The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-26
THE REAPERs FEW.
Rich Harvest of Souls Awaits
Presbyterian Sickles.
YOUNG MEN sHUN THE MINISTRY
The Awakening OF Asia Gives . Splendid
Chance for Missionary work-Laek
OF Money and Preachers.

DETROIT, May 25.-At the morning ses-
sion of the Presbyterian general assembly
discussion of the seal was taken up, but
was soon dropped and continued as an
order for this evening. The standing COM
rnittee on freedmen reported, and Rev.
DR.. Allen, secretary OF the board, spoke OF
the encouraging way in which the colored
people are coming TO the front. The pres
ent generation of negroes, he said, Will
largely decide the character of the genera
tons to come, and who for good or Ill will
so graveIy influence the future Of the
country. The only solution Is Christian
education for him. The secretary reported
that over $4,000 was gwen for the sup
port during the last year of 269 churches
and 1T missions under the control Of the
board. In these are 1874 missionaries.
mostly colored, and Is, 4S6 communicates.
The Sunday-schools number 2j9, with
1922 members. There are eighty-four
day schools, which have an attendance OF
ii,023.
The standing committee on bringing
together vacant churches and unem-
ployed ministers reported certain recon-
mendations designed to strengthen the
episcopal power of the presbyteries. J"
There was much animated discussion of
It's provisions. DR.. Lowrey, OF Philadel-
phia, opposed the fourth section, it being
n blacklist of ministers and churches who
for any reason decline to come under the
arrangement. The discussion, which was
participated in by a number of others,
showed diversity of opinion on the sub
ject, but the concensus of thought seemed
10 be that the matter should be left TO the
rresbyteries. President Patton recon-
nended that before its final enactment it
be referred TO special committee 70 re-
rort to this assembly on the question of
the constitutionality of the plan, which he
much doubted, but offered to withdraw
his motion until all the sections were
acted upon. Leave 10 withdraw was by
vote refused, and adjournment cut of fur
Their debate.
The seal matter was taken mp again, and
after confused debate was recommended
10 the committee.
DR.. Easton read the report Of the board
of education. It says In part: The year
wes begun with . debt OF $4,000. This
compelled caution in the acceptance of
candidates. The board hoped for q large
increase in receipts, but instead closed the
year with tie debt increased 1890. Since
closing accounts, however, over 5000 has
come in. We are thus in this dilemma:
Shall we take up fewer candidates or give
less TO each. Our embarrassment can only
lie removed, apparently, by greater zeal in
urging our needs by ministers. There are
fifteen more vacant churches than last
year, many of them strong ones,
and it is every year harder to get suit
able men for then. Then. too. the labors of
the Sunday-school missionaries has been
so blessed that the many new churches
formed from the zoo new schools planted
this year win soon be needing pastors; be-
sides, the need Of educated colored min
listers and men qualified to work among
the immigrant population is sure to be
urgent. Such is the demand, what of the
supply? Only 2l2 were graduated; twelve
more than last year. The inevitable de-
felt must be supplied from partially
trained men or from other denominations,
and in either case there viii be an average
Of less satisfactory results than from the
men fully trained In our own schools"
The convention then adjourned until to-
morrow.
II is thought by observers that the tide
Of opinion Is changing in favor of vetoing
DR.. Briggs appointment or transfer to the
Robinson professorship of biblical the
oiogy, without touching the question of
heresy, as that would PREJUDICE the case
before the New York presbytery, and very
possibly without assigning grounds.