Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, May 22, 1877, Page 8

TRESBYTERIANS. Minute Regarding Mission- ary Presbyteries and Synods. ' changing the Hour for Hold- i ing the Daily Devo- tional Exerciscse Yast Year's Programme on the Sub- " jeot of Conoert of Praye. Adopted, payment of Street-Car Fare and Lnnch DBills Comes Up for Conslderation overture in Regard to the ¥ Monner of Voting on Appeals. Lengthy Discussion of the Question by Eminent Speakers. A Hint to the Seminaries to Instruct Students in the Discipline. The Report on the Final Court of Appeals Debated at Great Length. Meeting on Behnlf of tho His- torical Socicty---Addresses and Reports. THE PRESBYTERIANS. PRELIMINATRY BUSINESS. CIIANGRS 1N COMMITTEES, The fourth dny’s session of tue Presbvterian General Assembly opened yesterday morning at podock {n Farwell iIall. The Rev. James Eells, the Moderator, presided, and opened the seulon with prayer, Tho Aseembly then sang Al hall the power of Jesus’ name,” The mivutes of the preceding sesslon were read and approved. . The Moderator announced the following changes and additions to the committees, stat- logas the reason therefor that scveral of the breibren appointed on Buturday had not come tothecity: The Rev, David R, Breed, fn place of the Rev. Edward Graham, on tho Commitice ta Church Pollty; Iunter Orr, In place of famuel Ti Davis, on the Conmlittee on Forelgn Mistonsj George K. Kimball on the Commit- teefor Freedmenj John O, Palmer and Fred- tickJ. Slade on the Committco on Narratlve. Thedoderatoralsostated that it was owlug to s mippreliension that the name of the wrong putleman had been announced as Chalrman of the Committeo on Reduced Representation, It sbould bave been the Rev. Dr. Hattleld, instead . oielion, J. K. Morehiend. ANOTHEL HALL. 3r, Barnham moved o reconsideration of tho e passed Saturday requesting the Conmijtee " wArrangements to Inquire Into the expedien- of moving to nuother hall, It secmed to Blm that the vote was passed rather hastily, and kst it contalned an fmplied censure on the Cummittee, to whotn tho Assembly owed a paatdeal, It scemed to hin that tho fault wa the Assombly’s, and not the Committec's, wdthat {t the Asscmbly would ke measures tokeep the rear of the hail free from porsons talkiog it would obtain its objevts, He there- fore moved u reconsideration of the vote, hav- fxgvoted for the resolution, and thercfore hav- Lgarizht to 80 1nove. Tno motlun to reconsider was carrled, Wir. Burnbiam then moved that the Commit- keol Arrungements be requested to pravide o Cxrkeeper, whose duty it should be to keop wler jn the rear of the hall. ‘Tuls wotlon was o carrled, The Moderator urged upon Presabyterinns il 8ynods which had reports to make, or vther Mpers to send up, to place whatever documents Yerto come befors thy Assembly on the plat- form, 10 that the Comimittees might have them Lot consideration, CILINE4E EVANGELIZATION, e Moderator announced the following Com- ultes ou the memorial of the San Francisco Presbytery In relution. to Chinese evangelizae ton: The Rev, M., Illumphrey, D. D.; 19 Rev. Jacob Belville, D. D.j the Rev. A, J. Voo, D. D, F. J. Buroham aud David Wills, FOREIGN MISSIONS. MISSIONAIY PRESDYTERIES AND BYNODS, TheRev, Bamuel T, Lourle, from the Com- alites on Forelgn Mlssfons, sald they had lound I tho smnual report of the Board of Forelgn Misslons & report on tho subject of lonary Presbyterles and Bynods, which was erred tothe Board by the General Assembly of . Tha report. contained & minute framed to Puvkle for the exigencles of tho cuse, which i tespectully recommended by the Board to Assembly for its approval. This report 4 minute the Committey desired to report at g‘*. that it might cucounter no needless delay hlflnlng before tho House, They desired to e Abo matter referred to the Committes on o Polity of the Church, ¢ then read as folloy ‘;ll'a General Assembly of ‘1870 referred ta tho oo Furelgn Missions a° memorial from the latha} India concerntug a Presbyterinn Ailinuco aiogcuntey, with inutructions 1o revort thers- oo next Asvembly— (3inutes, pugo 79), Tho bt Hullzlgmn;?xuldumd this wubject, would rer Wi e GG of e Byno'e memortal s to aroe 2 Oberation between ‘the wlvslons of the P'm‘llull sud Amorfcun churches In Indis of the Ry °“{xluhn onder, ¥o far as ccclosiastical mattens lanogacerned, Thy reault of wuch co-uperation, it N:p"" would bo linsediate harmany of sction, lerlay cituatly tha establlsbment of Onu Presby 'n‘a‘“m' in that country. 1t fa desired to sa- sy ‘46 important cads Without detrlment to peayfriaciple of church - Wy wighout truth wpiresed o Wonl of Gud, l'fl!ulh tho Church fe ever a witness, The samo o the ribject hus een under the conalderation Ltn iselonarive of thres Preabyterian denouwil- Be ool J14D, 4@ alepu have been taken by ooklug fu 10 sumo endy ae sro contemplated ougypdaurial of the Synod of India, In other ¢ cou 8140, Lho wame nbject 18 brescuted in A omol work of Frespyterian missionarios of st denumlugtions, And thero are ln woat bancny 460 1 counirles occupted by enly ono myort e Preabyterian Church, certain ques- onurder, und capecially of the relations of e u"um“ Loth to the church at bowe and to rangey S CBUFck, Whicli ur as yet not deduitely oL D8 Broper adjustment of which woul 3 apars fue ends couteoiplated by the memoril, by, g the tustructions of the Genersl Avsciu Yiews'to Board would therefurs not restrict its a the a‘:-:lzl ted by the Synod of fudia, cF wcupe to ita report. Nu.:.'c‘.',b' taken for -m‘::i that tm{- practical im- Wi e of co-uperal ever _pructicable, oy, 0ceded by all partos, Nobody wouldl dupapg,LotlStuate amonget Hindov, Chinese, oF beculigriggec Jiiatiaus, vuch natious) or local 12 thy procs Of churchi organlzation av way exist *(he l,:-bymlnn Churclies of Scutlang, Hulland, aghy, oied States; but. yreater unfou’ fs to be Uraty 3o @¥ided 1L ln uot sungnt at twe uxpense of Bourg Lo order. After cureful redection, the tiog g Sered INAY certain weasures of co-operas Wy iricHealle and oxpedicnt; uud ulvo’ that Mgt WA be taken toward the sdfjustment faitge)y A8 Vet unsettled; which action, proper Seratigy YOU bave u beaniug ou the ‘dudrid Cor bih iy {1 oBevs measures must bave respect ta thy’ Bows churchesaupporting the missions, tatro 2t¥e cliurchcs, wo luug os thy bette uq.huul'éflficnuuuhw aupport. themacly Yong o gl ‘l"f:hve Fespect tu tho two-fold rela- N 3 z cliurches gutherod b cties® bleming o their winistry.* Whaterer Weasurcs are adopted, thoy sbould be auch ap will sccure the fafthfal preaching of the Gospel, the proper training of men for the minis- try, and the wise adininiateation of Congregational and Preshyterix] interests, —-all tending to promote the exercisc of godly care and discipline over the chnrctics, and the ailvancement of church membera nnll Christlan groce and nectulness, It 1 be- 1ieved that these ends wiil be gatned by mmply ad- hering to the well-known principlas and order of our Church, oa thewo are applicable to the varled efreamstances of Lhe cane 1L 18 obvious, moreover, that thia aubject alonld e conaldered ‘on theae general principles of oir Chureh wystem §n xome respects, tnther than on rules intended chiefly fur the use of vur churches in thls country. Thiv difference hns bren recug- niized to some cxtent by the General Assembly, O, 8., uf 1811 ond 1845 (sce Minutes). The chapter on Misions, In our Church Standards (Chap, 3viil,), 14 general in its terms, nsscrting cleatly the right of the Church to engages in organized ef+ forta for tha spread of the Gospel, but nut enterin; into questions of niethods, These may be regarae a8 properly leftto the wise Judgment of the Church, frum |?m&v to time expressed, Further action by the tieneral Assemoly seems now (o be called for Wy the growth of rome of the mifsslons and the pes culiar circumetances of others, and particalarly b the mentorial and other cases alrcady mentioned, I'ne distance of must of the misslonary churches from [this country: thelr speaking * languages unknown to us; thelr imperfect acquaintance an {el ‘with our chinrch system, stand in the way of lieir belng connected with aud represented in oure Genera) Aucmbl( in