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Proceeding
Reports Of i
REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEEE ON
THEOLOGICAL SEMINARIES,
l'onr Standing Committee on Theological
Spin Inn Hps would respectively report that
there hare been put Into tlielr hands the annual
reports of the Hoards of Directors of
Union Tlu*ologicnl Semlnnry, at Richmond,
"Va., of Columbia Theological Seminary, of the
Divinity School of the Southwestern Presbyterian
University, of the Theological Semlnnry
of Kentucky and of Austin Presbyterian
Theological Seminary. These reports are full
Sllld encouraging, showing safe investments,
that the health of professors and students, has,
with few exceptions, been good, that the
work hn? ? "
fidelity nud that the number of students enrolled
Is greater than thWt of last year. In
connection with these facts. It Is with some
disnp|>oiut incut that we note that the nuniher
of young men going forth this year from
these Institutions into their life work is less
"than that of last >enr.
At Union Theological Seminary, the number
of graduates is 15. and the attendance 72.
an increase of ,'t over last year. The students
"have continued and enlarged their mission
work and the Seminar)- has in successful operation
a course of Instruction in Missions.
Sabbath Schools and Young People's Work.
Further, through the labors of professors and
undergraduates, the claims of the Gospel Ministry
have been presented to ail ths State
-and Denominational Institutions within the
"twd Synods of Virginia and North Carolina.
~ It is with grntitude we note that through the
liberality of the Presbyterians of Richmond.
Richmond llall, at a cost of $43,000, has been
crecteil.
At Columbia Theological Seminary the enrollment
is 27, a gain of 2 over last year,
11 of whom go fortli to the work of the ministry.
The Rev. l>r. Win. E. Mcliwaln hns
been secured as financial agent, and in the
spirit of enlarged enterprise, tills institution
""rejoices to believe it hns entered upon n
most active and successful era."
The Divinity School of the Southwestern
Presbyterian University has 10 students, "the
-same as Inst year, exclusive of 3, who were
-only in special classes. Four are expecting to
-enter the ministry at the close of the present
session." The llev. Dr. J. W. Roseboro. having
been elected to the Palmer Chair of Systematic
Theology, has prosecuted successfully
"his work during the past year and the "Rev.
R. E. Fulton hns been advanced from Asslstfint
IVilfpUHDIV til full A aun/.ln tn Prnfooons
Ecclesiastical History."
At the Theological Seminary of Kentucky,
the enrollment was 45 as against 40 of last
yeaf, with seven young men going out into
their chosen work. In the Board of Directors
changes hare been made through the
death and resignation of certain of its members
and the election of others to take their
places.
"The Rev. O. K. Crawford. D. D., Professor
In the School of Old Testament Exege-Rls,
has resigned his chair and his resignation
has been accepted with regret. Othcrtvlse.
the faculty remains the same as last
year. A dormitory, the last of the structures
conteniplat ?d in the original design of ,
the Seminary, is now in process of erection."
It is the munificent gift of Mr. James Ross
"Todd and Mrs. Louise Todd Ilauge. In memfirv
of thoil* futl\Ai? on/1 n\AtK/.??
"Todd nnd Mm. Mary M. Todd.
The Austin Theological Seminary report*
-an enrollment of 17 students, a gain of 7
-over ln*t year, upon 3 of whom the degree
of Bachelor of Divinity was recentlly conferred.
"Several of theste students have taken
courses In the University of Texas and the
j>rofessors have taught weekly Bible classes
among the University students. The endowment
of the Allen Johnson Chair of English
"Bible nnd Practical Theology nns been about
-completed, nnd the work of the Seminary has
gone on without interruption under the cfllclent
direction of five professors. The Kcv. Dr.
Tt. E. Vinson lins been unanimously elected
"by the Board of Directors to the office of
"President of the Seminary.
It Is gratifying to record that most of these
"Institutions have provided special courses of
lectures, delivered by distinguished speakers
from our own innd nnd from abroad, thnt
In all of them the spirit of progress Is manl.fest
and thnt they display unflinching fidelity
to and commendable seal for the faith delivered
once for nil unto the Saints.
