The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-03


Presbyterianism, since its foundation, has
been q splendid example of the Church mill
tant. Begotten in a troublous period, it set
the edge Of its teeth like file, and has been
always ready to bite. From its grand founder,
Calvin, 1t learned the unbending theology Of
his time, whereby Miguel Servetus was roasted
at Geneva, in 1859. The roasting process
should not be looked on as exclusively
Calvinistic, for Papist and Protestant could
pile the faggots around religious adver-
sary with equal dexterity at that
period. "Every country has its usages" and
the same may be said of epochs. Be that as
1t may, when John Knox commenced his
bounding Of the "Roman harlot" knock on
the head was thought quite as efficient way
Of reaching the seat Of intellect as an appeal
to the slower process Of the mind. Sometimes
the individual died under the application, but
the effect on the surrounding Christians was
salutary-from the Presbyterian point of view.
1t was the Mohammedan plan applied to the
sixteenth century. It worked wildly and,
as q system of proselytism, died hard.
A universal quiet was coming over
the religious world, and the force of
growing federation killed it. In Scotland
it held on to life more tenaciously than any
where else, and vented itself in legal enact
ments as long as it could. From this sturdi-
ness of past times, even in the present day,
Presbyterianism retains latent muscular
activity. Like the Irishman who was ''spilin'
Fon Arhk onl ,hN vxDk
whether 1t was the skull of a cousin or a Sas-
senach he played ''Patrick's Day" upon, we
have now the lamentable spectacle of Brother
Stuart and Brother Young '1aying for" each
other most religiously. That the irony may
be complete, the City of Brotherly Love
is the scene.' The particulars of this struggle.
which commenced as far back as 1867, and
has been continued since, were lueidly laid be-
fore the pious public in yesterdays HERALD.
The facts need not, therefore, be more than
summarizingly alluded to. The first scene of
strife, calling to mind the good old Knoxian
days. was at what we may call Presbyterian
primary, held in January, 1868. Brother
Stuart and his fellow trustees of the First Re-
formed Presbyterian church were DESTROYS of
reelection, but to their establishment second
phalanx Of holy candidates was sprung upon
the meeting. The election day passed off
quietly, and only two challenges were made
at the polls. The result was apparently
defeat of Stuart and his party.
The defeated declared they had been Counted
OUT" that, in fact, the lesson the holy men
had learned in worldly elections had been
''worked Off" on them in a way that spoke
better for their apprehension than for the purity
of their souls. The newly elected were proud
of their triumph, which was doomed to be of
short duration. The willy Stuart felt like st.
Peter when the new trustees presented them
selves for admission to the Church. The latter
body had keys, it is true, but through the aid
of locksmith Brother Stuart had provided
that they would not open the Celestial gate.
Since then the question of who is who has
been dragged from Church to Synod, from
Synod to General Assembly, and thence
back to Church again. At last it has
pulled up in the Court of Nsi Prius, No. 5,
where Judge Williams is being frightened and
bothered to death by the entangled skein Of
State law and Church law, which five lawyers
have managed to make as unavoidable as pos
sible for him. Thus the case sands at pre-
sent, with lawyers wrangling and Presby-
terans Tuning and waiting
:. Whatever way the case may end, the world
will see in Brother Stuart one of the very last
of the old Cromwellan breed. Little has he
ii 81 IF bros fOrpn
Alas there was not one among all the breth-
rem who opposed him with soul to match his.
Were he the one kept out Of possession we
can fancy how he would say to his opponent,
like his great prototype, even in the sacred
precinct ITSELF ''Cease your fooling, sir, and
come down." But, no; he could be heretical
and schismatc with none to say him nay. 1t
will be deemed incredible, yet it is sworn on
the testimony of Brother Young that on one
occasion he went SO far as to give out that
blasphemously heretcal hymn which millions
reverence,
From Greenland's icy mountains.
From India's coral strand,
and there was not man to consign him, even
verbally, to place as hot as the aforesaid
strand. There was not u sister present
to repeat the mild reproof Of Jennie Geddes,
Of blessed Presbyterian memory, on like oc.
.casion =" Dell collie the wame O. thee, thoa
foul thief; wilt Say the macs at my lug?" A
three-legged stool accompanied this old time
protest, and 1t brought down the offender
and his offence along with him.
The whole affair is sad picture of how
Church institutions ar, liable to change, il not
to decay. Whatever may be the best cor.
receive for Church Cromwells nowadays, The
worst is that to be found in the law courts
1t makes the church poorer, the contestants
on both sides ridiculous, and leaves the matter
of conscience where it was.