, 1876-05-14

believed that there were Scotch Presbyterian Or
ganizations in Maryland as early as 1880. SOM
authorities assert that q Presbyterian Churcl
was organized tn Jamaica, Long Island, by sct
ters from New England as carly as 1868. Their,
weze, however, only three churches in the who'll
country in 100; the first Presbytery was organ
lied in 1705, the first Synod in 1717, and th,
GenerA Assembly In 1889. The great revival O
1741-'45, in which Whitehald WIS the chief evan
gehst, added greatly to the strength Of til,
Presbyterian churches, but It also hastened th,
division OF the Synod, aud the old side and th.
new side parties had separate organizations until
175& After their reunion the growth O.
the Church Was steady until tbs War Of III.
Revolution, In which 1t took too prominent 1
part to escape DISASTROUS consequences. Ths
rresoysel1ans were strong supporters Of Ameri
severely At the hands Of the British Recover
ing slowly from the prostration caused bY the
war, tho denomination began the present cen.
tury In good condition and had an almost IN.
eqnMed prosperity down to 1887, the increase ir
ministers being from 183 to AID.
just ninety-slx years after the old side and
new side divisions, In which both doctrinal md
ecclesiastical questions were concerned, the
Church was again divided, and the Old School
and New School parties were simply the revival
OF the Old Side and the New Side. The a,,es.
tons involved were much the same. The Old
school party, holding most rigidly to the Calvin
istfc standards and opposing reViyals, believed
that New England divinity, as 1t was called,
was making inroads in the Church; that Calvin.
Ism us3 VA WIS threatened and that the ecclesiasti:
chi system Was In danger Of being aduiteeated
with Congrcgationalisnl. The controversy was
al exceedingly bitter one, and the separation
vas accompanied with every demonstration Of
hostile feeling. Before and during tho Civil
War both parties lost their churches in the
HnNfh Kn$t1 AEEaFnh1SAa fnt -
to the Federal Government In 1866 they OK
changed frate1nal greetings and expressed mt
tually " an earnest desire for reunion" The
cordla1ttv with which these first advances were
see the two bodies again united. Negotiations
were opened and brought (sooner than might
have been cxpected) to successful conclusion
in 1863. Both bodies had approached a common
and intermediate ground, and the reunited
Church has manifested remarkable degree of
union met at Philadelphia In 1870, when the
Synods were reconstructed md directed to rear
range the Prcsbyteries.
Ono Of the effects Of the reunion was to make
tbs the General assembly very is1gs and unwlsldy
lay and clerical, and as 1t conyenes every
year it is no small tax on the hos
pitality Of the places Of meeting to provide
entertainment for SO many. Last year the
Assembly adopted and sent down to the Pres
~ lEaA AE1 Iva AALAAt2A%lOA 1ldl IEp-
resentation. Under the present system the 113
Presbyteries elect the Commissioners on the
basis Of one minister and one elder for every
twenty-four members OF the Presbytey. The
Synooical scheme proposes that the thirty-six
Synods shall elect Commissioners on the basis
Of minister and elder for each fifty ministers,
which would give the General Assembly about
2224 Delegates. Since the Presbyterics have be-
gun to vote on this overture strong and In
creasing opposition 10 it has been manifested.
FA A. /
size Of the Assembly is necessary, but it is
argued that representation ought never to be
taken from the PEesbytery, which Is the
" fountain Of power in the Presbyterian system.
It organizes churches, licenses and or1ains min
listers, installs aud removes them, creates, con-
makes and alters the Constitution OF the
Church, The latest exhibit shows that the
Presbyteries have sustained this viev. They
have voted two to one against the change. It
bly, to devise some new scheme for reducing the
Representation. This will be one OF the most
important matters that it is to consider.
Another question Of great interest Is that OF
fratcrnI relations with the Southern Presbyte-
rian Church. Negotiations have been pending
early and successful conclusion. Tho Southern
Church demands a. condition precedent to the
establishment Of friendly relations that the
Northern Assembly shall disavow those acts Of
Tie OlQ ana New GGUOQl A56t1uDue8 0u1luE LIS
War which imputed heresy, sehisn, and bias.
phemy to the Church South The position Of
the Northern Church in regard to this is that,
by the terms Of the reunion OF 1870, the Assem-
b1y Is dcbarred from considering or annulling
the acts Of the previous Assemblies; further
more, that whatever was said during the War
WAS said In times Of great excitement and under
unusual circumstances, and that tho declaration
by the Cleveland Assembly Of 1875 of confidence
in the present Christian character OF the South
T. t4r% rruhf
pected. It WAS understood, after the close OF
the Cleveland Assembly last year that, the
word present had been left out the Southern
Assembly would have consented to the estab-
1ishmcut Of fraternal relations. During the
past year some correspondence on the subject
has been carried on between Northern and
Southern men, and the tenor Of this, together
with the remarks Of the Southern press, does
not indicate that the differences between the
two Churches will be easily or Immediately re-
moved.
Among other business that will claim the at
tcntion Of the Assembly will be reports from the
various benevolent boards and the theological
scminaries. The collections during the year for
home and foreign missions, education, sustcnta-
ton, church erection, and for the freedmen have
been more satisfactory than they were in 1875.
The latest statistics Of the Church give the fol
lowing totals: Thirty-s1 synods, li3 Presbyte-
rfcs, 706 ministers, ,o99 churches, and 506,a
communicates
LQsL year pfcpalAAlOle HEAI WILL 4ElEtNA AoA SaV
holding OF General Conference Of Presbyteri-
ans from all parts Of the world IN Edinburg, IN
July Of the present year. The idea Of this allf-
arce originated With Dr. McCosh, and the Gen
eral Assembly has taken prominent part 10
making arrangements to carry it into effect. It
has been judged e1pedient, however, to post
pone the meeting Of the Conference to next
wear, on account Of the Centennial celebration
at Philadelphh. Many regard this as q mis-
take. Delegates from Australia and distant
countries have already arrived in England to
attend the Conference, and It is possible that
the General Assembly may recommend that the
Conference be held some time this fall.
The Assembly will be In session from ten to
fifteen DAYS. It will be called to order BY the
Moderator Of the last Assembly, DR.. Morris,
who will preach the opening sermon
THE WESLEYS.
TIE MEMORIAL TABLET NWEsTAISsTER ABBEY.
London Nesns, ApTu1.
Yesterday VIC described the interesting cere-
morv connected with the unveiling Of memo
rial tablet to the Wesleys, in Westminster Ab-
bey. It indicates amaryelous revolution In pub
Lie opinion, that any dignitary in the Church OF
Engl and should, in the National Cemetery, VIM
dicate the right Of the apostles Of Methodism to
have their names inscribed on the walls OF the
Abbey Nothing shows more clearly the abyss
~ tn-1