Christian Nation Vol. 18 1893 - Rparchives.org

STNOD OF 1893.The Synod of 1893 convened in the churchat New Oastle, Pa., on Wednesday, May 31, at10 A. M. The interior of the church was veryhandsomely and appropriately decorated withflags, banners, floralfestoons, etc. The retiringModerator, Dr. R. J. George, called the meetingto order, offered prayer, and carried themeeting along to the point of electing his successor,when the Eev. A. J. McFarland, of St.John, N. B., was unanimously chosen to theposition. Dr. 0. D Trumbull and Eev. F. M.Foster were reelected Olerk and AssistantClerk, respectively.Miss Willia Dodds, our foreign missionary,was present, and presented to Synod an olivewoodgavel, made from wood cut from a treeon Mount of Olives. The moderator's gavel,wbich has been m use for quarter of a century,and which has rapped the table in hands thatare now at rest, in hands whose owners haveleft our fold, as well as in those of faithful andvenerable fathers who are still with us—thisgavel of many memories was voted back to theFirst Philadelphia congregation, whose ifoungMen's Society was its original donor. Thehearty thanks of Synod were voted to MiesWillia Dodds for the new gavel, which, withpeculiar appropriateness, was tied about with awhite ribbon.A telegram was, on motion, forwarded to theUnited States District Attorney, at Chicago,urging him to all possible vigilance and effortto secure the closing of the gates of the World'sFair on the Sabbath,The missionary conference presented theirreport, which was read and referred; and at11:30 devotional exercises were had untiltwelve, when Synod took a recess until twoo'clock.The afternoon was consumed in hearing andconsidering various reports, on Temperance,Sabbath Observance, Testimony Bearing, etcSome of these we expect to publish in full inlater editions, or at least to make large extractsfrom them.In the evening, the retiring Moderator, Eev.E. J. George, D. D., preached to a very largeaudience. (A report of this sermon was givenin our last issue.)Thursday, June 1.On Thursday morning, Synod was constitutedwith prayer by the Moderator.Much of the forenoon was occupied in theroutine work of the conrt, readhig reports,etc, which were full of interesting facts as tothe salaries paid to our ministers and the increaseof force iu Foreign Mission work.The following committees were appointed ;Devotional ExercSsos—Ministers, Isaiah Paris, S.J.OroTe, Thomas Patton ; Elders, Wm. Gregg, J. T.Moreland.Evangelistic Work—Ministers, T. H. Acheson, D.0. Faris, M. A. Gault; Elders, Wm. Wylie, Wm.Anderson.National Eeform—Ministers, E. J. George, T. P.Stevenson, J. 0. McFeeters; Elders, S. Gilchrist, R.D. Seott.Secret Sooleties—Ministers, J. 0. Smith, J. S.CHRiSTiAN NATION. Volnme 18.Thompson, J. R. Baird; Eldera, Wm. McCullough,J. L. Ewing.Signs of the Timet—Ministers, D. B. Willson, J. F.Oroziar, J. W. Dill; Eldtrs, Robert Wylie, B. S.Edgar.Systematic Beneficence—Ministers, 0 D. TrumbuU,H. H. 0«orge, E. 0. Allen ; Elders, James Forsythe,H. S. Steele.Order of Businesa—Ministers, A. Kilpatrick, J. 0.K. Faris, J. S. Duncan. Elders, J. E, Oaskey, R. T-Bol*.Presbyterial Eeports—Ministers, K. O. Wylie, T.O. Sproull, E. Hargrave; Elders, J. H. Graham,James Speer.Psalmody—S. G. Shaw, T. H. Walker, G. P. Eaitt;Elders, Wm. Martin, T. E. Steele.Printing and pnblishing—Ministers, J. L. McCartney,J. W. Dill, S. G. Conner; Elders, O. C. Orr,Sabbath—Ministers, D. McAllister, W. P. Johnston,E. J. Gault; Elders, A. 0. Coulter, J. O. Glasgow.Sabbath Schools—Ministers, J. McCracken, N. E.Johnston.Temperanoe—Ministers, E. M. Sommerville, B. M.Sharp, S. M. Stevenson; Elders, Wm. Browne, J.A. McAteer.At 11:30 Synod spent a half hour in devotionalex-rci&es, and then took a recess until 2o'clock.The afternoon session was opened with prayer bythe Eev. J. W. Dill.A paper was read from Qtica congregation signedby forty-six persons, asking for the repeal of Synod'saction as to sitting on juries, and the paper was referredto Committee on Discipline.From the Second Boston congregation a memorialwas read asking for the reconsideration and repeal ofSynod's action in 1888, permitting members to voteon moral amendments to State Constitutions. Thiswas also referred to the Committee on Discipline.A paper was read from S. A. George asking for tberemoval of disability imposed upon him three yearsago, so far as to permit him to preach and do evange.listic work. This, too, was referred to the Committeeon Discipline with instructions to report thereon atthis meeting of Synod.Eev. D. H Coulter, on behalf of Kansas Presbytery,stated that the Kansas Presbytery, in the formationof a new Presbytery, desired the line to bedrawn so as to make the new Presbytery occupy theterritory-west of the West Kansas and West Coloradolines. Dr. Coulter was requested to put the matterin writing, and that paper was numbered and referredto the Committee on Presbyterial Eeports.Much of the time of Synod was occupied in discussingthe two following paragraphs in Dr. Coulte .'s reporton Sigas of the Times : " We gratefully recognizethe