Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, May 22, 1877, Page 9

| ! ] i! D v R T T L A . AT AT oW Sy ot B AN A Y S s e (WSS, T ST TR WS LAYy 10 THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: TUESDAY, MAY 22, 1877—TEN PAGES, take away any of the protection of a member of * thechireh, bt that itaimply surrounited and pro- tected the hodies which might be ealled upon to nct Judiclally with those rules that alwagagovern judiciar bodles. It acemed cssential to him hat this overture should become part of tle Iawof the Churth In order that the whole might be sustained. and that theio might be & harmonfous working throughout. Mr. McKibben called the attention of the pre- ceding speaker to his remark that THR ASSRMOLY WAS SIMPLY A SUPBRIOR COUAT toreview the mode of procedure. In othor worde, it would seem, according to the gentle- nian, that the question before the superior court_was n question of law, and not of fact, Mr. McKibben read from the twenty-third part of the fourth chapter of the = Book of Discipline to show that this was crroneons. Questions of law wera carried up {from one court to another, but the Assembly ‘was really a jury sittiog upon the decisions of & lower jury, and” had to decide upon the facts as well as upon the mode by which the declafon was reached. Therefors it must admit, to be Just to all, those principles of evidence which govern in presenting facts to s jury, Judge Braleigh sald 1t was a ‘cotirt declling s causo that was requited to record Ita res- sons How could 8 court record its rentops unless n majority of them were agreed as to the reasons? Iow wero the Assembly to determine, how was a court to determing, unless by a_majority votel And how, under the present Discipling, conlid that ba brought about! Did not the present overture proyide the simpleat, most dircet mode possible to enabla the judlciary or the supcrior court to fecord ita reasons! The overture cer- tainly provided that tho court might vote upon the reasons alleged by the ID‘;C ant. In this mode the reasons of the court beeams part of the record, and eame up Intelligently to the next court of review. MR, TAWLET sald |t scemed to him thaty if the argument of the brother last upon the floor was true, the Constitutionof the Church noeded no amend- ment; that the Judicatory was now obliged th the constitution to state” its reasons, and, if jt was Impossiblc to stato reasons whero they ‘were not asserted cxeept by a mn{nmy, that then tho judicatory could enter no judgment in sccordanco with the constitutlon; that it must come to a conclusion which was indorsed by a majority of the court: before it could state any reason; and that the only difficulty in all this matter had been that the court had not obeyed the constitution as it stood; and 11t gid not obey the constitution ss it was at Present, it “would be likely to go _ astray from tho constitntion as [t was proposed to bo amended, [Smiles.] Itacemed to him that tho constitution as 1t now was met tho caso preclso- Jy. If acase had come up to one of the higher tribunals of the Church, such alcomplete bundle of errors that a majority of the appellate tri- bunal could find some error In it, then any judic- ment afirming the judgment of a lower court would not be entitled to tho respect of tho Church, and {t ought to bo reversed, becausa there wers 80 many errors in ft lrpuent to tha appellata court. that & majority of them ‘Eumlhl the ju ent was wrong. Such ho thought was tho practico of the civil cvarts, Tho Judgea wrote thelr pre- valllng opinfoni but it was ‘mot necessary that the majority of the Judges af- firm or reverse upon the grounds stated in that opinfon. A -judgment might even be re- versed when a majority did not concur fn any one opinion, and that was o safs way of dolg{; busioess. It was a protection to tho accused, ‘when a proceeding had been so frregular that a majority of the appellato eourt thought that, foronc reason or another, it ought not to be sustained,~that it ought to bo reversed, The argument to the contrary rested upon the as- sumption that the appellate court was llablo to Bu hoodwinked by s multiplicity of technlcal and ingenfous obfectlons spread before them, Ile apprehended that the constitution & comnt ought not to be ‘changed, becanse the argument was adyanced that tho court was too stupld to do fts businces wunder the Constitution ns it was; becnuso the amead- ment of tha Constitution would not dissipato the stupldity of the Court. They would be Just as likely to bo hoodwinked under the new order of things ns under the old, and ho thought that the okl way was the good way. [Applausc.] Mr, Vance moved to Iny the maiteron the table. er. C. W. Btewart wanted to hava o vote taken. ¢ Dr. Van Dyke questioned whether the motion to lay on thotabie coutd Lo entertalned. It - was the report ofa committee, and tho only way to_reach it was to vote it up or down. Mr, Vance remarked that there was o speeial order of the day. The Moderator thought that bad nothing to do with laying the report on the table. A Commlssioner called for the pravious ques- ton. The Moderator held $hat the motfon to lay on the table was not proper. ‘tho way to dispose of tho report was to act upon it. Dr. Von Dyke sald itcould bo referred back to the Commitice, Tho Moderator remarked that that was tha most courteous way, A Commissloner—1Wa can voto {t down. “]‘he Moderator—Tho questlon can bo decidod either way, TheRey. Mr, McCrea sakd tho report had been accepted by tho body, and was therefore out of the iands of the Commlttee, aud it was con, tent for the Court to do what it {)lnucd with it The question was then put on the adoption of tho report, and the motion waa not agreed to, A IMINT TO THE SEMINARIES. INSTROCTION IN TIR BOOK OF DISOIFLINE. Dr. Rockwell offered the following resolution, 1t ristog, ho sald, out of what they bad heard and what all knew: Resalved, That tho Crmmittee on the Theological oralnaried be dirccted 10 cunsider and report on the E:oumly of locunnl: the thorough instruction of ihe studenta in theol oy 1n tho ook of Onlor nnd Disciptine, and of making it & subject of exan- Luation previons to graduation. e sald ho had oftentimes been calfed upon to examino young men on the subject of Church eoverument, and disclpline and order, and_had asked them mimplo questions fu regard to Charch courts, and they werv In a fog, Ho asked them what was the privilego of a man ‘Who felt Wimself aggrieved {n a Jower judica- tory, and they could not tell anything sbout o complaiot or'an appeal. It scemed to him that there was soething wrong in the fustructions in tho Buninary in regand to the Book of Dis- cipline. The young men wern left to flnd out fts contents when they went aut of tho SBeminary into the Presbytery, and when thoy woro called upon to vote in ‘just such o cusg os that bufors the Assembly, ‘It seemed o hilin that they oupht to como {nto the minis- lrfiobnbuud In sumo way to understand the whole matter of church order and goverument, 80 that they would not bave to walt for five or ten years befors they knew how to take u case of discipline aud act upon an appeal, The book ough‘r;u u: bnanudn‘: u‘x;: uél:)e?t :r% thorough, lflfc‘flflg ruction in the SBemninarica, TUR LEV. MR, LGOS thought pometling needed to be sald with ref- erence to theol seminarics in that respect. e apprehonded that it was not so nuch the uegloct of tho Professors of Chiurch Government as it .was that of Presbyterlal examinatious coming before lustruction was rocelved by the studenta, This part of fnstruction came i towards the close of the sculor year; yet, when students nplnlu:d for liconse, 83 8 great many did, to the Prosbyteries, at the closs of the sceund year, or at un carly date In thelr senlor studivs, ticy were cxaminsd upon a subject which had vot properly come up fu thelr course, They were not yet graduates of a theologival in- stitution, Jie bad found that n somo of the most fwportant departments of theulogy the students had not gone over those subjects Wpon which they were examined by the Pres- byteries, iers was searcely "o seming hu kvew of that treated” of ecclestol- osy ur eschatology untll towsrds the close of the Jast year, yeb the youuy men wers ro- qulred to stuod ihelr exuiniuatlon on the whola vid of theology