The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-05-29
Presbyterian General Assembly.
An OVERTURE OF pRAcR AND FR.rRpE,,,

IPsSS ~ AAS NeuSIA G1b5SmolY was lut
reception this morning Of an overture
from Revs. Jas. H. Brooks, J. r. Phillips
and VIM. ChriSman, the committee ap.
.. pointed Rtthe recent conference OF Pres
byteriane connected with the Old School
Synod OF Missouri The overture related
to the action ol the General Assembly ol
the Old School, and which subSt uently
Jed TO division Of the Synod Of 1itsouil
10 1865, Il stated that they were in
strucled to enuuciate disiinctly and frank.
y the principles held by those whom lhey
represented, and II, as they believed, the
same principles were held by this General
Assembly, there 10 nothing 10 preyen,
their more Iraternsl relations, which they
long 70 see securely and permanently
established.
Dr. Crosby then offered q response %
follows:
WuEREAS, Certain brethren belonging
to the old school Presbyterian Synod Of
Missouri have overturned this Assembly,
stating their principles regarding t6e
plenary inspiration OF the Scriptures and
Inc proper jurisdiction ol the Church
courts in things ecclesiastical only, and 10
these according to the word ol God,
together with their firm adherance 10 our
confession Of faith catechiSms and form
o. government Of the book Of discipline
Therefore
RsOleed. That this Assembly cordially
accept this overture as exhibiting the prin
ciples OF the Presbyterian Church In the
United States Of America, and consider all
actions ot the Church in the past, IL any
which may have been done contrary 10
these principles, 10 be null and void.
Iae response was received with loud
and long continued applause, and several
gentlemen arose to speak on the question.
Judge Drake obtained the hooF and in
moving the adoption Of the report said
there were Q lew members Of the General
Assembly that were so placed during the
troubled times when the civil war was
raging as himself and he, therefore, hail.
cd with delight the breaking down Of the
barriers, which have Alienated the Church
ot God. At present he believed the time
would come when all who were estrapged
BY reason Of the civil war would come 10. |
gether again, II there was man who |
claimed 10 be christian and who cher
ished any animosity growing out Of the
war, he should get down on his knees and
pray God TO change his heart.
Dr. Nelson did not know that any such
overture was coming before the Assembly,
but since It did come he wanted some.
tnlng more than q mere vote on the sub
ject. he wished for no humiliation this
was q time for reconciliation. The paper
which had been read was a historic one,
aud was q part OF the grand records Of the
Church. The speaker alluded TO The time
when he was pastor of The First Presby-
terian Church OF this city, and Dr. Brooks,
who was one of the sIgGers of tho over
ture, was his earnest antagonist. Not
long ago he saw circular in
print signed by j. II. Brooks, call.
ing a convention in his Church Of all
those who stood BY him. He immediate.
" wrote him, and since then all their
former differences were settled. He asked
that II DR.. Brooks be present he bo called
on 10 speak. There were loud calls for
Brooks, but he was not In the house.
Prayer was then offered BY Father hunt
TO direct the Assembly 10 vote right, and
several hymns were sung. Many were
affected 10 tears when tho vote on the
adoption OF the report was taken and it
was unanimous.
On motion Of Dr.. Breckenridge coms
mtttee oi seven was appointed 10 oirqutre
into the expedlency oil appointing dele
gation TO meet at the next General As
sembly OF the Church South, which meeIs
IN 6t Louis next year, and carry greet.
ingO and iraternal love.
Rev. Il. 81. GArvet (colored), of
n; Y, rose 10 a question Of
privilege TO, ask why, Father
Hunt had characterized the emanclpa.
tion proclamation as one of the most IN
Just md unwtse acts ever done. He 70.
gretted that such remark had come
from any member, Of the Assembly. and
ne found it hard 10 reconcile Father
dunts statement on q previous occasion,
that he had emaucipaied all his slaves
before the law compelled him 10 do so,
with what he had since said. He couldn't
hear that proclamation alluded to In
That manner, without saying q word.
Father Hunt had said The black man
could not be raised out ofignorance, but be
would tell him and the wofld that the
gospel of Jesus Christ can raise every.
body up.
: Father hunt explained his remarks, re.
peatiDg the statement quoted, but the
Assembly was unwilling 10 hear him OF
any length, and he had 70 take his seat.
Dr.. Alex. Reed then gained the floor,
70 continue his remarks on the Board oi
publication. He considered that tho
Church aud ftB members were not tena.
cious enough Of its literature. They pur.
chased many books that were not pub
lished BY their own Board. They were
liberal In this respect as we'll as In others,
and as an instance Of this he mentioned
the fact that last year tho resby,eriars
gave S0U00 more TO the Bible Society
Than any other denomination.
ReV. Woods, OF Nation, Ills, said
there, was 9 great prejudice against the
literature Of the Presbyterian Church,
which was one reason why the sales were
small. Presbyterian literature was mis-
represented to q great extent, bu. there
was no reason why fault could be found
against the Board Of Publication.
The discussion was freely indulged In,
nearly all being In favor ol continuing the
coiportage work Of the board.
Agentleman from Santa Fe said that
to make a minister sell books would be
the means ot mskipg him lose bis In
lucnce as minister. As for himself he
used nearly all the Spanish literature
which the Church published, and he
wanted to ssy thst whenever man
asked him what q book was worth, ."Oh,
nothing, only that you read Il" ~ } N
Rev. Mr. Gadper, tot The Nebraska
Home Missionary Society, said Il was i'm.
polite to give the workof colpottsge 10
ministers, Tor the reason that they have 10
neglect their ministerial work 10 engage