The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-05-18
LET 1T BE SETTLED.

our coming back to be united with them.
A week or two ago, nearly all of them
published what purported to be com
municatiOn from venerable Southern min
ister, accompanied with editorial remarks
The communication itself was so perfectly
vague and pointless as to indicate dotage,
and is therefore beyond criticism. Who the
venerable man is we cannot tell. If he be
not myth, it is most probable his ecclesi-
astical connection is outside of our Church.
The papers of last week from the North
indicate a disposition to keep the subject in
a stir. The Philadelphia Presbyterian pub
fishes what it calls Response from the
South from that same venerable clergy
man, we presume The Herald and Pres
byter (Cineinnati) Of which Rev. DR.. Mon
fort is one of the Editors, in an editorial
article headed "TRe Church North and
South, says-"The signs of the times in
dictate growing preparation for the union
of the Presbyterian churches North and
South" This is the same DR.. Monfort, who
in 1868, voted for a memorial adopted BY
his Presbytery, and addressed to President
Lincoln. What does the reader suppose
this amiable Dr. now so lovingly fluent about
the blessedness of our union with him, then
sought on our behalf from the high seat of
power? Simply that our Church might be
destroyed =" destruction" was the word
And his Presbytery commissioned two Of its
members to bear this diabolical proposal to
Washington City, and urge its execution.
We exposed this matter some time ago, but
DR.. MOnfort has not ventured an explana.
ton of the conduct of his Presbytery, or Of
his own connection with it, When he shall
have washed his hands of this infamy-for
all good men who know exactly what the
memorial proposed are obliged to regard
it as nothing short of iRfamy-his homilies
and professions about the joys aud comforts
Of our union with him may possibly receive
some attention.
One of the papers speaks ofRthe duty of
their acting in spirit of fprgiveness' in
this matter. Forgiveness islsrdeed sweet
grace of the Spirit, and much needed in
world of wrongs, of bisSl snd strife
If the expression refsFs lse Southern
Presbyterian Church. see.s be pleased
to know wherein it has ipjaf sc Northern.
Does it consist in thS fact that through all
these years of trOu lie ana pfovocation, it
has been careful in y !asaes of its Gene
raj Assembly never . sHOn the Church
at the North?
If the expression means forgiveness to-
wards themselves, it cannot be denied that
there is much need Of it from some quar-
ter, and it is probable that selfabsolution is
at least as good as that of priest
The Interior, of Chicago, contains an ex
celent article on the subject. Whenever
Presbyterians of the North approach the
question in that spirit we know how to ap
preeiate it.
We have not the smallest expectation of
any organic union with the North, either
now or at any time. There are questions
the most fundamental, both as to Church
polity, and, since their recent Northern
union, as to doctrine also, which are great
gulf between us. That gulf seems to be
"fxed." We have not the most remote idea
that those who have opened this gulf will
close or bridge it, in our day at least.
How far it is practicable to have fraternal
intercourse with the Northern Presbyterian
Church, in other forms which fall short of
an organic connection, is question we do
not undertake TO decide If any one will
read the action of our General Assembly
at its first organization in 1861, and then
again in 1865, he will find the most explicit
declarations of our desire to hold Christian
fellowship with all other Christians, and es-
pecially Presbyterians, so far as it may be
practicable and for mutual edi6cation. 1t
will be time enough for us to move further,
when these ample offers are properly re-
sponded to by others. If the Northern
General Assembly wishes fraternal relations
of correspondence, it can open the way by
removing Instructions we'll known to all
men. If any suppose that the Southern
PRESBYTERIAN Church is insensibe to the
duty of promoting true Christian unity or
fellowship in the earth, it is a mistake. All
we ask is that it shall be reality, not a
sham; that it shall rest upon right founda-
ton, even the ruth of God; that it shall
sacrifice no principle of self-respect and
honor that we are bound to keep sacred
Whenever the Northern Church is prepared
to open the way for fraternal cOrrespOn-
dence consistent with this, we are prepared
to meet it; not otherwise.
But it is time to have this whole question
settled Our duty to the questions involved,
a proper respect for the Church at large, as
well as our own Church in particular, de-
mand this-and the sooner the better. Be-