National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-04-14
Eloquent Remarks by Rev. G. o. Little.
A Slight AIlusiOn to the Brooklyn
Scandal and Its Results - His
Opinion OF the sanetity OF the
Marriage VOW-FuIl Roll
of Ministers and
Elders Present.

Last evening, at the Fourth Presbyterian
church. DR.. ]. q. Smith, pastor, was held the ini-
tiatory meeting Of the regular assembly Of the
presbytery Of Washington city. This presbytery
is connected with the synod Of Baltimore, and
embraces 70 ministers, q churches, and s, $50
communicates. OF these churches II are in the
District of Columbia, in Maryland, and II in
Virginia. Besides the routine business to be
U f duspS Iee Two
tention, and be submitted for approval or reiec-
ton, viz: For q proposed change in the form Of
government, making the term of ruling elder
ship rotary instead Of permanent, as at present,
and on the adoption Of g court Of final appeal.
The services last evening were opened BY sing
Rev VIM. H. Rice read selection frsm the
Bible and offered ferVent prayer.
DT: Smith made announcements Of to.day's pro-
ceedinRs, and extended an invitation to the con-
gregation TO attend the meetings Of the body.
REV. GEO. o. LITTLE,
the retiring moderator, preached to the presby-
terry, having selected as his text Thessalenians,
Tvs He, therefore, that despiseth, despiseth not
man but God, who also hath given YOU the boiy
spirit The word in the Greek said the speaker,
that has been translated here 'despiseth' has in
other places been translated differently. Some
times 1t is translated 'reject;" in other places
"bTiDg to nothing" illustrate" and 'cast of, "
In a string of beads, though they be OF different
color, the baubles are connected by the same
thread and are made Of the same material. In
these different translations there is a common
meaning, that of ''setting aside"
HE, therefore, that despiseth" may be read,
He therefore that putteth aside not God. but
any part Of Gods institutions. God instituted
family by creating male and female, and from
this spraDg
THE MARRIAGE RELATION,
a divine Institution. Yet there are some men
who md the restrictions Of marriage irksome,
and seek TO put 1t aside. Christi said that he
who casts aside his wife puts her where she is
liable TO commit adultery by contracting another
marriage; and whOseever marries her while the
first husband is yet living, also commits a crime.
hot hrrG d. oil
tiou, puts aside a divine institution and despiseth
God In this connection, the speaker said that
man is the head OF his vile. as Christ was the
head Of the Church. Those who seek to secure
woman's rights to her cannot be too highly
praised, but we must not seek 10 confer mans
rights upon her.
The Church and the Bible are other instItu-
tons Of God. The Bible is divided into innumer-
able parts, and some men set aside perhaps only
one Of these parts as not coming from God. In
this
HE DEsPIsETH GOD.
The depravity Of the human heart occurs as the
reason Tor setting aside these institutions. There
The conception Of idea is not available until Il is
embodied In practical form, and 1t must neces-
sarily be nodded into shape by imperfect means
The painters conception comes to him perfect and
grand, but he has to express It in eolors
and hands, though comparatively skillful, yet
far from correct. The author must clothe his
thoughts in words that but imperfectIy express
his meaning. Then again, when a painting is
finished and hung, the best Judges cannot feel
what the painter feels when he looks upon 1t. So
two steps downward from the conception TO the
realization. This is no less applicable to the
divine conceptions. The thoughts came from on
HIGH but man embodied them.
We ind imperfections all through his institu-
tiOns-in the Church, in the Bible, and in the
marriage relation. When the Bible is read by
the masses 1t appears still more imperfect, as
they fail TO see the idea contained in the words.
By
sINFULNEss AND DECEIT
a..
are estraDged from Christianity, because they
are willing to see the imperfections than the
beauties. Since God has created these institu-
tions we cannot set them aside without rejecting
God. 1t is not the book or the printed page. but
God that you despise.
Suppose marriage has not proved q paradise,
What q story OF free love we get from morning to
morning in our daily paper! Nothing can be
found to supply the place OF the Church.
Prof. Morton, in his lecture, referred to quota
tioR from Humboldt, declaring the human eye to
be an awkward piece Of mechanism.
1t is awkward as an optical instrument, but 1t
was not intended for an optical instrument, but
simply as meens Of sight, and who can question
its superiority? If scientists wished to substitute
the lens for the eye we would be in darkness. II
we eliminate the Church Wo take away the eye
from the world that never could be replaced. In
despisIng these institutions we also desplse the
good that comes through them. There are men
destroy the channels, like the old woman who
killed the goose that laid the golden egg. The
marriage is full Of self-deniaT and pain. There
are homeless people, people who SIT in desolate
homes because they have set aside the marriage
relation.
SPIRITUAL SUCCESS
comes through the channels Of the church and
the Institutions Of God. In conclusion, the Doctor
said, in explanation Of the final clause Of his text
like the painter Who gives to us part Of his in.
spiration in describing his painting, so God lends
his spirit that We may understand his words and
works.
After singing, the regular business session was
opened by prayer from Dr. Little. DIR. B. F. Bit
finger then called the roll The following men,
beTs were present.
MEMBERS PRESENT.
Ministers John @. Smith, VIM. T. Van Doren
Byron Sunderland, James 5. H. Henderson,
Theodore T. Simpson, Benjamin ]. Blttinger,
Joseph E. Nourse, John Chester, John L. French,
John Brown, George o. Little, Lorenzo w estcott,
Charles H. Nourse, Joseph T. Kelly, Geo. Van
Deurs and VIM. H. Rice.
church, Warrington, II. J. Frost; New York
avenue, A. r. Gu ak; Fourth, Daniel MeFar-
s S3a sd Fs!s
Prince Williams, Clement A. McCauslRud; Sixth
Washington, George E. Hercus; Westminster,
NeeisTiIIe. WIN. T. Serbs; Metropolitan, W. H.
BarstoW; North, Samuel Kerr; Manassas, W. q.
Avery; Gurley chapel, J. E. Zug; HyattsviIle,
The moderator then called for nominations for
the ONCE Of moderator, and after several names
bad been proposed, Rev. John Brown was elect
ed by reclamation and took the chair.
Elder Charles Lyman was elected temporary
clerk.
session would begin at o'clock q. m, and recess
at O'Clock p. m. The evening session will begin
at O'Clock p. N. The meeting was dismissed By
prayer from DR.. Smith.
Probably TO days session will be suficient to
transact all the business before the assembly; II
not, there will be another session called TO-