aud cecleslology bufure they Jadd recelved nstructions therdn, The }u‘u per coura for th Presbyteries to puriue, it they wirtiad thorough preparation on the part of thelr studeuts, was bos Lo lcewsothem to preach tho Gospel until they bad tiutshed thele studies and gruduated fo ducforu. e Ruckwell fuquized §f the Book of Discl- plins was & text-book in the seminuries, Mr. Brouks replied, ¢ Certalnly, Dr. Rockwell never beard of it before, Di. UUNEIEKY said that in all the cemivarics Professorgh] were catablisbed fur Justruction bn thiy brav #ud it scewed to him o bo s little fnfelicitous to lustruct them to give proper justructlon when they weredofug it H¢ Ll no objection tu the matter betug considered, but ho would ubject to uny sctlon belng taken by the Assews- bly which would scem to by o critichin on the Benfuaries, A Dr. Ruckwell remarkod that ho was very glad 0 bear what bad been sald. It was uews o L, Mr. Laidlaw feit, with Dr, Humphrey, that thurg wu-toulbh: reflection upou the semi- nary fn which be was instructed whea it was not culjable. He felt that it would be quite s autiets dn place for the General Asscuubly to pass o order imatructiog tue Presbytirles to see that the ministers in cach Presbytery woquulte- ed themaclves with the Book of Disciphine us to Jpuss au order u! f.llm theolugical seminarivs 10 lustruct tho studenta; for, su 1ar a8 bis liu- ted vbservation b goue, he found that the winleters (and be would iclude with them the sullug Elders) were wulully delldeat fu thyir acquaintance with the law of the Church, [Ap- planse.] A C‘nmmls!l(mcr I that they were so_wel! fnaries and fell back so lamentahbly whon they began thelr duties as minlsters. [Smiles. Dr. DeLaln asked It it would he In onder to ald an amendment to the resolution directing the pastor. of every church to Intruct the Flders in the form of government of the Church, Eumxxmcr.] Mr. Lewls moved to lay the resolution on the table. The ldea of instructing the Professors when all knew thes were at work! Dr, Rockwell was ratisfled with the expinna- tlons, and, by leave, withdrew his resolution. COMMITTER OX THE POLITY OF TIR CHURCIT. Dr. Webber, from the Committee on tha Polity of the C’!mrch, to whom was referred an orerturs In reference to the consohdatlon, sub- mitted the following: Tesolved, That the Board of Home Missions and the Noard of Church Ercctlon fecl It to he thelr privilego $o confer together and to co-operate in reference o cverything that is common to thelr at work, hnt that wo are not prepared tosny ffi; It is practicable or expedient to make any uired how It happened instructed fn tho sem- change, Tho report was concarred in. FINAL COURT OF APPEALS, TWO NEPURTS AUNMITTED, Dr. Webber also submitted a report In refer- enos to “anew and finnl Court of Appeals ! (the recommendations of tho speclal committee of tha lnst Assembly regarding which were pub- lished (n Monday’s TrisuNg), recommending that tho report of the spectal commitice bo sent down to the Preshyterics as an overture. This was a majority report. It was accopted. Mr, Laidlaw, represeating the minority of the Committeo (John Waugh, I K. Bowman, J. Reove Bayre, and himself), also'submitted a re- port, recommending no action. ‘This was also received, and, with the majority report, ordered to be placed on the docket. ‘The Modarator announced that it was time to take up the order of the day,—the repore of the Committee on the Reduction of Representation. ‘The Committee dil nut submit anything. Dr. Malin desired to know why the business in hand could not ba fiulshed,© He moved that the majority sud minority reports of the Com- mittes on Chiurch Polity be taken up, Tha motion was not agreed to. ‘The Moderator asked for the report of tha Committeo un the Work of the Church among the Germans. 1‘\ m:dmbcr of the Committee sald thoy wero not re: . mTl\n ll{x!:rntor agaln called for tho repart of o COMMITTEE ON REDUCED REPRESENTATION, Dr. Lu]i(nn sald the Committce had been busie Iy nt work since It reached Chicago, Informa- tlon from the various Presbyteries had come in, and thero was such & mass of {t that the Commlttee Lad not been able to go through it. ‘Fhie Committeo were still workiug away at the sublect, could not report at prescnt, and asked ITurther time, which was granted. Dr. llnulcfd, of the Comtulttes on Reduction, sald he could present o report, but it would bo only a report In part, He accordingly sabmit- ted the fullowing: The Commlittco on the Reduction of Represent- atlon In tho Genoral Asegmbly report in part: The{ have ascartained that by a very large majority the two overtures of the last Assembly on this sube Ject have baen neimtived by the Presbyteries, of Which a datalled statement will ba made at a sub- sequent scsson. Thoy further report that thoy have not had sufficiont timo to mature their report on tho other matters referred to them, and sak for fnriher time, . In behalf of the Committce. Further time was accordingly .‘anlml. The Rev, Mir, Rockwell moved to take up tho Teport of t ‘ommittes on Church Polity re- spectlog the final Court of Appeals, Carrled. Mr. Willlam B, Kecling moved to adopt the majortity report. TR REV, MR. LAIDLAW Bald ho thought If tho majority of the Commit- teo had been nequalnted with the “lWstory of this overturo they would not have recommended that [t b sent down to the Presbyteries, This matter catna bofore the Gencral Assembly years ago, bad been talkod over at wreat lengih, and it waa proposed that it would be wiso to appoint a committeo to bring sumething before the As- sembly. A committes was appointed four yeara -&‘o, of which: Dr, Musigrave was ~ the Chalrman, They bad no particulsr zeal tn tho matter, but they felt that it would be well to bring somcthing before the Assembly In the form of a report, and the Allcmhl{ might take action on it.. Tho report hud by this tinoe bren publlshed in tha religious papers, and thero was more or less proteat against its adoption. ‘I'ie Anemnl‘); ai 8t. louls, threo Jum ago, was composed of chofes men, {neluding many abla Juwyers, and all that was nccessary was tho reading of tho overture trum the Prisbytery of BufTala to completely sutisly the Assembly hat this report should not be adopted, The iatter. waa lald asldo without discussion, and tho only reason why It was not slienced cntirely, but ré- ferred to the mext Assemnbly, was out of courtesy to the distinguished father ‘whose namu waa appemled to it, It wasthourht wiso to make this disposition of it. The matter came up fn the next Assembly, and was again referred to the nextyin the hope that it, the pres- ent Asscubly, would, without discourtesy to tho distinguishod man who had fathered It, quictly allow the matter to drop, It was not a living fssue. It was not really called for now: While the Assciiby was trylig to reduce ropresenta- tion, why should It ssud” down an averture usk- {ng for the addition of elghicen vther ncmbors “This was a simple practical objection ta ft, Mr. Laldlaw sadd ho thought he vould not do botter 8t this stagro than to read TUB OVEKTUMR OF Tum HUFFALD, of three years ago, which would vluur_]&! why the report should uot be adopted, following was the overture referrud tog Action of the Presbytery of Buttalo, In sgnslon at Ripley, N. Yo, Aprll 14, 1874, un thie proposed plan of a now and fial Court of Appeald, Lesolred, That the Presbytery of fluflalo does herchy expresy to thio Goneral Ausctbly liw disup: proval of the propused plan of a new and tnal Court of Appeals, fur the followli rensons: 1. So mdical a chanke in_vur system of goverir ment can be warranted only by the moat lmpera. tive necoasity, and (n (ho apinlon of this Prosby- ur{ 1o such nesenslty doos now exist, By an vxe awlnation of the mnutesof the Asicmblies it hiave met ameo the reunlon. it appears tat twenty- five cases hayo conie before the Judickil Commit- tees, all of which have beon sathsfactotd]; ed of without trlal hefore the A the xception of onu, viz,: 1o co the Synod uf Philadelphia in referen of the Elderunip tricd at Dutrint in Lo the Presbytery that if but vaw enee in fuur years been tnod bofure the Assuiatiy, e clrgum- :)“?' do mot wurrant the foanabun of a'now ur PRFIVYTERY OF show The yowlt alnt i dainst 0 the tern 11 weeme 2, The proposcd plsn threatens to condict with the