746 



PRESBYTERIANS. 



resist any further assaults upon civil and relig- 

 ious rights, and to consider what practical action 

 can be taken, in concert with other Presbyterian 

 churches, in the matter, and to secure the reforms 

 already agreed upon. The committee on Chris- 

 tian Union, especially with the Episcopal and 

 the Methodist Churches, having reported no ad- 

 vance since the fraternal conferences of the pre- 

 vious year, was reappointed, and a resolution 

 was passed expressing the opinion that while 

 the Nicene Creed is a sufficient basis on which to 

 begin negotiations with a view to union, it is 

 not a sufficiently full statement of Christian faith 

 and doctrine: and that "the historic episco- 

 pate " is accepted by the Presbyterian Church in 

 harmony with the teachings of the New "Testa- 

 ment regarding the office bearers of the Church. 

 The committee was further instructed, if cor- 

 porate union can not at present be secured, to 

 consider the question of establishing such rela- 

 tions with the other churches " as may prepare 

 the way for fuller organic union hereafter." The 

 position which the Assembly should take upon 

 temperance was much debated, and the following 

 resolution was adopted : 



This Assembly believes that the general traffic in 

 intoxicating liquors is a source of terrible and enor- 

 mous evils ; that it blights the prospects, destroys the 

 health and character, and ruins the soul of the indi- 

 vidual ; that it mars the happiness, wastes the re- 

 sources, and degrades the life of the family ; that it 

 lowers the moral sentiment and endangers the peace 

 and safety of society ; that it greatly increases the 

 number of " lapsed* masses," intensifies every evil, 

 and is a most fruitful source of crime ; that it not only 

 hinders most seriously, and in many ways, but antag- 

 onizes thg Church in her work of uplifting the race 

 and winning souls for Christ, and that it is contrary 

 to the teaching of Scripture and the spirit of the 

 Christian religion. 



The organization of Young Peoples' Societies 

 of Christian Endeavor in all congregations was 

 recommended, with the stipulation that the con- 

 stitutions thereof should be approved by the ses- 

 sions. An overture from the Presbytery of In- 

 dore, Central India, concerning the proposed 

 union of Presbyterian churches there, was ap- 

 proved, and the Foreign Mission Committee was 

 instructed more fully to consider it and advise 

 the missionaries in the matter. 



VIII. Church of Scotland. The General 

 Assembly of the Church of Scotland met in Edin- 

 burgh, May 22. The Rev. A. K. H. Boyd was 

 chosen moderator. The Committee on Statistics 

 reported the number of communicants at 581,568, 

 showing an increase of 5,723. The amount of 

 contributions for the year had been 354,480, 

 and the seat rents had returned 04,814, making 

 the entire income of the Church 419,295. The 

 committee of the Endowment fund returned a 

 total income of 10,715. Three new parishes 

 had been endowed, bringing the whole number 

 erected and endowed under the scheme up to 

 366, at a total cost of 1,320,700. The Patron- 

 age Compensation Committee still had on its 

 roil 139 parishes for which compensation was 

 claimed. The contributions for this cause showed 

 a slight increase, and amounted to 1,282. The 

 income of the Home Mission Committee had 

 been 10,042. It had the care of 75 mission sta- 

 tions, with 80 mission churches, having an aver- 

 age attendance of 15,467 persons, to which grants 



of 3,185 were voted. The capital of the Aged, 

 and Infirm Ministers' fund stood at 28,427, 

 showing an increase of 1,862. The contribu- 

 tions for the year were 3,230. The income of 

 the Jewish Mission had been 7.803, as compared 

 with 4,851 in the previous year. Special ac- 

 counts were given of the work of the mission in 

 Alexandria and Smyrna. The contributions for 

 foreign missions had been 22,421, showing an 

 increase of 6,272. Nine hundred persons had 

 been baptized in the missions. Including the 

 income of the Ladies' Association and the 

 amounts obtained in India, the whole mission- 

 ary income of the Church was 30,000. Accord- 

 ing to the report of the Committee on Temper- 

 ance, there were in the Church 222 temperance 

 associations, with 25,000 members. A letter 

 from the Synod of the Church of Scotland in 

 England reported a slight increase of members- 

 there. The most prominent subject discussed 

 by the Assembly was the movement for disestab- 

 lishment. In reference to it a resolution was- 

 unanimously agreed to that in the altered cir- 

 cumstances,' and in view of the momentous issue 

 raised, the Assembly authorize its Committee on 

 Church Interests to take action to inform the 

 people of Scotland on the subject, to promote 

 defensive organizations, and to appeal for funds- 

 to carry on the work of defense. A resolution 

 was adopted with reference to the Universities- 

 bill, pledging the Assembly to efforts to secure 

 the retention of the divinity faculties in the 

 Scottish universities, and declaring that the com- 

 bination of the Scottish churches in theological 

 teaching and the university system would be best 

 brought about by a measure for making the di- 

 vinity halls of other Christian bodies part of the 

 universities. A committee appointed to prepare 

 a statement as to the practice throughout the 

 Church in public worship and the celebration 

 of the sacrament reported that a great many 

 changes seemed to have been introduced within 

 recent years, and the want of uniformity in the 

 services' was probably greater than at any pre- 

 vious period. The time appeared to have come 

 when the Church should consider the subject, 

 and when the law and practice should be brought 

 into closer harmony. 



IX. Free Church of Scotland. The General 

 Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland met 

 in Edinburgh May 21. The Rev. Dr. Thomas- 

 Brown was chosen moderator. The Finance Com- 

 mittee reported that the average annual income 

 of the Church for the decade 1880 to 1890 had 

 been 607,000. The increase of income had been 

 steady since 1850. The Education Committee 

 had received 4,290. The Widows' and Orphans' 

 funds had been increased during the year by 

 18.777; the capital of the Aged and Infirm Min- 

 isters' fund by 20,849 ; and the Sustentation fund 

 to 1,452. 



Grants had been made from the Church Exten- 

 sion and Building fund of 2,264 for building 

 and 1,665 for rebuilding. The funds of the 

 Home Mission Committee had suffered a slight 

 diminution. The income for foreign missions had 

 been 96,107, or, if Jewish and Continental mis- 

 sions were also included, 113,431 . The missions 

 returned 26 stations with 181 branch stations, 132 

 European missionaries, 684 native agents, 6,620 

 communicants, 496 baptized in 1889, and 326 



