day and recommends that our local Sabbath Associations fall in line and adopt the name and policy of the 'Lord's Day Alliance.'" 2. Your committee recommends that the Presbyteries all take steps to form such local alliances in all the counties and centers of population within their bounds, that by sermons, addresses, and the liberal use of such printed matter as they may prccure from our Publication House or the Lord's Day Alliance Agencies, so to influence our people as may best conserve and elevate the standard of Sabbath observance. 3. As a substitute for the third recommendation of the Permanent Committee's report, your standing committee unanimously recommends the following: In response to the suggestion of the Permanent Committee on Sabbath and Family Religion that the Publication Committee be directed to publish a book containing short prayers for each day of the year, we recommend: 1. That a small and popular priced volume containing suggestions for short forms of prayers for family worship, be published by the Publication Committee as soon as material can be assembled. 2. We call the attention of pastors, sessions, and the Church at large to the helpful suggestions now being published by the Publication Committee in the Home Department Quarterly, designed to stimulate systematic study of the Bible, and to promote family worship through the use of short forms of prayers printed for each day of the month. 3. We recommend that our pastors and sessions commend to all families not now observing family worship the use of the helps offered in the Home Department Quarterly, and that the Publication Committee be requested to incorporate similar helps in the Earnest Worker. 4. Your committee recommends that the members of the Permanent Committee on the Sabbath and Family Religion, consisting of Rev. A. R. Shaw, D. D., Rev. R. F. Campbell, D. D., Rev. A. A. McGeachy, D. D., Rev. F. D. Jones and Ruling Elders B. T. Price and W. J. Martin be re-elected. W. D. MORTON, Chairman. COMPLAINT COMMISSION. The parties concerned consenting, the complaint of J. K. Dowman and others against the Synod of Virginia was referred to a commission. consisting of the following: W. D. Morton, M. H. Kerr, Hervey McDowell, C. J. Ralston, A. H. Atkins, C. H. Williamson, R. I. Long, C. L. Ewing, J. V. McCall, Louis Voss, H. V. Escott, J. G. Venable, J. E. Henderson, F. R. Graves, J. L. Dean, E. C. Blandford, D. A. Caldwell, C. S. Forbes, C. S. Tabb, L. P. Ault, R. C. Dales, O. B. Beatie, W. R. Lampson, W. J. Martin, J. E. Buchan, H. E. Ravenel, F. S. Day. The Assembly then took up the complaint case of Rev. J. F. Cannon and others against the Synod of Missouri. The Moderator charged the court. The record of the case was then read. After this the case was arrested and made the first order for the day after the morning call, tomorrow. The Standing Committee on Judicial Business made the following report on the petition of Rev. W. I. Sinnott for a re-hearing of his complaint before the last Assembly, which was adopted: SINNOTT CASE, REPORT OF JUDICIAL COMMITTEE. Report of Judicial Committee on the petition of Rev. W. I. Sinnott for a rehearing of the complaint against the Presbytery of North Alabama. 1. Upon consideration of the petition of the Rev. W. I. Sinnott, your committee submit that the same should be disallowed, and denied, on the ground that the judicial deliverances of the General Assembly, of Lewisburg, W. Va., are not reviewable by a subsequent General Assembly, upon petition to rehear the case, decided by the former court. 2. In response to the overtures from the Presbyteries of Transylvania, King's Mountain, Lexington, Asheville, Holston, Lafayette, New Orleans, and Savannah, touching the judgment of the General Assembly at Lewisburg, in 1910, in the case of Rev. W. I. Sinnott, your committee recommends that the General Assembly re-affirm wih emphasis its adherence to our Confession of Faith as set forth in Paragraph 4, Chapter 31. And further that "cases extraordinary" are to be decided according to the nature of each case, and when the General Assembly has determined that question in any concrete case, it is not competent for any subsequent Assembly to question such decision by a re-hearing of the same case. CHAS. C. CARSON, Chairman. The Standing Committee on Judicial Business made a report on the complaint of the Lafayette Church, New Orleans, against the Synod of Louisiana, which was placed on the docket. The hour for meeting in the morning was changed from 9:30 to 9:00 a. m., with fifteen minutes devotional exercises. It was ordered that Reformation Day be changed from the first Sunday in November to the last Sunday in October. Recess was then taken until 8 p. m. EVENING SESSION. 