powers mud dutles of the asmenily ne repro- sented dn the Form of (overnmounl, (Tap. ML, Sees, 4 and B, snd Book of Desaphe, Chan, b Vi, Sco. 1. et vectin refurred 10 Weclares that the Genesal Aswmbly ‘tuball reviow the reconis of sert 5; approve or o them, nod, = and 1 ‘Thiu duty i not tranaferred t the wew vourd, They Are pol o Teview recurds, i ruch casvd only as are brought before || n‘pml. come plaint, or reference, Tu tno Ammemibly utill bétonge the disty of reviow, at.. thy Awembly sy spprove certaln actlon of byves in fts roview which tho new court way equautly condenin oF reversy fu a case of complaing, ‘Il epiuion of the Avsctubly and the opiulonof the new court my ba directly contradictory, Whilst the wpinion of the lattercourt would, ‘of course, bu.of judiclal suthority, yet the woral forco af Its declslons would be serivusly Impalred 11 the Assembly bad previvusly expressed & contrury uplnion i its ree view of the Synudiual reconts. * Murcoves proposed plan, the declelone of the cuurd cutered ou the minutcs of the Aeseinbl we 1may have on unt page au upproval, on the next page a disapproval or reversalof the Synod's l!llnn.b ¢ Chap. X1 see. G of Chap. X1I, hat **To Ihu“punfl'll power of deciding o epecting doctrine wnd dlseipline: of repraving, warulig, or bearing testiniony ieulust error in ductrine - morality fu practlco in any Chuech, Presbytery, or Syned. "hero ln nolbing in tho proposed overiure revokiug thesy powors of the Assembly; and it ap- peare to the Uresbiytery fhat there way often be condict between the Amcinbly sud the new court, In that the Asectably miy bedr tess )y aguluat an error in practice or discipline. which ersor ay be fnstificd by the Court of Apprals when the k- ter comes to them for juhigial 11al, Moreover, the Asséwbly 1+ canstsatly esllod upou by overtures from 1 hirch Cudrte i n,{urlr.nu wembers Lo express it oLinlon on certain wiings of Church ‘mmy and cosstruction of the conbitution. Such o) ‘Ii\lnnl will be of litthe worth 1| y,cau be d rt uf rm of Gover wibly alew coutruverales ut, says s tho 3 overruled ju sebusl process Ly the ** New (o Appealy, satie line uf “rasnutiz will upply to the en meul of the provisions of L'(lmp. Vil., Bec. 1, of the louk ot Discipline, which contiine mors particular Instructivne 1 reference to reviw aud control. 1t appears (o0 the Presby- tery that u redical grror will undeclie u systet thit allows two separate aud independest courts, vne of which shall ezpreas aporoval or cenvure of the procecdiogs of u Jower court, with the ‘)0“\‘! of foversal, whien there bhas beca no A:d(l.‘ll declslon See, 1, Chap, V| (nee paragrapns d 4, ook of bhartiudy, whi 1. tthe other. in cuse af com- pinint, pursessan the power of confeuation oF ru- versalof the. same pruccedivgs. Frequent con- Hict will be Inevilable. It scuwns fan; sdditional eeror that two courts sboukd ¢xist both of which abull buve suprame power in luterpreiing the Conatitutivn, the vue 1n'thegl, sud the sther iu actudl process. 3. Bowe of the queationg thut would comne beforo the new Court would e of suchi vasl Importance that it secine unwlse 40d periluts to Intenst their L 10 6 court 6o liolted lu putabor, The Court ls to couslat 0f @pbteeu weuibers, Ten Fou- stitute s quoruns, Finl of theao way determlne the rezult of & telsk It esuis W by Presbyiery that n eape Tike that w trled nt Dotralt in reference to the teem of the Elderenfp—a care in which the whole Chinreh war profonndly Intereat- eid—should ant be left 1o the Faal fudgment of five persune, howeter einent they may be for knowl- edire andl diseretion, While the Preshytery expresses its dlenpproval of the prupnecd plan of s new Court, [t s decld- edly of tue opinion that the time of the Assembly shonld not be taken up with long trinte concernin mintters of comparatively trivial importance; and aa the plan of trying cases by comminaions, which han alreaily erown into eustom amang us by cons sent of partica, hae proven patlefactory, the Pres- bytery would ank the Genernl Areembly to sond duwn an overture to the Preshyterics anthorizing the Assembly at its dlecretion to refer cases for irial to apuclal commissions, when, aftee an inven. tigation by the dJudicial -Committee, It 18 not thonght expedient that the matter shonld come before the whole Assembly for farmal trialy the rr{mm of anch commissions to be in all cases sub- mitted to tha Aesembly for ratifeation, . The remdlning clause {n the wverture, con- tinued Mr. Lakdlaw, related to giving the As- rombly power to appoint judicial commissions at Its dlscretion. hils body was of traditional and Nistorfe dignity; (€ they were to aldieato thelr functions, farcwell to the dignity of this Ueneral Asscmbly, There would ba” the big Asseibly and the 1ittle ane,—the Iatter claim- g that, aithough emall, It had the vower, Ile believed that the veonle would reject the over- ture. 3 JunaR BLY had not hiad thmo during the session to {:Ivn the question the consideration which It deserved, aml had not belleved that it would come up duritus the day. There were many welghty considerations to look at; they had for a long time " been unxions to curtail the ses- slons of the General Assembly, He be- Tieved that this trnpmluun for the crene ton of u final Court of Appeals would act in this "E,' and would reduce the cxpenses of the Aseem ly. Agafu, In sich a Iarze body it was vory diilienlt to consiler deliberately subjects ol lmpogance, cnpeu[ull{ I Judicial cases,, It scomeil that n weil-constituted Court of Appeals might bo abls to tonsider theso fm« portunt questions better than the Assembly conld, hiad a Judiclary It might be sald that the; Committee, but, judging by the foct that the Commitives were always hurried, I8 would ap- {wnr that they were unable to nple with hieee very fmportant cases, e disclaimed any idea of InTringing the denity of the Azsembly, which he fully appreciafed.” But §6 was trtio thiat, while thiey were the Guneral Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, they wero still human, 1t was tho fact that when a gréat cnso was to come up it always affected the question of tho election of a Moderator, This oceurred beeauso the Moderttor had the appointment of tho dJudicial Committeo, ilonest *men were some- times prejudiced, and thele projudices influenced them In ‘giving thelr dceclsion, sa the speaker had noticed In his practice nt tho Bar. . This could not be the caso In regard to tho proposed Court, which was composed of mien elected ab difforunt times, and sitting independently of the General A!sembl{. ‘There was always one man who_exercised his full judgment on all mattors relating to Presbyterian doctrine and tho polity of the Church, and that one was Uceorgo W, Musgrave, There were others, also, well-read men, and men dccnl{ Impressed with the importanco of the subject. Ong member of the original Coin- mitteo was now in the clty, the Rev. Dr, Pat- ton, D. D, and in common courtesy he should be heand, 'The speakor, therefore, moved to lay the motion on the table, but withdrew in deference to DR. VAN DYKE, who assumed the platform and sald that It was necessary to sownetimes stop In order to take thelr bearings. There wns no wiser provision iu the Conatitution of the Church than that ‘which restrained the (encral Assembly from all legislatye actlon whatever. The danger of hasty legislation had been foreseen by the fathers of the Chureh, who incorporated In the constitution a provision that ull legislation must be approved by o majority of tho t'reabyterics. By sending down an overture to the Presbyto- rics the Assembly did not commit themselves to an approval of . He would vote to scnd the overturo Lo tho Presbyteries, but that ‘did not mean that he 'would voto for it In tho Presbytery. He thought that his Presbytery, that of Brooklyn, had as much right to judzeof the quesiion ns tho Preabytery of Buffalo had, and he did not. think that tne latter* body had any right to dictate to the Assembly on this subject, [Applause. Only uno case had been possed upon in this way, and tho fact that this was true showed that some change was desirable. The Assem- Dbly acknowledged its inabilily to ait as a court with over 600 members, by appointing a Jirdicial Committeo and clothing them with the full powerof the Charch. 