The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1865-08-03

yersies of 1887 and '3S, these acquisitions
would certainly have been made. 1t will
hardly be maintained that rebellion against
church authority is not as sinful as rebellion
against the State; or that a secession IN
favor of doctrnal error is not as serious an
offence in the sight of God as secession In ia
vor of African slavery. Whatever may be
thought of the relative evil in the two cases,
the principle is the same in both. Yet the
Assembly of 1888 adopted one principle, and
thet-qf 1865 another. The prominent advo-
Gates of the reunion of the Old and New
School church were the most Jealous in press
ing through these extreme measures with
regard to the Southern ministers. They in
sist that all who are willing to adopt our
standards of doctrine and order should be
welcomed back to our fellowship. They do
not require that they should repent OF their
sin in breaking up the union of the church,
in supporting or tolerating false doctrine.
Nor is it demanded that they approve of all
the acts and deliverances of the Assembly in
1887 and 1888 One rule is adopted with
those who have gone off from us in the South,
and another to those who, with no better ex-
cuse, seeded in the North.
The United States authorities require of
those who participated in the rebellion, no
expression Of contrition, no remuneration OF
political theories, no avowal of appreciation OF
theyiheasures of the government for the pre-
seryation of the Union and abrogation of
slavery, but the simple promise of obedience
to the laws and allegiance to the government.
1t seems rather incongruous that church
court Should assume to be more loyal than the
government which it desires to support
Again, it is hard to see why, if favoring
the rebellion is crime calling for confession
aud repentance, it should not be visited upon
Northern as we'll as Southern offenders The
fact is undenable, that thousands OF men,
many of them members and officers in our
own church, have sympathized with the South
in this whole conflict. They openly rejoiced
when our armies were defeated, and mourned
over our successes. Many faithful pastors
have been driven from their churches, be-
cause they felt in conscience bound to pray
for the President and the success Of our ma
tional arms, and to give thanks over our VIC
tories. If these are overlooked, and If the
Assembly refused to direct their being made
the grounds of church censure, with what
consistency can Southern men be rejected for
the same thing? If there be difference IN
the case, it is in favor of southern men who
espoused the Southern cause, which they re-
garded as the cause of their country, and not
lsof Northern men who sided against what they
kneR-to be their country, and took part with
those who were seeking its destruction We
are bound by our ordination vows TO promote
the peace and unity of the church, to endea-
vor to bring into harmony and Christian
fellowship, both external and inward, all who
agree with us in the adoption Of the same
faith and discipline. 1t matters not whether
they be the New School men at the North, or
/ Old School men at the South. Whatever,
therefore, tends to alienation and division, is
contrary to the spirit of the gospel. On this
ground, we are persuaded, very general OBJ
lection to the action of the Assembly on the
state of the country will be entertained, as
well as very profound regret That action
can only serve to increase, instead of allaying
Tunfriendly and unholy feelings; to retard,
krath4r than to promote that visible union
Sill = profess to regard an important
Id.