The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-03-25
COMMITTEES ON REUNION.

These Committees of the Old and New
School Presbyterians met in Philadelphia on
the llth instant, and adjourned on the l4th.
The following note, which appears in the
Philadelphia Presbyterian, contains all the IN
formation publicly known as to the results:
The Joint Committee If the two General
Assemblies adjourned ON Saturday afternoon,
having arrived at a unanimous approval of an
amended Basis of Union. This we earnestly
aud confidently hope will also be approved by
the churches Ii it were decorou, aud re
speettul, We should have no objection to its
being at once promulgated; but this would
not be proper tor Us to do. Difference TO our
Assembly requires that therepOrt be FIRST made
to 1t; and Oniy 10 this way do We desire that
1t should 60 abroad. We trust that the peo-
pie of our Church viii patiently wait for the
meeting and action Of the Assembly.
SEVERAL MEMBERS
OF TUE Committee.
The Presbyterian seems much gratifed at
the prospects as far as il understands them
Ii remarks in an article of some length:
Touching the result Of their meetings, the
Basis of Union agreed upon, which Is TO be
submitted 10 the Assemblies, we can say with
out violating anyeOn6denee, that il is regarded
by members of both Committees as an advance
toward the union of the Churches. settling
some questions iii hoped, entirely, and bring
ing others into a more favorable position than
they have hitherto occupied
Rev. Dr.. Monfort, member Of the Com
mittee, (Old School writes to the RreSbyter,
of which be is editor
The meeting Of the Joint Committee was
h.,-5 - II
School being absent, VIZ Rev Dr. Howard.
Of Pittsburg, and judge Strong, Of S. Louis,
and only one of the New School, VIZ Rev
DR.. Hitchcock, OF Hudson, Ohio. It has been
a week of intense labor and anxiety There
were many and difficult questions to be solved,
requiring thorough canvass, of which the
most important were the D0ctriual Basis the
Publication Agencies the Mixed Churches and
Theological Summaries. Often 10 seemed a.
If one OF the other of these questions could
not be satisfactorily settled but IN the end
every difficulty vanished. | have 20 fear OF
the result. Every member Of the Joint Com
mittee viii labor 20 secure the adoption of the
basis.
The New York Evangelist New School,
speaks in terms OF high qualification at the re-
suit. 1t refers TO the exceedingly explicit
afNm4l Ae4S VI NVtu 1luSc VI QAAACuAblco ANl
70 be 10 the way Of union, especially to the
candid declarations made by DR.. Patterson Of
Chicago, New SCHOOL, He said. If there
we're to be guarantees for orthodoxy on one
side, there should be guarantees for liberty on
the other He was not willing to surren-
der particle Of that liberty in Christ in which
our churches had enjoyed such blessing from
on high "Other brethren were equally ex
plicir. If the union was TO take place, it was
not 10 be one in which New School men were
merely 10 be tolerated, but one in which both
parties we're TO be equals IL erery respect II
then goes on TO say:
These declarations had their effect. It is
due 20 truth % say, that this mutual frank
ness disclosed such divergence of views, that
az one time those who were most DESTROYS of
union ielt very doubtful Of the result. They
had been in session two days, and still they
could not see their way TO perfect agreement.
Their hearts We're anxious and troubled, lestall
their lsbOrs had been IN vain.