18 was always done with tha consent of tho partics, and "the fact that they always consented showed the senti- ment of the Church. 3 Alttrough thoroughly conservative and, as he hn{:ed, a good Preabytertan, he did rot bellove in keeping on tn tha'old atyle, simply becausc it was tho ola style. Wihlls entertaining tho highest reapect for the Presbytery of Huffalo, he thought the other Presbyterles should have an opportunity to adjudicate on the merits of the question.” fle, therefore, favored sending the overture down to the I'resbyteries. The Itev. Mr. Shaw aald that when cascs were ,referred to the Judicial Cominittee that lxuls reported to the General Assembly, which agree: to or refocted the declston, r. Van Dyke sald this was not so, as far, nt ng‘num last Assombly was concerned, for Ay had agreed by unanimous conseut to pt tho dectsions as final, Mr. Blaw replicd that it was all tho same, Unanimous consent might mean one thing or it might mean another, " Ho was opposed to the meaaure, which louked towards centralization, and he favored democracy. [Applutusc.] TS KAV, MR, LAIDLAW ,rose to make an cxplamtion on behalf of the Presbytery of Buffalo,” He had no Intention of bringing ‘Into question any one Preabyte Could they not discuss the inerits of the case tho Assemblyi Thev wero told that they m rufer such matters directly to the Presbytorles, which were thelr masters. It waa the duty of tho Assembly to consider deeply all measiires brought befora it. While It was all very well to speak of thu Preshyteries ns highor than the Assombly, it was well known “that any overe- tures recommended by the Assembly were luok- el upon with great respect by the Presbyteries, But tho Asscinbly should be” extremely carcful a8 to sanding down overtures, and should not trile with Presbyterfes by sending them such overturces as they kuow eould not beadopted. ‘The Moderator sald that his reason for layin; down the proposition that the merits nust no further bo discussed exactly shown In the remarks of the last cr, ‘The Rev, J, 8. Beuddock consldered the pro- vosed overturo to b t'nllml{ uncouatitntionul, and trusted that 1t wonld not be sout down, for he could not possibly vote for it in Presbytery. Dr. Halsey muufht the Assembly needed 1ight on this most ditlenlt and important ques- tion, and wanted to hear wl that could bo sald on cither stdo about it. _1lo would greatly de- sire to hear from Prof, Patton, and moved ace coplingly that the question be Jald on the table temporarily, Tha motlon was lost. ‘Tho Rav. Mr. Marquis moved to refor the sub- Ject back to the Commitiee, with instructions to report this (Tueaday) worniug. ‘The motion prevalled, CREDENTIALS, Dr. Belville, from the Commlittee on Creden- tinls, reported In favor of the admission of ‘Jumnes M, Roberts, of the Baota Fe Presbytery, althiough his credentlals were slightly irvegular, The report was coneurred In, HISTORICAL DISCOURSER, ‘The Rev. Charles A, Briggs offered the fol- lowing: and churches pro- Resoleed, That the pastord ing bistorl raes owl manusls bo re. nu Lo Lthe librarles of pa storlend discon ucated sendd coples of the v the varlois Thvological Beininarics for permenent Provervation anil reference, Ile sald that the various theotogical seminaries were gathering librarles uot only for tho use of the students and faculty, but forall the nifnlstry in their nelghborhoodainl of the whole Church, Many of the llbraries were now large and very valuable, amnd poss 1 lumenso treasures with reference to thelr own church history, and that of the other vhurches of the country, Hence, the importance of continuing tha collection of these documents would be seen. The libraries could not purchase the small pamphlets, and therefore requested those willing to' make the douatiun to send them in. ‘The resolution was mlnrtml. Clerk announced the tollowing ONUEILS OF TUE DAYI Tuesday—All day and c-vx-nlu§ report of the Btandivg Committee on Home Missfons, Wednesday—All day and evening, report of the Stundlng Commitice on Foreign Misslons. Thursilay—First under, report of tho Btand- Iz Connitteo on Publication; second onler, riq»lolr(x fl:tthu Standing Cowmittee on Minlste- rlal Kellet, Friday—First onler, report of the Standing Committes an Edu-atlon; second order, repul of the Standing Cotsnittee on the Freediwen. Batunlay—Report of the Committee on Cl‘x;xml b;nfllun.‘ u wmotion, ut 4:40p. . the Assembly ad. Journcd untif 9 m«-f‘ thls mornlug, llu{x-m- Lefl:"g' belug closed by pruyer by the Rev, Dr, cKavl. HISTORICAL SOCIETY, MEETING AT FAUWHLL HALL, The meeting tn the ev:ning was in the nter- st af tho Presbyterian Historical Bociety. This Boclety was orgautzed jn 1553, and its member- shiv embraces both brancles of the Churcl, North uud South, the United Presbyterlan Church, and both branches of the Reformed Presbyterlan Church, Ita ohject Is to form a library,~not n general Ilbrary, but one into which will be gathered whntever matorials may scrve to {llustrate the history, principles, and polity of the Church in this country and throughout tho world. On the Fourth of July Ilast the pastor of every Pres- byterlan church In the United States preached an historical sermon, eiving the facts [o rolation to- his own church sinco its foundatfon. AN theso dlscourses aro now in tho possession of tho Soclety. - It has already collected a valuable historienl Jibrary. The 8o- clety nfms to trect a suitable fire-proof building In Philadelphla at the carllest possiblo day in which to preservo the materials gathered and those which have been promised by ts friends whenever it has & safe placo of deposit for such rensurcs. + ‘The Rev. Dr. Hatfleld prosided, and, as an In- troduction, the hymn commencing "huvo’l‘hy Kingdom, ‘Lnn‘." WAS fUng. Prayer was noxt offcred by the Rev. Dr, White, of the Preshytery of Baginaw. DIt HATPIRLD then safd ho had been requested to state Urielly the objects of the meeting. The Presby- terlan Historleal Socloty was neither the crea- {uro nor thengent of the General Assembly now in session in thie city, and yetit was In- timately connected with “this Lody, with the one that wns meeting elsewhere” in llinols Linculn), with the one_meeting at New Or- cans, and with evevy Presbytery and Synod and ~ every Preabyterian church through- out the Unlted Btates. It proposed to o for Presbyterianism what Bancroft hul done tor the United States—to ather at least tho maleriale out of which uture_historians kgt construct the history of the Presbylerian Churehi in Amerien. They had a history,—a history than which there wns nono more foble. They might look back with pride to their anceatry,—at lenst with gratefnl }u-hlo, and with gratitade to (od that those rom whom they sprung, whoso views, whoso doctrines they endeavored now tu disseminate, were such men of Uod,—men of such mind, nud lteart, and such students of the Word of God,— lnylnr{ up the treasures of that Word in thelr own hearts and dispensing them to others. It had oceurred to bim that he could not do hetter on this oceasion (and {4 would be in the linc of the mecting) tolilustrate the object the Boclety had in view than to allude to A BIMPLE INCIDENT IN 1113 OWN HISTORY, It was now a ifttle more than forty years sinco ha first set foot I the Town of Chleago. Ha left Now York City, where ho was a pastor, the firat week In Augzust, 18U, on o visit to the West,—tha place of his former pastorate, tho City of 8t. Louls. o arrived In Chi the third week, traveling leisurely and byet ex‘)cdltlaully for those thnes, fur there wus hot single railway west of Syrucuse. The une be- tween Beheneetady and Byracuse was vnened the wook before ho camcover it He came in at inldnight on Saturday, having found the only way of crossing frum Bt. Joseph was hy scliooner, the wholo day belng vecupled In tha [nuuue. On the moniing of the Sabbath, nt he Lako House, the only brick house in the Town of Chicago at thut time, he Inquired as to the prospect of attending n Preshyterian church.) They told hiin that they hetieved there was a Presbyterlan church somewhere in the clty,—~that there was a littlo wooden building *over the river' on the prairic where the Presbyterians met and wor- shiped, but they thonglit there was no preacher in the town. “ Very well; who fs to preach " * Probably the Episcopal minlster.” He found nlaway over the bridgge—Dearborn street briuge, ho t)wut;ht—mm saw o little, luw framoe shanty of a buliding, It was occupled that morning by the Episcopulians, the Rev. Mr. Ilallam, ha thoughit, oceupying the pulpie. At the close of the servieo one of the Elders of the Presbyle- rian Church roso and sald: ‘**Astherels no Preshyterian preacher in town, there will bo no preaching Inthe afternoon, but we will hold a prayer-tneeting here.” If they had known that he [Dr. Hatfleld] was there, ho would huve been advertised to speak, I hadn't con- cluded what to do before the benediction was pronounced. On the spur of the moment ho arosoand safd: 't It is agrecablo to the Presbyterian clutreh of this clv.ivi thero will be* preaching In this place this afternoon by the l»umr of a Presbyterian ciurch in Now York." [s was a perfeet ‘stranger, never having scen a soul thero before, he thought, and he was sur- prised when a man tumed around to it and sald, * How do you du, Dr. {latfleld 1™ ¢ Where did you ever sco mef’? *Often In New York.'