Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-11-23

/ correct
same shall be furnished 20 each committee. with
q full copy Of the minutes of all these meetings,
certified by the Chairman Of the respective
committees, to be used by them as they may
J. .. fRT a;sS Committee.
On motion Of Joint Committee. took recess
until O'Clock P. NJ. ~
i forenoon. Rev. DIR. J. II. Grey, DID,, of the
| Committee ofthe Presbyterian Church, appeared
and took his seat in the conference. -
Three members Of the Committee Of the Cum
| beriand Presbyterian Church being absent, the
| Rev B. w MeDonnold, DID,, LID. being
present. was invited by the members present Of
! said committee, and admitted BY the courtesy OF
the other committee, 10 take part in the delib-
Or. Grey offered the following, which was
| adopted e
consult among themselves and prepare each a
| statement of the conditions upon which they be-
\ lieye an organic union may be effected between
the two churches, and report Tomorrow at ~
Closed with prayer by the Chairman.
TuEspAY, August 9Th, IS67-I0 O'Clock A. NJ
/ Joint Committee met; members present as on
| yesterday Opened with singing and prayer by
Rev J n WeddeIl, d D., of the Committee
of Presbyterian Church, appeared and took his
- oemittees offhe two churches each pre-
| sented paper in accordance with the resolution
offered yesterday BY DIR. Grey. -
The paper Of the Presbyterian Committee was
read by DR.. Stedman, and is as follows:
PAPER NO. / OF PRESBYTERIAN COMMITTEE.
The Committee of Conference of the Presby-
| terrain Church would respectfully present to the
| joint committee of the tive churches the fol-
| Lowing statement Of the basis upon which, as
! we think, an organic union of the two bodies
| may be effected.
lst. 1t is known to the brethren of both
| has hat ha al hefr
| the two bodies took place In q time of great
religious awakening, and consequently of great
| mental excitement. In such a time there is
| natural tendency in the minds of men to ex-
/ tremes, and even the best men do not act with
/ the same sober judgment and the same prayer
/ ful delbeTation as when under less exciting in
| duences. The issue was made with us by the
/ fathers of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church
| upon the grounds, as the records of both
/ churches show; tErsf, That in our doetrinal
| Standards the idea of fatality is taught under
the high and mysterious name of election and
| reprobation," and second, that the discipline of
| the church is too rigid in requiring in every
| case definite amount of literary education as
| preTe quisite 10 ministerial ordination The
| committee are of opinion that upon the last of
| these points there is now no difference between
us; that whatever may have been the views
| and policy of the Cumberland Presbyterian
/ Church in that early day, and under the ext
| eeneies of the times, the sentiment of the
church is now unanimous as to the necessity of
| an educated ministry, in the sense in which our
| point the committee think that. while there
are probably some phrases in our doc
| trinal symbols which are liable to misconstruc-
| tien and which in the exciting times to
| which we refer were miseonstraed. and thought
/ to teach the idea OF fataism; yet now that the
excitement has all passed away, and time has
been given for calm and dispassiOnate inyestiga-
| ton. our brethren of the Cumberland Presby
| terrain Church have been brought to see that ii
was not the design of our Confession to teach the
doctrine Of fa:alism; that the language of even
| no ed n
| terpreted, contain IL, and that in many other
passages both the free agency of the creature and
the contingency of second causes are distinctly
| asserted so that upon this point there remains
no reason why union between us should not be
| effected.
| at ISSUE and feeling that union of the two
bodies on some harmonious basis would tend
greatly to the promotion of the glory of God and
| the advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom,
we would, as the representatives Of the Mother
Church from which our brethren withdrew,
Eost cordially invite them to form union with
| us upon the basis of the old Standards as they
| were held by their fathers and ours previous to
| the separation the same liberty in the c0nstrue
| ton of these Standards TO be given was then
allowed and has since been given in the union of
the Old School and New School bodies In the
| 8 We propose that all ministers in regular
standing in either of these churches shall he en-
| rolled as ministers in the United Church; that
| all PresbyteTies entitled to representation IN
| either Assembly shall be entitled Ca the same
representation in the Joint Assembly; and that
| to this Assembly shall be assigned the duty OF
| consolidating and arranging the Presbyterles and
| Synods of the United Church.
| 4. We propose that all the funds and all the
Church property, the schools, colleges, and theo-
| logical seminaries of the two Churches, with
| All their missionary operations, shall be under
| the control Of the General Assembly, cOnstl-
tuted as above, and that to this Assembly shall
| be referred all questions appertalnlng 10 the
| distribution and conduct of the same.
| r. j. O. SFEDMAE, Chairman.
