The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1877-06-06
Fraternal Relations Action of the Northern
Assembly.

The Rev. DR.. Marquis, of Baltimore, chairman
report touching the paper adopted by the Southern
Assembly in New Orleans. This report he stated
was unanimous. 1t is as follows:
The Committee on Correspondence have received
aud considered the paper referred to them by this
General Assembly, containing the action of the
Southern General Assembly, in session at New
Orleans, n response to the action of the Assembly
in session at Brooklyn, n Y, in the month of May,
1876:
From this communication it appears that the
statement of the Committee of the Southern AS
sembly at Baltimore in January, 1874, which state
mept was afterwards approved by the Southern AS
sembly at ST. Louis, and reafirmed at Savannah,
as condition precedent to fraternal relations viz:
" If your Assembly could see its way clear to say
in few plain words to this effect that these OBJ
noxious things we're said and done in times of great
excitement, and are to be regretted, and that now,
on calm review, the imputations cast upon the
Southern Church of schism, heresy, and blasphemy
are disapproved, that would end the difficulty at
once, formed an essential part of the action of
the Southern Assembly at Savannah as forwarded
to our Assembly at Brooklyn. 1t appears, also,
that in endeavorilg to respond to that action in
identical terms, the reference it contained to the
above statement of the Baltimore Committee was
overlooked by our Assembly. Your Committee
believe that such oversight was not Intentional, but
that it was the honest intent and effort Of our Gen.
eral Assembly to open the way to the cordial es-
adjustment of fraterDsl relations by expressing its
action in terms identical with the Communication
received from the General Assembly at Savannah.
But inasmuch As the omission from our action of
last year Of any ausion to that clause in the
Baltimore Correspondence, referred to in the pre-
amble CT the Savannah resolution as defining q =
position Of the Southern churches, aS1DRrsn
doubt in the minds OF Southern
60 whether we do still justify the
expressed concerning them and in ofdl/
this matter clear beyond peradventure, SO tR.(I
there may be no longer any room for doubt in the
mind OF any, your Committee recommends the fol-
lowing for adoption:
RESOLVED, /. That this Assembly does heartily
concur with the General Assembly OF the South in
the expression of an earnest desire that any form
of fraterna relations entered into between them and
US should be cordial, and should entirely remove all
causes of dstrast and alienation arising from the
past.
p That without casting any reflection upon past
General Assemblies Of our Church. and without
touching or changing any of their deliverances or
testimonials Ia thing which this General Assembly
is entirely Incompetent to do,) we do nevertheless
declare that the language specially complained Of
by the Southern Assembly is part of the SORROW
full past which We in the day Of peace and fraternity
would wish to forget; and it is TO us matter of
sincere regret that the terms of schism, heresy, or
blasphemy should ever have been applied to South.
ern Presbyterians by any General Assembly of
which this Assembly is the successor.
g. Relying upon the assurance that the foregoing
declaration removes every obstacle to cordial fra
ternal correspondence, this General Assembly does
low appont the Rev. John G.. Backus, ID. d., of
the Presbytery Of Baltimore, and the Rev. Henry
A. Nelson, D. D., of the Presbytery of Cayugs,
and elders the Hon. William L. Dodge Jr., Of the
Presbytery of New York, and the Hon. Samuel
M. Moore of the Presbytery of Chicago, to convey
to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church in the United States its fraterna greetings,
and this Assembly will at the same time cordially
welcome like delegation from that body.
D. G. Marquis, Francis A. Horton, A. ".
Wright, N. A. Rankin, /. Q, Barr, Sextus 4.