New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-05-26
THE NEWSCHOOL PRESBYTERIAN
GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
,onespondsnos of The N. Y. Tribune.

CoTesPOnoenc0
CHICAGO, May 81, 1853.
The representatives Of this large denomination Of
Christians met yesterday in General Assembly, in the
Second Presbyterian Church Of this CITY, This build
ing, let me here Say, is large and elegant No morstAs
fifteen years ago the Rev. Robert W. Patterson, Csd.
uate of Lane Seminary, came to Chcsss, and orgsa-
lied email church. His reputation in the Seminary
was that Of close and profound thinker rather than
that of snowy preacher He was reputsd to have an
amazingly accurate judgment, which was rarely mis'
taken in it's conclusions. His reputation has grown,
and he has, In that eho period, grown int one OF the
moot influential positions in this country. remember
few years ago to have been struck with the youthful
appearance Of his congregation or rather, with the
tbsenee of gray:headed people as the congregsooo
and city yet too young to rpen that kind OF rut
Mr.. Patterson's ministry commanded great respect IN
this city, and in due time he gathered sboi him
large number of the most enterprsng people in the
,OuDtry They built for him church which 10 itsek
a curiosity far as concerns the material, which iss
gray hard stone, having this peculiarly that when
qusrried there was kind Of bitumen which exuded
from 1t, and which has gradually hardened until the
the youthful appearance of everything around il.
The First Presbyterian Church, Of which the Rev.
Harvey Curtis is the able pastor, are just completing
an dice which bids fair to be of the most elegant
buildings in the city. The denomination In Chicago
and the North West has great deal Of energy and 10
growing rapidly. The Old. School Pfesbytsrisns are
aso very energetic but my private opinion is that the
position OF the Old,School Assembly in regard TO
Slavery, together with the prospect Of on that
touchy subject is turning the attention of the Presby.
tean element in the North West to the other Church,
whose Assembly 10 now sitting in this city. i have
found among OdScbool men not little sensitiveness
to the fact Of their Assembly having gone 70 New
Orleans the present season. AntSlavery sentiments
are strongly in the sscepdency In this region, and
venture to give the opinion that the day will come
when the Old School PresbyteriAps of the West and
tvrill Of ftaig AaaAm N
Slavery, or they will eecede may be mistaken, but
the very fact that they sent that very able gen.
tleman Dr. N Rice, to preach here, and to give tone
to the growing Anti-Saveryism of that denomination
in the Northwest seems to indicate that such 10 their
opinion alio.
The General Assembly was opened with . very able
and instructive discourse from the last Moderator tho
Rev. Samuel w. Fisher, ID. d., Of Cincinnati A large
ia to be hoped that it will be published in pamphlet
form. HIS text was Acts, ixth chapter, 3lst verse;
" Then had the churches rest," &c.
The persecution ended in this rest and having In Q
mastery described the conflict and the rest
implied in the text the preacher said: 81 propose 10
"ca your attention first to the conditions of conflict
=" and rest into which the Church from time TO time
passes, and then briefly 10 tho minis.raon Of the
spirit through which alone either Of these con-
I" dtions is made to subeerve her highest good. In
" other words, wish to show you how the Church 3D.
"vances through a two-fold lava Law of conflict
and repoee at the same time, to evince that what
" may have naturally, it ~ the Spirit Of God alone
" can max TIE one effective for good and counterfeit
1" the evil of the other"
DR.. +. then proceeded TO discuss the topic IN the
order here presented:
Among the advantages of this state of conf three
were mentioned: ~ Persecution scattsrs the di.cpes
ard thus carries the truth to those who otherwise
would not have had it; t2) it produces in the Church
rich ard vigorous experience which fits both for en-
joymeht ard fer action; and ~ it produces systen-
attic development Of Christian doctrine
These advantages are liable TO their counterpsrts
or disadvantages: ~ Persecution may retard .hee
progress Of religion and do great damage TO vital
piety; ~ it may lead TO an ignorant and unreasonable
fanstcsm, like the ascetcism of the monks and her.
mits; and 3 it may pollute instead Of purifying the
hearts of thOee under its influence.
Thee points DR.. Fisher illustrated by many happy
references to history.
In considering the condition of the Church 10
state Of rest he spoke ~ of the fact that such state
is in haImsDy with the most complete growth of Cnris-
tisn character.
2. In such state the Church is best able to cary
forward system Of thorough culture, and orgaoiss
those forces which are necessary TO her fullest deVe
opmeLt.
3. In this state of rest the Church best prepared
to csny forward the work Of the Gospel out OF hs.
sel ard the world is in the best state TO hear o'
truth.
The preacher having illustrated these weselecfea
points, poirted out two dangers which we're 70 "
feared in this state Of rest ~ In this outward pro.
perity, among other things there is likely TO be ~
crt Influence hostile TO Q lofty and vigorous is.u,
and ~ there 10 likely to be strong tendency 70 ''