The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-01-03
Nortllern nnl southern Pre.by terIans


Northern aud Southern Presby terians.
CAiGgo Iaier.0e
The committees representing the
Northern and Southern branches OF the
the Presbyterian Church ara in session
In New York, trying to devise some
plan for healing tho division which has
existed since 1851. The division was
brought about by the attitude OF the
General Assembly in 1851 in passing
resolutions, moved by the Rev. DR.,
Spring, and expressive oil loyalty to the
Constitution Of the United States, and
OF the obligation 10 promote the integ'
rity OF tho Union. The churches OF the
seeded States declared ut once In favor
OF forming nm independent churChor'
ganization, In December, 1851, a con
vention Of delegates from the
Southern prCsbyteries met at Au'
gusta, Georgian and effected an
organization under the name Of
the General Assembly Of the Presby
terrain Church III the Confederate States
OF America The Old School Presby
terrain General Assembly met in 1861 al
Columbus, Ohio, and adopted resolutions
severely denounCing secession, and en-
Joining the necessity OF uphOlding thu
Federal and State Governments, aud al
nCrsons in authority, in all their lowfu
acts for tito suppression OF the insurreC
ton. From that time on the church h@
been divided with two General Assem-
blies, one representing the church Nortl
and the other the church South. For tilt
last ten years efforts have been made Il
bring them together in one body again
but al have been OF no avail. The Gen
eral Assembly which met at Spring
field, In this State, few Year.
ago had most exciting debate on thu
question, brought up by a reciprocal
resolution sentfrOm the Assembly Soull
to the North so worded as to make each
body retract It's action In 1861. DIR. Her
rick johnson was the moderator OF thu
Assembly North, but when this resolu
ton was about to pass and the greeting
from the South was about to be sem
back in the same language, he took TIT
floor and made one OF the most striking
arguments heard in a church assembly
since the adoption OF the original reso
luLlOub III loplt JI' Juuu9Vu hclN bAA'
tho Northern Church had nothing t
retract; for 1t had only done It's duty
in unfolding the government and
declaring its loyalty to the United
States. He carried his point
and the greeting was not returned
Since then their iraternal delegates have
been sent by each assembly to tho other
and ut tue last meeting both assemblies
appointed committees 10 meet together
and formulate some plan Of union. This
committee may arrive at some settle
ment OF the vexed question that has
separated tho church for nearly thirty
years, but the delicate question Is us to
what concessions the Northern Church
eau make. 1t must stand by DR.. John
sons position, that IL did no more MOI
10 less than its duty in protesting loyal
ty the United States.
Another question is the admission oil
colored commitments TO the church,
The Southern churches are bitterly on
posed to this, and hold that they must
be- allowed to settle the race question TO
suit themselves. But how can there be
union with the churches North re-
ceiving the negro and those OF the South
rejecting him?