The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-18
PRESBYTERIAN UNION.
a Resolution That Caused a Profound Sensa-
ti0n in the Chicago Presbytery.

CHICAGO, April 1.-THE annual mesting of
the Chicago Presbytery began yesterday. The
most important feature of the proceedings of
the day was a preamble and resolution intro
duced by the Rev. DR.. Herrick johnson, Of the
Tn Biological Seminary. the reunion of the
Northern and Southern Presbyterian churches
After setting out that they heartily favor the
reunion Of the Northern and Southern Presby-
terian churches solely the basis of the COM
standard, they tha COMMITTEES of
the Southern church that there is no change in
the views concerning the spirituality of the
church as connected with it's political deliver
ances The resolution then says:
We cannot consent to the establishment of sepa
rate African Presbyterian Church. or to any provIs
ton of separate African Presbyterian Church. We
ests solely of nraeticsl cency by which the present
boundaries and constituencies OF presbyteries and
synods in the South shall remain quo, pro-
yided this shall be the unconstransd preferences of
both parties interested, explicitly expressed by the
ustments according to presbyteria preferences sub
ject always heretofore to the acts of the General
tiers and churches to form colored presbytery ary
locality already covered by synod, such presbytery
may be formed if those the ground desire it, but
such presbytery shall remain in the same synod IN
less there be synod of colored Christian breth
near enough TO which the presbytery asks to be
attached
The reading of the preamble and resolution
created profound sensation. DR.. Gray pro-
tested that if such utterance that went
forth the deliberate expression of the opinion
of a body of Christian ministers quarter of
century after the closing of the war, 1t would be
most infamous and disgraceful. ut means that
we shall go down there with arms and resusci-
tate all the old issues of bloody and nearly
forgotten war. The presbytsries of Florida.
Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee have already
signified desire to come to the reunion,
but not man Of them would como in fao9 OF
such an insult as this The effort can only re-
suit In the dis1ntegration of that church."
The Rev. DIR. Withrow saio: "A powerful
body will come to the General Assembly asking
for reunion. We cannot stand on this PROPOSE
ton. 1t would sweep us from OF our feet. But
then, again, if we say we will consent to reunion
and coalesce all synods and all presbyterles
braced, doubt il we would succeed. If we fail
il would be TO the everlasting shame OF the Pres
byterian Church / don't believe in ecclesiasti-
cal utterances. and l am unshaxsbly convinced
that the introduction of colored line religion
is abhorrent to the best Christian sentiment of
the day"
A reunion could he made only by joining
hands and saying nothing.
The Rev. J. H. Worcester, Of the Sixth Pres
byterian Church, offered q substitute, which
read:
Resolved, That this presbytery is heartily in favor
of reunion with the Southern church. the basis of
common standards. pure and simple, and the
equal right of all disciples of Christ in every court of
Christ's church.
DR.. Worcester then explained his position
After first insisting that the questions which
the church IN the South had laid before the last
General Assembly were foolish and not worth
any consideration by the church in the North,
he came out hat-footed and exclaimed This
question of the color line is the one great Quss-
ticn for TO answer" He opposed DR., John
sons resolution, he said, because it was am
Diguous and contained too much. ''The one
great thing is the equal right os all disciDes of
Christ in every court OF Christs church. That is
the only basis of reunion, and if it comes to
an alternative between q sectional line in our
church and color line then want it under
no right to establish caste. The standards OF
our church do not teach it
Before the question went to q vote Dr.
Johnston arose and said he thought the
posed substitute nearly akin to HIS
original resolution that he was afraid to vote
against it.
Alexander FORBES an elder of tho Sixth Pres
musket shoulder and went South with
the intention of pushing the sectional line into
the Gulf of Mexico. Now urge you to vote for
Dr. Worcester'e resolution unless you are will
inc TO say were not right twenty years ago
and did not shoot the way spoke"
This created uproar in the Presbytery, and
two or three ministers called for DIVISION but
several members objected TO q vote. and il was
decided TO postpone the division until after din
The matter was finally disposed of
by the adoption of the first portion
of DR.. Worcester's amendment to the substi-
stute. reading as follows:
Resolved That this presbytery is heartily in favor
of reunion with the Southern church the basis of
our common standards, pure aud simple.
The concluding portion. ''And the equal rights
or all disciples of Christ iH Every court OF
Christs church, WAS voted on feperately. and
on motion was laid upon the table