The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-10-10

""u 'hus "n ru you an opp riunliy oil pla'
cling yourself right with this community,
and also before tue ChurcL at large in the
South. AS long ago as 1897, the Presby.
| terian Chucli commenced IT'S refor n, and
made its division--not by section line
bat IN relation TO doctrines and church
order--separating at onetiipe large por.
ton OF that loose, floating, fauatieal ele-
ment to which you have re:ered. Since
that period ou. duty, as regards that
matter, has been easy aud generally pleas.
ant. Here and there u lew obstreporous
spirits 'ora time remained Most ol these
have sincs gone off some III one direction,
some in another thinking themselves
holier than We. Others lutte fractions,
have, uuder conservative influences, been
restrained. Thus has the process of re-
formed gone on, until now-aye. and for
years past we have, as cbur h been
&holly free from agitation on that ST biect,
not only in the meetings -four General
Assembly, but, go far as know, in all the
subordinate indicatunes! The fires with
in have died out for want Of combustibIe
meterial; aud all attempts to Introduce
tircbrands, from without have so signally
tailed, that agitatioIs have abandoned the
hopel,s task. % at .gs SO. .aes- ... .-.
There were two points to which you gave
great prominence in your speech list. The
imminent danger, nay the certain ruin to
Southern minorities whenever Northern
majorites obtained the sway. end. The
utter impossibi.ity Of Southern men hold.
ing any sort Of fraternal iutecourse with
men on tho other side Of the line Will, |
do not know what you politicians may
lind possible or irnpo, sible; bnt our state
ments have led me 10, hook narrowly into
this matter-as wishe.l to be prepared
TO meet the danger should there be auy
and eat of also all intercourse, should it
he found at once hypocritical and dis
honorable-But on turning the historic
pages, find lst. That so far rs the Pres
byterian Church is concerned, we at the
South have from The first been il. the mi
nority; 2nd. II appears from the minutes
OF the General Assembly that Of our pre-.
sent Syuods--th thirty in all oaiy t,octve are
IN the siape States, aa.i one other is diei,
ueu Oy the fute.
OF the one huudred ard forty eight
Presbyteries, only fty eight belong 10 the
South! Modcrators of the assembly have
the appointing Of most Of The Com.
mittees-conseqneutly they have great
power over all the business transactions.
There have been sixty-seven meetings OF
our General Assembly, and each has had
its own Moderator. But Of these sixty.
seven Modcrators, only eighteen have been
from the South! All this looks verv al.
arming in view Of your recent pictnre!-
but yet it is also true, 81. That instead
OF being overrun and driven out Of the
Church--the.. Of the North having more
than double our strength-we have, with
the aid of good men and true on the 9th.
er side OF the line, turned out the fanatics!
AS regards fraternal intercourse, I need
only mention the common bond Of union
among all the churches. 1t covers the
broad area Of the United States and the
terrilories.-rhe delegation IS in propor
ton to the number and the strength oi
the Presbyteries. There may, then, in
any Assembly be twice as many mem.
bers fren the North as from the South.
THE meetings Of the Assembly are held
without respect to latitude. In 1852 il
met in Charleston; and never, probably
was there more harmonious and perfect
y delegated company Of men found on
the earth DR. John Q. Lord. Of Buffalo
---one -four strongest defenders against
rabid fanaticism, in the chair, as Modera-
tor. | mingled much among the mem
bers of dat Assembly. and l know that
their expressions Of fraiernal regard Cor
their brethren ofthe Southland their grate-
ful feelings for the warmth Of iheir recep-
ton in that Empons, were most eordial
and profound, aud that, not only while
they ,cere m The Soath; for / saw in nv
exchange papers--for was then edito,
OF the Southern Presbyterian, q large NUN.
Der Of letterspublished By the members
Of that Assembly, in the Northern aud
Western papers, after their return home
strongly expressive Of he same noble
sentitnents. Even TO this day, also, there
isa familiar and pleasing coueSpea dencs
kept up between many OF those members
anil their friep 5 BY whom they were en-.
teftained in that city.
Since that, the Assembly has met il
Philadelphia, in Buffalo and Nashville
in MI Of which places there have been iii,
same harmony Of action. and the sam,
cerdialisy ofsociaI iRteFcoarse. Twas my
seh member OF the Assembly which
fuet in Philadelphia in 1853. There wer,
many delegates from tue South; and
deny tbst any Discrimination was mad,
against Southern men 10 thar Assembly,
i am persuaded also that no p,eml,ers o
the Assembly from any other part Of III,
coaptry were more cordially received
more respectfully treated. or more kindi,
entertained by the citizens, than wet,
those from tho South. Tie san,e.I bay
been told, was The ease al Buffalo.
ieAs member OF the Assembly which re
Gently met in Nashville has related TO ~
The following incident which occurred j
than body, 10 direct conflict With YOU
stateuients; Al over xealo6s leierat
from one oithe Congregational Assoc
etiops down East, being admitted to Il,
floor as . corresponding member, SO "a