, 1869-12-13

E. That In order 70 make uaNy ~ tAtn t,sh ~ NSa
embrace the points which a!o 9eessesr5 70 s, oom,
pleic tne tyatem OF CartstiAn DOCTRINE: most
enbase tne p9ls, q e14a Gaa'ea RaIiuinS R1n nsa
= That such extended unity IN faith can only
QUE Enirt catieinK believers 70 nce eye TO oye in
the Interpretation Of t1nth. g1FlrG mem Mlaaom
10 d,tce11 how 1az they may SoacsoG - r. a.. mn.
ter q opinion, giving efsoe ALSO 10 anAe LUG ''n'
We pIopose now 10 examine the bearing Of
qpon Ins eoD'9anSa q inS tTe T."
tut recently become an accomplished fact.
We reed not 70 back to The hsstol5 OF tho sepl.
he causrs which led 10 Inc ds1op,ioa tas1s5 ycArs
sEo. There things were psppe1 subjects o. dis-
soo1se Gartng INC p1oSsesa Es ss 'ne noaanna - ss
per7od 10 asce1tatu where the responsibility Of
uyiscn laJ ID oldez thai nc might bt an1e 10 pas
nP99 ne p,ea 1 tsa snae q oad
oI corrtsnip Is c1csed. The PARTIES hare taken !
inch her iof bet,er or worse, and the only que4-
ae caR e. ths noM we Rs
prospects Of tho reunion: Is it. Of character
such as we car, IN all good contc!ence, appnEo |
ING which an enlightened oIsc!ence would fofold9
DO It's terms contain auy provision 70 Hhtch NO
sanIot aEiee Il T. nRs s e 1not f We i1,aFc wec
course: ano, II re ehoald happay DC ahls 70 glTo
| a negative aIswer to al these proposltfons, We
UQS0l 10 KNOW lQG IEASt4 tAAA IiIAVHs AAN w
gather iii The encouragement possible from the
| pFctrtct before US
ne d1ne1enee between the TWO bodies n theaf
rurtatt p1,nctnle Know thai tits IL au assertion
which has met With no little ndicue. and tue IN
srsstou has prera1ed very generally that no such
ai;e1e:ce existed, or al least, thatlt Has not ot
sbil]cebI importance 10 deserve serious attention
| Nu! il was difference well known to ali who had
ton Aeduced 10 It's btieless compass, It Was about
| this:
! kruWp to the Church, which one OF these bodies
condehsed statements OF Scripture truth en-
| tnal body hss always maintained thst such Views
0l doctrtue surrded proper gr.und Of dlsclpllno
| aka!bst the Minister nno should preach OF pub.
cr;ed r1oa ne tr:nerlt hut the teachings alluded
| 10 are NJ. Inconsistent with the confession, aud
consequently are not proper subjects Of Church
Nov, It IL not our purpose 10 stop hero md dis
euss the ngbt q the wrong Of tneae positions
hrurc. Nor 90 We care 10 luqulre hoT far thesa
tai churches we're constituted On this principle.
1t Is probable that tho stllctet body embraced
It's ~ d,scip1re far crror. out did not i IL p1o6.
Ale, Toe, that vety few IN the other body asa.led
,he1ee!Tes of The liberty That was a.lo red Itis
10 dccsriEe Order, ard HGrthip, pcrraded BY fat
the greater part Of both churches Ye. here was
af csm5,cai,op Which Seemed 10 stap1 as taS.
| lttr III the way Of hafmoLlous union.
Ytt IN The face Of this difficulty, negotiations
a. o.er,uIc % from I ,ne % Getess M Assembly @ Of AL
Church WITH which ne have hitherto heen con.
tec,cd, pressing its "eanest desire for reaoion
doctrine, order and Foliy on thc basis " our com-
Hd1ncr and lore"
ire ccmmistee appointed under this resolution
prepared series Of agreements, called terns OF
ieuL!oP, which the nezt General Assemblies
lecetsec, aud sent GOWN to tho pres
tsspt ct dicerenee tstWeen The TWO Bodies, which
have aircady itdIcAtec, is pla'Lly ris:o:e. ItA
tcrte III which The confession Of Iaih Is TO b. re-
| tei.ed ard adorted. The oastE IVES rejected by
'be p1estyteriee Of our own Church, cn'Eny on the
rrnuEd that tn1a erplaDlttDn Eas brad A-d fn-
redIise, and practically conceded tue rers pIin:-
PIE Tor which we had alWaSb commended.
Another eeEenhly sent down the sane article
tJ s1iLl Larger uaJortS, and for similar reaso1
lnltd assembly @ at & he s3ggestlon Of &c conf
Whit cspa1at:on @ of tntelp1staou, m aad 10 iH Ill
wa. adopted By IA almost unanimous vote.
Thus me history na! made II clear that any
Of the distinctive Principle at Issue
;. sst5sen the two bodies, mast hare gaaed.
