Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-05-07
THE FIRST PREssYTERY.


THE FIRST PREsBYTERY.
The spring meeting Of the First AS
sociate Reformed presbytery, was held
with the church at Gastonia this week,
Rev. ]. c. Galloway, D. D., pastor, con-
vening on Monday evening at o'clock
and adjourning Tuesday night at about
1880.
There were present about sixty-five
delegates, representing nearly all OF
the churches in the presbytery, and the
session was a most earnest and inter-
esting one, involving as 1t did, in ad-
dition to the ordinary routine, further
consideration Of the lamentable contro-
versy that has grown out Of the recent
ly developed rupture In the First
church of Charlotte.
The opening sermon was preached
by the venerable Rev. G. r. White, d.
D., the retiring moderator, from Gala
tions I, 1916, in which Paul said,
But when 1t pleased God, who separa-
ted me from my mothers womb, and
called me by his grace, to reveal his
Son in me, that I might preach Him
among the heathen; Immediately II
conferred not with flesh and blood"
st. Paul as the model Christian minis
ter was the doctors theme, and pow
erful sermon it WIS that he preached.
He made no hesitation in declaring
that the real minister of Christ is such
by Gods selection, altogether independ-l
ent of human volition and such as are
really called could not escape, even II
they would. He held also. popular
sentiment to the contrary, notwith-
standing, that the work Of Gods min
listers is as necessary and as potent as
1t has ever been. DR.. White was lis
tened to with closest attention through
out and at the conclusion Of his dis
course. he called the presbytery to or
der, referred most feelingly to the death
Of Mr.. c.. E. Mcdonald, the moderator
elect, and nominated instead Of
the deceased, his brother, the Hon. ].
E. Mcdonald Of Winnsboro. The NOM
ination came as quite a surprise. No
lay member had ever before presided
over this exalted court. Indeed, no
lay delegate had ever before been
even nominated; but so pleased was the
presbytery with DR.. Whites happy
idea, that no one thought Of suggesting
another. name. Mr.. Mcdonald was
elected unanimously by acclamation.
On taking the chair, the moderator
made feeling and singularly appro-
pirate acknowledgment Of the high
honor that had been conferred upon
him, requested the cooperation Of the
presbytery, especially the minister
members, and promised to fill the posi-
ton to the best Of his humble ability.
Then declaring the First presbytery
Of the Associate Reformed synod Of the
south organized for business, he con-
tinued to guide the proceedings on to
adjournment with gentle firmness
that was only to be compared to the
graceful ease with which he presided
throughout.
The reading Of the minutes Monday
night developed an item of unfinished
business that proved to be of over
shadowing interest to the presbytery.
This was the matter Of the dissension
in the First church Of Charlotte. Some
time ago, current rumor began to make
free with intimations prejudicial to the
ministerial character Of Rev. VIM. Dun
can, the pastor. The matter was
brought before the fall meeting of pres
bytery in e. heated controversy between
Mr.. Duncans friends and opponents.
The majority Of presbytery was made
to realize that there was something bad
wrong, and that there was an ugly
problem to deal with. Acting upon be-
lief born of a desire to settle the mat
ter with as little friction as possible.
no drastic official action was taken at
the time. Failure to take action dis
closed that action was absolutely nee
essary, and at called meeting of pres
bytery held in Rock HILL last February,
it was ordered that the pastoral rela-
tions between Mr.. Duncan and the
First church be dissolved. There had
already been a split in the church, and
being upheld by those who continued
to side with him in the belief that he
was being unjustly prosecuted, Mr..
Duncan neglected to obey the order.
By way of explanation, 1t was under
stood that acting on the insistence of
friends, he had decided to appeal to
synod, and was holding his ground on
the theory that the appeal operated as
a suspension of orders, pending settle |
ment in the higher court.
When the issue was brought regular
ly before the presbytery in the form of
an official statement that the Rock Hill
order had not been complied with, the
moderator appointed a committee con-
sisting of Rev. j. S. Moffatt, D. D., Rev.
oliver Johnson, D. D., and Elder w. M.
Faulkner, TO look carefully into the
whole matter and make such report as
1t might see proper at an executive
session to be held next morning at 9
o'clock. During the night the commit
tee went over a great mass Of docu-
mentary evidence, sifted the whole
matter in all its phases from the te-