Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-05-26
PRESBYTERlANISM.
The General Assembly Meeting at st,
Louis, Missouri.

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, May 2l.-The General
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church,
South, met again this morning, Moderator
Hoge in the chair. The usual standing
Committees were appointed and the Com
mittee of Sustenance made q report. Rev.
VIM. Brown, d. D., chairman of the Com
mittee on Friendly Relations between the
Northern and Southern Churches made
length, report, which was laid over for
further consideration. The gist of the re-
port seems to lie in the folio wing passage:
In communicate from Rev. Mr.. Brown,
chairman of the Southern Committee to
Rev. DR.. Niccols, chairman Of the Northern
Committee he says II your Assembly
could see its way clear to say few plain
words to this effect, that these obnoxious
things were said and done in times Of great
excitement, and that they are to be regret
ted, and that now in a calm view the impu-
tations cast upon Southern Church, are dis
approved, that would end the difficulty
at once. In reply to this Dr. Niccols says
we can not make this recommendation to
our Assembly for the reason that we are
still of the decided conviction that its ac-
tion for the last four years SO fully cited to
YOU in our communications constitute suf
ficient ground for fraternal correspondence
Dr.. Niccols then reiterates; That all the
acts and deliverauces of the Northern As
semblies of which you complain, are wholly
null and void, and of no binding effect as
| judgments of the church we represent, or
as rules of proceedings for its Presbyteries
and church sessions; that in so far as they,
or any of them, can be supposed TO impart
any injurious imputations upon the present
character and standing of churches and
members of the Southern Assembly, as
| Christians or as Presbyterians. such an APP
plication Of them would be unjust to you,
and would be disapproved and regretted by
us; that the acts and deliveranCes
| Northern Assemblies, Of which you COM
plain, were made in peculiar times, and
under strange and exciting circumstances,
when the passions and feelings Of men
were profoundly moved; that as acts of As.
semblies which we do not represent, We
cannot sit in judgment upon them, nor ex-
press any opinion as to their character;
that we feel competent to express the desire
that they be considered by you in the same
spirit of charity and Christian forgiveness
which we trust those people whom we rep
resent will exercise toward anything to
which they may object in the proceedings
of the Southern Assembly.
To this Rev. Mr. Brown replied: The
grievances of which we complain, and
which we desire TO see removed, lie entirely
back Of the present, and any adjustment
which entirely ignores the past is uasatis
factory.
This virtually closed the controversy.
CLEVELAND, ONO, May 22.-In the morn
ing session of the Presbyterian Assembly,
Rev. Robert Hoges, of Steubenville Presby~
terry, presented the following resolution:
WHEREAS, the General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church, earnestly desire 10 en-
ter into fraternal correspondence with the
General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church, South and,
WHEREAS, The causes which prevent such
a correspondence are certain deliverance;
of both bodies, which now happily consti-
tute the General Assembly, passed during
the exciting scenes of the late civil war
and,
WHEREAS, The General Assembly, re-
GREETING that these acts complained of stand
in the way of close relations with the Gen.
eral Assembly of the South by their inter.
probation of the concurrent resolutions and
by their expressing confidence in the Chris
tian character of the Presbyterian Church
South, withdraw these injuries and deliver
hnCes lHulTeCtly uuu ny way VI ihlSi0hSO
J and,
WHEREAS, What the General Assembly
has done indirectly, they should undo directly
} by an affirmative action, when the glory o
, God and the Interests of the Church o
, Jesus Cbrists' kingdom require such pro
cedure therefore,
ResoIUed, That all acts and deliverance'
, of both bodies, now forming the Presbyte
, rian Church before their union, rejecting
f injuriously upon the Christian character o
: the Presbyterian Church, South, be, anC
hereby are declared imperative and void
and that Church complaining is hereby re
J leved of all such grievances under whicl
they have been lAboring.
The resolutiohwas laid on the table, bu
) subsequently taken up and referred to tn
Committee on Bills and Overtures.
5 The Conference Committees report wa
made the special order for Monday after
5 noon.
; ST.. LOUIS May 24.--In the General As
S sembly of the Presbyterian Church, South
+. to. day the report of the Trustees Of tn
! Assembly was read and referred to a spe
e cial committee. The Trustees have electe
James Heuphill, Presidents Rev. inc
e Douglass, Vice President, and Jesse i
4 Lindsey Treasurer and Secretary.