The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-09-14
SIXTH COUNCIL
VI the Presbyterian Church OF the
World the Subject of
REV, DIR, CUNNlNGIlAM'SSERMoN
AZ the First Church Yesterday Morning.
The Place aud Power or rre.bytrrlan-
Ism Ia Modern Christianity -per,omn
lmprss,lom or tho Latte Gathering n,
Gissg"w-shsteh OF the Covenanters.
z An Able Sermon,

lN''u uh' ArtSpytcriAn church, tho pas
tor, Roy, d, a. Cunningham, DID, do
livercd IN able discourse, the topic Of
which was "The Sixth Presbyterian
Council; the Presbyterian Churches;
their Place and Power in Modern Chris
Vanity" The address wis OF especial
interest aa Dr. Cunningham was one of
tne delegates from the Presbyterian
Z cnuich OF America 10 the Glasgow coun-
Gil. ~ large congregation was IN at
I tendancc, DR., Cunningham again wore
the Geneva gown. The music by the
choir was II tcnture. Ina,
DR.. Cunningham sald
On the 3rd of July. 1877, nineteen years
ago, q notable congregation assembled
IN 81. Giles Cathedral Edinburgh.
scotland. Representatives from all the
many branches OF the Presbyterian
church throughout the world. had there
gathered to luke part In the opening SER
vice OF tho hrst Oecumcnical
Council OF the Presbyterian church.
Every four years since then have SINH,
lar councils met, on each occasion ut u
different centre OF PrOtcstan,Ism-Phil
auclphla, Belfast, London, Toronto. and
GLASGOW. and have done for pre'bytct-
innism In visible form what has been 80
greatly desired. They have exhibited
the place which PrcsbytcrlnnIsm occu-
pies In ChriSttnlom: have emphasized
the existence OF Catholic Presbyterian
s church. whose branches reach to the
ends OF the world. have cOmfQrtcd the
hearts and strengthened the hands OF
many weak and isolated churches by
the sight of the great brotherhood 20
K which they belong; and by drawing rep
\ rcsentatlves, as they have done. from
many branches, each suggesting Il diff
fefent history and exhibiting different
graceS. they have brought to view the
various factors in the past. and In the
present which make up the power OF the
Presbyterian church.
Prrsbytrrianism REACHES lack.
As feature in the life a. the church.
Prssbyterlunism reaches back to npos-
tol!c times us distinguishing badge Of
certain great divisions Of the church
Catholic. II Is strictly modern. dating
{ from the reformation OF the sixteenth
century. The course II has run through
( out the centuries has been that OF Il
stream that starts with fair promise.
but becomes speedily engulf-d, and only
after an underground passage OF many
weary miles rcGu!ns the surface. to en-
rich and fertll!Zc the soil. The church
OF the first. century had no features
mor,4 distinctly imprinted on her than
those which are expressed by the term
Presbyterian. hu; before the close OF the
:. second century these had disappeared.
and did not again come into prominence
until the dawn OF the reformation. Then
the Presbyterian principles and prac-
tees which had been so long suppressed
or forgotten reaS3srted themselves, pro-
duclnG the many and powerful PreJby-
terrain churches OF modern Chrlstendom.
Now. before l speak definitely con-
corning the recent Presbyterian ALL
uncs which met In Glasgow. shall refer
to some OF the historical surroundings
and Incidents associated with the cove
Z nant and the c0venanters.
The first great religious struggle OF
Scotland. In which John Knox was the
prominent actor, was against popery,
and terminated In 1850. when the civil
3 md ecclesta stIcal elements united In the
Reformed and Protestant church OF
Scotland. The second was against pre-
lacy and anglican liturgy, unconStitu-
+ tonally forced upon the country. II
was not through unwilllngneSs to use 4
= liturgy. for the "i2nnk Of Common Or
der" prepared by Knox. WIS In use by
most OF the ministers and readers. Nor
(, was It due SO much To the hatred of pre-
lacy as to the fear that popery was be-
hind It, The first overt act was In st
Giles. the Metropolitan church. EdIn-
burgh, on the 23d nt July. 1871. when
Jenny Geddes. the embodiment OF the
popular resentment against Charles l
-and Lands liturgy, threw her stool ut
the head OF Dean Hanna. cXclaiming.
'yc Wilma say mass ut my lug"
The Covenant signed.
The next scene was In the Grcytrlars
church, Edinburgh. on the 2Sth OF Feb
/ ruary. 1888. when the solemn confession
and covenant was signed. first by th-
aged earl OF Sutherland ard many
q others-Snme with tears, and some with
! blood drawn from their arms. The Glas-
cow Cathedral, where the council re-
Gently met, was the place where the
constitutional stand was frs: made.
The general assembly there on the 2ist OF
November to the 10th OF December, l63S,
a5S years ago. presided over By Alex
ander Henderson, depOrcd the bishops
and restored the Presbyterian govern
ment. In thu struggles that followed.
about $4,000 suffered death. and many
others underwent hardships Of the most
extreme nature, 1900 were banighed TO
the Northern Islands, and 1000 were
shipped 10 plantations abroad. 200 were
cruelty tortured and 1000 went Into VOL
+. untary Punishment. The number who
persisted through cold. hunger and other
dstressca cannot be calculated.
In the corporation galleries In Sam
cflichall street. Glasgow, there Is an I'M
presslve memorial OF the time OF suffer-
ing. II ia tn. picture by Thomas Dun
4 can. Or. s. Az representing the shooting
OF John Brown. OF PriesthIll. by Claver-
house and his troopers. Tho old cove
nant-r lies upon the green 1ward before
his door. The prosecutor. pointing to
the, bleeding forehead, says TO his wife,
what do you think OF your husband
now?"t She makes the noble reply
"Nfuckle did think of him In life. more
do | think OF him In death" In the
cathedral there Is n memorial stone to
nine worthless whose names are given.
and who suffered at the cross of Glas-
gov;
They'll know at resurrection day.
To murder saints was no sweet play"
A little distance beyond The cathedral
there Is q memorial Of James Nisbet,
+ james Lawson and Alexander Wood:
"lIere I've martyrs three
or memory,
Whom for the cOvcnanterS did die,
And witness IL
'GaIn3t. all these nations perjury"
The memorial has been renewed sew
eral times, and has In Inter days taken
the form OF n fountain. The appro-
pirate words are nddcd-drInk and
think.
Seven miles out on the same road. on
the wnysIdc, there is the Martyr Stone"
TO John Wh-rry and James Smith. It
( has a long and peculiar poct!cnl inscrlp-
I ton. and an appropriate heading:
TWAS martyrs blood that bought
Sc0tland'3 liberty"