Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-05-26
WORK In EARNEST.
THE SOUTHERN PREsBYTERIaas
TRANSACT MUCH BUSINESS.
of Dcncons-Quite "a Live
Iy Little Contest at One Time In
the acknowledgements Missions
Interesting Reports.

MEMPHIS. TENN. May 2j.--This morn
ing business at the General Assembly be-
gan in earnest. The opening religious ex-
ercises we're conducted by Rev. l. n. Nan,
of Virginia, the Oldest commissioner pres
ont. The moderator. in a graceful speech,
reminded the assembly Of parliamentary
rules of order. which he promised should
be strictly enforced. a proposition TO dis
pense with this afternoons session met
with considerable opposition, but was
adopted. Several reports and oyertures
were then read and referred.
Or. Nass, chaplain OF the University Of
Virginia. rendered d report on theological
seminaries II commended the progress
made. and approved the election OF Or.
Strickler and Or. Hall to chairs In Union
and Columbia seminaries, adopted Dr.
BurNtts report from the Foreign Core
spondence Committee; recommended $50,
instead Of $50, as the annual apprOprla-
tion for the Pan-Presbyterian Alliance.
1t was hotly debated by DIS. Woodrow,
Vance. Hemphill and others. Probably
the best speech of this hot debate was
made by Hon. ". NJ. Cox, a member OF
the Mississippi Legislature from Prentiss
county, who opposed any decrease in the
appropriation.
it was nnally settled that the delegates
appointed last year to attend the coming
Glasgow meeting Of the Alliance should
ask for an Investigation OF the basis OF
representation and assessments.
The chaplain Of the New orleans Sea-
mems Bethel, Rev. II. J.. steele, then adj
dressed the assembly on the subject Of
work among seamen. He spoke Of the
good work being done at Mobile, Charles
ton. Savannah, Norfolk, and other south
ern ports, as well as at New Orleans.
His remarks were brief and received close
attention. a special committee Will be
appointed to make a report on this
subject.
The moderator appointed Rev. =. F.
Brown and Elder l.. ). Upton a Com
mittee on the Bethel Address.
WESTMINSTER LEAGUES.
The Committee on Bills and O1ertures,
through Chairman Hemphill, reported in
regard 10 the overture from the Presby-
tery OF Memphis, asking that regular re-
ports be ordered from the churches re-
gardng their Westminster leagues, and
that the Committee on Publication be or
dered TO furnish suitable blanks for this
that the petition be granted. Adopted.
Dr. Hemphill further reported that his
committee recommended that the over
ture from the same presbytery, asking
Interpretation as TO whether it be law
ful TO elect as commissioner to the Gene
raj Assembly a ruling elder in active
service I'm a church under its jurisdiction
who Is not "A member of the presbytery
at the time Of election, be answered thus:
That 1t is competent for presbytery 10
choose as their commissioner to the Gene
raj Assembly any ruling elder under its
Jurisdiction.
The Committee on Bills and Oyertures
further reported as 90 the overtures
! from the presbyteres Of South Carolina
and EnOTee. asking amendments 10 the
form of government, that the assembly
decline 10 send down to the presbyterics
the proposed amendments to the Book Of
Church order. Adopted.
The committee reported as to the over
ture of the Presbytery of Wilmington.
asking the assembly to so amend the
constitution as TO make 81 possible for
two or more weak churches to combine
under one pastoral government, that they
were unable 10 frame an amendment to
meet the case, which would not be an
infringement upon the inherent rights OF
the congregations. The negative report
of the committee was adopted.
Several overtures of minor Importance
were then disposed OF without debate
AUTHORITY OF DEACONS
As to the overture from the Presbytery
Of South Alabama, asking the assembly
TO state whether the government OF the
temporal affairs Of the Church inheres in
the deacons of the Church by virtue Of
their ordination or by special act OF the
church session, the committee recon-
mcnded that an answer be sent, saving
that the administration OF the temporal
affairs of the Church does not inhere in
the deacOns by virtue of their ordination,
but may properly be committed TO them
The object of this overture was TO
ascertain whether. in the opinion OF the
assembly the diaconate received its au-
thority over the temporal affairs" of
the Church from the session or because
Of ordination.
Or. Praig suggested the defining OF what
was meant by temporal affairs as an
amendment TO a motion which had been
made TO adopt the committees report.
There was some debate, and upon a vote
the amendment was lost. Dr. Woodrow
offered a substitute for Dr. Hemphills
answer 10 the overture. and this precipi-
tated a lively little three-conered fight
between DR.. Hemphill. DR. Woodrow. and
Dr. l.. G. Nass, in the course of which
there were two threatened appeals from
the mcderator's decision, neither of
which. however. could get second.
There was evidently a little disposition to
take advantage OF the extreme affabilty
OF Moderator Mallard, but when he realiz-
ed that the house was getting into a
hopeless tangle through this debate on
points of order he brought his strong
common-sense TO bear, brushing away all
the quibbles and summarily choking on
further debate. Or. Woodrow's substitute
was lost. and the report of the committee
was adopted.
Ii is understood, however, that this is
not the end Of the matter. as one of the
elders Mr.. Dean, Of Opelika, Ala, says
he will move for the appointment Of
special committee TO whom this matter
may be referred and an amendment 10
the book prepared TO be sent TO the pres
byteries for their approval.
After some unimportant announcements
the assembly took a recess al 1890 until
Z. NJ.
FOREIGN MISSIONS.
The mass-meeting in favor OF foreign
missions was called 10 order promptly at
CLOCK by Moderator MaildIG, VINO an
nounced some changes in the committees.
owing 10 the departure of some of the
commissioners.
Rev. Dr. Fair of Richmond. Va. led
I'm prayer. The first speaker was Rev.
J. T. Smith. y. D.. who spoke feelingly
Of the missionaries who have died during
the year. Or. Smith is chairman Of the
standing Committee on Foreign Missions,
and was in charge OF the meeting
The next speaker was Rev John =.
Stuart. missionary from China, who