The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-09-05
DIR. S. M. MEL AS A WOUND HEALER
By Col. Bennett H. Young.

,. M. Neel has an article entitled 81 eft us Heal
Old wounds, and with this as text he sets
out to lecture his brethren in the Southern Church
about their lack of generosity and charity and
their ignorance of how to spend their money.
ana charges that they under the influence of
the devil, If they hesitate to receive the overtures
OF the Northern Church in proper spirit and
accept organic union, and advises practically the
surrender OF all Our smaller churches and the
abandonment of the defense of the pospel
Dr Neel is always outspoken and fearless: he
scorns hypocrisy and can't but this single oues-
ton OF closer alliance seems to have dominated
ms every thought, and he appears to have set
that up as a center about which all Christian
activity and zeal shall revolve In order to give
force to his argument, he makes the extraordinary
statement that The Church is not commissioned
to defend the gospel"
Under this new ecclesiastical code is truth moth
ing are the important doctrines of grace and
church government to be cast to the winds, and
IN this cry for closer relations" is fidelity TO the
church to be set down as of no avail and is the
church to drift into any kind of reckless and
dangerous standard, only men may preach as
DIR. Neel says, the gospel of unity' under the
inspiration of his battle cry 'closer relations"
nat may deal perfectly fairly in my criticism
OF the paper of Dr. Neel, will quote the sentences
upon which base my criticism
First, DR.. Neel in his article saws
Meantime, some of us are suspicious of the
Northern Church, which suspicion leads the
world to doubt that there is reality in the power
of religion
III he plain and ordinary purpose of such state
ment must be that those of us who are suspicious
OF the Northern Church are SO acting as to make
the world doubt that there is reality in the power
of religion
mere are great many people, both minister's
ofhcers and members of the Southern Church.
VINO are suspicious of the Northern Church. and
who, IN my humble judgment, have right to be
suspicious OF the Northern Church. and vet thew
are quite godly, quite as earnest and quite as
active Tor Presbyterianism and Christ as Dr. Neel
lhey may not write much about "Unty' but
certainly men like DR.. Stricken, Dr. Summey Dr.
McPheeters, Dr. Reed, Dr. Webb DR. Tbos F
Converse, DIR. Hopkins DR.. Johnson, DR.. Rice
and many hundreds of others who could be
named, are quite pous DR.. Neel and lust
as careful to do nothing that would make the
world doubt that there is reality in the power
of religion.
DIR. Neel says further on:
The money and time spent in republishine
the Declaration and Testimony and the Pastoral
Letter would have been q venture to Think
more wisely spent in paying the expenses of some
OF Our theological professors to go to the noun
tains, and preach the gospel to the poor during
the summer"
Many people think the Declaration and Testi-
mony and the Pastoral Letter are very important
historical documents, and forth great truths: and
having chosen to repubsh the Declaration and
Testimony" and the Pastoral Letter" if is can
nous III Dr. Nee to charge them with ignorance
OF how to spend their money. 1t is certain that
the gentlemen who published these papers did not
take DIR. Neel's money. 1t was their own. and
they used 1t in way thought proper to dissent
nate the truth and advance the KINGDOM, of
Christ.
In the next place, will DIR. Neel indicate some
theological professor who prohered to 90 to the
mountains to preach the gospel to the poor during
the summer? If he will find one who seems TO be
burdened with desire TO proclaim the ooene1
III the mountains, am authorized by four gentle
men IN Louisville to say that they will gladly
pay the expenses of all theological professors in
Kentucky, and elsewhere who are anxious or
even willing, to go to the mountains and preach
the gospel to the poor