The Washington herald., 1915-05-27
A Church Still Divided.

The Southern Presbyterian General Assembly,
in session at Newport News has by formal reso-
luton unanimously adopted, repudiated the activi
ties of the Federal Council of the Churches of
Christ in America in taking up political questions,
and threatening to withdraw from that Federal
Council if it continues in policy which is not
in harmony with the principles of the Federal Con-
stitution and the churches insisting on a complete
separation of church and State. The particular
activities of the Federal Council repudiated by the
General Assembly relate to universal peace and ma
tional prohibition. The General Assembly as
sumes that the President will do everything pos
sible for peace without having the churches
barrass him with arbitrary demands; and it de-
clines to make national prohibition a church
policy The resolutions of the assembly sign6-
Cantly suggest that, lin instances the Fed
eral Councils actions contrary to the doc
trine OF the separation of church and State, and
in others they deal with matters that are wholly
extraneous to the recognized mission of the
church earth" Then the report says:
'Troublous times such these caused that action
in the Presbyterian church which necessitated the
birth OF the Church South. Should we not, then,
most carefully guard against the age tendencies
which turning the forces of the church into
so many side channels, and weakening the
forces OF her one supreme call-to save men for
time and eternity
1t is not surprising that churchmen in the
South should have better memories than those
in the North to the cause of the division on
sectional lines OF not only the Presbyterian
church. but OF the Methodist and Baptist churches.
These divisions preceded the appeal to the sword
and in they contributed to that appeal
which resulted in the greatest civil war in history
All efforts 10 unite these churches national
lines have been unsuccessful. The split in the
Presbyterian church occurred in 1858. The South
crn Presbyterians refused to make savc-holdng
sin, or non-slave-holding a term (condition) OF
and they organized the "Old School
General Assembly. which later became the Gen
,ral Assembly OF the Confederate States OF
America" and after the took the The !
Presbyterian Church in the United States"
Church quarres, like family quarrels, are most
liificult compose. Fifty years after the civil
Mar. the veterans OF the opposing armies frater-
lized Gettysburg, and next week will fratcr |
lize at Richmond. But this week there is as |
cmbled at Rochester, \. V, one Presbyterian
General Assembly and in Newport News, Va,
mother Presbyterian General Assembly. the MEM
,ers of both assemblies holding to the same
hurch doctrines, but not able to forget the old
quarrel political questions.
he Federal Constitution ended slavery but they
id not bring the churches together. So, in look
ng back over half century OF division in the
hurch due to the injection OF political issues or
moral questions not then agreed to either
1oral immoral it is not surprising that the
southern General Assembly should look with ap-
rehension upon any effort OF the churches to
dvisc the President in the matter of political
orcgn relations, and Congress to how the
edcral Constitution should be further amended.
he Northern Presbyterian General Assembly, on
he same day OF thH action by the Southern As
emily. censurcd the Rev. DR.. Parkhurst for writ
lg letter to California Presbyterian expressing
is doubts to the efficiency OF Statewide prohi-
ition. These two actions by two general assem-
lies OF the Presbyterian church in the United
tateS OF America indicate that the Presbyterian
hurch will not reunitc and become one body in
lct as it i in name in the immediate future. They
re still divided the question OF the church in
otics.