Tss aDe q Ta 5s ,5sedef ,epse 1 ,s S' ne
;erits Q; one hrsncn. And It IL lair to pre4u ne
at t1s eTrs,s surrender o o1 me
tiulel tue o H. ossr ase
i:ut totn' parties have resolved to do
what they thought sa1eat MD best, viz: To
ake The c0ufese!on as It ftands, and. Witt 1utual
| co6Ildcrce II TIC toubo orthodoxy nad Chsl3tan
| rh1EitJ Of the great body hf its members, tney
WI .upEis Tie question Of intespretal'an 70 the
| u'ited Church. The1c are many, en- b ia sides OF
The uts:d'ng line, VINO all along nave felt That this
nessfoclrg Of the settlement at the real question:
at ifFuc Eas frau2nt with dagger, and ought, II
: pof.Ale, to be avoided. Not L few taud luclude
n.,se1f N The number, haze heen persuaded thSt
; s.ele should D., poss!o!e, delute adjustment
! {1f. f1f fnrf1 IrnS q
there ought tn he. u cles1 understanding
. t. wh.eh 3. :hsss aSAssson,,tse tasas 5
brethren IN rGth branches Of The Cn1rch hare
telt that lat' question n.1eh. be safely conuit:el
.iuce y rus! arG % piay .et let ine neG nv appro1e
lte niFoom or thelr courec- i the ol'Iences
sbosc rentloled ahouId never Hse up. 10 disturb
should never become the ra1ls Ing err Of parties,
each cnnteud1rg tcr ihe mastery, no one wul re-
sfs 'ssp IN; ofs m pas 's ta an
.e1,sn Chur>n. aying one body acd one Spirit,
f. sas fcep c e. uay Has Il se sp E
hold OF peace. We stand to.dlv where on,
,a.aes. tteod, our pleuor1n being The t1ne,hoa
nftd symbols Cf our faith Our brethren, Witt
al1scst eEtire ucarlUitF, have placed fhetz
a cne rIth us on The basis indlcs,ed ID oar drsi
: II. have te.t.ned they cor1dence BY saahloa
lrR all guarantees, such AZ were first Proposed
J.. aId Fldndiug together With us, agree thxE thl
e hs oa 3! eeosa a1a o me
: Csn We do ether.lse than extend 70 theu IN
y sane generous con1uerce: While relsnqutth
lIirctr1e, we have ever stne It IL surely o.
tfuty 10 )e1Vr our fears in the hacd. of Col an1
4 nve sur hearts and hands cordially to The work .
y Aud. bfe!brep, beloved IN :nc Lord, the csu:c'
= o. Christ has = greGt work 10 do in this land
! S.ytr, in ali the To1ldh history ~as there NOR
y I utctit call 10 UnttfJrp
Il Le ia'ihfu;tess, aad supreme devotcuness on Ii
ns11 u :he xoepel mn s,ry tnan now. Never @a
- ot the lalthfnl preaching Of that very s5stcn
= ruth to whose na.uteuance aud promal.aflon III
ssn, yh, !e1i1n Gaa1sh Stands psags
y and t1azen IN It's imp1ous demsnls; whcu
GLrttltss Christianity, Tl:n liz utlstIar.su Gospe
. l.s'csihls rohopg the Ghurrn Of ts falt1 no
- marriage cogenauf, Gods ekrlicst ordinances :
~ nar, a1e tcipR tranpied beneath the feet Of
3 'ten to DO evll; when Mauiuon ctects her glide
thrtues Ni1hln tie scry precincts Of the Church
= that Gods vssengsrs should cry aloud aad spar
3 lie House oi Jsrob sdeir sns. Taere Is need IL :
me yepei.lon Of the apostolic message which ttz
T. .ercd OF .ehteousntss, temperance, AID judf
sinners .horia be tod Of tie power Of an oaende
GOd, and the pera'ty OF broken Ia 8, anu OF III
~ fLeEcJ Of q to1gtsilg Fathe. that comes tnrouG
-. -. crutlned Redeemer. The world II terribly
nsey rosse 20 r. Il s ~ ear mat nav
Is cone, therefore, with the idea Of preaching mere
~ ! " 10 l}e7se. We nnss furnish Cur.elye. are
II from the arrnosy OF truth. which our Churr
- | Ipfseasee, WITH those HutrtnX ooctrlnts Wuc
=. ~ | uiUic than once htVe shaken whole comMunltie
- and sufns1 The world upside down.
~ AGd We Dte1 spirit .! gfea'cr coosecraEo
- sh1t tuESout the cut're CcutSh, 9,mopg mlu:stel
n ano cn1ce1s aud people. II We nave gained IN
~ conception OF The raetneRs o. the wosk the II /
~ ;cl tn> g:.eu do. let Es Try and lay lo.d
IN | Twin to1 ching oI genuine enthusiasm, fsn1e1
"a htrlES That we hsre an organlZ4.s0a that ID wf
~, ! tdap1td 10 the fullest dere1npmen. Of OF
-; ~ ttc5g.es. We believe the Pretbrteran syssel
~ - | tote machine invented for Chrtanan work /
~ IN. .psth..ou. RutEeveral OF lA wnce!s hay
- become ciogced and rusty from disu.e, We mn
\. rrJ ans develop PROPER degree o. activity Amot
n sN iss Offices. on tue silent 1nn the c1tAky whee
~ | noEe TO see the Presbyterian Church occupy
y. w. l1sacced position 10 the great WorE Which Il
~ Lord has committed to his people, Of au5dulnR II
a 10 World to Christ.
- - And when the work Is accomplished, aud Il
~ cunahruus ecclesiastical machinery ts dtkcssdea
~ ~ no lorger OF my worth; when that which IL pc
=. itct Il come hnd thas which Is In pa1t hss bs,
~ shipping aseetnbly With a believers OF evert NAM
~ xhere, with rput.uai eight undnn med and unps
~ ~ Iectnns all removed, we need neyer fesr disco
- - snd separation more. For, thtrf, Is "One bn
to and ene Spirit; one Lord, one faith, one baptias
~ one God and Father Of ALL who u aboye I'll, q
y. through all, and IN AL"
RICHARD THOMPSON.
ID -. -
lb. It viii be OF touching interest to the many feI
OF | OF this ypnnR man. whose bodv Was earned ko