W e' recommend:
1. That the Assembly hereby express It*
gratitude to God for the manifest tokens of
'his favor toward these Institutions during the
3f>?s{ year.
2. That eandldates for the ministry, wishing
m iTT I I' , - T T-n-TlacnaaaBI,MM>Mt>M>aid
y
PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOUT1
?S of General
Some Important Standing C
to avail themselves of the benefits of these
iusttutions be encouraged, and, whenever practical.
re<julred to prepare themselves for their
Theological Studies by taking thorough collegiate
courses.
3. That these Schools of the Trophets be,
nnd hereby are, commended to our candidates
for the ministry as being eminently qualified
? ...vui .... tuc uuill'a -OI 11111L UOiy
office.
4. That those Institutions bo and hereby
are heartily ''ommended to all our people, for
their support by their patronage, their prayers
niul their liberality.
Uospeotively submitted.
JOSEPH H. LUMPKIN Chairman.
THE NARRATIVE.
Your Committee on the Nnrratlve on tho
Stnte of Religion begs leave to make the following
report.
Narratives from 84 Presbyteries have been
plnced in our hands, together with an overture
from Abingdon Presnytery, asking "the
Assembly to interpret definitely question No.
10 in the narrative of the session."
I. In answer to this overture the Assembly
makes the following reply: Question ten (10)
of the narrative of the session. (What evangelistic
work is done by your church outside
its bounds?) lins reference to evangelistic
work by the church in terrlotry Immediately
touching the bounds of the congregation e. g.,
a mission Sunday school.
II. The attention of the Presbyteries Is
called to this direction of the last Assembly
(see pnee 4) "Narratives of Presbytery should
embrace topics that confirm to the narratives
of sessions with a prefatory statement which
sluiws how many churches there are in the
Presbytery nnd how many sent written narratives
to the meeting when the Presbyterinl
nnrratlve was prepared and with a final topic
on the supply of Its churches with the ministry
of the word."
III. From tlio narratives sent up to this
Assembly the following is a brief summary:
1. With few exceptions the attendance upon
the SaliliaUi morning services of the churches
Is good. Few of the narratives speak of the
mid-week prayer meeting or the Salibnth evening
service, but when reference Is made to
these it Is to note small congregations in at
endance. In very few instances is there reference
to attendance of the children jt public
worship.
2. We would stress the cry of every one
of these 84 narratives that family worship is
woefully neglected. While the narratives are
too Indefinite to approximate the proportion
of the families within our churches where the
altar burns, we are persuaded that 20 per
cent is too high an estimate. "Sadly neglected"
is the lamentable cry from every quarter of
our bounds. While here and there even three
fourths of the families of a church keep the
altar burning, they are the rare exceptions,
while on the other hand, fifteen of our Presbyteries
sent up the report that there are
eliuiche8 within their bounds In which there
Is not even one family observing family worship
and one Tresbytery reports nine such
churches.
The neglect of family worship Is a blight
upon our whole church. Karnest effort by the
Session and pastors should be prayerfully
made to cqrrect this evil and ceaseless prayer
be made to the Great Head of. the Church
to pour out His Spirit that there may he a
revival of true aud undefiled religion in His
rwMiv on farm. Aiiention is nere directed
to the sermon on family religion by the retiring
moderator of this Assembly, Rev. W. W.
Moore. D. P., which can be had of our Publication
Committee In Richmond, Va.. In pamphlet
form. We should be Kind to see a cony
of this sermon In all our homes and read by
every parent. ?
3. "Outwardly well observed" Is the stereotyped
answer on the topics of the observance
of the lord's day by members. We know
thnt the tendency of the day Is towards a lax
observance of the Sabbath, and this laxtiess
flhds expression among our church members
in social visiting- travel, getting the malt,
rending the secular newspapers, neglect of
private worship in the home, etc. We are
persundcd thnt the observance of the Lord's
day after the scriptural manner and as practiced
by our fathers. Is to a "great extent,
a thing of the past."
t nun <i. 1 u nil uinriMiMlc rill'lll 1111*11 V OI Hie
Presbyteries report tlie training In the home
of the children nnd youth In the scriptures
nnd CnteeMsnis of the church Is "sndly nejrlocted."
