The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-05-31

Tue uay OF our trials. speaking OF this
matter l said to him, eve need fraternal
relations in our work in Texas" Eyes"
said he, land we need it here in Atlanta.
Many Presbyterians come here, who, not
liking the attitude Of our Church on this
question, refuse to unite with our church
es and are lost to u.s." The principal
objection that has been made to our adopt
ing fraternal relations is that it might
cause division in our Church. In nv
judgment this danger is mostly imagin-
airy. There may be few brethren among
us who are so intense in their feeling that
if this Assembly should adopt fraternal
relations, they would secede from us, but
In all probability that number is very
llmited-probably would not reach half
dozen ministers and a smaller number of
churches. But this matter of division
may work in two ways While a few
ministers and churches may be driven off
from us by the adoption of fraternal rela-
lions, is there not danger, as we have had
1T almost intimated on this floor, that if
we refuse to grant the requests in these
overtures from our Presbyteries, and this
desire of our people for fraternal rela-
lions, we shall, by this refusal, drive off
from us a much larger number of our
ministers and churches? Nay, we are
every day driving off members from our
churches by our unfraternal attitude to-
wards our Northern brethren And I
warn you, sir, and this Assembly, most
solemnly against refusing this desire of
our people for fraternal relations, lest by
so doing you produce division in our
nd Irir OH
churches, and members, from this Assem-
bly,.
Mr.. Moderator, there are two sides to
this question, as in most controversies
After all, when you realize it and get to
the bottom of the whole matter, the diff
ference between ourselves and our North
ern brethren is based upon a political
difference between us. We at the South
honestly and conscientiously thought that
our States had the constitutional right to
secede. And when the State seeded we
Presbyterians conscientiously thought we
were doing right and "obeying the pow
ers that be" when we followed our polit-
zeal leaders in secession. We did not
think we were traitors. Nor do we think
so yet. And probably our views will
not change until the Judgment Day. We
were conscientious in this But are we
to suppose that we are the only ones that
are conscientious? Are there not some
yes, in all probability at least a major
ity among our brethren of the Northern
Presbyterian Church-who are lust as
| conscientious as we are in holding their
opinions? 1t is absurd to suppose that
we only are conscientious in this contro-
versy, and that our Northern brethren
are not This Assembly do not believe
will take this ground. The people of the
North honestly believe-at least many of
them-that the States had no constitu.
tlonal right to secede. And believing
this, Northern Presbyterians thought we
did wrong in following our States in Sc
cession and obeying them as 1.-the powers
that be-" These Northern Presbyterians
were conscientious in this, and believing
that we were wrong, they said some pretty
hard things against us-things which
still stand upon their records, and things
which think manly course requires
them to retract, but they cannot con-
scientiously see that, holding the political
views they do, they ought to make this
retraction-at least not more so than they
have done And it seems to me that
they have apologized, and I am satisfied
with their apology as sufficient.
Now, in order to harmonic this AS
senbly, propose the following paper as
a substitute for Dr. Pitzers amendment
and for the report of the committee on
foreign correspondence:
ResoZred, That this Assembly, while not re.
ceding from its position as heretofore taken in
protesting against certain grievances which we
claim to have been inflicted upon us by the
Northern Presby terrain Assembly, and while we
do not think they have done all that they ought
to have done toward removing these grievances,
yet we do now agree to send delegate or
delegates to bear our fraternal greetings to the
Northern Presbyterian Assembly now in session
at Springfield, ILL.,. and are now ready to co.
operate with them in the work of home and for
eign evangelization.
Rev. g. l.. Brown, of Virginia, repre-
sented a Presbytery-Lexingto Presby-
tery-which was encrusted in Presbyte-
rianism-" the stalwart of the stalwarts, &"
and which had protested against the
opening of fraternal messages. Natural
ly imbibed with these sentiments, yet the
more l think of it the more am l i'm
pressed that this interminable quibbling
should cease. The report admits that
fraternity exists except as to "form. -
Then brush that form away We com
promise no principle in extending this
/ form q little further. There are RIGHTS