Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-05-22


| ST. LOUIS, May 2l.-The General As
| seInbly of the Presbyterian Church South
met again this morning, Moderator HOge
in the chair. The usual standing commit
| tees were appointed and the Committee on
| Sustenance made a report. Rev. William
| Brown, ID. D., chairman of the committee
on friendly relations appointed to adjust
the differences between the Northern and
Southern churches, made lengthy report
which was laid over for future eonsidera-
ton and action. This committee met a
similar committee of the Northern Church
at Baltimore the It'll of last January, and
entered into full and exhaustive discus
sion, in writing, of the grievances and diff
| ferences between the two bodies represent
ed by them.
The GIst OF the Report,
from hurried examination, seems TO be in
the following passage inthe communication
from Rev. VIM. Brown, chairman of the
Southern Committee, to Rev. DR.. NicOls,
chairman of the Northern Committee. He
says:
''If your Assembly could see its way
clear 10 say in few plain words to this eff
feet: that these obnoxious things were said
and done in times of gF5at excitement;
that they are to be regretted, and that now,
on a calm view, the imputations cast upon
the Southern Church are disapproved, that
would end the difficulty at once"
In reply to this DR.. NicOls says: ave
cannot make this recommendation to our
assembly for the reason that we are still Of
the decided conviction that its actions for
the last four years, so fully recited to you
in our communication, constitute a sufi-
cient ground for fra.ernal correspondence"
DR.. Nicols then reiterates that call the acts
and deliverances of the Northern Assembly
and Of which you complain, are wholly
null and void and Of no binding efficacy, as
judgments of the church were present, or as
rules Of proceedings for its pTesbyteries
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
the churches and members of the
SOuthesn Assembly as Christians OF Pres
byterians, such an application Of them
would be unjust 10 you and would be dis
approved and rejected by us; that the acts
and deliverances Of the Northern Assembly
of which you complain were made in peCu-
liar times, under strange and exciting cir
cumstances, when the passions and feelings
acts of assemblies which we do not repre-
sent, we cannot sit in judgment upon them
nor express any opinion as to their Charac-
tel; that we feel competent TO express the
desire that they may be considered by you
in the same spirit Of charity and Christian
forgiveness, which we trust the people
whom we represent will exercise towards
anything to which they may object in the
proceedings of the Southern Assembly"
To this Rev. Mr.. Brown replied that
'the grievances of which We complain, and
which we desire to see removed, lie entirely
back Of the present, and an adjustment
which entirely ignores the past is Unsatis-
factory"
This virtually closed the controversy.
The Northern Assembly.
CLEVELAND, May 2l.-The Presbyte-
rian General Assembly met at 8 O'Clock
this morning. After devotional exercises,
the Moderator announced the standing
committees for the assembly. The COM
mittee of arrangements reported the pro-
gramme for the session, which was adopted.
The synOdical records were then received,
and the remainder Of the sessions occupied
in discussing the question of mileage.
In the morning session Of the Presbyteri-
an General Assembly, a resolution was
adopted which entities each Synod Of the
church to one representative in the stand
ing committee on the Benevolent Work Of
the Church.
Rev. DR.. Dickey resigned the position Of
temporary clerk, aud Rev. James a. Mar
shall, Of Philadelphia, was elected to I'll the
vacancy.
The committee appointed by the last
General Assembly to consider the matter
Of mileage charges Of Commissioners TO the /
General Assembly, with a view TO pro-
vidiug such regulations as shall tend TO a
greater uniformity in the allowance for
mileage, submitted resolutions recommend
ing amendments to the present mileage
system, which were adopted.
In the evening session, the annual re-
ports Of the regular boards Of Commits
siOners were received and referred to the
proper committees.
Rev. Robt. Hays, Of the SteUbenville
Presbytery, presented the following pre-
ambIe and resolutions:
Whereas, the General Assembly Of the
Presbyterian Church earnestly desire to
enter into fraternal correspondence with
tie General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church, South; and
Whereas, the causes which prevent such
a correspondence are certain GeliveranCes
C both bodies which, now happily united,
constitute the General Assembly, passed
during the exciting scenes Of the late civil
war; and,
Whereas, the General Assembly, regret |
ting that these acts complained of stand in
the way Of close relations with the General
Assembly Of the South by their
Interpretation Of the UncOnCurrent /
resolutions, and expressing confidence
in the Christian character of the
Presbyterian Church, South, withdraws
these injurious deliverances indirectly and
by way Of inference; and
Whereas, what the General Assembly |
have done indirectly they should do direct |
IL by affirmative action, when the glory Of
God and the interests Of the Church of
Jesus Christ'S kingdom require such pro- |
cseding; therefore
Resolved, that all acts and deliverances |
Of both bodies now forming the Presbytsri- |
an Church before their union, rejecting in |
iuriously upon the Christian character Of |
the Presbyterian Church Of the South, be |
and are hereby declared imperative and |
void, and that the Church complaining is |
hereby relieved Of such grievances under |
which they have been labOung.
The res lutiOn was laid Oh the table, |
but was subsequently taken mp and re-
ferred to the Committee on Bills and |
OveTtures.
The Conference Committees report was |
made special order for Monday afternoon. |
The Special Committee appointed |
by the last Assembly, to whom |
were referred resolutions providing for |
the election of Secretaries Of the State /
Boards Of the General Assembly, reported |
in favor Of the present plan Of eleCting such |
officers by the Boards themselves. a mi |
nOrity report was made, favOring the cleo |
tion Of the Secretaries by the General As |
sembly. The majority report was adopted. |
The report Of the committee on the re- |
duction Of representation in the Assembly |
was discussed and IefeTTed to a select com !
mittee.
The appointments Of visiting clergy to |
pulpits in the city and neighbOTing towns |
were announced.
Adjourned until tomorrow morning.
The Cumberland Presbyterians.
JEFFERSON, TEXAS, May 21.-The |
Cumberland Presbyterian General Assem- |
bly, met again to-day. Standing commit |
tees were appointed, and various memOi- |
ais and communications were presented |
anu Inferred to the appropriate committees. |
Interesting addresses were delivered bV 1