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

Assem' " of the United Church on the third Thurs
day OF MAJ, 1870. The ModeratoTs OF the two pre-
bly, OF 1870 until another Moderator is chosen The
MUderator OF the Assembly now sitting at the Brick
decide an questions Of order; ana The Moderator Of
the other Assembly shall, n present, preach the
opening sermon; and the stated clerks OF the pre-
sent Assemblies shall act stated CLERKS OF the
Assembly Of the United Church until stated clerk
or clerks shall have been chosen thereby; and no
in said Assembly until his name shall have been
rolled by the said clerks and his commission
examined and filed among the papers OF the AS
6. Each Presbytery OF the separate Churches shall
be entitled TO the same representation in the As
sembly Of the United Church In 1870 il is entitled
TO in the Assembly with which it is now connected.
Accompanying the report of the "Plan of Re-
union, . and adopted with IL by both Assemblies,
was a series of declarations upon matters per-
tanning to the interests of the Church when it
should be reunited, which, it was thought, would
manifestly require adjustment on the coming
together of two bodies which had so long acted
separately. These were adopted, mot as arti-
cles of compact or convenant, but as in their
judgment proper end equitable arrangements"
for securing "a previous good understanding
These declarations, among other things provided
that all the ministers and churches embraced in
the two bodies should be admitted to the same
standing in the united body which they may
the consummation of the union; required all inn
perfectly organized churches-that is to say,
those in which the Congregational element
still predomnated-to become thoroughly
Presbyterian as early as possible within the
allotted period of five years; prohibited any rule
or precedent which does not stand approved by
both bodies from being taken as authority until
re-established in the united body, except in so
far as such rule or precedent may affect the
rights of property founded thereon; provided
for the consolidation OF the corporate rights of
the two Assemblies, for one set of Boards for
Missions and other Church enterprises, and for
the revision of the Church publications so as to
exclude invidous references to past controver-
sizes; urged the Theological Semnaries not under
Assembly control to place themselves in that
relation to the Church; and eXhorted all the
judlcatories, ministers, and people in the United
Church 'to study the things which make for
peace, and to guard against all needless and
offensive references to the causes of division.
The "Plnn of Reupicn', Ratified by the Pres
byteries.
In accordance with the third article of the
basis of reunion, the different Presbyteries con-
nected with the two branches proceeded to vote
upon the questions submitted to them. The
two Assemblies, pursuant to adjournment, met
again in Pittsburg, on November 10, 1869, to
hear and act upon the report of the VOTE
The report to the "Old School" Assembly
showed that all the Presbyteries of this branch
except twelve had answered in writing, and of
the total of IA, an Affirmative response was made
by 12S and negative response by 3 only-those
of Hudson, Rio de Janeiro, and West Lexington.
The vote of 5S "Old School Presbyteries was
unanimous. Not including Presbyteres in
which the divided vote was not specified in the
answers and those in which the want of una
nimity was expressed only by 'non liquet' and
Excused from voting, there were 245 negative
votes distributed among 60 Presbyteries in
about equal proportion of ministers and of ruling
elders. The Presbytery OF Nassau reported a
formal protest along with the detail of negative
votes.
The vote of all the "New School" Presbyteres
was in favor of the basis of reunion that of one
| hundred of them being unanimous, while in
each of three others there was but one negative
| vote.
This singular unanimity was, in fact, but a
reflex of the general favor with which the pro-
iect of reunion was regarded by both branches
of the Church. AS soon as it was evident that u
vast majority of both schools was in favor of
reunion, such leading opponents of the project
as Professor Charles Hodge, of the Princeton
Theological Seminary ('Old School'O, acquiesced
in the result, the members of the Breckenridge
family, with characteristic stubbornness being
| the only persons of prominence even in the
"Old School" branch who continued to make a
factious opposition.
The Ceremonies of Reunion.
The ''Plan of Reunion" having been thus rati
fed by much larger majority than was re
| uuired, the two Assemblies proceeded to con
summate the reconciliation by formal anC
solemn ceremodies. Each body, in accordance
with the report of asjoint committee met OIL
the morning of November 12, and at 10 oclocL
the vote in favor of repnion was formally de-
clared, Immediately after which it was dissolved
in the usual manner. The members of the two
Assemblies then repaired to the street, where
in the presence of large concourse of specta
tors, they formed joint procession and marched
to the Third Presbyterian Church, the larges
edifce attainable, where jabilee meeting wal
held. After purely devotional exercises, tn,
Rev. DIR. Fowler, the late moderator of tn,
''New School" Assembly, arose, and prefacing
his action by few remarks turned TO the Rev
DIR. Jacobus, the late moderator of the "Olt
School" Assembly, whose hand he clasped, tht
entire audience rising and singing
"Praise God from whom all blessings now
Praise Him all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye Heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost"
DIR. Jacobus then said: - ''These Churche
have been united; if any one has good reason
to offer why the Churches should not be united
let him state them now" and then turning Il
Dr. Elliott, who was Moderator of the Genera
Assembly when the separation took place il
this city in 1888, he asked-"Do yOu know an,
| A. ho