South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1867-11-22
THE SYNOD OLE YIRGINEA.

strengthen itself 10y additions from adjacent
; parts in Winchester, West Hanover, and East
Hanover Prcsbyterics, which woull give
them Front Royal and its pastor, Rev. Mr..
Berry; Orange Court House aud Gordons-
vile, and DIR. Handy; fredericksburg and
NJ. Gilmsr; and yellow Chapel aud Mr..
Woods The claims of ltappahannock, were
earnestly advocated by Reys Jno. w Pugh,
of Warrenton, ana Lcftwich, of Alexandria.
! Mr.. Pugh made strong appeal in behalf
of RIppahannock, in which he boldly and
earnestly, but very kindly, and with due re-
| gard to the Interests of the whole, demand
ed all the churches 4 ministers above nam
ed. There was. no fear that Rappahannock
/ Presbytcry would b. dissolved Itlad life.
but asked for that which naturally and pro.
yidcntially seemed to belong to it,
Mr.. Lcftwich showed the Importance of
Rappahannock Presbytery in respect to To-
cation. IL had 1000 more square miles
and $4,000 more souls than Winchester,
while it had only six ministers, and their
churches had eighteen. 1t had not come
here to ask gilt of West lilrovcr, but Jus.
tica of the Synod, of which all the Prcsby-
]
observed that each Of the Presbyteries was
willing to put "a hand in it's neighbours peck
ct for the benefit of Rapplhannock, but not
one OF them saw any proPricty in granting
! part OF its own pos sessions. This was
MIR. Laftwich's view of the case bat in
view of the prospect OF an increase by union
with P,tapsco Pres5ytery, he was in favor
permitting the mlticr to lie over foI year.
The question was, thercupon, by vote of
Synod, postponed.
a paper ON the relations Of tie colored
people To tue Church was presented by Rev.
y. w. Pitzer, of Liberty, which was immc-
dlaSely, by very decided vote, referred TO
the Committee on Osrrturcs. This com
mittce soon reported through their chair
man, DIR. Peck, that they unanimously re-
commented its adoption by the Syaod and
1t was .. once put to the vote, anl passed
with very few dissenting voices IL is as
follows:
"WngR&,s tho paper upon the subject of the
colored people adopted by the last General As.
sc'nbly has been enormously construed sby seine
: "a teaching the doctrihc thIt cJlOrcd mel pos
sc'sing the qualifications require hy tn, stand
ards OF our Church AMI the Word Of q ID, should
not be ordained to the full work Of the gospel
ministry simply because they belong 10 the ne
gro race; therefore,
''REsoLvEp That the General A,sembl; be o.
! verturci To declare that the Churc., i, Christ 5
universal kingdom; thtt It's doors are open alike
- all who love the Lord Jesus and that ordina-
ton TO the work of the gospel ministry is Ia be
given t. all those cllei Of God t. all qualih al
for that work, without respect of persons"
Subsequently, Rev. Elwarl Martin rose
and sail he wished some affirmative voter
To move n reconsideration Of the paper as
doptcd this MOI ming, in reference 70 color
Ell ministers, because he was sure il was
misunderstood. Members who had voted
III the Affirmative cDurteously agree to the
reconsideration, and Mr. Martin bri, Ay al
dressed the SyuoI with three objections:
lSt. 1t was unnecessary to ask the General
Assembly to adopt this paper, because an
Identical Que had been rejected ut the last
/ session H. The action i )es not rcr,rsscnt
our constituency. 81. We are not compc-
tent to ask nor the Assembly to grant such
declaration as the paper in licl,cs
/ Mr.. Lefiwich replied in favor Cf the pa
/ per- lie believed, with fllh which re-
cent events had not impaired, that the re-
! Iation Of master and slave was as legitimate
aud as approved ia the sacred Scriptures ms
chat of prince anl subject, plrent aud child.
/ or husband aud wife. 1t was recognized in
| the Jewish law, in the moral law more than
once, and sanctioned by Him who splkc n
never man spakc. Mr. Lcftwich said mi,
/ JOY Mt emancipation arose from economical.
/ Industrial, ani commercial reasons. lie di
/ not propose To advocate theory of nation
/ al unity OF the races, against which PrOyi-
dcnce had placed barrier. The civil state
OF the negro Is a matter ljr tho Legislature.
and his social relations a matter for tastr
/ TO decide but hc was entitled q ecclesiis-
/ teal equality. TIE General Assembly had
acknowledged this, but asserted that there
were at this time proyilcnlial birricrs in the
way of allowing it. Was it thtt our poo-
/ pie, smart'ns unlcr recent wrong, would re-
/ fuse that winch u was scrip;urnl TO grant, aud
obey an adverse cpdo Of public sentiment
rather than the Word ofGodl Must the voice
o! the world control the Church, anl the
passions Of men prevail oyJr religion pure
and indebted Then the last stop of Chris
tlauity has been taken, her last triuln on re-
corded, nni we become crincing and sub
massive victims unler the Advancing forces
OF Darkness. The laurals o. religion have
no; been won by iugiorious concessions. -
Had Noah listened to popular clnmor he
could not have mlde an ark % the swing
OF his house, AMI the preservation of the
I Church. After other pertinent historical
illustrations from the Reformation &c SIR
/ j.. proceeded % show that the doctrine of
\ any ecclesiastical inequality il opposod 10
the distinctive characteristics Of Christiapi-
/ ~. Religious privileges were nj first craft
ell upon the stock Of Abraham but tho ex-
elusive institutions Of the Jewish di.pensa-
I lions like shadows passed away before the
light Of the Gospel The middle wall If