The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-27

nerer sac their dear R-esbytey settled an any
one part Of England"
3 While Presbyteranism, after pure, Scrip
tural model was never organized in England, ex
cept in few instances, even these were under the
frown of Cromwell, who was an Independent, and
when he died they were subjected to forty years OF
relentless persecution, which, connected with the
demOralizing influences around, left them disposed
to accept an arrangement for Church Government
containing as decided germs of eUl as the Prayer
Book does of Romanism. 1t would be only natural
to expect that the exceedingly lax Arminionism
mot to speak of latent Sociniansm,) which had
prevailed in the Established Church for half cen
fury would infect and injure the Presbyterian
Church also. 1t was never in its earlier history
in condition to ''give tull proof of its ministry.
1t fell off into INDEPENDENCE and if the Southern
Chlrrchman wishes to prove that hdependency
has in it seeds of evil-that its form of govern
ment exposes it to the inroads OF heresy from
without, aud to mischief from within, both in Eng
land and America, we shall not dispute it. But
that does not affect the question about the Prayer
Book breeding Popery. And, by the way II the
Southern Churchman will look into recent ad-
dress delivered by the Arch Bishop of Canterbury,
he will find an alarming picture drawn by that
high dignitary, as to the fearful amount OF inh
deity now prevailing in England-the very coun-
try where Episcopacy has had such full oppor
tunity to leaven the mass Of the people with evan
gelica religion We do not hear such an account
of Seotand-the home of Presbyterianism.
The evidence on the points we have made in re
ply to this part of the article in the Chorchman
might be ampl6ed aud sustained from many
sources. Let what has been said suffice, for the
present at least "SSaYSssbatss 1E2alassas $500
inspired our brother &c ss1 j y "
bic animation. He sweeps accordingly through
wide circuit of observation, and to come to close
quarters, next alghts upon the Presbyterian
Churches in this country His lively paragraph
we quote entire:
"But let our neighbor look at his own church
instead Of looking at us. Thirty years ago his
| church in this country was divided into old and
new school; and how many other schools since We
know not But as he told us some time ago, there
were in Boston six Presbyterian churches divided
/ into Reformed, United Presbyterian, and Old
|
there is no telling how many kinds there are else
where But the Old School, let US look at it; Old
School Presbyterians being the judges. One old
school Presbyterian paper tells us, that the North
ern old school, has 'apOsatzed' A writer in the
South Western Presbyterian few weeks ago,
charged the Northern old school with detection
from the truth as respects the functions and office
of the church. The Presbyterian Aader only with
In the last week or two, has an article aimed at the
same old school; entitled Are we PapistSY and
af6rms it has acted on the old popsh principles.
| Nay, The Central Presbyterian in its issue OF
Sept s, speaks of the same old School, and Its
fragrant transgreSsions and detection,
After ejecting our friend from standing place
in Germany and England, it may seem ungener
Gus to refuse him foothold in his last resort
But it should be remembered that the Presbyte-
rian Church is our own camp, and while there may
be many things about her internal regulations we
stoutly quarrel WITH let outsiders understand that
we keep her for our own abusing But, pleasantly
aside, we submit the following answer:
i. That whatever points may lie between any of
the various Presbyterian Churches in this country.
| they are in importance as the small dust of the
balance compared with the tremendous questions
now shaking nightly the Church of England and
the Episcopal Church in the United States. Be
tween the Seceders and others is the question OF
Psalmody and Close Communion. Between the
| Old and New School have been certain matters of
more or less Importance about the best mode of
administering their church government. Besides
this, while adopting the Confession Of Faith,
they differ in their understanding of some of its
doctrines. We would not extenuate these differ
| IL, 81
ed in the Westminster standards in a form so
thoroughly logically connected that to dislocate or
even disturb one of them is as injurious to the
harmony and strength of the whole, as a similar
operation would be among the stones of an arch.
1t is right it is solemn duty, that those who thus
believe should have controversy when they ap-
prehend that men, either from mischief or mis-
take are trying to put in prize or pick to wrench
out any part of this grand old arch or deface one
of its beautiful stones.
Between the Northern and Southern Presbyte-
rian Churches also are questions, the importance
of which we have no wish to deny or conceal As
between us and the Old School, they relate to mat
tiers of Church power ). between us and the New
School, they concern not only that but doctrines
also Our controversy is not that this Church
adopts Confession avowing certain errors, or that
its ministry generally hold them, but that it has
tolerated them at all az any,
Between the Cumberland Presbyterians and
other large bodies of the Presbyterian name, the
question is solely one of doctrine-that Church
having modified the Old Confession on some points
affecting the consistency of its Calvinism.
Now, with this statement we say deliberately,
first that every doctrina error held by the most
erroneous of these bodies is quite as fully held in
the Episcopal Church; and second that in add
ton to this it tolerates in its bosom heresies rife
and rampant, compared with which the errors ex
listing any where among US Presbyterians are but
as a whisper to thunder The truth of this is so
well known that it will hardly be questioned If
it should be- the proof is so ample-much of it
from the pages of the Southern Chmchman and
other Episcopal sources-that it can be easily sub
stantiated
Our friend is occupied in the last part of his ar
tce in telling his readers that he does not see how
he can better his condition by leaving his Church
As it was no part of our purpose to proseyte either
him or them, these remarks do not concern u.s.
We have now patiently, and it is hoped fully re-
moved the extraneous matter gathered around the
door of this subject. We might have passed
around it, for everything presented by the South,
en Churcbman is only at most an argunentum ad
hominem. 1t might all be admitted, and yet the
main question stand unaffected. To that question
it is our purpose to devote the next article, but as
our time and columns must for some time be oc-
eupied with the business of the Synod of Virginia