The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-04-25
THE COLOR LINE IN THE CHURCHES
Disturbing the Presbyterians this Time
The Chicago Presbytery Struggles With
70

| Disturbing the PreSDyLerlanS THIS 1tme-
The Chicago Presbytsry Struggles Will
1t.
CHICAGO. April 1.-THE annual meet
ing of the Chicago Presbytery begar
yesterday. The most important feature
of the proceedings of the day was the
preamble and resolutions introduced BY
the Rev. Mr.. johnson, Of the Theologi
cal Seminary, on the reunion of the
Northern and Southern Presbyterian
churches.
After setting out that they heartily
favor the reunion of the Northern and
Southern Presbyterian churches, solely
on the basis of common standard, they
assure the committee of the Southern
church that there is no change IN views
concerning the spirituality OF the church
as connected with its political deliver
ances. The resolution then says:
"We cannot consent to the establish
ment of separate African Presbyterian
Church or to any provisional arrange
mert looking forward to the organiza,
ton of separate African Presbyterian
Church.
"We are willing to consent to an ar.
rangement in the interests solely of prac.
tical efficiency, by which present bcun'
daries and constituencies of presbyters
and synods in the South shall remain in
statue quo, provided this shall be the
unconstrained preference of both parties
interested, explicitly expressed according
to Presbyterian preferences, subject al
ways, as heretofore, to Acts OF the Gen
eral Assembly,
elf there are sufficient number Of
ministers and churches to form colored
presbytery in any locality already COW
cred by the synod, such presbytery may
be formed if those on the ground desire,
but such presbytery shall remain in such
synod unless there be a synod of other
Presbyterians near enough, to which the
presbytery asks to be attached" "
The reading Of the preamble and reso-
luton created profound sensation. DIR.
Gray protested that if such an utterance
as that went forth as the deliberate ex-
preston of opinion OF a body of Chris
tian ministers q quarter Of century
after the closing of the war it wo1ld be
most infamous and disgraceful. He said:
SIT means that we shall go down there
with arms and resuscitate all the old
issues of a bloody and nearly forgotten
war. The presbyteries of Florida, Mis-
souri,, Kentucky aud Tennessee, have
already signifed desire to come over to
reunion, but not man of them would
come in the face Of such an insult, as
this effort can only result in the disln-
tegration Of the church. )"
ssThe Rev. DR.. Witherow said:
GA powerful body will come to the
General Assembly asking for reunion.
We cannot stand on this proposition. It
would sweep Us from off our feet. But
then again, if we say we will consent to
and coalesce all synods and all presby-
teries, doubt if we would succeed. II
We fail, it would be to the everlasting
shame of the Presbyterian church. I
don't believe in ecclesiastical utterances
and I am Enthusiastically convinced that
the introduction Of the colored line in
religion is abhorrent to the Christian
sentiment of the day."
The matter will come up again.
The matter was finally disposed OF by
the adoption of the first portion of DR..
Worcester's amendment to DR.. Gray's
substitute. reading as follows:
"Resolved, That this Presbytery is
heartily in favor of reunion with the
Southern Church, on the basis of our
common standards, pure and simple" !"
The concluding portion, ''and the
equal right OF all disciples of Christ in
every court of Christ's church." was
voted on separately, and Oh motion, was
laid upon the table.