Smyrna times., 1892-05-25
PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.

D The one hundredth and forrtt
( General Assembly of the Presbvteriar =
/, church in the United States is On
! event of more than ecclesiastical interl
} est: The simple fact that the Presbv.
terians are about to convene On ~
Outermost edge OF our continent. has
alouseG more than usual interest. But
one gatnering OF the appointed dele
sates ana various officers of this strong
auu actiVe communion is a history. n
power and prophecy. "
4nls convention on the Pacific Slone
- history at once, of a great, strong
ana useful church, aud also of onr
country. The years sum themselves
up "a such fact. In 1778. a small
DSnu OF ministers and elders met in
hila1elphia, says the ledger. to form
mouest church organization. They
Same tOgetner in plain building he
longing TO the Second Congregation of
tnat city. In a few days their snccas-
sors VIII greet one another in ono ~
the hnest edifices on this continent
hundreds strong and representino
nearly 100000 of adults and cbiidra5
IN congregations and schools
,Ihere is the record of a resolnte
educated, compact, indential Christian
society, whose thought and life and
toTce have been bound up with ali tbat
Is hnest In the story OF our land Tb;s
meeting on the distant shore tells nnt
only the stirring tale of an advano;no
church, of leal.hearted devotion -
principle and Earnest contendinCr g..
the faith" " but also suggestive Of tho
growth and triumph of the Nation
NO Ohurch among all the honorable
con hmunlOns of our country is moro
closeIy pound up with our National
advancement. The Presbvterians orc
anu anu nave ever been intensely patriotIc
students of Revolutionary times knovv
wnat The ScOtch-Irsh gave in men onS
money, in self-sacrificing beroisn, ga
military skill to the War of IndenerJ-
enee and the final settlement of tbo
kepublic, and many of the stnrSiaat
sons and brave daughters of that roo"
Then belonged to the Presbvtoriou TO-
Church. '0soyVeTlan
=. But TINS meeting is a power as well
40 aS history; Whatever may be our
opinions regarding this great
uIOh' heP doctrines, her disei- I
pune or her worship, there Is no ones 6
sohing her power, and her annual nc. '
sem plies are the displays of her great f
strength. Indeed, who could we'll :
question the power of a splendidlv. t.
fearless, aggressive obnrcb a
whose clergy have for geperations
Drlded them on their sch olarshIn and
pulpit power, whose members an tba
llgnest seats upon the bench. the fore. n
most places in learned professions IN b
commerce, in politics and Journalism b
whose missionary and cbSrItabia on' "
lVlties extend to Indians and freed. az
nen OF our own land, to the nioneer II
equations of the Far West and far. CO
ner Northwest, to Mexico. to Sontb ei
,imerlca, and to the most distant IsnSs
earth and isles of the sea9 This II
lrong communion. It is stated will th
1,s na year, at Portland, report about be
500 trained ministers. 25 000 eIders an
l0,OOO communicates, 0OO. 600 children tn
y her schools; she will show S14. .O00 re
~ IN direct gifts for religious and mis-. be
onary purposes, for education. moral be
'loTm and Christian charities. and n de
calculated that over another million 90
= neep given which appears mot IN inl
% columns of the Church ledgers. Ell