I'KKSBVTKKIAXS. 





ing an increase of 47,383 over the previous year. 



vport (if the Committee mi tin- < 'i>iivei>i'Ui of 

 the Jews complained of a lack of interest in that 

 subject. In its birthday address to the ( t )ueen the 



ably expressed its deep concern "about our 

 sorely afflicted Armenian fellow-Christians." A new 

 hymnal, compiled by a special committee for the 



:' the three churches Free Church. Established 

 Church, and United Presbyterian was sanctioned 

 for use. with the consent of kirk sessions, in public 

 worship. The Committee on Union, particularly 

 with the United Presbyteiian Church, was reap- 

 pointed. and the Assembly, in its resolution on the 

 subject, called upon the ministers and people to 

 consider prayerfully the serious stage the question 

 had now reached. A resolution of sympathy with 

 the Armenians was adopted. In connection with 

 the report on Church and state, the Assembly de- 

 clared that it regarded the termination of the pres- 

 ent connection of Church and state in Scotland as 

 demanded by justice and the interests of religion. 

 Overtures were presented from several Highland 

 courts asking for a repeal of the Declaratory act 

 (see " Annual Cyclopaedia v for 1891). The Assem- 

 bly resolved to pass from them. A bust of John 

 Knox. by John Hutchinson, R. S. A., which has 

 been placed in the quadrangle of the New College, 

 Edinburgh, was formally presented to the Assembly 

 and accepted by it. 



IX. United" Presbyterian Church of Scot- 

 land. Returns from 577 congregations of this 

 Church give it 191.881 members and a total income 

 of 410.s48. an increase in income of 19.241 as 

 compared with 1^94. while the whole amount is 

 larger than the income of any of the ten preceding 

 years. 



The income from foreign missions had been 31.- 



md the expenditure 34.639. One hundred 



_regations were connected with the missions, 



having 19,949 members, an increase of 712. The 



formation of a union for the purpose of interesting 



the young people of the Church in missions was 



recommended in the report. 



The Synod met in Edinburgh. May 4. The Rev. 

 James Rennie was chosen moderator.- A deliver- 

 ance was unanimously adopted in favor 01 the ap- 

 pointment of a committee to consider the subject 

 of reunion of Presbyterian churches, with power to 

 confer with the Assembly of the Free Church. A 

 motion was offered that the Established Church be 

 included in the scheme, but tho Synod decided that, 

 as that subject had not been before the Church, it 

 was inexpedient to adopt a resolution upon it. A 

 report was adopted in favor of disestablishment. 

 A case brought to the Synod on appeal, involving 

 the question of discipline for marriage with a de- 

 ceased wife's sister, was referred to a committee 

 for report at the next meeting of the Synod. The 

 questions of the education bills, raffling at fairs 

 (concerning which previous condemnations were re- 

 iterated), arbitration, and the Armenian mas- 

 were considered. An overture intended to discour- 

 age applications for admission to the Church from 

 ministers and preachers of other denominations was 

 rejected by a large majority. The Young Men and 

 Women's (iuild was represented to be making steady 

 I ] >i:ress. The 123 affiliated societies returned about 

 !-v">(n) members. 



X. Reformed Presbyterian Church. A great 

 convention of the Reformed Presbyterian churches 

 of different countries was held in Glasgow. - 

 land. June 30 to July 3. Resolutions were adopted 

 declaring the principles of the churches repre- 

 sented: the supreme authority of the Holy Scrip- 

 tures as the standard of moral law ; the mediato- 

 rial character and headship of Christ as the rightful 

 ruler of men in every relation of life; the duty of 



beat-in- the Gospel abroad: the moral accountabil- 

 ity of the family, the Church, and ;i 



the individual: the duty of fain;;, 

 the exclusive use of the book of P-aln. 

 exclusion of instruments in i: 



the obligation of theChurdi t< ,.,,[,. 



Mem of government, order of wor>hip, 

 and administration of discipline exprely upon tin- 

 authoritative foundation of the II<>1\- Scrip; 

 God's revealed Word as the Mate's ult'in; 

 moral conduct : the application of the scriptural law 

 of qualification for the " high trust of civil oflic*-" 

 and the exclusion of irreligiou.- men therefrom ; 

 condemnation of the trallic in intoxicating drinks 

 and of legalization of it in any form : the scrupu- 

 lous observance of the Sabbath in home and social 

 relations, faithful attendance >; on the duties of the 

 sanctuary." and denunciation of all complicity of 

 Christians "with the dishonor done the Lord's Day 

 by any department of governmental administration", 

 or by partnership or the holding of stock ii, : 

 bath-breaking organization?. " : protest against open- 

 ing museums, etc.. on the Sabbath on any pretext 

 whatsoever: testimony against immoral marriage 

 and divorce laws, impurity in literature and art. 

 and social amusements and personal indulg- 

 which "gratify the flesh against the leanings of the 

 spirit." 



XI. Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The 

 General Assembly met in Belfast. June 1. The Rev. 

 Dr. Williamson was chosen moderator. The statis- 

 tical reports showed that there were in connection 

 with the Church more than 22.000 families, with 

 about 330.000 people. The congregational subscrip- 

 tions to the Sustentation fund amounted to 22.- 

 900, an increase of 200 over the contributions of 

 the previous year. The total amount of congrega- 

 tional debts was returned as being 75,000. A 

 uniform hymnal was authorized, and a protest was 

 entered against the action. The Government was 

 urged, in the interest of the farmers, to push for- 

 ward and strengthen the land bill. The name of 

 the " Young Men's Guild " was changed to " Young 

 People's Guild." a measure the effect of which is 

 to make young women eligible to membership in 

 the society. 



XII. Presbyterian Church in England. 

 The reports of this Church, presented to the Synod 

 in April, showed that the number of congregations 

 had risen from 297 to 301. and the number of mem- 

 bers had increased from (is.! MI 7 to 69.632. The 

 number of available sittings was 156.815. an in- 

 crease for the year of 2.329. The total revenue for 

 the year had been 230.543. or 4.000 less than the 

 amount in the previous year. The number of 

 teachers in Sunday schools had fallen from 7.532 to 

 7.452. and the number of pupils from 82.596 t 



969. The Church property was valued at 1.702.- 

 357. 



The income for missionary purposes amounted to 

 23.224. or more than 1,000 in excess of the in- 

 come of the previous year. The following statistics 

 were given of the mission in China : Number of 

 European ordained missionaries. 19: of medical 

 missionaries, 11 : of women's association mission- 

 aries iladie-i. 21: of native pastors supported by 

 their own coni:rt.-<:ations. 13: of native evangelists. 

 117: of theological students. 48 : of organized con- 

 gregations. 46 : of preaching stations. 110 : of com- 

 municants. 4.640. In nineteen years the agents 

 have nearly trebled, and the congregations and 

 stations more than doubled. The first native : 

 bytery had been formed in Formosa, and it sent a 

 letter" to the Synod. The Synod determined to 

 celebrate the jubilee of the Chinese mission in 

 The Woman's Missionary Association supported 

 about 20 missionaries in China. 



