The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-16
PRESBYTERIAN UNION.
Result of the Conference Lately Held at Lou
isVille-A Partial Agreement Reached.

LOUISVILLE, Ky, March 15.-By general
agreement the correspondence resulting from
the conference here, last summer. between the
representatives of the General and Southern
assemblies of the Presbyterian Church is made
public this week through the religious papers.
The conference was held with closed doors, and
hI the proceedings were kept in most profound
secrecy. A. the conclusion letters were sub
mitted by each side and an absolute agreement
between the two committees almost reached
The topics considered and discussed were four
in number, and were the questions of doctrine.
church boards, negro communicates, and pollt-
ical deliverances Upon the first two questions
no differences between the two assemblies were
foun6 to exist As regards the third question:
the committee of the Southern Assembly sub
mitted the two following plans:
''First-That the colored people can be organ
lied into an entirely separate existence
'tSecond--if this cannot be accomplished, that
the coorsd people shall be organized into sepa-
rate churches separate presbyteries ard sepa-
rate synods, the organization of each being com
plete without the presence of white presbyters,
except when such presbyters shall be provision
ally associated with them for their guidance and
help Representation shall be given to the pres
byteries organized, in the General Assem- bly,,
on the some terms and conditions 40 prevail in
case of white presbyteries and the synods shall
be subject TO review and control just as all other
,>synods are"
The committee of the General Assembly fa-
vored the second plan. This leaves the fourth
question as the only point of difference that
still exists. The question as to
from the feelings engendered by the civil war.
but this has now developed into a settled doc
:rine of the church. The Southern Assembly
declares that these objectionable political de-
iveraDces must be wholly abandoned, and that
the church must condne itself alone to the con-
Germs of the Eoui. To this demand the commit
- AZ G-~- Nka9a drO-
trine and comments on it as follows:
''Synods and councils are to handle or con-
clude nothing but that which Is ecclesiastical,
and are rot 10 meddle with civil affairs which
concern the commonwealth, unless by way of
humble petition in cases extraordinary, or by
way of advice for the satisfaction of conscience,
if they be thereunto required by the civil magis-
trate.' [Confession of Faith, Chap. 81. Sec. 4.
"This is the language of the Confession of
Faith, which il held equally binding by your
church and ours. We hold that the rule should
not be read without the exceptions, nor the ex-
Ceptions without the rule; both are equally bind
ing as essential elements of the article in ques-
tion, and the exceptions justify intermeddling
in civil affairs under the specified conditions"
Both sides appear stu bborn IN this matter, but
from the friendly tone and spirit of the letters
conveying their sentiments. those favoring the
union augur agreement uDon this point also.
Rev. Bartlee Converse. editor of the Christian
Observer, organ Of the Southern Assembly,
In speaking OF the proposed union, said: ''The
action of the conference committee was
purely advisory In its nature, and
nothing decisive can be done until May, when
the two assemblies meet The General, or
Northern, will mold its session at Philadelphia,
while the Southern Assembly will convene at
Baltimore AS the hundredth anniversary of
the establishments of Presbyterianism in
America occurs during that month, a
grand reunion, participated in by both
the General and Southern assemblies will be
held at Philadelphia during the time set for the
regular annual meetings 1t has been arranged
that there shall be equal number of speakers
from the two assemblies"
Hon. w. @. p. Breckinridge and Hon. j. Ran
dolph Tucker will be among the speakers
lected to represent the Southern Assem- blv. The
good-fellowship of the occasion may run so high
that speedy union of the two assemblies will
result