, 1873-05-18
THE PRESBYTERIkNS.
The Annual Meetings Of Their
General Assemblies. !

Historical and Statistical Sketch Of the
=: ''' i Church and It's Several -. Il
:. Divisions. II
::.. .----:; :. -
TIE PREsBYrEnraSs. '.''>"
/ The meeting Of the Ganornl Assemblies Of the
several divisions Or sectons Of the Presbyterians
IN this country will: attract general attention.
Always large and influential class Of Christians,
earnest and thoroughly loyal the best interests
of the community; having among It's laymen q
large number OF the leading statesman and
1urists Of the nation, and With an able and
learned ministry, it has always e1erted 8 wide,
and mainly q Ralutary, influence upon tho vel
fare OF tho Republic. Firm adherents
Of the principle that 1.-THE powers that be
are ordained Of God,' they have; as a whole,
been conservative, generally adhering to the
Government as It ia, and, therefore, slow to
adopt any untried experiments in national
affair." This WAS specially noticeable during the
war Of the Rebellion; for, while the Church North
sustained with its best blood and millions Of ita
treasure the administration Of nfr. Lincoln
almost unanimously, jeff Davis had no Drawer
supporters than the PresbyteziAns Of tho South.
The same principle explains why DR.. Withe1r-
spoon and tho other prezbytcrians OF the Reyo-
luton spoke AID fought so earnestly for tile
cause OF God and the Continental Congress.
The history OF Prosbyterianism Is Intimately
associated with the history and The growth. Of
the Republic It was brought to this country by
the Scotch, the scotch-triah, md the Huguenot
immigrants. The five first churches we're or
ghnlzed By Francis MaIennie, on the Eastern
Shore Of Maryland, 1864 50. The first P1esby-
terian Church OF Philadelphia was organized in
l69S, and the first records Of tho Presbytery, Of
Philadelphia commenced in 170G. The Synod
Of Philadelphia was organized NTH four
Presbyteries in 17t7, and remained united till
1741, when, on some doctrinal Or other points Of
difference, it divided into tho Synods: Of New
York and Now Jersey On the ono side, and that Of
Philadelphia on the other. In 1758 they were
again united in fellowship, but remnined as
separate bodies, vixen. in 1ray, 1889, the first
General Assembly, tho highest judicatory Of tho
Church, Was organized. And hero rB msy as
well state that tue government OF the
Presbyterian Church Ii composed as fol-
lows: Each church has it's Board, or ses-
sion, as it is technically called, OF Elders,
elected BY the members, Of whom the pastor is
Chairman. They administer its spiritual, Affairs
and discipline, and from their decisions the first
appeal is to the Prosbytery. The Trustees
elected by the CONGREGATION hAye charge OF, fhe
property, and administer the temporalities OF
the Church. Tho Presbvterv ia copnosed of
tho ministers in several adjoining churches,
with Delegates OF one or mora ,frnm tha
Eldcrship. The SYNOD il comnosea Of tho
ministers of tvo or mora presbyferias
and also of delegates from the EldaraLin
of the seyera1 chnrchen They listen tn and
decide unon nrnea1s from tha Preahvter;as and
at+and +n n,ttara of gaoer,1 irtarnat The ceb.
arm, asa.mh,v ia naaa I'm ~ do1aootaa ron +ha;
presbytoriea hotb Law and c1er;ca1 and .s ahova
stated. ia the tribunal Of final resort in MI mai
terz of faith and nract;ce TIA aaea;ona nzna,1v
occnnv fron, tan davn to two veeka and oennra11v
In abler. more learned, or more patriotic body Of
men cannot be found anywhere than the Cen
eral Assembly Of the PRESBYTERIAN Church Of the
United States, -.
For nearly half century knbseonaht ia 17po
the Presbyterian Church p~cspcrcd. when. in
1880 to 1888. antrr 1iscussiops ,rosa mainly IN,
some doctrinal noiutH bit intensified nnder Tho:
rest1essness which began to ba fet amonc 0hria-l
tian men rs to the responsibilities and the crimes
OF American slavery. til. in 1888 the Assembly
divided into what. for better name to designate
them, we're ca-lod the Old and the New School,
The latter were regarded IS the more pro-.
gressiye, and the former the. moro conservative
body. Another secession wis mado from the
New School branch at the meeting Of the
Assembly In Cleveland in 1857, majority Of
the Southern churches in that connection going
off on account Of the deliverances Of the body
on the subject Of slavery. The rebellion in
1861 divided the Old School body as well, and it,
the Northern Church united with few excep- |
tio,a II, a r;oorora s1rnort ~ +ba Govar7,nnant
- -
anu lts mempefs dld mOst encaens ser71ce IN
putting down the rebellion
rail- =, ~. 49,. t1.-,,,.4r, - -. i
1atg :" VIC ""l' tnouen'ta4 laen ~" 'nas Va"
abolition OF slavery left nothing in the Way Of 9
reunion batvaen tha Old and tha Nav Rchoo1 |
chnrc1,aa ~ rn7n,~r, 49,. a.. e-et .s-,or =;
LIZ n4Ho0E "0a %1e Het PaPei II
the united states TO suggest and to urge the pro-