The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-05-25
SOUTHERN PREsBYTER|AKs.
A Gracious Reply to Their 8reth-
rem of the North.

rem of the North.
Mobile, Ala, May 2l.-At the open
ing session today Of the General AS
sembly of the Presbyterian Church in
the United States, Dr.. j. S. Lyons,
chairman of the 'committe on foreign
correspondence, read the oyertures
which have been received from the
General Assembly Of the Presbyterian
Church in the United States Of Amer
lea. in session at Buffalo, aud the re-
DIV recommended by the committee.
After considerable discussion the re-
uort was amended by the committee
to read as follows. and was then
adopted:
.sThe General Assembly Of the Pres
byterin Church in the United States
learns with Joy of the action Of your
Assembly in the removal of the asper-
sions on the Christian character OF
the Presbyterian Church in the United
States and declares its readiness to
follow the leadings of Providence in
the matter of closer relations, over
tures touching upon which are now
before us for consideration. 30
The afternoon session was dispensed
with and at night there was rouslng
meeting held III Government Street
Church, in behalf Of the Sunday
school work and the Young Peoples
Societies. Invitations had been is
sued to mothers, Sunday school teach
ers and pupils to attend. and the
church was packed, not ouly with
members of the Presbyterian faith,
but of other denominations. The prin-
cipal address was made by DR.. Phelps,
who is general superintendent of the
Sun nday-school work west Of the Mis-
sissippi River. The value of the
Sunday-school and the Young Peoples
Societies as great moral force in the
religious culture of the young was
forcibly set forth, as were the practi-
cal methods for the best conduct or
both these great aids IL church work.
Tomorrow all the Protestant pulpits
in the city will be filed by members
Of the Assembly.
Mr.. ISAAC BRADLEY'S POSITION.
Special to The State.
Mobile. May 22.-The greater part
Of the morning session yesterday was
taken up with interesting roDntlne
business, but the house was quicken
ed into lively interest by report from
the committee on foreign correspond
ence. -
Their report was in response to the
telegram from the northern church
of yesterday conveying the intelligence
that the general assembly Of the north
ern church has expunged from the
records all aspersions of the Christian
character of the southern church and
was as follows: "This general assem-
bly, learns with Joy of the remova! by
your assembly Of all aspersiens on
the Christian character Of the Presby-
Isterian church in the United States,
and is ready to follow the leadings OF
Providence in the matter OF closer re-
lations, overtures touching which are
now before US for consideration. s
Innocent as this report looks, it
touched aechord SO sensitiTeA Nna1y
fheatrs ais TO precipitate most anSm at
ed debate. All the members Of the
assembly felt that such telegram
as that of the northern chcrcb, max
ing the amende honorable in such a
noble and Christian spirit deserved a
response equally noble and honorable.
but the difficulty with some Of the
brethren was to be as courteous as tbs
occasion demanded, and at the same
time give no encouragement to the
idea of organic union. They were
livery reluctant t6 say that they were
l.sready to follow the leadiugs of Prov
idence'' until they could see whether
Providence was leading to that much
dreaded goal.
Three substitutes we're offered, one
by DR.. A. G. Hopkins, one by Dr..
". E. Boggs and the other by Dr.. j.
W. Finn. The latter proved accept
able to both Dr.. Hopkins and DR..
Boggs and so the question before the
assembly was whether it should adopt
| the committees report, CT Dr.. Flinn's
! substitute. Mach amusement was
thrown into the debate by Mr.. Isaac
! Bradley, of Mayesyille.
On yesterday while members OF the
assembly were expressing their exuber-
ant Joy over the telegram from the
northern church, Brother Bradley in
terjected the remark that "the re-
traction had come 40 years too late. -
He took the floor today and defending
that remark said after thinking ovel
it aud praying over it last night he
bad concluded that he was wrong.
With this the assembly broke loose
again into applause, supposing that
| he had repented Of his obduracy and
was now q convert to the policy OF
| closer relations with the northern
| chusch. He soon made them under
| stand that this was not hls meaning
but merely that he had come to re.
| cognize that We ought to rejoice that
| even at this late day our northern
| brethren had found it in their hearts
/ to wipe out their insult to us.
But said he, "surely this assem-
bls must not be ignorant os the fact
that on. venerated leaders OF other
days did not withdraw from the moth
er church because Of an insult to us,
but because OF the insult which they