The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-10-22
ALBANY CHOSEN.
Meeting. Place of the Next
Y. ?. C. U. Institute
Creates a Lively Dis
CusSiOn.
.NATIoNAL REFORH" SUPPORTED
Delegates to the Convention al
P~hiladelphia Selectsd-Reports
Received and Read.
asATIoNAL REFoRA" SUPPORTED

The question of the Synod's
dation of a place for the holding OIL .ae
next institute of the Young reopieS
Christian Union, provoked consideraple
discussion st yesterday afternoons SEES
sion of the New York Synod OF the III
Presbyterian Church at the Second = T.
Church, Hancock avenue, of wnlcn rev
James Parker is pastor.
The session ~reconvened at two O'CLOCK.
After prayer by the Rev. J. b. sharp u
Philadelphia, the discussion began wheh
Rev. J. P. Sankey, Chairman OF the Coni-
mittee on Bills and Overtures, reporteo
that it was the sense of the committees
that the Synod should recommend to the
General Assembly Committee that the
next Institute of the Y. F. c. u be nelo
al Albany, N. Y.
Rev. Daniel Harris of Munndale, N T.,
and Rev. r. D. Williamson of Troy, spoke
in favor of the adoption of the commit
tees report. Rev. Mr.. Graham urged
that Boston be selected. He said that
New England needed the influence and en-
couragemen of such a gathering. and
Rev. S, M. Bailey of Buffalo asked that
the. Synod consider the claims OF MS
city,
Rev. r. E.5Stewart of Albany. speaking
In fayogrof the adoption of the commit
tees report called attention to the fact
that Albany had complied with all the
coalitions imposed by the General Assem-
bly, Communicable said the hotels hao
subscribed $3.50 and the street
OF the city s10. The hotels offered cheap
rates and the railroads would probably
make a half rate. fare for q round trip.
Al the other religious organizations OF
the city were cooperating. he declared,
n the business men promised to SUD
scribe a substantial sum.
Rev. Mr.. Bailey vigorously opposed Rev.
Mr.. Graham's request that the Synod
raise$1s20O to assist in paying the ex-
pensss of the institute. The Buffalo
clergyman thought that $500 was sufficient
to defray all expenses. He said that ne
had itemized all expenses and therefore
knew that the smaller sum was enough
In reply Mr.. Graham called attention
to the fact that the last institute had cost
over $1,000, and said that he believed that
every cent of 81, 200 would be needed.
Stated Clerk Rev. Arney S. Biddle sug-
gested that some plan should be proposed
for raising the money. and that there
should be assurance from each Presby-
terry that they would raise their pro rata
share.
When Rev. Mr.. Graham read a list Of
the probable xpense of the institute.
amounting to $1.04o, Rev. Mr.. Bailey again
der by the Moderator.
When Rev. r. D. Williamson offered
an amendment to the committees report,
Rev. Mr.. Bailey again got the floor and
attacked the amount asked by the AL
49, zI---~--- IT. -o1 fa11nrad in the
same vein by Rev. Mr.. Sampson.
Rev. Mr.. Graham defended his request,
and won a victory despite all objections,
tees report recommending Albany as the
place to hold the institute and agreeing
TO guarantee 1,2o0 for expenses. Tne
Peoples Societies of the different Presby-
teries, the secretaries of the organdzatlons
to act as a committee to raise the same.
The pro rata amount to be paid by each
to be fixed by the Presbyterian secretar-
les with the secretary of Albany as CHAR
man. The different Young Peoples So
cieties to make arrangements to meet the
assessment.
Rev. W. s. McCord and Rev. Mr.. Nc
E-vangelistic Committee. Their declina-
tons were referred to the Committee on
Nominations.
matter of the Young Peoples institute by
asking that the Synod recommend Buffalo
II Albany could not get the convention.
He was declared out of order by the
The Special COMMITTEES on Reform, to
whom was referred the suggestions made
his adrsss on National Reform, made
to the Synod On Wednesday morning, re-
ported through its Chairman, Rev. j. g.
its sympathy With the National Reform"
movement. The also recon-
mended that the Synod send delegates to
the National Reform. convention to be
held at PhiladelphAas December I, s and 3.
The delegates ere:-Rev
w. Martin. DE-. James A. Reed, ID,
J.P Sankey, D.,NJames Parker, Ph.D.,
w. " BarT,apD, c. 8. Cleland and Ell
ders James Walker and r. L.. Latimer.
Through ffsOseeretary, the Rev. A. w
Morris. the Finance Committee reported
that It had examined the reports of the
treasurer and Board of Trustees. and
found them correct. The report showed
only have contributed to the contingent
fund, but this is twice the number of the
principal Of the endowment FUND of the
Newburgh Seminary be made 3d. 900 from
this. date AND. that the Synod grant the
sehool at Nswburgh. All c-ongregations to
be asked to contribute five cents per mem
Der. to, the contingent fund.
There vas also g ommenda that
u. p. Church for extra services.
It was adopted.
The Committee on Narrative and Relig-
ion. through it's secretary, the Rev. w.
J. Martin, presented an interesting report
on the present condition of the church in
this Synod. In substance, it was as fol-
lows: Congregations, 109; enrolled clergy
men, LIB; without charges, q; licentiates,
4: total membership of congregations. 49,
299. Only two Synods, that of Pittsburg
and the First Synod of the West exceed
this membership. Accessions during the
year, 1,2o3 on confessions of faith. in
Christ, and 651 by certificate, making a
total Of 1854. The decrease by death was
500. and by remoyal Lass, making a total
of 1,765. Net gain for year, SO, or less
shows that despite the effort of the Syn
removals than accessions by profession
OF faith. The report said that these facts
indicated hat I'VE are giving away large
" trained members to other churches, or
that many are simply lost in the multi
Jude who acknowledge no membership in
any church. The loss has not only been
In rural regions, for the two largest cities
of the country are increasing in popula-
tfen. but our church IL decreasing in
membership" OF the nine Presbyteries,
SIX report 4 net decrease. Stamford shows
the remarkable increase of 81; Delaware
has q gain of So, and Boston increases 1877.
"A church decreasing In numbers may
be increasing in power for the kingdom"
continues the report. but in the. process
OF taking the earth for God even In mem
bership the church must enlarge"
According to the report, the returns
from Sabbath schools and Young Peoples
Societies indicate great interest in these
departments of church work. only a
small proportion of our members seem to
find time for a week days evening with