nll reapecta as mro our Amer- fcan charches. {et thelr relations to us through the missiunarien sent out by our body, thelr cire cumnstances raguiring peenniary. ald fof the pres- cnt In greater urles dugree, und their need of our moral support aud sympathy until they sro sble to stand alonc, reuder It proper that they should be connected with the Uenenil Assembly to some ex- fent n vrganic relations, On the other hand, they should be connucted In even niore iutimate orzanic relations with uther nutlve churches of like faith nnd order In thelr respective countrics, standing In missionary coanection with other branches of the Presbyletlan body, Ametican or Europenn. And the foreign minslonarics, tbrough whose labors these native churches have been planted and fostered, should Le connected with churche onmuizations In the field of thelr labors, with- ot lusing nny of their riglits and privileges in the chirch by which they weru sent otit. 1n view of the subject ne tlius stated, the Hoard ‘has endeavored to frame a winute that wouald pro- vide for the exigencles of the ceee, This winute fa here embodied asa part of thiv report, and s respectinily recommended to the General Asseimn- bly for ite approval, It is deslined to Le »0 com- prehonsive an to cnable the missfonarles in Indls 1o guin the end contemplated fu shele memorial, ond st the sate tnw W be applicable to the clps cimatane 14 a follows: **1. 1ncountries occupled by the Board only. The native churched I the missions may be organized Inty Presbyteries, and uventually into Synolds, if notalroady so organized, at their diecretion a4 to the time of orgunlzation, snd according to their cunvenience us to boundarice, *+ Each Presbyiory shall conslat of all the min. Inters, native and furcign, not Jusd than tve in number, and u ruling elder from each church within 1ta bonnda, ** Nutlve, ua well s forelgn minlsters and elders of such Prusbyterics, may be sent o Comnlasion- cra to the tenvral Assambly, when connected with churches formed by funds of the Boi the missions or alded by tho of Foteien Misslon; butover. ng chauges in church mutters in hut] nut be trauemitted to any of thexe missionary Preabyteries for thelr votes. **Tha Presbyterics muy look to the General As. sembly for all neodad dircction, counncl, and aup. purt until they become prepared to be independent. > Apnaals from churcii courty shall for the pres. ent torminate with the higheat court In oach coun- try, excopting that the Jorulgn misafonury mem. bérs muy appeal (o the By 4 with which they were formerly connected, and from u Missionary Synod to the General Ammmif. In cases affocting thele porsonal character or thelr ministorlal stand- ng, “The P'resbyteries, and the Synods, wherevor formed, sthould send to thu Uenecral Assombly coples of theie minutes, nurratlve of the state of religlun, and statiatical reports. *“IL In countrics vccupled by the Board and by the missions of other Presbyterian denominatinns, Minsfonary Presbyteries and Synods which hold the mame fsith and order should be enconrayed to ane ter into common church relations with each other in any countey in which the misslons of mora than vuo Preubyterian body sre conducted, When such relations mre formed, the conncction and relations of any of tho chiurchos aud members of Presbytery with the General Asseinblyshall be In the manner and to tho extentset forth in tho preceding paras raph of this minute, with the proviso that the anmblywlllrocnunllulhumlulelnnnndclmnhnn, copnected with its Buard of Forelgn Misslons, as entitled to reprosentation in Its sessions, an stuted in the fmego ug_paragraph, —thefr relatlon to tho loeai, Droabrtery mot o Yo tioreby otherwise changed, **Ii1. Tn regard to church standards. Tt shall bo referred to the misslonary Synods, or if theraary no Bynods to tho Presbyierivs which contatn at last three forelgn members, tu take order con- cerning Articles of Falth, Government, Discipiine, Directory of Public Wan}:lp and fule fur Judica. torics. 1t shall bo thelr {udgniont. 1o do- termine the parts that ought to belnciuded in thelr nction on these subjects, havinga wise reference 1o the degrea of Christion knowledye and udvince~ ment wherounto the native churches have atluined; but the condition is hercln oxpressly made, that in these ataudurds nothing contrary to the standards of the Presbyterian Church in tho United States of America_shall be adopted, It s further required that copies of the etandards thus adopted shall bo transmitted to the General Assemaly,™ ‘The reasons of this minute In niost of jte provis- fons wili be apparent withoat further remurk, DBut the measare pronoecd in (ke latter part of Para- graph 11, may descrve n Lrief statemient, 11 recog- ntzes a purt of 4 isslonary Prosbytery as entitle tu represcutation—a feature which it 1a believed Is odmiasibie In tho circumstances. The other parl could bo in Mke mnnner ade nitted to representstion by the Lomo churches sunporting them. A no case of appel or complaint bo carried to the hume churches, except ln asinglo lnstunce which fnvolves no difiis culty, no embarraeament 1y 1ikaly to resalt from thisdiverse representution, Without un arrango- ment of this general nuture it is not percenved by what imeans cccleslastical tnfon ou “the ground, coupled with vrganie relationa to the hume churches could bo muiniained; no? how the fore elgn misstonaries cuuld be connccied both with the home and the uative cliurch courts. That thewo brothren should be members of the lucal P terles, 18 evident, not auly fzom the form of goveriiment (L. X., Sec. 1), but for welghty re: sone of exporience, On the other haud, their cone nection with the Church in this country ouzht tuw be malntained, Looking on tho subject ka necullar and provisional, and regarding the proposed meas- ure as in harmony with the general principle of representation, und as adupted to wecura limpors tant ends, the Dodrd sugeesta its npc:orul by the Ueneral Asvembly, or elee that eome better nieth od be ndoptod for the wame or simliur purposcs. Al of which {a respecttully submitted, ‘The Rov. Mr, Collelt, of Phlladelphia, moved the roference of the above paper, with the re- plu:l:, to the Cowmittee on Church Lolity,” Care rled. OCIIANGE OF PROGRAMME, DEVOTIONAL EXEfICISES IN THE MORNING, The Rev. UenryJ, Vun Dyke sald he desired to move a reconsideration of the vote of tue Asscmbly by which ft amended the report of the Comunttee of Arrangements to fix the time for devotional exercls If thenotion 10 re- consider wus seconded, be would explaln. ‘The motlon was sceonded, Dr. Van Dyke said it would be remembered that when the Committee made itsreport it rec- ommended decupylug the est half-hour of tho day’in devotional “exercises, and the helding of” the regular gession untll 1 o'clock, Tho Chalrmun of the Committee hud suggested that, after last Baturday, the Assems bly shiould make au exception tothe rule, snd have devotlonal exerclies tu the middlu ot the day. The Assembly, lu its courtesy sud desire to satlaly the guenub whotn {t was belng so erieroualy eutertalved, went further, and iwado it & rule to bave devotion fromn 13to 1 o'cluck, In tho miuds of many of the Assembly aud the Committee themaclyes, there were obvlous dis- advantages In arresting the progress of business at 12 o'clocle. It was a great deal better 1o be- #ln the da, bi seeking God's blessing. To stop ut 19 o'dock, after getting thoroughly at work, did uot help the dovotion, while Jt injured the business. ‘Though tue peoplo of Chicago wero entertaining tho.members most enerously, snd would no doubt bear them as ong as they chose to stay, yet some of thy members thought the people should Be relleved of thia burden us soun as possible. 1f the no- tion to reconsider should prevail, ko proposed to move to return to the original recommendation of the Committee. o this at the sugges- tion of the members of that Committee. It was the opinion of many that the best courss wus to open the wmorniig with devotional exer- clses, mu} continue the regular business until 1 o'clock, and that the regular prayer-meeting of the Young Men's Chirist) Association should be held, us usual, in lower Farwell Hall, The motion to recousider was put and carrfed, DR, VAN DYKE THEN MOVED that bereafter the firat half-hour of the morn- ing be devoted to worship, and that the Asscum- bly then contioue the busloess until 1 o’clock, Dr. Maxwell llked the uoonday devotlonal exercises, but was willlug to return to the wmorning bour, If the Asserbly so desived. 