The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-06-01

port OF the committee on Bills and Overtures on
the overture from the Synod of South Carolina
on Church Law, etc, heretofore reported. 1t
states that in the nature of the case lust and ne
cessary consequences form part of every inter
probation In which they are implicitly contained.
Whilst, therefore, in this general sense the con-
sequences which are necessarily deduced from
the law OF the church are part of that Law.
the constant Protestant doctrine in our stan
dards is that neither the law itself nor the con,
sequences deduced therefrom have anv binding
authority, except as far as they are clearly es.
was adopted.
Adjourned.
NINTH DAY.
Assembly met and was opened with PRAYER by
Rev. w. B. Bingham.
DIR. j. K. Wilson, chairman of the committee
appointed by the last Assembly to revise the
Presbyterlal assessments, reported that it had
been decided by that committee as advisable to
reduce the assessment somewhat and read the
list of the Presbyteries with their respective as
sessments for the year.
Kew DIR. Palmer offered the following paper
in place. of that acted upon by the Assembly
last night, regarding the overture from the
Synod of South Carolina. 1t was fully discussed
by Rev. Drs. Lefevre Mutually, Hoyt Pratt,
.Molloy, Armstrong Davies, and Shanks, and
was adopted by an almost unanimous vote
nv PopOi icduS DIS iOllOWS, VIZ:
To the overture from the SYNOD of Soutb Car.
DINA the Assembly returns answer that all lust
ana necessary consequences from the law of the
church are part of the same in the logical sense
OF being implicitly contained therein. The au
thority of this law is, however, twofold: it binds
all those who profess to live under it as cove
nant by which they are united in our com
munion, so that there is no escape from its con-
troll, except by renouncing its Jurisdiction, and
1t binds because it has been accepted as a true
expression of what is revealed in holy Scrip
lures as infallible truth. The consequences de-
duced from it cannot, therefore, be equal in au.
thorlty with the law itself, unless they be neces-
sarily contained within it, as shown by their
agreement also with the divine Word.
NEW SYNOD
An interesting discussion arose upon the pro.
posed new Synod. to be called the Synod of
South Georgia and Florida" participated in by
Rev: w: II. Dodge, Judge Hansell, Judge ellis
l.. w. Fleming, and Dr. Robertson Various
substitutes were offered, and voted down. and
the report as offered by the committee on Bills
and Overtures, defining and erecting the new
Synod, was adopted by large majority.
FRATERNAL RELATIONS
Rev. DR.. Adger, chairman of committee to re
ply to the protest of DR.. Mutually and Others
offered the following paper, viz:
1t is not now, and has never been with our
some form acknowledge a Christian brotherhood
with the Northern Presbyterians More catho.
lie and Christian sentiments towards all evan.
gencal Churches. more especially those of the
Presbyterian order, are nowhere to be found
than in our Minutes of 1864 and So
But the question simply is as to the form and
extent of the Acknowledgement This state
ment is established by well known facts:
l. AT the close of the war, when brethren of
the Northern Church were present in our Svnods
and Presbyterles, they were invited to sit as
corresponding members
2. As soon as Christian salutation was sent
by their Assembly to our, it was Immediately
returned
3. In 1870, and subsequently,, we declined a
proposal for an interchange of delegates which
would recognise each other as corresponding
bodies on the distinct ground that this has al
ways been regarded as the most manifest and
visible contamination and the most complete
evidence of such relations. Like the sending of
ambassadors between nations, this interchange
OF delegates carries with it the fullest significance
OF fellowship, and we declined it unless our 40
grievances should first be removed. This posi
ton was confirmed by several successive AS
semblles.
From this statement it will be seen that there
Is manltestly no inconsistency in the course
pursued by our Assembly. 1t is not a question
OF fraternal relations in some form-to this we
h"No hoFol OuJeCIeu In certain forms, and to
certain extent such recognition has ALWAYS
been observed. Now when the form adopted has
been that of merely Christian salutation, it is
a question whether we should or should not
give that salutation first This Assembly sol
emily denies that our Church has receded at all
from the position taken in the Baltimore Con
ference, and deliberately confirmed by three suc
cessive Assemblies. The Independence of the
Southern Church is indeed, as the protestants
rightly atfirm a great boon mercifullv be-
slowed upon her at an opportune time, when
the laxity OF discipline and doctrine, now so
prevalent, began to invade the Presbyterian
Churches of the north of Scotland" and with
the protestants, this Assembly would deprecate
every tendency toward surrender of this great
gift of independence which has hitherto proved
the means of securing our beloved Church
against many evils that have befallen other
Churches in these evil times. The Assembly
stands therefore, in the position assumed bv onr
Church long ago, taking no step forwards and
no step backwards
Rev. DIR. Adger presented protest against the
action of the Assembly regarding the re adjust
ment of the Assembly's committees. and on mo-
ton the protest was admitted to record without
answer.
Rev. s. t. Martin offered protest against the
action of the Assembly in the matter of Re
trenchment and Reform, giving series of rea
sons for such protest. The protest was signed
by Revs. S. 7. Martin, p r. Law, H. C. Hamil
ton, W. I. Savage, Samuel Smith, ] B. Brown
and }. A. Quarles in part On motion, the pro
test was admitted to record, and committee
appointed to prepare and bring in a reply to this
Assembly.
On motion, the paper on the Di conate was
To ION frrVr, H.. L. / T.