* Even then Now Yorkers hnd taken posses- sjon of Chicago, nd4 they had cver sinco. muplmuc.lt Of coursc ho preachod very much to tho joy, he betieved, ot the peuple; ot Icast thoyaild so. [Smiles]. And they came around him'when tho services wero over, one after another, Thero was old Fother John. Wright, onc of the fathers—tho ver) father, he belloved,—ol Preshyterinniam {njthis city: Philo Carpeniter, Major Wiicox, frons the garrison ot Fort Dearborn; Sylvester Lind, aud men of that character, Thoy welcomed him to their houscs, pnd made much of him for tho time being, Ho learned that they wero without a pastor, Tho Episcopalisns worshlped with theu. Both churchos, however, bad concluded to bulld, and build Iargely as they supposed in those days, and were looking aut for & pastor, Thers wos also o Methodist church in the place,~tho only one he could hear of, LOUK AT CINCAUO Nowl he oxclaimed. Less than forty years ago, that wil 1 thero was of Presbyterfunlsm lieres ‘What 24 they sce nowi The great General Asscubly oceupying the houses almost, entlre) ot Presbyterfans! Thoe churches are sprend al over tho pralrio as It then was, . He went to ten with zood Futher Wright,—his farm was down ot Michigan syenue,—thero were uo strects lald out then,—und he asked, * How many people have you hered” They salil that thera were ns wany as 4,000, Tt was very much stretehed, fur ie ascertained that in 1810 thero were only 4,200, Therocould ot have been over 3.500 poopla n this great metropolitan ety of the West only two score years ago. The yeir before (1535) the nastor of the Presbyterian “church,—and be who founded the firat Presbyteriau chureh n Chicu- go,—Jeremiali Porter, tho chaplaln ot Fort Dearborn, had left the clty, ‘The speaker met L fu the Geueral Assombly of 1835, They had lovely times then, Thero wos New School and Ol Behool meeting togetlier In one body, but i hostils camps, and the two sides had acancus cvery night to deterinine what thoy should do tho “mnext day [smilea],—how they should muct ono unother, They wero make fug history then, And this” Boclety wos now gathering it up, At that time ho was o member of the Pre -sbyturrv ot 8t. Louls, not having disconnected hhinself, although ho llml in New York City. 1lo was the uply Commls- sloner n that General Asseinbly (1815) fron the whole region west of tho Missisalppl,” 2o man, he beloved, ever repregentod o lurger tract of territory, 1Luu hter.] Look beyond tho Mise sisalppl, now, sald he.” When o left 8t. Louls, thero wers fu the wholo country about 7,000, When ke went there they had but one Presbys terian church. [l was ut the first mecting of the Bynod of Mlssourl, and was ita first clork, His clerkslup begau there, aud he had been a clerk ever siuce. [Ap- plause.] Look at the Presbyterfana now !Il issourl, ana the Svnods {n Kanans, and Ne- bruska, and Colorado, und all the way west, even to the Vacille coust, Had they not boen making historyt Ilud not Presbyterlanbam in this country a hustoryd and was it not worth while 1o Dreserve (1 1t bad & noble history, and they had met to take mensures whereb thuse who cama after them should have the ad- vantaze of all the knowledye of thoae who had gone betore. They lived in the pasty—~wero the croaturca of the pist, aud were made by the past, They were what thete prede- cessora bl made them by thelr labors aud their « examplo, ’l‘flc} had ® great future, and deslred 1o inake It all that Wiis noble and grand fo the advanceuent of the Kingdom of thv Lord aud Savior Jusus Chelst. TUE 1INV, MR, CEAIGHEAD, Becrotary of the lilstorical Boclety, was then fotroduced. Hlo suld the Assumblles of 1873 and 1573 had dirceted the pastors to propare bistorical scrinuns, tuke & collection, and for- wurd the seruous aud tho collection to the Hiatorical Boclety fur the purposs of founde jug & llbrary ‘und an eudowment fund. The Boclety ® cutered upon the work In the 1l of "1875, uod means of articles prepared and dlsseminated through the rellglous papers and circulars, this fnpor- tant subject wus brought Lo the attention of pustors aud churchies, who were c:smclnlly In- furiod as to what had been done, what was to bo done, and the uryent need .of funds to pro- videa sccurs placo to deposit these sermuns, with the cclesiastical records of the Church which the Geueral Assembly had reserved tho right to deposit with the Soclety when such a bullding should Le secured. T result of thess efforts was einbodicd fua report of the Exocutive Commlttes, to bo read duriug the scaslon of the present Aucmbl‘{. The {mpor- taneo of this work carly attracted tho attentlon of the wisest aud best nen in the Church, As far back as 170-—the next year after the organization of the Uenerul Assumn- biy—a cowmwittee ‘was uppuinted w duvlse ways and means to sccurea bistory of tho Church. The subfect engaged “the caruest sttention of the Church from year to year, . and the Coumnisslon- ers wery asked each yoar 83 to the progress ot the work, and where there was wny lack of dill- ncetbey wers enjolued to be more diligent d morg fuithiul (o securlug o history of the churches. Whera a Presbytery was deflnquent a coinwittee of correspondence was rulsed, aod s was Jabored with to prescub lu bistury us #oon s possible, These and other documents were presented to the Stated Clerk, and when Ml the historfes were eollected thay were doliv- ered to Drs. Green and Hazard,” and after- wands to Dr. Millor, amd finally to Dr. Hodge. These, and similar materlnls, were used n the nr:&mrnllnn of the latter's his- tory—for which work it was evident that a largo nuintier af church historica and eceleatastical reconls are not accesalble. All these histories had perished, owing to the Assembly’s fuflure to provide a library bullding—the most impora- tive nead of the soclety, Mr. Cratghead, In Imposing wpon his hearers the lmrorlnnce of a chiurch history, referred to the Biblo as tho heat lni!llllv:nk in itsclf, for auch a history. The gomd book not mll{ - talned a Inrge proportion of history, but it was iteclt a history, The historleal Scriptures cons atituted, a8 been | weil the framewark in which ' all parta were Inscricd—threads, so to speak, on which they were strung. The fact that God was maklng the Church's history so rapldly and wonderfully should lead Iis people to place a very high estimnte upon it—to do all they could to” preserve it, to make it aceessibla to all, so that thosa lessons of wisdom mizht be studled, and serve to guide, Inspire, and ene courage God's people In all coming time. The well-known tendency ol Its chiaracter, and the influences at wurk in the Presbgterlan Church towards the greatest freedotn consistent with true soclal order, gave 1L a permanont and rram(nen! placo in hlntnr{. Such a history as e Chireh desired should be full nml nccurnte, Adequate measurea should be adopted togather ur materinls for its pages, n this work [ collection the Boclety had hbeen for twenty years, nnd was etill, actively engared, © It had collected o \'crly valuable library, conaleting of ncarly 10,000 val- umes, emhmulnt\' the early history, aml vspe. cially the ceclesiastical history, of ilis country; 20,000 or 80,000 pamphlets, inagazines, st re. vlews, dating back to the carly history of the