Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-23
INTERESTING NIGHT SESSION.
Report on the Sabbnth-Entertnin.
Ing Discussion on Education.

Ing Discussion on Education.
The assembly was called to order
promptly at SIS. and the report OF the
| permanent Committee on the Sabbath
was presented. This document states
that as the result OF correspondence an
swers have been received from forty-fiVe
J out of seventy-seven presbyteries under
the control OF the assembly. From the
tone OF these It is inferred that while it
is true that here and there in certain 10
cali;ies the Sabbath may be maintaining
its hold upon the masses. the general
trend slowly and surely is in the direc-
ton of looser views and practices. The
proportion Of dscouraging reports Is. If
anything. even larger than usual. The
! result is attributed 90 the late war. Many
of the reports speak Of the Lords Day
| as a favorte pastme for excursions.
! Others OF the continued practice of 80
! many Of the railroads of offering induce
ments for travel on Sundays by allowing
J cheaper rates on that day than others.
| THE reports" the committee continues,
| "also show the great extent TO which
freight trains are run on the Lords Day.
and even where no local freight is handled
the number of through trains is as great
| and, in some places even greater than
|
allow the carrying Of 'perishable freight
on the Sabbath which largely means an
open door for business Of any kind.
THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER.
80 with regard to that other great foe
of the Church, the Sunday newspaper.
| The reports too clearly show that its form
of Sabbath Dissertation is rapidly coming
to the front, a great impetus being given
| ii by the interest felt in the late war.
! With very few exceptions the reports
| are very emphatic In their assertion that
| the patronage Of the Sunday paper Is
! largely 'On the increase The most grail
! flying thing in connection with the whole
matter is the frequent commendatory no
| tees of the conduct of church members.
| The distinction is everywhere sharply
! drayn between the Church and the
world. The statement is constantly re-
! iterated that whilst the day is losing its
! hold upon the outside world the people of
| God, with few exceptions. regard it more
/ or less with undated reverence and af-
| lection"
The report concludes: From a general
! survey Of the field it is the conclusion of
| your committee, and we doubt not but it
must likewise be the judgment Of your
venerable body, that the best and about
| the only course left TO be pursued is the
more diligently TO urge our own people
| to a more scrupulous and careful OBJ
! servance Of this day OF the Lord. This
would not only be the means Of our own
establishment, but the best and only
| means left US Of restraining the outside
world"
| AN-PREsBYTERIAN ALLIANCE OP-
POSED.
DR.. Kerr submitted a verbal report con-
/ tg,,,r lagV Of
| Pan-Presbyterian Commission, which, he
| said. was one Of the best yet held. 1t was,
| in fact. a mighty demonstration OF Pres
| byterians. The purpose of the alliance Is
/ to adjust the relations between different
! bodies represented in the Council. It's
plan is to avoid conflict and waste OF
| force The whole tone Of the meeting
was encouraging and hopeful
DR.. Summey said he would like TO hear
a more extended report on this subject,
| and on motion of Rev. Mir. Craig DR.. Kerr
went more into the details of the work
and objects Of the alliance.
A motion TO adopt the report was Of
fered and DR.. Stephenson said he doubt
ed whether the assembly ought to en-
courage the Presbyterian Alliance in
the elimination of the Southern Presbyte-
rian Church. 1t represented an emascu-
| lated Presbyterianism. 1t was the play
Of Hamlet with Hamlet left out
HAD ACCOMPLISHED GOOD.
DR.. Kerr said he spoke as a delegate TO
| the Pan-Presbyterian Commission. and
submitted no report The assembly
adopted the commission as a basis of CO.
operation and way of getting along
where we meet. The Pan Commission has
nothing to do with the meetings. 1t has
no authority, simply body meeting for
conference There has been nothing done,
he said, whereby anything has been lost,
but there were cases in which something
had been gained. He believed that the
pressure Of the assembly in that commits
sion had had its influence. The objects
for which it stands are something TO be
desired, TO be prayed for. IF we don't
agree on details we can show that we do
agree in fundamentals" DR.. Woodrow
said he was not prepared TO vote on the
motion to approve the report
The moderator said he had made the
ruling as to the report under a misappre-
hensjon. DR.. Kerr had spoken simply as
a delegate, and there was nothing before
the house. Dr. Woodrow said he heart
ily endorsed the words of DR.. Stephenson.
The matter, he thought, should be pro-
ceeded with most cautiously.
THE SUBJECT OF EDUCATION.
The suspended order of the day, the re-
port on education, was taken up. The
following substitute for the report was
offered by Rev. DR.. Walden, of Athens,
Ga:
Recognizing and lamenting the mod
ern tendency towards the seculariZation
Of education. and believing that true
education cannot ignore the moral or
spiritual nature, this General Assembly
hereby enjolns the ministers and members
of our great communion in an individual
and associated way to lend their infiu-
ence, personal and financial, 10 the estab-
Hshment and maintenance of schools and
colleges under church and Presbyterian
influence and it also affectonately urges
the families OF our various churches ana
communities to give their patronage to
such schools and colleges and this not
only for the safe and true education of
their own children, but as a measure pro-
noting true religion i'm this land
IF we want 10 realize this end DR..
Walden said, at must be the expression
of a life, and not the result Of set rules
laid down by church courts. Stch plan
as that laid down by the commtteewould
be the means OF introducing into our SEES
sions and synods an open door for church
politics. The Church has not the func-
ton of secular education. She Is a great
preaching institution, and the more sim
pie she IL in her. intent and effort the
stronger she is for the glory of God and
salvation of men," The substitute was
made TO emphasize the need for Christian
schools and colleges, but 10 throw the
onus where ii belongs-to the Christian
family. Where the State assumes it, II
Is paternalism, whereas its functions
should be police. and where the Church
assumes IL. il is ecclesiastical paternal-