The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1865-06-28

d
May, '65. =
The following speech was delivered by
Rev, DR.. Samuel h" Wilson, of Louis
vllei before the Old SCHOOL, Presbyterian
General Assembly, in Pittsburgh, on the
2Gth day Of May, 1865, which We no.
ticcd in our letter from that city the
same day 1t was clcctrilying in its ef
feet upon the Assembly aud tho immense
audience which heard it, and will be pc
ruscd with intense interest by all our
readers. ,r.5al
The following Resolution being under
consideration, viz: ei se''. a7
"Rcsolvea, That no Missionaries be ap.
pointed by the Board, except those Civ
Ing satisfactory evidence Of loyalty to the
National Government, and of cordial
sympathy with the Presbyterian Church
in her testimony on Doctrine, Loyalty
and Freedom" "'a
Dr. Wilson said: .. a''t ..t'
Mr.. MODERATOR 1t is with great
difficulty can so rccollect myself as 10
realize that | am sitting in a court Of the
Lord Jesus Christ and not in political
convention or in the Hall Of State Leg.
saturc. So much is said about "loyalty"
10 Caesar aud so little--so very little
about loyalty to Jesus Christ, the Head
of the Church. | shall, however, en-
dcavor SO far to recall my thoughts to
the character Of the Assembly and to tho
prophecies Of a Court of The Church. pro.
iesscdly acting under the guidance Of the
Holy Split and according to Tho reach
ings Of the Word Of God, as to abstain
from following those who have preceded
me, in their windings and wanderings on
the subject Of loyalty. They have yield.
ed u'no light, on the question which
they are preparing with SO much fiery
zeal and one fails to gather, from all
that has been said, any satisfactory solu.
ton Of the difficulties with which that
qustion is surrounded 1t is not mi in
tention TO expose the Misrepresentation
in which these gentlemen have INDUCED;
nor to correct their inaccurate statement
of facts; nor to unvci the f eblc so his
tries by which they have eDdoavorcd to
persuade this Assembly to tkc adoption
of a'mcasure 50 dangerous as that now
before them. To attempt this, would
lead me far away rom the point | wish t.
press upon the consideration of this body
and compel INC to pursue course of de.
bate SO little in harmony with what | re
gard as bccouirg in such place as this
! And yet, sir, am compelled to take no
tiee of one or two things that have bctr
said here, not strictly bearing upon til,
: matter under discussion; and yet, whicl
have been urged with manifest effect up
on this Assembly and the large audience
Z who seem to take so deep an interest il
its proceedings l shall touch upor
these matters as briefly as possible, an,
thou pass to- the main topic.
And first, Mr.. Moderator, wish t
call tho attention of this hou'e to
c charge that has been made upon thi
floor against man whose ashes now slee
quietly in the grave, but whose nam
! once stood unrivalled amongst the iaircs
aud noblcst that have ever graccd III
/. Presbyterian Church. need not sa
. that lreferto the Rev DR.. j.. II Thoru
! WE'LL Sir, the last time / sat in this ven
cradle body, sat side by side with Dl
Thornwell. lie was admired by all VIII
saw him and loved by all who knew lin
Tho Assembly hung upon his cassie clc
qucuco whenever he joined in debate
The people listened with unwearied d(
? light when hc poured forth the fullnei
Of his large, Christian heart, and held u
: before their eyes the matchless love Of
bleeding Saviour, With an unction rar'
stl ly met with ho preached Christ and Hin
: crucifcd. And now, sir, what do we set
y what do We hear? Three times has b
: been held up hero in the presence Of thi
q Assembly and this vast congregation ;
the friend and associate Of assassins an
: murderers- nay more, as himself coul
selipg murders and assassination as
/ proper means Of dcfouding tho "Confe,
/ eracy." And this charge has bee
!, caught up by the newspapers and
a spread far and wide upon tho wings
n. swift flying and noisy fame. Upon VIII
rc does it rest? BY what evidence has
11c been attempted to fix so foul a blot upc
the name Of so fair and noble servai
of GodY A tract has been brought he
,Ibya brother (Dr. Lord, Of Buffalo, ar
an extract read from il, garbled and pc
ycrted that this stigma might DO uffix,
to one Of those whose labors have dol
! somuch to render this Church illustriou
! Thrice has this been done in mann
as unnecessary as il was unworthy of d
Y brother 10 dot Sir, I take il upon !
I 10 pronounce tho charge unjust and sla
dorous, and without any foundation
truth. This | will show uby tho We
document itself, which has been paradl
in SO extravagant a mdnnor before u
L N. 4 a \. A nj -. u