The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-09-06

North. until we are blind to plain facts. The
Northern Church is more powerful than ours in
number of ministers, churches, and communi-
cants, and in wealth-perhaps FIVE or six times
more powerful. But she has far more than four
times the tnf,LU of nelO population to eUdnGelize
on her hands. Has she not eight times as
much? Ifshe, with skiold strength, is able to
do her skiold (or eightfold) work, why cannot
we, with our smaller strength, do our smaller
work? If she is not able, then, in calling her
to do ours, we are causing her to neglect
her own, which is sin. ThisSis the healthy
view to take of our duty, to initiate the
energy OF the Northern Church, if indeed she
does overtake her vast work and not to seek
IN this lazy, cowardly wav-to divert her re-
sources from the places they are so needed, to
supplement our stinginess and laziness. The
singing of this song is the sure way to emascu-
late our Church. Experience has also proved
as shall show, that lust in proportion to our
Independence of Northern help and control, has
been the fruitfulness of our Church in doing its
own work. We are in danger of cheating our.
selves into a criminal apathy by thus talking as
If the North had everything and we were help
less beggars. Here are two sons, one four times
as large and strong as the other. The father
has given the small one, because he is small 20
pounds to carry. But he has also given the
other more than 120 pounds And now the lit
tie fellow cries that he is so little he cannot car
ry his twenty pounds, but must have his big
brother to " tote" for him, because he is so
big. What he needs is a sharp taste of the
birch to make him do his work and stop whin-
ing. For shame Let the Southern Church
re open her seminaries, and give her sons to the
ministry, and give the money for her home mis-
sions. She is more able to do it this day, than
the Northern Church is to do all the larger work
God lays on her hands.
In this connection it is instructive to note how
this paralysis of our own resources and tagging
hahI ind IL
relaxation of the spirit of honest independence
in our Church. When was it that the promis.
ing impulse and progress of our work received
its first check2 Precisely at the time when we
began to let down" our testimony, to tamper
with entangling alliances" and to bill and
coo with our unrelenting accusers 1t is pre-
csely since then that our number of candidates
began to decline, and the expansion of our tasks
to outgrow our energies. What else would any
one expect who understands human nature?
To cry "Oh, we can't do it," "Oh, the work is
too large for us :" "Oh, we must have Northern
help"-this is the sure way to drag the con-
science of our own people, and to enervate their
Christianity by encouraging them to lean on
other peoples crutches.
Fusion.
One more topic remains: The tendency of this
special intercourse to undermine the very ex.
istence of our Church, and prepare the way for
fusion with the Northern Presbyterians.
Some las DR.. BROWN exclaim that this appre-
henslon is visionary he does not know of even
" scouting party" in favor of it. Others cry,
"Sh-sh" The subject is too tcklsh to
handle. The very way to precipitate fusion is
to talk about it." Now l reply: Is the
loyalty of our ministers to their own Church, is
its independence and existence, thus precarious?
Then Is this head of my argument more fear
fully true than any, even the most apprehen-
sive, had argued but mean to speak, on this
head, the words of truth and soberness; the truth
can never be mischievous
FtrSt-Our late accusers, now comrades, all
cry, with confidence, that long step toward
fusion has been taken that the last step is now
near and easy See the Interior, New York
Observer, etc, etc They are shrewd people
they are cute"
Second-They make no bones of saying " out
aloud" that they intend to use this new inter.
course diligently and solely as means to bring
about fusion. When Dr. Brown says, I No! it
IS merely the establishment of decent, pacific
relations between two Churches, which are and
are to remain, independent" our Northern
brethren utterly hout and feer this. They
snap their fingers at him. They assure him
that they will show him the other result. and
that very soon. Now, do not remark on the
manners or morals of this declaration Imerely
ask what is the infatuation, in view of the
known pertlnaclty Of these people, of our es-
tabllshlng this intercourse, of our openinp to
them tins door, unless we desire, and design
fusion had, let suppose, a neighbor,
whose character l never considered safe, He
has been teasing me for social access to nv
family, to which he is not entitled. He has
kept up complaint that l am a bad neighbor
IN this matter At last 1 give way weakly,
and establish the social interchanges, as l say,
solely to show good neighborhood; nothing
more, Oh mo-" Yet l know that the fellow
habltually and openly boasts of his purpose to
marry my chaste, innocent daughter; declares
to his boon companions that this is his sole end
In demanding social relations with my family
and that he designs to use them for this alone
And yet, knowing all this, give him the
chances he desires And, by way of explana
ton, publish to my neighbors this resolve of
myself and family Resolved, That Blank is
not to be allowed, in any event, to marry our
daughter" Certain it is my neighbors would
only judge me in my dotage
IhiTd-Ths intercourse NAV. honestly NOT
be intended to lead to such fusion and vet its
logical result is fusion. So the Northern papers
have already expounded it, l have shown that
the historical usage and meaning of correspon
dence OF delegates Is recognition of virtual
unity of doCtrinal and ecclesiastical principles
If this unity does not exist, the intercourse is
dishonest. If it does, why not fuse That is
their argument. Grant the premise, and the in.
ference will tell, even on reluctant minds. 1t
is the premise which is erroneous and perilous
and should not have been granted
Results Of Fusion.
Thus this matter derives its gravity. not from
its intrinsic importance, but from its tendencies
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