The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-05-25
julius SyCIe & Son, Second and Broad.

report. which was adopted and is here
given i'm full:
Tine Committee on the Narrative rec
spectfuiiy reports
That papers on this subject have come
/ into our hands from sefcuty-ouc of Our
serenty-seven Prc.byteries These papers
profess tO answer with more Or Jess disc
unctness of some ten cor dozen inquiries
touching the all-mp0rtaut matter OF prac-
teal religion. II 10 We're possible Co OBJ
tain reports from our Preshyteries char
acierized by entire accuracy and CONF
pieteness proper digest of these would
render practicable -uccinct and satIs-
Factory summary of The state of vital
Goodness within the limits of our beloved
LiOu
Although The statements On very many
o, these reports are not SD definite as
mlght he desired. yet am explanation OF
infm has left upon the mind of your
committee The following impressions.
first-Our congregations are very gem
orally supplied with the preaching of the
Word. tho cases Of entire d-stltutiOu bee
.ne very few. Tho attendance OF the
people upon tho public worship of God is
-"od u i- sure symptom of spiritual
liie ana health when Gods people have
ID longing TOP The courts Of Ills house.
HAbbAIH kESPEl TED.
Socond-lt appears that the Holy Sab
bath continues 90 command The reveren-
ual regard of the people OF God. % is
probably true that ,he command. IRE
member the Sabbath day to keep 10
no.y- receive, at the hands OF many 3D.
very imperfect obedience and YET the pee
norted Instances OF decided laxltv or open
iesecIalon are so rare. and the tesii-
mony 10 its general observance is so uni
FORM. thar we must believe that az least
COD. own people among us still prize this
ordnance as precious means of grace
and look upon it as the l0Wiander looks
upon tho dyke
Accordingly NO find that the
general tenor o. the Presbyterial reports
indicates that the spirituality OF Gods
people is NOT on tho decline. With re-
m"rkaole degree of uniformity they az
hrm shat harmful forms OF wordlne-s
DO not prevail. There seems TO Dee
growing interest Do the things that per-
tain I'D tho Kingdom OF God and an in
cieds.ng zeal for the maintenance OF lis
cause and the diffusion of His truth.
Fourth-let the picture us not wholly
bright The impression left by these
udines received from our broad field IS
noe wholly pleasant With a deepening
ana painful uniformity our Presbyterlas
report lamentab.e neglect OF the family
altar and religious home training OF
children II Is not easy % obtain the
data requisite for satisfactory seasonal
reports touching these vital features OF
that vital subjcct-family religion And
hence there Is room for hope that the
shading OF the reports az this point may
be too deep. Still we cannot divest our
selves ~ the conviction that there now
cX SIS an Imperative demand Tor a very
general and radical reform in the mat
ter-the all-important matter OF family re-
liglon-the building and maintaining OF
Gods church IN the house
Respectfully submitted by the commit
tee W. j. Mckay.
Chairman
FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS.
Beginning at s.i5 T. NJ. a great meet
Ing I'm The interest Of Foreign Missions
vss held il was entirely devotional.