The San Francisco call., 1897-10-24
TO MEET NEXT
; IN SAN Diego
{ California Synod Advocates
Better Observance Of
the Sabbath.
Deficit of Theological Seminary
the Basis of a Long
Discussion.
Decided That Westminster Must Be
Established Without Any
Delay.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALI
QlS Rrnadu-av Oct %

SYNOD OF CalllOrnla Wnen II convened in
the Brooklyn church this morning was
the selection of the place for the session
next year. San Diego, San Francisco and
Eureka were represented by invitations.
ard before the vote was taken there was
an animated discussion. San Diego se-
cured the prize with a good majority.
While the expense OF travelling TO the ex-
IRENE southern city OF the State is heavy
resentatives from there claimed that
f. three years they had been compelled
20 make the trip, and il was but fair that
the Others pay this expense once in four
years.
A motion was made to instruct the
finance committee to segregate the miie-
age and synod expense funds, In order
that Presb te!Ians might be able to con-
tribute to one aud not the other Or iyided
they so desired. As many were deslrous
OF speaking upon this motion 1t was de-
Cided 10 make 1t the speciaI orier Of busi-
ness Monday morning at 9 o clock. 1t is
expected that the question will provoke
ne greatest discussion of the year.
The committee on foreign missions
commended that the contributions Of
lie churches be raised 20 per cent over
nat Of last year and in no case TO be less
han 81 per member. 1t was heartily
adopted.
Inc committee on the state of religion
reported tnat 1t had not received reports
rom the Stockton, Sacramento or San
Jose pres soyieries aud urged them to at
lend o this matter h reafter in order that
The stats tea rsports might be complete
IN regard to the international Christla
hndeevor conve ntion held in San Fran
CISCO IN July the report says:
Probably the report OF the San Francisco
Fresbytery is right in characterizing The m on
ser meetings of the International Christian
EudeaYoT Convention as fraternaI Instructive
Eud inspiring rather than evangelistic, that
Cualty appearing more in the smaller meet
ing for prayer. We learn by this. act that the
L1rd does not do his deep work in conyen-
lions, but in little gatherings in retired
qlaceS-tuose little churches to which most of
Is shall return. We learn that il is not in
convention enthusiasm raised high by music
and banners aud speeches, but IN the ca I'm
churches that we shall find the true index of
our religious life. 1t matters little whether
conventions come and whittier they 60 but
the redemption OF this Saba breaking, Cod
iorsaken State does require that the Christian
nome and family altars and holy rest day and
sabbath bell and sacred service shall 60 on
forever. Still we believe that conventions do
good, and that the many impressions made
upon uubelieyers in the city of San Francisco
by the late EndeaTor Convention is worth all
il cost.
As to the sabbath observance the report
makes these comments:
We are not quite sure that the remedy for
this does not lie largely with ourselves. We
can agitate for legislation on the subject OF
Saba tn observation We can be very careful
in our own keeping OF the 'hoIy" day. We
can avoid sunday newspapers, Sunday travel
and unnecessary labor, eating, dressing and
visiting on that day. Above ali, we can throw
our whole soul into the problem Of making
the Sa bbath "a delight and honorable" in our
households and In our sane .uaries- Our in
huence n this direction viii not be lost and,
before another century rolls around if the
Lord has MOI yet come, any community that
has brought up its sons and daughters 10 keep
the "a Dbath viii be a Sabbat th-kee ping COM
mualty. The wicked shall not 1--we out half
his days, and the righteous shall be like
tree planted by the river OF water. With this
Ia W Of the divine government operating con-
stanily against them, the wicked must adopt
our rest day or be extIrpated.
The secretaries of the Women's Occi-
dental Board OF Foreign Missions were
given the platform and made reports of
the various departments. State Secretary
Mrs. l. NJ. Cond:t was the first sneaker
and was followed by Mrs. l.. A. Kelley,
the corresponding secretary and Mrs. r.
+. Coyle, the Christian Endeavor secre-
tary. She said: "Our great convention
has come and gone, but it has left ehind
it a ADDED zeal, a new missionary spirit,
a larger hand opened wider. tnat its gifts
may reach the regions beyond. Every
Presbyterian society bears witness to the
quiet influence radiating from Callfornia's
greatest religious gathering in her his
tory"
Her statistical report showed that the
various presbyteries had the following
number o. societies: Benicia, 16; Los AM
geles. 50; Oakland, D; Sacramento, IA;
San Francisco, 9; San Jose, 13; Santa Bar
= Abara. Il; and Stock ton. IL.
Mrs. E. q. Denniston, treasurer of the
Women's Occidental Board of Foreign
Missions, reported $3.50 81 on hand at he
beginning of the year. Sep ember 25, 1896.
Rece we'd from the eight presbyterles
$10.059 03; from California Chinese
$637 10; miscellaneous gifts, S513 So; from
the General Assembly Board. $500 85.
Total, $170l16Z Disbursements in Cali
tornia, 1876 81; 20 General Assembly
Board, S1l. 335 06.
The sacramenlal service was conducted
by the moderator, assisted by Rev Viii.
ham b. Noble, as distributor of the bread,
land Rev. r. T. McLaren, distributor of the
wine. The elders we're: r. G. Reynolds,
J. c. MCPHERSON, J. g. Dsdrick, A. D.
Sward, Senator Z. B. Conkiin, E. w.
Woolsey. Sylvanaus Cadwallader and E.
L Rich.
During the noon hour the ladies of the
church, who had prepared luncheon for
The mem bers Of Occidental Board. fed
the entire synod. Several after-dinner
speeches were made and band of Chinese
girls rendered song in their naive Ian
guage.
On The ressse m bling OF the synod the
JUDICIAL committee reported against ac-
coping the appeal OF Mrs. w. Mabb of
Los Angeles from the decision of that
presbytery on the ground that IT was
not properly before the synod. TIE re-
port was adopted without discussion.
The adoption of the report of the COM
mittee upon the state of students and
their accommodation that Westminster
halls be erected and maintained near
the campus Of the Stale and Stanfo ri
universities, was taken up and passed
without opposition. Tne committee who
Will make the necessary pref eparation for
The Ealls are: Rev. Theodore F. Burn
ham, Rev. Robert Mackenzie, DID,, Rev.
S. S. Palmer, Elder John Gamble, Elder
David Jacks, Hon. John K. Law, G. Ii.
Fish and George d. Gray.
4 A. II. Croco reported at length for the
tcommitfee on theoIog cal seminary ex-
Animation, and was followed by Rev. f.
EA Farrand or the committee on theo-
logical seminaries. he showed shor age
o! bout $40 900 for the pas, year an1 an
estimated shortage OF $1,000 for the en-
suing year.
< Rev. John W. Dinsmore OF San Jose
"a a,,fod tpa Roa ri of Tru Tn fare This