The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-08

of our religious people. The Rev. III.
McCosh, President OF Princeton College, has
prepared a programme for the purpose Of
bringing together sin solemn league ana
covenant all the Presbyterian bodies in the
world. The purpose Of this programme is to
manifest the substantial unity OF all the
churches based on the Presbyterian system.
1t will not propose q new confession OF taltn
nor interfere with the internal order OF any
church. It will accept all whose creed Is evan
gelical and Presbyterian in form. There will
be general council-a sort OF ecclesiastical
court of supreme jurisdichon-t to decide upon
such questions as may be submitted to it.
The decisions of this council are not to be
binding upon members, but will be laid
before the churches for "a prayerful
and careful consideration" It will largely
enter into the missionary work. especially in
foreign lends and in great cities. 1t will unite
in protecting the Sabbath, in securing instruc-
ton in the Scriptures in the suppression of
intemperance, in combating infdelity in all
forms, in developing a plan of systematic
benefcence and in binding call Protestant
churches in opposing the errors and inroads
of Romanism." There is to be prepara-
tory meeting in London this year in expecta-
ton of q confederation to be held in 1876.
There could be no movement more inter-
esting than this the programme OF which is
thus sketched by DR.. McCosh. There are, so
far as we understand, fifty different denomi-
nations, embracing over twenty thousand
congregations, virtually representing the
Presby terian system. Taking rise in Scot
land this Church has gone over the
whole English speaking world, with branches
in Holland and Switzerland. 1t is powerful
in the United States, not only in numbers, but
in the character Of its people. 1t goes back
to the old Puritans, stern old Covenanters and
Independents who fought the battles OF lib
erty in Scotland, and whose services, apart
from the religious aspect, can never be for
gotten SO long as Englishmen cherish these
grand memories In America the Presby-
terrain Church proper is one OF our largest
denominations. BY this we mean the Old
School Presbyterian body, which represents
the union Of the Old and New schools, consum-
mated in 1870. 1t is so rich that last year it
raised ten millions Of dollars for mission pur-
poses alone The doctrinal differences be-
tween the clergymen Of the Old School Pres
byterian Church and that of the more adj
vanced and extreme branch known as Cove
nanters is very great 1t would be almost i'm
possible for them TO unite on any question OF
creed. But as the discipline OF the churches
is the same, as they are branches of one fam
4 50 ,,iy iyfc nf nfTip ri
ten they are in harmony, there is no reason
why they should not unite
The difference between liberal Presbyte-
rian Of the Old School and the rigid Cove
nanter who accepts the strictest tenets of
Calvlnism is no greater than the difference
between the Catholic educated under the in
fiuence of the French school and Carmelite
or Trappist. The Catholic Church, by its
marvellous discipline, manages to keep in its
fold men and women of widely dverging
views upon minor questions SO long as they
accept the cardinal points of the creed. The
result is that no Church is more liberal than
the Catholic, il q member is disposed to be
liberal in his views, and none more rigid if
he is disposed to be devout. The strength
Of the Catholic Church lies in this one
fact. The weakness of the Presbyterian
Church has always been that, while agree
ing upon the general facts of Christianity,
the members quarrel upon minor points,
and their quarrels are disheartening and
destructive Why, for instance, should not
the Presbyterian Church be rs compact
body in America in matters of discipline as
the Catholics? Why should Christians of
any faith differ, and not only differ, but with
bitterness aId anger, because one prefers to
sing psalm according to one metre, while
another believes that bis souls happiness is
involved in his singing it to another? We
welcome, therefore, this movement Of the
Presbyterian Church to extinguish their diff
fereuces and unite in a common, solid body,
for we believe that civilization will be aided
by every measure that tends to destroy the
barriers between Christian denominations.
Whatever work is to be done by Christian
churches should be done harmoDiously and
effectively. The progress Of education and
truth is never more clearly seen than ia the
extinction Of religious prejudice and bigotry.
We are not sanguine that success will attend
this programme of Dr. McCosh. lie is deal
ing with a peculiar, firm, strong-minded,
manly people. Presbyterans have great
deal OF the rock in their composition. II
he can succeed in bringing the members Of
that stern body upon any ground Of common
action, no matter how slender and narrow, it
will be the most important step toward the
strengthening Of faith and the development Of
Christian religion that has been taken during
the present century.
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