Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-04-08
A. R. PRESBYTERY.

Interesting Session at Winnsboro-Trial
sermons-The Question Of Uniting With
tho "U. P.'s"-Two Presbyteries Instead
of One-Rev. James Boyce.
Reported for The Yorkville Enquirer,
The meeting convened in Winnsbo-
70, S. c., on the 3rd inst, at II a. m.
Rev. J. S. Grier, of Sharon, the retiring
moderator, was not able, owing to
sickness, to preach the opening ser.
mon. Rev. B. II. Grier, of Yorkville,
took his place and preached the SER
mon from John xvii, %.
The presbytery was constituted with
prayer by Rev. C. B. Belts, and was
then presided over by Rev: ]. G. Dale,
the moderator. elect.
There were three students to preach
before the presbytery, and at night
Messrs. ]. NJ. Bigham and I. S. Cald-
we'll presented their trials. They were
very creditable exercises. Mr.. Bigham
was afterwards licensed, and will be
given work as soon as the seminary
closes in June.
At the session Monday night, little
stir was produced by resolution ask
ing the synod to submit an overture
regarding union with the U. P. church
to the presbyteries, and these to SUBJ
NIT the same to the congregations, and
then the synod take final action in
1900. 1t was first moved to lay the
motion on the table, as number of
the brethren evidently preferred to
avoid the discussion; but the motion
to table was lost, and the mover was
asked to defend his paper or to make
plain what he wanted, and Brother
Ewart, the author, did so.
He thought there was ground for
criticism in the present plan of
cooperation pursued by the two
churches. The U. P. boards of Home
Missions and of Church Extention
are working with our board in
building up city missions. Just recent
ly the board of Church Extension of
the United Presbyterian church ap-
propriated $4,000 to the Corsicana,
Tex, mission. To secure this money,
they were given mortgage on the
property. Was there not danger that
we would get too much in debt to our
brethren, because bound mp by mort
cages, and thus at some time be COM
PEELED to unite with them? The dis
cussion was quieted and the resolution
was killed by one of the members of
the presbytery explaining that the
mortgage would never be foreclosed as
long as we were Associate Reformed.
Tuesday was taken up in hearing
reports of committees, in arranging for
the supplies of our vacancies, and in
licensing Brother Bigham.
The question of dividing the pres
bytery came up. A number of speeches
were made on both sides. Some think
the presbytery is too large. Has A
churches and "a ministers, and the
smaller congregations can't entertain
it easily, and they think the working
force of the church would be develop
ed by division, calling out the ener.
gies of the younger members. On the
other hand others think there is
power in numbers, and in wealth, and
they don't want to see the presbytery
cut in two. The old ties are too strong.
1t was noticeable that the argument for
division came from the South Carolina
brethren, and the argument against
from the North Carolina.
We felt like reminding them of the
story of brer rabbit and the tar-baby:
"Ah brer rabbit, every time you hit
me, I'll stick to you !"
The pastoral relation at Hunters
Vile, N. c.; was dissolved. Rev. Jas.
Boyce having accepted the presidency
of the female college, will move at
once to Due West.
The meeting was a most pleasant
one, and all enjoyed the delightful hos
pitality of the Winnsboro people.
Lancaster was chosen as the next
place of meeting, and Rev. A. S. Rog-
ers is TO be the next moderator.