8till, he thought it looked as if” the morutug devotion was ruther a convenlent way of tiliug up the url}' hour when members were not vrescut, IT It met the wish of the Assewbly, lfiwuvcr, be was prepured to vots for the chauge. De¥ Van Dyke's motion was put and carried, ., OVERTURES, SADBATI-SCHOOL WORK: Dr. Rockwell offcred the followlng: Resoloed, That the Committee on the Rteport of the Board of Publlcation be directed, In thefr no- tice of ite Sabbatb-schoul work, o briog in & minute, which shall be, If adopted the expression of the Assewbly, u4 to the mutual relations of the Church and tho Sabbath-achools, sud of the dutica which, lu vicw of thoss relatiung, devolvs ou tho pastur scsslon. . ‘The Rev. Dr. Walin thought that, fn estab- lishiog the tivus of the Sabbath-scliool to the Church, pastor, and scsslon, and all tho ap- 7 tnissionaries I other countries. It, THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: TUESDAY, MAY 22, 1877—-TEN PAGES. pllances of the Church, the Committee on Church Polity nught to consider thls aubject. e did not think the Board of Publleatlon conld shed as much light nn the subject as the Committes on Chureh Polity. A membier innvedd to refer the resolutlun to the Committee on Church Poditv, Carrled, PAPKIS IEPRRILED Dr. Hatfleld announced the recelpt of the {nllnw.l papers, which were referred a3 fol- ows Overture from the Preabylery of Santa Fe: over- ture from the reshylery of Tirooklys rertura from the Presbylery of Cold Riyer, severin toral charze; overture from the Presbyies Westchester, on the terms of service and #hips papers from the resbyiery of Redstone on depascd minlstera; overture fruin he Preshytery of Magarin, on tha withdrawal of members from the Charch: overtnre from (he Preshivtery of Mon- tann, in regerd to a quornin of (ho Preavyterys all of which were referred to the Commitiée on Church Polit an overture from the Prese bytery of ckawanna, i regard to ono of the Commissloners last yeidr who was reparted nd not baving pald proper respect to the Committes on Leave of Absen referred 1o tnat Commifice! An overtiro feo: ltimore Presty- tery, defined by the Hev, Mr. Marquis 1o bo in the nature of o reguest affecting the lome Missgan work i tho Presbytery, and, nt that r referred to'tho Commiitea on llomos Miveloning an vvertura from the Frovbyteey of (i cago, ou educatton of the minfetry, refereed to the Committee on Education; an overture from the Preshytery of Cednr Ntanide, on the publication nf A weekly paper, eeferred to the Committee on Prbs Meation? an overture from the Preabytery of Cleveland, on_the benevolent work of the Cliireh, teferred to the Committes on Benevolence: an overture from tho Presbytery of Uolorado, o regard to their misslonary work, referred o the Committes on Howe Misslonei neve eral m\rer» and overtires on fermented 1w feered to the Commtttee on Bills and Overti evertare from the Ureshytery of Ctah on cation uf the minlatry, teferred to the Committee on Education; overtires on reductlon, referrod to the special commitice on thet subjects o paper of the Synod of (ienevi containinz an oficial atate- mentof tholr actiun on the reconstructivn of the de 1 Central New York, In regard Lo which the Aescinbly instricted them totake order, deciin- g the chanZe vruwnml. referred 1o the Cemmite tee on Chareh Pollty: a communieation from the Board of Mome Misslona contaimng the reply to thie proposition to merge that Doard with the Dousd of Chareh Ercetlon, referred to the Computtee on Churet Polity s an overtura from tha Preabylery of Utah bn regant to the emploxing of o ceetain cfuss of imlaslonary work: ‘nmunf the Morimons, referred to tus "Conuittee on [fome Misslon«; an overture from the Lresbytery of Kingaton In rozard to the derccrntion of the Lord's Dy, referred (o the Commitice on Nilila and Over. turent a commanleation fron the delepate appolnt= ed by the Lutheran Church, roferred to the Comits tee ‘on Correspondence; reports of the Boord of Directurs of tae Theotogicil Semfnarics of the Nurthwest nnd of San Francleco, of the Trustees aud Directors of Lunville and of Princeton, referred — to the Standing Committee on Th:olugleal Seninaries; acommunication from the Western Theological Sentinary nxlang for o clianye in the plan, reforred to the same Committees un- nual report of the ‘Tristees of the Presbyterian House to the Committce on Ialilieation: Annual ruport of the Board uf Humu is-lons, Jloard o Educatlon, snd ChurchiErection, referred to the nFlbmprlnln commitlecs; reporte of the T'reasurer ol the Trustees of the General Asscmbly and of tne Teeasnrer of the General Assembly, roferscdto tho Committee on Finance. PERMENTED WINE, When the overtures on the subject of fer- mented wine cane up, Dr, Hattleld «aid he sup- posed they would go to the Committee on Tem- perance, X Mr. McKnight satd the usc of fermented wine at the comdmunion came properly under the rovinee or charge of the Cumimitive on Over- urcs. The Conimlttee un ‘Temperance should tuke charge of the matter of drinking intoxicat- Ing drinks, He (did not apprehend that they ought to consider o matter ailectlug the policy of the Church. BTATISTICAL NEPORT. DAPTIZED NON-COMMUNICANT ADULTS, Dr. Joseph G, Reaver, of 8t. Louls, deslred to offer o resolution, and,'if it et with n second, Lo move its refercnce to a suitable commitice— thot on Bills and Overtures hie thought., The resolutlon was as follows: Resolred, That s column be ndded to the sta. tutical report of th Presvyterics that shall call for the number of udult baptized non-communicants in cach congregation. He wished the Assembly to give thelr atten- tion one momnent to whatwould be buvotved in’ acall of this kind, Ife knew that In the Pres- byterfan Church the congregation was a some- whut fudefintte thing, and’ yet every pastor knew very well thiat i coutd Torin o tolerably deflnite tdea ns to all thosu that were members of the congreention. He did not mean of the Cuurch, but of the congregation. The pasturs usunlly had o tist of “those whom they consldered identifled with the congregation— who were supporters of the Church—who were attendants upon the services, and yet who did uot belongs to the membership of the Church, He thoughit i€ there was one thing In referenco to which the Presbyterian Curch was more derellct thun any othér one thing It was i ref- erence to tho cure of its baptized members, Ho thought it was A too common fault that pustors Laptized children, and that was about tho Jast they knew of them, o thought that the thne had come when the Presbyterian Church ought to have suflldlent care fur that Inrge and nearly related cluss of her mems berahip to at least cill for a report of them. ~And he was willing for one to learn from the S8outhern bretbren upon this question, Ho hoped that the resojution would be referred and at lenst receive respect- ful conslderation, DR. HATPIELD remarked that, in order to introduce aunther column into thic statistical report, ono coluumn must be taken out. The puge was now wide, aud it was entirely out of the questlon to add another. Whiel cofumn would be subtract vdd Therie was o proposition to take vit that rearding sustentation, Dr. Reuser enld it would be o hanl thing If the amall size of a page should interfere witha matter of such vital fmportauce. Ho Loped the pogy could be cularged somc way, or tho columng inade maller. Dr, Itockwell asked hiow one cotumn or fifty was golng to affect the action of the postors and wessions In regard to L tie matter? It secined to him better to send i an ovesture for the theoldzical seminaries and pastors to he niore fuithful, aud not undertaks to Introduce another column, which he thought would do Tittle {f any good. DI JOUN W, DULLES snid the subjest had occuplvd the attention of the Hourd of Publication, It