The Benevolent Work of the Church, and the Report of the Committee of Twenty-One [pp. 246-272]

1872.1 THE BENEvOLENT WORK OF THE CHURCH. 265
the education and location of il~e ministry, have really the
power. The destiny of the ChurcL is very much in their
hands. To supervise several hundred candidates for the
ministry, and to provide snpport for 1,200 to 1,500 missionaries, is to possess large control. It has been made, at some
points in our past history, a great influence for evil and disnnion. It should be carefully guarded by all the helps which
our admirable polity of church government affords. Never
again should a Secretary a man perchance of strong will
and ambitious executive talent-with possibly a few local COlaborers, be tempted to put his hand presumptuously "upon
the ark of the Lord." We need only thus allude to the afflictions of one church from this source. The younger ministry little know how much abuse of place and its power have
had to do with past "alienations and divisions."
General Assemblies have for many years invariably taken
the ground, that the Boards may not supersede the prerogatives of Presbyteries. (See Minutes, 1871, p. 572, etc.)
The Boards themselves, in their reports, often urge this view
of the case, seeking to enliven the sense of responsibility in
the Presbyteries. Indeed, so absurd would it be under our
form of government, to assume any other position, that we
need not argue the point with intelligent Presbyterians. The
Boards must of C0%(J~8e rely on the Presbyteries, where candidates belong, where ministers are laboring, or are needed to
labor. Certainly a body of fifteen gentlemen in an Eastern
city cannot, otherwise than through the local Presbyteries,
know what are the wants of the distant fields of Michigan,
Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Texas, Oregon.
Only let there be a way provided for systematically ascertaining the ~~oportion~~[c ~~eJ~ of the various parts of the field;
a way of getting at what each Presbytery or section wants, as
compared with what other sections must have; a representation bf all the field to compare notes and confer, and "give
and take" wisely and kindly; then let us employ forms and
facilities, analagous to those in use by large commercial
and governmental establishments, and tbe problem is solved.
The Board of Education is said to have, at present, an admir