Notes on Current Literature [pp. 533-540]

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
the difficulty of having the right man speak at the right time, among
the multitude who crave a hearing, to frequent hurried and impetuous
action, which does not always express the deliberate judgment of the
body. Several members felt it so important, that no action changing
the hitherto accepted relation of women to speaking in promiscuous
meetings of both sexes should take place, without more thorough and
ripe discussion than was then and there possible, that they sought to
,obtain the floor, to move that the whole subject of woman's true place
in the conduct of public religious exercises, be referred to committee,
to report to the next General Assembly. But the effort was vain. We
believe this would have been a wise disposition of the subject.
The vote placing responsive services under the condemnation of the
Assembly occurred in this wise. It was reported during the last
hours of the Assembly, by the Committee on Church polity, after a
series of recommendations on other subjects, so clearly right, that they
carried the house unanimously without debate, as fast as the moderator
could take the vote. This went through in the same manner, before
those not in sympathy with it were fairly aware of what had been
done. As far as we were able to judge, a large minority, if not a majority, would have opposed the resolution, had it not shot by them too
suddenly for thought. Many present said they had something of the
sort in their own churches. Others, including many who, like our selves, are personally averse to the practice, nevertheless think it a
matter in which churches should be left to their liberty; or at least not
molested in the use of it, by declarations adopted in a manner which
deprives them of the claim to deference that properly belongs
to any deliberate declaration of the highest court of our church.
The subject of a cheap religious paper to be issued by our Board
was disposed of, after discussion had exposed some of its formidable
cdifficulties, by proposing to the Board of Publication to make, if possi ble, such a modification of the Presbyterian at Work as will meet the want.
It is doubtful whether it will prove possible without depriving that ex cellent paper of the qualities that now adapt it to its special work, and
are requisite to its success.
The Assembly entered heartily into the proposal, now likely to be re alized, of a pan-Presbyterian council of delegates from all the Pres byterian churches in the world. Such a convocation can hardly fail to
result in great advantage to the cause of religion generally, and of Pres byterianism particularly.
Many other topics engaged the attention of the Assembly, which we
have no space to note.
1874.]
539