerk read the original resolutions anu ~o
first and second amendments proposed, as loho"s
pcsoIved That the General Assembly hereoS aoop's
as its official seal the following namely, "e e.' u
serpent suspended upon cross uphf'ed wl'nin ~ VIZ "
aSnsss IN form a. represented uron the onca seal OF
the trustees Of the General Assembly ana dispsseu
,pon circular neld Of the same propofuob' Al "UU
thereto the figure OF q rising sun appearing ao0Ne uo
margin of the wilderness whose eutsnoouhs oe"ii' ~ ~
occnnv the centre OF field further the oecorA'on
of dem wreath palm branches I'm tho iolln VI
tbe wreath upon seal d the Westminster AsseOi'
Of Dyines) placed around the margin OF 'he uPP~ -.
s.ra =, the neld and on the hemisphere OF the
aeld a demi.Mreath composed OF oraheh OIL o"A uA'S0
with an olive branch further thst .ne worus y, w.,
motto Cbristus Exaltatus SaVstor stali De o'pSo~
I'm sem circle upon upper part OF the ncd Oh ei'he
eide ~ the standard the cross, and encopasshs @e
,yhole in a bordure, the following words IN iull OF ~
nroner abbreviatio thereof The seal OF tue oeei"
Assembly Of Presbyterian Chureh IN 1ie o0U S''
Of America"
rrs eyst uroposed amendment was as follows:
pn,o,v5 That the report be amended by the omission
Of the symbol OF the serpent on the cross from @ %
substituting the symbol of the open bioie @s iouu " W
sail OF the Westminster Assembly OF DiVlnes'
The second proposed amendment was as 1oiio"s'
rp, va omit the GROSS and rising sun and substitute
instead the open Bible in form substantially as upon the
seal Of the Westminster Assembly Of Divines.
The Rev DR.. william A. Bartlet' OF washington
sno|ke ON the report this evening 81 DO not WISH 10
d.tatn the Assembly and have no special WISDOM"
so,d he hut have just this TO say-that great dis
n,ead so,id.headed body as are ought not to 90 a
thing that is not the wisest thing to do NOW tnerc ae
somo things that very little about ana there Is
some little information that have picked I'D py cafeiu
work for great many years in the ministry ua' iee
as though had right to say woN about NJ" u'.'
RATA
committee II had been one Of the newly maae rch
man snddenly come 20 great emoluments and dgmues
and Thought that could support coat OF arms. anu
Was foolish enocgh to desire II. ] woulo not uS
70 rct II UP myself for fear shou" "''
into the misfortune of the tobacoonist 10 who SOM
friend that he consulted said, You ought 10 nave
motto, and suggested 'Quid Rides UsughterD now
we may inadvertently, those Of us who Kno" niue
M this symbolism matter fall into some such an error
II had any matter Of symbolism to be mterpre'ee
should go to my learned brother mcCooK ne 10 noO
only learned In that, but here is pont Di'ao Vo"'"
In this ing where he is very learned lie is one VI
the abest naturass you know, in the United states
=, Am.4ca or Of the world hope this Assembly
viii pass the snake symbol. pass ~ III
its most offensive form. simply WHY
Because We want to be educated out OF tne INFAMOUS
predudice of hating one Of Gods CREATIONS 'nP
peuse) We are too old to have those paitry hates
az the blessed things that GOD mas manc' lio uIu "a
Duf
- - a.. s,,m savs BE wise as serpents.' There has
heen a prejudice against the snake, but 1t was the
snake thnt scduced the woman. Tnere mas oeen
,cciudice against women. All ages consloereo ueni
slaves meas servants, vile, ana all the D"s "i"0
mon made for ages were to degrade them, because
,Irourb woman sin was brought into the world But
se have found 1t rather difficult TO get along without
,vomen daughter ana applause) And, on the
whole We have come to lovo them, and as they nave
aockeA 10 the front Of tile great movement OF onis
are as they stand leading the van waving their para
soils and their innocent weapons), leading the
an ~ our own great Presbyteran Church In benevo-
tnce ard anecuon, have concluded to let them
stay and to honor them. Take away the preIualce
frou, the snake as well the women II Is unworthy
of this scientific age II stamps us as supersutious
A snake Is as truly God-made as we are"
After Dr. McCook and others had spoken, the matter
was referred back to the committee
The Standing Committee on the Freemen reported
through Dr. Erskine, Of Carlisle Penn. The Rev.
DR. Allen secretary Of the Board said that the present
generation Of negroes viii largely decide the character
OF all the swarming generations who viii come af'er
them and who for good or Ill, will SO gravey n1uence
the future OF the country. The only soiuuoh Is
Christian education for him. There is encouraging
nrogress at Bddle University, Charlotte, N c.; Con-
cord. N c.; Crockett, Tex; Cotton Plant Ark. )
Aurusta Ca. Abbevlle, S. c.; DanVille, va. )
Burkeville Va; Chester, Charleston and Beaufort
S. c., and Pine Bluff, Ark and 1t is hoped 70 nave
one In Mississippi, under the PsUfVnSse VI iAnio'e
women. Said the secretary:
I've received from 1895 Jour first year) to 1859,
s12s 29s 93: from 1870 TO 1850, S5l3326 80; from
1881 TO 1891 ,4so 80 total In twenty six years,
sls8so2s 81 total for last year, Sl7s,S26 &c. This
does not include what the freedmen have given In sell,
,oWs white Ia colored 100 The freedmen here
10 STAY and must educated in the South there has
Nh mnrovement in their moral condition Religious
labor among them is fruitful as almost nowhee else:
awe have mainly been laying foundations we must
Solssss' Sons.s III 0'N'' :" '.~e .' 49, w .., L
that the number Of applicants for aid in preparing fo
fbe ministry has considerably increased owing to the
ered ana fifty five were recommended BY presby yteres
considerable increase. Owing mainly TO scarcity OF
seaSsmo SaSs Ssn Studies There are fifteen more vacant
churches than last year. many Of them large and strong
ones and II is every year harder 10 get suitable met
Sor these Then too the abors of missionaries have
been so blessed that many new churches win soon b
ministers and Of men qualified to work among the i'm
migrant population is sure to be urgent What O
yesf the increase being in Mccormick and Lane Semi
sares
At the close of the Presbyterian General Assembly
ssbatsnfay IN full. in handsome pamphlet price
twenty-five cents a copy The important addresses
and reports win be given verbatim
THE SOUTHERN PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY
birmingham, Alh, hAS o-i"o "ou"-
teran Assembly received a communication to-day iron
the American Sabbath Union importuning the World
Fair directors not TO keep open sunday communi
cation from Charleston asked the Assembly not TO sem
down tile charges asked in the church discipline signo
by the Presbytery Of Winchester. II was voted tina
Universalsts would not be allowed 10 hold services In
Presbyter churches. The Eastern Texas Presbyter
were told women could speak in public but could no
preach. p C. Thompson and c. c. Hearsman wer
elected professors Of the Columbia Seminary In dis
cusson OF the subject Of where 10 educate young min
listers, several brethren said harsh things about Dr
Briggs and his peculiar opinions. An institute for tn
education Of colored Presbyterian ministers will
established in Birmin CHAM. The site already bec
given II was the sense OF the Assembly that
and independent coored Presby terian churc
BE- established. The coored delegates present ais
favored it.