importance and value of the Federal Act providingunder certain conditions for the closing of theWorld's Fair on the Sabbath. Notwithstanding itsdefects, it stands as a milestone on the line of events,and affords to the friends of the Sahbath a vantageground in the conflict."The view was held by some that because of tkoquestionable motive of Congress, in passing the Aot,therefore we should not make it a subject of thanksgiving.Dr. McAllister insisted that the work of tlieNational Keform Association's lecturers has led up totbis speciiic act of Congress recoguiz'rg the Saobath.It is not all that we want, but we should be thankfulfor it, so far as it goes. Let the World's Fair gatesbe open on the Sabbath if they must, back of suchdesecration is this Act of Congress, of which it wouldbe a violation. Let ns recognize tbe fruit of ourchurch's own work, and be thankful therefor.The items were then adopted, and also the report asa whole.Dr. E, J. George read the Report of the Board ofIncorporators of Geneva College ; and Eev. A, Kilpatrickread the E-port of the Board of Trustees ofGt-'neva College.From the first we quote as follows : " The institutionstill has many needjs. The library ia small; thelaboratory is imperfectly supplied with apparatus;the gymnasium is lacking in equipments ; the musicaldepartment is left to depend on its own feeble resources.The Board is constantly appealed to for increasedfacilities, which it is powerless to furnish.These increasing demands are the evidences of protperity.As long as the college is growing, it willmake new demands ; when it ceases to grow it willbegin to die. The age is most exacting in its demandsfor broader education, and more perfect facilities, audthe friends of learning are pouring wealth into theirfavorite institutions with lavish hand, Geneva needsmore money. The Synod should seek to reopen thechannels between the college and the reservoirs wherewealth is stored, that golden streams may flotvintoher treasury." Suitable reference was made to thedeath of Jonn A. and Jas. E. McKee, and John T.Morton was recommended as successor to the latteriu th« Board of Incorporators.From the Eeport of the Board of Trustees we alsoquote : " What Geneva needs, and can have, if parentswill bnt embrace the opportunities she affords, ismore of the youth of our church. These she shouldhave to train them for future usefulness in the Kingdomot our Lord ; and train them where there is noopposition to the distinctive position of the EeformedPresbyterian Cburch until the oharacter is fully developed."" The chair of Political Science, reportedvacant in our last report, was filled by the election ofJ. M. Coleman, a graduate of the class of 1887, audwho completed three years of the Seminary course.Prof. Coleman, in addition to the training secured inthese institutions of our own church, bas completed aspecial course in History and Political Philosophy inthe University of Michigan. Prof. Coleman is athorough Covenanter. . . . Our Board deems thischair one of the most important in the college, as ithas for its object the laying deep and broad in theminds of the students, these principles of the Word ofGod that are so honoring to the King and so dear tothis chuicb, a Scriptural magistracy. And so long asthis is done we may confidently expect the blessing ofthe King on the institution." As a successor to Prof.J. S. Martin in the Preparatory Department, theBoard have nnanimously chosen Prof. J. B. White, aGeneva graduate of 1885. He is a member of onr ownchurch. Tender reference was also made to brothersJ. A. and J. E. McKee.Eev. W. J. Coleman read the Report of the Committeeon Psalmody, which we hope to print in full atanother time. Below, however, are the recommendations,which were adopted :1. That pastors, teachers and parents be exhortedto keep before the minds ot onr young people thetruth that God is to be worshipped only in the wayappointed in his word.2. That all our people be urged to the devotionaluse of the Psalms not only in singing, but in prayerand meditation, and that we continue to teach theohildren to commit them to memory in order that ourwhole church in Its strenuous contention with theworld for so many neglected principles of God's truth^a!i^,^l ^^,?Vl ^^"'^ ^^^ ^^*^' godliness which willrecommend their testimony.„.LJ!"'*^''?°*!t-'''''* ^"''"S P'^P'® themselves bell^.t^Ui''T^7 '?^ services of the very best teachersattainable for the training of the voice even al a considerableexpense in order that we may praise Godwith g, ave, sweet melody, and mav commend to outbrethren that form ot worship ir. which all tbe peoplesing, •where there is no music, but the fruit of the lips.A ''i'.^'f i^®^„""8 ^^^ soDga that God made.: .fu ^ Synod reaffirms its readiness to co-operatewith representatives of other churches in preparinga metrical version of the Psalms, the object ofsuch revision being to secure a version more plain,smooth and agreeable to tbetext than any heretofore,and that the Committee on Psalmody be instructed tolaKe measures tocarry this recommendation into efifect.