The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-10-13

up In the Southern Church are worthy t.
succeed the great names now so identified
with her history The paper of Rev. T.
d. Witherspoon, D. D., of Virginia was
one of the strongest, keenest, most schol-
arly papers read before the body. The
short speeches of Rev. w. U. Murkland,
D. D., of Baltimore, always commanded
rare attention, and were models of point
ed, refined oratory So also did Rev.
w. E. Boggs, D. D., show himself most
capable in the difficult art of saying a
great deal in five short minutes.
A fine spirit of unity pervaded all the
meetings. True, marked differences of
conviction, and philosophy, and science
appeared Otherwise we would have
had most stupid Council. But along
with this splendid divergence of thought
and feeling, there was formless, impal-
pable mystic unity of brethren. 1t broke
out in the songs, breathed in the prayers,
animated the speeches. Is not this the
unity-the only unity we will ever ar
rive at in this world or the next? Not
on the outside but in the inside-not of
form but of spirit, an impalpable princi-
pie Of love for the common Christ-a
silent diffusive temper that makes itself
felt in all thought and action, and which
binds all Christians together in funda-
mental brotherliness of heart and hand
and brain, and in that deep catholicity of
feeling by which we can reverence others
and love them even when we differ from
them
The Attitude of the Alliance Toward
Science
was especially judicious and prophetic Of
good result. 1t were fatal blow to any
Church if young men, educated as they
now are, revelling In the intoxication Of
new scientific truths-feeling themselves
debtors to science for a great part of the
Joy, excitement, and equipment of their
intellects; felt in any form the tokens of
hostility on the part of the Presbyte-
rian Church to science Not a sharp
thing, not an acrid thing was said even
about the abnormal developments of
science. They also were treated as pro-
ducts of the human mind, which it is idle
to deal with but by intellectual means.
Presbyterianism will do herself vast ben
eft by this attitude of hospitality to all
legitimate science. 1t is a grand tribute
to her inherent strength that she can af-
ford to give the human mind the fullest
and fairest chance, willing to take the
held against all comers, using no hard
names, mlsrepresenting no views, meet
ing opponents with arguments and not
revlllngs, and answering Science falsely
so called with science truly so called.
If there is any regret which remains at
the end of the Council, it is that we were
not permitted to hear more discussions
from the lips Of our distinguished Scot
tlsh visitors. Here, indeed, is the only
criticism that it is in our heart to make
respecting the whole meeting, and it is
that sufficient provision was not made for
discussions Of able delegates The Prov
ldence of God does not often bring togeth-
er such men from such different spheres
and stations. What conferences we
might have had if the giants had but
| reused themselves What light might
have been flashed out from the heart of
the themes that are of the deepest and
most vital moment to all mankind AS
| conducted, the discussions, which might
have been the most fruitful portion of the
Council, were the most barren. Some
thing Of this was doubtless caused bv a
A''SN O'SA hLlO4l JHC OOuIClI COulu nave
no control, viz, the modesty of the truly
great men of the Council. Rev John
Cairns, Of whom John Stuart Mill said
that he might have been the greatest
philosopher of Great Britain had he
given up Theology grand simple soul
was scarcely heard in discussion. Prin-
cipal Rainy, the ecclesiastical leader of
Scotland champion Of many fierce bat
tie, never once drew his famous claymore
from the dialectic sheath, but sat un-
moved amid the struggle about him. A
Council equalling that of 1880 in the
high standard Of papers read, but giving
far larger place to free and earnest dis
cussion and providing for the projection
OF its noblest minds upon the conscious
ness Of the crowds, and the Church were
indeed perfect. May such perfection be
realized at Belfast in 1884