PRESBYTERIANS. 



647 



by the previous General Assembly with the 

 consideration of plans for developing and sys- 

 tematizing the benevolence of the Church. It 

 was reported that not more than one-half of 

 the churches had been contributing to more 

 than two of the eight objects undertaken by 

 the Assembly ; and that probably not more 

 than half the members of the contributing 

 churches were taking any part in the work. 

 In the mean time all the boards were in debt. 

 Many difficulties were therefore to arise out 

 of the too great number of the objects recom- 

 mended by the General Assembly ; besides 

 which collections were often called for for ten 

 or twelve stated objects outside of the church. 

 The plan reported by the committee, and sub- 

 stantially approved by the Assembly, continues 

 the Committee of Benevolence and Finance, 

 making it their object to " promote through- 

 out the Church, by all proper means, the reg- 

 ular and systematic consecration of property 

 to the Lord, and to secure such funds for dis- 

 tribution among the boards according to the 

 direction of the contributors as may" by pref- 

 erence of churches or individuals, be forwarded 

 to said committee." It was not deemed expe- 

 dient to restrict givers to any particular plan, 

 but each church was urged to adopt whatever 

 one might promise to be most efficacious. Each 

 Presbytery was advised to appoint a standing 

 committee, to whose particular care should be 

 committed the benevolent work of the church. 

 These committees are expected to report to the 

 General Committee as often as once in six 

 months. The churches were requested to remit 

 montlily, or at least quarterly, for the benefit 

 of the whole work. The consolidation of the 

 former Board of Domestic Missions and com- 

 mittee on Home Missions had been completed 

 successfully. The operations of the board 

 during the year had, however, been lessened, in 

 respect to both men and money. The total 

 receipts had been $304,717.97, or $26,253 less 

 than thoe for the preceding year. Nine hun- 

 dred and ninety-two missionaries had held com- 

 missions from the board. They reported 3,- 

 944 additions to the churches in profession, and 

 8,333 on certificate, 136 new churches organ- 

 ized, 98 churches built, and $174,232 of church 

 debts canceled. The board were requested 

 by the Assembly as far as possible "to make 

 the salaries of ministers sufficient for a re- 

 spectable living in the neighborhood where 

 they reside, in order to remove all necessity 

 and expense for ministers devoting themselves 

 to such secular pursuits as are inconsistent with 

 their offices." Every church receiving aid 

 from the board was required to adopt some 

 systematic plan of giving, " so as to develop 

 the resources of the people, and prepare the 

 way for self-support." 



The follivwing paper was adopted as affirm- 

 ing the doctrine of the Church concerning civil 

 powers and the relation of the Church and 

 state ; it also expressed the attitude of the 

 church toward the Southern Presbyterian* : 



The General Assembly, deploring the divisions 

 that have occurred and that continue among Presby- 

 terians in the United States of America, and ear- 

 nestly desiring to do whatever is consistent with, 

 duty and fidelity to the Lord toward healing these 

 divisions, and furthermore having good reason to 

 hope that the action contemplated in the following 

 paper will promote and secure this happy result, do 

 solemnly declare 



1. That in accordance with a resolution unani- 

 mously adopted by each of the two bodies now con- 

 stituting the reunited Assembly, all action touching 

 the brethren adhering to the body popularly known 

 as the Southern General Assembly, together with 

 all action touching the brethren adhering to the body 

 known as the Old School Synod of Missouri, has been 

 since the reunion, and the same is now null and void, 

 and therefore of no binding effect, and not to be 

 pleaded as a proceeding in the future. 



2. The Assembly also express confidence in the 

 soundness of doctrine and in the Christian character 

 of these brethren, and cannot doubt that a more in- 

 timate communion would lead to the speedy removal 

 of the barriers that now separate those of like 

 precious faith, to increased mutual affection and es- 

 teem, and to a practical manifestation of our oneness 

 In Christ. 



8. With regard to the civil magistrate and the re- 

 lation of church and state, the Assembly deem it 

 sufficient to call attention to the following statements 

 and principles found incur Standards, to wit : (1.) 

 "Synods and councils are to handle or conclude 

 nothing but that which is ecclesiastical ; and are not 

 to intermeddle with civil affairs which concern the 

 commonwealth, unless by way of humble petition in 

 cases extraordinary ; or by way of advice for satisfac- 

 tion of conscience, if they be thereunto required by 

 the civil magistrate." (Confession of Faith. Chap. 

 XXXI., Sec. 4.) (2.) " That God alone is Lord of 

 the conscience, and hath left it free from the doc- 

 trine and commandments of men which are in any 

 thing contrary to his Word, or beside it in matters 

 of faith or worship;" "That all Church power, 

 whether exercised by the body in general, or in the 

 way of representation by delegated authority, is only 

 ministerial and declarative : that is to say, that the 

 Holy Scriptures are the only rule of faith and man- 

 ner* ; that no Church judicatpry ought to pretend to 

 make laws to bind the conscience in virtue of their 

 own authority; and that nil their decisions should 

 be founded upon the revealed will of God." (Form 

 of Gov., Chap I., Sees. 1 and 7.) 



4. For the purpose of carrying out the spirit of the 

 foregoing resolutions, the Assembly will appoint two 

 committees to confer with similar committees, if ap- 

 pointed by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian 

 Church in the United States and by the Old School 

 Synod of Missouri, to seek closer and more fraternal 

 relations with those bodies. 



The expenses of the Board of Foreign Mis- 

 sions for the year had been $97,939 more than 

 its receipts; it had closed the year with a bal- 

 ance against its treasury of $128,695. Its work 

 for the ensuing year would require $595,080, 

 which added to the. debt made the sum it 

 needed $723,749. While the Assembly was 

 discnssiug the means of meeting the reported 

 deficiency, the suggestion was made that the 

 commissioners then and there pledge their 

 churches for contributions so far as they felt 

 justified in doing so. Pledges were accord- 

 ingly given to the amount of $78,491. Cir- 

 cular letters in regard to the results of the 

 Board of Foreign Missions were directed to be 

 gent out to every pastor in the Church. The 

 part of the debt remaining unprovided for wag 