These nsrrntlves show n wldesprend
disposition to shift Ibis responsibility to the
Knhhuth school; that the Sfthhnth school Is
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H. June 9, 1909.
Assembly
I
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ommittees.
fast becoming, not nn auxiliary lo tlic home,
but, to n great extent, superceding It. We 1
fear that In many eases, religious training Is i
relegated entirely to the Sabbath school '
toucher^ I
ine KnbiHitb schools are generally reported
to he well attended and generally In good
condition. The work appears to be systematic,
faithful and aggressive. More attention
is being given to material equipment, training I
of teachers and methods of Bible study. "But
the. Sabbath school can be neither god-mother
nor step-mother to the child who has professiug
parents at home."
t>. The narratives present an encouraging re
port as to the generosity of our people In giving
of their substance to God In the support
of the Gospel.
The general tenor of the reports seems to
sound a new note. Our people are being
moved more and more to see the great duty
and privilege, not only of supporting the gospel
in their own Individual churches, but of
carrying It to the needy and destitute of
every land. While our people are growing i?i
the grace of giving, it is questioned, lu some
cases. If the Increase Is In proportion to the
increase of their Income.
7. Nearly all of the narratives show that
most of the pastors have been fully paid their
salaries, though not always promptly. Few
report an Increase of salaries. In view of the
Increased cost of living, the larger Income of
our people, and. In so large a number of cases,
of I he too meager salaries now paid the pastors,
our churches are urged to n more faithful
obedience of the divine command. "l,et
him that Is taught In the word communicate
with him that teachetli In nil good things."
8. In n large majority of our churches there
Is evidence of the Iloly Spirit's power and
presence In steady growth In grace and In
deepening Interest lu things spiritual. A limited
number report a great awaking nnd Inrgi
accessions through professions of faltli. While
we rejoice In the Increased activity In church
work, we would admonish all our people to
always bear In mind that mere aetlvltv is nor
lruit-hcnrlng.
f). "Worldly conformity does not prevail,"
or "Worldly conformity does not prevail to
a great extent." characterises the replies of
most of the narratives. These replies contradict
answers 'to ouestions of most of
the narratives, showing that the minds
of many are evidently In a state of uncertainty
ns to what constitutes "worldly conformity."
One narrutlve freely admits worldly
conformity, but notes thnt It does not "prevail."
There seems to he not general conformity
to a well-detluAd worldllness. One narrative
replies: "As to worldly conformity, as a
Presbytery, looking the question straight In
the fnoe from n scriptural view point, we are
compelled to reply that the lines of demarcation
between the Church and the world
nre greatly obscured tn various ways, depending
upon varying views and customs of
different communities." This answer wc believe
trulv states the fact The tax observance
of the Sabbath Is a clear evidence of
the prevalency of worldly conformity.
It). A larger proportion of the Presbyteries
report a goodly number of churches eugnged
In evangelistic work outside of their bounds.
The replies to this question, however, show
thnt all do not understand the question alike.
One class regards the persona! efforts of pastor
and people to foster and maintain a mission
church In their community ns evnngellstl<?
worlf ontdiflii t\f tKolu ItAnn.lo
other class regards that duty fulfilled In the
support of n foreign missionary. In the light
of i he 'definition given above fit. we rejoice
to know that there Is a goodly number of
churches availing themselves of the opportunities
to enter the open doors around them.
On the other hand, we are pained to know
that so many phurches ore blind to these opportunities.
Our churches are evangelical,
but our people. In inany cases, are not evangelistic.
11. Nearlv all of the Presbyteries report that
efforts are being made to secure recruits to
the Oospel Ministry, either by special sermons
or personal efforts by pastors, or by the
personal efforts of the other officers of ?hc
churches.
ror me renKon tnat moot, of the Presbyteries
fall to state the number of churches,
enrolled and reporting and so large a number
returning no nnnwer to the Inquiry. "To what
extent are your churches supplied with the
ministry of the Word?" your committee does
not attempt to treat this topic, except to urge
ceaseless prayer to God to thrust forth more
laborers Into Hla vineyard. Upon the whole,
there la evidence of a slow, but |K>altlro