The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-02-12
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
"THE FUTURE OF THE PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES

Prof. Morris, in an article in the Cathoh
Presbyterian with the above tile, sets out wit
brief historical sketch ending with these re
markable words: "At length, after this varle'
and troublous experience, the union Of 1869
terminated the era of separation, and TN
Church was restored once more to her origi
nal, historic attitude, and to her continents
place and work" We are utterly at q los
to account for his entire disregard of the
fact that the reunion of the Old School
North, and the New School, North, in 1869
so far from bringing the Presbyterian Church
of the Uoited States back to her Original
and historic attitude, and her continental
place and work, so far failed to include the
territory which it possessed before the dis
ruption of 1887, that it left out and still
leaves out, by their own choice, the Presby-
terians of eleven States and one territory,
and large proportion of those in three other
States.
But Prof Morris increases our wonder as
he proceeds. In this grand conservative
Presbyterian Magazine, he describes the lib
eral and generous tendencies of the New
School part of the reunited Church. He
mentions great doctrines-the cardinal ones
indeed, upon which there are "varietieS OF
opinion" Those in our country who know
what these "varieties" mean do not agree
with him as to their lack of importance. He
relies upon the agencies of the present and
the future to hold the two bodies together.
While he recognizes the fact that another ex.
cision may become necessary, he contem.
plates with complacenoy the tolerance, the
liberality, the Aexibility, and if We must use
the word, the Broad Churchism, which con-
ssituted the very graUamsn of DR.. Charles
Hodges objections to the reunion, as ex
pressed 10 his brief aud sblo protest in the
Princeton RsuisW of July, 1869, now before
me. The last paragraph Of this noble paper
begins with these words: " 1t is exceedingly
painful to stand aloof from such movement"
and ends with these, off the truth be lost
all is lost. Our members, wealth, and iu-
Aueuce will avail US nothing"
Prof. Morris presents the dangers of the
future and the tokens of good which are dis
covered, and which afford him hope. The
American Presbyterian Church has wide
field, and in describing its immense extent, he
acknowledges that it is "limited, for the pre-
sent at least, in the Southern States, by the
organization known as the Presbyterian
Church, South"
This is a slender and equivOcal recogni-
tiOn. But as this Southern Church is q
member of the Alliance, and whatsoever af
fects the integrity and OrthOdo, of the body
is not foreigp to us, we may, hOut Ofici-
Ous intermeddling with our Northern breth-
rem, venture to utter our humble protest
against the recognition, by its organ, of the
latitude which is claimed in this article for
one of its inherent bodies.
Prof. Morris refers to the harmony exist
ing in the reunited Church "sS not unity
brought about by the expulsion or Oblitera-
tiOn of either School or type of doctrine pre-
viOusly existing. 1t is harmony resulting
from, and based distinctly upon, the free and
cordial, and truthful recognition of the right
of all these shades and classes of opinion to
live and flourish together, not only within the
domain of common Calvinism, but within
the boundaries of one denomination"
This remarkable proclamation of Professor
Morris sscribes the reunion to "the effect
of thirty years debate-the discovery that
the varieties in opinion were not 80 great as
to imperil, in any way, the integrity of the
Calviuiste system, and that men may hold
any of the varying theories without losing
their hold on the common faith" 1t was
also discovered "that the free allowance Of
these differences might be an actual contri-
button to the strength, and practical force of
the system of doctrine, taken sS whole. "
So thought not DR.. Hodge as to the effect of
the union, and so thought not the Southern
people as to its cause, But of this We need
not further speak. Il belongs to the history
of an era upon which none of us may look
back without some reasons to judge our
selves; and it is not strictly our affair.
But it does belong to the constituent mem,
bers of the Alliance to express their regret
that the liberal views of theology, which were
so remarkably silent-sO completely over
awed and discouraged by the prevailing sen
timent in it's first meeting, should be so 10
uuacious in its first magazine. For among
the excellent fruits Of the Conference, this
was reckoned, by every observer who loves
the old doctrines of the Presbyterian Church
to be one of the chief; that, after all th'
noisy demonstrations and novelties of sew
eral countries threatening cur standards
they we're still found to be 50 deeply imbed
dad in the hearts of those who represented
the people.
Prof Morris is, if We mistake not, and W
should be sorry to do him injustice, commit
ted to that very view of doctrine and admin
istratiOn which were unpopular in the ALI
ance. We hope that it may be found equal,
go in the Presbyterian family to which h
belongs.
On administration, as on doctrine, he give
no uncertain sound. Here he refers st
, ..;., 49,, J,,o;as" GI,ba strict exact tech