The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-10-07
Another National Convention.

George ii. Stuart who still continues TO De
Chairman of the Christian Commission,
and Howard Crosby, Chairman Of the Exec
utive Committee, Alfred G. Roe, Eastern
Secretary, and IF. G. Ensign, Western Sc
cretary," have issused Call for National
Christian Convention, to meet in New York,
November 18th.
The circular has appended to it about ninety
names, about one-third being laymen. We
recognise most of these names as those fgur-
ing in calls for Conventions during past years,
among which are Dr. E. n Kirk of Boston,
Bishop James, (Methodist) of New York; DIR.
Tying, Hon. William E. Dodge, Jay Cooke,
Bishop McIlwaine, and Major General .. ..
Howard, of the Freedman Bureau.
The objects of this grand convocation are
fully set forth, and a list of Topics for Dis
cussion," seventeen in all, is given; such as
How can the Christian activities of the en-
tire membership of any particular church be
best organized?' 1.-The right relation be-
tween the churches and Voluntary Christian
Associations. " "Woman's Work in the
Church" ''Who should engage in lay preach
ing and how?
Those to whom the circular is sent are re
ouested, in case it meets with their approval
to sign and return it. Let those who wan
such conventions, or who think them the pro
per bodies to devise schemes of evangelization
or to settle questions of order for the church
es, attend them to their hearts content. W.
are old fashioned enough to believe that the
Church itself was divinely organized to deter
mine such questions and manage such mat
ters under the authority and according to the
revealed will of Christ its supreme Head We
by no means undertake to say that all Vclun
tary Associations THAT is, outside of the Chris
tan Church, are improper, or that all duties
Of individual Christians must be under imme-
date ecclesiastical control. But we do mean
that such questions as those above mentioned
are for the Church to regulate, and not fol
| George III. Stuart, Chairman Of the Chris
tian Commission, or for Gen. 0. o. Howard
of the Freedman's Bureau, or for Jay Cooke,
Esq, however expert in selling United States
bonds, and thereby lining his own pockets
or for Hon. William E. Dodge, whatever his
fame as Congressman from New York. MOI
are we prepared to accept decision from the
conglomerated counselS of E. n. Kirk, d. d.
and G. B. Boynton, Congregationalists; Bish-
op James and DR.. Durbin, Methodists; Bishop
McIlwaine and DR.. Tying, Episcopalians Drs.
George Boardman and Howard Crosby, Bap-
fists Drs. Byron Sunderland and G. w. Hea-
cock, New School Presbyterians, and George
P. Hays of the Old School, nor from hun
dred or a thousand such men, nor from any
set of men either less radical, or, if possible,
more radical We do not recognize any such
Conventions as being the organized Church OF
Christ, or any branch of it. Such bodies,
well managed, may have had their use in do
ing good in times past and may have in the
future. But, if we mistake not, their tenden-
cies have been more and more to usurp au-
thority never entrusted TO their hands, and we
are every year less disposed to have any thing
to do with them. We believe the conservative
part of all evangelical denominations grows
continually more distrustful Of them, and that
their developments in the future will strength
en- this feeling. In so far as any combined ac
ton of the various branches of the Christian
Church might be useful, let Convention, OF
Council, or Conference, 1.-THE name is not ma.
terial, be called and composed Of delegates
regularly appointed. We should then under
stand who they are, what their responsibility,
and the value of their deliberations. AS mat.
tiers now are, we believe the true policy of our
part of the Church is, in the general, to keep
away from them.