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

their future supremacy. The two factions
being thus confronted, both parties exerted
themselves to effect peaceful separation But
the committee appointed to arrange the separs-
tion could agree upon no plan, and the Assem-
bly, was unable to divide itself. Then the old
issues were raked up and the "old School
party, tracing back their difficulties to the in
PRODUCTION of incongruous elements by the Plan
of Union" of 1901, effected its repeal. No more
Congregational churches were to be formed
within the bounds of the Presbyterian Church
to dictate its policy, and monopolize both it's
resources and its proselyting labors.
The s'Abscinding Acts"
The committees failing to agree upon plan
of separation, and the plan of Unien" Of 1901
having been abrogated by a vote of 143 yeas to
ITO nays the ''Old School" majority proceeded
to fortify their position by eliminating the Con-
gregational element. This was effected by the
passage of what have been termed the "Abscind-
ing Acts" The Assembly first resolved-
''That 10y the operation OF the abrogation OF the
Plan OF Union OF 1901, the Synod of the Western
Reserve is and is hereby deeared TO be- no longer
part OF the Presbyterian Church in the United States
1t was stated on the floor of the Assembly that
less than one in four of the churches in the
Synod of the Western Reserve was Presbyterian
and the resolution just given therefore COM
manded decided majority. But there were
three other Synods in which there was a large
Congregational element, and the work of puri6-
cation was not regarded as complete until they
were disposed of. Some of the leading men who
voted in favor of abrogating the ''Plan of
Union" of 1901, and of casting out the Synod of
the Western Reserve, opposed the taking of
similar action with the three Synods which were
suspected of being unsound but their counsels
did not prevail, and the passage of the follow
ing resolution was Effected
'9That in consequence of the abrogation by this
Assembly OF the Plan OF Union Of 1sOl, between it
and the General Association Of Connecticut, as ut
terly unconstitutional and therefore null and veid
from the beginning, the Synods OF Utica, Geneva
and senesee whca were formed and attached to
this body under and in execution of the said 'Pian
OF Unon' be, and hereby declared to be, out OF
the ecclesiastical connectioa OF the Presbyterian
Church OF the United States OF America, and that
they not In form In fact integral portion OF
said Church."
Thus some 60, 900 members, and several hun
dred ministers of the Church, without direct
accusation or trial, were cut off from the COM
munion and before the Assembly closed its ses-
sion the comparatively feeble majority of the
''Old School had become decided and over
whelming.
The General Assembly of 1888.
The action of the Assembly of 1887 naturally
aroused the indignation of the "New School"
| party, who, conscious that remonstrance, If
postponed, would be in vain, joined issue on the
| absorbing question at the very opening of the
| Assembly of 1888. This body met ON the 18th of
| May of that year, at the Seventh Presbyterian
| Church in this city, which then stood on Ran
stead place, Fourth street, above Chestnut.
| The Schism Completed.
| The Rev. DR.. Elliott, the moderator of the
| previous Assembly, preached the usual opening
sermon and soon after it was finished "New
School" leader arose, holding in his hand
4 49, Il
| the communicated Synods. The moderator
refused to receive the names, and the contest
| for moderator and other officers commenced
Amidst great confusion each party selected its
| own moderator, and then the 'New School,
| withdrew, and subsequently, met in the First
| Presbyterian Church. on Washington Square.
| Thus the schism in the Church was consum-
| mated. Two distinct and independent General
| Assemblies came into existence and the Church
| which had labored SO earnestly and successfully
| as a unit for more than thirty years was divided
| thenceforth into two branches, which at once
| entered with the same zeal and promise of sue
| cess upon their distinct and Independent
| careers.
| The sold School'' and the ssNew SchooIo
From the nth of May, 1888, to the 12th of
| November 1869, the two branches of the Church
labored apart, but it is not necessary to go into
the details of their different policies and move
ments. A few facts, however, deserve to be
| glanced att
| The question of slavery, which was instru-
| mental in effectipg division in so many of the
| Protestant denominations, was not without its
| influence upon the separation of the Presby-
terian Church. Although the New School"
| party were not unit in their anti-slavery
views, their New England associations and ira
ditions rendered them obnoxious to the more
Jealous friends of the peculiar institution" in
cluded within the pale of the Church. The
| 'New School, branch retained weak follow
ing at the South, from which they parted with
| Willingness at the General Assembly held in
| Cleveland in 1857. But with the "Old SCHOOL,
| branch q large number of Southern Presbyterles
| remained connected until the Secession move
ment created the necessity for decisive steps to-
wards a separation, and the list of Southern
churches finally disappeared almost entirely
! from the minutes of the "Old School" also
From the firing upon Fort Sumter to the close
| of the war; both branches of the Church in the
North were as heartily enlisted in the cause of
the Union as had been the Presbyterian Church
| in the struggle for independence while the
Southern Presbyterians, like the Southern
| Methodists, were as jealous in their support of
the Rebellion. Drs. Thornwell and Adger of
South Carolina, and Palmer of louisiana rem
dered themselves especially obnoxious to the
Northern Churches by their frantic zeal in the
cause of secession.
When left to themselves, the "New School"
branch clung as long as possible to the system
| of voluntary and irresponsible societies, which
had contributed so much to the schism. But
| thev gradually discovered that the wo.l- of