Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-25

asserting and aggressive in matters per
tanning TO Church management.
Judge Edmondson said the object of hi
resolution was to shake up the elders o
the Church. Unless the sessions wer,
kept up. and the young people were KEEP
in touch, the Church would fall behind
in the great onward movement, which wa
largely due TO the energy of the youni
people. Let us wake up our session.
said Judge Edmondson, land let them e
into the societies and govern them anC
help them along"
| The discussion was restricted almost eX
| clusively to the elders, and the necessity
! for keeping the children out Of the inter
UNCONVENTIONAL societies and taking par
| in the ''junketlngs" of these bodies, was
duly emphasized on the one side, while
others spoke for more liberalism.
| Rev. II. +. r. Mccoy. Of Virginia, spoke
| of young peoples societies as the offsprina
| OF the world. the flesh and the devil. He
! severely censured those parents who neg
! lect the religious care and education OF
| the children. These societies, he said.
were becoming an unmitigated curse.
Mr.. Hutton took issue with Mr.. Mccoy.
| The societies We're in existence. and in
| most cases they were an unmitigated
blessing. I'VE regard it as the Church
| at work, whether you call ii young peo-
| Pies societies or what not"
Mr.. Mccoy rose 10 make a personal
explanation, and said he did not intend
to refer in his remarks to the societies
under the control of tho session, as the
Westminster League, but to those outside.
DR.. Shearer took the ground that the
societies could only be conducive to good
when controlled absolutely by the session,
4
same lines, the previous question was
called. The amendment was adopted by
a large majority and the report was ap-
proved.
The assembly then went into the con-
sideration of reports on synodical records,
which had been made the second order
Tor the day. y contest in regard to the
action of the Synod of Alabama was be-
fore the assembly when the body adj
iourned.
DELEGATION TO ATTEND UNVEII.-
ING.
The Committee on Foreign Correspond
ence recommended the Acknowledgement
of the invitation of the Synod Of New
Jersey TO participate in the memorial SER
vices which are to mark the unwilling of
the monument TO be erected in Old Scots
battle-ground, in Monmouth county. This
was adopted, together with the following:
That the assembly express its deep in
terest In all that touches the founding
and early struggles of the Presbyterian
church in our country and the import
ance of keeping the history in remem-
brance of coming generations.
The committee further recommends
that the delegation TO the unwilling shall
be composed as follows: Rev. r. Z. Kerr.
u. D.; Rev. Joseph A Vance Rev. Parke
I. Flournoy, ID. D., and Ruling Elders T.
+. Graham Esq, and William Writ
Henry, Esq.
WANT BOOK OF ORDER CHANGED.
The committee appointed to co!late the
votes of the presbyteries upon the amend
ments 10 the Book Of Church order sent
down by the last assembly, reported that |
they have received the votes of seventy !
presbyteries out Of a total OF seventy |
seven, and that they have ascertained |
the following facts:
l. Flfty-hve of these presbyteries voted |
10 amend the Directory of Worship. |
chapter 8, paragraph s, by substituting. in !
the formula of baptism, the word in" /
Tor the word into" as overturned by the |
last assembly. Fourteen of the presby-
ierles voted against the amendment and
one dld not vote. Therefore, a majority |
or the whole number of presbyteries in
our assembly approve the amendment
that is. fifty-five out of seventy-seven.
:. That forty-four of the presbyteries
reported voting to amend the Book OF
Churcn order, chapter 6, section 3. para
graph ., as overturned by the last General
Assembly, and twentyslx voted not to
amend. Therefore. a majority OF all the
presDyterles In our assembly approve the |
amendment, or forty-four out of seventy
seven.
The report was docketed for future dis
cussion.
The Afternoon Session.
The afternoon session was largely taken
up with debate upon the motion to
aeopt the report Of the Committee on Re-
cords OF the Synod OF Alabama The
point or difference was that part of the
report which has reference TO the division
OF the Presbytery of South Alabama A
petition OF several ministers complaining
against the action Of the synod I'm max
ing this division was answered by the
committee with the assertion that the
synod is vested with authority to unite
or divide presbyteries at will, and that
ms authority is unlimited by the Consti-
luton. The report was sustained after a
ong discussion by an overwhelming ma
ority.
Rev. John Fox, corresponding secretary
II the American Bible Society. was intro
iuced TO the assembly and welcomed by
he moderator. On motion of DR.. Law. II
vas determined to make a special order
or noon to-day an address on the work
II the society by Mr.. Fox.
motion that speeches on all questions
hat may arise be limited hereafter 10 ten
minutes was voted down.
reports were presented OF the Synods
u Virginia, Arkansas, Memphis, Missis- ]