Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-20
RELIGIOUS BODIES.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE
CHURCH IN THE SOUTH.
Twenty-Five Years OF Existence some
Points About the Organization
of the Assembly.

the organization and abstracts OF the
grounds Of separation from the north
ern Church
On December 4, 1851, iifty-fye min
listers and thirty.tight ruling elders,
being commissioners from forty.seyen
Presby teries, met in Augusta. Ga, and
organized - General Assembly Of the
Presbyterian Church in the Confederate
States Of America" The venerable
Francis Mcfarland, d. D., of Lexing-
ton Presbytery, was chosen TO preside
during the organization, and an opening
sermon was preached by the Rev. u.
nj. Palmer, d. d., then and now Of
New Orleans. The latter was chosen
as moderator Of this FIRST Assembly.
or the ministers that constituted that
Assembly the names Of the following
twenty-throe are still on the roll OF the
Church Alexander McCorkle, q. W.
Boggs, X. Is. White, d. d., j. Z. Du-
Bose, Joseph r. Wilson, ID. d., vii.
liam V. FriersOn, John n. Waddel, ID.
d., A. IL. Caldwell, James II. Giles
pie, John Hunter, Il. NJ. Palmer, ID.
D., X. II. Morrison, ID. D., Hector Nc
Leon, =. II. Dalton, j. Leighton Will
son, d. D., ID. Il. Frierson, John Il.
Adger, ID. d., Levi Lenney, K. F.
Bunting, Samuel II. Houston, Theode-
rick Pryor, u. d., William L. Rich
ardson, Samuel ID. Stuart, and PeytOn
Harrison. OF the thirty-eight ruling
elders Of that Assembly two are now
in the ministry-Professor Charles
Phillips. Of Chapel Hill, n. c., and W.
F. G. Gregory. Of Richmond. The
following also are among those who
have been prominent in the Church
courts and still survive: William p.
Webb, j. d. Armstrong, Jesse II.
Lindsay, Frederick Johnston, William
Murdoch, and james w. Gilkeson.
Among the eminent members OF that
body who have been called to their re-
ward these may be named Drs. James
II. Thorwell, Francis Mcfarland, Aaron
W. Leland. James Il. Ramsay, John II.
Bocock, William II. Foote, Drury
Lacy, James A. Lyon, c. G. Jones,
John S. Wilson, G. Kingsbury, X. W.
Bailey. and Thomas Il. WEIGH. OF the
elders who went from Virginia these
have died : Professor j. l.. Campbell,
Samuel McCorkle, and Thomas f. Per-
kiDsOn.
The Rev. William Brown, d. d.,
although not a member Of the Augusta
Assembly, was present, and doubtless
those who were then iDaugurating the
policy Of the Church sought the cOun-
sells Of one whose eminent wisdom has
done so much ever since in directing its
course Of action.
Seven Of the ministers and two of the
elders Of the first Assembly have been
appointed as commissioners to the AS
sembly Of this year, and three ministers
as alteInsieS.
The Assembly Of 1861 unanimously
adopted an able and carefully-drawn
paper prepared by committee Of
which Rev. DR.. ThOrnwell was chair
man, while the name of the now yenera-
BILE DR.. Pryor was second on the list,
being an address to All the
Churches Of Jesus Christ Throughout
the Earth" In this paper the grounds
on which they separated from their
brethren Of the North are distinctly
stated, and the position of the Church
rs having no right to deal with ques-
tions of State policy is clearly defined.
A few extracts from that paper, drawn
in days of the most intense sectional
excitement, will show that the able
penman of that address and the AS
sembly that adopted it could not only
divest themselves of sectional ami
mostly when they acted as a Court OF
Jesus Christ, but could, in the midst OF
the throes OF great revolution, clearly
discriminate as to the great principles
involved in the relations Of Church and
State:
owe would he sorry To he regarded by our
brethren In any part OF the world asguilty
OF hchism. We are not conscious vi any
purpose To rend the body OF Christ. on the
contrary, our atm has been 10 promote the
unity OF the spirit In the bonds or peace.
IL we know our own hearts, and can form
any lust estimate Of the motives which have
governed uS We have been prompted by a
sincere desire to promote the glory OF Coz:
and The efficiency, energy. harmony, ana
zeal Of His Kingdom in the earth.'
Il ia the frsi place the course or the lRst
Assembly at Philadelphia concluslVcly
shows that II we should remain together the
tOlitlcgl questions which divide us as clti-
lens viii lie obtruded on our Church courts
aud discussed 10y Christian ministers and
elders " IN all the HcrimOny, bitterness, ana
rRucor with which such questions are
usually discussed hY men OF the world.
anIN q 4 "A condition fnplefOIG.
upon which the Church OF the North aud
The south could remain together as one
body with any prospect OF success is the
rigorous exclusion of the questions ana pas
Sious OF the fOium from It's halls OF debate.
This is what always ought To be done. The
provinces Of Church and state are perfectly
distinct, and the one has no right TO ssurI
the jurisdiction OF the other
The following extracts give the glSi
Of the ground Of separation from the
Church Of the North
Had these principles those stated in the
above extracts aud afterwards more fully
elaborated been steadily maintained ny
the Assembly at Philadelphia IL Is possible
that Tie ecclesiastical separation OF the
North and south might have been deferred
for y ears 10 come our P1esby ieries. many
OF them, chung with tenderness 10 the rcco!-
lections OF the past. The
INST hing " hieh reused our Presbyterles "a
look the question OF separation seriously IN
the face WAS the course OF the Assembly In
NeniuTinR 20 determine. as court of Jesus
Christ which u did 10y necessary implica-
ton, the true Interpretation OF the Coustltu-
ton OF the United States as 20 the kind
Of government IL intended TO form. A pO-
ntical theory was, 10 all intents and pur-
Toe e.. pTCsOunded. which made secession a
crime, thc seeding states rebeiiOus, aud
the ciliYens who Obeyed them traitors. Ne
say nothing here as 10 the righteousness oi
uniightCOusneSS OF these DEGREES. What We
maintain n that, whether right OF wrong
the church bad no right to make them-shs
Uranscendcd her sphere aud usurped the
duties OF the Stste The discussion OF these
questions, we are soTTN 10 add. was In the
spiIlt aud temper OF part san disclaimers.
A second ground for the separation
was found in the existence then Of two
nAtionaltes-th United States and the
Confederate States--and this reason
was Strengthened by the antsgonism o
sentiment between the North and the
South on the subject of slavery. The
position Of the Church on this vexeC
question is thus stated and then fully
discussed
I'VE would have 10 distinctly understood
that IN our cCelesiREtical capacity We are
neither the friends nor the foes OF slavery
that IL TO cay. We have no commission
either 60 propagate or abolish IL, The policy
OF its existence or uon-existence Is n ques
ton which exclusively belongs TO the state