The age-herald., 1899-11-24
THE SYNOD WILL
 ADJOURN TODAY PreSbyterians Discuss Important .Denominational Matters. NEED OF A REF0RMAT0RY
Mrs. R. D. Jodnston's Efforts in That Direction Applauded-The Di- vorce Question Touched Upon
 Orphans Home at Talladega

church. which has been in session at the First Presbyterian church in this city since Tuesday night, will adjourn sometime to- day.
 One of the most important questions con- sidered by the synod at the present session was the Orphans Home at Talladega, and at the meeting last night over 5000 were subscribed towards the support of that in- stitution and towards the liquidation of it's Indebtedness.
 The morning session was devoted to the reading of the synodical narritive which is based on the narratives of the three Presbyteries constituting the Alabama synod. This narrative showed that the churches are in good condition spiritually, that the Sabbath is being more generally observed, that worldly amusements are on the decrease, that the attendance at serv- ices is very good, that only few churches engage in local evangelical work
 The report was discussed at some length, issue being taken on some sections of it, but motion to adopt prevailed. An overture to the general assembly of 1 the Presbyterian church was adopted urg- ing that body to enjoin its ministers from officiating at a marriage where either of the parties has been divorced, unless it be the innocent party who obtained a divorce for reasons recognized by the Bible and set forth in the confession of faith Dr. B. D. Gray of the First Baptist church of this city and Rev. F. L. Marston of the synod of Tennessee were invited to seats in the meeting.
 Afternoon session At the afternoon session Rev. Philip Yer ner missionary to the Congo Free State, addressed the synod. He gave a very in teresting talk on the missionary work in the Congo.
 The report of the foreign mission board was submitted, and after discussion the synod voted to raise for foreign missions a sum equivalent to one dollar for each mem- Der of the Presbyterian church in the Ala bama synod, or about $13,000. Last nights session was set aside for the consideration of the orphans home. Rev. Russell Cecil, of Selma, presented the re- port, showing that the home now had two brick buildings and several smaller houses. which, together with the land, was worth more than $2S,000.
 Rev. J. L. Dean, of Opelika, spoke of the contributions for the support and man- tainance of the churches in Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile and Selma contributed | the bulk of what was received, their sub scrfptions aggregating s2,4S9.2e. Rev. N. L. Anderson followed. He asked 1 If the doors of the home were open to all orphans, regardless of denomination, and was assured that they were. He spoke of | the necessity for reformatory in Ala | bama, saying the state was behind her sis ter states in this particular. He said there were three classes of children, one of which should not be admitted. One class em- braced such orphans as had not been l tainted by vice, the second consisted of | curables that is, of children of evil en- vironments but susceptible of reformation, and the third comprised those who were so steeped in vice that there was no hope for 1 them.
 He applauded the efforts of Mrs. R. D. | Johnston of this city, and her associates, in | their efforts to secure state reformat tory. l He wanted the members of the synod to | join in an appeal to the next legislature to | appropriate not 5000, but $25,000 for such an l institution. He said there was no politics | in this movement. The Superintendent's Talk Superintendent Gordon Foster, of the
 orphans home, was called upon for talk. | Responding, he said children of all denomi- | nations were admitted to the home, and as
 proof of this, stated that there were now in
 the home eighteen Presbyterian children,
 five Methodists, seven Eplscopalians, four
 teen Baptists and fourteen without denomi- | nation.
 Since the foundation of the institution | over 600 orphans have been cared for, and
 out of all that number but one has ever
 been in jail since leaving there.
 Ten years ago the property of the home
 was worth $1, 800; now it Is valued at from
 $33 00O to $3500O.
 Rev. Dr. Robertson called for subscrip-
 tions, saying an indebtedness of $2,40O-$,-
 200 balance on buildings and I,2OO for gro-
 ceries hung over the home. He thought the
 synod should pay this amount at once. Rev. MT. McIwain of the Florida synod,
 formerly of the Alabama synod, offered to
 contribute $1OO towards fund for this pur-
 pose provided the synod would raise $l,iOo,
 Subscriptions were called for and within
 a few minutes more than $1,20O, including
 pr. McIlwain's subscription, had been se- | cured.
 In addition to the above subscriptions the
 different churches of the synod had sub
 scribed $i15O for the support of inmates of 1 the home.
 A rising vote of thanks was tendered Dr.
 McIlwain for Alis magnanimous offer and
 this was followed by the singing of Praise
 God From Whom All Blessings Flow"
 The synod at this juncture adjourned un- | til g o'clock this morning.
 | Engineers Room 1surglarized
 The room of T. H. Glenn, in the Smith
 building, corner Second avenue and Nine
 teenth street, was burglarized Wednesday
 evening and a large amount of clothing is | ccin