The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-07-16
ga Mistake

Under this heading the Old School Presbyterian
of St. louis has some very sensible and timely re
mark ><g6lch it world be well for all concerned to
| ponder. We extract the foSswlng in which the
editor points out a great "mistake" into which
Northern Presbyterian papers and people have tai
len concerning MS:
'Wi speak most sincerely. 1t is our hearts
desire, our fervent prayer, that there should be
peace in the Presbyterian host and, at least trater
nal correspondence among the divisions. But,
peace to be lasting, must not be patched 10
bring the separated members OF the family into
closer and more pleasant relations, there must be
| oerlect rankueos on all sides-a readiness to &C.
knowledge error and repair wrong.
! Now we notice, with sorrow. lack OF frankness
| in the Northern newspapers, in that they adhere
to the stereoty ped charge that nothing but political
feeling and sectional prejudice holds this Synod aud
the Southern Church aloof from the Northern As
sembly. Over aud over again this has been denied
py us and our brethren 10 he South. Over and
over again we have declared In the most solemn
manner, that we have been actuated solely by the
! principles and interests of the Kingdom which Is
mot of this world" But cur Northern friends
refuse to believe US. They decline to credit US
with devotion to such principles and interests
! From the beginning down to this day, they have
regarded us, aud have sought to treat us, merely
| as rebels as those who, defeated In the CIVIL
conflict. were determined to GARY the war In the
Churcn. We do not exaggesa ate. All this, and
much more, has been said about us, and in these
very words. 1t is still said of u.s. For example,
/ Dr. Monfort, of che Herald and Presbyter, in this
pa ger of June 5th, wrote respecting the Northern
and Southern Assemblies and this Synod, Ger
tany our differences jr eeg1rd to the rebellion
should not keep aper SOay OF people who are
one in faith and order. - Moufort has said the
same thing hundred { perhaps during the
last eight years: aud though he has as often been
corrected and asked to be Just to US and the
Southern Church, to beteUe our st'tement Of prln'
ciDles and grievances he persists In hootIng at the
idea that we have any principles, and In relterat
ing that we stand apart from his Church, simply
because of "our differences IN regard to the rebel
lion" Surely, he is not so blind as not to see how
insulting and irritating is his repetition OF what
more than implies that we do not tell the truth.
This is Que of those blunders to which we allude
Dr. Moniolt is not the only Que chargea6le with IT,
1t is common to the Northern religious papers =
And worse than all, it is committed by the North
ern Assembly 1t is very serious bunder' For,
first, it does u.s. as we said very great Injustice
and secondly, it ignores those things when MUST
BE BOLDLY LOOKED AT, if more traternal relations
are ever to exist.
There are principles of transcendent worth lnvol-
we'd in tie controversy. There are grievances
which christian brothers should not be made to
suffer and which christian brethren ought to be
prompt to redress.