The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-05-20

The Presbyterian Church North com
prises ia presbyteries, of which IL are
in foreign lands; 35 Synods, 1864 com
muhicanls, 4,946 churches, 1857 minis
ters, and 5lG,97l Sabbath School mem
bers. The churches connected with the
General Assembly North contributed last
year to various objects Of benevoencu
10, l20, 1872, portion over SIS 70 a mem
Der.
In 1887 the church was divided, and
the parties were known rs the Old and
New School. In 1870 the Old and New
School Assemblies formed an organic
union, and became the leading Presby.
terian body in America. The marriage
ceremony was celebrated with great re
joicng in the Third Presbyterian Church
in Pittsburgh, Penn, i'll May, 1870.
The Northern Assembly will be opened
at Cleveland May 20h, with a sermon 10y
The Rev. Samuel j. Wilson, Moderator OF
the last Assembly. Several subjects OF
vital interest to the church will he before
the body for drliberatiOn and action.
Among them will be paternal relations
with the Southern Church; the finances
of the boards; the overture on the elder
ship; negotiations with the Reformed
Church of America tor closer union; the
sustentation scheme; court Of appeals;
the hymn book question; the mileage
system; the ratio Of reformation, and
ministerial relief.
In regard to paternal relations with the
Southern Church, committee WAS APP
pointed by the Northern Assembly, and
one by the Southern Assembly III May,
1874, TO determine upon the terms OF
union. The committees met Ill Ball-
more in January last, and, after much
discussion, failed to agree upon terms OF
union. Since then the subject has been
warmly discussed. The comments of the
denominational press, at first somewhat
sharp, has been milder, and the spirit
shown OH both sides leads to hope that
reconciliation may YET take place. The
point of difference between the commit
tees which ended the conference 50 un-
satisfactorily, appears from the following
extract from the address OF the Southern
TO the Northern committee:
"All that we desire is that the imputa-
tions (of heresy, sChism, and blasphemy)
which we conceive to be resting upon
our church by the acts Of your Assem-
bly,. shall be removed; We care not IN
what terms, ~ they directly cover the
case. You, brethren, have not
the authority to do what the Assembly
only can do But surely your authority
is ample to recommend to ii whatever III
your Judgment may be proper to settle
these troubles. Ii your Assembly could
see its way clear TO say i'll few plain
words to that effect that these obnoxious
things were said and done, in times OF
high excitement, that they are to be re-
GREETED, and that now Ill u calm review
the imputations cast upon the Southern
Church are disproved, that would end
the difficulty 1T once. We would be far
| from disposition to contend for mere
punCtilio."
The Northern Committee replied:
Were it true that we regard you as "a
church organized i'll the interests OF re-
| beliOn, and to conserpu and perpetuate
the interests of slavery did we believe
that you held opinions heretlcal and
blasphemous, there would indeed be all
| inseparlble barrier TO closer relations.
The self respect of the venerable body
We represent would have prevented the
appointment Of your committee,
| But we know that all such action con-
cerning your church had been in the
most positive and comprehensive Ian
guage declared null and void, and there
| fore of no binding effect. They (the
declarations complained of were made
in peculiar times and under strange cir
Cumstances, when the passions and feel
ings of men were profoundly moved.
They now belong to history, and it is
idle to talk Of erasing them. But we are
authorized to assure you that these acts
are not now law, rule, or precedent in
our church; and in giving this assurance,
we cannot present it i'll u stronger way
than to record the acts of our Assembly
through a series of years"
The course of each committee appears
to be approved by its church. Repre-
| sentative journals and men of the South
ern Church declare that all they require
as condition precedent to the opening
| of friendly relations, is an act from the
Northern Assembly approving and de-
claring what the Northern Committee
admitted at Baltimore The Northern
view generally is that the Southern Com
mittee asked too much. The commit
tees are to report to their respective AS
semblies, and it will then be decided
whether negotiations are TO be continued,
| The eldership question promises to OC-
cupy q considerable share of attention.
The last Assembly sent down to the
presbyteries for ratification the following
overture:
"Ifa any particular church, by vote of
members i'll full communion, shall prefer
to elect ruling elders for limited time
int the exercise ofther functions, this may
be done; provided the full time be not
less than three years, and the session be
made to consist of three classes, one of
which only shall be elected every wear;
and provided that elders once ordained
shall not be divested of the Office when
they are no reelected, but shall be en-
titled to represent that particular church
in the higher publications, when appoint
ed by the session or presbytery."
Returns have Deen received of the vote
of 1873 presbyteries on the overture-lO3
vote yea and 80 nay. After the presby-
teries have ratified the overture. the As.
semblies must again approve it before it
can become operative. Some contend
that it will be daugerous-because of the
the strong opposition to the overture from
the conservative element in the church
for the Assembly to insist upon the