The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-07-31

cause the Southern Church, hoping that the other
would be influenced by a returning sense OF JUS
tic, have forborne to press it.
"The door mag still be opened for an effort to
adjust" &c. The door has never been closed on
our part. 1t is still wide open, and any honest
candid, and just spirit of Cancellation may enter
and do its work.
Rev. Mr. Reynolds who captured our church at
St. Augustine, and has therefore sympathy IN
such business, tells the Assembly that the great
majority of the members of this Church, were
Union men," This statement is simply astounding,
in view of this fact, among many Others that a
gentleman of Jacksonville has now in his posses
sion letter of Mr.. Mitchell, the elder OF the
church who went with the Northern party, written
only few days after the separation. In this let
ter he distinctly admits that himself and two ladies'
were all the members of the Church that voted to
separate it from the Florida Presbytery. So that
one man and too 1vomen constituted Mr. Reynolds
"great majority" The condition of a mans IN
Outstanding, to say nothing Of his conscience that
would allow him to make such statement, might
be subject of curious investigation in writ de
hsaatico iaQl,irendo." We solemnly pronounce 1t
shameful misstatement, and MIR. Reynolds may
extricate himself if he can. We deny that, under
any fair Judgment there was any majority at all OF
the members in that church who were in favor OF
adhering to the Northern Assembly, when the sep
aratiOn took place. If it was aOmiRaLy 50, 1t was
only because Southerners were under the heel OF a
despotic rule, and because, VIGOROUSLY, members
Of other churches and people of no church were
gathered into mass meeting, to wrest this proper
" from the hands of those who built it, and put
it into the hands of aliens. The tale that shall tell
the truth about that vote, will have to tell the
everlasting shame of those who conducted it, and are
now trying to persuade the public that they are
enjoying the fruits of righteous act.
Passing by any minute notice of Mr. Reynolds
statements about the itigious spirit of our people,
there is one pretty little sentence which it would
be unpardonable to pass by. He says "7hev non
loant 0ae-haf of the property" Doubtless this
was expected TO give finishing stroke to the i'm
pudence of the poor SOutherners. Zone halfl'
How the whole Assembly must have flushed indig
nantly at the bare suggestion. But just at this
point comes in a troublesome customer. 1t must
be BY prodigious stretch of "honor, conscience
and charity" that DR.. Musgrave, MIR. Reynolds
and his party can ever forgive him. The first pas
tor Of the Jacksonville church was an estimable
minister who came South about twenty years ago.
and whose memory is very kindly cherished there
to this day. Intimately acquainted with the origin
of that church, the light in which an honorable
mind would look upon the course pursued towards
it, it may be we'll imagined. This gentleman, the
Rev. Mr.. Sproull, whose residence for good
many years has been at the North, happened to be
member of the last General Assembly. No won
/ der that his honest conscience could not stand
what was going on And now let his declaration
be heard and marked. That church was built By
| Southern people. He had tried to get money a
the North, but did not obtain over $50. We judge
/ that this plump statement must have opened the
eyes of some. Where is Mr.. Reynolds now2 Real
" it is not so impudent, after all, for these people
to claim one-half of all the property, seeing tba
nearly every dollar paid for it when it was pur
chased, came out of their pockets. And what nov
\ becomes of the statement sent two years ago BY
the pastor and session to their Presbytery 1.-THE Cen
tral) in Philadelphia, in which they say thai
"seven-eighths of the property, as it. now stands
was contributed by Loyal persons of Northern
birth. The evil must one day be lifted from al
this mass of Misrepresentation.
1t is quite interesting to notice how speedily tbs
deliberations on this matter were wound up, after
the explosion of Mr.. Sprouts statement. Ever
DR.. Musgrave seems to have been suddenly awak
ened to the awkward figure cut by his report. Il
may be thought unfortunate by some that he
should be continued at the head Of his committee.
His record thus far has not been bright one
but the lapse of another year under the lesson
administered by Mr.. SprOull, may possibly i'm.
prove his report to the next Assembly. OF thi:
there is some indication in the remark to which be
was unexpectedly stimulated. As he is now So
peeply impressed with the injustice" of having
an er parte committee, there is some ground to
hope that like feeling will prevail against con-
fuiug his future investigations to &c pdrte state
ments; and that when he comes with another re-
port either the remembrance of Mr.. Sproull, OF
something else will enable him to understand that
correspondence with parties in that place, y
means something more than correspondence with
one party only.