The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1876-06-16
SAVANNAH, GA.

oAf ANNAu, GAs
AHe AesoIuffsns of the Presb,t ,teriau Cen.
tni Assembly ON the Edfngbueh
Il touncfl - FrafernaI Relations,
with the NOrthcrn ghureh-
POsition OF Both Orgmnizn-
lions ON That subject.
correspond, nee of the Courier-JournaI
lnentioned in my letter of yesterday.
LAT before the close of the morning
= 's'on, the resolutions which had been
qiqer discussion since Saturday morning
ha4 been adopted by rising vote of
Sc rent weight to thirty-nine-p precisely
tw4thirds- Here are the resolutions in
fut as modified and passed:
/ Aes0lved, That this assembly hereby
presses its approval, in general, of the
prfeeoings of the conference held at
Laedon in July last, composed of the
representatives Of large portion, some
ueen thousand congregations, of the
i'ot ue Presbyterian churches of the world.
Hesolved, That the assembly approves
ossthe general tenor of the constitution
of the new alliance providing for gen.
eM Presbyterian council, TO be held
every three years
Resolved, That this assembly will ap-
r rQlnt delegates torepresent the Presbyte-
e IN church in the United States in the
So. ,..-Snaneil. to be held in Edinburgh
BF16fss provided that this appointment
of delegate shall not be understood as
piedging anyfunds of the church to de-
fraying the expenses of the delegates to
the council.
Resolved, That the delegation so ap-
pointed shall select rom their own num-
Der members to Prepsre any papers con-
n. 4
church, to be spread upol- the records of
the council, and, in case tn, delegates be
unable to attend the council, they are
hereby authorized to represent our
church in such official letter as theymay
agree upon.
It was so desirable to have unanimiIy
in our church, scattered as it is over
more than million square miles of ter.
ritory-and so important to present to
the world a united front in a spirit of
concord and brotherly love, that, this
morning, Rev. DR.. Moses II. HOge, of
Richmond, Va, proposed the following
additional resolution, and requested that
not one word should be said upon it by
the friends of the measure which was
successful yesterday but that its
should freely say whether this
v
ceptable. Rev. John B. Adger, u. D..
of South Carolina: Rev. Joseph Bard
well, Of Mississippi Rev. j. b. Carne,
of Tennessee, and another very hand
somely reciprocated the kind spirit of the
majority, and it was passed unanimously.
No, there was one dissenting vote, and
he would not down." even for the sake
Of harmony--Rev. w. w. Brimm, of
Eastern Texas. The following is the
resolution
Resolved, That,.in appointing delegates
10 the general Presbyterian alliance, it
is with the distinct declaration that il is
not to be regarded as another and higher
court, but as an assenlblage of commit
tees appointed by the several bodies
which they represent for the purpose of
Joint conference and joint report, and for
such action as belongs to an association
Of delegates thus constituted.
FRATERNAL RELATIONS.
The session tonight, from TO 1890
o'clock, was occupied in the discussion of
the delicate subject of fraternal relations
with the northern Presbyterian church.
II was sprung, somewhat Unexpectedly,
by report from the committee on bills
and 9vertures iD reference to an over
ture from the Presbytery ol st. Louis,
asking the assembly to take some action
to remove misapprehension among our
feepts-as 10 the TINE position of our
churh.
1t may be well to explain what is /
meant by the term "fraternal relations"
in is ecclesiastical sense. 1t is quite |
usual in this country for churches or de-
of kindred faith and pOlity
q. Co., to oh Of
WHEN not in a representative capacity or
as church-court to deliberate for the
interest of the church at large. This is
done by electing, or designating, at each
meeting one or more delegates to each
such corresponding body, who shall at
tend at its next meeting, and, when suit
ably introduced, address the moderator
and BODY in a handsome spirit, rendering
Christian salutations, frequently adding
a short account of the statistics, growth
and prospects of the church represented.
The moderator replies in like handsome
terms, and the general good feeling be-
tween the two churches is thus kept up
and stimulated. No such relations have
ever existed between the northern and
southern Presbyterian churches, for the
very obvious reason that, in certain de-
Iiyerances during and after the war the
the former body (then two bodies known
rs Old School and New SCHOOL, used
harsh and illiberal language toward their
brethren in the south, which the latter
can not forget and will not excuse until
10 some extent apologized for and dis
lvowed. The former charged the latter
with being "church organized in the
interest of rebellion, and of slavery"
lIso with schism," and with holding
,pinions heretical and blasphemOus,"
md directed their church sessions not to
receive as members persons coming from
he south unless they should repent of
heir sins of rebellion and slaveholding.
As the excitementof the times gradually
,ooled down, and calmer days returned,
epeated movements by the northern as
emily were made towards conciliation
md compromise. But they have been
90 proud and spirited, have shown too
title moral courage thus far TO make the
mende honorable, even in a greatly
modified form, and the southern brethren
rill not fraternize until some satisfactory
explanation, disavowal or disapproval of
heir action, or apology in some form, is
nade