Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-03
The ASSEMBLY QUITS.
Presbyterian Delegates Finish Up
Business and Go Home.
MOVE AGAINST JUNKETING.
Heated Debate Over a Proposal to License
Lay Preachers.
IN EXCELLENT FINANCIAL SHOWING

IN EXCELLENT FINANCIAL SHOWING
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE pIsPATcH.l
DETROIT, June 2.-The General Assembly
passed to-day in hearing various resolutions,
ioing unfinished business and in rambling
discussion. at the close of which it dis
solved. Many of the commissioners had
zone home and those who remained we're
weary and impatient of long addresses. The
business done was mostly routine. Talk
outside consisted in reviewing the acts of the
Assembly. 1t was agreed that the Briggs
ease had been disposed of as far as the As
sembly was concerned.
The committee of conference with the
Union Seminary trustees, consisting of such
italwarts as Drs. Patton, VIM. H. Roberts and
Mcintosh, and such liberals as Drs. johnson,
Mccall, Moore, Alexander, Junl1in and
McCook on the one hand and purant and
Broadwel, will have the more serious work
o do. Itis believed that the Board of Pub
ication is out of the ring for five or six years
It least.
To Abolish Junketing.
Very few special committees were appoint
I'D and only two or three men will get special
trips to Oregon. A movement is practically
naugurated by this Assembly to abolish
several of the committees that stand from
year to year. The vacancy supply and min
lsterial adjustment scheme has been smoth-
cred. The increase of the ministry project,
by letting down the bars, escaped only IN
part for another year. Upon the whole the
Assembly regards itself,as every one has for
9years, the most important Assembly since
he reunion.
In his closing address, Moderator Green
congratulated the Assembly on having done
such important work in settling great and
fundamental questions pertaining to the
very life of the church. He alluded tender
- he Of nr nVE he
Breckenridge during the session of this AS
sembly.
A telegram of congratulation was read
from the Synod of the German Reformed
Church. The following were elected mem
oers of the Board of Church Erection: The
Revs. David R. Fraser, Chas. T. Halsey,
David MCGEE, Elders Robert Jafray, Heze-
kiah King, r. HI. P. Vail and John J. McCook.
The Rev. j. W. Terrence reported back the
resolutions on worldly amusements with
the words which referred to the use of disci-
pline stricken out. Rev. James Lewis re-
marked that the game of progressive euchre
had run its course and the Assembly was too
late in acting, so that part was stricken
out and the report left general in its terms
and adopted.
A Good Financial Showing.
The Committee on Finance reported that
all the funds of the Assembly had been cared
for in a most business-lilxe manner and that
the interest received had more than paid the
salary of the Treasurer. The balance on
hand in the treasury of the Assembly and
general funds held by trustees is $5O5, III 10.
The Finance Committee reported that the
Jacksonville, Fla, church, worth SIS, 900, was
liable to be lost, and that the Assembly owed
the church $4,000, but the church would take
800 and it was ordered to pay that amount
as il was debt which the Assembly was in
honor bound to meet. A committee of five
was appointed to collect the funds to pay the
debt.
The Committee on Systematic Beneyolence
reported that there had been a steady in
crease in the amount given to benevolent
objects. The total amount given during the
year was s.. .65S Isl, an increase of S229 900 for
the year. 1t was recommended that the
committee be continued with Rev. Rufus +.
Green as Chairman; that the expenditures of
the committee be limited to $500; that all
presbyteries have each object presented to
the churches, so the opportunities should be
given to all to contribute to every branch of
work of the church. The report was ac-
cepted and adopted.
The Rev. Joseph T. Smith, Chairman of the
Committee on Church Unity, reported prog
reSs, and was continued for another year.
lshe Rev. James Lewis presented the report
the Committee on the Increase of the Min
ls TIy, recommending certain changes in the |
: dies governing the reception of ministers
from other denominations into the Presby-
te1lan Church.
Aroused a Heated Debate.
The part of the committees report in ref
erence to licensing lay preachers created
quite o heated debate, but was sent over to
the next Assembly as being too important
question to be settled in the closing hours Of
this The committee also recommended that
the patronizing of UNCONVENTIONAL schools
be urged as means of recruiting for the
ministry, and that ministers be sent to the
various colleges to urge young men to enter
the ministry. The Recommendation was
adopted
Tie Rev. John L. Nevins, from the Com
mittee on Concert of Prayer, recommended
that the last Thursday in January be fixed
for general day of prayer. Adopted. 1t
was recommended that the week Of prayer
be not changed from the first week in Janu- |
airy, as established in the Evangelical Alli- |
ance. 1t was agreed that business inter
fered with the week of prayer being held the |
first week in January. The Rev. c. A.
Dicl1ey said he was married in what is now |
the week of prayer, and had never been |
able to celebrate his wedding anniversary,
not even his silver anniversary. The whole |
matter was sent to the Evangelical Alli- |
tions could be had, with the view of chang |
ing the date. 1t was suggested that the |
time when the Episcopal and Catholic |
Churches hold the services of Lent would be |
q good time to hold the week of prayer. |
The Committee on Mileage reported re-
ceipts from the mileage entertainment and |
contingent fund of S5l, 725 81. The balance |
left, after paying all bills of the present As |
sembly, was So, ,402 81 |
Assessment for the Year.
y
fixed at cents per communicate. The re-
port showed 533 commissioners in attend
ance. A resolution was adopted that the
presbyteries which had not contributed to
the mileage fund for the past three years be
excluded from the benefits of the surplus
und in going to Portland next year. The
committee to whom was referred the matter
Of holding general missionary conference,
reported that it was iuexpedient to hold
such meeting. The matter was disposed
OF by referring it to the secretaries of the
Home and Foreign Missionary Boards.
John J. McCook was elected Treasurer of |
the General Assembly. The Moderator an
nounced the following committee to consult |
with the directors of Union Seminary: The |
Revs. F. /. Patton, J. HI. Worcester, Jr.,
W. E. Moore, w. H. Roberts, S. J. Nichols,
George Alexander, Herrick johnson, John |
]. Mcintosh; Elders, George Junkin, John j. |
McCook, Russell Murdock George H Ely,
Samuel l. Broadwel, Edward p Durant, |
George Ketcham. |
The Assembly then dissolved