The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1888-04-26
THE COLOR LINE IN THE CHURCHES

Disturbing the Presbyterians this Time -
The Chicago Pfesbytery struggles with
| 1t.
CHICAGO, April l7.-The annual meet
ing of the Chicago Prcsbytery began
yesterday. Tho most important feature
Of the proceedings Of tho day was the
preamble and resolutions introduced by
| tho ReY. Mr.. johnson, of tho 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, thoy
assure tho committee of tho Southern
church that thGro is no change in views
concerning the spirituality OF tho church
as connected with its political deliver
unces The resolution thon says:
owe cannot consent to tao establish
mcnE OF n separate African Drc3hytgriar
Church OF to any prov ihiounl .}IralRo-
mont looking forward to the organiu%-
ton of separate African Presbyterian
| Church.
owe aro willing to consent to al nr-
rangemCnt III the interests solely Of nrNc-
tical efficiency, by which ptaSent Doun-
diaries and constituencies of prcsbytCrs
and synods N the South shall rcmuiu III
statue quo, provided this shall DO the
unconStrainod preference of both parties
Interested, explicitly expressed according
TO Presbyterian preferences, subject al
ways, rs heretofore, to Acts OF the Gen
erai Assembly,"
''lf there are sufficient number of
ministers and churches to form coiurc Il
prc9'lt"ry III any locality already COW
cred Dy the synod, such preshytrry may
be formed il those on the ground DESIRE
but such QreSDytcry shall remain i'll srch
synod unicSs there be Il synod Of other
PrcsOytcrans near enough, 10 Which the
presbytcry asks to be attached"
The reading OF the preamble and rcso-
luton created q profound sensation. DR..
Gray protested that if such al utterunce
as that wont forth as tho deliberate OK
preston Of opinion of body Of Chris
ttan ministers II quarter Of century
after thu closing OF the wur it wo Id be
most infamous and dlsgracGfUl He said
cit means that we shall 90 down there
with arms and rGSuscitate all the old
issues OF a bloody and nearly forgotten
war. Tho presbyterics Of Florida, Mis-
souri,, kentucky and Tennessee, have
already significd desire to como ovor to
reunion, but not man Of them would
come in the face Of such an insult, as
this effort can only result in the disin-
| tegrat!on OF tho church"
"Thc Rev. DR.. Withcrow said:
ga powerful body will como to the
General Assembly asking fer reunion.
We cannot stand Oh this proposition. 1t
would sweep us from Oil Cur feet. But
then again, il we say we will consent 10
and coalcsce all synods and oil presby-
tcrics, [ doubt if we would slccccd. If
We fail, 1t would be to tie everlasting
ainm' uf TIC PGlaty yt.~ial cl>u5cn.
don't believe i'll ecclesiastical uttcrancos
ard | am unmistakably convinced that
the introduction Of the colorca line in
religion is abhOrrent to the Christian
sentiment Of the day"
The matter will como up again.
The matter was finally DISPOSED of by
tho adoption Of the first portion of Dr.
Worccstar'S amendments TO Dr. Gray 5
substitute, reading as follows:
"Resolvod, That this prcsbytorv il;
heartily in favor Of reunion with the
Southern Church, on the basis OF our
common standards, pure and simple"
The concluding portion, ''nnd the
! equal right of all disciples of Christ in
every court Of Christ'u church," was
voted on separately, and on motion, was
lai1 upon tho table.