Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1866-11-25

selves as a people with prayer and fasting,
OF offer to Him thanksgiving and praise
perity and joy, it is the dictate Of that re-
The people that truly aliases Itself before
God, or offers Him thanksgiving. performs
an act well pleasing in His sight. And
when the civil power, which alone can
reach us all, invites to these acts, and SO fur
nishes us the occasion for their performance,
it is right for those who bear rule in the visi-
! bic Church 10 consider whether Christ, their
Head, who, as the Mediatorial King, rules
1 over the nations Of the earth, as we'll as over
His Church, does not Himself invite them
to these acts of worship. He is their Lord.
And to their own Master they stand or fall.
The act of the civil power does bHi secure
that concert Of prayers, praise and worship
that would be wanting without it. 3
And We cannot condemn the civil magis-
trate who thus furnishes the opportunity Of
united religious acts, so Convenient 10 the
| dictates of the hearts of Ckristian people,
and to the religion they profess. si
We do not enjoin the observance Of such
days in all cases, nor would we dissuade
| from such observance, but remit the deter
mination of the question in each case TO our
/ Church sessions. G.
The order of the day having nov arrived,
the Rev. Mr.. Murphy, a Representative of
the Associate Reform Synod Of the South
was then introduced, and invited 10 address
their assembly. He commenced by referring
to the Tbrotherly and kindly feelings that
/ had existed between the two churches pre-
vious to the war. These kindly relations
still existed. They loved each other, and
/ he hoped that the contamination 50 lor Q
desired-that of the union of the ekurehes-
would soon take place. He must sag that
on this question the ministers have pro-
gressed far ahead of the members of the
Associate Reform Church. He then pro-
ceeded to remark that the College in South
Carolina, In connection with the Church,
had suffered greatly during the war. 1t was
closed in 1861, but had been resuscitated a
short time ago, and although the students
were as yet few in number, they anticipated
the number would soon increase. The Semi
nary had alike suffered. Some Of the stu
dents were sleeping their last sleep. Others
were following secular employment, while
third we're prosecuting their studies, and
would &C forth to preach the gospel. At
the meeting of the Synod, held in Lincoln
county in this State in September last, ar
rangements were made for starting paper
in January next. Steps had also been taken
for an organic union with the Presbyterian
Church in the United States, but action with
regard to that union had been ultimately |
postponed. This should not, however, be
understood as an abandonment of the ques-
ton. The fat had gone forth that all the
people of Christ shall be united in one faith
and one baptism. And if they were asked
if they would give them assistance to reach
this contamination, the response would be,
eve vii" Eve will" Mr.. Murphy con-
eluded with congratulations to the members
of the General Assembly. He encouraged
them to 60 on with their good work, and in
all they did for the glory of God and the
spread of the Gospel, the church to which he
belonged were with them.
In reply to him, the Rev. DR.. Palmer,
who was temporarily occupying the Mode |
rator's chair, responded on behalf of the
Assembly:
Welcome, welcome within these walls
doubly welcome are you, because you come
as PRESBYTERIAN brother, member of that
same great family to which we belong.
lisp with our very lisp; you preach as we
do; our thoughts and hearts beat in COM
mon every day and every hour; we have
but one Lord, one faith, one baptism. We
hold the same principles. Our ancestors |
were compelled to hide themselves in the |
caves of the earth; they were your ancestors /
and our ancestors. trust in God there will |
be no partition between us. As for this |
Church and this Assembly its position is |
ascertained and well known. We have no |
prejudices to overcome, no barriers to pre-
vent you, whenever you wish to come in the |
fold you are welcome. Tell your people /
that we love them, that the doors of our As |
sembly are always open to them. When
you return, give them our afectionate salu-
tation, and may the Lord prosper you and |
make you blessing to the world"
The Assembly proceeded to the election
of place for holding the next place of
meeting. Richmond, Atlanta and Nashville |
were put in nomination. The first two be-
ing withdrawn Nashville was chosen by |
reclamation. ...
The Rev. DR.. Rice, from the Judicial
Committee, presented the following report
The Judicial Committee report to the
General Assembly that no judicial case, Ell
Their of appeal, complaint or reference has
been placed in their hands. The committee
would fain hope that this would indicate
either that the happy condition Of our wide
by..extended church has offered no occasion |
for the exercise of discipline, or that the
Holy Spirit has guided the mind of the
lower courts to the wise and satisfactory de-
termination of such cases as may have come
before them.
After half hours devotional exercises
the Assembly adjourned until tomorrow
morning. - -elI
A large and attentive audience assembled
in the church at o'clock, to hear the dis
cussion on Theological Education. Rev.
DR.. Lyon, of Columbus, Mississippi, for
mer moderator Of this Assembly, was called
to the chair, and Rev. DR.. Jno. Rice was
elected Secretary, The Rev. DIR. E. 7
Baird of the Education Committee, explain
ed the object of the meeting. The Rev. DIR.
Howe, of the Columbia Seminary, made a
lengt y speech on the subject. He was fol-
lowed by the Rev. DIR. Ben. Smith, of
Union (Ya.) Theological Seminary, and
Rev. DIR. Stuart Robinson, of Louisville,
who were visiting ministers. The discus
sion was able and interesting. Where shall
we get the men-hOW shall they be educated.