struck bim that Dr, Reascr's ‘resolution was not practleal or practicable. The size of the paze of the min- utes was a matter of great lmportance, for thu reeord must Lo there, And, wdditionally, what thuy desired was not that tho Chureh at large should” know how non-communi- cunt Laptized persons there were in this or i that church, but that the church ltselt should know ft. [n order to wect the speciiie polnt the Moanl of Publleatfon had recently dirccted -that there be fnserted In the seslonal records an additfonnl register to embrace the names of all Laptlzed versous i the Chiureh who were not comtuunt- vants; the "Idea being mot anly to have the numes of those who hud been bublized In that partieular church, or that wounld ninmnr upon the revord a8 baptized, but slso to ncludy the names of thuao familics coming iuto the Church from another Churen and brineing thelr bap- tized children with them. Buch a page would bu Inserted fn the reconds prepared tor the ues of ull the churchies; and - the question, in s ind, was whethier this would not meet thut which was alined at by Dr., Iteaser. REPRINED, Dr. Van n(vku mude the point of order that tho merits of the question could not be discuss- ed under & mutlon to refer, The Moderator remarked that he had allowed the discussion only that the Assembly might know cxuctly what wua tho deaigu of the reso- lution, in order that the Commlssioners might knuw how to votu lutelllzently. Dr. Dastiioll moved that tiws resolutiou be 1al on the table. The motion was ngt agreed to. Elder Balch thought “that’the resolutlon bad better bo reforred. The Cummitiee could ex- awmine the matter better than the Assembly, It was referred to the Committes on Bills and Overturcs, CONCERT OI' PRAYER, LAST YEAR'S SERVICES RENSWED, ‘The Moderator asked If the Assembly would take up the matter of the appointmeut of an- nual concerts of prayer, Dr, Reaser moved that (¢t Le taken up. Agreedto, * Mr. B. I Riley moved that the samo action be taken as last year, The Rev, Mr. McCauloy asked {f the concerts of prayer were not recommended by the inter- ests to which they were referred. For fnstance, = concert of prayer for the colleges was goner- ally referred to and recommended by the Cowme wittes ou the Beard of Education in a scries of resalutions, ‘Tae Moderator remarked that it was a spectal {tew on the docket. Dr. Hatlicld said the mutter alwave cume be- fore the Asseinbly on o distinct motion, sudnot from any cowmittee. Mr. C. W. Stewurt Inguired as to THE RECOMMENDATION LAST YBAR, ‘The Moderator read the following extract frow tho winutes of 1576, Tue Observauce of the firet complete week of January ncxt ax & week of prayer for the couver 8ion 0. the world; and of thé lust Thuradsy of Januury next. 89 a day of oraver for schools and collezes and for tho youth of the land and the world, was recommended 1o the charches, Dr. Borkwell moved that tuat be the order and those the appointments for this year.y r. MeKnight asked it the firat week in Jana- ary wis adopled In view of its belng the rame week abaerved all over the world, If that was ought tu continue the case, perbaps lhu{ that week, otherwise he should mther bave nweek later in the renson, beease very often durlng the first week in January the Weather was very Inclement, and a good many of the old and fufirm were prevented from attending the meetings, ‘The Rev. John (3, Rankin wanted to [nquire (f the same days and the same weeks were ob- aecved yeor aiter year, why there could not ben STANDING IEQULATION, of rather a regritlation to stand until such time ms the Assembly thought proper to make a chanye, instead of taking up the timo of every Agsembly to pass the same resolution. The Moderator stated that action must be taken by every Assembly, There were prece- dents for It Mr. J. C., Goodell sald the first week In Janu- ary waa obaerved not only by the Preshyterian Liurely, but by most of the othier churchies of Evangelical denninations, He hoped there wonld be no change, The Rev. J. Trwin Smith favorol the acknowl- edament of the great and speclal blessings be- atoweld upon the Church In answer to prayers Iast year, Ho offered an amendment ta that ef- feet, wnid the motion as amended as follows was adopted That the Assembly renew the recommendation of tho vhservanca of the week of prayer In Janu- ary with gratefu] acknowledgment to vur God for great blesslngs bestowed on the Chareh ja anawer 1o these epeclal pravees in the past year, MISCELLANEOUS, ROUPING CHURCHES, Dr. Webber, from the Committee on Church Polity, submitted the following: The Commitice on Church Polity, to whom was ed the following resolntion, “*Llrroleed, Vhat Presbyterien have no suthorlt lm;'uu (Sharches swithout the consent of sali rches, auld renpecttully repott to the Assemibly that, fnasmuch ay the resolution Introduccs a case in hesl, your Commlittee recommend no action In the premises, (Volces, **Good!™ **Good ') Ou motlon of 1r. Rockwell, the report was accepted aud adopted. 5 OUT OF PLACE. Dr. Hatfield sald 8 memorlul haa been handed inon home mlssfunary work from the Presby- tery of Kingston, signed Ly an Individual only, without vy appearance of offivial character, Aceording to the rule, such o paper must be ro- ganded ns unolicial, and could not come before the Assembily., A Commissfoner for the Kingston Presbytery gald the ducument was not officlal; it waa seut mn Ly an individual member, and was not in- doraed by the Presbytery. Dr. Hatfield remarked that none bt over- tures from o Preshytery could bo recelved. ‘The Rev, C, W, Stewart wanted toknow when that rule was ndopted, ‘l|)n" Hatileld replied, ¢ 1In 1870, ot Philadel- phia.” | Dr. Van Dyke naked (€ it would not be fn or- der for an fidividual member of the Assembly to bresent. u resolution and move its reference, The Muderator—(ertainly, Dr. Chapin moved that the memorial be lald on the table, ‘F'ne Maoderator ruled that It was not before the House, Any member of o Presbytery who wiehed voulit et its representative in thio As- scmbly to present o paper, aud it would be re- ferred, 3t conld not come belore the Assemn- bly trotn ag Individual member. The matter was thien dropped, ‘The report of the delegnte to the Councll of the Refurined Eplscopal Chiurch was presented and referred to the Cominittee on Correspond- eee. Dr. Van Dyke stated that Dr. Breckinridge, of tke Comuilttee on the subject of B HOMAN CATIIOLIC BAPTIS, bad been called to the Gununlmeum‘fly above. Tle was dead. Dr. Van Dyke bae pot bnen able to learn that there was avy cue clse appointed to Al his pince, anid It was pretty certain there would be 1o report on this subject, Dr. 8kinner sald that he had’ received a letter from the Rev. Dr. Breckinridge, before his death, requesting him [Skinuer| to advise him in rteggard to n meeting of the Commnittee. Dr. Brockinridge stated that Dr. Wilson was properly the Chafrman of the Committee, but declined to act hecause his name was not fu the winutes of the General Assembly us Chalrman, He wrote to Dr. Brockinridge to the effect that he though he {Breckinridze] bad better prepure the revort, bring it to this meeting of the As- sumbly, and get all to sirn it he could. 