The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-29
SCHOLARS IN THE PULPIT
TIE AssEMsLYVoTEs TO KEEP
UP TREsTkNDARD.

A Proposal to Liberelizs the Require
ments for Licensure and Ordination
Causes a Lively Debate at Birmiug-
ham-The Vote 90 to 54 in opposi-
tion to ANY chapgs.
BIRMINGHAM, ALA, May 2S-In tae
Presbyterian assembly this morning com
munication was received from the assembly
now in session at Detroit sending greetings.
Some thirty leaves of absence were
granted to delegates who wanted to go
home
The COMMITTEES ON Systematic beneficence
reported that the churches had contributed
to all causes during the past year q grand
total of $25s, ,2Ss.
The third Sunday in October next was
fixed as the date for taking up a collection
for the Bible cause.
A resolution was adopted that the presby-
teries that have not given to the causes as
ordered, be called on to explain.
Another resolution adopted declares that
church fairs and festivals are not proper
means Of raising money.
A resolution was adopted calling ON the
worlds fair to keep its gates closed on Sun
! day.
The assembly then entered on final discus
the subject Of licensure and ordination. One
| favors changing the law and liberalizing
the requirements, and the other opposes any
change at all.
| WANTS THE STANDARD KEPT UP.
DIR. 7. p Cleveland took the floor in op-
| position to the proposed changes. He praised
the workings of the negro college in Georgia.
These black students, he said, are as well
provided with educational advantages as
the whites at Union and Columbia. He
| had seen them take a Greek verb to
RrS' %oTS and ddP%s PIs pToSiems sSESshss again on
the blackboard, etc. He did not want the
standard of licensure and ordination low
cred SO that in few years the black
preacher would be a scholarly clergyman
and the white minister ignorant of Greek
and Latin, etc. He denied that ministers
were scarce because of the high standard Of
education There are two sources from
which preachers come, he said. The first
source is the college. where trained minds
and directed purposes are made. The
other source is like that of Matthew,
the fisherman. He, DR.. Cleveland. had
started to be lawyer, but his God had
called him and he preached. "You do not
want more measures to get more ministers" !"
he continued. You need new life; tn re
| should be more children consecrated to God.
=
the juncture is critical; rationalism is ram
pant; learning is needed for the learned
MINISTER'S NOT SCARCE.
DR.. Robert Price spoke on the same side.
He did not believe high standard of edu-
cation kept men out of the ministry. The
proportion Of ministers In the Presbyterian
church was greater than in those churches
where the standard was lower. The ad-
vocates of the change should give the strong.
est reason for going against Presbyterian
traditions. Tinkering with its constitution
and fundamental laws was irreverent and
dangerous. This age required greater
education and intelligence than ever before
| If the Presbyterians wished to maintain
their influence they must not fall below the
level of education and culture and make
the ministry contemplate.
Rev w. B. Jennings and Rev. N. B.
| Willis followed on the same side.
DIR. Pitzer contended for the proposed
changes.
| DR.. Huston offered as q substitute for
paper No. 2, that the assembly declines to
| send down any overture at all on this SUBJ
| ject to the presbyteries, and it was adopted
by a vote of 93 to 81.
That disposed of the most interesting and
important question before the assembly.
| phatically in favor of maintaining the old
standard Of education in the ministry.
THE PAN-PREsBYTERIAN COUNCIL.
At the night session of the Presbyterian
assembly it had up the question of with-
drawing from the pan -Presbv-
| terian council. The committee on
foreign correspondence reported back
the overture inviting the assembly
to send thirty delegates to the Pan-Presby-
terian council soon to meet at Toronto, and
recommended that the delegates be not sent.
On motion of Rev. j. A. Bryan substitute
was adopted providing for the appointment
of a committee to select delegates who
should attend in compliance with the invi-
tation.
Hot Springs, Ark. and New Orleans were
placed in nomination as the place Of meet
ing next year. and the former won by a
fattering majority. 1t had been expected
that the assembly would adjourn tonight,
but some matters of routine came up, which
/ hald mil To