The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1865-06-15
From the Cincinnati Gazette. june ?.
Presbyterian Assembly in Brooklyn :
First Step in Reconstruction.

FIsHKILL, OK THE HUpsoN, June l,
The recent session of the Presbyterian
Church in Brooklyn presented a singu-
lar and pleasant contrast with those
which assembled near thirty years ago.
Then there was wrangling and division,
controversy and debate Now, all hearts
moved together peacefully and harmoni-
ously Then. the Church disputed vio-
lently about points of theology, between
which common sense people can discover
no difference. Then, the Church follow
ing ambitious leaders, divided into fac,
tions. Then, ranking at the bottom, and
i beyond ali these, lay the great question
of American slavery The Levitical law,
the patriarchal usages Of barbarous ages,
the customs OF Greece and Rome the
servitude of primitive disciples, all
were quoted in ecclesiastical assemblies
to prove that in republican America,
eighteen centuries after Cnrist had an
nouncel the principle of universl broth
c9hool, one Christian could be kept and
another Christian keep him, rig hteously,
a slave, l heard all this argued on just
these grounds in the Presby:ery of Gin
cinnati. How many people will like to
have it remembered that in 1886, in the
| assemblies of the Church, they defended
human slavery? Now, all this is gone.
] The Church no longer defends slavery.
All churches will be benefited by the
revolution of the last four years. The
Church instead of teaching the State has
been taught by the State, the great prin-
ciples of human right. Perhaps we
should he thankful for this. The world
reforming principles of Christianity are
no longer pent up in the Church to be
,.oied out to the world, but have so pene
trated 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, but
two (though provoking no controversy
and little discussions, } were of great in
tercst. The first of these was the sub
ject of Home Missions, especially the
supply Of tie destitute churches Of the South.
The war has caused the same desolation
to the Church that it has of society and
commerce throughout the wide field of
the rebellion. In many places the pas
tors are fled and the congregations scat
tered. Some of these pastors in the
midst of rebel communities unvisited by
our armies may return and in some re-
main. But there are many others where
the people are loyal, or, within reach of
our arms, who will never be allowed to
return. These pastors are compelled to
reap what they have sowed. They did all
they could to poison the people and de-
stroy the country and now they will
not be allowed to return and teach the
fiocks who have discovered and abhor
the error of their doctrines. This is
especially the case in East Tennessee,
Southwest Virginia and the mountain re-
gion around In the Prcsbytery of New
River Southwest Virginia,) but one
pastor remained loyal, and the rebels
drove him off In the Presbyteries Of
Union and Greenville the congregations
were nearly all loyal, and the pastors
nearly all rebsssia The pastors have fed
and VIII nevrJse allowed to return
The question is, how shall those congre
cations be supplied? Thus it is that the
call upon the Church for domestic mis-
sionaries comes up from the South and
Southwest. 1t comes with an appealing
and pathetic force, which it seems i'm
possible to resist, and almost equally i'm
possibIe to answer We want men!
Where are they to come fromi Since /
thirty years the Church has in this re-
spect reversed its condition. 1Hen, the
Church wanted money Now, IL has /
m oney but wants the men. But here we |
have one cheering indication. The tre-
mendous draft, made by the war, on tho |,
young men of the country, was not
made only from agriculture and COM
merce. 1t was made relatively much
larger from the seminaries and colleges
Hence, when these young men return the
colleges and seminaries will be rediied,
and the Church sent forth enlarged NUM-
bers to the missionary work. They will +
come, too, from the best possible material
from those who have q knowledgs Of
the Southern country and learned TO suf-
fer and endure No better missionaries
Of the Cross ever went out, than VIII os
these Young men of che volunteer army
Mauy of them are preparing for toaa
duty. Rev. Mr.. cHrEvxE, OF Troy,zI
OHIO, said tba. twenty young men went
put from his congregation and sevsrA
we're returning TO prepare for the minas.
try And, ~ha. beautiful example Of
Divine Providence,