Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-11-01

time the ministry has increased, in round num-
bers, 300; in congregations, 200 and In mem
bership, 10000; while the aggregate contribu-
tions of the church, since 1860, have increased
about four-fold. During these years we have
had our trials, our discouragements and ou1
troublesome questions, and at times many hearts
have trembled for the ark of God. Yet we fee
that the good will of Him that dwelt in the bush
has followed US, and that it became us to set up
memorial stone with the inscription "Hltherto
the Lord has helped us Hence little over q
year ago movement was lnaugurated by some OF
the young business men of the church to raise
memorial fund of $500 000as free-will offering to
the Lord. 1t was not we think, in any spirit OF
pride or ostentation, but from love to Christ and
love to the church in which they were reared
Faint-heart and Ready-to-halt said it can never
be done; but Great heart and Hopeful said, With
the Lord all things are possible About S4o0, OOl
were reported as secured at the meeting OF the
General Assembly in May, which was less than,
six months after the plans were fully matured
The work still goes on, and those brave young
hearts propose by the help OF God to make II
100000. Whether that amount shall be reallzed
or not still work has been done which we trust
will largely tell for the advancement OF the
kingdom and glory Of Christ Orr colleges and
theological seminaries will be more fully manned
and equipped, and our Board enabled TO 40 lhelr
work more efficiently. No. is this all. If the
liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that water
eth shall be watered again, we may hope that
spiritual good will come to the souls OF the CIV
ers and that in all time to come their hearts Will
respond more literally to the claims OF CHRIST
upon their possessions, well as their persons.
| Still, wea are small among the tribes OF Israel,
and there are multitudes, even in the North, who
do not know there is such Il church in eXls-
| tence-who are not aware of the existence OF
| church that limits its songs Of praise to those
grand Hebrew melodies that were chanted on the
hills of Judea three thousand years ago. One
wsh therefore, that lies near to our hearts Is the
flowing together of those that sing the same songs,
hold to the same articles of faith and maintain
| substantially the same ecclesiastical uSages.
Gladly would we clasp hands and join hearts in
closest bonds Of ecclesiastical fellowship with all
the scattered tribes that hold to the same Falkland
worship after the same order. Some times, IN
deed, feeble band have done exploits and held
high vantage ground in the face OF fearful ODDS
Yet we cannot close eyes against the fact that
the present age calls for the maSsng OF forces, IN
order that great principles may be maintained
and pushed to the front. To the Associate fe-
formed Church Of the South we can truly say,
| Thou art our nearest sister. Our fathers ana
yours worshipped in the same sanctuary; sat
down at the same communion table met in the
same presbyteries and synodS; and planned ana
prayed together for the advancement of the
kingdom they loved. Separation came, but l
believe that anything like complete estrange-
ment and alienation never came.
Now the years of agony and strife that ensuett
from political differences have passed away. On
| American soil we trust that brother against
brother has marched into the valley OF flre ana
death for the last time The same hands are
now strewing flowers upon the graves OF the
boys of the Blue and the Gray. Our political
representatives meet in the same council cham
bers to devise and carry out those measures
which will rebound to the common good OF the
North and the South, and the world may there
| fore reasonably inquire why those churches
which are one in faith and usages should not be
organically united in doing the Lords work.
| We have admired your fidelity in maintaining
| ba which
tance, in the midst of difficulties before which
men of less heroic faith would surrender, and
we feel that we might be helpful to one another
| if we were enthusiastically one. In the work
among the freedmen, and in missionary work,
especially in the border and trans Mississippi
States, the union of these two branches OF the
church would certainly make our common work
more effective.
| In the meeting Of our general committee OF
missions, Immediately before the General AS
| sembly, in the consideration Of the interests OF
our congregations in Tennessee, was impressed
with the carefuness that was manifested to avoid
anything that might have the appearance OF a
want Of courtesy toward our Southern brethren,
and felt, more deeply than ever before. the desi-
rableness of organic union. My feelings would
impel me to discuss this question at greater
length; but perhaps 1t may not be best to press
the suit with too much ardor.
| If the Associate Reformed Church. in view OF
| her situation and surroundings, Shall deem II
better to hold on her way, as in the past, we Will
|
and the truth; but if the narrow neck that di-
| vides these two streams can be so trenched as to
make them flow into one, there will be rejoicing
| in the camp of the PSam-SingerS Ofthe North.
One thought more beg leave to present. AS
fellow citizens Of the same great country, we re-
joice in the material prosperity OF the Southern
States, and in the moral conflict that is being
maintained for God, for country and for home.
nthe Palmetto State. and in the Gulf States gen
| orally, you are fighting the same battle we are
fighting the Missouri slope. 1t is the battle to
maintain the purity, the Sanctity and the happl-
ness ofthe home against the sweeping desolations
that are wrought by the rum tiend. Inspite ofall
| the efforts made to arrest the progress OF TINS
evil still this cancer OH the body polite eats away.
Still the saturnalia Of drunken debauch goes on.
Still the rum seller plays the dead march, as siN-
| ty thousand funerals annually go by his door,
| and sixty thousand corpSeS are carried to their
long home Still the Rama cry is heard through
out our borders-Rachel weeping for her chill
dren by worse than Il brutal Herod's sword.
| We look with pleasure therefore, OH the nassing
| of the forces of Temperance throughout the land,
| to roll back the tide Of moral death and promote
the principles Of temperance and truth and right
eousness. But time forbds the elaboration of
this or any other subject. Again, i'll the name OF
my church, extend fraternal greetings and eX-
press the hope that delegate will be sent from
your Synod to meet with the General Assembly
of the United Presbyterian Church, which con-
venes in the city OF Saint Louis, on the fourth
Monday of May, 1884.
The address of the delegate was warm
ly responded to by the Moderator, who
reciprOcated the fraternal sentiments ex-
pressed, and deeply sympathiZed with much
of what the delegate had said. Some great
questions had been presented, especially
that of the uniting of the two churches,
and on this point he hardly knew what to
say at this time. The bodies were alike in
many respects-in their pSalmOdy, the Con-
fessiOn of Faith, and their mode OF worship.
He alluded to the good effects Of the church
es coming together in personal contact, and
the reciprocatiOn of favOrS. He could not
see why there should not be consolidation
among orthodox churches, and he thought
that general good in this respect would be
promoted in Gods own way; and if it
should be for the advancement of Gods
kingdom, he hoped the time is not distant.
In conclusion he congratulated Synod on the
presence here of the delegate of the United
Presbyterian Church, and hoped that this
church would be represented at the next
General Assembly, to meet in Saint Louis.
Rev. NJ. w. Pressly announced the pres
ence of Rev. R. w. Sanders, of the Baptist
church, and moved that he be received as a
consultative member, which was adopted.
The hour of p. NJ, having now arrived,
after prayer by the Moderator, Synod adj
iourned until $50 \. NJ. tomorrow.
SATURDAY MORNING, October q.
Synod met at the above hour, and after
prayer by Rev. j. c. Chalmers, the clerk
called the roll.
The committee on Erskine College sub
mitted their report, and pending its dis
cussion, the hour for the special order, it
being the report of the special committee
on the Erskine Theological Seminary, fur