The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-12-01

accepted Dy the General Assembly Vn .Hao OSi'i''
The Professors were elected on that basis, and on
that basis thew accented. further submit, there
fore, that the Church and the Professors, so long
as they retain their positions and draw from that
endowment fund. are in all moral honesty bound
to abide by that postion-the former keeping the
ProfeSsorships filed by men In harmony with the
Seminary as originally founded. L have always
believed that the Old School Church, as represent
ed by the deliveranceS of the Assembly, and the
other Summaries held the true Conservative scrip
tural ground on this questlon-that the doctrine
that slave-holding is dhoayS SINFUL without TegarH
to circumstances is unscriptural, and Is, IKE all
error. nernicous in its influence. Like Shylock OF
old, you harp on 1.-THE bond the bond But the
soritten conditions of that bond were not the oaY
terms of the gift There were understood ana ent-
piled pledges that as the Seminary was the out
growth so it should continue to be the erponeat OF
sound Scriptural and Conservative views IheSe
pledges have been openly and grossly violated. NO
one knows this better than yourself 1t Is 1or ne
not you, therefore, to talk Of broken pledges -
violated pEghted faith, etc.
After looking at this, it only remains for the con-
siderate reader to recur to the extract we have
given from the unanimous action OF the late Cen
eral Assembly at Pittsburg. "Since 1882 a
chance has come ouer the Church. Yes indeed
And they say it was about the improperly OF
agtating the slavery question in the udicatOrleS OF
the Church" But, surely that word "tmpropr'e'
ty' is very modest one The Assembly Of lS45
said, ''we have no authority to legislate on the
this subject"
But this Assembly of November, 1869, declares
that this change "lohich has come OUer the Church
THAT is their Church. on the subject of slavery is
"a great and ,oondgfm change" We think SC
too. And then again they say it is hardly less In
| Church than in State No doubt oft; and had
they said that it was caused in the Church, because
it polluted its hands by meddling with what be-
onged to the State pretty much the whole truth
would have been avowed, and tolerably clean
breast have been made in this remarkable comics
sion, in which it is admitted their ''opnions" on
the subject of slavery had been entirely ''rerOtt
tioaized." No wonder, then, they should say
1--WE cannot shut our eyes to the fact that the at
ttude of the Church nOp as not 'ohat At toGS a
1882 on the subject referred to-
Under such remarkable admission as this, We
think the Christian Church at large, and the WORLD
Also will conclude that Mr. Mccormick showed
large magnanimity not to claim the immediate re-
funding of the $4,000, which this Assembly &C
knowledge they have perverted from Its covenant
purpose. But as he generously consents to lei
them have what though not il-gotten, has been Il
used, we have nothing more to say on that point
What we desire should be specially noticed l;
the confession which this General Assembly nov
makes openly and fully, viz: that their Church has
! oomnletelv abandoned the former ground on which
the old Presbyterian Church stood. This is, nc
doubt, a candid declaration. They took grea
pains to tell the world for years different story
and to say that it was the Southern Presbyterian
Chur oh which had taken new ground.
There can be no doubt that in all its length anc
breadth this recent declaration and testimony
of the Old School will help greatly to reconcile thu
| New School to them in the recent marriage cere
mony which DR.. Jacobus performed between thu
parties. If they had any doubts before that TIT
Old School had become as thoroughly changec
men as they themselves have long professed to be
they should dismiss those misgivings now, since
their new allies have soemnly declared themselve
to be even ''revolutioaized, -
This confession made by the Old School Presby
terian Church, that it has become so thoroughly
changed, is indeed remarkable one. No one out
side of it would for years, have disputed the fact
1t is no doubt candid, conscientious declaration
little late some may say, but 'better late THAI
Rerer. 1t seems, too, to be dying confession
uttered just as the party making it was about tt
go hence and be no more"