The Washington times., 1895-05-22

Pittsburg, Pa, May 21.-The storm
center" at New York made itself felt in
the atmosphere of the Presbyterian Gen
eral Assembly at Pittsburg again to-day.
The winds of debate had only Just cleared
the ecclesiastical sky of the cloud Of as
sembly control of seminaries when another
cloud from New York Ioomed up in sight.
But it was ouly a passing thunder-head
aud was dissipated with only three puffs Of
wind, one of which was furnished by Elder
sterry himself, acting as the mouthpiece OF
members Of the New York Presbytery's
delegation.
The question 10 the fore was the re
election of certain men who are connected
with Union Seminary to the position Of
members of the Board of Home Missions.
Apparently there was considerable oppO-
sition, but it failed to develop enough
courage to stand up and be counted
The responsibility and credit for the
action of the assembly in rejecting the
proposal of the New York delegate are gen
orally given to Rev John Hall, Who arrived
this morning His attention was called 10
the report that Union men were TO be turned
down and he set about negativlug such
proposals.
NOT A TOOL OF EXTREMISTS
Whatpromised to bring outopposition was
the erection of building for the use of
mission boards in New York at cost Of one
and three-quarter million dollars. But
even the opposition of Elder McDougaI, Of
Cincinnati, failed 20 make itself effective.
In other words, the assembly, while over
whelmingIy conservative, has refused TO
make itself the tool OF conservative ex-
tTemiStS.
Most of the sessions Of the day We're de-
voted to the missionary and benevolent in
terests of the denomination. The report on
home missions showed that in the quarter
century since the reunion of the two branches
of the church the annual receipts have
grown from S2S2. .430 on the sum OF S934,-
529, and the missionaries from ! ,232 to
1,731.
From the women's boards the sum of
$40, ,623 was received: from the churches,
S257 ,339; from beQuests, S234,414, and
from individual donors, SAT $50. The
year was closed at the end OF March last
with a debt OF 1864. $50. Over SIG, 600
of this was charged to the interest ac-
count, and the aggregate was swelled by
$50 600 on account OF the work of missions
and education among the Indians, more
than half OF it being due TO the fact that
the last general assemblies directed that
all subsidies from the government be re-
fused.
NO INDIVIDUAL CUPS.
The opening of the assembly's after
noon session was devoted to partial
report of the committee on bills and over
lures Among the matters disposed of
was one in regard to the use of Individual
cups at communion By a standing vote,
with very few in the negative, the churches
were urged to not make the change con-
templated.
The regulation of young people S societies
of Christian Endeavor was relegated TO
the sessions of the individual churches.
The work of tie hoard of relief for dis
abled ministers W as presented by DIT. Jesse
F Forbes, of New York. He spoke of the
duty of the church 10 provide for the old
age of those men who had given their
lives to the service of the church. The
receipts OF the hoard last year amounted
to $176,0 ,0o0 and the expenditures to
S17S, GOO, which had been distributed to
7S5 persons of whom ale were ministers
land 419 widows OF ministers. The aver
age appropriation was about $500, and
in no case did it exceed $500.
DR.. ]. H. Mason Knox, of New Haven,
addressed the assembly, stating that there
were over 4,000 churches which mad not
contributed to the relief fund, and that
the probability was that appropriations
would have to be cut down father than in
creased, in spite of the resolution of the
assembly to raise 5000 ,0C0 during the
coming year for the purposes of this
board
MISSIONS TO THE FREEDMEN.
Dr. John 1. Blackburn, of Covington,
KY. presented report on the work of
missions to the freemen of the South. He
said that the receipts amounted to over