PRESBYTERIANS. 



667 



The General Assembly of the Presbyterian 

 Church in tha United States of America met in 

 Brooklyn, N. Y., May 18th. The Rev. Henry 0. 

 Van Dyke, D. D., was chosen moderator. The 

 Assembly adopted a report which called the 

 attention of the presbyteries to the importance 

 of the relation of the Church to the German 

 population, urged them to seek all proper op- 

 portunities for labor among this people, and 

 to devise means whereby they may be more 

 extensively and more deeply impressed with 

 the Presbyterian faith and order. It a'l vised 

 the presbyteries to seek out proper German 

 candidates for the ministry, and to communi- 

 cate, in respect to them, with the Presbyterian 

 German theological schools. It made pro- 

 vision for the collection of information con- 

 cerning the German work, by means of a cir- 

 cular addressad to the presbyteries containing 

 inquiries respecting the distinctive features 

 which belong to the transition from the Ger- 

 man to the American condition. A committee 

 was appointed to communicate with the pres- 

 byteries, receive and arrange the desired in- 

 formation, and report to the next General As- 

 sambly. This committee was also directed to 

 give attention to the whole subject of a de- 

 nominational literature in German; to confer, 

 if they thought best, with the Board of Publi- 

 cation in respect to the publication of books in 

 Garman ; and to consider what shall be done by 

 tha Church, if anything, in respect to Presby- 

 terian newspapers, and other means of instruc- 

 tion through the press. The delegation who 

 had been appointed to attend the Conference 

 of Presbyterians which was held in London 

 in July, 1875, relative to the formation of a 

 general alliance of Presbyterian churches, re- 

 ported concerning the proceedings of the Con- 

 ference and the organization of the Alliance. 

 The meeting of the Alliance was to have been 

 held on the first Tuesday in July, 1876 ; but in 

 deference to the wishes of American Presby- 

 terians, who would be engaged in services ap- 

 propriate to the Centennial celebration, it had 

 been postponed to July, 1877. The Assembly 

 adopted the following resolution on the sub- 

 ject: 



Resalvei, That our branch of tho Presbyterian 

 Church, aa represented in this General Assembly, 

 approves the constitution proposed by the London 



Conference, and cordially enters into the Prciby- 

 terian Alliance on thin basts : That the Moderator 

 and the stated and permanent Clerks of the Assem- 

 bly, and the Rev. Howard Crosby, D. D., the Kev. 

 James McCosh, D. D., and the Rev. 8. I. Prime, D. 

 D., be a special committee to appoint delegates from 

 this Church to the first meeting of the Presbyterian 

 Alliance at Edinburgh, July, 1877. 



The committee who had been appointed by 

 a previous Assembly to correspond with tho 

 Reformed Church in America on the subject 

 of union, reported concerning the result of 

 their negotiations, which they embodied in 

 the following minute : 



Whereas, These committees were originally ap- 

 pointed to confer in regard to the desirableness and 

 practicability of union between the two bodies 

 which they represent; and whereas, the General 

 Synod of the Reformed Church in the year 1874 de- 

 clined to continue their committee (as had been 

 recommended) for further conference concerning 

 " union," and subsequently appointed a committee 

 to confer with us in regard to "cooperation," a 

 matter which had not been committed to us by the 

 General Assembly ; and whereas, a document has 

 been presented to us by said committee containing 

 certain proposals and measures relating to * coop- 

 eration," and by our several Boards of Missions, 

 Publication, etc. ; and whereas, the " terms of cor- 

 respondence" already existing between the two 

 bodies provide for the most friendly relations, which 

 we trust will always be continued; and whereas, 

 the main object proposed to be accomplished by this 

 scheme of ''cooperation" can hardly be attained 

 without it: Therefore, be it 



Resolved, Tiiat we inform the committee of the 

 Reformed Church that, in our judgment, the plan 

 proposed by them is inexpedient; and that, in re- 

 porting our action to the next General Assembly, 

 we request to be discharged from further consider- 

 ation of the subject. 



This report was adopted. 



During the meetings of the Assembly, the 

 Rev. Dr. Talmage sent a dispatch by telegraph 

 to a prominent member of the Southern Gen- 

 eral Assembly, in session at the same time at 

 Savannah, Ga., asking if anything could be 

 done by the Northern Assembly that would 

 forward the establishment of fraternal relations 

 between the two bodies. He received an an- 

 swer that any spontaneous resolution of the 

 Assembly would receive respectful considera- 

 tion. The subject was referred to the Com- 

 mittee on Correspondence. This committee 

 reported the following as a suitable form in 

 which to embody the expression of the As- 

 sem bly : 



The committee to wbom was referred the reso- 

 lution on fraternal correspondence with the General 

 Assembly now in session at Savannah, report that 

 they are unanimously and heartily in sympathy with 

 the objects contemplated in the resolutions ; and 

 recognizing tho fact tint the two Assemblies accept 

 the same Confession of Faith, form of government, 

 and directory of worship, and are closely bound to- 

 gether by historical as well as doctrinal and eccle- 

 siastical ties ; and 



Whereas, These Churches, one in faith, order, and 

 labor, are called by the Great Head of the Church 

 to united efforts for the extension of his kingdom 

 throughout the country and the world, and as no 

 adjustment of differences is accomplished by re- 

 hearsal of the past : Therefore, with a view to the 

 expression of the united and hearty wishes of this 



