The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-12-11
DIR. ,GRASTYS REPLY.

man should thank another Tor the courtesy
Of his reply, since it is no more than ought
to be expected of gentlemen and brethren.
But experience often shows different re-
suit. Some good men are so constituted
that to call in question a public, official act
touching the most important measure, even
though that act may involve nothing more
than mistake of judgment, conveys no
other impression to their sensitive natures,
than the idea Of a personal assault. As DR..
Miller of Princeton used to say, it is diff
cult basiness to homOlogats with such. The
collision of earnest discussion must often
bring It's ru5s; and he who cannot take as
well as give, would DO well to "stand from
under" Certainly it is not among the things
most pleasant to have the wisdom or lawful
ness of any thing we say or do called in
question, and any step in that direction will
not unfrequently awaken resentment, when
one has done his best to prevent it. Fully
aware of all this, we beg leave to express
sincere qualification at the spirit of DR..
Grasty's reply He may entirely dissent
from our remarks, but can appreciate the
purpose for which they are offered. A re-
joinder to his article is here presented.
The distance between DR.. Grasty's prem
ises and his conclusion is about as great
as the distance between his home at Shelby
vile, KY, and the church in Missouri where
he made his speech to the Synod-which is
probably about four hundred miles. What
are the facts? Read over what we have
published as to the psry explicit manner in
which Drs. Todd and Van Zands spoke in
our Assembly to discountenance the idea of
organic union. Then what have we as an
offset! First, expressions of mutual good
will, such as have passed between all bodies
Of Christians over the world in correspond
ence with each other. Second, DR.. Van
Zandt said in Richmond we could not 'fore-
cast" what."tbe changes of time and the
logic of events might bring about in the flu,
ture, and in his report to the General
Synod of his Church, twenty days after, ex-
pressed the opinion, in very general terms,
that if his Church formed any union with
any other, ours was to be preferred, and
that he thought there was some sentiment
among US favorable thereto. Third, DR..
Joseph r. Wilson, our delegate, while de-
claring he was not authorised" by our AS
sembly to propose organic union, yet in be-
half Of some of US spoke of it as a desira-
bic contamination, and asked the General
Synod to examine, and see if this was so.
To this the President made a kind response,
and afterwards they appointed their commit
tee. That was all.
Now, from Z" this repeated Interchange of
ecclesiastical courtesies, these mutual deela-
rations of loye ,his solemn ssertiOn of one
ness in doctrine, principle and spirit, 1--WE
use DR.. Grasty's summary what was to be
inferred? Certainly not merely little
amiable chilling and cooling, just "pleas-
ant ecclesiastical Irritation" If we had
either said or implied anything so insignif-
can't, the good brother would have had cause
to say, I, in turn, am simply amegaG " If
his inference had gone no further than - the
point that all this "did seem to portend some
serious business in the future" it might not
have been much amiss. We suppose it does
"porteRa serious business, one way or
another. If he had even said it rendered
union probable, the declaration, though IN
seasonable and unwarranted by any thing in
the delegates commission to the Synod of
Missouri, might have passed as the efusiOn
of a most benevolent brother, whose "heart
leaped with expectation as the eye swept
over that wonderful field on the borders of
Kansas" But was that the extent of his
visiOng Hardly the beginning of it. Sim
ply on the ground of these things, and be-
fore the General Assembly, whose delegate
he was, or any inferior court of his Church,
had uttered a syllable on the subject, he for
mally assures that venerable Synod "that
organic union between the bodies" the Re-
formed Church and ours is an event of
unavoidable ful6llment.' " Unavoidable"
Marx that So completely certain is it.
and from nothing more than just these prem
ises before the Doctors eyes, that to make
assurance doubly sure, he adds, little be
low, 81 is impossible, repeat, in the nature
Of things, that we can long exist apart.
So then, the position in which the whole af
fair stands in the brothers view is, not as q
thing which possibly mag be, but thing
which must be-" impossi5ls" TO Be other
rise "An event Of unavoidable tulfllmeRt.
Was there ever a bigger porch set before
50 small house A greater distance be
tween the premises and the conclusion: |
We caHdidly think the amazement" t,
which reference has been made, was MOI |
without good reason, and wonder that even
plain, unpretending pastor" and "unsus
pecting Presbyter, much more that so dis
tinguished and acute minister should have
INDUCED in such a positive and extreme de-
elaratiOn, and upon such an occasion. But
let US bespeak kindly forgiveness. He
was under a season Of high exhileration, ano
had one Of those exstatic visions about tina
mighty empire of the West. at was whilt
these thoughts rolled through my mind, ano
standing in deliohtful fellowship with tn, |