Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-04-03

Our readers may remember that Mr.. George
H. Stuart Of Philadelphia, gentleman widely
known, not so much for his great wealth anC
his business talents, as for his philanthropic &C
tion in many works of Christian benevolence
was about three years ago suspended from hi
seat in the synod of the Reformed Presbyterian
church; from his eldership in the church, anC
his right to partake of the communion, for til,
grievous offence of singing hymns and joining
in the sacrament with members Of other sects
This action was taken by the general synod OF
the church at its meeting in Pittsburgh in 1868,
and was founded on a remark of Mr. Stuart
in the course of a speech before the synod, that
he was in the habit of singing hymns. This
was held to be ga gross violation of the estab-
lisbed order of this church in the use of human
psalmody." The synod is the body of highest
authority in the Presbyterian hierarchy, and
has both legislative and judicial powers. Sub
ordiate to it are the presbyteries, whose juris-
diction is limited territorially and otherwise,
and below these are the Sessions" of the sew
eral churches The presbytery with which MIR.
STARTS church it connected, refused to be bound
by this action Of the synod, and the session Of
his own church continued to treat him as a
member in regular standing.
A minority, however, of the members of this
church, approving of the action of the synod,
have Withdrawn or seeded, called a new pas
tor of rigid orthodoxy on the subject OF psalm
ody, and reverence for the infallibility of the
synod, and now claim TO be the true First Re-
formed Presbyterian Church" in Philadelphia.
They regard the rebellious majority of the
church as heretics and schsmatics, which is of
very small consequence; but they also insist
that by their disobedience TO the synod, the ma
Jority have forfeited their title to the valuable
property of the church, and a suit to dispossess
them in favor of the seeding minority is now
pending IN the supreme court of Pennsylvania.
The Reformed Presbyterians are the lineal de-
scendents and modern representatives of the old
Scotch "COVenanters," and their only generally
known distinction from other Presbyterian
churches is, that they prescribe Rouse's version
OF the psalms, the most rigid and uncoutb
specimen of attempted yersifying that the litera.
ture of any language can show, as 1.-THE only fiji
medium for tuneful praise"
The case has excited great interest in Pbila.
delphia and among Presbyterians everywhere.
1t resembles, in some of its features, that now
pending in Chicago, in the matter of the church
OF which Rev. Mr.. Cheney is minister. Like
Mr.. stuart, Mr.. Cheney was centured by an &c.
cieslastlcal TRIBUNAL the latter for omittina the
woro regenerate' in the baptsmal service.
IN lineage, as well as in PhAadelphia the
church maintains its independence and refuses
10 Withdraw from its former relations in ohod;.
ence 10 the sentence of the ecclesiasticaI oo,.-.
In both cases, too, the minority, faithful 70
the hierarchy, are endeavorins 10 disnos.
SEES the majority Of their church propertv
and in both cases the persons through whom III,
offence came are men of the highest character il
morals, and of unusual zeal and activity in re
ligious and benevolent enterprises. Whateve
the courts may decide On the technical merit
OF the case, the good wishes Of the public are al
together with Mr.. Stuart, the Christian phlaI
thropist, and Mr.. Cheney, to whose earnest an,
constant labors the church, from which hi
bishop and small part of his people are tryin,
to thrust him, owes, SO far as human influence
are concerned, all its material strength AM
prosperity.