Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-11-05
POSITION, RELATIONS AND PROSPECTS OF rHE
UNITED SYNOD.

UNITED SYNOD. i
We have received, with the re qusss to publah, q copy
Of the report Of 4 Com nittee appointed at the recent
session Of the United Synod, to prepare a paper upon
the 'positior, relation and prospects Of that branch OF
the Presbyterian Church, ETC, in reference to the moral
issuss Of the present war" AZ the publication Of the
report and insertions In foil would occupy mors space
than We could appropriate at present, ve uafJ'in the
material portions:
The oreaniz ition OF the UsrrrD 6~YsoD-sith which
the Pecshyteries constituting the Synod Of Virginia are
connected, and by which this branch OF the Prssbytsri
an Church assumed is position in the south-va. felt
by many, at the time Of It's to Do In II
sef a fact Of much Importance, and signincan' OF otner
posbls, II not probable, divisions aud new oombina.
tlons. In ecclesiastical and political relations.
This organic ,tiou was initiated by q Representative
Convention of Oourches in the Southern sates, hello 10
the city of Richmond in August, 1857, and perfected by
Oonmissioners from the Prssbytetes, At . meeting held
In Kno1vile, Tenn In April, 1858.
The reasons for this organisation we're, In orhf, the
ipyasions upon our rights of COINCIDENCE, and the viola
ton OF tho Uors .i.ution and Form Of Government under
which We had for years been associated WIN NOrthetl
churches, In the General Assembly Of the United
States. A. r.u
nIssloners from cur Southern Pfssbytsriss had protest.
Al nolsuuly and DISTINCTLY against thes, invaions aa
v~;olat;o,s and We wero panied to fad that these pro
Il a0stH & lot kllaNNt 49,
yicIioSs and ieehDgs we're treated with Increasing ds.
respect. - A.. o,. A.,
sembly, held In Nav York, issued, from that ely q OF
cular letter 10 our churches, ~apprising them OF che con.
dition of things, Ss 1t was then apprelenced, VIII such
ARR ,estiops a. wers deemed prudent, with q view to
prsssrye unity Of ten.imsnt aud harmony OF action
among them in anticipation Of q crisis which might de-
mand q separation from that Assembly.
In NAY, 1851, our delegates to the General Assembly,
a, Clssyela,d. Ohio, felt themselves constrained, for
truth and so~uscisucs sake, to withdraw together from
that BODY, aud to rocommon tie EonVsnuon whioh Has
beld In he United Presbyterian CHURCH, In Richmond,
ia August fllo-iag Tue dsiagi Of that C'n'sHto",
IA NJ TIA Unii,d Synod, which We formally organised
at KuoxyiIl., in 1855, are matters OF record and h'.o-
rv shjch ars worthy Of rresen: neiss: There were
,1iinkiny msn Who, thsn, regarded hoss do'H9s 60. In .
s,n,e, prophetic and those Who no" rSVies mon WIN
ar III 10 discover soue striking parallels and realiss-
ions 10 the dsvtloHmsais Ani even" ~" uAnsPifhsm
eccI, siasticll and political eff .rs. -.
mfrac., from the published minutes Of the OonveL:
don aud Ulited Synod referred to, are here introduced
in the rspo,t, commencing with the preamble and resc.
lusious u~laaimously adopet 10 the Richmond OonV,r-
a,n. Tbs pre- refers to the suspicious sni doubs
q, th. good snding and fqrd righ.s aud privileges OF
sl,vsbo ding members ct ia, Church, etc implied or eI-
nr,ssed Ia the General Ass ,mblies as ooctsary TO tie
.e,rbirv, of Christ, aud violAtivs OF the constitution OF
Ia Pres,yteriau Olurch dsclres that the relation o.
u.,,s, and servant 10 is,lf considered, does got proper
!, nsIo,p 10 t5e unur "a jud cltosiej As sabj sets Tor di-
c.s,ioD ana iruuicy ana Gairms as the judgment OF tie
Oonyeouou, that thsre is no polpect Of the cessation Of
this agitation Of saverJ so 10 9 40 thsre are ~saVeeolc'
AZ, In coppscioa wi b tn OIutcl. The resoluiiops con-
I'm dsI.r.tions corresponding 10 spirit with those OF the
preamble. ard recommend the appointment OF Oomuis.
q ,oers TO au Assembly convened a. K ~IoIVlle, in April
Isss for the purpose ri org ln'Eipz a general SynSd ua-
ar he name Of "Ths U litst Syaod OF Toe Presbyterian
Ghu,c, in the U4ited States Of America" .
Tbs ,Iuacis from the Declaration Of Principles"
.A,n.sd in the UIied SJncd. organic ID az Knoxville,
n essnt the reasons for the withdrawal OF the cons'tu-
snt Prasbyteries iTsn the q .nersl Asa ,mbiy, ard he
formation o. a sopUa!s ecci siaSucal ldicaors. inese
,ess,rs arr bri, az ETA ed 10 the third paragraph Of the
c,nmi,tas,, Tenogt. Tae ID iclsra!ioL OF Principles"
! Agreement 10 tie Westminster Confession Of Faith,
etc, a. containing the system OF doctrine taught IN the
Holy Scriptures.
