New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-21
PRESB YTERIAN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
"REMINISCENCES OF A FORMER MEETING.

"REMINISCENCES OF A FORMER MEETING
DEPARTURE OF SOUTHERN PREsBYTERIANs - THE
MAIN ISSUE OF THE SESSION..
frpom A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT or THE rRiBUsEl
CLEVELAND, Ohio, May 19.-The General AS
semby Of the Presbyterian Church In the United states
meets in this city tomorrow This body represents for
the sixth Time the people formerly separated under the
distinctions of Old" aud "Ncw School" Presby erians
but unhappiy, does not yet include others separator
from both by sectional differences The latter nave
their own General Assembly known as representing e
"Presbytoran Church in the United States" and that Is
meeting to-day In St. Louis The two places arc OF Ms
toca interest to the denomination 1t was In ST. Louis
that the reunion OF the Old and New School Branches
was first attempted during the Proydential meeting OF
the separate Assemblies representing those two Dranches
and the appointment made by both OF the first joint
committee on reunion in 1866. The latest meeting OF
these united branches of the denomination USED In the
same city, has given practical exhibition to all OF the
happiness and the benefits OF the reunion Doubtless the
memories of these two occasions will not be without
force in the minds of many Of the Southern delegates
there at this time.
Cleveland is memorable to this Northern Assembly as
the place where the Southern ministers aud churches
belonging to the New School Branch bid farewell to their
Northern brethren In 1857 during the stormy period or
discussion which preceded the Rebellion, the New
School General Assembly met here, the Old School
meeting at Lexington, Ky. Tho Church was In a
deeply aaed condition. The presbyeres, in their an
na reports OF the state Of religion, amented the con-
spcuous absence Of spiritual REVEALS The relations OF
the Church with the American Home Missionary Society,"
which had recently refused to aid slavchoding churches
and with several Congregational associations, were
through the slavery debates-asO in troubled condition
And above ALL the action Of the Assembly Of 1856, de-
claring constitutional authority in regard to churches
whose members Shareholders, had aroused feeling
ut the North and protests from the South, until 1t be-
came very evident that the Cleveland Assembly would
be the scene OF most important events Many OF tho
leading the Church present prepared TO act
SO large number OF aymen elders were present had
never before Obeyed the call Of their presbyeres to rep
resent the people in the Assembly The attendance was
remarkably well maintained throughout an unusually
prolonged session 200 out Of 223 members answered
roll call the fourteenth day. Slavery up for dis
cusson very early by report from the Bills and Over
lures Committee to whom had been referred II memo
rails the subject. They reported moderate course,
as be expected Of committee purpOsey selected
from all sections Of the country and the report pleased
neither side 1t felt by many of the Northern
that the Southern churches, srepesentodby the Rev. Dr.
Ross of Alabama, aud others, had materially changed
regard to slayeholdng, and were unwilling TO have the
subject debated or acted upon. This view seems ss-
"a Northern member proposed decision requiring the
Synod Mississippi to discipline the Presbyery of Lex
ingtOn for its conduct toward the shareholders in its
jursd tiOn the extreme prOsayery men voted for It,
Gates the ant-savery members while the substitute
proposed by Prof. Allen of Cincinnati of much mlder
character, opposed by every Southern man. Tho
latter resolution approval by the Assembly. and was
adopted by 40 against 20 g absenp votes The result
of the passage OF this resolution was the immediate pro-
mitigation by the Rev. Dr. Ross and his associates of q
call for Convention of Presbyerics in Washington City
in August OF the same year. to FORM not "a southern
Church, but General Assembly In which Slavery should
be forever open question: Ghs the beginning OF
the formal disruption Of the PresDy erians North and
South The Old school SOutherncr5 separated from their
Assembly during the Rebellion, cOalcsced later with
those above mentioned, and with them form now the
"Presby Church i'll the United States since the
Northern Assemblies, from which these two Southern
portions separated, reunited in 1870, I'M
ce.ising efforts have been put forth-thus far
unsucccssfully-tO win the latter back into the
fellowship The subject will be perhaps tho most
interesting OF the present Assenblys concerns; but
there is very strong feeling already evident to the
effect that the Northern Assembly has done all that kind
and dignity require allow and that any present
advances ought to from the other side. IL the AS
sembly OF 1873 becomes famous new men will be
apt to make reputation, Tor the Church looks upon it
in advance ls remarkable chiefly for the scarcity OF dis
tingiished on its roll. BY principle somewhat
regarded since the reunion than before, the mem
beers of given Presbyery are chosen in turn to the
Assembly, and it has happened that the lot has fallen
only few OF the fathers OF the Church this The
Church will therefore, watch the proceedings with per-
haps even more than usual and IL Is not impossible
that by the time IL gets well under way the world will