The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-08-18
Ghtgntlliqeneer.
poy. Mr. McCiure's Trip TO Eu.
rope.


,.,dnv with Rev. J. 7, Mcclure, pastor
of lhe United Presbyterian Church ol
,bi. city, who hm been absent two month
in Europe, on Visi! to the land Of hi
forsfa.her,, and in attendance as a mem
her Of the P1n.Presbyterian Council tha
me, in Edinburg on the Sd Of July and
remained in session until The l0lh Of tha
month.
hwill b. remembered that MF. Mcclure
in company with number Of others frou
Wheeling aud vicinity Including Rev. Mr.
Cunningham, Samuel LaughlIu, Esq., ant
Rev. Mr.. Castor, Of BellAiEe, and severa
Pittsburgh cIergymen, left here aboutth,
middle Of June, and took passage al
New York on the steamer Boivia, Of The
ABchDf line, that plies between that city
and GLASGOW. The passage over was very
pleasant. The steamers Of the Anchor
line arc commodious and we'll appointed
in every respect, and the passenger list
comprised so many respectable and intel
ligent people, that the trip p could not
but be pleasant. There was, for In.
stance, plenty Of music on board, the
the steamer being provided with music
saloon wherein were both piano and an
organ, and there were among the pas.
sengCrs any number Of accomplished la.
dies who could play and sing.
As Is always the case during passage
at this season Of the year, the passengers
spent much Of their time on deck, to en-
joy the ocean breeze, cool though it
always is on deck, and well wrapped az
one must always he for comfort,
even at midday. Plenty OF warm clothing
and tight cap are essential to the com.
fort of the voyuger who expects to spend
much Of hiS time on the.dsck Of an ocean
steamer.
Mr.. Mcclure did not go direct to CiIas.
gov but stopped off at Londonderry in
the North Of Ireland, and spent several
days in Belfast and vicinity, and from
there went across the North Chan mel to
Glasgow, reaching the latter place the
day before the meeting Of the Council.
The Pan-Presbyterian Council, as it is
called, was not so large a body as many
persons might suppose. The roll OF dele.
gates shows only Sl3 names. But these
names represented many forms Of Pres
byieEiaRism from all parts Of the world.
Some OF these varieties were IA fol-
lows: Presbyterian Church OF England,
Presbyterian Church of Wales, Estab-
lished Church of Scotland, the United
Presbyterian Church ofScotland, the Re.
formed Presbyterian Church, and the
Original Secession Church.
These branches of the great Presbyter.
ian family in Scotland were represented
by delegates from the same branches 10
the United States and in the British
colonies, and wherever eIse they existed
throughout the world. There were also
other branches Of the Presbyterian tree,
such as the Natioual Reformed
Church of France, the Nation
al Reformed Church ,oi Holland,
the Free Church Of Germany and Old
Reformed Church Of East Eriesland, the
WaIdenSian Church Of Italy, and other
like oflshoots from the parent stem.
Nearly all parts Of the civilized world
we're represented. The United States Of
America seem to have been especially
we'll represented, IA nearly one half Of the
delegates were from this side Of the
water.
Many persons have a misconeeption as
to the objects Of this Presbyterian gath
ering at the home OF John Knox in Ed
inburs. They think that it was an effort
to unite the various divisions Of the
Church on some new or old basis. Such,
for instance, "A the reunion OF the Old
and New School divisions in ;his country
few years ago. 1t wis not contem plated
thai points OF difference would be dis.
cuSsel at Edinburg. The Committee
that met in London in 1875, and
prepared the way for this Council, Issued
NcirculAr setting forth the object Of call.
ing 1t together, ns follows:
WHEREAS Churches holding the Re.
formed faith, and organized on Presbyter-
ian principles, are found, though under d
variety OF names, in different parts oi
the world; whereas many OF these were
long wont 10 maintain close relations, but
are at present united by no visible bond,
whether OF fellowship or work; and where.
As mihe providence Of God, the time seem.
10 have come when they may all more
fully manifest their essential oneness
have closer communion with each other
and promote great causes by joint action
lti4 agreed to form n Presbyterian Ali.
aUce 10 meet in General Council from
time to time, in order TO confer upor
matters OF common interest, and to iur
ther the ends for which the Church ha.
been constituted by her divine Lord aud
only King. In forming thiS Alliance
the Presbyterian Churches DO not mea,
to change their fratcrnal relations
with other churches, but will be ready
IA heretofore, TO join with them in Christ
ian fellowship, and in advancing III,
cause Of the Redeemer, on the genera
principle maintained aud taught in th,
Reformed Confessions that the Church O
God on earth, though composed OF man,
members, is one body in the communion
Of the Holy Ghost, Of which body Chris
. the Supreme Head, and the Scripture
alone are the intallible law"
The above quotation from the circula
OF the London Committee sets forth viii
sufficient clsarness the objects in view il
calling the Council. The articles Of ALI
ance provide that "any church organize,
on Presbyterian principles, which hold
the supreme authority Of the scripture
Of the Old and New Testamen,s in ma,
ters OF faith and morals, and whose cree,
ia in harmony with the consensus Of tn
R.Ia.n,nl H.ufn..tn.. .l.u L .. :, /,