The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-07-01

The Tendency OF the Tim esu-Otd an d |
NewsSch DO ne nelsbyterians Harmon-
izinEs
The New School General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church met in Philadelphia on
the 21st of May. The Old School General
Assembly was in session at Peoria, H., at the
same time.
Twenty-six years ago, the New School
Synods were expelled from the Presbyterian
Church, and the two factions became as Jews
and Samartans to each other. Now the Old
School Assembly, the exscinding body, invi-
ted the exscinded body to come into fraternal
relations The proposal of the Old School,
to establish a friendly correspondence with
the new, by an annual interchange of dele
gates, produced most profound sensation in
the New School Assembly, aAd the PROPOSE
tion was met in the most cordial, fraternising
spirit Many members hailed the movement
as the first step toward speedy reunion of
the divided Presbyterian Church. DR.. Skin
ner expressed the hope, with deep emotion,
that this reunion might be accomplished be-
fore his death. The action of the New was
telegraphed to the Old School Assembly, and
delegates were appointed to that Assembly
through the same agency. A telegraphic re-
ply was received, and DR.. Tusten of Wash
ington, appeared in the New School Assembly
as delegate from the Old, and before the
crowded and hushed congregation said, in
tones that trembled with age and emotion ~
am authorized to declare to you, that so far
as we are concerned, the strife is at an end"
Acknowledgements of mutual ejudice and
bitterness, for which there had been no justi-
fication, followed, and the most earnest wish
es were expressed for perfect reunion. The
opinion was expressed that the divisions of the
| Church had produced an influence towards the
present division of the country, and it was
remembered that John c. Calhoun viewed
these Church divisions with lively satisfaction,
and the hope was expressed that while the
Church was endeavoring to repair the DAM
age it had done, statesmen and politicians
would initiate its example.
The reply of Prof Smith, the Moderator
of the New School Assembly, to DIR. Tustn,
was apt and eloquent, filling many eyes with
tears. He recprocated the warm expressions
of fraternal sympathy, alluded to the real
unity of the two bodies, which was deeper far
than the separation-a unity in standards of
doctrines and government, unity now in
loyalty to the cause of our beloved country,
and in sympathy and prayer for that down.
trodden race, whose oppression lies so deep
among our own nation's sins. The whole
Assembly then united in singing the hymn,
Blest be the tie that binds," and in an elo-
quent prayer of thankfulness by Rev. DR..
Cox
The correspondent, from whose letter the
above gratifying particulars have been culled
remarks, that it has often been said, that the
real cause that divided the Presbyterian
| Church, was not the strife of theological diff
ferences but the contest of slavery and free
dom, and the events above narrated would
seem to corroborate this view Now that the
influence, has ceased to be supreme in the Ole
School Church, the tremendous difference:
concerning Atonement and Imputation, have
become nearly invisible to the naked eye, The
old controversies are being quietly laid on tn,
shelf as having no practical importance, the
laity having long ago ceased to take tn,
slightest interest in them, and the free churcl
longs to be one. Is it not prophetic of tn
resstless instinct of unity that shall bint
this land together when slavery is dead?