countrys 8 great mnny very valuablo manue acripts’ hotween 300 and’ 400 volunies of rel fous |mw1|mpcrl aud magazines, fron those firat published In this country tothose of the resent day 3 over B0 vortralta of minlsters and nytnen; and o vast nuinber of Interestinge relics, bath from the New and the Old World. All thesy should be wuven {uto a history of Presbyterlan- fsm in this country,—somethlng wurthy of her ast achievements and something to preaent ier great wer and nfluence o this country and throughout the world, A history wus meeded, —constructed after the prineiples of Motley's Netherlauds, with suma of the fentures, for” inatunce, ol Steyens’ Ihstory af Methdism, and, if tho inan did not now exist, ho belleved God wonld ratso him up, who woulil bo capable of writing such history, Mr. Craighead spoke of the frequent errors fnto which people fell fn speaking about Preg- byterinns, showing that these crrors would by whotly prevented by the diffusion of more gen- eral knowledge In rélation to the history, the doctrines, the falth of the Church, In this connectlon, the spcaker noticed with somo warmth the statenient of a Boston corsespond- entol onguf the Clileuizo papera, who, u few dni'n ago, made some very curfous blunders in speaking of tho [Presbyterinns in New England. The speaker continued to presont, for sonie thine, his arvumonta showing the Im- ortance, nay, the necessity, of such a Chnrch history a8 il beon alluded'tos a history which ahould teach the world something abotit Ures. byterinna, s It already knew something about other denominations—the Puritans, for lustance. It was about time, he thought, thiat the Scotch and the Scotch-Irlsh of Amerler wero recog- nized, ns they never had been properly recog-. nized, with a proper piace In the history of this country, 'They were the first to nsscel their rights a8 frcemen, and to maintain themn in the smoke and hent of battle. Let not the Church be faithless to their memory by refusing to col- loct and preserve the emorlals of their cminont services, their faith to principlo and the causc and Kingdom of Chrdat!” [Applause.) TUE REV, TIMOTHY HILL, D, D., ‘was next ealled upun by Dr. Haotlield. ™ Tle sald that every man wus striving for an ound, and that the work done by eack indiyidual was by nomcans without cffeet on his fellow-man, Where thie Church of God was reapected amd lier ordinances dwelt upon, there the vilect of individual thoucht was scen. ‘Tho Enstorn war was an outgrowth of rellgion, and no mancould understand how this country was shaped pollt- feully who did not reallze tho re- lizious feellngs of tho fathers, This Lelug the caso it was absolutely nccuunr¥ that the cxact facts asto the early history of tho Churchi should be conserved. Tl Presbyterian Church was full of Incidents and full of history, and it waa m&lxllé making history. 1t waa only I.lll 1?17 Ltlmv. 6 Church stepped ‘scross the Mis- slssip) TIEap speaker next called attentlon to the work of the Kev, Mr., Gldding and of Jeremish Pore tor, tho carllest Presbyteriau minlster i Cileago. Ifo " had trled s hand at - blograplical notices of Mr. Gidding, but foumd his {nformation deficlent. In thofr Synods Presbyterlans hud & wonderful fund to draw upon, “The history of rcvivals was one full of tenderesd fncldents, nml he who should guthier up tho little storles scattered through tho newspapers would bo dolng u greut work, Buch a wonderful-manifestation of Uod's glory aud grace was nover duplleated. Tho man who first preached the Gospel of Christ on the other sldo of tho Missisalppl was still living, lu 1837 ho left St Louls for Leavenworth, then the “head of the creek, and thera ho had founded acotlege which would live after him. To«iny clghteen tnon wers at- tending the Assembly from the 8tate of Konsas, and every month for more than ton years o church find been added to the Presbyterian connnunion, [A )B‘III!II.] ‘Two yerses of Dr. Watts' adaptation of the song, * Let children hear tho mighty decds,” wore then sung by the congregation, after which THH LRV, DIt BITTENGER waa called upon. D, Iutlleld aunounced tho speaker ns o Scotch-Irishman, but this he dis clalmed, o owned, howeyer, that his congre- rution mostly auswered to the natie of * Mac,” Ilatory, hue ‘sald, was the record of ns mlmi'u a8 bad been dons and were do worthy of record, Hlistory necded, i herofc deads, A Chutch (n its childhodd would listen to n ltor;, but later o it would gemuand, “Is 1t trued? A Church, like o natlon, must attain a certaln growth before it becamo fmbued with the historfe sense, A |u:o‘rl|| could not write history untll it had mado hhwrtv. It often happened tha: the beginniuz of thiugs was wrapped in_ ystery, and it also happencd that would-bo hisworlang did without facts, and drew tpon thelr lmagina tions. The cou-u:]uumsu of this stato of things Wus, that people had to depend upon the rela- tun'of flctitious narrators. This was not the caso in regurd Lo tho Presbyterlun Churel, for that organization had wo fear of facts, and was not afrald of tho truth. ‘The Lresbyterian Church realized that it was an his- torie organization, and that it was not only the product of the past bat the prophecy of the future. The time hul come when the Church could say that it had done enough to be justi- ficd In saylug somethltyg, The historlan was :-mr. to comg, and this was only the day of small nge. = DR NOCKWELL, of Rhode Island, belloved that next to tho of the ' spirit of God such bl[lthlu guterings as that - und the gatherlne toguther ‘of historleal reconds wers blessed A ereat deal of foolish nonsenso had been said about univu: a manloved bis Church or hls country without considering as to other peo- plo’s. - The Presbyterian Church dated back to upodtotic thues, “The Waldeuscs, the Dutch Church, the Hugucnots, the old Clurch of Beutland, all belonged to and were part of the history of the grand old Presbyterian Chureh, It was truly republican in fts character, and t:m miore they knew of it the moro thay loved “The Doxology was then sung, and tho meet- ing adjourned, CIIICAGO T'RESDYTERY, THE REV, JAMES M'LEOD, ‘The Chicago Preabytery met yesterday morn. Ing In McCormilck Bublding, coroer of Dearborn and Randolpli streets, Iu the absence of the Moderator, the Rev, A, I Dean, of Jollct, was called to the chair, and opened the session with prayer. ‘The Rev, James McLeod, of Jolict, announc- ed that ho had sowe weeks ago resigoed from the pastoral charge of the First Presbyterian Church at Julict, and his letter of resignation Liad been presented tothe officers of thatchurch, A mectiug of thoBession had been held, his res- iznation regularly accepted, nod a delegate— Mr. Alarsh—appoloted to notify the Chicago Presbytery of such action. Mr, $farsh was uu- avoidubly” prevented from belng preseut, and therefore Mr, McLeod requested the mecting to aceept o lette lened " by the Sesslon and ‘I'rustees of the church in léu of Mr, Marsh and Lis presence. He aldo requested that the relae tions of pastor aud people be dissolved. ‘The letter, which & as fullows, was read aud Ar, McLeod's request granteds In conventlog wost reluctsatly 1o joln the Xev, Jaues MeLeod 1n sykiug of the Presbylery & seve erauce of tho pastoral relstion with oar c!nnh wo wixh to express Lo bim and the Preabytery, and to all whom It way coucern, our appreciation of his pastorate of tho last four years. We feel that Whllo he bas faltbfully and ‘shly” proclaiwed the Guspwl, ho has aluo greatly sided our feeblo church fn “devislog ways and weans for sustsloiog its pecunlary interosts. by ¢ wa bave ° been enabled make valaable {wprovements tu our church: property, and slso to \scer our Suclely free from debt. We €spe- clally tu express our mppreclation of his checrful alt-denial o cousentivg w—und Limecl? propos- Ing—a reduct on of pal nx. an the stringency of tho (Imea rendered it difien)t for nx to mestonr engavements ta him. We most_heartily commend Rim and hix wita to the charch which may be so- fortanate as to secnre hin services, and wo shall carncetly pray for his and ber continned health, usefaineas, and happiness. Prof, Blackman and tho Rey. Mcsars, Trow- bridge, Dean, Hranson, and others, expressed regret that Mr. MeLeod was to sever his con- neetion with the church at Jotiet, aml possibly with the