, 1875-01-30

ERliuro Of an Attempt to SECURE E'ra-
torMnl Relations 6tctsr nun tsAu North.
erM md Southern A:1sllrchNH.

Failure OF an Attempt to SnuHFe Fra
tormnl Relations 6tctsr tAu North.
ern ntsd Southern Casmrchcs.
From the ~. Louis ir,nocrat.
Tho proceedings are published Of tic two
Committees appointed by tho Gonerat A4seul-
b'les Of tile Presbyterian Churches. North and
sonth, to negotiate with roforence 10 coser fra
formal relations. Tho Southern Church, since its
orgauiza,lon il, 1861, has hati no ffatorual rsa-
lions with tho original boly from which it aepa-
rated Tho reasuns for tits Jourso
a1e sst forth at length IN tho report. They
fell themselves aggflcvel by tho. charccs
that their separation from Tho parcut body waa
q unwarrAntod and schla,natichi." aud that thoy
had orGAuizol their Church "in the interest Of
rebellion and " conserve slavery" On the
other hand, tho I ,rthorn church laB ropsateufy
oxpressed itself tesiro,s of frnterlal relations,
aud through fts Con,mitsoeicarnestty declAtos TO
Its Southern brothreu TINT tle obnoxious deliyer-
auees Of winch thay complain ara '',uii and
void, aud no longer applicable to them.
Their Language Gil lA!s lWnt IL very strong
and cicart Aul, nst oXplLDA thu W1lafo pGHLtIoll
Ho give il in full:
Our communication OF Jan. ., tn answer 10 your
statement q Tue Obstacles III tho w.y ., cioser fr-
tennn not to Is fully understood by YOU. We heg
have 10 repeat 10 orsp! ta true spirit and 'ntant
e. Az ~; y, . ssts md et , s Nsshern
void anu Of no binding olicasy 81 Judgments Of the
Church We REPRESENT os as rules of WutstdinR for Its
they, any Ut lhGp, be supposed to import any
injurious tputAtiun upon tue prcs4nt character An
standing Of tha churches anu members oF tue Southern
Assembly ~ CnEBtans. ur - rreabyterlana such m
application OF them would be unjust 10 you, aa would
ls dt4appruvsd anI regretted by us.
l!.) VhAt tha acta And l1!vtr1ncea Of Northern
Assemblies Of which You complain, were madntn eeul-
lar times, and under atrage and exciting crSulnsA-
ces wheu the na4slos Of mon vera 1,ro(piuiy moved.
that acs oi AsBsnu ulyA which do no. REPRESENT
we cAnnut nit IN Judgment upon thsni. eIEeas any
opluian to their chAEacter that do feel cnnpt-
to express tbs dozire that they may o considered
g,ysness that We trust tie roore We sapr4soat will
eresu towards Auythlng to which they may object In
the proceedings Ut your Assembly.
1t eeemB. however, that tho Committee OF the
Southern Assembly aro not satisfied with this,
aud demand as q condition for tho establishment
Of fraternA raaatioua that tho Northern Aascnt-
bly, shall apologize for the declarations 1t male
nigh ten years ago. 10 this 1eulanl the Cum
mittee Of tho Nortiicrn Asbombiy rafuse to &C.
codo, and 20 tic matter stauAB. 1t ls to be re-
gretted thlt theBo negotiations, begun in SO
1nuch hope have no fur failed in taoIr vnsign. II
the Christians Of ollr common country, wllu, No.
cor.llug ~ tue injunction VI their Divine
Master, are "to love Clio nuother," cannot
agree 70 stand eveu In tho formal relatioI
of corresponding bodies, then, indeed, thsze
IL littlo hose Of poaco aud union botwcel
the North aud South. On tho Southern Cpmullt~
tee were tho Iloy+ Dr.. Fanlor, weil known for
the part ho too& in the Iate 1tepollon and judge
Euglis fofmofiy Chancellor u South CAroliuA
whO tlas drafkod tIIs ordinance Of ssceas,oa III
that Ssato. n these Eeutteueu by THUR action at
tho Baltimore Conference, represent tue state
Of mind prevailing in the Southern Church, it
must 10 cotf9s5asi suAt ih5 prospect OF uuioti
between the two baiscH, North xId South, ID 6lul
and dista4t,