The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1875-02-04

paper was 50 equiyoeal in its terms,
that their own people, ministers and
papers, gave it different interpreta-
tons; that what We soughtwas simp-
ly a plain statement removing fair
ly these imputations from 1861 to
1866: Tf your Assembly could only
see its way clear to say in few plain
words to this efect-that these OBJ
noxious things were said and done
in times of great excitement, that
they are to be regretted, and that
now, in calm review, the imputa-
tions cast upon the Southern Church
are disapproved-that would end the
difficulty at once"
6. To this the Northern Committee
answered, that in reference to the
acts Of former Assemblies, 'in SO far
as they or any Of them can be sup
posed to impart any injurious i'm
putations upon the presentcharacter
and standing Of the churches and
members of the Southern Assembly
as Christians or Presbyterians, such
an application of them would be
unjust to you and would be disap-
proved and regretted by US" but that
aas acts of Assemblies which we do
not represent, we cannot sit in judg-
mcnt upon them, or express any
opinion as to their character"
I. The closing reply of the South
crn Committee was to the effect; that
@the grievances of which We com
plain, and which we desire to see re-
moved, lie entirely back OF the pres
ent, and an adjustment which en-
tirely ignored hepast is unsatisfacto-
ry,' and aside from the real issue
We cannot see the force of the posi-
ton taken by you, that as acts Of
former Assemblies which yon do not
represent, you cannot sit in judg-
inent upon them, nor express any
opinion as to their character, for this
reason among many others, that the
utmost pains were taken in efecting
the reunion of your Assemblies, to
preserve the identity of both, and We
fail to see how you do not succeed to
the authority and responsibility as
well as to the advantages of the
same"
Thus ended the Conference, except
that in response to the question Of
church property, the othercommittee
expressed a purpose to recommend
to their Assembly to adjust it upon
equitable terms.
It will be perceived that when
&rought up to the point, the ground
taken by the other committee is that
this reunited Church is not respon-
sible Tor what was done by former
Assemblies before that reunion in
1870 There is this much gained,
then, that we have at leas. an official
avowal from these representatives Of
the Northern Assembly, of apoSition
heretofore only now and then timor-
ously assumed by individuals, viz,
that their present Church is to be
viewed as so far a new and distinct
organization that it is not response
BILE for the acts of former Assemblies.
We propose to examine this extra
ordinary assumption in due time.
and from stem to stern. If that is
their ground when brought to the
last resort, and their Assembly will
take it as theirs also, from the hands
of their Committee, it may be safely
predicted that they must confront
some odd and uncomfortable conclu-
sion to which inexorable logic will
hold them. As a mere hint for the
present, this will strike rejecting
minds with wonder, if they are
new body, having no responsibility
for former Assemblies, how is it that
they came to US in 1870, (the time Of
their organization) andasain in 1873
in reference to divisions" and de,
sire to ''heal thcm?" We had no
controversy with any new body born
as late as 1870.
P.S. 1t should be understood that
the personal and social intercourse
between the members Of these com
mittees was entirely kind throughout
And they were indebted to the min
listers and people in Baltimore Of both
Churches for abundant hospitalities