New-York tribune., 1872-07-09
THE FRENCH PROTESTANT SYNOD.

THE DECREE UNDER WHICH 1T WAS CONYOKED
HOW 1T IS CONSTITUTED-THE QUESTION
OF ITS COMPETENCE.
IFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT oP THE TRIBUSEl
PARIS, June 19.-The General Synod of the
French Protestant Reformed Churches has been in ses
sion here since the 9Th Of this month. II 1t has not yet
been spoken Of in this correspondence it because not
OF the superior interest OF other topics OF the day. but Of
the difficulty this offers for olerably fair intelgi-
be brief treatment An extremely clever man. full Of
learning and free OF preudces might possibly compress
into volume of short octave much OF the gen.
era early and later history OF French Professionalism,
and Of the partcular-what might be styled the secret
history OF the origin OF the present Synod, as would
enable the digent attendant at its TO under
stand OF integenty conjecture the significance OF its
doings. Unhappiy. among the multitude OF books none
Of this description is discovered must therefore
front the difficulty with other preparation than
weary reading of latterday pamphlets and
some other documentary matter published before the
Synod met, o the reports OF It's proceedings, and
some other slight knowledge OF the antecedents and
actual circumstances that modify their meaning The
SYNOD exists by authorization Of Presidential decree
uttered on tic 10Th November, 1871 The decree is
notable first or its reference to law OF the year X.
Tor the First Ispubie by which the First Napoleon
tabished the relations between the Reformed Church
and the State and TO certain deoree OF the last Bona
parte which modified those relations rather favoraby to
the Church, but not oil unfayorably to the State;
second for IL, articles almost entirely taken up with
statutory provisions for the election Of members of the
synod-by somewhat compicate and imperfectly rep
resentatie system Of electoral colleges-but definitely
decreeng that one-half of the delegates should be
laymen.
What ym first observe in this decree convoking or
according he first Synod within the memory Of the old
est mans grandfather is that 1t does not define, men,
tion abide to the nature and function OF synods in
general, Of this one in particular. The decree was
issued with liberal purpose and the best good will
toward PDtestants by NJ Theirs. He asked not to
say imporuned, to issue it, by prominent members Of
the Orthodox Reformed Church. who claim that it is
measure-as at first sight it to be-if not
pletely ernng, largely implying the grant of, auton
omy TO he Reformed Church. But liberty IS not
at all grnted, say the Liberals, certain OF whom
understand by liberty, among other qualities,
clear separation OF Church and State; legal unionnbe
tween the two NJ. Guzot regards most desirable for
both Churh and State. The venerable Guizot
of the suors and is the abest apoost for the Decree
as he is te ablest controlling spokesman and manager
Of the orthodox majority in the Synod. What an ad
miraby nble old man The story books say he born
in 1857. he beautifully vigorous vitality OF him would
make you doubtful OF their dates but for the antiquity
of his idas smelling Of the dead past yet pressed for
ward witt sort OF ghostly juvenity, an ancient vi
vacity.
Here a. well as anywhere place a sort of roster
numbers something hundred members 1t has its
Right L6t and Center within which general divisions
are ndiiduas not holding absolutely TO their sectional
views bit ranging through all degrees Newspaper and
other reorters for rhetorical convenience partly
cusabe H the votes Of the Assembly simplify classified
ton by Right and Left Orthodox and Liberals, to which
terms correspond majority and minority. For immed-
aey reprng practical this rough classification is
conyeniet, specifically reasonable not Intentionally
unfair, but essentially imperfect erroneous, and except
with conant qualincation) grossly misleading. For
example The majority-whch is q scant one, not more
than II or larger than the minority, In whole vote OF
l25-is mae up Of Orthodox members proper and Evan
gelicals two quite distinct parties, each OF which Is
divided within itself; the minority, OF Liberals. is an
accidental association for the occasion Of variety of
doctrines q numerous as interesting.
Accepting for tabular convenience, however the two
dstinctiyeabels OF orthodox andthe rest, have
one hand VI party titles and ephets voluntarily pro-
fessed OF )orne or imposed, cast as reproach by
opponents, In the orthodox party, these: Orthodox
evangelical pietst, mystic, supernaturast, coDsecra
tion light lin respect Of the synod) repressive, dog
matist &c. the other hand: Liberal naturalist phil
osophica Untarians, Freethnkers, Thests, Atheists
The radcd question: from the theological point OF vew
IA betweei experimentation and rationalism, preini-
nary subIidiary TO and intimately intertanged with
this and numerous other questions The first
that Genes up for discussion, Implying
decision OF the Synod, was the question
of Its own quality Was t In any proper sense synodi
and II It were its competence extend beyond consulta-
ton or advice to legislative functions and again beyond
merely administrative powers to the exercise OF dog
matte authority The result OF debate, continued
through several sessions s that the hundred and odd
gentlemen assembled In the Church Of the Trinity Rue
do Roquepine are not assembly OF noabes more or
less fairly representing the Protestant population OF
France and met to express the wishes and suggest the
means of satisfying the wishes OF the people, but con-
stituent legislative assembly Of the Reformed French
Church That is the formal result secured by
scant majority VOTE I should guess that the real
result, II this is insisted on. will be that schism
in the Protestant Reformed Church. which speakers OF
both parties deprecate with equal rhetorical eanestness
but WHICH the pTtaeaOx u DO not ssy nessany) arc