The sun., 1880-12-12
Shall There BE Union or Further
Division

The Scotch delegates to the great Presby-
terian Council at Philadelphia showed that
they had clearer heads than most of their
associates; and, moreover, some OF them
were far more liberal in their views. and
more courageous in the expression OF them,
than orthodox theologans are wont to be-
For even in Scotland, the fountain head OF
Prcsbyterianism, there is more outspoken
discomfort with the old standards OF faith
than there is here in the United States.
Timdity is the clerical vice always and
everywhere, but it is especially prevalent
among our orthodox ministers. They are
afraid to commit themselves, and therefore.
whether it is Pan-Presbyteran Council or
| a National Congregational Council which is
held, the great majority successfully devote
themselves to tho work Of staving off the
| discussion OF controverted questions. They
would have everything appear lovely and
harmonious, prosperous and delightful,
though nobody is really satisfied with things
as they are.
| Two of the Scotch delegates to the Pres
| byterian Council, having returned home,
have lately delivered addresses in which
! they gave the results of their observations
at Philadelphia Tho delegates from our
reports that the Council brought out only
hopeful indications. We do not remember
to have heard anything different from
single one Of them The Rev. DR.. WALLACE
of the United Presbyterian Church, for in
| stance, tells us in n recent article that the
| Council showed that Presbyteranism lis
| living power, earnest and active;" that
"libcralism has very few friends" in it;
that the utteranccs of the speakers left ono
reasonable doubt of their steadfastness in
the faith" and that Presbyteriansm is
not disposed to abandon its Calvinism, nor
is it ashamed of it."
But what do Prof. BRUCE and Prof. FLINT
Of Scotland say? As a muster of PreshYte-
riauS, the Council was very successful, Prof.
| BRUCE said at Glasgow; but they were
characterized by spirit of sclf-satisfacton
and boastfulncss and while the delegates
| agreed in the main, they were divided into
two sections, liberal and conservative, the
latter being numerically the stronger" But
he seems to think that liberalism had more
than every few friends" Undoubtedly 1t
had many more than appeared, for 1t took
courage to avow liberal opinions, and the
tactics OF the majority seem to have been to
make OF the Council a love feast, a mutual
admiration society, where n dissenting voice
should sound rude and inharmonious. That
is probably why Prof. BRUCE found it SO
self-satislicd and boastIul an assembly.
The great dangers which menace the
Church from iniidclty were treated as of
comparatively small consequence. They
were discussed. it is true; but OF practical
measures for opposing inildelty, the Council
was able to suggest none Presbyterianlsm
Is so grand and glorious that of course II
must conquer its enemies, was the burden
of the most applauded addresses at this
self-satistied and boastiul assembly. But
Prof. BRUCE is more concerned about the
peril Of the Church. 1t is so great that, in
his opinion, it can only be avertcd by tho
combination of all Protestant orthodox y
against 1t. The Christian Church, in its di
vided condition, is unable, he thinks to cope
with intldelty. Such differences of doctrine
and order as exist between the different re
ligious denominations known as evangelical
the Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and In
dependents, as he classiiies thcm-are o
small account in comparison with the entire
lack OF faith which is exhibited on every side
The necessity for the union of the Churcl
, against inildelity is something we have Otter
urged on the denominations. They ar,
> pridng themselves on their individua
strength, and yet no one of them is making
= satisfactory progress. Meanwhile, however
? unbelict is advancing with rapid strides.
Y Prof. FLINT, speaking at Edinburgh, re
t ferred to the same subject. 1t was urged
4 no said, that the great obstacle to tho uniol
t Of tho churches in Scotland was the exist
: ence OF an Established Church. But he wa
D sorry TO say that he could not perceive o
t learn that the prospects Of union were an.
. better with us. We have here not only tn
: variety OF sects with which the Old Worl,
4, is familiar, but we have also increased an,
= extended 1t, and scots which have ceased t.
4 exist in Scotland and Germany are still
= vigorous in the United States, Ours is
o country Justly celebrated for it's multi
3 plicity OF religions.
= Prof. FLINT rightly antlclpates furthe