Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-07
SOON TO MEET HERE.
SOUTHERN GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO
CONVENE THE 18TH.
TO Be AN IMPORTANT SESSION.
Changes I'm Governmental Forms to
he COnsidered-Many Prominent
Session.

The meeting of the General Assembly
of the Southern Presbyterian Church in
the First Presbyterian church on Thurs
day morning, next week May 18th, will
be an event OF more than ordinary in
terest.
The Presbyterian Church, whether by
its peculiar governmental principles.
which are those of a spiritual republic,
or by its doctrnal tenets, and the great
attention it pays TO the education OF its
ministers, deserves credit for producing
many Of the most eminent preachers in
the pulpits OF the United States.
The General Assembly is pade up OF
commissioners half clerical and half lay
elected by the Presbyterians, and is a
representative body with executive and
judicial functions. 1t has general charge
Of all frontier home missions and foreign
missions, and Of the educational, pub
LEGATION, and Sunday-school work. The
| meeting will bring to Richmond about 225
Of the leading men OF the denomination.
WORK OF THE BODY.
The General Assembly reviews the pro-
, ceedings OF each State synod and tries
synods and presbyteries by appeal or
complaint.
The approaching assembly will have to
deal with several proposed changes in the
governmental forms Of the Church.
Among the prominent divines in attend
ance will be the Rev. f. NJ Green, ID. d.,
OF Danyile, KY, who is moderator; the
Rev. X. p. Farris ID. d., Of ST. Louis,
permanent clerk. the Rev. w. A. Alexan-
der, ID. d.. Of Clarksville Tenn, stated
clerk; the Rev j. n. Craig, ID. d., Of At
lanta, secretary Of home missions; the
Rev. S. II. Chester. D.. D., Of Nashville
Tenn. secretary Of foreign missions; tho
Rev. d. c. Lilly. Of Tuscaloosa, Ala, Sec
rotary Of colored evangelization; the Rev.
J. II. Lumpkin, OF Memphis. secretary OF
ministerial education; the Rev. J. II. Nc
Nelly, ID. D., OF Nashville: the Rev. J. III.
Nall, ID. D., of New Orleans; the Rev T..
z. Palmer, d. d., OF Harrlsonburg. Va;
the w. T. Murkland, d. D.. OF Baltimore,
and many others.
SOME OF THE FEATURES.
The first meeting will be on Thursday.
May 18th, at IL A. NJ, in the First Pres
byterian church. The sermon will be
preached by Rev. DR.. Green, the modera-
tor.
On the afternoon OF the same day the
General Assembly and about 500 citizens
will take an excursion down the James
on the steamer Pocahontas. In each
Presbyterian church tickets may be had,
by a limited number, for this river trip.
On Friday at =. NJ, will be held in
DR.. Kerr's church a great holy commu-
Mon service for the assembly and all
Christians who may attend.
On Saturday night the Covenanters' So
cieties will give the assembly reception
in the lecture-room OF the church, at
which refreshments will be served.
on Monday afternoon a reception will
be given at Union Theological Seminary
by the faculty and their families and the
students Of the institution.
The sessions Of the assembly will con-
tinue about ten days.
INTEREST AS TO CHANGES.
Great interest is felt in the probable
outcome OF the proposition TO make two
changes in the Book Of Church order.
One Of these proposes TO substitute the
word ''in" for Into In the baptismal
FORM and the other TO empower a ruling
elder TO deliver the charge to the people
in the installation Of a pastor IL is I'M
derstood that a majority of the presby-
teries have approved both changes. Dis
cussing this subject, tho Central Presby-
terrain OF this week says:
e 1T seems To US especially Important
that the assembly should be slow 10
enact a change in the standards OF the
Church. when there is shown such DIFF
ferences OF judgement throughout the
presbyteries Many presDyteries have
voted against the proposed amendments,
and in other presbyteries there were
large minorities. We submit that changes
In fundamental law should not be made
on bare majorities but on general
coucurring Judgment Of the Church"