New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-05-19
RELIGIOUS.
PRESBYTERIAN REUNION-FIRST MEETING
OF THH UNITED ASSEMBLY.

DIVISIONS STILL EXISTING-STORY OF The
DISRUPTION AND REUNION OF THE OLD AND
NEW sCHOOLs-wHERE THE UNITED BODIES
WILL INVERTEBRATES TO BE PRESENT
WORK TO BE DONE.
PHILADELPHIA, May 19.-The City of Broth
ery Love welcomes to its hospitality and Influences To-
morrow those Presbyerans who after 80 years separa
ton, have agreed to unite Philadelphia has always
been stronghold of Presbyteranism; the denomination
originated Pennsylvania, and has several OF Its most
important houses upon Chestnutst. In the longago
times General Assembly used always to meet In Phiade
pha beginning in 1885, when the Assembly itself began
Philadelphia was the of the exscnding Assembly
1887 and of the following one 1885, In which the New
School men read their protest against exscison ana
elected their Moderator before they withdrew to
the First Church. Tomorrow the sst Of the Assemblies
the first Catholic Assembly Of the old denomination
since ASTRONOMERS in the city, There yet remain
many divisions in the Presbyterian family In America
the Psalmsingers and the Hymn-sngers, the Armnian
izing and the Southern the Reformed" and the Sece
ders still divide among them the Genevan name but
the two great members are disunted more and the
time general union cannot be long delayed The story
of the disruption and reunion of the Old and New Schoo
Presbyterans is familiar to most newspaper readers
There we're four synods exscnded from the Presbyterian
Church by General Assembly Of 1887 and in 1888 those
who sympathized with them became distinct Dody,
since known as New School," The original causes OF
separation the attachment OF the Old Schooi 10
certain ways stating doctrine and to exclusively Pres
byteran systems of action and also some underlying po
ltca differences Overtures looking toward communion
between the Assemblies prospered until 1866
when meeting of both In st. Louis brought out propo-
sails from the Old School. committee Of conference was
then appointed but the plans had to await the
full maturity of growing reunion sentiment in both
churches In the time the famous "PamPresbyte-
ran Convention" philadelphia, ls6O occurred greayto
the advantage Of the Finally new plans Of union
Oh IN tha Assemblies which
another in last May, and almost unanimously
adopted and ratified and declared binding at the (No-
vembe) second meeting Of the General Assemblies or
1862 and Pittsburgh The two bodies met in separate
churches then for the last time. Tomorrow they will
together in the First Presbyterian Church here
for many years under the care OF that notable New
School divine, Albert Barnes The selection OF this
house interesting showing the friendly spirit Of
Old School men toward q distinguished New School
leader well from the fact that this is the very
building in which was held the first of the New School
Assemblies. On the other hand, Mr. Barnes has with
drawn his books from the New School Committee of Pub
LEGATION, in order that any statements views unpleas
ing his former opponents may not embarass the re-
vision Of the Presby terrain publication list.
The General Assembly is the highest legislative (and
judicia) Convention I'm the Presbyterian CEurch the
courts ranking below 1t being On order the synod, the
Presbytery and the Church-ScssOn All churches arc
subject to the ecclesiastical control Of the Presbytey
composed of all ministers and representative elders
Qaynen) within given territory synods lhou9h JUS,
tnct Of appeal, in the main, only several
Presbyteres meeting in Delegates sent to the
General Assembly from the Presbyeres mot Synodsl
and called Commissioners. The Presby teres meet
twice and Synod and Assembly once each year.
The Assembly will of course be by far the largest
Presbyterian udcatory that has assembled in this
country. The Old School has usually numbered about
800 Commissioners and the New $50 and the attendance
will of course he very fell at this time considerable
number OF the sister churches
in Great Britain and elsewhere The Irish presb terrain
Church, a special Assembly meeting held early this
partly for the purpose commissioned rs delegates
The Rev. Prof smyth their Moderator Prois Din and
Watts, and John Lyte, and Thoaas Sinclair esqs. 1t
is likely that Profs. watts and Dill will be present,
also Dr. Arnot Of from the scotch Gh nG Tho
following distinguished names; For Philadelphia ex-
SGn ,nS ae Hon sGs
New-York, Mr.. James Brown. the Hon. W. f; Dodge,
MF Ismer Of Rpoy G.
Jersey, and Judge H. W. Williams Of pittsburgh These
William Adams, Paxton, John Thomson, Prentiss, Hat
field, Crosby, Henry J. Van Dyke Darling, from this
die, OF Philadelphia; President McCosh of Princeton
College, and Prof s. NJ. Hopkins OF Auburn IN. ~ Sem
The business of the present Assembly will be mainly
the reconstruction of the church. As tine Presbyte
many parts of the country complete was
ordered in November in care Of the special
ton Committee. Their scheme, embracing S5-SynOds,
will probably be adopted in the main for this year. and
w be Of as der to
the respective Commissioners from each synod at an
early date in the Assembly and again referred to com
mttee to draft the results into an act.
It has also been proposed by Committee to change
representation in Assembly from 10
rian order and will doubtless fall to the ground pro
in ike Diocesan Con-
yentons among M tSr basis 81 fe &
o etia S and viii viii not be sustained
The next most important business will be the rear
rangemen Of the boards having in charge the benevolent
operations of the Church These have been identical in
number and purpose in both branches hitherto, differing
only slightly In names N s., "Committees," o. S.,
Concerning
debate. The freedmen Will begin to have separate
the Home Missions and the Ministerial Pellet Board Ito
be I'm Philadepta will he easily arranged the Church
New.York state belonging to the late New school Com
mttee and will consequently have its headquarters in
Board is at present warmly discussed, preferring
New-York and Others Philadelphia, on various grounds
School will probably absorb the whole interest Of
the denomination hereafter; but nice questions OF
adjustment herein concerned The New School have
never had distinct board committee, having always
aided the Foreign Mission cause through the venerable
Many of the American boards /" missonariss Pres
the
these men be IRON h Ten ned OF DC
Church, shall gradual adjustment he arrangedt
Consultations now being held between the interested
parties.
The reunion sentiment among the ministers and peo-
PIE OF the The Ry m no be Very near Ss
to the union hut the Princeton hostility seems to have
wholly ceased.
The overtures OF peace from the Old School 10 the
Southern Presbyterans lin 1869 have been codly re-
eeyed. But In the main the prospects arc fair that
Philadelphia will have nothing 10 regret in tho examples
OF Drohcrly love that her ecclesiastical guests VIII sct
before her during the next fortnight.
THE EPISCOPALIANS.
DIOCESE OF LONG IsLAND-ANNUAL CONVENTION,
The Convention met in Holy Trinity Church,
Brooklyn on Tuesday and organized, but did little bus
ness OF general interest Yesterday the delegates