The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1874-12-02
The Louisville Church Troubles.

on and officers and members of his church was
obtained from a public address delivered by him
IN September 23d. and published in one of the
laily papers 1t appears from this lecture and
rom subsequent developments, that there have
been repeated disagreements between the Modera-
tor and other members of the session of the First
Presbyterian church, which have caused that grand
old church, the parent of all the Presbyterian
churches in the city, steadily to decline from the
noble position it once occupied among them, and
VI ich threatened more serious consequences. The
pastor aud the elders could not cooperate harmo-
uiously. Some change was necessary. And while
we think there was mistake of judgment, we can
not admire 100 highly the sefSacri6cing spirit OF
the seven ruling eders-constituting two-thirds OF
the Session, who had contributed in the aggregate
their tens of thousands Of dollars to the church.
who had worshipped there for years, and who
dearly loved the old church. around which are clus-
tered the tenderest associations of their ives-in
asking letters of dismission for themselves and
families. and quietly leaving their old home,
rather than to demand the resignation of the pas
tor on the one hand, or endanger the peace of the
church by further opposition on the other. They
had made the greatest sacrifice men could make in
the interests OF peace, and their withdrawal should
have ended the controversies.
The pastor, even though he may have believed
that they deserved censure, made grlevous nus
take 1--WE use a mild term) In publicly assaultiDg
them from the pulpit, after he had given them let
ters certifying that they were Z" in good and regu
lar standing" If they were guilty Of the euor-
nous offences he charged them with, their letters
should not have been issued They could not, with
self-respect present them to any other church al
ter being thus publicly stigmatized without an In
vestigation. Dr. Wilson, or his session, refused
vestigated In their dilemma they concluded to
memorabilia Presbytery on the subject.
At the meeting of the Presbytery in October
two memorials were presented one from members
of the church asking the Presbytery TO visit the
church, and examine into its difficulties the other
from these elders asking for an examination of the
charges against them. DIR. Wilson made long
argument to show that the Presbytery could not
constitutionally entertain any memorial on these
matters and failing to convince the Presbytery,
which decided by vote of l9 to 2, to hear the
memorials, be gave notice of an appeal on his own
behalf and on behalf Of his church. to superior
court; and announced that as this appeal was a
bar to all further proceedings in this matter,
neither he nor they would take any further part in
them. But, in the face of this announcement,
three communications were presented to the Pres
bytery the next day from the session and members
of the First church-one minute of the session,
intended apparently to vindcate the address Of the
pastor that was complained Of; the other two,
memorials from the session, and certain members
of the church denying the existence of troubles re-
curing the attention of the Presbytery.
These five papers were referred to committees,
as fair aud as able as could probably have been ap
pointed. The Moderator of the Presbytery, DR..
Matthews, had been nominated by DR.. Wilson fol
taat post in the expectation that some of the mat
tiers involved would come before the Presbytery fol-
a]iudication Dr. Robinson had kept himself en-
tirely aoof from the difficulties now to be investi
gated, and stated to Presbytery that this work
was one of the most painful of his life The re-
naming member of the Committees, Mr.. Hanna,
was one OF Dr. Wilson's most intimate personal
friends. Their object was Cancellation and peace.
To this end they determined to see each OF the
parties to the difficulty separately and then to
counsel with all of them together. Their aim was
frustrated by the refuSual of DR.. Wilson and his
session to confer with them, lest their appeal to
the General Assembly might thereby be invali
dated, or even to allow the committees the use OF
the lecture room. The committee collected such
facts as they could and presented an outline Of
them, with their authorities, in an elaborate re-
port, that exhibited DR.. Wilson s course in very
unenviabe aspect. They could not, of course,
present the statements on the other side for they
could not obtain them But recognising the fact
that there might be explanations which they could
not obtain, their recommendations in the premises
were so mild, exhibited so much forbearance to.
wards the pastor of the First church, and so great
unwillingness to do anything that might appear
harsh or ankind towards him or the church, as to
occasion the surprise of many members of the Syn
cd and of others. Even Dr. Wilson himself said
in published card that "Drs. Robinson and Mat
hews are either guilty of insncerity or of seltstul
tfcation in appendDg so slight sentence to so
fearful and ruinous an indictment, and SO sweeping
a verdict.
Two days after the presentation of this report
there appeared, in the columns of the Louisville
Commercial, card from Rev. DR.. s. r. Wilson
the most fearful ebulition of rage ever published
by minister Of the gospel in Louisville paper.
1t characterized the report of the Presbytery's
committees as destitute of everything that is
Christian, both in style, language and spirit
Indecent and even infamous" their Statements
false, and their aim sanderous in no ordinary de.
gree"-aud teemed with wholesale charges of false
hood, defamation, hypocrisy, charlatanism, etc.
against perhaps a score of prominent Presbyterian
ministers aud elders, among whom DR.. Robinson,
DR.. Matthews, DR.. Yandell, DR.. Breck, Mr.. Joyes
and Mr. Casseday, were named II correctly re.
ported, Dr. Wilson addressed his congregation in
the same strain last Sabbath week. In the iudp.
ment of Presbytery, such language, emanating
from such source, could not be permitted to pass
without rebuke, and resolution was adopted, re.
curing of DR.. Wilson an humble apology, and for
bidding him to speak on the floor of the Presby.
tery until it was made. He asked until the next
morning for consideration, and then sent letter
to the body, declining to make any apology for his
violent language
Having" he wrote. by the unconstitutional
and Injurious action Of the Presbytery, been thus
deprived OF my rights and privileges as minister
and ruler in the house of God, | shall not again
sit in the Presbytery, nor recognize as of any bind
ing force any other action that they may hereafter
take touching myself or my ministry, until the
aforesaid unlawful action is repealed and the in
Jury it has done me, as far as possible repaired by
the Presbytery. And, as they have taken away
my right of freedom of speech before their own
body, shall continue still to exercise that right
as minister of Christ, and as PASTOR before the
whole church, and the particular church over