The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1877-04-04

all together, with such special extracts as woul
give just impression of the authors views. Fc
this purpose the outline view presented below hs
been prepared. While in some respects we caunc
agree with the opinions of our esteemed brother
there are others in which, with the vast body of ou
people, we are heartily of the same mind.-CEN
PRES.
FRATERNAL RELATIONS.
The writer sets out by stating the preva
lent apprehension in our Church that th'
action of our last Assembly, though not 81
intended, has left our relations with th'
Northern Assembly Sin a greater muddle
e. - sGSil gS9s Z QsR.ja
tefeS!s nav z3fiiceu into a6 exceeding ID
toward condition" He then gives briei
HISTORICAL REVIEW.
l. The original usurpation of authority
by the Northern Assembly in 1861 in under.
taking to decide purely political question.
This compelled US to a separate organization,
which was affected quietly and unanimously.
The bad spirit of the Northern Assembly
was further manifested in the violent Ian.
guage used towards US from year to year,
and thus bounding on" the work of strife
by virtually renouncing the conservative
position of the Church on slavery taken in
lS45, and denouncing it as sin, and
by substantially accommodating Southern
Presbyterians from the pale OF the Church
IN 1865. In the meantime our Assembly
abstained from all denunciation and retail.
iation and scrupulously allowed and respected
all the church rights and all the obligations
of charity towards their violent assailants
and detractors.
LOUISVILLE ASSEMBLY, 1870.
"Well after the lapse of few years, the
Northern Assembly, moved by policy, and
undeceived by the quiet frmness of the
Southern people, retracted 80 much of their
own action as had sought to exclude us from
the pale of the Catholic Church, and made q
grudgipg recognition of our denominational
existence and church rights. But they still
practiced and encouraged all the annoyance
they could, by graspiug our church property,
dividing our congregations and eggiDg on
che minorities therein, usually contemptibly
small, to seek to govern the majorities."
The general desire of all parties was
either to absorb or reconcile the Southern
Church. "They all desire to silence our
testimony against their urSurpstions. As the
,emper of the American people remained,
after all the stimulants applied by clerical
zealOts, adverse to persecution and violent
suppression, the only way to effect that end
eft them was, to absorb us. The strict Old
School men desired to gain the support of
he Southern churches, known to be soundly
Orthodox, to their side, in the coming doc.
srInal strIfes. The progressive" longed to
carry out their ambitious, carnal passion for
an pluribus unum church, "national" in
lts material grandeur, and yielding to them,
the conscious sjority, all its revenues of
power, wealth, and distinction, from all parts
of the continent. This party, conscious of
their irresistible ascendency in the omnibus
body, and of the timidity and real helpless
ness of the Old School party, and confident
of their own ability to neutralize and silence
our Old Schoolists, as they had so thoroughly
done that of the Northern Orthodox, were
not the least reluctant to see the latter re
ceive the apparent accession of Southern
Presbyterians known to be the Old School
Then, there was multitude of pious people,
carried away by the sentimental and gOOdish
cry for "union of Christians" And last,
there were doubtless some people who cher
lshed an honest respect for us, and an honest
desire to do US justice and to have more ia
innate Christian communion with us. This
last class we gladly recognize; for We re
oice to believe that true piety is not extinct
IN those bodies, 80 unfortunately dominated
by clerical radicals"
In 1870 they sent an able and digni6ed
committee to bring about an adjustment of
grievances and resumption of seemly rela-
ions. The almost universal sentiment in our
Church was against organic union and en-.
taugling alliances. The events of our bloody
conflict, the abolition of broad-church devel-
opments on the other side required this
Here the writer states his approval of the
paper as originally drawn by DR.. Palmer,
which stated our grievances and declined to
appoint any committee of conference, or any
more intimate correspondence until they
should undo their msdoings.
ANOTHER PLAN
is suggested which the writer preferred. II
IS substantially the one noticed above, with
this exception that it favors the appointment
of committee to meet Northern committee
"f for the express and single purpose of TAX
ing all controversies from those about house
or manse, up to those of seminary eudow.
ment, out of court, by referring them to i'm
partial and Christian arbiters, binding our.
selves to stand by the award provided the
other side do the same"
"Thia view, embodied in words as Dr.
Palmer would have so well known how, would
nave been the best possible. So far as the
Northern overture expresses real and honest
Christian desires for charity las it doubtless
did on the part of some) it would have me-
them in the like spirit. And so far as thil
overture was the plan of diplomatists to pu
US seemingly in the wrong, it would have
been perfectly "checkmated" by this answer
Without seeming to meet pretended friend
ly advance with the language of accusation
it would have unmasked the fact, all impor
tant to the question, that all the aggression
was on their side. Their game of "makini
capital would have been effectually spoiled
and that, without our compromising ou
"manners" in the judgment of the most cap
tious. The profession of desire for jus
peace would have been brought to the touch
stone, by proposing to settle all the property
claims justly; the very thing the plotter
among them never meant to do. Thus 9Th
tables would have been turned" Last an
chiefly, this answer would have been strictl
end historically true; and would have set il
glorious light, the wonderful fOrbearanct
charity. and Justice. maintained by on