The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-06-09

brethren who occupy the watch. towers
give you welcome.
In view of this subject of Sustentatlon,
welcome this Assembly to the edge OF I'll
Mississippi valley. Look, l pray you, ov'
this vast territory, which we are lookln
over. And when you see our need, IL
not merely a work of Sustentatlon that
before you, but great mission. The wor
is noticeable because it has grown up OF
self. Macaulay says that the beauty OF tn
English constitution is that it has grown u
full of anomalies and full of contradictions
But because it is growth of history 1t
dear to that people. Your scheme is a
outgrowth of experience. Principles ar
given from heaven, but in their outworklni
we are guided by the hand of Providence.
Our Secretary has alluded to the orlgl
of this, as it commenced three years ago
Macon. Here it is strengthening itself, be
coming more compact and growing dearer t.
us all.
1t is dear to me because it is working ou
the great principle of the unity of the Church
OF what value is any doctrine if it stand a
cold statue of niche? But as light.
touch the subject l make this illustration
AS 1 walk through the city l see sometime
sign artistically arranged in little points
and by carefully examining it l can make
out name, but how much more impressive
is the sign when lighted up at night in letters
of fire. Let the Church take this doctrine
and make it the mould of her Christian ex
perience. Paul speaks in Romans, of 'tha
type of doctrine" What we have to dois tt
take cold and abstract doctrine, give it
place in the affections of the people, and lei
it work out its legitimate result. 1t ther
becomes. power, making Gods reople con
secrate themselves to his service.
But ours is especially witnessing Church,
showing itself all the more bright and clear
because it stands alone in its testimony tor
great doctrines of the Bible. We do not
desire so to merge our separate churches in
to the one main Church as to destroy their
individuality. On the contrary, we say to
them, "Do your utmost in Christian man.
hood, however feeble, however apparently
unable to act. Put your own shoulder to
the wheel; then, and not till then, we will
bring in the supplementary aid. And one
of the great practical benefits is that this
scheme is more and more developing the
Christian manhood of the Church, and bring
ing it up to a sense of its responsibility as a
Church. Is it not help to church to
know that it is borne on the sympathy, and
aided by the help of the Church at large?
Let a church know that it will not be aban-
doned. Say to the church in Texas, looking
out over Mexico, and feeling its isolation,
cut off from the rest of the world, with a
new population gathering around them,
which they must mould: $50 to work, do
your best, and we will support you with
our money, and with our sympathies, and
the prayers of the Church at large"
The great defect of our Church govern
ment is the want of circulation. Our attach
ment to the pastorate, as the best means of
preaching, locks up in one pulpit the power
which other Churches scatter over large
space. But if, through these courts, which
are the true bishops Of the church, we can
dihfuse the power of the church, it is better
than to send individual men forth to travel
up and down among the churches. If
we can bring the whole power of the collec.
tive Church to bear on each portion of the
Church, it will do good, both to those who
give, and to those who receive 1t is time
we walked the people up to the fact that they
who serve at the altar must live of the altar,
and men who are suffering for want of sup
port are the very ones who can't speak
ty. But what the individual cannot do, this
They can t divest themselves of their sensibili-
Assembly can do. And, though separate
deliverances may be disregarded, yet, in the
end, it will accomplish the result. We can
now say to the young men, who are thinking
of the life of minister: "We don't prom.
ise you wealth, but a competency"
l must repeat thought of las. night
What does it mean in the wonderful Provi-
dence of God that we should be shut up in
these geographical limits, compelled to throw
ourselves on Gods promise and Gods peo-
pie. 1t means that they must learn to come
up to the responsibility which belongs to
them. That is what We have to do, espe-
cially as the generous assistance of Ken
lucky and Maryland can no longer be de-
pended on, if for no other reason, because
of our own self-respect. What does it
mean, that this Church the world thoug hit to be
but comics on the top Of the Alps, the weak
est of all creatures-what does it mean, that
this Church stands ready to say to all her
laboring ministry "you shall be supported
while you give yourselves to preaching
Sir, I believe that there is not on the face
of the whole globe Church as pure as that
represented in this Assembly, no church
which has so shaken herself clear of depen-
dence on the State, and stands pure from
all such defects. respect the Scotch
Church as source of Presbyterianism,
whence have flowed streams to water this
land of ours. But the daughter has far
outstripped the mother. Even the Scotch
Church when its five hundred ministers for
sook their manses and their church-pro-
perty, could not forget the idea that a
church must be endowed DR.. Chalmers said
& from the pinches of snuffrom the Highland
ers, will build manses and churches all over
Scotland" But we work on another plan
the plan of more direct dependence on God.
From year to year as the wants of our church
arise, we supply them by the help of God,
by voluntary contributions.
Sir-there is not Church on the face Of
the earth as united as this Church. You
cannot get up any protracted debate on abb
stract principles.
l well remember being at Memphis three
years ago. l saw the committee, day after
day, read principle after principle, as they
labored, patiently on the Book of Church
Order. 1t seemed as if the temple went up
in masses of solid masonry, without the