New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-10-21
REUNION OF TuE rrsEsEYTEHfaH
CIEURCJf.

Nv. g WEsg FOURIEENrrsT,
NEW YCEK. Jolly "a, l.tJ.

lfr DEAR SIR: Your very interesting ana
accountable favor Of the 71h reached me here va
Chicago. 1t gives me much pleasure, as yoo
may imagine, to receive reconstruction news
from my native State, and more especially so
when il comes from an esteemed personal
friend have not forgotten your appeal 20 ne IN be-
half 81 the Union Theological Seminary before the war
% which you refer when had undertaken the ondow-
ment Of the profes orshps in the Presbyterian Theo-
logical Seminary Of the Northwest at Chicago.
Whatever may then have said .ntimated toyou, |
can only now say that you have my entire sympathy in
your present painful embarrassment" in ''h1ildine
NJ the Church Of Christ while that embarrassment
must be greatly increased bythe action Of the late Gen
sral Assembly at Pittsburgh in relation 20 the churches
Of the South. While myself but humble member Of
the Church believe il be the duty Of every member
4, hatever influence may have ia oppoO 10
the action OF the General Assembly IN its late deiy
sraLce and with holiness Of speech 10 defend ne r6t
against error thus swelling tue current o. Uath maj
must later prcys in The hope tbi j. may %
IN time 10 rave the gieat interests involved
What is the present position OF inc ITesUNletlhH
Church toward the southern branch Of that cArch a.
included m the late Southern COniedeiacyf
It irst assumes the preroeatlve Of The Government,
and without court or jury or regard 10 the different
politics Of TIE two sections OF the country a. 10 me
rgit Of Secession settles She question Tor Nsei 50 hat
CnurChmAU NNutNt NtO mas nut N'IthF tlp -
is;cuee OF the dc tdct0 government under which he
lived PRAYED and aborcd openly for the overthrow q
that government and the Of the Federal Coy
~rnment Is traitor Of the deepest dye, IN tie m0at
sense who, without confession and repentance OF bis
sias under examination Of his church officers cannot
be readmitted into lie Church; while, Of course al oi
you who have acted conscicniOusly and faithfully,
from Your own convictions OF duiy IN yOur support
for the tire Of the powers that be-, and with conn
sence in the right and ultimate success Of the Coniod
cracy, are necessarily preciuded nom confession ana
reuentauco Of the SiH Of t>0OH Rs condition TO read
mission into the Church. Aud thus IN cOncedne,
understand IT, that former Chrstiansa at the South are
s'il Christmas the General Assembly only stuthcs
itself; for if they cannot be the traitors 80 de-
Dounced and should not be kept ont Of tie Church by
arequsiiion which Christians II Is impossible they
comply with. In conscientiously supporting and
approving the dc facto government they coud not con
Tess 10 the sin Of treason
Contrast for moment tie Of the Church with
that Of the Government nj as1ingt0n. When writ
ten to by the General Assembly his opinion IN ls6l,
President Lincoln IL reported to have answered adys
ing against taking the acton then proposed, VIZ 10
demand what was impossible that the Church South
should support the Federal Government f0T the reason
with Others that ne did not wish TO run the churches
while, until within the last Elk months the TACT OF the
existence Of civil war with uncertainty 10 It's result
hah been known TO all the world. with the admission Of
President Lincoln himself that his Justification for bis
abandonment Of the Union as II was and the Consttu
tion ~ II IT, in his Emancipation Proclamation was
the military necessity for the use OF the negro ee
men in his work of subugation. And. since he sud.
den collapse of the Southern COnedei acy. that the
character and RENTS of the late civil strife In all
ITS hea-iHgS-Wth the present position OF the south TO
the and also Will tie status OF individuals toward
the GOyerument-becOmes "A question OF such import
and magnitude oven 10 engage the attention "
prominent mOnarchlcGl governments, a. well polit
cay 20 agate this try from IFS ccntc~ to its cir
cumftrcnce the prevailing sentiment in this country
agrees with that foreign lands not only in favor Of
enlarged and magnanimOus view Of the case under
any circumstances hut also that the sa Of treason
cannot attach all the people Of the South engaged in
the war. aud that that crime must be made ont and
pooed in count OF justice before 1t can be punished as
Alas for the poorness Of human nature and therefore
the consequences of "a first false step perveitipg
power for infinite good to an instrument OF positive
mischief But for the error committed by the General
Assembly in It's action taken in ls6 tOwgrd its
bers, subject To the then adyiscd Confederate Gov
ernmeut,' what an influence and power might, and no
doubt would now be CXerted by that church for good
in reuntng the people North and South in the bonds
of fraternity and Christian fellowship Whatever diff
feiences may have existed hitherto in the church
fhe abstract question of slavery, practically there
could LONGER have continued any trouble from that
quarter while formerly such difference disturbed
the question OF membership i'll our Church. Bat now
by the action of the General Assembly, If not recon
sdered and modified the disruption OF the church is
bo perpetuaed while 1t is held by President johnson
that the status Of the States remains the before
the warl
In what was done BY me for the Presbyterian Theo.
logical Seminary of the Northwest, one important OBJ
sect designed 10 be secured the establishment Of
institution in the great West under the control Of the
General Assembly Of the United States with view TO
Strengthening the national RELIGIOUS influence there,
far promo te the stability Of the Union Now that in
the providence OF God passed the terrible ordeal of
prOtracted civil war; unparalleled in destIuctiveness
and all that makes war horrible and again. with
out controversy the United states with vet glorious
future IN prospect, regiously well politically
should wise cOunsels prevail II would afford me the
greatest satisfaction IT, by any means IN my pow
could contribute anything toward the contamination of
that universal harmony between all parts OF country
which Is low only necessary 10 make il the most
powerful and influential OF al countries in the world
TO this end in accordance with your request would
most chfcriuly make contribution 10 the support OF
the Union Theological Seminary; but with nv hope
that the position OF the General Assembly will be set
right ais next annual meetuC-w.ih for be.
heying that many able men IN The Church contemplate
a prompt aud vigorous movement in that direction; -
and Trusting that when that is done TIE churches South
will as promptly return 20 tleir former conuoct with
IT, shOud before contributing grcfcr 10 some in
dications 10 that effect.
IIeIain dear III. yours very truly
C. H. MCCORMICK.
Rev b. NJ. Smith. y. d.