The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-19


requires especially to care for it.
The argument which Romanism makes out of
may incline Protestant minds to disparage IL. But
we may concede its worth without prejudice to our
must not confound with it their counterfeit Of it,
They have union without harmony. The cohesion
spirit and one body. 1t is the attraction Of parts,
and not their allegation.
We cannot describe the organization in which
Christians may be eventually Incorporated. Ne
more OF t may exist than iB requisite to a connec-
doctrine and practice just as these are found in the
several congregations OF Protestant denominations,
and still more In the several orders Of the Romlsh
however. We talk Of sects as divisions Of an army,
but facts do not correspond to the figure There is
tire segregation Of the sects. Artillery, cavalry,
and infantry are parts OF single organism but
Episcopacy, are so many separate and Independent
organisms. The military unite in legion the
allies, while the other host The one Catholic
Church is a body with head trunk, and limbs joined
together. 1t may consist OF various members, per-
forming various of1ces, but there must be a union
between them. 1t may comprehend the diversties
Of existing evangelical denominations but It must
The interests OF truth, it may be presumed will
not be sacrificed in unfying the Church. The faith
of Christianity is OF more consequence than the
union OF Christians, and the faith OF Christianity
viii be maintained in the oncoming union of Chris.
tians. Varieties Of creed prevail now-many of
them, however, not broad enough to separate their
adherents, and others Of them not as broad as they
adventtious matter. Looked at with the eye of
charity, differences win appear narrower, and the
removal OF excrescences will reduce them. The
process is already going on Diversities of belief
once exaggerated by transient circumstances now
present small proportions aud the relief Of varying
systems of what is extraneous to them brings them
nearer together.
its sects in Scotland and in this country; the Es-
blished the Free, the United Presbyterian Churches
Presbyterian Synod in Scotland the synod of United
Original Seceders, there, and the Presbyterian
terian. the Cumberland Presbyterian, the United
Presbyterian the Associate Reformed Presbyterian,
South, the Reformed PRESBYTERIAN General Synod,
Reformed Synod Of New York, the Associate Synod
Of Nsrth America, the Reformed Presbyterian
Church Synod, and the two Reformed Dutch and
Germany Churchers, here.
There is explanation Of the fact that turns it
to the credit Of Presbyteriansm 1t may be ascribed
to the mental activity which the system awakens
and with which is congenial and to the apprecia-
ton OF truth and the sensitveness and tenacity
principle which it cherishes and with which it sym
pathses. 1t quickens the minds Of its adherents
and active minds affect 1t, and minds In motion
come into collision while torpid minds lie In peace
They value truth and viii contend for 1t, while they
They are keeny alive to right and wrong and cling no.
to the first with an unyieldng grasp and thrust on
the last with vigorous repnlse
And the causes which in Presbyterianlsm operate
for division facilitate union. The eye that is quick
to discern error is as quick to recognize truth. The
rians have been reunited. The Synod Of Ulster and
byterian General Assembly; the Seceder and the
Relief Churches in the United Presbyterian Church
Synod of New York in the Synod Of New York and
Philadelphia; the Associate and the Associate Re-
the Old and New School in the Southern General
Assembly, and here we are once two bodies of the
semby of the one Presbyterian Church in the United
States of America.
And the gathering of the dispersed goes on. re-
markable convention held sessions in this city in
1867. Many of the Oldest and best OF the Old and
New School Presby the United Presbyterans
the Associate Reformed the Dutch Reformed, the
German Reformed, the Cumberland Presby terans,
consulted and prayed there aboot the practicabity
Of collecting our various households together and
the Lord manifestly appeared among them. To their
surprise and delight, and to the joy of heaven
and earth, they quickly and quite unanimously and
most cordially agreed, with the exception Of the
Cumberland Presbyterans, on very simple terms OF
union Progress has been retarded by casual Cir
cumstances, but nothing has occurred or appeared
Of evil omen and discouraging Specification. The
oldest of US may hope to sit at Eearhstone with
all of our kindred and name in the land.
The Free Church Presbyterians OF Scotland and
the United Presbyterians have brought their deli
the eve Of a happy conclusion and we cannot % but
hope that the Reformed Presbyterians who were at
found in their gosdly company Nav. are not t
changes In the State removing ebstructons in the
Church and must not the rising spirit of raterniza
Great Britain and Ireland in single communion?
Most cordially DO we bid welcome to our kindred
to us from the old homestead. From no quarter
could they be so gratifying, as from quarter they
| could be so natural We accept them, not merely as
expressions of interest In u.s. the emigrant children
OF the family, but as recogntions Of the happiness
OF the union Of Presbyterians everywhere, and glad
shall we be OF early opportunity to reciprocate
| these congratulations. And what pleasure it would
| be to US to greet brethren from France, Holland
Germany, Switzerland, and every other country In
the world, the representatives OF PamPresbyterlan
| ism
| The last division OF our Church was one of the
most painful events ia ecclesiastical hist0ry-painiul
because it the division OF Church, and especi-
ally painful because 1t was the division OF large
| noble, powerful, and most useful Church-a Church
| OF pre- eemnent intelligence and spirituality, and
| which 1t is not immodest to say had done and was
doing more for the country and the world than any
| other in the land We may have reconcied our
selves to 1t by its unavoldableness in the circu M
tances Of the case; we may have comforted our
but II it could not have been averted and II it has
been mItigated, 1t was deplorable and has proved
disastrous. Our UNCONVENTIONAL superiority suffered
from It. We stood pre-enent In character in position
in influence and in achievement, but have fallen
relatively and others have risen. II was terrible
! there was enough to justify it, Sufice ii to know
| that there was enough to produce it, And yet how
hard 1t has been ntelligibly to explain 1t The diV
| sion was an eruption. We were constituted eccesi-
astically as the nation is politically, OF the varieties
Of the race. Every country OF Europe and every
| Scotland, Ireland, and New England contributed
most largely to us. The Scotch aud Irish were rigid
vance Of rules and the New Englanders claimed
and allowed latitude and independence Thus dis
cordant they could hardly shun collision and three
| occasions Tor 1t were pr esented.
First. New England activity applied itself to the
abolition OF slavery, and antlpathy TO New England
quite naturally resisted \. There were Numerous
| and though Others sympatnized with New England
I'm their assault they were the leaders In 1t and
| II expressed their spirit
| Second. New England activity also applied itself
TO theological Inquiries and just at the time when
the principal constituents OF our Church were most
| sensitive, new views OF truth were promulgated
] England or