New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-20

TIE PRESBYTERIAN GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
The General Assembly which is now in
session at Saratoga Springs is tho highest
tribunal of the Presbyterian Church North.
There was time when one General Assem-
bly, had jurisdiction over the Presbyterian
churches North and South. But the war
led to q division in tho denomination which
has never been healed. and. consequently,
to-day there is a Presbyterian Church North,
and a Presbyterian Church South, each having
a separate and distinct General Assembly OF
its own. In view of this fact one would
perhaps be justified in holding that Church
was less amiable than State. The late I'M
pleasantness is over and gone so far as its
political, its secular aspects are concerned
But enthusiastically speaking it still survives,
The Saratoga Assembly numbers among It's
delegates many OF the leading divines of the
Northern section of the country, and its
proceedings are followed with the close
attention that naturally attends the delibera-
tons of such men In relation to the condition
and with a view to further the welfare OF ono
of the most powerful of the Protestant
denominations. We do not understand that
this Assembly is charged with the performance
of duties 50 grave or unusual Ill their nature
as to give it special prominence. Nevertheless
it will BE called upon to consider several mat
tiers of no little importance. One OF these Is
the question of the tolerance of free biblical
criticism in the church scminarics. Several
Presbvterics have requested the Assembly to
take action on this point to the end that what
is known as "thc canon of Scriptures suffers
Of tl,a
tcntion involved have been exclusively dis
cusscd in the Presbyterian newspapers and
reviews, so that If the Assembly does not dis
pose of the subject this year it probably will
no. he for want of material upon which to
form a judgment. Another order of business
upon which IN animated discussion is to be
looked for is the report of the committee on
the relation of the Board of Home Missions TO
the Presbyteries. Signs have not been wanting
of a misunderstanding between the Board and
the Prcsbytcries, and 1t is expected that this
Assembly will dispose of the report in such n
manner as to put an end to whatever fric-
ton at present exists. What clothes the
report with more than ordinary signiti-
canoe is the fact that a previous report
on the subject was so unsatisfactory to the
Assembly to which it was submitted that u
motion prevailed to rccOmmit it for revision.
Still another probable provocatiOn to sharp dis
cussion will be furnished by the appeal of the
Rev. DIR. McLane from the action of the Pres
bytery of Stcubcnvillc, Ohio, which lately sus-
pended him for hcrcsy. The charges upon
which he was convicted are based upon a work
which DR.. McLane lately published, entitled
"Thc Cross in the Light of Today in which
ne makes an elaborate argument in favor of
"the moral theory so called of the doctrine
of the AtOnement.
With these things TO consume ID time and
thought In addition to the routine business not to
spea1 of the revision of the Book OF Discipline,
the Assembly ought to have a busy week OF it.
The TRIBUNE, which has thousands of Pres
byterlans among its readers. ventures to ex-
press the hope that whatever business is sent
over until another year, the business of for
warding Il reunion of the two branches of the
church will not be sent over. or course it does
not lest entirely with the Saratoga Assembly
TO bring abOut this beniiiccnt result. 1t has
sent delegates to and received delegates from
the General Assembly Of the Southern Church
which is now in session, and has certainly DEM
onsrated n disposition to meet its Southern
brethren half way. But il should do its whole
duty in the premises, and then if reconciliation
does not follow, it will be easy to fix the re-
sponslbility for its failure.
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