Show The Presbyterian General Assembly DETROIT May 25At the morning session ses-sion of the Presbyterian general assembly the discussion of a seal was taken up but was soon dropped and continued as the order for this evening The standing committee on freed men reported re-ported Rev Dr Allen secretary of the board spoke of the encouraging way in which the colorEd people are coming to the front The present generation of negroes he said will largely decide the characters of the generation to come and who for good or i will so gravely influence the future of this country The only solu tion is a Christian education for them The secretary reported over 176000 given for the support during last year of tiC9 churcnes and 17 missions under the of the control board In these are 184 missionaries mostly colored and 14386 communicants The Sabbathschool members are 18212 in 259 schools There are 84 day schools which havean attendance 11029 The standing committee on bringing together to-gether vacant churches and unemployed ministers reported certain recommendations recommenda-tions designed to strengthen episcopal power of Presbyteries There was an animated discussion of its provisions Dr Lowry of Philadelphia opposed the fourth section being the black list of ministers and churches who for any reason decline to come under the arrangement arrange-ment The discussion which wasp artici pated in by a number of others showed a diversity of opinion on the subject but the concensus of thought seemed to be that the matter should be left to the Presbyteries President Patton recommended before final enactment that it be referred to a special committee to report to this assem bly on the question of the constitutionality I of the plan which he much doubted but offered to withdraw his motion till all sec tons were acted upon Leave to withdraw was by vote refusedand adjournment cutoff cut-off further debate The seal matter was taken up again and after a confused debate was recommitted to the committee Eason read the report of the board of education I says in part that the year was begun with a debt of S700 This compelled caution in acceptance of candi dates The board hoped for a large increase in-crease in receipts but instead closed the I year with the debt increased 7300 Since closing accounts however over S000 has come in We are in this dilemma shall we take up fewer candidates or give less to each Our embarrasment can only be removed re-moved apparently by greater zeal in urging our need by ministers There are fifteen more vacant charges than last year many of them strong ones and it is every harder to get suitable men for these Then too the labors of Sabbath school missionaries mission-aries have been so blessed that many new churches formed from twelve hun dred new schools planted this year will soon be needing pastors Besides the need for colored ministers and men qualified to work among immigrant population popula-tion is sure to be urgent Such is the demand de-mand What of the supply Only 222 i graduates twelve more than lastyear The i inevitable deficit must be supplied from partially trained men or from other denom inations and in either case there will be on an average less satisfactory results than from men fully trained in our schools Adjourned until tomorrow It is thought by good observers that the tide of opinion is changing in favor of vetoing Dr Briggs appointment or transfer to the Robinson professorship of biblical theology without touching the question of heresyas that would prejudge tho caao before the New York Presbytery and very possibly with cut assigning grounds |