The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-05-22

Britons. Fronde insists that one-half Of
Washington's and Gatess armies were
and though we must discount this somewhat
owing to Froude's peculiar basis, yet it is I'M
ooubtedly true that the Presbyterian Irish set
tied in the colonies with feelings very I'M
friendly to the British tories. One glorious
fact is conceded by the harshest critics. The
Presbyterian churches in 1775-s3 were unani-
nous for American independence. The ut
most research i'll those states where toryism
was rampant has failed to show a single Pres
byterian minister who was unfriendly TO the
colonies, though it is possible, OF course, that
| some individuals were tories
SOME HISTORICAL FACTS.
Two memorable epochs remain to be noted.
September II. 1717 the first general synod met
| at Philadelphia, and organized four presbyter-
les; in 1923 the general synod adopted the
| Westminster confession of faith, striking out
the passage giving magistrates power in the
church and declaring as the doctrine of Amer
lean Presbyterianism that church and state
should forever be kept distinct. This is be-
lievcd to have been the first formal declara-
ton of the American doctrine by any repre-
sentative body in the new world, and ninety
years more passed away before the principle
was fully Incorporated in the laws of all the
states. AS soon as the revolution ended the
Presbyterians of all sections began to move for
a national organization; it was soon completed,
and the first general assembly met in Philadel-
! phia on the third Thursday of May 1889.
Long Island, South Carolina and New. York
! city received sanother interesting element
about 16S5-1700. In the former year Louis
| XIV, OF France, revoked the edict of Nantes,
and some 100000 Frenchmen fled from their
| country. Many of these came direct to South
| Carolina, others, after brief stay in various
| parts of Europe, came to Long Island and
| New York city. A French Presbyterian
church was established in New York city in
1858, one on Staten Island in 1855, one at
! Charleston, S. c., in 1856, and at Boston and
Rochelle, N. Y, soon after. The first Pres
byterian congregation in Philadelphia met in
a warehouse in 1862, and in 1903 there was
still but one congregation there: now there
! are 10J.
A CENTURY OF CALvANIsM.
DR.. j. n Craig is well versed in the history
of the Pres byterian church and he gives many
| interesting facts. He was couversing just be-
fore his departure for Baltimore. with a repre-
sentative of THE CONSTITUTION. He said "The
Presbyterian church in the United States was
started by Francis McKeme, an Irish preacher
in Maryland This was in 1880. In 1865 the
Presbytery Of sPhiladelphia grew into a
synod containing three Presbyteries
in 1716. In 1883 the Presbyterian
| general assembly was formed which was then
as it is now, the highest ecclesiastical court of
the church. In 1887 there was q division Of
the church, into the new and the old schools.
The new school was opposed to slavery and
rather inclined to the American faith and ap-
proved OF work out of the regular channels of
the church. The old school held strictly to
Calvinism, and insisted that its work should
be done inside the church. There is q general
idea that the southern presbytery seeded from
the old school in 1861, but that is an error.
The general assembly of that church met in
Philadelphia in May, 1861, after there was a
separation between the states. There were in
that assembly q few representatives of the
southern confederacy. That assembly passed
a resolution as follows:
We delare the obligation rests upon us to pre-
serve and perpetuate far as in us lies the in
tegrity of these United States to strengthen to up
fha -,
exercise OF all its functio sunder tie noble constiu-
ton. To avoid any mscOnception, the association
declares that by the term federal government" as
we have used is not meant any particular admins
tratioI or the peculiar opinions of any particular
party, but that central administration which is the
visible representative of our national existence
10 that paper protest, signed by the veneer
able DIR. Charles Hodge NOW over sixty years
old and who will attend the meeting in Balti-
more and will probably be chosen moderator)
and some sixty others, was presented. This
paper protested against the above resolution on
the ground that it was a political deliverance
and contrary to the standard of the church ;
that 1t was unnecessary, unfair and cruel in its
bearing upon the southern brethren. COM
mttee was appointed to make answer to that
protest, which was admitted to record. The
answer was in the form of this question :
wv ould you hsge us recognize as good Presby-
terians men whom our own government, with
the approval of all Christendon, may soon
execute as trators?" The Southern Pres
byterians thus forced out of the church met
at Augusta, Ga, in December, 1861, and
formed the general assembly Of the Presbyter-
ian church i'll the confederate states. In tie
year 1866 the name was changed to the Pres
byterian church in the United States. The
northern branch retained its Old name-the
Presbyterian church in the United States of
America. The northern and southern branches
OF the new schools had also separated before
the war. In 1864 the old and the new branches
in the south united Both of the northern
branches had already made violent war deliv-
erances They came together in 1869.
ATTEMPTS TO KEUNlTE THE BRANCHES.
In the general assembly at St. Louis
last May a committee has conferred
with a similar committee on the part of
the northern wing of PreSbyterians look
ing TO reunion. The two committees met and
held conference lasting several days. They
discussed the matter from every point Of view
and finally agreed upon report TO be submit
ted to tho two general assemblies. The two
leading points OF difference are the spirituality
of the church and tie negro question. The
southern people hold that neither Protestant
nor papal church has right to tell the govern
ment what TO do. Tie northerners, on the
other hand, do not indicate any purpose to
make concessions at present.
THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
The northern genera! assembly is now in
session in Philadelphia, and the southern gem
eral assembly is sitting in The Franklyn street
Presbyterian church in Baltimore. The VEN
cradle DIR. Bullock, OF Washington citv, was
a staunch defender of the south. He is a noted
figure in the Baltimore meeting. The grand
reunion of the northern aud southern presby-
terians will take place the 23d of this month
III Philadelphia. This will be the centennial
celebration. Many of the most distinguished
Prcsbytcrians in America will be present. The
meetings will be held in the Academy of
Music. The moderator of the
southern general assembly will
preside the first day; Justice William Strong,
of the supreme court, will preside the second
day Governor Gordon, OF Georgia. Will pre-
side the next day, and following days the
presiding officers will be Governor Scales, of
North Carolina; the Hon. Randolph Tucker,
of Virginia; and DIR. Theodore l.. Cuyler of
Brooklyn. y great many eminent orators will
make addresses. General W, c. Z. Breekin-
ridge, OF Kentucky; the Rev. Howard Crosby,
DR.. b. NJ. Palmer, DIR. Hodge and many
others will make addresses.
SOME CHURCH STATISTICS.
The Northern Presbyterian church has 7O0,-
coo members.
The Southern Presbyterian church has 1GO,-
0C0 members.
In the state OF Georgia there are 600 Pres
byterians.
The Presbyterian churches of Atlanta have
a membership of about 800.