Notes On Current Topics [pp. 371-382]

1872.~ NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS. 375
of representation, we are not prepared to name without closer scrutiny. 3,000 has been named. The number adopted should be sufficient, in our judgment, to keep fl~e members of the Assembly
within 300 for years to come.
~Ve cannot doubt that a plan largely on the foregoing principles
will soon be adopted in our Church. L. LI. A.
The Disc~ssions on the Or~ani~ation of the Benevolent Sc/~emes of
the Chnrch.-The great moment and urgency of this subject have
led us to open our pages to articles presenting the three chief sides
of the matter, from men high in the confidence of the Church, who
have made it a special study. ~Ve have allowed them all a place in
our present number, so that our next General Assembly may seasonably have the benefit of whatever light they shed upon the
subject.
Meanwhile, it may save some needless labor in the future treatment of this subject, if we briefly summarize the points on which
substantial agreement appears to have been attained, and those
which still remain open questions.
It is agreed that, whatever be the cause, the offerings of our peo
ple to sustain the benevolent work of the Church in missions, and
other fbrn~s of evangelization, are wholly inadequate in amount,
and too unsteady and uncertain in time and manner, and that herein
is a loud call for reformation. 2. That one great remedy for this
evil would be to induce our people to follow the Apostolic injunction to lay aside regularly, and, if practicable, on each Lord's day,
a part of their substance in proportion as God has prospered them,
to form a - sacred fund for purposes of religion and charity, from
which definite sums shall be regularly appropriated to the several
departments of church work. 3. That it is important that the
Church, through its proper organs, should signify at the beginning
of each ecclesiastical year, the amount of contributions required to
carry on the projected work of that year in each department particularly, and the sum total for the whole of them. 4. That the
direct responsibility of giving, or refusing to give, some definite
amount to every scheme of church work, be distinctly laid upon
each member of our congregations. 5. That whatever recommendations may be made, each pastor, session, and congregation must
be allowed their own discretion and choice as to the best method of
gathering gifts of the people, whether by collectors, envelopes, pas