The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1857-12-19
is SAUL AMONG THE PROPHETS?

article is headed "SpHts Among the Sects'
and is mainly devoted to an anticipated split
in our General Assembly on the slavery
question. We had heard these prophecies
from some of the "seetarian" papers, until
we had ceased to be alarmed by them, but
when we found that our venerable and apos-
toTc friend in Charleston had taken up the
parable, we began to feel somewhat excited,
and exclaimed, els Saul also among the
prophets? What means this new seer who
thus comes forth to utter our doom?" We
were led painfully to ponder the phenome-
non. And the more we have pondered, the
profounder is the mystery. What does it
mean? We can understand these New School
prophecies, for our brethren may naturally
think that if their somewhat shaky craft was
split on this rock, our old Ironsides must be
wrecked there also, in spite of the different
pilotage and crew, as well as vessel that we
have. And we can understand the Baptist.
prophecies of the Religious Herald, that not
only predicts our disaster, but somewhat
slyly, if not sneakingly tries, to do some
thing TO fuTal its own prediction by attempt
inc to convince Southern Presbyterians that
peace is to be purchased at their expense,
and if these Vaccinations do not excite
much respect, at least they do not pro-
duce much bewilderment. But how shall
we account for our venerable and apos
toHc friend the Miscellany, mounting the
tripod? How comes Saul among the pro-
phets? Is he on the same errand with the
son of Kish, seeking his fathers asses?
Have any of them strayed into our fold? If
so, it is perhaps well enough to bring pro-
vender of this kind to coax them out with,
but it was very unkind in our fair-spoken
friend to charge us with hoodwinking them,
and after confessing that the phrase was not
original, but taken from the Christian OBJ
server, then to distress us with the dark and
delphic hint, that it had "a more extended
application thanits author imagined" What
does this mysterious intimation mean? Does
it mean that it may be extended to the
Miscellany as well as ourselves7 We are
sorely puzzled to know Had the Miscellany
limited that we were not familiar with the
| life of Luther, or that we did not under
stand that peculiar way of translating Ger
man that made it say not what the writer
wishes, but what the reader wishes, we
might perhaps plead guilty. But to make
this dark, and mystic utterance, distresses
and puzzles us, for we know not the depth
of the oracle.
But we cannot resist the appeal that is
thus made us from this tripod, at the angles
of which stand in such curious juxta-pOsition,
the Papist, the Baptist, and the Presbyte-
rian, each quoting the other as impartial
and infallible proof that all are right. Our
disinterested brethren charge us very cru
Lelly with hoOdwinking our readers, because
we have not published the letters and words
and deeds that have taken place in regard
to the Chicago Seminary. We are very
sorry that we have not pleased these bre-
thren in our editorial course, and it would
no doubt have been very edifying to them
to have seen the interminable columns of
letters that have appeared in print on this
local question, in our paper, but really there
is limit to our sheet, and we cannot cater
for both our subscribers, and the tripod
above named, at the same time, and we try
to give what we think of most interest and
value to the former, and not the latter. This
may be an amiable weakness of ours, but
we have felt its swaying power we confess,
and have yielded to it.
But we are willing to accommodate our
brethren as far as we can, and hence, will
olive our readers the advantage of their
prophetic warnings. We therefore hereby
proclaim to all Old School Presbyterians
that the three prophets ABOVE named pro-
claim the coming of a storm, a shipwreck of
old Ironsides. And lest the modesty of the
prophets should prevent them from any fur
Their proclamation, we further announce, that
when the shipwreck comes, if any of them
desire to 90 under the water, there will be
all needed facilities afforded, or if they wish
to take passage in any vessel, there will be
a new one launched next spring, or if they
don't like either of these, there is dark
looking old craft that processes to be the
Ark, and certainly has some resemblance to
it in the character of its contents, and which
kindly offers its refuge to the tossed ma
riner, through the loving columns of the
Miscellany. 1t is true that there are some
annoying questions that might be asked
about the papers, and charts of the ship,
and some very suspicious looking stains on
some of the planks that cannot be scrubbed
out. but all these must be waived, for
shelter in the ship of St. Peter.
We are not very sanguine in the hope that
we have delivered our message to please our
friends, but we have at least given our
readers the benefit of their warnings, and
let them know that Saul was among the
prophets.
But all badinage aside, our fears of any
serious disturbance in our Assembly, are of