Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-05-30
CORRESPONDENCE.


THE PKEsHyTHRIAH CHURCH.
s...,on Of the General Assembly IN. s.)
At Roohanter&
spsfai correspondence Of tAs cupsm1psal
4q RooansrKs. N. T., Nay ~, 1867.
commenced letter 10 he coxnrzoIAL some days
since but perpetual pres 81 business has made
what wrote obsolete. and must begin again.
Tho Presbyterian readers, At East Of the coxnnn-
GAL viii not be unwilling to hear from the General
Assembly holding its annual session In this CITY,
To those who are not Presbyterians 1t may be well to
say that The General Assembly is the highest legsla
tive and Judicial body in the Presbyterian Church.
Beginning with the session Of individual churches
composed of the Elders, we have the next higher ju
dcatory or court in the Presbytery made up OF the
ministers and one elder frsm each church in certain
geographic district Above the Presbyery Is another
church court the Synod, composed of the ministers
and one elder from each church in more extended
district The final Court Of Appeal is found in the
General Assembly which is made up Of commission
ers one minister and elder from each Prcsbytery Of
the whole church.
This ia the body now convened In Rochester. There
are about two hundred and thirty commissioners pre-
sent from every part Of land except the extreme
East and South from Connecticut to California, from
Minnesota to Missouri. No can look In the faces
Of this large body Of men without being impressed
with the ability, earnestness and goodness every
where evident l
The opening sermon was by DR.. Hopkins, Of Au-
burn Theological Seminary very able performance,
scholarly and brilliant, full OF admirable thought well
put though with things in 1t to which Your cor
respondent at least Is disposed to take exceptions and
which will not add to the reputation Of the dstin-
guished Doctor for wisdom.
Tho Rev. DR.. Nelson, OF St. Louis, was elected
moderator OF the assembly Dr. Nelson has been pas
tor OF new school church In that city for some ten
years and through them all has been OF the FORE
most of those who have stood firmly and boldly out
on the side of Freedom and the Union, when slavery
and secession held their reign for time. As border
State man, true to the country in the time OF her per-
H. the honor conferred upon him in placing him in the
moderator's chair was most eminenty deserved and
| worthly bestowed.
The first few days Of every such body as this, are
spent in preliminary work, appointment of commit
tees. and preparation of business, but having been
now in session for week in the full tide and
and pushing things steadily forward.
Among the most interesting items Of business and
most important, was the reception Of the report Of
| the Joint Committee the revision Of the Old and
New School Churches Your readers have probably
all the text of this report and will not 60 over
any Of its points, except to remark that the ntcpre
tation which the New York Tribune gives to single
sentence IL curious instance Of how much may de
pend on Typographical error. The report enjoni
on the members Of the two bodies that they abstain
from recrimnation or unnecessary discussions OF thu
causes which led to the division In printing the
port the papers unfortunately left off letter { ant
II read "cause." The Tribune Immediately took til,
conclusion that ''the cause" could be only the or,
cause Slavery" and goes on to upbraid the New
School Presbyterian Church for breaking her princi
pies. Nothing could be more unjust or unfounded
The causes" alluded to in the report were the man.
and long continued differences of doctrine and polic
which first ruptured and then kept the two branche
Of the church apart an not Of course able to speal
Of the feelings sentiments Of the Old School Assem-
bly, or Church, but of this / am entirely sure tina
there Is not the remoest thought with us Of repuda
ting recalling, or forgetting, or c0nceang enc utter
ance which we have made in part time in relation
the matter OF Slavery. Our New School Church, lon
before the war, was Anti-Slavery Church, and tn
only thing that makes union with the other branc
possible, is that it has come to oar ground To suG
gest that to consummate the union Of the Presbyera
Church. it would be necessary for to go back froI
! the record which we have made on Slavery and til
Rebellion, wonld be to bring to sudden and imm
diate end even the attempts at negotiation.
While write am half listening to the address
Mr.. Hail. one Of the delegates sent to our Assemhl
by the Pree Church Of Scotland. DR.. Fairbairn tn
other delegate has just concluded his address. The
have made good and interesting speeches. but do nc
come up quite in eloquence and power to the Iris
delegations here yesterday.
The scene Of the reception Of these delegations is
striking one When they appear in form on the pla
form the whole assembly rises while the moderate
r salutes them. They then make their addresses, q
the conclusion Of which the moderator responds in
final speech. These answers call upon mans reat
power in such way that many men, able elscwher
y fail completely here Our moderator DIR. Nels'
l. comes up to the occasion in the happiest mannt
"a seizing with great aptitude and feeling, the exs
point and cord to be touched, and expressing wi
J sympathetic correctness the real feelings Of the A
II sembly.
But will stop and listen a, our Scotch friend seeI
l., approaching an end.
!. Will just add that cur moderator has made in
ply to these speeches, Of the happiest 1t has be
l. my privilege to hear He had glorious theme-T
o True Church Of Scotland-and he most handsom
is filed all it demanded. ". A