PRESBYTERIANS. 



699 



The Assembly, while declaring that it would 

 be premature and improper to consider the re- 

 port as furnishing a definite and formal basis 

 of union, inasmuch as that subject was not 

 properly before it, approved of the general 

 principles enunciated in the replies of the com- 

 mittee to the inquiries of tbe Southern breth- 

 ren, as furnishing substantially a reflection of 

 its views touching the subjects to which they 

 relate ; expressed tbe conviction that the most 

 effective form of co-operation could be secured 

 only by an organic union of the two Churches; 

 and declared itself ready to enter upon negotia- 

 tions looking to that result whenever in the 

 judgment of the Southern Assembly it might 

 be deemed desirable. The committee was con- 

 tinued and enlarged, with instructions to c nfer 

 with a committee of the Southern General As- 

 sembly, if one should be appointed, in devising 

 such methods for conducting the common work 

 as should "open the door to the fullest and 

 heartiest co-operation." A committee was ap- 

 pointed to visit the Presbytery of Rio Janeiro 

 and be present at the organization of the Synod 

 of Brazil. A conference was held by his desire 

 with President Cleveland, by a committee of the 

 Assembly, on Indian affairs, particularly with 

 reference to the modification of certain orders 

 affecting missionary work among the tribes. 

 A committee was appointed to act with commit- 

 :' other evangelical church organizations 

 in the United - a National Sabbath 



Committee. A committee was appointed to 

 inquire into the duties of the Presbyterian 

 Church toward the immigrant population, with 

 special reference to the Germans, Scandina- 

 vians, Bohemians, and French. Provision was 

 made for the revision of the proof texts of the 

 Church standards, and the suggestion of such 

 changes as may be found desirable; also for 

 drawing up a plan for the systematic instruc- 

 tion and training of young persons and others, 

 with a view to their admission to the Lord's 

 table. A resolution was passed deprecating: 

 the prevalence of improper advertisements in 

 religious newspapers, and particularly disap- 

 proving all such advertising ''as involves the 

 essential principle of a lottery" ; as pronr 

 encourages investors to expect improbable re- 

 turns from capital invested ; and " all those ad- 

 vertisements of patent medicines which are 

 prejudicial to the refinement, modesty, and 

 purity of home life." In view of ' the 

 tied condition of public opinion v regarding 

 the Revised Version of the Scriptures, it was 

 decided to be inexpedient to authorize its use 

 in public worship. A plan was ordered pre- 

 pared for bringing together unemployed minis- 

 ters and vacant churches. The Assembly, 

 'while disclaiming all connection with or re- 

 lation to political action or measures," declared 

 itself ' unequivocally in favor of the entire sup- 

 pression of the traffic in intoxicating liquors 

 as a beverage '' ; and cautioned the sessions 

 against admitting as members persons who are 

 engaged in it. It also, regarding the introduc- 



tion of the traffic by civilized nations into 

 heathen lands with ' shame, horror, and appre- 

 hension,'' declared itself ready to unite with 

 other Churches in an effort to induce Christian 

 governments to abolish and prevent it. A 

 resolution recognizing " Decoration Day, v and 

 the value of the services of Union soldiers, was 

 supplemented by a declaration that it was not 

 intended to contradict the great principles of 

 the spirituality of the Church as laid down in 

 the Confession of Faith. A case of discipline 

 came before the Assembly in which the ques- 

 tion of the legality of responsive services in the 

 Presbyterian Church was involved. The action 

 of tbe Assembly, without deciding the issue, 

 virtually reiterated the decision of the As- 

 sembly of 1876, which declined to make re- 

 sponsive readings a subject of discipline. 



II. Presbyterian thnreh in the United States 

 (Southern). The following is a summary of the 

 statistics of this Church as they w c re reported 

 to the General Assembly in Mav : 



Number of synods 



Number of presbyteries 



Number of candidates 



Number of licentiates 



Number of ministers 



Number of churches 



Number of churches organized 



Number of ruling elders 



Number of deacons 



Number added on examination 



Number of communicants 



Number of adults baptized 



Number of infants baptized 



Number of baptized non-communicants 



Number of teachers in Sunday-schools and Bible- 

 classes 



Number of pupils in Sunday-schools and Bible- 

 classes " 



Amount of contributions : 



For sustentation 



For evangelistic fund 



For invalid fund 



For foreign missions 



For education 



For publication 



For Tuscaloosa Institute 



Presbyterial 



For pastors' salaries 



Congregational 



Miscellaneous 



13 

 66 



. ! 



H 



1.1-29 



47 

 7.110 



10.1V3 

 156.249 



3.4J-2 



5.1oo 



33.444 



12,201 

 101,700 



f47.2?l 

 7?.S:9 





The Executive Committee of Education had 

 received during the year slo.879, and had 

 aided 150 candidates in the total sum of $13,- 

 887. 



The Committee of Publication had received 

 from churches. Sabbath-schools, and individ- 

 uals. $S,119: and from royalties. $2..S24. The 

 whole amount of its grants had been $3.494. 

 The business of the Book Depository had in- 

 creased by nearly 20 per cent. The balance- 

 sheet of the Publishing House showed an ex- 

 amounting to $7^,243. All of 

 the 4-per-cent. bonds issued by the concern 

 had been redeemed except four representing 

 $300. The Tuscaloosa Institute for colored 

 ministers had been attended by 26 students. 



The receipts of the Committee or Home Mis- 

 sions had been $64.455 ; of which 28,406 were 

 in the Department of Sustentation. 14.769 for 

 the Evangelistic fund. $15.117 for the Invalid 

 fund, and $6,105 for the Colored Evangelistic 



