The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-01-13

| NS-3~--N~NS
rendering missionary aid unnecessary. and
sparing half the ministers for labors in other
felds) People, in the church, and ont of Il.
began to ask "Why this separation? WHY
should not these denominations combine tbair
torcesr The bones of contention vera for
the most part, out of the wAy. God had Gr;nd-
ly removed most of the warehouses of thirty
years ago to the better land, in which are no
conflicts, and the rest had less warlike mettIe
than formerly. Men feared their neiehipes
no more. There were misgivings indeed.
But in 1866 both Assemblies met in st. Ionis
at the same time. We looked at each other
We went to see each other. We had Joint
meetings. We sat down to the Lords table
together. We said-"We don't know Won
from ourselves" The result was the anno;nf-
ment of a committee of fifteen by each hodv
making joint committee of thirty "eood rnAAn
and true" to confer together about the snE-
leet, and devise plan of reunion if possible
Ihese men went to their work with the ut
most devotion and faithfulness. Never were
men more honest or more determined to insist
on the right. All the work of this committee.
Of course, L cannot here detail. Suffice to saw
| their labors. with the cooperation of the AZ
sembiies of both bodies in the wears 1867 f9
and SO, aided too by the free discussions of q
convention in Philadelphia in November. 1861
finally issued IN the formal union of the two
bodies in Pittsburgh, November, 1859. Tbs
first General Assembly of the reunited church
met In Philadelphia, in Nay, 1870, and tine
| work of recognizing Synods and Presbvterias
has been largely accomplished since. The
reunion does not affect US here PresbvteriaIIv
except by adding to our strength SYNOD
ically, however, we are thrown into eompan-
ionship with churches southwest and south of
US, instead Of east.
The reunion, thus, is q combination of forces
which are OF the same description and temper
Using the same standards, we are now acting
together, and without division and rivalry.
AS have watched and participated in tis
movement In my place in the church, hava
| been impressed by the evidences that the
friends OF 1t were actuated above all things bv
the desire and purpose to increase the povyer
and devotion of the church. Reunion was
sought that reunion might be a more thorough
equipment for the work of the Lord.-that tbe
church consolidated and strengthened, might
undertake and achieve grsnder, nobler things
for Christ and the souls of men. We have
healed breach. We have shown that We
could forget differences in a great, common
| devotion. We have given Joy to brethren of
other denominations, by reason of our in
creased strength and ability to combat the
common enemy, and build up go1liness. The
Presbyterian Church never assumes 70 he
the only church; nor refuses to reeoo-
nize other churches. The language of our
standards on the subject Of church gov
erEment ls-"We embrace in the spirit of
charity; those Christians who differ from us
IN opinions or IN practice, on these subjects'
| But we do believe in fostering definite con-
victions and definite practices. Let the sew
eral churches of the Lord live in friendship,
peace, love, and cooperation, like sensible
families IN a neighboreood. But also. like
| sensible families, let each mind its own busi-
ness, and push that business with all becom-
ing industry and perseverance, and never in
termeddle with its neighbors. Christian peo-
pie labor most effectively and most peaceably
when they keep, each his own place.
The reunited Presbyterian Church il
equipped thoroughly with missionary. educa-
tional and benevolent organizations for effect
| i've work; all under direction of the General
/ Assemblies. Her character as a representa-
tive organism, secures to us enthusiastically the
the same description of benefits which we es-
TEEN SO highly as citizens, under republican
form Of civil government. We shall hereafter
do even our foreign missionary work BY our
selves. This will withdraw funds from the
American Board of Commissioners for Forsign
Missions. But, by loving Christian partition,
we have taken also share of the missions to
support. And, we stand to-day in friendly
accord with all our fellow Christians, with
great work on our hands The reunited
church has 4,23S ministers, 1926 churches.
446,56l members, and expended last year in
| the prosecution of ordinary Christian work
near eight millions of dollars. Connected
with her congregations are probably not less
/ than two millions of people, and it is safe to
say that no other two millions of people are
their superior in intelligence, wealth, or
strength of moral and religious character
/ The world has a right to expect of her great.
magnaninous work.