8 o'clock p. m. The Assembly met and engaged in a public meeting in the interest of Home Missions, Rev. B. F. Wilson, D. D., presiding. The report of the Standing Committee on Home Missions was read. Pending a motion to adopt the report of the Standing Committee on Home Missions, addresses were delivered by Rev. Arthur G. Jones, D. D., Rev. E. S. Rodriguez, Rev. John Little, Rev. C. H. Williamson, and Rev. E. O. Guerrant, D. D. A collection was taken, amounting to $2,000, for Home Missions, to be applied to the work of Rev. John Little in Louisville. The report was then adopted, and is as follows: HOME MISSIONS REPORT. The committee has examined the minutes and records of the Executive Committee on Home Missions, which we find in order and well kept, and recommend their approval. The Annual Report of the Executive Committee we find concise, carefully prepared, and full of information. There has been marked and gratifying increase of funds during the year. Total amounts: From all sources there passed through the Executive Committee's hands during the year the amount of $221,541.40. This includes all subscriptions and notes. The total expenditures of the year amount to $146,110.81. The total. receipts from collections and interest on funds during the year amount to $129,433.89, being $23,390.95 in excess of last year. This increase is partly accounted for by the consolidation of the Colored Evangelization cause and Special Evangelistic Work with the Home Mission Work. The Colored Evangelistic cause, however, falls short in receipts of last year by $2,667.85. The receipts for Special Evangelistic Work for the year amount to $4,226.70; but apart from these two causes the Home Mission receipts exceed last year by $5,056.36, and this notwithstanding the fact that legacies for this year are less than last year by $9,787.69, showing a very encouraging gain from churches and individuals. This is the highest financial record from our Church in the Home Mission cause. The organization of new churches and the increase of membership in Home Mission fields has been no less gratifying and encouraging. In the past ten years, the whole Southern Church has grown at the rate of 2434%. By comparisons, the gain in our Home Mission Synods has been striking: In the Synod of Arkansas.. In the Synod of Oklahoma.. 5534%. 612%. 32%. 5234%. 2372%. The gain in Home Mission contributions in ten years has been 315%. In Oklahoma in ten years by comparison, there has been a gain of from two manses to eight; 22 churches to 70; 16 church buildings to 52; 794 members to 2,070; the value of Church property from $10,000.00 to $236,000.00. It is a great gain for the small investment furnished by the Church. The Colored Evangelization cause and General Evangelistic work were consolidated with the Home Mission work of the Assembly October 1, 1910, but separate accounts of the funds were kept until April 1, 1911, and are incorporated with the Home Mission Report. In the work of the Home Mission Committee, special emphasis is laid on work among the mountaineers and foreigners, in the frontier parts of the West, and also among the Indians, and the work includes church erection, sustentation, and evangelistic work of mission schools. One pressing need of the Home Mission Committee now is a building fund. Two years ago the Assembly authorized the accumulation of a building fund of $100,000 as a semi-centennial fund to be loaned to churches for erecting houses of worship. This matter has been held in abeyance owing to the pressing needs of funds for the development of the new Home Mission work. The mission work among the Mexicans and Bohemians in Texas; the Italians in Missouri; the Italians, French, Chinese, Syrians, Spanish and sailors of all nations in Louisiana; Cubans in Florida; the many foreigners in Alabama; the Bohemians and Hungarians in Virginia; the work among the Indians, and also work among the mountaineers of North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky, has been reasonably successful, and the work is both pressing and encouraging. It deserves and demands the liberal support of the Church. The mission schools among the foreigners in our needy and neglected sections are doing excellent work. The Assembly is gratified with the fruitful and increasing work among the foreign-speaking people in our own land, and urge the cooperation of our Synods and Presbyteries with the Assembly's Executive Committee of Home Missions in this great and important work. The Assembly is specially grateful to ex-Governor R. B. Glenn, for his very efficient and unselfish efforts in arousing interest and securing aid for the Home Mission cause. The work among the colored people has made reasonably good progress. Stillman Institute since its beginning has had 600 students and 139 graduates: of these, 65 are Presbyterians, 41 Methodists, and 333 Baptists. During the past year the attendance has numbered 60. About 30 of these expect to enter the ministry. Of the graduates, 53 are actually engaged in evagelistic work in the Presbyterian Church, or with affiliated Churches, and we request the Assembly's Executive Committee of Home Missions to devise measures for the