Presbytery of which ho was then o membor, and pafid lifgh tribute to his aterling traits of’ character and great worth asa Chris- tian and minister of the Gospol. Mr. McLeod replied with thanks for their eood will, and announced, hy request, that he wvould probably for the next six months supply the pulpit of “n church at Datavia, N. Y., of which his brother was the pastor, and who now by {ll-health was compelled to temporarily give up preaching. A vieancy having occuirred In_ the Standing Committee on Forelgn Missions by the resigna- tion of Mr, McLeod, the Rev. J, A, Frencli, of the Fourtt Chnrchof this city, and the Rev. A, 11, Dean, of Julict, were elecied to membership in the Committee, * Aftor the discussion of minor matters, the Tresbytery adjourned tll the fAirst Monday in July, at the smne place. OTHER DENOMINATIONS. TIE METIIODISTS. MINISTERS' MBETING, The regular weekly niceting. of Mcthodist ministers ‘was held yesterday morning In the Conference-room on Washington swrcet, Pre- siding-Elder Jutkins In the chule, After devo- tionnl excrcises, tho subject of the Xlay—** Pas- toral Visitation "—was taken up, tho Rev. Mr. Adams bulng flvst speaker, [To rather objected to the title, suylng that he had been aceustomed to nassoclata the fdew ol visitatlon with calamity, T'ustoral visitlng was an {mportant methud of bringinge goud to the pastor himself, and help- ing his splritual growth. It belivoyed the pastor o bo wethodival In his work, and to tuke ad- vantago of every hour or half-hour that was at his disposition. * Another lnportant branch of the sunjoct was, Ilow fur can deputles be used? 'l'lmfuneml {dea that every Methodiat minister must move every three yesrs, or perhaps oftener, prevented the * truly pastoral relation. The speaker offered as his solutlon of the question that the class-lendera should o el truly godly men wud 8o fmbued with the sense of thelr duty os sub-pastors that would lead them to perforiu the )mqwfll work which must be dune. The practfeal way out was to ‘pat the responsibility, as far as could he, on the members of the church themselves; withproper \:1:;:«-! caders the whole question would bo sofved, Thie Rev. Mr. Boring sald that the great work of the preacher was to supply the wants of the people, and fn so faras he could do that by ringing hlinself In contact with the members, visitation was an excellent thing. ‘Fhe discussion was continued by tho Rev. Mesers, Gurney, Williamaon, and Willing, after which the meeiing adjourned, . TUH DALTIMURE CONPERENCH, Bavrisone Moy 21,—At the Methodist Pro- testunt Conventivn to-day, fraternal Em-un s of New Jersey were recalyed signed by J. N, Brown, who attended the first Ueneral Confer- ence of Methodian In the United States, The Rev. E. (.. Trown, of Towa, [rom the Committes on Snhbath-Schools, made n rrlmrt 1n fuvor of the adoption of the Methudist Vrot- estant Catechism, and it was adopted. A committes was appointed to draw wp a nastoral nddress upon the unity of the Metho- dist and Mothudist Proteatant "Churches, which shall be read by the pastors to their congrega~ tious, and publishad in the Church papers. Three members In the Annual Conference and five In the Genernl Conference, it was declded, mna call for n division, An additional report on the work of Rovising tho Constitutlon and Discipline was ndopted. Jt exliibits no material change from the books uer(fl in the churches during the past ten years. cuces, 2 At the afternoon scasion an additional re- port of the Comnitice on Revislon was sub- mitted and adopted. Thero are no esscutial changes inthe artlcles ncted upon from thosa ot present used in tho Mcthodist Protestaut Church. g, d, Murrny‘ of Plttaburg, offered resolu- tlona that the ™ Volce of Pralse,” published nt Pittaburg, Pa., and the hymn-book of the Meth- odist Protestant Church, published at Baltl- more, b recognlzed nd the hywmnn-books of tho Methodist Protestant Church until the new hywmnal bo compiled and published; that tho ‘ommittee on Hymu-Books be ealarged and au- thorized to sceure by correspoudence and other means a hymn-book to bo used by the Method- {at Protestant Church, in common with other Methodist Churches In the United States. Itoferred to the Committee on 1{ymn-Books. Following committces wero announced: On Church Exicusion, C, 8, Evane, T, 1L L. Ion- derson, and K. \\’Illlnml:on Elalhucs. B. A, Duggen, (. 8. Weatfalls, and W. D. Mitehell; on Historical Preface, 8. J. S8trong, J. B, Whit- field, L J. Bassctt, E. B, Bates, and [I, F. Zolllckoffers on Pastoral Ad<cess, G. Kost, J. K. White, "I\ 1L, *Cuthour, N. R, '8wift, J. K. Nichols, N, C, Dulaner, and J, W, Herlog, Adjourned till to-morrow, CATIOLIC. HALIFAX, Speclal Dispatch fo Tha Trivune. TTALIPAX, May 21.~The pricsts of this dlocess to-day presented an address with u gold watch ond chaln to Archbishop Ilanuon., They exe pressed satisfaction at his elevation. The Arche bishop suitably replied. 8ir Edwasxt Keuny then presented two carrlages and o span of lorses on behalf of the Catholles of Hallfax, together with oo address expressing the groat gratification of his parfshioners at his appolnt- ment to the Archblshopric. Dr. Munonon made an cloquent and feeling reply, It is understood that Canon Vower, of his city, will bo sclected Viear-Genoral., Ex- tensivy preparations are belnie mado by tho Ro- man Catholics of Quebee, Montreal, and Ot- taws to receive Dr, Conroy, Papal Ablegate, who will visit those places, aud return via th United States, R b b OTTAWA. dpectal Dirpatch to The Tribune. OrTAWA, Ont., May. 31.—To-nignt thero is an {llumination of the Roman Catholle churches and houses In honor of the Pope's Jublles. A torehllght procession of bonts from Gatlncau Polut to this city on the river formed an ut- tractive portion of the programme, and was witucased by thousands of people. —— CURRENT OPINION. Lacal self-gaverntent s the salvation of tho country. But {t wust sell-govern, 3ark that, men of Misalssippl.—St. Louls Times (Dem.). I1.Gov. 8tono [of Misslssippi] sces fit to vio- 1ato hils outh to enforce the tdws, there is no reiedy. But be will have the eatisfaction of knowlng that tho whotu world considers him a poltroou sud a coward, and his State a paradise of cut-throats.~Ushkosh (IVls) Northwestern (dtep.). Not later than last week, Mr. Dupre, of the Demorrat, then In Washilugton, hud an futerview with the Prealdent at thie White House, and the latter then sald, In anawer to something sald on the subject of the evils of carpet-bageery, My purpose, sir, I8 to cowpletely rid tne poil- tics of your Btate of the alicn element.”—New Orleans Democrat (Den.). 1t will nat escape attention that, as soon as the President's Bouthern pollcy was set up In Bouth Carolina und Loutslans, Parson Brown- low, tho Unfon leader of Esst Teuuessce, lay down and died, while Alexander Il Btepheus, ex-Vice-President of the Confederacy, got uj l'mplambu and Hyed.—Detroit (Mich.) Lost Leep.). ‘Fne Dea Moines correspondent of the Chicagzo Journal writes that ** A conseryative element is at work, couuscliug veserve aud caution ! among Iowa Kepublicans us to the President’s poliey, This meaus that the ebullitions of fn- saliats wrath from the vitice of the bulldozer, oud the effervescenc of lucipient lunacy; from thu desk ol the State Committes, sugyested the necessity of oplates sud fce. Hopelul results ?}[w )L‘Irculy followed.—Lavenpurs (fa.) Gazelts e, The efforts by certaln gentlemen to ostraclse the Prestdent of the United Btates because they decm bis title to his ofiics fraudulent, can retluct nothing but ridiculs upon them and dls- credit upon the political party they assume to represeuts 'l'u& actieal people equally cousci- eutious and sell-reapectiog ‘with themselves, such actiou will seem to zavor too much of par- tisau whuulll{ or personal dlsappolutment Lo cominaud the {ndorsencut or the respect of the g_rm wass of the thinking public.