And now, Secondly. What fitting memorial
is to be erected in eommemoration of this
blessed work of reunion? What shall we rem
/ der to the Lord for his benefits? Who shall
participate in the construction of the monu-
ment? The answer is-that it behooves MS TO
gather up our energies for the vigorous pros
ecution of the work before US. Let US conse-
crate ourselves anew to the Saviour our Mas
ter, and serve him with unabated, increased
devotion and energy. But special memorial
| has been conceived, and is in process of con.
struetion, memorial that cannot be erected
without self-denial and conflict with the
worldliness IN us. 1t has been proposed with
out diminishing at all our regular contribu-
tions to our stated work, that the church, dur
ing current year, ''make a special offering, to
| the treasury of the Lord, of fire millions of
dollars. Every man, woman and child, by
giving ever SO small a sum, only be it accord
ing to the ability, can bear an honorable part
In this great work The current wear will end
the third Thursday of May, 1871. Three mill
ions have already been raised. This kind of
memorial appeals directly to Our unworldiy
devotion to the gospel At the same time It
equips US more thoroughly for the work which
we have to do. You ask-"how?" 1t is not
| contemplated to gather this money all into a
common treasury, to be disbursed thence.
Some of it may be used in that manner. But,
it may be applied by the donors themselves to
! the following objects: Q.) EndoWing and erect
ing buildings for theological seminaries, col
leges and seminariss for young ladies, char
tered and in connection with the Presbyterian
Church. o. Literary institutions for raising
up a native ministry in heather lands. (39
Church suildings and parsonages originating
subsequently to the union, and otherwise en-
titled to public aid; hospitals and orphan asy-
lums in connection with the church. "A. In
stitutions for the education and evangelization
| of the Freedmen. (5.) Special contributions
for permanent sustentation fund; / e. a
fund for the support of the ministry, including
funds appropriated to the relief of disabled
ministers and their families Every object,
/ thus, has vital relation to the equipment of
the church for her work, in every department
The reunion, nayl our very existence as a
that We may push or the car of gospel tn
umph. There is no consistency in organizing
a church, or building an edifice, unless we
mean it as an equipment for Christian work.
"But," say you, "What can zoe do? We ara
already doing all we can at home" So said I
to the memorial fund committee, when the
secretary sent me papers tor a subscription. 1
! told min: bow Ee are situated, and asked,
''What can we do?" He replied, that if within
the ysEr we raised a subscription to complete
our own edi6ce, he could not see why it would
not come within the scope of the memorial
fund as really as if we we're to build new
edifce costing the amount of that subserip-
| ton. Churches completed, but encumbered
/ with debt, are esteemed to be legitimate OBJ
| jects. Surely ours cannot be less so. Push
ing this edifiee forward to completion, we shall
4 be prepared to keep our place as living, ac-
tive portion of the Christian host. It will
tend TO our growth, for people are wont to
! Join themselves to those who ara pressing on
ward with zeal and devotion.
| Paul undertook to see to the collection,
among the gentle Christians, of means to re-
.heve the poor Christians of Judea. And, he
| bears witness that the churches of Macedonia
went beyond his expect ltions in their iber-
ahty, though In great poverty, and under
pressure Of great afliction Accounting for
this hberality he says: They "frst gave their
own selves to the Lord, end unto us by the
will Of God" All there lies the secret Of de-
votion, zeal, hberality. Who of us have given
our cwn selves to the Lord? They who do
this are in the true path of duty, and of Chris
tan efficiency. Who will devote his life,
his talents, and his possessions to the ser
vice of his SaviorY As David asked-for
purpose not unhke--"Who then is willing to
consecrate his service this day to the Lord?"
All we hare is God'sa-for He gave us power to
get wealth. All we can DO is God's-for He
endowed US with talents. We are Gods, for
His Son redeemed lis. We can raise no
memorial Of praise like that Of a new conse-
! nratin,, Of xrhnt r-a hc...a n-n md az. ln A