encouragement and better equipment of this school. There are 69 colored Presbyterian Churches having regular serviecs. Last year 129 members were added on confession of faith. These Churches last year contributed to their own support, $2,760, and were aided by the Home Missions Committee to the amount of $3,960. We note wth appreciation the gift of $3,000 through the Rev. E. W. Williams from an unknown donor for the equipment of the Ferguson-Williams Polytechnic College at Abbeville, S. C. With the encouragement thus given, a reorganization of the school has been effected, and the administration of its affairs has been placed in the hands of a Board of Trustees, of which Rev. W. H. Frazer, D. D., is President, and Amos B. Morse, the Secretary and Treasurer. We call attention to the fact that the cause of Colored Evagelization is in urgent need of increased funds, and the churches are urged to enlarge the offerings to this cause to aid this growing and expanding work. There has been a very commendable effort to establish Sunday Schools among the colored people, taught by white people. These schools now number 30, the largest mission of this kind being in Louisville, Ky., to which Rev. John Little gives his entire time. He has an average attendance weekly of 750, and a force of 55 white teachers. This movement seems very wise and full of encouragement, and is to be greatly commended. We are sure that the visit of the members of this Assembly to the Sunday School exercises of this work in Louisville on Sunday, May 21st, has greatly increased the interest of the Church in this very noble work. The evangelistic work has been efficient and encouraging and has great possibilities for usefulness. The mission schools form an important part of the Home Mission work. These schools are chiefly for foreigners, colored people, Indians and moun taineers. The new building and reopening of the Presbyterian College of Durant, Okla., during the year is of special interest. The value of this plant, its 30 acres and with a college and dormitory building, is about $125,000, but the college still owes $20,000. The Assembly commends this college to our Church for aid and especially to individuals who can and are willing to aid in a most worthy cause. The college this year has been self-supporting for the first time in its history. We note with pleasure the offer of Oklahoma City of 30 acres of land and $75,000 for a boys' school, and the interest of the women of Texas in projecting an industrial school for the Mexicans; and advise the Home Missions Committee to cooperate in these movements if in their judgment, or whenever in their judgment, it is practicable to do so. The Dutch Reformed Church has been trying to establish itself in Oklahoma for a few years, but having a small constituency, that Church has retired from the field, transferring their membership and property to our Church at only a nominal cost. We commend and approve the Executive Committee's action in furthering this transfer, their aid to this end, and we pray for God's continued and abundant blessing upon the great Home Missions work of our Church. RECOMMENDATIONS. 1. The Standing Committee has considered the plan proposed for the undertaking of the work of the "Soul Winners Society," and recommend that it be included within the recommendation of the Standing Committee to the General Assembly as follows: a. That our Executive Committee take over the work of the "Soul Winners' Society" in the mountains as soon as the matter can be arranged mutually satisfactorily to all parties without injuring the work. b. That our Executive Committee retain the services of Dr. Guerrant, and that he be given the publicity department of this matter, allowing him to make his appeals, send out his circulars, issue his "Soul Winner," visit the fields and conduct evangelistic services occasionally for us according to his strength and inclination. c. That for the present at least the funds the Soul Winners' Society collect go to the present Treasurer, Col. R. S. Bullock, of Lexington, Ky., and we direct that the money be transferred to our Committee monthly with a statement of the sources of these contributions. d. That we put the whole matter of this work under the Assembly's Executive Committee of Home Missions, and that it shall have the direction and supervision of this mountain work. e. That we turn over to other denominations any part of this work, or any special fields which belong to these denominations and are served by their ministers or workers. f. That we consolidate the remainder of this work with our Home Mission work, retaining the workers on their present contracts, and gradually make such changes in the work and workers as is deemed best in the judgment of the Executive Committee, and if possible, that this matter be consummated by October 1st, 1911. 2. We recommend that the Home Mission work of our Assembly be specially laid on the minds and hearts of our people. |