Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-05-26
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
OF THE PRESsYTsRIANs HOLD AN
INTERESTING SESSION.
The Afternoon Session Taken Up with
Hearing the Report OF the Committee
OF Conference = The Committee En-
dorsed the Reunion OF This Assembly
With the Southern Assembly.


PHILADELPHIA, Nav 26-The first thing
the Assembly did yesterday morning was to
vote TO meet next year in the Fourth ave-
nue. Presbyterian Church, New York Then
Dr. McCosh presented the report of the Ju-
dieial Committee and recommenda-
tons were approved until was reached
the appeal OF Judge Charles T. Drake
against the Synod OF Baltimore in the case
of Rev. Geo. o. Little, in which the Synod
had refused 10 condemn responsive reading
of the Scriptures in public worship. The
judicial Committee recommended that the
appeal be not sustained. on the ground
that the General Assembly of 1873 had
passed upon the matter by declaring that
1t was not prepared TO recommend TO the
session that responsive reading was sub
ject for discipline.
Judge Drake. the appellant, was given
permission to speak, and he took issue
with the report of the committee, who, he
claimed, had EXCEEDED their powers in Civ
ing an opinion on the case. Their only
business was to report TO the General
Assembly upon the orderly character of
the Appeal. The merits of the appeal
were for the consideration of Judicial
Commission. or for the General Assembly
itself
On DR.. DIR. Crosby's motion the case was
referred back to the committee with in
structions TO report upon the orderly char
acter of the appeal
This will bring the whole matter of re-
sponsive reading before the General Az
sembly.
A cordial response was read and ordered
TO be sent TO the salutation of the confer
ence of the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of
Pennsylvania.
A recess until 2:30 was then taken.
The afternoon session of the General
Assembly was taken up in hearing the re-
port of the committe of conference. This
report from the committee of conference
with like committee of the Southern As
sembly, on thequestion of the union of the
two assemblies, recommended that the As
sembly endorse the views of the committee
as expressed in letter 10 the committeeof
the Southern Church. That communica-
ton addressed 10 Rev. J. B. Strickler, DID,,
chairman of the Southern committee,
set forth: Touching our doctrine of the
spirituality OF our church. Our committee
beg leave TO say that We do not conceive il
20 be any part of the duty with which We
are charged, to sit in judgment upon the
consistency of our church with itself, at
different periods of its history; or to insti-
tute any comparison with a view TO this
end, between the earlier and later deliver
ances of its successive assemblies; but
rather 20 represent the present attitude
of our church toward certain issues which
are regarded as pending between the
bodies which we respectively represent
Our reunited assembly has no other doc
trine on the whole subject involved in this
question than quoted in the Omaha papers
referred 70 BY you, TO wit: Synods or
councils are TO handle or conclude nothing
but that which is ecclesiastical; and are
not to meddle with civil affairs which con-
cern the commonwealth, unless by wav of
humble petition in cases extraordinary, or
by way of advice for the satisfaction OF
conscience, if they be therunto required
by the civil magistrate"
As TO the relations of the colored people
in the South to the church: Our church is
no in favor OF setting of its colored MEM
bers into separate, independent organiza-
ton. We believe that we have great
work TO do among the colored people for
their own salvation and for the good of the
country; and that this is 70 be done by
recognizing those who are in the church as
entitled TO ali the rights and privileges that
are Involved in church membership and
ordination. We believe, too, that the
great work among them can only be
fully done by our church's re-
united as one, and this one strong motive
prompting us in our desire for reunion.
We are of the opinion that our assembly
will agree To basis of organic union, BY
which the present boundaries and consti-
tuencies of Presbyteries and synods in the
South shall remain in statu quo, to be
changed only with the consent OF the
parties interested; and that all new
churches and new Presbyteries hereafter es-
tablished shall be organized by, and re-
ceiyed into connection with Presbyteries
and synods respectively, as the interested
parties may mutually agree.
After alluding to the powers vested in
boards of the church the committee states:
As 10 your fourth inquiry, concerning the
existence of heresy in the church: our
answer is given only with view 10 enable
your committee TO correct the misappre-
hension, which you say exist in your
church on this subject in order that you
may lay the facts before your assembly.
We answer emphatically in the negative.
In respect TO this subject of doctrine in its
various aspects we say that SO far as our
knowledge goes land il embrace. the records
Of all our judicatoriesl there is no question
of doctrine or of policy agitating any part
effected on the basis of the standards with
out condition. And we believe that the
subscription TO the standards on the part Of
our ministers and elders is frank, sincere
and without reservation.
In conclusion permit US to express the
hope that our conference, thus far, may
have disclosed such substantial unity OF
belief and practice between our two assem-
blies as will induce your assembly to con-
tinue and enlarge the powers of your COM
mittee, for the purpose of full conference on
the subject of organic reunion with q SINH
lar committee of our General Assembly.
We wish frankly to add that. while our
church is heartily in favor OF organic re-un-
ion with yours, we do not believe that
such reunion is desirable, OF could ever be
effective in the great work of the Master,
unless it be consumated with the fullest
confidence in the Christian Character and
doctrinal soundness of each other upon
terms of peri ct equality and reciprocity.
with an earnest and sincere desire TO main
tain the unity of the church and our COM
mon faith and OH the basis OF candid and
sincere acceptance our common standards.
Petersburg Goes Democratic,
PETERSBURG, Va, May 26.-After quiet