—ANew York tar (Ven.) 1t Ls only a few duys sluce we noted the desth of Judge Chilvolw, and now we learn that the brave lil’l who stood g6 her father's side, aud acted the part of the hcwhw"lm gone to jolu bimm fu the land beyond the skies,—to join ber father and ber ilttlo brotber, who were shiot down by her side, aud for whom sbe fought o nobly, but {neMectually, Miss Clisoln, a young lady but receutly frow schovl, dead frow 8 guu- shot waund inflicted by—a mant Men el Misslaatypluiad connder the w o n o erlilus and tlic mother's borenvements Took ay the home mnde desolate, and think of an ay. razed public sentiment, —the law set at defiy while red-lianded tnuricr stalkn: shread Lot Ak youraclyes will the world liold yon gufiyies: Tho Chisolm massacre will cos a millions of dollars. Thorg are z«:&i“.‘,f-},‘,’.fl"?‘ that 8tato who do not belleve {n mnflmrulln whole familles, including young women nn‘ little boys, e¥én on_occonit ol politicay s outsiders do not go Into detafls fn confjer] such queations, and, i{ they did, the: Would np #ce that tho tiovernor or auybody cfse |s trying to punish the murderers, and so they clm\n: slaslppt peaple in o lump, and put dmon, el lcl‘l ‘mlfi:pl?lom gmmmmmpfu a uf&nu’ not to live I, and a countr) o ¢! in.—Louleuilte Commeretal (fiep.), © 01 1°ct delta The Republican Government of Bo 0 1ina several years ago reoudinted 'm”utll:e(l,l.;; of that State, for alf of which it was Tesporisj. ble, and now tho Democratle Uoverument shows a dispasition to repudiate a goord liarg of the remainder, It {8 & case something like. that of Arteinus Ward and his agent, 'l‘lfm zenial showman had an agent who lhind gradually yot into his debt to the amount of 1,600, O day e went to Him and satd Kindigs At o you have cavy expenscs, and [ “hay T2y mind to throw ofF it of tho P owe tne.” Tlhe agout stralghtencd up and re. rllc\l'wllh fi"m{t’in ‘t‘lslr. ‘;illlll 1ot be outdong n gencrosity ; [ wi Irow of he g 2 fioston tiebatd (Tt obog Bl ‘The Atlanta (Ga,) Constitutlonalis, lcnu]luix Uumncrnt?e papers of u.’u“seofi{h"}: stirred to hot wrath at the brutality of {los Missisalppi hutchiery, and the Indifference of people and officials i the community wiiere thy outrage was comtnitted to punishing the per. rcm\tur- of a crime whicl, it says, fins horritled he country. It says, if thoss officials haid been left Lo themselves, no one would hava been gy rested for the butchery. The press of tho Bouth has spoken out with npoarum demnang for the punishiment of all connected with the offair, which Is a hetter sign for the ultimate triumph of Republican fdews und spirig [y the Houth than kuurlm: up 8 color-line by the bag. ?}{ct q):an]d possibly be.—AKeokuk (Ja.) Gate City lep.)s . Instead of bitter tirades against tho have fulled fn adherence l:g:r mlmlm'leln:l:..i Mr. Blaine, Miss Dodge ((nil_Hamilton) would da well to show what catt be done in delense of tha prostitution of the high ofllee of Bpeaker in attempting a dircet ofticial Influcnce upon & %unutlnn betore the body over which Mr, lafne ind Lhe distinction of presiding. 1t that can be defended, it will be well to inquire what misdemennor of a public officer cannot be Justie fled. Perhaps, t0o, she can ahow why cxLlif. tlons of amazing temper and lmrnucme should Lo mado by & Speaker of the Louse of Repres sentatives, Aud, atlil further, why he s tus. lignantly squelched by arbitrary rulings Mr, Job 8tevenson, when the latter attempted to cast o little Iight upon some phascs uf Ae. Blaine's career,” The Uulls had Letter blow 1n }}mt}mr direction,~—Clucinnati Commercial (Ind, ). That Mr, Tilden should have felt disinclined !o&mruelpuw inan oceaslon of congratutation and complintent to President Ilayes, is natural nmulxh' and 1o one hus the Fight " to’ complaiy, recollecting the fuckdents o eharacter of the reeent contest, that the disappolnted candidaty should refuse to grace by his presenes the ban- queting of his successtul competitors indved, wa think it was rather Indelicate {n the wana. gers of tbe entertainment to lay Mr. Tilden un- der the necessity of refusing such an favitation, But uo such consllerations oeeur to Juxtity Uov, Robinson In his refusal to join in “public reapect to the higheat officer of the Governe meunt, The i:rulumu of _objecting to the valid- ity of the titls of Mr, Hayes Is absurd coming {from the Executive oflicer of o Stute whose peo- {nlu daily recognizo in a thousand different way4 no legol and “actual sufliciency of the Pregl- dont’s claim to recognition and “obedience; and acain it s nruuumlmon in Gov. Robinson to think that the public would attach any special significance to his performance of n sinple act of ofllcinl courteay.—Zichmond (Va.) Whig (Cone servative). We have not expected a political Millennium this year. Wo haven't accentod and approved tho Treafjlent's policy with nny expectation that tho lion and the lamb would e down to- gether as yet. We have expected, and do ex- vect, that the Democrats at the Bouth will very inany of them bohave badly for s tlme, at lewst. We expeet to oppose them and exposc thein, a3 In the past. But wo don't propose n tinw of peave to ask tho President to use the bayonet agalnst them, That's the difference betwern us and tho growlers at the President's policy. We support his action m withe drawing tho “bayonets from the States Ilouses where he found them, beeause the Con- stitution and every principle of Republican Uovernment roquiréd him to do it; heenase it was better for hiin to do it in Apnl, o5 a meas- uro of lmum-xuhlr and fn obedlence to tha principles sot forth In the Republican nntfonal Plnuorm, and in his own letter accentlng the tes)ubllun uomlination, than to wnll.\lll‘Ju)y, and be constralined to do It as a matter of ue- cuslt{: Dbecaure It was wiser for him to be mas- ter of the situatfou through o sagaclons amd statesmanlike Ieadersblp, than to keep the country in turmoll, und in_the end secure only defeat.—Lelle Plaine (Ia.) Union (Kep.). . ———— H. B, MILLER TALKS BACK. Tv (he Editor of The Tridune. ntoaco, May 91,~It Is hardly tho fale thing to announce In & hulf-column senational srticde that the Grand Jury was just on the polnt of indicting me for perjury, aud the next day in a paragraph ot half-a<lozen lines anuounce thst the jury falled to find a bill. The attempt to get mo Indicted on ex ‘mrto testimony to_prop up a poar case before the court was exceedingly sharp, but so gauzy thac the Grand Jury sooiy discovered the aniinus and dropped It T not vnly expect to prove on the trlal wll T haveal- leged, but to show by documentary evidency that at the tino the note was piven by me to Cooper lie was Jargely In my debt. L ievor hal any deatings cithor dlrectly” or _Indirectly with tho Hide & Leathor Bank, aud if they “are In slon of niy note to Couper, it must have 1lobson’s” cholea with them, that oe nothing, Tho note has been due a year, beey sued onco In the nawe of 1. W, King, and now in the nawne of tho Hide & Leather llnuk‘. At the matter [s to be adjudicated beforethe Courty 1 have no disposition to thrust o purcly private quarrel before the public. 11, B, Mivven. ————— A NARROW ESCAPE. To the Editor of TAs Tribuns. Cimioado, May 21— wish ta call vbur atien- tlon Lo something that occurred last (SBunday) evenine on Clark-street bridge, Alter tho bridge had loft its moorings, n bugrey, in which were a lady aud gontleman, drove on and attempted to cross, but, of course, fuiled. His 961 horso commonced to rear and plunzu and [ belleve, IE 1 liad not taken hold of i, would huye backed futo the river, Tho lady wad frightencd, and begrol of the gentleman to it licr out, vowing she would never go out Hding with him sguin, Now, should not such freaks as this cease! s {t not highly dangerous? lj 1s only a fow weeks since o borso was drowne on Ln{m strect, and the occupants of tho bugey uarrowly escaped the same fate, Hoping you will lend the Influence of your wwr tu slop this (in the Jeast) dangerous pastime, I remabs el cctfully yours, bt e il Jteuinaton Do u's. TILE CHUIOIL §IVIIN DOOK, LIS CHURGH HYMN BOOK, WITH TUNES, FOR USE IN Congregational & Preshyterian CHURCHES. Already in use in more than 500 Churches. Favorable termu for introduotion. ml: &atos to the General Assembly are Foquos! od to call at our office {n Ohlosgo and exams ioe the book, All interested tn Church Muslo sre invited to send for Bpecimen Pages and our Circus lar, gontaining testimonials from one huss dred pastors using the Ohurch Hyms 250 Tune Book, Ministers can have & copy un. for examinstion, to be returned f Do adopted. Addross IVISON, BLAKENAY, TAYLOR & (0, PUBLISIERS, - 138 & 140 Grand-st., Now York. 133 &_1305 Btate-st, Chicoyge