The paper Of the Cumberland Presby-
terrain Committee was read by DIR. Burney,
and is as follows:
PAPER NO. OF CUMBERLAND PREsByTERIAN
| COMMITTEE.
In consideration Of the advantages Of organic
| union between the two Churches, We, the COM
| mittee representing the Cumberland Presby-
terian Church, consent TO surrender our prefer
ences on the following points OF difference:
| LIST. We consent TO surrender our name. In
this we simply consent TO make no distinctive
history forthe future
on the subject of ministerial education, and to
adopt those Of the Presbyterian Church. or such
Standards as may be mutually acceptable.
Bird. We consent TO accept the Standards OF the
presbyterian Church on all points Of difference
In the form of government, discipline and direc-
tory, or such modification of them as may be
mutually acceptable.
we respectfully ask that the Confession of Faith
and Cateohism of the Cumberland Presbyterian
Church shall be adopted instead OF the O0ntes'
sion of Faith and Catechism OF tneFfesbyIerlAh
or. as an alternative to the above. we agree to
adopt the Confession of Faith and CatechiSm OF
the Presbyterian Church modified substantially
according to the indications given IN paper
| herewith submitted.
Or If ID shall appear more satisfactory 10 our
brethren OF the Presbyterian Church, We con-
sent 10 a new compilation upon the basis OF the
| Westminster Standards, which new compilation
shall exclude all phrsseolegy ana modes OF ex-
preston which can be plausibly construed 10
| favor the idea of fatality or necessity.
| We also respectfully ask that IN the union OF
| the two churches the atnicable adjustment Of the
| political and sectional issues touching slavery
| and rebellion made by the General Assembly OF
| the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in May.
| 1867, shall be accepted
| PAPER ACCOMPANYING ABOVE, CHAPTER III.-oF
cops ETERNAL DEGREES.
| Section /. God did from ali eternity adopt tas
whole plan of his creation and providence with
| a full knowledge of all the events which would
transpire therein, including the SINS OF men an
angels. These events be determined either 70
bring to pass by his own direct and absolute
asency or to permit them to come to pass IN
view Of the results which bis bounding and
overriding providence would brins out Of the
Sec According to the determinste counsel
and I5Te-kpoEledge Of God, he did from 81 ster-
nifty elect TO salyation all true believers IN Jesus
| Christ. This election was perfectly definite as
10 the persons elected. and also as to their num-
Der; and God did in like manner from eternity
reprobate to eternal perdition all that hnally
| reject Jesus Christ, and this reprobation was
| also definite es 10 person and number.
Sec s. Inose Of mankind that are predesu-
| mated unto life God, before the foundation OF
the world was laid, according TO his eternal ana
| immutable purpose and the secret counsel ana
Tood pleasure Of his will, hath chosen IN Christ
unto everlasting glory, out Of mere Tree grace
and love all to the praise OF ms sioFlous grace.
See J. A God hath appelnfs3 the elfcI Into
slarv SO hath he b the eternal and most tree
| nurpose OF his will, foreordained ali tue means
! thefeunto " therefore, they Who are elected
| beiue fallen in Adam, are redeemed IN Gnrist
ara effectually call ed unto faith IL Chrlst ~ mas
| shirt working in due season, are Jnstlhed
! adopted, sanctifed and kept by MS power
| thrSuEh faith Entc salFGtlCL
sStes & me doctrine Of this high 1aystery Of
sfion Is 10 he handled With special pru
/ denee ana care, thai men ATTENDING the Wall q
| ftoa revealed in his word, and yielding ooedlence
| thereunto may, from certainty OF their Noca-
/ ton be assured Of their eternal election 50
shall this doctrine afford matter Of praise, rev
srcnce and admiration Of 600 ana oil mummy
diligence and atundGnG csnsolsilon % gu IHil
sincerely obey the Gospel
We make the same references when are mas
in the Presbyterian Confession Of taltn, wltn
Inc edition cf lSt Peter. LIST chapter. IND verse
nos ESr1Srs SIN charter, ard 2sth yefss-
or charTer 5ih. We offer the following modi-
= | Ecation for section 9Th
Section 4 The almighty power unsearenEeie
| wisdom and Infinite goodness OF goa 50 Ia
manifest themselves N hss ptoVlqe4ce tnS! Z
eSftndeth itself net only 70 those ae1s vince
God absolutely DEGREES, but also 10 those bnic1
| he permtt- IQiuiaS with u most wise ang