1le re- celved no respouse, Dr. Breckinridge passed awav, Dr.8chall wus next in order on the Com- mittee. He had gono to Europe withe out conferring with the members of the ro to o Committee or at least comtnunicatin with hin JBkllmer]. Delng the last clerical member ol the Cummittee, nud not lmowlnfi any of the lay brothers, he felt that he coul not assume the rcupounmlillv of preparing a re- [wrz under the circumstances; and he submitted hese remarks as the report of the remnant of the Comnnlttee. Being technically the Chalr- man, he had no report to muke, and referred the matter back to the Assembly. The Rev. Willlam A. Holliday moved that the Committes be continued, and directed to report to thenext Assembly. The report was accepted, and _the committes continued, the vacancles belug filled by the ap- pofntment of Dr. Van Dykeand the Rev. Henry . Hickok, the former fu place of Dy, Breekiti- ridre nnd the latter In that ot Dr, Schafl. Dr. Skivner was designated as Chairwan, MILEAGE, LUNCHES AND STREET-CAR PARES, Tho Clerk read the following communication from the Committee on Mileage: ‘This 18 to notify the Comuisiiones sembly that Junches and sireet-car { be included In the contingent expense. tion prwsed by the Ueneral Assembly at Cleveland, All wholiave made aut bille with these Incladod Wil please rectify them, [Laughter. The Moderator remarked that the Asscmbly tind passed upon all the spectal ftems of busi- ness not connected with the reports, Ho awalt- cd the pleasurc of the Assembly, Mr. Ballantine observed that the committees were not i sesalon, and, as many papers Lhod been rofused to thewn, he moved that s recoss be taken and the committees Instructed to goto work. TALKING OF A RECESS, Dr, MacMusters sald that some of the commit- tees had no papers to work on, The Rev. 3Mr, Lewls favored a recess for three- quarters of an hour, Dy that time the commit. tees would be prepared to bring in something, Tho Rev, Mr. Lildlaw sugzosted & quarter of an hour, One of the commnittees would be ready by that time, ‘Thie Moderutor remarked that there was no necessity for meeting {f there was no business, On motion of Mr, Davis, at 10:40 & recess was taken until 11 o'clock, MILEAGE AGAIN, QOn reassembling, after the hatf-hour's recess, The Ltev. Mr., Stewart called attention to the snnouncenent mado just before the reeess, In referciive to the Cleveland Assembly, and usked 11 the present Assembly was to be ‘governed In making up fts expenses by that action, ‘The Moderator sald that ths rmwnt Assem- b\ly Inm“mv. adopted tha rules of the Cleveland Assanbiy. Mr, Stewart thonght the matter ought to be left to the discretion of the Commlisstoners in making up thelr reports, Dr. llatfield moved to refer it to the :ule:fn Committee, & wise body wha certainly could de- termiue all questions of that description. Mr, Stewart sald the Milcage Committea would uuderstana very little about the Cow misfoners’ cxpenscs. Lz, Hatficld sald the Committee could de- wmln)llna such a question Detter than the As- sembly, Blr."'uwu thoueht the tuatter should bo re- Frwil. in order that tacre should be sowme uate ormity, Mr. gchentl‘ sald the Presbyteries could de- \elru‘-nlnu this thing betier than the Mileage LComn- sittee. Mr, Brown sald the Mileage Committes had already settled the point In previous Assem- bllea. ’ ‘Tha Bev. Mr. MacMasters safd {t made a good deal of differcnee. when & meinber was com- Ile':‘j to pay $10 or $15 extra for car-fare and unches. &% The fev, Mr. Roberis thought it would be unwise to pase the omendment, There were dulegates present who wese paying 40 cents g::r day for car-furo and a like suni for Juncl. o did not think It Hizhttoleave tbisquestiontothe Mileage Coniwittee: tho wnstier should be_left 1o the consclences of the delegutcs. Dr. Hat- tield's arucudment was lost, aidl the Rev. Mr. Btewart's tnotion was also voted down. It was stated that this lett the question tn tho hands of the Mileage Committoc. ‘The reports of thu Board of Educstlon, of the Board of Miulsterial Rellef, and the Committeo ou Freedmen wero preseated and referred, CHANGE IN & COMMITTNN. ‘The Moderutor announced » chauge in the Cowunittee on the Rocurds of the Synod of Kan- 8as. The Rev. Samuel T. Davis, of Rock River Presbytery, and Elder George W. Meany will bave charge of the records, * 'The Rev. Mr. Hotehkin moved to take & re- cers until 11:%5 o. m. The motlon falled to re- ceive a second. GROUPING PRESHYTERIES, The Rev. Mr. Siade offered a resolution ay follows Thot in the appointment of Commissloners to the tieneral Assembly any Presbytery which has Tess than twenty.four minfsters ahall be gronned ¥ith mnother Preshytery of the same Eynod by the Htated Clerk “of the Synod of of tne General Amembly; and o the number of Commissichers to regresent the two Preabytelers thus combined .mfi ho determined on the wsme ratin of repressntution oa At present for o single Preshytery of the name size, The Commirsoners su appointed shall Le tha pepre- tentatives of both the Preshyieties fram ‘which they were sent, but ahall be entitled to bur a sinele Yote for each’ Commisfoner, ‘Fhe Preabyteties shall be grouped In such manner 2 to reduce the number of Comminsfoners ae ntch a4 possibie. ‘The resolution was referred Lo the Committee on Reduced Representation. STEAMNOAT ZXCURSION. Dr. J. Monroe tiibsoy safd thatgit wonld be extremely awkward to change the place of meeting.” The \l-ulcrnwrnld‘l ¢t e ! otmmittee of Arrun, uy chutge cotld be neldered snd withdrawn, hen Invited th boat trip on Lake Michl; . he Rev. Dr. Martin asked it the Inke was not subject to stor; Laugnter,| Some of the mernbera were gruwing old, and they would ilke to be spured us fong as possible.. He bad un. derstood that the Inke wans very uncertaln st this time of the year, and he wus disposed to dunbt whether It would carry - the members safely un its busom, [Lautd Dr. Gibsun sald the arra its needed to hel m-uu'pnder the reservation, * weather per- mitting. The {nvitation was accepted with thanks, and the Asseinbly act apartnext Saturday after. nhoon, from 2 to 5 o'clock, for the purpose. VIEWING TIE OUSEAVATORY. Dr. Gibson then extended a further {nyitae tion from Prof, Colbert, of the Dearhorn Uni- sersity, for the Asscmbly to take a peep through his telescopy uny evening during. the week except Tuesdoy or Thursday. Names must be sent to Dr. Turpln, On motfon, the fovitation was accepted with thauks, TAKING THE VOTE. AN OVERTORE BUDMITTED TO THE PRESRT- TERIRS. The Committeq on Church FPolity recom- mended that the followini oterture, proposed by the Presbytery of Newark, be sent down by the Asseinbly to the Presbyterles for ndoption: This Presbyterys does respectinlly overiure the General Asseiibiy to propose to the Preshyterics the following as amendments to the Constitution, izt 1. That In the Bookof Discipline, Chapter 7, fec. i, Article D, the last clause, which now reads, '+ After which the fina) vute ahall be takeu, * be al- tered 5o us 1o read, **Aftor which the finsl dectsion ebull be made. '* 2. That Article 10, of the same book, and chap- ter, and section be altered s0 as 1o read, **In mak- ing up the dnal decisiun, the Judicatory shall tiret vote fa order aud avparately on all the reasone of- fered by the appellant, after which they shall voto scparately un any ressous for sustaining the appeal which mity be utfered by sny meinber of the Court, 11 no one of these reusons be sustained by o mejare ity vote, the declelun of the Inferior Court appraled from shall be declared to be confirmed. " If. however, any une or moro of the reasons be snstained by ‘the majorily vote, the Judicatory shinl) make up ita declslon in confarmity with the renson sustalned, which decinlon may be to reversy in whole or in part the declsion of the fuferior Ju- dicatory; or to remit Lhe canse for the purposs of amending the record, should it appoar to be incoe- rect or defective; or for u new trial. The Ry, C. W. Stewart moved to accopt the report, ‘The Rev. Mr. Ballentine, o behalf of the Presbytery sending up the memor(al, desired to make a few remarks before the vote was put on fts pussage. He feared, however, that there was not timo before tlhie nounday exercises to say what he should llke to say on this jmpor- tant subject. e therefore asked that the mat- ter be made the second order for the afternoon, It was objected that thera was a second order already, but the Moderator sald the mattercould take tie first order, The Rev, 3r. Smith moved that tho report be oecepted. Carried, ‘The snme gentieman then moved that the re- port be adopted. THE LEV. MIL DALLENTINE, concluding that it were best to occupy what time e could before the noon meeting, took his pusition on the platforn aud spoke for twenty miuutes, fle said this paper had come ns the result of tho. experlence of not s fow of the mewmbers {n conducting judicial cases. The emorial accompanying the paper secited the mortifying fuct {hat out vl seventy-ninc cases brought befure the Assembly, on the appeal from varfous Byuods from the founding of the Church until “1848, thirty-ons were coufirmed and forty-elght reversed. That meant more than threc-fifths of thu cases de- clded by the Bynods on npg«-ul had been re- versed by the General Assembly, This sbowed cithier that the Synods wero fucapable of judg- Ing according to equity, or that the Assembly was, or else that they had no proper way of getling a true declslon, The Presbytery of Nowark represented that this mortifylug stato of fucts came chiefly from the latler cuuse; that the Asscunbly’s declslons were not mads up male The Assembly toa in meconlance with the couity of the matter. Durlng the last fen’ yeurs fil- teen cases which werc before tho Synods on apueal from the Presbyteries bad come up to the Assembly, and ten of thess had bect revers- ca, aod only five of them contirmed, which showed a proportion now of tv.