Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-07-24
PRESBYTERIAN UNION.
The Late Consolidation of the VsTiOu5
CaBad ian Branches Of that Church.
ontreaI letter to The CHICAGO rimes.I

Montreal letter TO the Chicago Times.I
One OF the principal events by which
the present year of grace will be distin-
guished in the history of the country is
the union OF the different branches OF
the Presbyterian church. Want of time
has prevented me from abiding to il
before, although the kilograms will have
informed you Of its consummatiOn some
two or three weeks ago. Negotiations
and discussions to that end have been
going Oh for some time past, two years
at least, but without avail until now.
With such a haTd-headed, time-hOnOr-
ing, conservative class of men as that
composing the assemblies of the Scotch
church, it was no easy matter to bring
about so important change. However
much one party in the church might be
convinced of its expediency, aud so
forth, there would be sure to be another
party having scruples, and fears and OBJ
jectiOns, which, for q time at least,
would be insGrmOuntable. And so it
was. No proposition in connection
with the Church Of Scotland was
ever more strenuOusly opposed for
a time-not even the introduce
ton OF music into the church-tban
was the proposition to unite all the yari-
Gus branches Of Presbyterianism which
separated under such hostile circum-
stances, and on grounds apparently ire
concilable. Almost from the first estab-
Iishment of the Presbyterian form Of
worship in this country there have been
representatives, of the Established
Church Of Scotland and Of the Free
church. In 1888 the United Church of
Scotland sent out delegates who estGb-
lished themselves here; and in 1851,
union was effected between that and the
Free church synod in this country, under
the name Of the Canada Presbyterian
church here-the Established Church of
Scotland and the Canada Presbyterian
church. These two churches, after sew
eral years Of struggle, are now united in
conjunction with the two branches of
the Church OF the Maritime Provinces,
under the name of "the Presbyterian
church in Canada" OF all these different
branches, and OF ell those who so strongly
opposed the union, only some three or
four clergymen, OF whom the principal
is Rev. Savin Lang, of this city, have
persisted in their opposition. The union
was effected at time when all the Vari-
Gus bodies were holding their annual
synodical assemblies, the principal BUSH
ness Of such assembly this year being
the settlement Of basis Of union and
the election Of delegates to the general
assembly. The general assembly met in
this city, and, after about three days
discussion, articles Of union were drawn
up and signed, and the contamination
proceeded with at once. The preamble
to the article of dniOn runs as follows:
nv oh Of do
in connection with the Church of Scot
land, the Canada Presbyterian church,
the Church of the Maritime Provinces in
connection with the Church of Scotland
and the Presbyterian church of the Lower
Provinces, holding the same doctrine,
government and discipline, believing
that 1t would be for the glory of God and
the advancement of the cause OF Christ
that they should unite and thus form
one Presbyterian church in the Dom:n-
ion, independent of all other churches
in its jurisdiction, and under authority
to Christ alone, the Head OF His church
and Head over all things to the church,
agree to unite on the following basis to
be subscribed by the mOderatOrs Of the
respective churches in their name and
on their behalf"
These articles, in so far as they con-
Germ the question Of faith and doctrine,
have already sent you, but there were
one or two other questions of perhaps
even greater difficulty than even these.
One Of these was the question Of State
grants, which was disposed Of in this
summary manner: "In the United
States the fullest forbeaTance shall be al
lowed as to any difference Of opinion
which may exist respecting the question
of State grants to educational establish
ments of a denOminatiOnal character
Another was the question OF the tempo
ralities fund, which is very large one,
and was likely to be the subject Of much
jealousy and suspicion. With regard to
this it was provided that the temperate
ties fund shall remain as at present, in
the hands Of board, the membership of
which shall be continued after the con-
sum matiOn Of the uniOL by the remnant
members having power to fill vacancies
caused by death, resignation or other
wise, and the administration Of the fund
shall continue on the same principles
and for the same purposes as at present,
until the vested rights of all ministers
and probationers shall have elapsed, and
their rights shall be held to be the fol-
lowing:
"First-The annual receipt by minis
ters now receiving four hundred and
fifty dollars, four hundred dollars. or
two hundred dollars, of the same amount
during their lifetime and good standing
in the church; second, the annual re-
ceipt OF two thousand dollars in per-
petuity by the treasurer of Queens col
lege; and, third, The annual recent of
two hundred dollars by all the ministers
who shall be on the synod roll at the
time OF the union, and 10y all recognized
prObatiOneTs and licentiates engaged in
active service dU.ing their lifetime and
good standing in the church; all salaries
Of two hundred dollars to be increased to
four hundred dollars each, wher the re-
cipients Of them shall! have retired, with
the consent Of the church, from the act
i've duties of the ministry. The temoO.
raIities board shall, ii necessary, draw
upon the capital Of the fund in order To |
meet the aioresaid requirements. AS |
soon as the fund or any part OF if shall |
DO longer be required for these purposes. |
1t shall, with the exception OF the afore- |
said annual payment to Queens college |
Jf two thousand dollars, or the same |
capitalized, be appropriated to a home |
mission fund for aiding weak charges in |
he United church"
The general assembly of the United |
church elected Rev. DR.. Cooke, Of Que
Dec, as its first moderator. Thus united |
ne Presbyterian church is the largest
IF the Protestant bodies in Canada, hav-
Dg constituency Of about one hundred
thousand members, and between six
md seven hundred clergymen Oh its
oils. On behalf Of the few who paT- |