The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-04-29

the Gulf" 1t would be easy for us to quote
many pages of such testimony as this. The
sample we have given is sufficient We con
template the origin of this whole movement
with sadness and alarm. Our heart trembles
for the ark of God, which has thus been rash
ly carried into the battle. The progress of any
war, especially civil war, the sympathies ex
cited by common secular interests, the enthu
siasm of military glory, the power OF political
antagonism and attractions, all that can be IN
eluded under loyalty to human government,
and devotion to the stars and stripes, consti-
tute, in our Judgment, dark and troubled
fountain, from which to derive the motives tor
a great movement in the kingdom Of Jesus
Christ The spirit that ''drives Border State
men to the wall, and the partizan zeal which
denounces whole bodies OF Christian people,
because they hold different political opinions,
''as enemies of Christ and of union, is but
untempered mortar with which to daub the
walls of an organic union between two bodies
claiming to be constituent parties OF the
Church. Such an union will be only house
built on the sand.
The Observation-Disclosures of this whole
movement is officially aVowed in the action Of
some of the New School PreSbyteries; and
becomes more and more apparent in every new
attempt to agree upon distinct doctrinal ba-
sis of reunion. The Fourth Presbytery of Phil
adelphia, for example, declares that it is indis-
pensable to organic union that the acceptance
of the Confession of Faith be clearly and
definitely understood as allowing that diversity
of doctrina Interpretation which from the first
has obtained in the Reformed Churches -
The allowance of this diversity of doctrinal in
depreciation means nothing less than the re-
eoguition of New School theology-the very
theology which divided the Church and against
which we have been testifying these thirty
years-as equally orthodox with Old School
theology. And further than this, it means
that in the reunited Church full liberty is to
be given to men, who hold the views of Barnes,
Beman, Dufield, Taylor and Parks, to denounce
the doctrines of imputation, inability, and a
definite atOnement, as they are held 10y Old
School men, The Presbytery of TOga has
taken this position in language which differs
from the declarations Of the Fourth Presbyte-
ry of Philadelphia only in being more candid
and explicit. Every attempt to settle doc
trinal basis of reunion has been a virtual con-
ceSSion of these broad-church claims. In the
late meeting of the Joint Committee at Phia-
delpbia, these demands were formally and de-
tnitely agreed to- Notwithstanding the alleged
propriety of keeping the results of that meet
ing secret until they are laid before the Gen
eral Assemblies,-a suggestion with which the
newspapers on one side seem very willing to
eomply-the New School brethren appear to
be unable to repress their satisfaction and ex-
ultatiOn. Even the American PreSbytaiaa
the same paper which few weeks since de-
nOuneed the theological teaching of Princeton
as dark, cruel, offensive TO God and
to man, and worse than Pantheistic, is loud
and confident in the assertion that " a union
founded upon these articles and maintained in
their spirit would be likely to prove perma-
nent, happy, and promotive Of Gods glory "
The Nelo York Evangelist tells us what their
articles are; and details the process through
which the Joint Committee was led to their
adoption After dwelling with marked appro-
baton upon the frankness and 6rmneSs of the
New School members in claiming not only toll
Grafton, but full liberty and equality for New
School views, and recording also the fact that
the Old School brethren told all their doubts
and fears the Evdagelist informs us that
q this mutual franknesS disclosed such diver.
gence of views that, at one time, those who
we're most desirous of union felt very doubtful
of the result They had been in session two
days, and still could not see their way to a per-
feet agreement Their hearts were anxious and
troubled, lest all their labOrs had been in vain.
But the third day brought light"
Now what was this light, and whence did it
proceed? BY what profound philosophy were
these wide differences in their views reconciled,
these dark clouds of anxiety and doubt dis
PEELED, and this scene of dependency sudden
ly changed into a scene of JOY and hope? We
can hardly suppress our sense of the ludicrous,
as we behold this boasted light; and if our
of their character did not forbid the
suspicion, we could scarcely refrain from be-
heving that the venerable Committee concluded
to relieve and terminate their onerous labors
by a good practical Joke We are told that
" after discussion had been exhausted" a
member of the Old School Committee who had
come to the meeting in great feebleness, 5"
rose and offered yet another amendment, which
while it insists that the standards of the
Church are to be held in their integrity,
80 grants full liberty to both sides in explaining
and illustrating the doctrines of the Gospel" !"
This, we are gravely told, "cut the knot at
once. The resolution was adopted unanimous
ly. All felt there could be no longer any bar
to reunion in a Church which had thus proved
itself at once orthodox and free" Such is the
profound and comprehensive conclusion at
which a committee of professed theologians
arrived after three days earnest and anxious
discussion This is the common ground on
which two great bodies Of Christians, both pro-
Tossing TO contend earnestly for the faith once
delivered to the saints, are to abandon their
distinctive character and position, and be con-
solidated in organic union. And what does it
all amount TO? Why, if it means anything, it
means simply this, that being thoroughly con-
vinced, by an exhaustive discussion, of the
impossibiEty of reeonciling the theological diff
ferences between the Old and New School, and
yet regarding organic union as a consumma-
ton which must be attained at all hazards, the
Committee adopted the profound conclusion
that aodat cannot be cured must be endured
The two bodies must come together with the
mutual understanding that they are not here
u fter m nnarrel about such questions as their