Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-28

ness for His names sake"
The reports Of the churches were pre-
scented and referred TO the appropriate
committees.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
AZ the request of Rev. c. NJ. Chumbly,
the pastor OF the church a committee was
appointed 20 consider the advisability OF
removing Westminster church TO some
other location than the one It now occu-
pies. This committee consists Of Rev.
:. h. VIM. d. d.. Rev. r. p. Epes. and
General G. ]. Hundley.
Rev. G. =. Stebbns. accepted the call
from the Powhatan church.
a good deal Of routine business was
attended TO.
The Westminster Anniversary.
The evening session was devoted 10 a
part Of the celebration OF the goth ami
versary OF the adoption OF the West
minister Confession of Faith and Cate
chisms. The exercises We're opened by
devotional services. i'm which Drs. Kerr,
Jones. and Hoge took part. The modera-
tor. DR.. Jones introduced Hon. w. w.
Henry. an honored elder Of the Second
Presbyterian church. and a prominent
lawyer Of this city. as the orator of the
evening Mr. Henry conducted his audi
ence through the fields Of history, and
almost made them feel that they had
witnessed the assembly i'm its work His
address showed deep research. and
wonderful amount of reading, which had
been most carefully digested.
For more than an hour he kept the
closest attention OF the large audience,
which was composed Of many Of the
most cultured Presbyterlans Of this city.
as well as representatives of other
churches.
Mr.. Henry said that to understand the
work of the body one must recall the civil
and religious history of England ana
Scotland leading up 70 the calling OF the
assembly. He related the character or
the Reformation in England as shaped by
Henry VII. who put himself in the place
Of the Pope in his kingdom. but cared
little for the reformed theology. Under
his reign. and that of his son. Edward
VI. Archbishop Cranmer was instru-
mental In giving shape 70 the Anglican
Church. Its theology was cast in the
mould of Calvinism, but It's liturgy ana in
form of Church government were modih-
cations of those of the ROmish Church,
the sovereign taking the place of the
Pope. Under Elizabeth the Puritans be-
gan to appear; they arose from con-
troVersy which sprung up among the Eng
lish refugees on the Continent during the
reign of her elder sister. Bloody Mary.
In the churches that these Protestants
formed q dispute arose as TO form OF
worship. Some were willing TO use the
liturgy determined on in the days OF
Edward. while others led by John Knox.
wished TO purify the Church of all trace
of Romish forms. These last were called
Puritans. and on their return to England
gave birth to the Puritan movement
there. which grew 10 large proportions
during the reign of Elizabeth and James
l. Those who had lived at Geneva not
only returned with a strong desire for the
Presbyterian form of Church government,
but also for the liberty of a free Com
monwealth which they had enjoyed in
that city. The tyranny In Church and
state exercised by James and Charles |.
greatly increased this Puritan spirit,
while the support given TO the Kings by
the hierarchy OF the Anglican Church
and is tending 10 Arminianism, caused
that Church TO be regarded unsound in
doctrine. and the advocate of tyranny.
WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY CALLED.
Thus, when the Long Parliament met
and commenced the reform OF civil af-
fairs il determined to abolish prelacy,
which under Archbishop Laud was linked
with and strengthened the hand Of the
tyrant and to reform the Anglican
Church in doctrine and government. With
this purpose ii called the Westminster
Assembly. selecting as its members ten
OF the House Of Lords, twenty Of the
House Of Commons, and 100 divines from
different parts of the Kingdom. They
met in Westminster Abbey on July !.
l6i3. and first occupied the chapel Of
Henry VII, and afterwards the Jerusalem
Chamber II was charged with the duty
Of reforming the Church of England. 50
as TO bring II more in accord with the
reformed churches of Scotland and on the
Continent. one Of its early acts was 10
send delegation, along with one from me
Parliament. TO Edinburgh. TO obtain aid
from Scotland in their work. and In the
war now raging between the King and
Parliament. On this delegation was Henry
Nane who. with Alexander Henderson
the moderator Of the Scotch Assembly
prepared the celebrated paper known in
history as "the solemn league and cove
nant." BY this covenant the two KING
dOms bound themselves to defend the re-
formed faith. the power Of Parliament,
and the person and authority of the King,
in so far as he governed under the re-
strictors of the British Constitution.
Upon the ratification of this covenant by
the Parliament and assemblies of both
kingdoms. Scotch commissioners took
their seats in the assembly. and aided in
its deliberations, but did not vote
SOME OF THE LEADERS.
The speaker then gave an account Of
the personnel of the assembly; now ihey
dressed: how they sat in the cnanipeI,
and how they conducted the business
committed to them by Parliament. Ihere
were many men Of great distinction ana
profound learning in the body. Among the
/ .ords was the Earl of Salisbury, the son
of Cecil. EliZabeth's great Minister ana
the ancestor Of the present Prime MINIS
ter Of England. Among the Commons
were Pym. Evelyn Rouse. John Selden,
and Sir Matthew Hale. Selden was con-
sidered one Of the most learned men OF
his age and Hale the greatest Chlet JUS
tice England had seen up 10 his time
His great piety was shown in his con
Moral and Divine, a book
used BY the mother Of washington III
forming his character. and pi0usly pre-
served bv him as long as he lived. Among
the divines the ablest probably were those
from Observation-Disclosures Henderson;
Samuel Rutherford, Robert Baillee, and
George Gillespie; The last hamed Was
and ablest member of the body. An IN
teresting debate was gwen between nm
end Selden as TO the power or church
corrts TO iufict censure and cXcommuni-
c9tlon. Inc assembly was divided into
three parties-the Erastians who held
that the civil magistrate could alone IN
fict ccnsures for the Church. and OF these
Selden was the leader; the independents,
who held that all Church government was
vested in the congregation subject TO no
control OF Church councils, OF these rev.
Philip Nye. the intimate friend OF Cron-
well was the leader; ana the Prespyte-
rians. who held the parity Of the ministry,
the orders OF elders and deacons, ana the
right TO govern the Church by councils,
of which the Church session was the low
est and the Provincial Assembly the
highest. III tillh patty TIC ii'SN NJ
mcrous the Scotch Commissioners were
the leaders. but many learned English
dIvlnee aided them. The Episcopalians
soon left the body at the command OF
the King.
PROGRESS OF THEIR WORK.
The manner of the formation Of the
Confession OF Faith, OF the catechisms,
OF The Book OF Discipline. and form OF
government was then detailed. and the
foct that the assembly sat from July ].
1919. 10 April IA. I7ie. in this work, ana
afterwards continued as a body or as
coromittoe 10 examine ministerial candi-