Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-06-02

with the utmost good will, and their minis
tiers visiting our city are invited with sincere
cordiality TO preach in our pulPIts. We who
advocate this mode Of correspondeDce greeted
and shook hands with the fralernal delegs-
ton from the Church North, az warmly as
any gentleman on the other side. L hope,
sir, this insinuation OF inElncerIty and per-
sonsl unfriendliness will be no longer
entertained.
L now press this point: We ara bound 10
truth and honesty in our intercourse with
others. Courtesy, loyalty, ana consideration
for our own are more important thsn ell
quette TO others. Families, where true love
and culture reign, always consider The tastes
and feelings Of all the members, both as TO
the subjects or mode Of mutual intercourse.
So should the Church, the family Of God.
We should be upIt in all our act. Our
first and highest 10y atty is Cue 10 our South
ern Church il her entirety, her Integrity, SO
q separate, independent organic alton. Let
Us be unit. The Northern Church Wss very
careful! to unite ali its people Ss one NJ an,
before coming to ", by adopting The Herrick
johnson prefix. They were courteous and
conciliAtory, fsst Of all, to their orr people.
They knew their act would be meaningless
and diSeourteous uoltss they could &C. united
". Thsy said "Ch1rity begins At home"
Brethren, let us be 1t lesst as considerable and
thoughtful as they.
Your act Of yesterday asserts this very
principle. That ACT recognizes the necessity
Of conciliating and acting in harmony with
Ihe whole Church. 1t scknor ges the
representative character Of this Assembly.
II admits that this body must regard the
mind and feelings Of our whole family in its
actions. / believe, sir, had the whole Church
realized that the mode Of correspondence
would have been an issue before the As
sembly fifty Presbyteries would haye over
tured that it should be by letter. An cure
ny own Prssbytery, New Orleans, would
have done so. Many Of US took ii for
granted that correspondence would be so
conducted, and hence took no action on this
point. believe we can safely pledge the
approval Of the whole Church 10 this
method, and tnut do mucn TO heal tue
wounds and division that have been made,
aIlay the apIieties concerning our indspend-
ence and integrity.
Further, the Church is pledged 10 this
mode of correspondence by tine solemn enact
meut of the New Orleans Assembly in 1877,
and by the generally undersiood Intention or
tacit agreement at the Atlanta Assembly.
DR.. Browns spoken and printed statements
confirm this position. Had TINS not been The
underst andIng at Atlanta, a vigorous AID
largely signed protest would have been
| offered. Here the r v. DR.. Smo6r, moder-
ator of the Atlanta Assembly, confirmed Mr..
FIinn'- statement
Now, sir, If this oe true, then We are under
promise to correspond by letter; are your
pledges Trustworthy? We meet YOU IS 10 the
e1i:tence and continuation of fraternal rela-
lions, hat ia two-thirds OF the way; now meet
Us one-third of the way, and let us unan.
I'M lusy agree that correspondence shall be
by letter. Don't ask us 10 surrender al.
Last of ali, Mr.. Moderator, the continued
. exchange Of couresles by delegates is no,
. necessary either to prove or maintain
friendly frAiernal spirit. We have friendly
J relations with the Methodist, Cumberland,
Bsptists ard Reformed Epscopallans with.
/ cat delegations. So can we have with the
Dutch Reformed and the Northern Pfesby-
We h.v. now had 0ae exchange OF dele.
| gates as the sign and zeal OF an accom-.
plished fact. Why cay "the fact ia yet iu.
complete" BY continuing to apply the STANG
and seal? You have signed your name, you
| have given your pledge; once is enough.
| Gfoiius says perpetual ambassadors are
f, not necessary to maintain friendship between
! nstiors. They were unknown TO the an.
| clients" III the Interior and i1al object be TO
establish organic unioU, then delegates might
be necessary or useful, but on no other sup
| position.
Some have asked what guarantee have we
that our act OF yesterday and the proposal
now before US 10 correspond by letter mea
| alt that is claimed for them 10 the way of
, courtesy, sincerity and friendliness of spirit2
just this: 1t is a universal principle tn at the
real meaning OF all documents, laws, Instru-
ments OF writing, ia the m saning intended
and put on them by their trainers and contem
porary expousders. We, as the trainers and
eIpOunders OF the measure already adopted
aad of the one before us, give you expo
sition OF their meaning. Ia exposition
meets all your objections to tbs pending
proposition. Nov, according 10 III univsr-
sal principles OF Interpretation aud evidence,
you are bound TO accept our exposition as
correct. Nay, further, you are COMM ted to
this principle by insisting that We should
accept the Northern Church's Interpretation
| Of the Herrick johnson prefix as the
true meaning. They said tbs explain.
story does not modify the CEN
current resolution" and you said to us,
accept this Interpretation of the author as
the true meaning TO them dem ands
it. SO say, sir, courtesy 10 Us demands that
our Interpretation OF our own proposal, as free
from discourtesy, insincerity and unfriendlI-
ness, must be accepted both by our own
| brethren aud by the Church North "a the
true meaning of correspondence by letter.
Can Jeu bs Just and generous TO otheTs, and
| yet full Of suspicion 10 members OF your
own household Be not swept away by The
storm of the hour and the excitement of the
occasion into doing what nay be considered
unkind to honored brethren, unmsnly IN
brave defenders of Truth aud sE and IN
/ sstIsfactory 10 The Church which ~ pre-
i sent. J WILLIAM Finn,