The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-06-28

and about 100 congregations. 1t possesses a
College and Theological Seminary, both
located at Due West, South Carolina. 1t
also maintains a religious weekly, and a
monthly, devoted to the interests of the
Church and the Sabbath School; both pub
lished at the same place, and edited by the
Rev. John j. Bond. Within the last twenty,
five years, our Church has dismissed on an
average little more than one minister per
annum to be connected with your Church.
Some are here to-day, members of this As
sembly, with whom | have long taken sweet
counsel, and accompanied them to the house
of God. Allow me, dear brethren, to close
by saying, the Lord bless you and keep you
and cause His face to shine upon you
THE MoDERAToR's RESPONSE.
1t gives me unfeigned pleasure, nv hon
ored brother, as the organ of this body, to
welcome you among US. We are not ignor-
ant that you are the descendants of people,
who testified to the extent of shedding their
blood We remember that lovely woman,
fastened to stake where the swelling tide
was to come up and drown her, and when
the first wave had passed over her, and she
seemed to be nearly dead, the other near by
was asked, "What do you see % 81 see the
Son Of God suffering in one Of His members"
All your history has been precious, and 1
trust it will be precious to the end. 1t is a
great joy to US when We meet one of your
brethren, whether intelligent laymen or min
listers, to know that we have not to defend
any of the doctrines of the old Confession of
Faith of Westminster against Arminian, Pc
lagian or Semi-Pelagian errors. We rejoice
in your success. Your College and Semina-
ry are not fa' from my own residence. You
educate some of our candidates for the min
istry, and send them to us to study theology;
in them all we always find good old-fashioned,
sound scholarship, according to the capacity
of the person.
We too with you have had our difficulties.
We know very well who it was that proposed
to an invading army to take possession of
your houses of worship, and hold them, and
we know who it was that gave military pos
session of more than twenty of our churches
to parties who have, in our judgment, no
moral right to them whatever. We have
suffered together; l trust we shall 60 on and
labor together in the spirit which has ami
mated both bodies for many years past This
body has already appointed delegate to
attend the next meeting of your Synod, to
convey to that venerable body an expression
of our sentiments of cordial good will.
Respecting organic union, that is matter
entirely for yourselves and us to consider,
when either party shall propose it, or Prov
idence shall bring it up. If you are ready
for it, I can hardly doubt that this body is
ready; but when you shall be ready is a
matter solely for yourselves to decide. We
have no idea that it can promote Christian
love or good understanding, for us to urge
matter when it is not acceptable to you
We sing with you the songs of Zion; We
sing Grouse version, and all our churches
are at liberty to sing nothing else if they
choose. Our difference from you in this
matter is, that not only do we sing the hun
dred and fifty Psalms, but we sing Isaiah ac-
cording to the prediction in the Goth chap
ter: SIN that day shall this song be sung
lin Zion j We have strong city: salvation
will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. !"
But how the worship of God shall be con-
Quoted in your Church or ours, is matter
entirely for each body to decide. We wish
you the best in the world, and in the name
of this Assembly, l heartily bid you God
speed, and beg you to tell your brethren that
we love them all, and that their prosperity
is our joy, and their Affections our grief.
THE address of the Rev. DR.. Todd, will be given,
as soon as it can be prepared