Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-05-26

Mr.. EDITOR
In his speech in the General Assembly on
Church extension, Friday evening, the Rev.
james Smith, d. D., stated, that when he was
converted, "he enquired for the church OF his
fathers" but athat there were no Presbyterian
Churches in that part of Indiana" and "that ne
was left to the alternative of joining either the
Baptist, Methodist, or Cumberland Presbyterian
Church-that he loved the name Presbyterian,
aud, therefore, selected the Cumberland Presby-
terrain church" Two gentlemen of intelligence
and veracity in this city state that they heard
him declare while he was I Cumberland Presby-
terrain, that when he was converted, be examined
the theological systems of all the churches, and
that he finally chose the Cumberland Presbyte-
rian system, because the nearest of any, in his
judgement, to the truths of the Bible. This state
ment is also in accordance with numerous similar
declarations to be found in his writings How
does his present, agree with his former declara-
tons!
In describing the manner in which the Cum
berland Presbyterians obtained the ascendency in
new countries, he said, that the minister, "would
preach a plain, earnest, but as he now believed
and then sometimes suspected, imperfect gospel
Did he suspect the perfection of Cumberland
Presbyterian views of the Gospel, when he 80 full
ly endorsed, in his Church History, the statement
of their doctrines in Woodward's edition of Bucks
Theol. Dictionary! Was he inquiring after "the
Church of his fathers,'' when he published his
"DEFENcE OF C. PREsBYTERIANs, AGAINST THE
ATTACK OF Dis. MILLER,"in which he says:
"In the mean time, assure you, that the Cum
berland Presbyterians will adhere as closely to
what they believe the great land marks of truth
and order as the Presbyterians possibly can do
and for one much as l respect the Presbyterian
Church-high as is the estimate put upon the
piety, the learning, the beueyoence, and laudable
zeal of some of her Ministers-wsrnly as am at
tached to her members as brethren in Christ Jesus
-'and much as desire the unity of the body of
Christ l must candidy say, would not raise my
voice for a union, while / could read in the Con-
fession of Faith of that Church such an article as
as the following:''
"The rest of mankind, Cod was pleased, aceor-
| ding to the unscearchable council of his own WILL
whereby he extendeth or withholdcth mercy as he
pieaseth for the glory of his sovereign power
his creatures, to pass by, and to Ordain them to
dshonor and wrath for their sim TO the praise of
his glorious justice. - Confession Of Faith chap.
| iii. art =.
Again he stated in Lis speech, shat at the time
| ofhis conversion, C. P. Churches dotted the
whole of Indiana, Illinois, and soon after Missouri,
and OTHER states, but that they did not possess
| the power to hold what they had gained, that
| they had failed to sustain themselves in thsse
| States The statistics of the G. P. Church,
show that there are now in Indiana, Illinois, and
| Missouri, twenty-five Presbyteries, Tico Hundred
ministers, and over Tirenty Thousan! communi-
| cants.
| How do the above statements accord with the
| following from his History of the C. P. Church,
p. 61s:
| From the time of the meeting of the Commits
sion of the Kentucky Synod for twenty years the
Presbyterian Church in Kentucky, and Cumber-
land Country in Tennessee had no revival
"From the time that the Commission of Ken
| lucky Synod cut off the revival members of Cum
berlanl Presbytery from the Presbyterian Church,
| they and their descendants have passed through
one revival, only to be blessed with another: and
no body of people of the same numerical strength,
in the same length of time in these latter days,
have enjoyed more clear manifestations Of the APP
probations of Heaven"
Again on page 642, he says:
when this separation took place it was foretold
that Cumberland Presbytery would be ike Jonah
gourd, that its members world wander farther, and
Al, r. Al
teran Church until they would embrace, and pro-
mulgate the most dangerous heresies and that
their influence would never be felt, beyond the
bounds of Green River and Cumberland countries
such no doubt would have been the issue, had they
struggled in their own strength, and this would
have afforded clear evidence that the Head Of
the church disapproved of their course. But if
such results did not follow; and their labors were
instrumental in bringing thousands into the fold
of Christ it must be conceded that they had the
appreciation OF Heaven"
On page Col, he speaks very little like one
seeking "the church Of his farthers:'
"The policy Of sectaries is sometimes at war
with the designs OF Heaven as has been related
these men had to encounter great difficulties, and
Opposition lFOui tHdl CHuFtu III WHICH lucy 1aO
their spiritual birth, and TO ell human appearance
every prospect of their future usefulness about
to be blasted being pronounced By the higher ju-
dicatures of the Presbyterian church disorgani-
zers heretical forbidden to speak in the name of
: Jesus, and finally forsaken by most of those men
of God, who were the honored instruments in be-
ginning the revival and at whose entreaties they
were induced to take the field but mans extrem-
ity is Gods opportunity, and when he pleads Q
cause it must prosper"
"From that day to the present HE has not forsa-
ken them, but has opened one field Of labor before
them after another, and instead of the Cumberland
Presbytery embracing the most dangerous heresies,
and proving like domains Gourd; its members and
minister have firmly adhered to the doctrins they 50
warmly contended for during The time of their diff
culties with Kentucky Synod, and the members of
tha Church in the space of twenty-five years have
been increased fifty fold Indeed the glorious results
of their labors and their ourshing condition at the
together with the unanimity of senti-
ment that in all things essential exist among them,
demonstrate that God has been with Them and that
He has approved of, and blessed their efforts to |
to build up the waste places of Zion"