The age-herald., 1900-05-23
GLOOMY REPORT
 OF PRESBYTERIANS
Lack of Sabbath Observance is
 on the Increase.
AMUSEMENT SINS DEFINED
Some Theatrical Performances as Well as Dances and Games are Not Harm ful-Sunday Newspapers are
 severely Scored

Atlanta. Ga, May 22.-Today was spent by the commissioners attending the thirty ninth annual session of the southern gem eraI assembly of the Presbyterian church, in session here, in receiving and discussing reports submitted by various committees. A report on foreign missions was received and set for disposal on Wednesday after noon.
 The committee on the pastoral letters touching worldly amusements reported. The committees recommendations were docketed for debate.
 The report was partly follows;
 Under the term of worldly amusements may be included the dance, theater and the card table. There is dancing which Is innocent in itself. There are plays that are highly moral, and card playing with out gambling cannot be called sin There are also dances, stage plays and games Of cards that are in themselves harmful and contrary to the law of God; and such be- ing evil and only evil, condemned and forbidden by the church. On these mat ters the church through its constitution, the deliverances of it's courts and from its pulpits has spoken in the strongest terms. 1ue question lnen drlSeS. May not IHTlS- tians freely indulge in such forms of world ly amusements as are not sinful in them- selves? In reply, the general assembly urged our people to abstain altogether from the amusements referred to as a matter of Christian prudence, example, and out of regard for the honor of Christians, because: These things are accounted worldly and regarded as characteristic of a worldly as distinguished from a spiritual life. Chris tians cannot afford to do those things which are looked upon belonging peculiarly to the world, and by doing which the line of separation between the world and the church is erased or obscured.
 Attended Laying of Corner stone
 This afternoon the commissioners and others attending the assembly were pres ent at the laying of the cornerstone of the Ninth Presbyterian church on Peachtree street. At the conclusion of the ceremonies a reception was rendered the commissioners at the residence of Mrs. J. M High.
 The executive committee endeavored to raise $3O,0OO for the work during the year, though failing in this and securing only S1S,3s559; still the committee was able to pay all appropriations in full and report a balance in hand of $1,529.9O.
 1t recommended:
 That in view of the decreasing number of candidates for the ministry your com mittee suggests the importance of urging upon all churches the duty of seriously looking within their borders to see if there may not be those who are really called of God to preach the word, but who are re- fusing to respond, and the ministers now in the work be urged to speak of it as the noblest calling God ever offers to men and urge the first fruits'' in all their fields 4r 4l, them by using them in the same work he gave His Son and holy men of old.
 That the following persons be appointed the executive committee of education for the ministry: Rev. J. S. Lumpkin, secre- tary; c. w. MacRae, treasurer; Rev. Sterl- ing J. Foster, Rev. John Johnson, Rev N w. Woods, D. D., Rev. William H. Neel ID. D., Rev. Turner A. Wharton D. D., Thomas Welford s. P. Read, J. S. Dan want, J. S. Albright.
 Gloomy Report
 The report of the permanent committee on Sabbath observance went to the stand ing committee on Sabbath. This report was read and attentivey listened to by the commissioners. In part, it said
 Tn presenting to the general assembly the report, the last in this century, your permanent committee on Sabbath observ- ance can at the very outset but express regret that they are forced to come again
 
 ment as in the past, that they have noth- ing either bright or encouraging to present, but rather the reverse.
 Tn contrasting the present with the past nothing seems more obvious than that the general movement has been in one direc- tion and that direction downward. Of the fiftyfour Presbyterian reports that have come to us very few speak of anything like decided improvement.
 More or less social visiting is reported Railroad travel stimulated by the grow ing practice of granting excursion rates, is largely on the increase. The Sunday news paper, that insidious foe of the church, is encroaching more and more upon the sa- credness of the Lord s day. Railroad traf- fic Is also greater, there being a greater number of through trains though, perhaps, not as much handling of local business. But few of the states forbid the running of these trains A bill was introduced d short time since into the legislature of Mississippi to stop the running of freight trains on the Sabbath day and was de- feated. A similar effort was made before the legislature of Alabama a few years ago with like result
 The Night Session
 At the night session pr. R. H. Nall, of Greenwood, presented a report from the committee on Sunday schools and young peoples societies. Number of schools re- ported 2063, officers and teachers enrolled, 1S,701; scholars enrolled, 131,6 ,661; total en- rollment, 1i9,642 Total contributions, sS7, 100
 Current expenses s5S, ,7S1; contributed for other objects, $2S,910; giverNfor foreign mis- sions, S6s56; home missions, sl,501. The re- port says
 "It is beyond belief that we have 300 Presbyterian churches in which there are no Sunday schools and that we have lost