Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-10-10
EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE.
Uniilcati0n versus Union.
Relations Of Church and State.
Have We Christian Governmentg


Have We a Christian Government!
Pere Hyacinthe net Content with
Mere Alliance.
NEW YORK, Oct. 9.--Pere Hyacinthe's
letter to the members of the Evangelical
Alliance is published. He is united by
faith in the same Christ, the only son of
God, and the Redeemer of Men. You
are laboring to bring together on common
ground the different Christian confessions
which have been so sadly and, until now,
so irremidiably separate. My ambition, ]
confess, is still higher. Where you are
satisfied with an alliance, would desire an
organic and vital unity. l believe this
unity to lie In the future destinies of the
Christian Church.
Beecher Deprecates Unilcation.
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher in his address
last evening, at Brooklyn, in welcome to
the delegates, said If it were an extermina-
tion of sects that was sought by this convo-
cation, if that was the philosophy GER
taiDly should not be ofit, for / do not think
1t would be wise to exterminate the secss
and bring the church into one great phal-
anstery, any more than it is beneficial to
society, to bring together all the great fam
lilies into one great phaIanstery. We get
along very well and allow men to keep
house as they want to.
Visits and Appointments.
The foreign delegates of the Evangelical
Conference, accompanied Mayor Have
meyer and other members Of the city gov
ernment on visit to the public institutions.
The session In Association Hall was opened
by prayer in the usual form, and Rev. DIR.
Prime announced the farewell address
would Le made by Rev. DR.. Schenck, in
the Academy of Music, Sunday evening
next, apd that meetings would likewise be
held in Tammany Hall and Steinway Hall,
free to all who can get in. A German
meeting on the same evening will be held
also made that tickets for home were ready
for delegates at the different shipping offices.
Identifying Church and State.
The first paper read was on The Church
and the Nations, by Rev. w. 81. Freemantle,
of London. He argued that in Christian
nation the Church and the State are iden-
tical and there can be no alliancs between
them, for they are not independent powers.
He believed that in the future the pulpit
viii speak more of civil government and
law, and Legislatures will feel more the in
auence of religion. The judges and the
magistrates are the true elders of this day,
and in the Scripture the authority of the
ruler, as he comes from God, is more in
sisted upon than that of the teacher.
No Union of Church and State-A
storm.
The Second Section of the Evangelical
Alliance met in st. Paul's Church, DIR.
Croaks presiding. The general topic was
Christianity and liberty. w. Il. Campbell, !,
DID,, CT New Jersey, read paper on the
influence of Christianity on civil and re-
Iigious liberty. He was followed by DR.,
Curry, of Richmond, who spoke enthusiast
ically in favor of separation of church and
State, captivating the heart and ear of his
audience. He was in the full flow of bis
discourse when the bell rang time and he
sat down. The audience called loudly for
him to go on, but the chairman stated there
were many invited guests to be heard, and
for Curry to go on would be discourteous
and unchristian. Notwithstanding this ex-
planstionl calls for "Curry! Curry" rang
through the church, and the Doctor rose
and said that while recognizing the rule lim-
iting the time of speaking, he must empbas-
ically protest against being stigmatized by
the chairman as discourteous and unchris-
tian. The calls for Curry and the stamp
ing of feet now became deafening, but the
chairman succeeded in making himself
heard sufficiently to say that foreign dele
gate had pronounced the discussion very
painful to him. A hymn was then sung,
and the storm was lulled, after which Prof.
Goodwin spoke of the effect of civil and re-
ligious liberty upon Christianity.
Rev. Mr.. Davis, President WColsey, ex-
President Hopkins, Rev. Mr.. Menzir, of
Scotland, and others, made addresses, and
Chas. Reade and Rev. Mr.. Gudlestone were
announced IS representatives of the London
Workingmen's Lords Day Rest Associa-
ton.
Blushing for the American COnstifu-
tiOn.
The afternoon session, at Association
Hall, was devoted to a free discussion of
the general topic of day, the relation of the
church to the stste. Rev. Mr.. Bruno, of
Pittsburg, said he was surprised that such
an aggregate Of thought should be expressed
without striking against the thoughts of
others. He said the Constitution of the
United States is free for all sects and creeds,
even the Mahommedan. Therefore, he
blushed for it. He believed in closer
unity of the church with the State.
Have We Christian Government
Rev. Mr.. Stevenson, of Philadelphia, fol-
lowed and said that many nations are try
ing to work up to our model. If this be
true, it concerns us what that model shall
be. He said our government Was strictly a
religious government; and our law of mar
riage was christian law; blasphemy is an
offense against the statute law; the chri istian
religion is part of the common law of our
government. Religious worship is recog-
nized by it. Our national hall of legislation
is open to prayer. Public faith and thanks
giving are established by government. The
christian oath is administered in the civil
court, and by it our civil officers are quail
fed. Our system Of education is purely
christian. We have religious books in our
schools except where legislation has caused
their expulsion.
Not Making Constitutions.
George w. Grant, of Scotland, followed,
after which the Dean of Canterbury ex-
pressed that what was practicable here is
not so in England, Rev. Mr.. Burnett, of
ireland, and Rt. Rev. Bishop Simpson then
spoke. He said that the Alliance should
not assemble to make the Constitution of
the Unite States or the church of England.
DR.. English of Scotland, and Mr.. McCook,
of Philadelphia, and Mr.. George 81. Stuff,
of Philadelphia, concluded the list OF
speakers.
Night Session.
a session of the Evangelical Alliance was
held tonight at the Church of the Disciples,
corner of Madison avenue and 18th street.
Hon. Geo. II. Stuart, of Philadelphia, pre-
sided, and many eminent d!vines we're on
the platform, amongst them being DR.. Hugh
Miller, of Scotland, Bishop Cummings, Rev.
Jno. Hall, Professor Baird, Rev. DIR. Heps-
worth and Rev. DR.. Arnitage. The church
was filed to its utmost capacity.
The subjects for discussion we're: "Free
churches on the continent of Europe" and
ministerial support" A paper was read
on the former subject by Prof. ]. T. Astie,
of Switzerland. The speaker reviewed the
system Of establishment and support Of
churches throughout Europe as contrasted
with America, and argued that it had al
ways been found that where churches are
not supported by the State they thrive bet
ter, members no doubt feeling it incumbent