-u-thlrdo‘.—en:n more than the proportion for the whole history ot the Cuurch, aud the matter grew no better, but rather worse, Something must bo done, In _the Book of Discipline it was provided that a vote should be taken, but there wasno prescriv- tion as to tha mode fn which that vote should be taken, The custom usually was that the Mod- crutor gl:l. the vote on the question, * Shall the apoeal be sustamned " Sowctimes It was lJul. aund moro prugaly, 4 Shall the dudumc:n; of the Lower Court bo sustaincd?* But the former ‘way was the more frequent, Mr, Ballentiue then procesded to cite a re- cent case to ahow the inequitable workiugs of the present flrut.(c& This was the Westfield case, which had been before the Bynod three yuans, before the General Assembly last your, and which would, as he understood ‘it, come up jn a uew forin befors the present Assemby. This was a vasc for the catabliahing of a pastoral T The Preabytery congumniated the re- latiun, A large minority Intho church took thulr appeal for nany reasons, AMONQ TIEM WRRE THE POLLOWING, which he would mentlon shnply for the sake of cxnm})lu of the working of the present rules 1. ‘They appealed {n view of the fact that the Moderator of the parish meeting nad not en- deavored to dissuade the majurity from prose- cuting the call, as lie is df ed to do in the form of government. : 4, They appealed on the ground of haste in the Presbytery; that Presbytery had put aside papers of protest until after the relution hisd been consumimated, and had then read them, On the ground that there was a breach of falth among the congregationy that thers had been a private sgreetoent nok 1o vote for thls wau aud one other. ‘There had bLeen scveral other reasons, but these wers tho chitef, When the matier came tfinwla l’n l:.glm :i,'nud. ‘l:mmawd 8 W‘llll'.fl the g not 10 sus he ap anf vum;pmflunln it in part. Now, nl‘ni“.\‘r. Ba). lentine, the question would come up, ** What i3 the nwwufi ol suataining the appeal fn part " ‘The appe: cousuming- ton of the pastoral re I de was partly sustalned, and partly wot sustaiued, at becamu of the pastor! Would he by wh 1 Mn partly dlssotved wnd partly nott This would prese uch an sbsurdity us v make his hearers laugh (laughter]; sud yet thers were men who voted to sustain the upfcul [ t, They safd tloy bada right todo it, the k of Dlscipline 'h*u-mf: the privilec to sus- tain (n part. Now, it had besn ascertalued that the ldea of those men was that they sustaincd past of the ressous, ‘They thought some of the reasons were good and others uot. The could pot vote to Iudorse all the reasons al- lezed by this minority, some were no frivolous. 'They way of the! 8o they ~ voted dividivg vote, to sustaln it in part. The Moderator— the Jute Dr, McDonald, of Frincetou—ruled that this vote to wustaln ln part could not be counted for citner sldei that the part of the vote in favor of sustaioluie veutrulized the part not to sustain; aud that these vutes went for uothing. He declded that it was a tie vote, sud cast the custing vote not Lo sustatn the appesl, which contirmed the declslon of the Presbytery, aod left the relatiou established. This matter bad como before the jast Asscmbly. It went before & judicial commissfon of that Assewmbly, which decided that thess four voies vught to have been counted on tte side of sustainivg thy appeal, and 3he Byuod was prdered to swend {ts record (n wccordancs with that declsion. The revord bad beew ameuded, und the brother was no lonzer isiulstering to that church. - Aud yet sl Bo stage of the proceedings bad any of heso ressons come tu a Tulr voie fuany church court. There was not ou record {n any ot the courts any reason why that brutbier should not now Lo the pastor of that church, Suwe of the members of the Synod who voted to sustalu this uppeal thouglit thut TUE MODEKATOR'S NEGLECT to dissuade the tejority was tacll a sufiicdent reason for opening the case aud haviug the torul relation dissulved. l&vnlor and partly not! Should the rela- \! Others of the ynod thought that thls beglect was t0 bo regretted, but, inasmuch a8 the pastoraty was constituted, tho relation l was not fnvalidated. There wetre others who thought that the haste of the P'resbytery was nascemly, and that the Preabytery ought ta be rebuked, and they voted that ‘the relation must be diseolved. ~ Others thought that the hreach of 1aith fa the congregation was n serlons mat- ters but Mr, Ba'lantine hesitated not to say that If either of tle-c reasons had buen pre- eented hefore the Synod separately it wounld have fafled oI Judzment, and for no one reazon woul it have been deelled that this pastoral relation should be dissolved. In other words, i1t had been asked of the 8ynod, **Is In your judgment the Moderator's * neglect” to dissuade the majority o sufliclent” reason ~—a reason?™ It would have been decided “Na." I it had been asked, ** Was the haste of the Preshytery a sufliclent causel” it would have heen decided * No.* If 1t had been asked of the Synod whether the alleged breach of faith—~It I3 not conceded that there was a breach of falth, hut that It was ulmm{ su ut reson to undo that hond, the Synod would have voted * No.” In other words, there belng no reason which had validity in ltl— there biiniz no_reason which was eauitnble for the undamg of what the Prclbyun?; in its judg- ment hal constituted,—these three zeroes cuming together, made, It was held, a reason sufliclent to iissolve the relation. THAT WAS THE WAY TNE VOTES WERE TAREN Now, When the matters eame up from the 8ynods to the Gieneral Assembly, they went before a Com- mission, whero the questions of equity were more apt to_Le {nquired iuto: and therefors was found this mortifying reconl of the re- versalpof the declslons of the Synods. They had better have no 8ynods if they were to have the votes taken in the present way, It wonld be thought by some that this was a grave mat- ter because It was an amendment to the Consti- tution. It was an amendmnent to the Coustitu- tlon, and on that ground was s very grave matter; and he wishied, in this view, that he Lad the ear of every Commls- eloner, because he deslred” this to godown to the Presbyteries,—that every one should report to his Presbytery not onfy the fact of the overture, but the reasons for it. Ie submitted that, while it was an amendment, it was not an {nnovation on the constitution. It did not alter the spirit of the fundamental law, nor the practice under ft, but only provided for the proper carrying of it out. DEVOTIONAL EXERCISES, 3, V. PARWELL. At this point the Moderator requested of the orator to reserve his further remarks until the afternoon session, the devotlonal lour having been reached. Mr. John V. Farwell then as- sumed the chalr, and the congregation jolned 1n sloging *Ineed Thee every hour, which was followed by prayer and the sioging of the hymn ** What a fricnd we have In Jesus.” Mr. Farwell then safd that the meeting must bo considered as an oggregation of busineas- men, met, irrespective of denomtnational pro- clivities, to worship the Master. He then read a number of requests for prayer, and various members of the audicnce also presented potl- tions to thie Throua of Grace. In response to a rcquest from the Chalr, o great many persons ruleed thelr hands as an Indication that they de- sired to nfpe:u to God, anl two delegates offered gudibte prayer, A versc of “Take it to the Lond in praser ¥ followed, after which Mr. Farwell resd from 8t. Paul's Epistle to tho Colosslans, Chap. Il. He took for his text the niucteenth verse, and s~id that he was rejoleed to find that the principle of unfon fn Christ had been adopted by the Presbyterian Church. He hoped that, even if he did not lve to see the consummation of this union, his children mignt. The fence-ralls which separated the churches were befng knocked down, year by year, Born in the Metbiodlst Church and marrled 1nto the Presbyterian, he wished that the latter might lead In the great movement which must come, ‘The Rev, Gurdon Burchand eald that ha sung Mecthodlem and preached Presbyterianism. He believed that by means of the Methodist hymn- bouk the churchies were being brought togetlier, Elder George W. 8tmons, of Virden, N. Y., bad no objectlon to a fence, but wanted It made as low a5 possible, and trans) nt at that, He wanted it tran: that he might look fnte every brother's heart and seo that hie was really achiid of God. Brought up in the Episcopal Church, he loved that organization, but objected to the singing, whichi was tov chromntic.Ho was now a Prestyterian, thank God (lnph\uc&w allogod—twas a he loved his’ Methodlst brethren, and he the ehurches wonld unite for good. * Blest Lo tho ties thot bind " came next, fol- lowed by prayer offered by s delegate In the rear of the hull Dr. C. Milner, of Kansas, thought the ques- tion of unton a fit subject for prayer at the present time. Let them pray to God for a right feellng. TUR REY, L. T. CHAMDERLAIN felt glad that theday hiad cowe when on the right and left hand the cxpression of a wish for union was made by Christians of every de- nomination. It required more, bowever, than a mere joluinz in adopting songs and mode of worahip, They must obey the command of the Lon, **Preach the Gospel unto all,” and then they would be \'urfi'nnclr to o perfeet-unlon. In the name of the Lord they formed n terrible srmy, and by keeplog close to’ Him they could fulfll His worl. " At no timo fn the City of Chiengo had there been so little tendency to division as at present. The Iate revival had done much n this dircction, and he felt pro- foundly thankful to God tor His mercles. - A Commisstoner said that {f they loved thoso wholoved the Lord Jesus Chriat they loved Him also. An old Yorkshireman in the eallery, whoso name was understood 1o be Spink, and who was promioent It the rovival meetings during Mr. Moody's ministration, wanted t¢ hear from young couverta. 1le had only been vouverted seven months, but he wanted to beur his testi- mony to the rlgz of the A Mr. Farwell sald that he was glad that the preachers of the Gospel then preseat hiad heard from the brother, for they could thereby see what grace had doue for & man who had biena prize-fighter and & drunkard, and, in short, the very worst man in Chlcago. Grace had changed i, and done it all fn & very short time. 0 Rev. Mr. Brown, of West Virginia, sad that neither the Presbyterian Church nor any other was worth ouc straw unlesa it worked for theglory of the Lord Jesus Christ. [Applause,| Tl:e{;um all in one business, that of bullef in the Lord Jesus, but if they put their {deas ana belicts above that great fact of bellef in the Lord they were far away froor Him. A delejrate aaid that e bad been raised fu the church which bullt the highest fenco of any, and lie was taught to believe that the churches com- posing that body were the elect, Now he was Teady to recognize anyone as a brother Iu Christ ‘who believed in Him aud Iits power to_save. Another, who has chargs of a church in Southern Itlinols, bore similar testmony, They had half-a-dozen different churches in his nefehi- borhood, Old Bchool and New 8chool, but they wero all Christians, sud they had adopted the revival hymn-book and furmed unlon mectiugs. Mr, Farwell thought the churches were break- Ing up on petty points, and neglecting thegreat necesaity of union in Christ. The denomina- tions were all held by God, and their businass was to keep thelr eyes divected towards heaven, 11 proposed that the sudience should, as o fit- ting conclusion. sing the hymn, *Ob, to Be Nothing!" Thls was done; and the Assembly thercupon sdjourned, the Rey, Jaues Eells pro- nouncing the benedlction. VOTING ON APIPEALS. CONTINUATION OF THE SUBJECT, The afteruoon sesslon was opencd with prayer by the Rev. Dr, Bushacil. ‘The report of the Trustces of the Liacoln Uulversity was presented, and referred to the Committee on Theolueleal Seminaries., A Commissloner asked if the first ordeg of the day wus not the report of the Committes on Re- auced Representation. P The Moderator sald that report was not as- signed, but the Commlttcs wers requested to zeport, Dr, Hattleld, the Chalinnao, had told him that he did not belicve it wounld be possible to wake a report this afternoon. Ou wotfon of Dr, Chapln, the Assembly pro- cecded with the business under cousideration at the time of adjourument, ML DALLAWTINE then resumed the noor. fle sald thu change proposcd was slinply that, justead of taking the votein a lumnp or the aggregute Lo sustain an ap- preal, & vute be taken op cach reason that was alleged. 1 guy one reason was sustainel by a wajority vote of tho Court, then the sppeal would be sustaiued; but if the Court deciued upon each reason in sucvesslon that It was not sutlicient for reversivg the declston of the lower Court, theu the deddsunof that lowey Court would staud confinaed. In the Book uf Disci- pliug, Chap. 4, Puragruph 23, it was provided that * Iu recording the proceedings in cascs of judiclul process the reasous tor ull decisions, exeept on guestions of order, shall be reconled ut length " thut tho record uay exhibit ¢sery- thifug that bad fofluence on the Judgnent of the Court: *Aud nothing but what fs voutainedjin the record way be taken futo cousideration In reviewing the progeedings in a bufieflur Court,” He submitted that, iu the case which was clted for un example, uo reasons bad been recorded. The Moderutor asked I that case was o cwe beforu this Assembly for adjudication. AMr. Ballautive answe that {t was not. The case was doclded and Unished by the lust Assetsbly, No reasous were recorded by the Byued of New Jurscy, furibe simple ressou that there wers none. 1Individual members had reasons: but the 8ynod as & Synod bad no rea- son, and could agree on no reason, In making up & decision with a vote taken ns it now was, buw could a court record its reasonsi 1f the proposed amendment were adapted—suppose n dozen reasons were alleged by an appellant —n vote wuuld be taken on tliem separately. Supposc nine were rejected and three sustained. Iu reconling the déeiston the Court had the simple work™ before it of saying, *The appeal is sustalned for these specific reasons, which Tave been certified by the vote of the bady.” e submitted further “that, In the case cited, a erave injustice had been done to the Presbys tery, Thelr decislon was reversed. For what reasons? The Bynod had asslgned none, The only reasons that appeared on the record wers those multifacious reasons that the appellant had brought together from every quarter, And it would appear that the Syni had fndorsed those reasons, Sume of them might be very unfalr. Bome of the statements might Lo Wwrong, Nooue had voted on those reasons scparately; and that I‘mbyur{ lay under tho imputation of having commitied error in re- speet of all those reasoms. He adld not believe that the Bynod of New Jerscy would so declde, seting on them aeninlxl-ntely. or that the Assembly would se celde, 1N ORDER YO CARRY OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THB CONBTITUTION, L}Aer;z :Bu rcl u(r;d ‘3'! -ucl; ;' w:yknl taking the votc as the Presbytery of Newark proposed shduld be ula{xtcd. u? was aware that in some of the civil conrts the method of pro- cedure was simlilar to what was now In_vogue in the Assembly; that the {ndividual Judges alleged such reasons as occurred to each one, aud these reasons need not be tha same; and the declsion of the lower court was reversed in the case, But ho submitted that that was substantial {njustice.” If the judgment of a Bynud was that a certaln resson was_not a good reason for reversin the Presbytery's ¢ ~clslon,—that Is, that lmtclE of welghing on the one |‘ne, it weighed on the other: and thal the second rcason, fnstead of weighing on the one side, really balanced on tha m.lu:r.