The Burlington weekly hawk-eye., 1865-06-17
to be reproach to the nation founded by
its authors.
am, dear sir, yours very truly,
j, S. MILL.
Presbyterian Assembly In Brook
Iyn...Elrss step In RecOnstr NC
tfOn.

Church in Brooklyn presented singula,
and pleasant contrast with those which
assembled near thirty years ago. Then
there was wrangling and division, contro.
together peacefully and harmoniously.-
Then, the Church disputed violently abou'
points Of theology, between which com
mon sense people can discover no differ.
ence, Then, the Church, following ambi
tious leaders, divided into factions. Then
ranking at the bottom, and beyond al
these, lay the great question Of American
slavery. The Levitical law, the patriarch
al usages of barbarOus times, the customs
Of Greece and Rome, the servitude fprim
tive disciples, all were quoted in ecc,esias
teal assemblies to prove that in renubi.-
eau America, eighteen centuries ate,
Christ had announced the principle ofuai
! yersai brotherhood. enc Christian could bs
kept. and another could keep him, right
eously, slave! heard all this argGea
on just these grounds. IN .ae Presbytery o
Cincinnati. How many people Will ike tt
have il remembered that Ii 1885, IL the as
se,nblies of the Church. they defended hu
man slavery? Now, all this is gone. This
| Church no longer defends slavery. A.
churches will be benefited by the revolu
ton 0. the last four years. The Church III
stead of teaching the State has been taugh'
by tie State, the great principles o! human
X
| this. The world-retorming principles o.
Christianity are no longer pent up in tbs
Church, to be doled out to the world. but
| have so penetrated the body of the people
that, even unconsciously to itself. the
world adopts them and reflects them back.
The Assembly had before it various
questions which concern the nation, bu'
aud little discussion,) were OF great inter
eat. The first of these was the subject Of
Home Missions, especially the supply o.
the destitute churches of tie N2Ath. The
war has caused the same desolation Of the
church that it has of society and com.
merce throughout the wide field Of the re.
bellion: In many places the pastors are
of these pastors In the midst of rebel com-
munit!es unvisited by our armies may re.
turn and in some remain. But there are
many others where the people are loyal,
or, within reach Of oul arms. who viii! new
or be allowed to return. These pastors are
compelled to reap what they have sowed.
They did all they could to poison the peo.
pie aud destroy the country aud now they
will not be allowed to return and teach the
flocxs who have discovered and abhor the
error OF their doctrines. This is especial
ly the case in East Tennessee, Southwest
Virginia and the mountain region around.
In the Presbytery Of New River, South.
west Virginta,) but one pastor remained
loyal, and the rebels drove him of Il,
the Presbyteries OF Union and Greenville
the congregations were nearly all loyal,
and the pastors nearly ali rebel. The pas.
tors have fled aud will never be allowed to
return. The question is, how shall those
congregations be supplied? Thus II is that
the call upon the Church for domestic mis-.
sionaries comes up from the South aud
Southwest. It comes with an appealing
and pathetic force, which it seems imposs.
ibte TO resist, and almost equally impossi-
BILE to answer. We want men Where are
they to come from Since thirty years the
Church has Ia this respect reversed it's con-
dition. 1he,s, the church wanted snO7,ey !!
Now, it has the money but wants tie men.
But here " have one cheering indication.
The tremendous draft, made ty the war,
on the young men Of the country, was not
made only from agriculture and CONS mmerce.
Il was made relatively much larger from
the seminaries aud colleges. Hence, when
these young men return the colleges and
seminsries will be retilled, aud the Church
send forth enlarged numbers to the mis-
sionasy work. They Will come, too, from
the best possible material-from those who
have . knowledge Of the Southern country
and learned to suffer aud endure. No bet.
ter missionaries Of the Cross ever went
out, than will be these young men Of the
volunteer army. Many Of them are pre-
par;rg for that duty. Rev. Mr.. Cheever OF
Troy, Ohio, said that twenty young men
went out from bis congregation and sew
eral were returning to prepare for the min
istry. And, what beautiful example os
Divine Providence.
From seeming evil stu deducing good.
Will be this return OF the charities Of the
Gospel to the Land of rebellion? But yes
te5dsy the soldier OF liberty marches to the
South in defense of law and order. He
goes forth with the weapons Of death to
the sound OF war -denouncing trumpets. -
To day he returns with no armor but the
gentle words Of peace-no voice but that o:
love-no object but to bring about the day
when human hearts shall cease to hate and
war be Known no more.
Another question which came before the
Assembly was that of Church reconstruc.
ton. Curiously enough the General As
sembly In Brooklyn, made the first step IN
the actual sr0rk Of reconslvuceson. Thia
may seem q small step, but IL historically
important. The history Of the case - this.
After the Exscinding Act Of 1887 (which
divided the Presbyterian Chu-ch) the great
body Of Southern Churches went with the
Old School; for one of the main points in
the controversy was the question Of slave
~. AL the Presbyteriss In the South
proper went with them. DR.. Thornwell
Theological teacher in the College ofSouth
Carolina. at Co2umbia,) was one Of the
leaders, and taught with zeal and ability
the doctrines Of Calhoun. Only two syn.
DDS, believe, in Tennessee and Virginia
remained with tho New School fhess
! were composed mostly OF anti-slavery
people. Sill, some Of their principal men
such o. DR.. Roas Of Tennessee, adhered 4
tho pro -slavefy doctrines, and at The A.
sembly In Cleveland Ill The Remaining
Prssbyt ytsriss n ths South weat OF becaas'