The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-06-22
LATEST NEWS BY MAIL.
The presbyterian Church Move.
usents = Baltimore Coming TO the
CONGREGATIONAL. MEETING OF THE FOURTH
PRESBYTERIAN OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF
THE PASTOR, REV. ]. A. LEFEyRE.
10 Ai,,h a

| THE PASTOR, REV. ]. A. LEFEyRE.
| From the sun, 2ist.
Last evening a full meeting Of the men,
/ bers of the Fourth Presbyterian Church,
corner of Cary and Fayettc streets, was
/ held in the basement Of the church, to take
action in reference 10 the course pursued
hv the pastor in scvcring his connection
with the General Assembly of the olo
School Presbyterian Church. Thomas
! Dixon, Esq, was named moderator "'"
John Patterson, Esq, secretary: ,:
! Af,nr nravcr tho Chair stated that husi-
nos, ,yas IN order. when Mr.. Gustavus
ohor nrosented preamble and six rcsolu-
t;nn. similar in character 10 those adopted
=, tLc meeting AT Or. Bullock : church iaSs
,ronk which declare that the standards oi
d.. cIrrch shall he preserved m''olatc
NJ. NJ .i,n JcEyrrances of the General AS
s,,nhly 60 far rs they relate 10 politics,
arr, null and void that no further connec-
t;on can bc continued with body whlch
does not act in conformity with the stand
ards of the church, but pcrSStently Vlo-
latcS them, and that the church session be
authorized to make connections with other
PRESBYTERIAN churches in the United States
a> have the same faith and belief. The
resolutions were taken up Seridttm, and
adopted by rising vote without dissent.
Mr.. g. +. Anderson presented a resolu-
ton expressive of the grateful acknow-
! lcdgmcnt 10y the congregation to their pas
| tor for his devoted attachment to them,
but especially for the self-sacriicing spirit
which has influenced him in recently de-
! clining one of the most inviting fields OF
labor, that he might remain with ms
I church: also plcdging their cordial sup
port in sustaining him i'll contcnding for the
spirituality Of the church and advancing
/ the Rcdcemers kingdom in the world.
/ The resolution was unanimously adopted.
Mr.. William c. Arthur arose and said
that he protested against the action of the
| meeting. Though one of the oldest men,
| bcrs OF the congregation, yet many did not
( know him. He and his family had been
| <nuhhcd by the congregation, and had
| been kept in the background. They had
! endured ii all: had listened to sermons
and PRAYERS OF which they did not APP
prove: had never heard the President of
/ the United States prayed for in the church
but once and on that occasion many turned
their backs, and some left the church.
/ There were men in the congregation who
would have cut their Threats two years
ago =
Amid cries of order, the moderator de-
clarcd the language uttered was improper,
and should not bc used.
Mr.. Arthur.-IS it not true
The Chair.-No, sir.
! 4 voice very decidedly 1t is false.
Mr.. Arthur.-Thank You, sir.
NJ ArIl ,roraplp1 in some furt her
remarks, concluding by presenting a writ
ten protest, similar in character TO the one
presented III the meeting of the Franklin
/ Presbyterian Church, signed by himself
and }. Flcmming Arthur. The protest
states in effect that the church cdifice was
erected for an organization in communion
with the Old School Presbyterian Church
of the United States, and should not be
perverted from its uses &; that nothing Is to
bc gained by separation from the present
connection 10 ion the Church South: and
that if the majority of the congregation
persist in the action they have taken, they
should abandon the church property, which
rightfullv belongs to those who continue
! their relations with the General Assembly
of the Presbyterian Church.
On motion of Mr.. e.. +. Anderson, the
protest was received, and made part OF
! the record of the meeting. After prayer
/ hv Mr.. GustavuS ODER, the meeting adj
journcd.
THE PRESBYTERIAN C1IrEcH DffIcrLTY-
ADDRESS OF DR.. HACKuS.
The First PRESBYTERIAN Church, corner
of Madison and Park streets, was filled
with most respectable congregation last
evening to listen 10 the address OF DR..
Backus on the present difficulties in the
PRESBYTERIAN Church growing ont of the &C
ton of the General Assembly in making pO-
litical loyalty, as is alleged, a test OF church
communion. The reverend gentleman gave
a full and very complete history Of the ac-
ton of the different assemblies since ls56,
quoting largely from both northern and
southern writer's on the subject. He con
tended that even now there was no dltte-
renee whatever in the two parties except
as 10 the construction of the thlrtN-hrSt
chapter of the confession of faith III It's
bearing on the question of what are Sccu-
lar matters.
He admitted that the General Assembly
had done wrong in its action opening such
an issue, and he would do all in his power
to have that wrong rcctificd, but he utterly
opposed all division in the church.
SchiSms, he contcnded, could not repair Il
wrong done by a governing power, but that
the same body that inflicted an injury
could repair the wrong. He did not see
people leave the State or city because
some obnoxious law was enacted, neither
did men leave their country because, per-
chance Congress might pass law repug-
nant to their wishes then why should men
talk of splitting up and dividing the great
PRESBYTERIAN Church because Il law was on
the statute books that did not meet their
views He cXhorted all TO consider the
subject calmly and deliberately. Both the
north and the south in the matter under
consideration, in his judgment, had done
wrong. but he intended to stand by his
church and to use all the power he could
bring to bear towards healing the difficulty.
The very confession OF faith made II IN
cumbent on the ministers OF the church 10
confine themselves exclusively to ecclc-
siastical matters; they had no right what
ever to interfere with the political opinions
of any one and so far as his church was
concerned, his hearers could bear witness
that such had ever been his line of conduct.
He said all would remember that Il south
/ ern gentleman partook of the communion
in that church on Sunday last he, as the
minister, had asked him no questions, be
lieving as he did that he had only to be
convinced that each applicant fully be-
lieved in and acted up to the Presbyterian
creed. This might by some be looked
upon as rebclling against 4 superior power,
=, IN hot huh