The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-06-14
sMisreAaneans.
ENTHUSIASTICALLY COUNCIL.

served of late in the daily papers notices
of this minister OF that elder sailing on a
certain day for Europe with the view of
attending the first meeting of the Coun-
Gil of the Presbyterian Alliance. Some
are asking, What does all this mean :
We are in position to explain it to
them.
The Presbyterian churches constitute
a numerous body, scattered all over the
civilized world If you allow them to
include the Lutherans they are the larg-
estgProtestant church in these times
only the Lutherans, though not Episco'
palians on the one hand or Congrega-
tionalists on the otner, are not much
disposed to be classed with Presbyte.
rians, Even without the Lutherans they
claim twenty thousand churches and
thirty.four million people. AS body
they are distinguished by being well ed.
ucated and by their favor for colleges
and schools.
The question is often put to Presbyte-
rians, "How many sects are there Of
you :" To this the answer has generally
been TOO many" Inquisitive people,
satisfied with this general statement, will
press the question, but how many ?"
Well informed ministers and members
will commonly answer, 81 suppose there
may be dozen" and some will amend
the statement by telling you that there
may be twenty. Bent on solving this
question a committee of the Presbyte~
rian church ofthe United States of Amer
ica entered into correspondence with as
many Presbyterian churches as they
could hear Of, and actually addressed
thirty.eight independent organizations.
On conveying this information to Edin>
burg further inquiries were instituted,
and issued in the discovery of ten more,
or, in all, forty-eight different Presbyte.
rian churches.
These churches have hitherto had no
bond of union. But as they hold sub
stantially the same creed a strong feeling
has arisen that they should know each
other and cooperate for good purposes.
The first formal proposal and plan of a
Presbyterian federation was unfolded by
the writer of this article in a paper read
before large etercentenary meeting COM
memorative of the Scottish Reformation
held in Philadelphia November 20, 1872.
The language used was: ut has been a
fayorite idea of mine that all the Presby.
terian churches might be brought togeth-
er at a Pan Presbyterian Council, at
which each of them might be represent
ed. Let it be understood that do not
propose breaking up the separate church
es of British and Continental Europe or
of this country. would no more think
of this than would of separating the
States of our Union. In our General
Government and in our State govern .
ments we have model to which we
might look in settling the relations which
the several churches might bear to the
central church organization. Some grand
principles might be agreed upon; let
them be few and simple. Of course
there must be a doctrinal basis. But
this should not consist in a new creed or
confession. Let each church retain its
own standards, and be admitted into
the union only on condition that these
embrace the cardinal truths of salvation.
There must also be certain principles of
church order presupposed, such as the
parity of ministers and government by
representative councils in which minis
ters and elders have a joint place. But
the mode of carrying out these princi-
Piles must be left to each organization,
in this way securing that we have in the
church, as in all the works of God, unity
and variety" This paper was loudly
cheered at the time and was afterwards
widely circulated. In May following,
motions approving of the object were
carried in the general assemblies of the
great Presbyterian church in America
and of the Irish Presbyterian church. In
October following the Evangelical Alli-
ance met in New York, and side meet
ing was held of persons holding Reform.
ed and Presbyterian principles all over
the world. This meeting was unofficial,
but a provisional committee there ap~
pointed addressed thirty-eight churches,
asking their countenance and concur.
renee, and a paper was drawn up ex~
planatory of the principles anG aims of
the movement. In the summer of 1874
meetings of friends we're held in London,
Belfast and Edinburgh, and it was
agreed to organize the whole scheme at
a convention to be held in London in
July, 1875. AT this meeting there were
deputies from twenty of the principal
Presbyterian churches throughout the
world. The meeting lasted only three
days, but during this brief period an
agreement was come to as to the princi-
Piles held in common by the churches,
and constitution was drawn out. 1t
was agreed that the first council should
be held in Edinburgh IN July, 1876, but
it had to be adjourned till the first week
in July, 1877, in consequence of the
Americans being so absorbed last year
with their Centennial. .l r
The Council will meet in Edinburgh
on Monday, July I'd. In the evening
there will be reception. Next day the
Council will be formally opened by a
discourse by the Rev. Dr. Flint, Profes-
sor OF Theology in the University of
Edinburgh-a man who has lately come
into notice in consequence of some able
philosophical works written by him. 1t
will continue in session week or ten
days, during which time important
papers will be read and addresses deliv.
cred bearing on the spread ofthe Gospel
in various countries. Our readers will
now see how it is that deputies from the
various Presbyterian churches in this
country, the Presbyterian church in the
United States, the Dutch church, the
United Presbyterian, the Covenanting