Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-10-28

tiOnS they have received LOT tne Icici VI .u0 "i
fering and destitute and desire to make TINS pup
lie declaration of their sentiments OF gratitoae'
Rcsolrea, That notice be given Oh the suhclen-
cv of our present means to meet the existing emcr'
gency- 49,.
Resolred, That in the opinion of this Associa''
ton it is yet unsafe for persons unacclimated TO
return to the city of Charleston
THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED SYNOD.
The Synod of the Associate Reformed Church,
assembled at Due West, in this State, on Monday,
llth instant. We are indebted to the Telescope,
principally, for the subjoined account of the pro-
ceedings, which we think likely to prove of inte-
rest to large number of our readers The meet
ing is represented as being the largest ever held,
as out of the whole number of Ordained Ministers
belonging to this branch of the Church, but nine
were absent; and the number of Elders in atten-
dance was very satisfactory. Among the delegates
present we notice from our own District, the names
of Rev. r. A. Ross, Rev. j. R. CASTLES, Rev.
E. E. BoYcE, JOHN McKSIGHT, Esq, WM Me-
GILL; ESQ.,, j. D. WYLIE, Esq, and JOHN D..
ENLoE, Esq.
Various important questions were brought be-
fore the Synod-the Union with the General AS
emily Presbyterians--the election of President
and Professor of Erskine College, to supply the
vacancies caused by the resignation of President
GREER and Professor YoUNG-the establishment OF
Theological Seminar, &c.
The exercises we're commenced with Sermon,
from the Rev. D. F. HADDoH, the Moderator OF the
last Synod. Rev. R. C. GRIER, D. D., was elect
ed Moderator and Rev. J. E. PRESLEY, Assistant
Clerk, Of the present Synod.
The question of Union, was Of the most absorb
inp interest Six members of the Union commit
tee from the General Assembly were present, viz {:
Drs. HOWE and McBRYDE, Revs. CARTER and
Boyr: Chancellor JOHNSTON and j. K. DOUGLASS,
ESQ.,
On Tuesday, DR.. HOWE was introduced, and al-
dressed the Synod, in substance, as follows. The
address was we'll received, and was happily res
ponded to by the Moderator.
Dr. HOWE, said, Allow me to offer through you
nv Christian salutations, and rs their delegate,
the salutatioa of the General Assembly 70 your
venerable body. Your Synod and tie body rep
resent ore bound together by the strongest ties
and sbould feel themselves cemented in the clo-
sest bonds Of Christian brotherhood. We o. the
General Assembly rejoice to recognize you, not
only as our brethren in the Lord; but as our kin
dred according to the flesh. We arc of the same
family: we Ind one birth place; and our early his
tory has been the same. On the mountains and IN
the plains of Scotland our common ancestry con-
tended for the truth and right. At Drumelog and
Bothwelps Bridge they battied side by side for the
truth of God and Christ's crown and covenant,
and there many Of them bled and died. The prs-
ons of Ireland and Scotland witnessed the faith uf
our ancestors Then we were one common church,
and held one common faith We were OF the same
blood passed through the same struggles, and in
all things had the same experience.
Because of these things; because we are one,
because YOU are bone of our bone and the flesh of
onr flesh: because our faith is the same, and ex-
perience the same, we extend to you the hand of
Christian affection and sympathy and charity.
We remember your origin as sparate church
organization, and we remember it with pleasure
and to honor you. You had your beginning in re-
sistance to ecclesiastical oppression. 1t IVES the
same cause that produced the exodus that result
cd in the formation of the Free Church of Scotland.
Weremember, too, that when afterward the church
Of Ireland, from various causes became corrupted,
vour church did much to preserve her purity and
restore her faith.
Moderator, come as delegate from the Gen
eral Assembly to express our high respect for you;
we honor you; we love you and our earnest de-
sire to live in harmony and peace with yon, our
brethren in the Lord, and our kindred according
to the flesh.
DIR. Howe then alluded 10 some of the interest
inc scenes in the last General Assembly. 1t was
ro1i
celebrated the centennial cf the union between he
Sypods of New York and Philadelphia a union
tbat ACCOMPLISHED much for the Presbyterian
church in this country. Since that, during the
last hundred years, our church has been greatly
enlarged.
He alluded to the operations of the last year
70 the work of missions abroad, and to the happy
revivas at home, concluded rs he began expressing
his cordial respect and strong affection for the AS
soc;ate Reformed Synod of the South.
letter from the Assembly's Committe, was
sent to the Associate Reformed Committee on
Tuesday afternoon. In the latter Committee the
subject was considered until Wednesday evening,
when Report from a majority of the Committee
was brought into Synod, proposing q q cessation
of negotiations The letter from the Asse nbly's
Committee was also read. Then substitute vas
offered by member of the Committee on UIion
for the Report of the majority, proposing contn-
uation of the negotiations and specifying the
grounds on which our Committee should be in
structed to proceed.
This substitute was taken up at candle-lighting
IN Wednesday evening and discussed until o late
hour: Rev. n. M. Gordon opening the discussion,
in favor of the substitute; DR.. Boycc opposed
Thursday morning, Dr. Boyce having the floor,
finished his remarks. He was followed by Rev.
]. S. PRESLEY on the same side. Then Rev. r. A.
Ross was heard in favor Of the substitute. In the
afternoon of Thursday Revs. H. T. Sloan, Hunter
and McEroy were heard in favor of the Commit
tees Report /; Revs. G. Gordon and j. A. Sloan in
favor of the substitute Thus the day was con-
sumed by the discussion On union. At the open
ing of the night session, paper was introduced by
Rev. John Wilson, intended to be compromise,
the import of which was that, as it was evident
that union was at present impracticable, the 90
tiations on that subject DE stopped, and that che
question OF communion with the Old School Presby-
terians be left with Sessions, they being governed in
the case by the Word of God and the Constitution
of the Associate Reformed church
This Compromise provedto be unacceptable. 1t
was voted down by clear majority. Then the
question recurred on the Minority Report of the
Committee on the Substitute And as the vote
was about to be taken on that, with what re-
suit it was impossible to foresee, DR.. E. e. Press
ley rose and with much feeling begged the Synod
to pause, and for the sake of peace he moved to
lay both the papers before the Synod on the table,
and to postpone the whole subject of union indeh-
nitely. This motion WAS unanimously adopted.
And thus the Synod was delivered from whaT all