The Indianapolis journal., 1885-05-23

departments, it would be unfair to adopt the re-
port commencing one, and to that extent
forestalEng Judgment on the others. Hence
the report was recommitted. A resolution to
open another book depository in New York, IN a
more convenient locality than the present one,
was referred to the committee.
Bishop Walden, of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, was invited to seat with the Modera-
tor
Other Assemblies and History of the Church.
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.
The first General Assembly Of the Presby-
terian Church was held at Philadelphia las were
Its successors for fifty years, with but five ex-
eeptions), and was presided over by the eminent
DR.. John Witherspoon, president of Princeton
College, and one of the signers Of the Declara-
tion of Independence, and DR.. John Rodgers, of
New York. For many years the adherents to
the Presbyterian Church resided mainly in the
Eastern States, and for this reason the place of
meeting was in some city east of the Alleghenies.
The first meeting in the West was at Pittsburg,
in 1885. The membership of the assembly at
first was relatively small. When it was organized
there were but seventeen Presbyteres, $50 min
listers and 4l9 congregations. and the ratio of
representation was one minister and one elder
for every six minister's and another for every
fraction of six
Meetings of the assembly have been held from
time to time by the original BODY one or the
other of the divided schools, in Carlisle, Penn,
Winchester, Va New York, Philadelphia, Gin
st. Louis ETC., in several instances the place
being selected with reference to sectional inter
ests The first meeting in Cincinnati was of the
Old School, and took place in l845, in the old
stands the church in which the present
session is held. DIR. Joshua L. Will
son was then pastor of the First Church,
and associated with him as junior pastor was his
son, Rev. Samuel r. Wilson. The assembly
was composed of 184 delegates and presided over
by Rev. DR.. John M. Krebs, a distinguished
ecclesiastc and able moderator One of the in
teresting features of the meeting was the recep-
ton of an Iowa chief, and speech in his own
language, interpreted by missionary to the
Iowas, and response by Dr. Krebs Among
the most interesting acts of the assembly We're a
resolution declaring Romish baptism invalid, the
unanimous adoption of paper on slavery and
the discussion Of the lawfuness of marriage to
wife's kindred nearer than the husbands own
kindred.
The second session held here was also by the
Old School, in 1850, when there were 250 dele
gates present 1t met in the Central Church, Of
which DR.. N. L. Rice was then pastor DR.. A.
W. Leland, of South Carolina, was the mod
orator. and among the distinguished members
were Robert and William Breckinridge The
question of reunion with the New School re-
| celVeu SOIne aIbenIlou, ana the assembly O6-
clared its willingness to receive the prodgal
branch whenever its members should repent and
bring forth fruits meet for repentance
The third assembly held here was by the New
School, in 1862. It met in the old Second Church,
which has since been removed. Rev. DR.. George
Duffield of Detroit was moderator and there
were about 900 delegates In attendance. The
most interesting acts of the session were the
adoption of patriotic resolutions on behalf Of the
Union and an earnest letter to President Lin
rly oY,1 HIT fha
tion of UNCONVENTIONAL reunion.
The fourth assembly was of the old school
branch, and was held'in Central Church in 1867
of which Rev. DR.. 0. A. Hills was pastor: Rev.
DR.. Turley was moderator. The session was an
unusually exciting one, owing to the discussion
relative to the signers Of the declaration and
testimony against political action by the assem-
bly,, and the recognition of loyal presbyteries In
the border States
Other assemblies have been held in Ohio by
the Old School at Columbus in the capitol build :
ing in 1862 by the New School at Cleveland in
1857 and Dayton in 1875; and since the two were
united at Cleveland In 1875. Ohio ministers
who have been moderatorS of last assemblies are
James Hoge, j. l.. Wilson, George Junkin, c.
G. Beatty and r.. l.. Stanton of the old school,
Baxter Dickinson, d. 81. Allenand S. w. Fisher,
of the New School, and e. D. Morris since the
reunion occurred.
The Presbyterian Church was founded in
America about 1854 or 16S5--two hundred years
ago--wheu q church was organized at Rehoboth.
Nd, by Francis Mackenzie The first presbytery
was held at Philadelphia in 1905, and the first
synod, consisting of four presby yteries, was con-
stituted in ZIG. Dissensions from various causes
arose during subsequent years. but in 1858 the
Presbyterian churches in America were united
in one. About 1885 the doctrinal standards of
the denomination were revised, and plans We're
minated for complete system of organization
of the Presbyterian Church in the United States
In DAY, 1885, general synod OF the synods of
New York and New Jersey, Philadelphia Vir
- H. n. - lzal m 81
1elphia, and this resolved itself into Gen
sral Assembly. The Westminster Confes-
sion was readopted with three slight
alterations, and the larger and shorter catechsms
'plan of union" with the Congregationalists
under which the pastor of one could be ap-
pointed to the church of the other, and still
retain his membership in his original presbytery
or association was adopted. In 1884 majority
of the Associated Reform Church was merged
into the Presbyterian Church. In 1887 the GEN
erai Assembly annulled the ''plan of union with
the Congregational Church adopted in 1901 the
reason assigned being that the arrangement led
to laxity of both doctrine and discipline There
was In the church, however, powerful minority
who took different view upon this question
and also upon that of the Interpretation of some
of the distinctlvey Calvinistic doctrinal articles
and slavery, and these seeded, and have since
then, and up to the time of the reunion, in 1871,
been known as the New School, though each
body held to the same name, and claimed to be
.'the General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church in the United States
At the time of the union in 1871 the Old
School had 2,381 ministers. 2,740 churches and
258, 9O3 communicates and the New School
l.S4s ministers, 1851 churches and IT., $50 com
municants- The reunited church in 1883 had
5,2lo ministers, 5,S5S churches and 60069 com
municants. There are in this country four
other branches of Presbyterians--the Presby-
terian Church South with ,081 ministers, 2,0l0
churches and 123. 806 commandments; the Cum
beriand Presbyteriap with ], 1886 minister's 2, 457
churches and Ill, 1863 communicates; the Re-
formed .Presbyterian With l43 ministers l67