The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-05-16
L. Professionalism Failure s-Thc Coming
Presbyterian General Assemblies.

Presbyterian General Assemblies.
is the one best calculated to probe the cancers
of our modern Churches. Now that the great
disturbing element of slavery is removed from
among us, it acquires freer scope and more
pertinent influence. II the only natural and
logical result of Professionalism is the indefinite
multiplication Of sects, the practical world,
which looks only to results, will be very apt to
answer the probing question in the affirmative.
The conviction of this fact has been for some
time exercising an influence on the divided
Churches of the country, and is at this moment
exhibiting healing power over the divisions
in one Of the most numerous denominations in
the land. The Presbyterlans have always ex-
hibited powerful talent for dividing, and &C
cordingly they have produced more Professionals
within the pale of their Church than any other
denomination. This may speak well for their
honesty in conviction, but says very little for
their charity.
The present extent of their gift in
the latter virtue is about to be put to practi-
cal proof On Thursday next the Old School
and the New School Presbyterians of the North
meet in separate General Assemblies in this
city, while their brethren of the Southern
States meet on the same day and with the same
division in Mobile. 1t is calculated that there
will be in New York, in attendance on the two
Assemblies on that day, three hundred preach
ers, six hundred lay delegates and from two to
three hundred members Of the religious lobby.
We have not the necessary data to give the
numbers that will be gathered at Mobile, but
the four General Assemblies will represent
something over four thousand churches, with
nearly four hundred and fifty thousand commu-
nicants, and about an equal number of Sunday
school children. These churches are scattered
over every bill and through every valley Of the
American Union, with others established by
their missions in Brazil. China and India The
amount Of annual spoils represented is some
thing over seven millions of dollars, with pros
poets Of increase for it is well known that
! wherever the devil is supposed to be the
Presbyterian aim to have some Of the elect
to oppose Lii.
Their want Of charity towards each other in
their differences regarding doctrine. and
towards the outside barbarians in general, has
proved detrimental to the progress of the
Presbyterian Church, and enabled other de-
nominations-as the Methodists and the Bap-
tsts-greatly TO surpass them in gathering
sheep into the fold. Its dividing results were
largely exhibited Ia 1888, since which time the
Old School and the New School have ham
mered at each other increasingly. With the
same confession Of faith, the same constitution
and the same directory for public worship,
they divided into two parties-one favoring a
more rigid and the other less rigid construc-
ton Of the standards of the Church. Sundry
attempts have been made in recent years TO
bring them together again, but without other
result than TO keep up the discussion. The
signs are not favorable to success during the
present sessions, for the business portion OF
the question has not yet been sufficiently ar
ranged. There is large number OF place
holders who conduct the benevolent operations
of the Church, and each school is averse to
giving up the control of it's share Of the spoils
When the two great bodies Of the Presby-
terans shall have united their forces-as we
have no doubt they will at some future day
We shall expect TO see soon after genera