, 1877-05-06

reported lately discourse BY the Rev. DR.
HAnR1soN, Of Atlanta, Ga, delivered II
Grace II E. Church of this city, in which
he disowned, for the future, any hostility
against tho Northern organization, which il
operating at the South among both blackf
and whites. He made statements which
were rather rose-colored, to be sure, but
which, being publicly made by representa-
tive man, have the effect Of binding his
Southern brethren in covenant Of future
! good behavior. Part of his language was as
follows:
| lie had nothing to do with the past, no con-
clusions to draw, no criticisms to offer upon any,
| thing or anybody; he wou1d speak Of the present
as it was. and Of the future they desired to ecc
| 1t. We were entering upon new era.-a new era
In the State, and new era in the Church. Not
year had elapsed since the authorized Commission
ers Of the two Churches, North and South, met to-
gether and resolved, under the influence Of the
Spirit OF Con, tp be at peace. This had been in
tenty and earnestly desired By the vast majority
Of the people with whom tho speaker was connect
ed. AS Churches they had buried the tomahawk.
Perhaps he should not use strong q word. But
they were now free to take each other by the hand,
and say, 'GoD speed yuu, my brother! Do what
you can here on our own coil. Bleas this race,
that race, all races, ii you can, Us Cop may give
you an open door and access to the powers and in
Auences that may cyentuate in good"
But tile Presbyterians of the South nre
showing an improved spirit Us well as the
Methodists. It is known that when, upon
the close of the War, the Old and New
School denominations of Presbyterians unit
ed, and healed the great schism of thirty
years duration, the Southern Presbyterian
Church Composed of the Southern churches
formerly belonging to both OF these bodies)
refused to come into the movement. It has
also stood aloof from the Congregational
ministry, churches, and schools in the South,
which, under the auspices Of the American
Missionary Association, sought to educate
and elevate The freedmen; having sympathy
neither with their denominationa1 relations
nor with their special missionary work. But
looking over the Southern Agyus published
at Selma, Ala.) for April 20, ult-, We were
pleased, as well as surprised, to see that the
meeting adopted the following resolution:
ResolUed, That we have heard with great pleas
ure from the Rev. E. c. s11ckLE, Of Montgomery,
Alabama Conference Of Congregational Churches,
ABOUT their work among the co1oreu people, and |
we rejoice to recognize in them the spirit Of The
Master, and their work as the work OF our common |
Lord, and we hereby express to them our hearty |
sympathy with them and their colleagues Of like |
spirit and do hereby commend them and their |
work to the sympathy and prayers Of our people.
This is the most Christian and cheering
action by an ecclesiastical body which has
come under our notice for many day. It |
rises above sectarian prejudice, and it buries
old sectional animosities It shows that q
new spirit is at work in the South, which is
as certain to show itself politically as relig-
ous1y. Now that there is likely to be an end
If carpet-bagism on one side and Of Ku-Klux-
SIN on the other; now that the South begins
o believe that Republican Administration
las no intention to oppress them, and yet
;ees that the negro must be allowed an
'quality with the white before the law; and
low that Northern and Southern Christians
re shaking hands over a common work
# evangelization, the patriot may we'll think
hat the night is past and that the morning
las dnwned