The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-17

ance to be done. The machinery for publica-
ton, for missionary and educational enterprises,
and for the building up of feeble churches, was
all to be organized. The only college under the
care of the Church was the one at Princeton,
and there was nota single theological seminary for
the education of her ministers. Within a gene
ration, however, the seminary at Princeton was
established, and preparations tor another in
Virginia were under way. Missionary tract,
and Bible societies were formed, numerous pro-
minent clergymen of the East forsook their old
fields oflabor for the more inviting ones of Central
and Western New York-then little less than
widerness-and gradually the whole energy of
the Church was enlisted in the cause of evan
gelzation. tr rrn
Wholesale Accessions and Elements Of Discord
were also made to the Church meanwhile. Men
like Jonathan Edwards and DIR. Eliphalet Mott,
the former then President of Union College, the
latter soon TO succeed him as such, appreciated
the desirability of harmonizing with the Pres
byterIan organization the large Congregational
element which, about the opening of the pre-
sent century emgrated from New England in
search of wider and more promising
field of labor. By their infu-
ence what was known as "Plsn of Union" was
recommended, by which Congregatienalsts
might retain for their churches their peculiar
organization, and still be represented in the
councils of the Church. The plan was accepted
by the General Assembly and by the General
ASSOCIATION of the State of Connecticut, and
went into operation in the year 1901. There
was no warrant for it in the constitution of the
Presbyterian Church; but it was devised to meet
pressing emergency and for time appeared
to work well, the newly-organized churches
swelling the list on the roll of the Assembly,
and the necessities of evangeization, which
fully taxed the efforts of both Presbyterians and
Congregationalists, repressing sectarian jes-
louses. But, despite the influence of such
prominent Congregational divines with Prcsby-
terian predictions as Azel Backus, the first
President of Hamilton College, DIR. Strong, of
Hartford, and President Dwight, of Yale College,
the rising ministers belonging to the new ele-
ment were not without their New England
pecuiarities and controversies soon arose from
the jealousy with which they were regarded.
These had scarcely time to subside, before
another element was introduced by the Access
sion, in 1sss of the Associate Reformed Pres
byterians, who, as body, were more strict and
rigid in their Presbyterianism than that to which
they were united. Among their leaders were
some who afterwards distinguished themselves
for "Old School, zeal notably DR.. Junkin, the
relentless prosecutor of Albert Barnes.
Premonitions of a Schism.
The occasion for an open manifestation of the
antagonism of the different elements of the
Church was soon presented. The New England
churches systematically threw all their energies
into the channel of voluntary benevolent socie-
ties. They organized Education, Home Mis-
sionary Foreign Missionary, and Tract Socie-
ties they poured their charities and energies
into the bounds of the Presbyterian Church,
without regard to the organizations that they
contributed to establish, and anxious only to
retain the faith of the stern old New England
fathers. 1t was inevitable that these operations
should sometimes interfere with the plans of the
General Assembly, and draw under the control
of many voluntary associations the means which
the Presbyterian Church might claim as her
own and properly subject to her own disposal.
The popularity of these societies, which owned
no accountability, and showed little respect to
the General Assembly, was we'll sustained by
reports which manifested their remarkable sue
cess and their extended usefulness. Their policy
was shaped by managers who, in some instances,
were not connected with the Presbyterian
Church, or had little sympathy with its forms,
and had preferences for theology which was
perhaps as much of an Improvement" upon
that of the younger Edwards as that of the
younger Edwards was upon that of his prede-
cessors.
The Volunteer Societies Monopolixe the Re-
=" sources and Labors Of the Church.
By these volunteer and irresponsible societies
the true work of the Presbyterian Church was
assumed and almost monopolized. They edu-
Gated its ministers, established its churches, and
even, through the agency of volunteer councils
ready to follow their behests, ordained to the
ministry the men who were sent fsrth to labor
within the bounds of the Church, to sit in its
synods, and vote in its General Assemblies.
Weak at first and dependent wholly upon chari-
table donations for their support they rapidly
increased, till it seemed to some that the only
business of the General Assembly was to register
and heed their DEGREES. Hundreds of mission
aries and students drew their support from their
funds and when the choice was to
be made between allegiance to them
or to the General Assembly, none could
doubt the result. The managers of the
societies naturally were disposed to
magnify their own organizations. They were
not favorably disposed towards ecclesiastical
methods of evangelization. Hundreds of Pres
byterian ministers sympathized with them, and
| in repeated instances the missionaries of the
American Home Missionary Society held the
balance of power in the Assembly. Intent
rather on building up churches than on
| giving them any ecclesiastical oragniza-
tion, they regarded as selfish and secta-
rian the policy which would make the Assembly
| the guardian of the interests of the Church and
the sole manager of its missionary operations.
Within six or seven years from its organiza'
tion the American Home Missionary Society had
increased its missionaries four or five fold, while
its funds were multiplied in a corresponding
proportion. The seat of the Education Society