-‘-lmw wnldl; d%cg of these &cughnl scparately, no one of which was L4 heam of tvhu balance the othey ufl h-enher Lad zaid tolim that It scemed to him that though no one reason by fteelf might be suf- fictent for reversing the declsion of s lower court, a number of such reasona together might avall for that. Should thatwhich welghed on the one slde@dded to something which welghed on thesamc eide maken wclfl on the other side? Sowe one reason must ngood reason fn the sight of God, and not one In the sight of onc man, and snother In the sight of anuther, to justify the reversal of the. dee. clsion of a court. If the 8ynod hed an oppor- tunity to vote o cach reason by Itself, it could s0 vote. The adoption of this amendment would alzo wholly remove the confusion that always attended the privilege of voting to sué- tain In part. If the vote was taken simply and £eparately cach man would know exactly which way he should vote—* yes" or “no,!" Ilu Bup- posed other sections of the church had had ex- perfence with the confusion arising out of such votes, Certainly othier scctions had an fatercst in the amendment, for this large proportion of decialons that bad been reversed did not happen to New Jersey nlone. In conclusion, he sald If thers were any objections {n the minds of the Commissioncrs, he should like to snswer them, ns this matter had been fully discussed in the Presbytery sendivg up the memorial, and ho had assumed to represent them In the matter. The Rev. Mr. McKibben, of 8t Paul, Minn., arked what would be the effect of an affirma- tive action on the overture. Would it go down 1o the Presbyteries at oncel The Moderator—Yes. MR, M'KIBBEN then took the platform, and presonted the othe cr alile of the casc. the overture went down totthe Presbyterics, all the members would ox- pect to %n down to their Presbyterics and vota forit. In other words, the Asecmbly would gve it indorscment. This overturs, ha thought, struck at the great protection of a mia- Istorof the Gospel, and was Lullt upon & princple which was utterly sophistic. In the first they were to votd upon each reason, and {f they did 'not believe that reason,by itself, would sus- tain the appeal, then the appeal would go by, Taxiug the questlon practically, would one of, theec austaln oue pofnt! No. ~Would any one sustaln ten polntal’ No. Would they” sustain them altogether! - Yes,—they would sustain fifty, This was the cl of evidence in dealing, not with pure questions of law, but In dealing with facts, Suppose & murder to have heen comenitted, and that a man was found near the place twonty minutes afterwards, was that suiticlent reason to convict! * No, = Buppose bluod was found on his clothies, would that con- vict! - No, notby itself. But fhere was a third renson. A knife was found near by supposed to belong to him. Would that convict! No, not nm.u lf.w':::m luulmx actually that that of ° itaelf suificient! No. Bat they would hang the man, and the community would be heartily fu sympathy with this result. Take the position of “the ministry, 1t was only nwennr{ltu utter & word nat. their falr name, and the world would sproad the .report. But the reasons were not heard, and It was only necessary that there be oné majority to convict a minister and depose him. Why, the meancst man n the Btate must be tried and: conyicted by a fury of twelve men. Unlessull® could voto on the "case of a minlster, ho was shorn of his position. To way that the multi- plication of “poor rcasons would not be sofll- cient, would be to strike at the very of evidence. It was by gatheriog prol . that a certainty was reachied, no one of which probabllitics would have been sufficient to sas-. tain au appeal. He thought the proposal would.. introduce o revolution fnto the system ofh Judicial proceodings. The courts of the Church’ were not merely courts of law, Lut they had * Jurisdiction of facts, and facts conld not bs re-- duced to a single reason. There might be fifty reasans gofug to prove that s certain thing was true, any one of which reasons would be utterly impossiile toconvict. e did not belleve that” bardly a siugle question would come up, aflect~ ing tlie character of the minlater or alecting any of thedo questions of fact, that could bo sustafued, or 8 slugls reason, ~ Therefore, ba. believed this overture would affect the Church, Injuriously, and would deprive the ministry and the churchiesof the protection to whichthey were entitled, particularly when the courts’ were formed u8 they were, and left very much to thels popular fecling and thelr own judgment. TUH DRV, MR LAIDLAW, 85 8 member of the Comnittce on Church Pol~ ity, from which. this overture had come, sai®. that threa members of the Committes bhaa voted In the miuority. Bowno of the members were of opinion that the overture was a sword which cut “with two cdges. It did not simply provide for shielding the fnnocent. 1t pro- ided, 8¢ the same time, for shielding the: gullty in a manner which he need not take tha time to explain, He was opposed to sending 16 down to tho Presbyteries, He thought barm would grow out of it, and that the I had here let well enough alone, Well enough had worked protty well, aud if Presb) jes - and Synods would excrclso due caro it ‘wonld work very well {n the future. ¥ B BRALRIGH SUDO ) thought the brother from Minnesota misappro- i bended thecase, The superior judicatory were not , sitting a8 jurors to determine the welght of evey idonce, but they were sitting ns a court of ro- vlew for the purpose of dctarmining whether, in the mode uf procedure, the courts had com- mitted error. ‘Thoy wero sitting for the purpose of reviewing the mode of procedure, not for determiniug the welght of the cvidence. The latter part of the overture, it would be noted, wus the prescut tenth soction, for what the frm ut overture was intended to be substituted, le was at & 1oas to know {n what wavy it inter- fered with tho present constitution or tha ciplinu of the Church, It llmgly provided an onlerly mode of procedure by which the udgment . of the court might be utelligently recorded. If the Church was to continue nnder the prescot modo of putting tha vote, then the ,‘u«gmtnl of the Inferior courts would slmply depend on the lngenuity of the lawyer who infght prepare the papers for the appellant. It would not require a very ingeunlous lawyer W prepare a score of reasous —appareutly guod oncs—~why the judgment of an th.'rlur court might uot bo reversed. Thus a judgmeut might be reversed and nine-tenths of the superior courts be persusded that ne substantial error had been committed, becanss one or flve men would vote that oue reason was rood, while forty-tive would vote thyt it was :“D hl‘l_’o\lv' the 'ul.':n of tch:‘. present B:c! of pline m carrled out, requiriog that a court rendering a decision shall givo thelr reasons, under the present onder, he was at & loss to know. The illustrations of 3lr, Hallen- tine showed the case perfectly. Thero wers thirty-nine who voted to reverse the action of the Presbytery, although there wers not ten of the x’reub{.lcr who agreed upon any one rea- sohi. §f the Byood were requirod 1o agsign the reason of thelr action, what reason could they gived Was it becausc the Moderstor did not exhort the church to deciios the calll Was it becauso there wus mutual bad faith, or bad fulth va the part of the chureh making the call? No, the church were ugreed that was not the cause. What was the reuson of the action of the Bynod! It wus not given, and could notzba iven. Inreand to the procedute fu clvil courts, it was tho first time ho ever beard of & civil court reversing tie declston of an inferior court where they could not agree UpoD su eITOF Gs~ stzeed, ‘That was sll gl overture required; that the court. reverslug the lower court should wree by 4 wajority vote that somewhere thery was error’ comwitted. I¢ sppeared to him that the gverture ot ouly did not inlure or : ! H ; ; i | A 3 ; § g : i 1 B ‘ 4 IR R v el L S