The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-06-07
PRESBYTERIANS WILL NOT UNITE.
The Southern General Assembly Decides te
Remain Separate.

Southern Presbyterian General AS
sembly spent all of to-day wrangling.
Organic union reused the members to
fever heat, and DR.. Smoot, of Texas,
made red-hot speech. The report of
the committee on overtures, declaring
organic unicn impracticable, was furth-
er considered and finally adopted by a
vote of IS to 10, thus killing the scheme.
So impassioned We're the speeches that
the Moderator had frequently to call
the speakers to order.
DR.. Smoot, of TEXAS, created sensa-
ton. He fourished his right arm and
almost shouted:
"These Northern brethren keep talk
ing about what we owe this country.
We started out on the principle that
we would conserve the interest Of the
Church Of God at the expense of the
country, whether it stands or falls. I
owe nothing under God to the country.
T pay my taxes, abide by the laws and
the powers that be, and love my family.
1 don't mean to tie myself to the apron
strings of any Haunting government.
Talk about the country being united!
1t is not. You might as well talk about
uniting the Democratic and Republican
parties. They talk about the color line.
Why, a white woman actually went to
member of the Legislature in Texas
and asked to have the laws changed so
thatshe could marry great, big, black,
stalwart negro, on the ground that he
was flesh and blood like any other man.
The only difference was in color, which
was the most superficial thing of all.
They tell Us that it will be discourteous
to the Northern Assembly not to seek
organic union. But these brethren
have forgotten all the wrongs of the
Northern Assembly to US. say it
kindly, Christianly, bluntly, I don't
want organic union. But the Northern
brethren are sharp. What they don't
know is not worth knowing"
The Rev. J. 4. Waddell, of Virginia,
a precise little man with gray beard,
took the platform, with his manuscript
in his hand and his umbrella held close
ly under his arm. This created a
great deal of famusement. He did not
mind that, however, and, undisturbed
by a suggestion that came from within
few feet of him to drop his umbrella,
he held on to it and proceeded to de-
liver himself against organic union.
Organic union by fusion, he declared,
was dangerous. Organic union was not
commanded by Christ or required by
the Gospel.
The Rev. S. NJ. Neel said: "The
great question of church unity has
fallen upon our age. I carried musket
in the Southern army for four years,
and for that I might be supposed to be
opposed to the North, but want to do
what the Church of Christ wishes me
| to do, and mean to do it. The first
question that separated us was as tc
the spirituality of the Church, but il
there had been no war there would be
now no separation. Thcnk God the
war is over, and now shall we stay
separated? We have been told that the
Northern Assembly lodged our ques
tions as to pelagianism and semi
pelagianism. I don't believe it. I be
lieve they met US squarely like men,"
Mr.. R. T. Simpson, a ruling eldel
from the Synod of Alabama, said: IL
unity is not needed in matters ecclesias
tical let us abandon our Presbyterie:
and our Synods and 60 back to Con
gregationalism. 1t is time for us tt
hide our heartburnings of the past ant
go forward in the work that is before
US. The Northern Assembly did no
evade our questions as to heresy, a:
they have been charged with doing
They are just as sound on that subjec
as we are. These questions have al
been sifted until it has become ridic
ulous. We are told that We are making
progress. What progress have We made
with the colored man? This isa solemn
question that confronts usin the South
There is our field of evangelization. W.
should lay aside all prejudice and tak'
up this duty. It is alone our duty
who know their characteristics so well
After twenty years of professed evange
lization can you point to single Pres
bytery that has done anything?"
A voice: "Yes in North Carolina
and South Carolina"
Mr.. Simpson, continuing: eyes
that is all we have accomplished among
a people who have been for one hun
dred years our tutelage."
DR.. Smoot of Texas: ayes, and i
the Northern preachers had let us alone
we would have done more"
The Moderator "Order ~
Mr.. Simpson II deny it."
DR.. Smoot: "You can't deny as t.
Texas, You haven't seen it."
Mr.. Simpson: II don't undertake
to speak for Texas. They have sucf
funny things down there that I would
not be surprised at anything that hap
pened there. How can we accomplish
anything with two churches working
side by side both jealous ofeach other?'
Most of the members say they art
glad the question has now been finally
dropped.