The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1855-10-16


hooks and their nursery luIlabies, were all
deeply imbued with these excerable sen.he"'s
that in consequence of this state OF 'hnss
division had tuken place years ago, III t''e
Methodist and Baptist Churches, that the
PRESBYTERIAN and the Episcopal Churches were
in state of deep agitation, were indeed on Inc
very eve Of division, and that division was H.
evitable!
Now while freely admit that the fanat'eal
element in that region is large, that portions Of
it are so far gone that no reasonable nope can
be entertained respecting them; and while
agree with you that their spirit and course OF
action arehighly censurabe, dissent wholly
from your inferences as to what must be The
nevitabl result of their tanatical course; and
protest against the occupancy, ON the part Of
the above named Churches, Of tho position in
which your statement would pleace them. You
spread out before you hearers those loathsome
masses, and represent them as abounding equal
ly in all the churches. But the Baptist and
Methodist Churches, years ago, cut loose from
their portion of those communicating hordes
and of course have ever since stood forth before
the world purged, commendable and glorious
while the Presbyterian aud Episcopal Churches
are still in the odious contact-stll fraternizng
or strivingto do with those on whom politicians
not always very fastidious in their moral tastes
spit only venom, and from whose touch their
purer spirits instinctivey recoil This; sir, is
the position in which you have placed us
Now in relation to those divided Churches,
say blessing on them in their deed! They
chose their own course-had Il perfect right
to do so-acted no doubt from conscientious
motives-pursued the only course which, as
they supposed, could be taken. We took
different course ; and shall show reached the
same il not more desirable result.
As Regards also the Episcopal Church, |
have in the above mentioned respect nothing
to say. Its proper defenders will guard its
honor. But as minister Of the Presby
Church located also on the ground upon
which you spoke, and in the midst OF the
Community before which your statements were
made, consider it incumbent on me due ais"
TO yoursef-to state the facts as they are respect
inr said Church, and thus afford you an op-
portunity Of placing yourself right with this
community, and also before the Church at
large in the South.
As long ago AS 1887 the Presbyterian Church
commenced it's reform and made its division
not by sectional line, but il relation TO
doctrines and church order-separating at
one time a large portion CT that loose, floating
fana,ical element to which you have referred.
Since that period our dnty as regards that mat
ter has heen esSy, and generally pleasant
Here and there few obstreperous spirits tor
time remained. Most Of these have since
gone off-somein one direction, some in another
thinking themselves boiler than we. Others
a little fractions. have under conservative in
fluenceS. been restrained. Thus has the pro-
cess Of reform gone on uutil now-ay, and for
wears past-we have, as Church, been wholly
fre.. from agitation on that subject, not ouly
in he meetings OF our General Assembly, but
SC far as know, in all the subordinate judica-
tories! The fires within have died out for
want OF combustibIe material and all attempts
to introduce frehrands from without have so
signally failed that agitators have abandoned
the hopeless task.
There were two points to which YOU gave
great prominence in yonr speech. lst The
imminent danger, nay, the certain ruin to
Southern minorities, whenever Northern msj or
tiles obtained the sway. I'd. The utter impos.
sibity Of Southern men holding any sort OF
fra,er,,a! intercourse with men on the other side
of the line! Well, do no, know what y"u
politicians may find possible or impossible; but
your AtateInetts have led me to look narrowly
into this matter as | wished to be prepared to
meet the danger should there be any, and cut
off also i'll intercourse, should it be found at
once hypocritical aud dshonorable. But on
turning the historic pages. find. lst. That so
far as the Presbyterian Church is concerned,
We at the South have from the first been in the
minority I'd. 1t appears from the Minutes of
the General Assembly that Of our present Sy-
nods-thir,y in all-only twelve are in the
slave States, and one other is divided by the
line.
Ofthe one hundred and for,y.eight Presby.
teries, only ffty.eight belong t" the South!
Moderators Of the Assembly have the appoint
ing OF most of the committees-consequent
they have great power over all the business
transactions. There have been sixty.seven
meetings Of the General Assembly. and each
has had its own Moderator. But ofthese sixty.
seven Moderators, only eighteen have been
from the South! All this looks very alarm.
ing in view Of your recent picture! But yet it
is also true. Sd. That instead of being over
run and driven out of the church they Of the
North having more than double onr strength
we have, with the aid Of good men and true
on tho other side of the line, turned oat the
fanatics
AS regards fraternal intercourse, I need only
mention the faGt, that our Gsneral Assembly
is the common bond Of union among all the
churches 1t covers the broad area Of the
United States and the territories. The dele
CATION is in proportion to the number and the
strength Of the Presbyteres. There may, then
in auy Assembly be twice as many members