The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-08-03
bFFERS SERVICES
/ FOR HARMONY,
"a FOR PEACE BETWEEN CUM
erRLAND PREsBYTERlANs.
- RoyaI Harris Gives Statement to
Tennessee Press.

pev John Royal Harris, d. D., ex-
,,rorintendent of the Tennessee Anti
,Ioon League, former pastor of the
ou,isbnrg Cumberland Presbyterian
E,rrcb and Chairman of the Synod's
Lormittee on Missions, and now pas
of the First Cumberland Presby-
or;ar Church, Pittsburg, Pa, is in the
Etate on leave of absence, and has
Inst given out the following statement
through the press:
cumberland Presbyterians are sad
!. divided on union with the Presby-
orians and old standards of right are
81 sufficient to settle their differ
snces Scripture, argument and
Dburch courts have ceased to be po-
emit Good people are now anxious
a find authority as to what is right.
As an humble peacemaker | propose
|tbree tests to which the problem OF
|wbat 10 do can be brought, and they
nromise to be final for the fair-mind-
Ia To them let us bring our differ
ences name them: Civil courts,
nublic opinion outside the denomina-
tion and the promise of results If at
|tempt is made to keep going an or
ganization known as Cumberland
PRESBYTERIAN Possibly these voices
upon what right have not been hith-
erto given proper importance.
Civil courts ought to be counted
safe in settling the matter of what is
right, and of necessity are so counted
|Iudges are unbiased and learned.
This whole question has been put be-
fore them. At Decatur civil suit
was begun, and the determination OF
it will cover all other suits. 1t was Sc
brought as to cover the whole issue
We are safe in awaiting the last yer
dict. Rushing into other suits means
needless expense and strife, and sub
4 cts the originators to the suspicion
] raising dust to blind and dissat
isfy. Suits for recovery of church
property will hold just as we'll after
that decision as injunction suits dc
now
Public opinion outside the demon
nation is most worthy tribunal
Calm disinterested, wise, it speaks
through the religious press, conven
tions, local individuals. 1t will sur
prise you to see how unanimous it is
on this question. Has the voice OF
the people become any the less the
voice of God?
"The promise of results if attempt
is made to keep going an organization
known as Cumberland Presbyterian
is really final in settling this differ
ence. If there is no promise there
should surely be no attempt. Is there
the same need for a Cumberland
Presbyterian church that there has
always been? When civil courts, as
tute thelogoians, and thousands o.
Presbyterian pulpits say we have the
same doctrine the united church vii
have, and the public can see no diff
ference, can we get anybody to gram
us reason for separate existence
viii not a part of the old Cumberland
Presbyterian Church starting a fuss
with an adverse legal decision, be
most seriously handicapped? AS 1t II
practically certain law will give tn
property to the united church, will no
the loss of that be hard to overcome
If the majority Of our churches nov
suffer for PASTORAL care on account o
their poverty and the ministry suffer-
for support, how much worse VIII
things be with no property and no dis
tinctive plea and not so many church
es to help the weaker? With practl