The record-union., 1897-05-26
One Of the Important Questions Settled
at Yesterdays Session
Was Not to Dispose of the Buildings at
New York.
1t Was Decided to Have But One Sec-
retary Of the Home Missions-Re-
jOicing of the Delegates at the An
nouncement of the Ruling of At
torney General r1ckenna Relating
to Il Chapel at West Point.

~ a ShaRCi dt w CSt FOlnk.
EAGLE LAKE Qnd), May 25.-The
Presbyterian General Assembly to-day
settled two important questions The
fi1st was not to sell its building in New
York. and the second to have only one
Secretary OF Home Missions. The lat
est echo of the controversy over DR..
Briggs and the Union Seminary came
up in the report of the Judicial Com
mittee, which extended TO all Presby-
teries the order to exclude students of
that seminary from their care.
Applause greeted the announcement
that the grant for a Roman Catholic
chapel at West Point has been declared
illegal by the Attorney General, himself
a member of the Roman Catholic
Church.
The complaint of members of the Pres
bytery of New York against the Synod
of New York with regard to the licen-
sure of students was withdrawn upon
the answer of the Judicial Committee
that the action of previous assemblies
applied to all Presbyteries, who are thus
"enjoined and instructed" not to take
under their care any students who are
pursuing or purpose to pursue their
studies in seminaries not approved by
the General Assembly. This report of
the Judicial Committee was adopted
without debate.
The regular order of the morning was
the report on Foreign Missions, as fol-
lows:
The report showed that efforts had
been made to curtail expenses as far as
possible, in view of the reduced receipts,
but in spite of such efforts an increased
deficit was reported. a large part of it
was due to the falling off in the item of
legacies. 1t was suggested that the eX-
ira effort to eXtinguish the debt of the
board had an effect upon contributions
to the cause of foreign missions Spe-
cial praise was given to the work of the
women's boards and to the young peo-
pies societies. Mention was made of
necessary retrenchment, but the basis
of it was unspecified.
Six foreign missionaries died and S3
were sent out during the year, a large
proportion of whom, however, re-
turned to former fields of labor.
The receipts were as follows: From
churches, S2I0, ,419; women's boards,
S299. 115; Sabbath-schools and young
peoples societies, S54 ,049; legacies, $50
1856; miscellaneous sources, 500. $40. I'M
used appropriation and the sale of prop
critics on the field increased the assets
by $50, ,129.
The total expenditures We're S936061,
of which $57 ,621 was for administra-
ton and printing.
The total debt amounted to $113,239
which was reduced by receipts from the
anniversary fund to a net debt of $91,
454
The largest appropriations were made
for work as follows: China, S174, ,691; IN
dia, $167, 1878: Japan. SIS 145: South
America, $50 ,0S0; Syria, $50, ,065; Siam
and Laos, $71, ia; Persia, S13 1913; Af-
RIGA, $41.3SJ.
The board has securities to the amount
of S251 ,5SS the interest of which is
available for current work 1t also
owns securities of S3S, ,102. upon which
it has not yet realized, and special funds
aggegating S3G6. sec, of which $135 40
belong to the permanent fund.
The Presbyterian building in New
York stood the board in 1929. $50 of
which S54 740 belonged to the interest
account and S14,203 represented taxes.
Loans on the building aggregated S610,-
900, and 81 ,054 had been received from
rentals The gifts made toward the
building amounted to S270, 1913
The selection of Charles w Hand of
Brooklyn as Treasurer of the board was
announced.
At the opening OF the afternoon ses-
sion the following reply of cable
gram to Queen Victoria sent yesterday
was read:
"The Queen thanks the assembly for
it's kind telegram. EDWARDS.
The special orders for discussion vare
the reports on Presbyterian buildir g 1T
New York, and the report OF the spe-
cial committee of conference with the
Board of Home Missions.
A motion to lay the minority report
and ali substitutes on the table was
promptly carried by an immense ma
jority The question of the adoption
of the majority report, which does not
favor the sale Of the building was put
to rising vote, and only two Commits
sioners were seen to be on their feet,
one a minister who sat down too quick
ly TO be recognized. and the other an
elder who was so dazed that he stcod
longer than his fellow Commissioner.
The final result was celebrated by
singing the Doxology.
John Wanamaker then took the
Moderator's chair.
DR.. Kane, Chairman of the Special
Committee on Home Missions took the
floor on its report, and moved the
adoption of the first resolution, which
directed that the work of the board he
committed to one Secretary instead Of
two, as heretofore. The recommenda-
ton for single Secretary prevailed.
The other recommendation referred to
the making of appropriations for each
year, which We're directed to most on
the basis of average receipts for sew
eral years. The board was directed 10
avoid debt.
Home Missions again occupied the al
tention of the assembly in the even
ing at a popular meeting.
Condition of the Treasury.
WASHINGTON, May 25.-To-day's
statement of the condition of the treas
ury shows: Available cash balance,
$229, ,SS1, 600; gold reserve, S144, So, ,56S.