{. No fxc,us on trou church privileges for docirinal
san,m ana sIosessst, or Tor practices that a9y court Of
he oEuch uay r>gIsd as siafal, H!.hou! . process oil
S D,6,ss lie DOW - aud iris lisiap OF the General
A,sm5l, aud 'Ulied Synod ~. caalo: snscs lave
re- 40 binding u0on the lowsr jiicltosies TINS
I~ecl.,.i,, iu,t !ef denies tie ii n: of cn5 OBLIGATORY Of
ia p .s,yt,,isu cautch 80 mtkl anything 8 sutjec. Of
IA Jn,ina' which, according 70 tbs u'aAl mode Of inter
oretIng Language, ard tho manii"sI ia;ant OF tn; ir.ner'
Of he CoHicts.oa, ia noi - cDf:dhy referred to II th'
Constitution 90,
-,1 be made tho basis OF dire p..no il the Presbyterian
E ,Is~.,b IN, the courts my !5ks jldiclsl Sogn'y nee o
~crp.lii.s ~pracassi N this sud othsr reis.ona 10 lde.
s & Lmor as the sigh d 3cllraLol, AID pronounce
smpAagcln; sgias: tie sgiiNgaa q d'VsrJ Tin any G.
= on, nae ,,orlss ius-hcr i, - peTtAius - Che y oral enc
religious duties a'isng ifom the %re'alon'l
, The report then pros'els - follow:
r.om ri, rehearsal i, viii lppsar ,Es' cur se' Of 3
cs.siou fsosr the Eoriheru Assembly AID the process o.
. nav orr.n'ErIon S,ro 10 ADVANCE, and Lot IN ihl "tk'
c ~ n.l,e,I dis.olu;iOa aud nil aIJ coercion. The pc
si,ion sasumsd and made puoLc IN leo'-s. u SiNr'
mai snd solemn act Of withdrawal irom our Northern
. oonneet'ope. and 4 formal aid solemn act Of organs &c
8 tiop and u;tsraHce Of principles, 10 our position ttul, IL
{ which -a have eljoyed peace among ourselves sne
sou, good ueasU;sG prosptri under Goas bfeiste
uson oar ID .Es 20 prGach he Goepl aod preserve
nnr, cbristisnity 10 cur ehu,cheI The devil jpmeu.s G
te La. tour years, the fanatcsm and sectioktisn u
the North, the grNp for poser And is oentraLEiloh
In ~vialI,ion of express constitutional pii9c'pes and AN
Ia;io,s. and the pYrpos3 % cOeres c)mpI.ncs with IN
, I-eiiols Of arbitrary mBjofii,s, in political as veil a
4, ced -sisslc,l STARS, tlsse develop mems zoSli eetn
,hprd,otly 10 ia ltjiy tEe poAion iaken ard reaoid'eil
u maintained by our branch o. the Church, and 10 prov
. that II wls 10: taken too eooH, OF Two d'mly maintain
el
o,.~ rs,sto, to tho moral issues is,olvcd in the pres
an, war are cbviouI Prominent smsng these isaua
are. la. The "Higher Law" doctrines, proclaimed and
insis.eI upou BY our oAlumni s.ors and pesscutorr, be
70 wSth written constitutional, beth IN uhDrcn anS
s eta, have been opeEly vola'edi ana "a, Tue ooe;eir'
. pulicy, bT which conscientious and legal rights are In
Il ysded and ~despoilsd, Vihou. apPel or redress, TIM
a mixing sspsraliol And self 80 I-rnment ths only possible
=, alternative. L. opposition 10 thes, eariinai errors, snc
L assumptions CT poser, or Presby.oris' then acted, 81
= tbs Sou bern S a.ts have since done, in The assertion @
4 indsoend,nce arr in the establishment of a g 1vernm n
. rp,n she bisis of Gaiai.y sni cement. Our testimony
> by nrotes:. nv patience, Wb IL pliincs wssa virtue, ant
y nv All. ma ASSERTION OF our principle, rights, and ire,
dom 70 worship God sftes tho dictates Of ou' o"r Jais
ueut aud coa-ciei -, 90 far as humSn authority YES onn
c.rned, very plainly exhibits our relation to these anC
Q other Kindred mor,l .ssuss invelv.d IN this war-oe
tween the Confederate States Of America ard Mr.. In
% oolo's Goysrnmsat-snd CUE hearty sympathy With tlts'
states in their prSselt struggle for Independence.
q Our prospect, are, 10 US. hopeful God has no: LEI
Il n, without eoue decided aod encouraging tokens CT Hl
0 gracious r. coyuitlon AZ . Oburoh, 10 the comforts Of ia
r @ ,speI to believers, and IN The power Of HIS sPlrii, b!