Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-06-01
'a'sAS1 BASIS RE HsEgE&Es YT'E
BEAN RE sJNEDNs

two Presbyterian General AS
sembiies We give elsewhere the
basis OF reunion which has been
agreed upon by the two bodies.
In the debate in the Old School
Assembly upon the acceptance
of the plan, Dr., Skinner, who
opposed it, desired to be inform
ed, in the event of a vote Of the
Presbyteries in favor Of the
plan, what power the Assembly
had to continue its. legal exls-
tence or dissolve it?' If the two
Assemblies were united, and
not one merged in the other,
where were they to get a legal
title to their property? Judge
Kennedy answered DR.. Skinner
on this practical point, and,
from the result OF the vote, it
would seem to the satisfaction of
the Assembly. Dir, Laurie OPP
posed the plan, on the ground
that there was still much disa-
greement on doctrinal points.
In the New School, where the
plan Of union seems to have
been universally popular,i it was
advocated by leading speakers
as desirable for the enlargement
OF charity and Christian liber-
ality, which tolerates different
views aud feelings on religious
matters. 1t will be seen that
this plan has yet to undergo the
discussion OF the various Pres
byteries Of the two assemblies,
who are to express their ap-
prevail or disapproval before the
10th Of October next, and if APP
proved Of by three-fourths ot
each, the two Assemblies, meet
lug in Pittsbnrg in November
next. Shall so declare, and take
action for formal reunion. The
almost unanlmltyand heattiness
tvinced in the action OF the As
SeinDlIeo no" i,1 ,,enets.A mnnld
seem to warrant the belize that
the Presbyterles below will act
in the same spirit, and that the
reunion Of the two churches
viii be fully completed in No
Vember next
AS we have before observed,
this reunion is not, as some
huve supposed, areunion OF the
Northern and Southern Presby-
terrain churches, though that
subject came up for discussion
in the Old School Assembly on
a report of the committee on
bills and overtures, and was
referred to special committee
The Moderator, however stated
that amy action at the present
time might be damaging to the
peace OF the Southern Church,
;ln,l would be inoppol tune The
doctrinAl differ ences which led
10 the separation Of the Old and
New school denominations in
1888 consisted mainly III u more
or less rigid construction of the
standards OF the church, espe-
cially with reference TO the doc
trines Of election, original sin,
&C., the Old School accepting
more inhexib)y the creed OF Cal
vim, whilst the Confession Of
Faith was interpreted by the
New School in u less literally
Calviuistic sense. The basis
OF reunion now adopted requires
that the Confession OF raith
shall continue TO be sincerely
received and adopted as con-
tanning the system Of doctrine
taught i'll the Holy Scripture.
AS each School had protested
to do this in it's separate organ
ization, there would seem TO be
10 difference on that point war
ranting a permanentseparatlon.
The plan OF reunion wisely alb
stains from deciding the origi-
nal questions at issue, and each
party is left to put its own CON
struction upon the standards,
only that heuceiorth the differ
ences upon these points are not
to interfere with the unity and
harmony Of the church. The
PresbyteI ians OF the United
States are numerous and lntiu-
entail, and their reuuion is an
important ecclesiastical event,
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