The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1867-02-13

SOUL They have been as silent as the grave,
until they discovered the same thing in our
Church, South, where it instantly becomes
sin whose rankness smells to heaven. Let the
world judge how much their professed horror
is worth
But perhaps they may say: All this be-
longs to the Methodists-how does it touch
us?" We might say, in reply, that ii re-
fusing to sweep away every vestige OF Unequal
ity in church affairs is heinous sin before
God, it must be so North, in New York and
Philadelphia, Connecticut and Massachusetts,,
as well as in the South, and not less when
found among Methodists than Presbyterians.
The only escape from this we can think of, is
a resort to that bright code of morals invented
by the General Assembly of Pittsburg in 1865,
by which certain specified things, if committed
by Southern sinners, were denouncedas crimes
TO be expiated in sackcloth and ashes, but the
very same kind of sinners, provided only they
lived North of Mason and Dixon's line, were
not to be troubled for their offences at all: the
reason assigned for the different practice Of the
venerable Doctors upon the two sets Of patients
being this-that to enforce it upon the second
class would create great deal of disturbance,
fuss, ill-will, and division among their own
church members state of things, as shown
by the history of the last five years, their
peaceful souls could never endure
But it might, perhaps, be thought ungen-
erous, if notcruel to press this point too deep
so let it pass, and the Northern Methodist
Church with i'd We hope, however, that a
little friendly examination as to practice YER
sus profession, among Northern Presbyterians,
will not be out of place.
What evidence have we of efforts made by
the Northern Presbyterian Church to win the
black mans love and ecclesiastical fellowship,
by extending to him any practical ecclesiasti.
cal equality?
The number of negroes in the North
though extremely small compared with the
South, is yet in the aggregate very consid-
cradle, and especially in the large cities
In the Minutes of lS60-(the last in which
any report was made ON this head-for it is a
significant circumstance that they have even
erased the column for colored members since
we left them,) almost none of this class are to
be found There is room for reflection in that
single fact. In our Southern Church there were
1900, about one sixth of our whole member
ship, although we are far behind some other
denominations in this work
But the case does by no means end here
Do Northern Presbyterians practise Church
equality with the colored people found among
them? 1t is not worth while to dwell upon this
point Every intelligent person knows that
such thing as allowing them to sit on the
lower floor of the church is seldom seen,
much less to mingle promiscuously in the body
of the church. In fact they have been practi-
cally driven from the white churches, so that
they are hardly to be seen there at all. Where
do white congregations tolerate black Elders
Not they; they, like their Methodist brethren,
are not "yet educated up to that pont" This
whole line of remark might be extended in
definitely, but the facts are known and read of
all men. There is probably no part of the
country where the unwillingness to admit even
the few blacks to any practical equality in their
churches is greater.
Why is this? Upon the views urged for
our adoption, what greater wrong, so far as
principle is concerned, is there in refusing
equality in the Church to negro preachers and
elders, than in refusing equality to private
members? USon what pretcnse thall - -
srss- upon rt1c- osfc- ana refuse the other? II
there is such right is it less sacred in the one
case than in the other? We expect to show
hereafter that the motive with us is beyond
measure stronger than it can be with them, so
that if censure is due, its weight falls there,
not here. At present we are dealing with the
inquiry how the New York Observer and others
at the North will stand when Judged by their
oacn principles We have seen that they are
weighed in the balance and are found want
ing.
Such being their predicament, we must be
excused for saying the conclusion comes apace
that their qualifications to cast stones at the
South are of the humblest order. Robert
Hall once said of somewhat celebrated church
dignitary of his time-"Poor man! He mar
ried Public Virtue in his early days, but seems
to have been forever after quarrelling with his
wife" What we desire here to say to all these
persons, and to others of like mind (of course
we say it fguratively, and without the least
miscegenational offensiveness,) that if they
have made up their minds to wed this sable
bride of negro equality we only demand that,
like honest lovers, they shall take her for
better or for worse. " DIR. Monfort says it is
now about as easy to get divorce in Indiana,
as to get married The habit of repudiating
their wives over the North generally, as the
facts are reported by themselves, has become
appalling. against it from beginning
to end-and in the case in hand insist that
these gentleman who demand the marriage
shall cleave to their choice Let them accept
their own principles.
In plain words we must declare, -and think
a candid world will so judge-.-that Christians
in the South are not particularly obliged to
respect much the lectures of men who quarrel
with them for not swallowing camels, while
they themselves stand straining at gnats. 1t
was not blessing the Saviour pronounced of
old upon those who laid burdens too heavy to be
borne upon other mems shoulders, which they
themselves would not touch with one of their
fingers. Is it too much, considering the style in
which our Church has been spoken of in this
matter by some, and in view of the whole well
known facts of the case, as it respects them
selves, that we should say: Gentlemen,
please be so good as to cast out first the beam
that is in your own eye, or forever after hold
,,our neaca ahont the mntn that L. In r,onr