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Joian A.Weir )118july)67
New Series, Vol. IV, No. 23.
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THURSDAY, JUNE g, 1867
EDITORIAL NOTES ON THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY.
Rochester May 26th, 1867.
In discussing the personelle of the Assem
bly, we may not omit mention of proba
bly the oldest member, and one distinguished
by service for the Master no less than by
years and grey hairs. "Prefer to "Father
Wisner," as he is familiarly called, now 85
years of age, and yet in possession of all
his faculties and able to make an admirable
address, and mingle effectively in the dicus
sions of the body. His position many years
ago, as , pastor of the church within which
the Assembly is now meeting, adds great in
terest to his presence. Around him are the
ample fruits of his faithful, labors and of
counsels, which more than a whole genera
tion ago, anticipated' by their wisdom and
liberality the schemes of the present. The
members of the Assembly take pleasure in
recognizing the claims of an old age so hon
orable, and "Father Wisner" adds to their
claims by the modesty of his beating
through the entire business of the Assembly.
His own son, Rev. W. C, Wisner, D. D., of
Lockport, Pa., is with him as a member of
the body, and by his good sense and pithy,
brief speeches, and by his admirable report
as Chairman of the Publication Committee,
has maintained the family reputation and
given fresh proof of his value as a member
of our deliberative bodies. His somewhat
blunt, but really kind and judicious opposi
tion to the proposal to telegraph our entire
special report on Reunion, to Cincinnati,
brought down the house.
Among other noticeable •names, are Dr.
Seward, of Yonkers, who made a handsome
speech commendatory of the issues of the
Publication Committee, particularly the
Tracts and Bowen's Meditations - ; Di.: Lyon,
of Erie, Chairman on Church Polity; W.
Henry McGiffert, of Detroit, who plead ur
gently, in the name of his Presbytery, for
the recognition of Kolapoor Mission ; Dr.
Glover, of Jacksonville, who struggled hard
to stave off the appeal ease against his
Synod, and who afterwards managed the de
fense; Rev. JAL Towbridge, of Chicago
Presbytery, who spoke briefly and to the
point, his co-presbyter, Prof. Swing, lately of
the other branch, not being heard at all, we
believe ; Thomas Marshall from the outposts
of our Church in Minnesota and the North
west, who gave in the history of his own
church, the best illustration of the admira
ble workings of church erection in a new
country, that was heard on the floor of the
General Assembly ; Mr. Darrah, of North
ern Missouri, a faithful, self-denying Home
Missionary, who has fled from bushwhack
ers more then once, for his life, and who
put the legal and common-sense aspect of
the appeal case, as it first came before the
body, in the most acute and telling shape,
by far, of any of the speakers. From Wa
shoe Territory, comes a former President of
Liberia, and a well-known Colonization
leader, John B. Pinney, L.L.D. Tennessee
has four noble representatives on the ground,
including an elder of the honored name of
Blackburn.
Among the young ministry known to our
readers, not already mentioned, are Niles of
York, Earle of Catasnqua, and Kimball of
Leroy. The colored portion of our Church
have no repres6ntatives, although the floor
of the Assembly has more than once been
gladly yielded to the popular brother from
Charte'ston, Rev. E. J. Adams. The Ger
mans are represented by Rev. J. U. Guen
ther, of Newark. Among the Elders, we
should not overlook John Hill, of New
Jersey, who takes the place of the intolera
ble secessionist, A. J. Rogers, in the present
Congress, from that State, nor Frederick
Starr Esq., from this city—the first, heard
occasionally, and with pleasure, the latter,
doubtless under the burden of his recent be
reavement, not opening his lips, until the
last day of the session. There are two
Elders of the name and style of " Hon.
Henry W. Williams," both, we believe,
Judges; one from Wellsborough Presbytery
and one from Pittsburg. The latter, how
ever, very opportunely, has for one of his diff
erentia, the very tangible appendage of L.
L. D., which must be admitted by the stout
est opponents of titles, to be useful in this
case, at least. The tall and easily distin
guishable Hon. Peter Odlin, comes from
Dayton, Ohio. Among the few Elders in
clined to imitate the ministers in their talk
ing propensities, is Royal E. Barber from
Chicago Presbytery, who talks well, and is
heard with interest. D. W. Ingersoll, of St.
Paul's, Minnesota, is also heard frequently
and with interest. Though using a crutch,
and though of considerable weight, he has
made the great journey from his remote
home and has well filled his seat in the As
se.mbly, and his place in Committee.
Of titles, we count ten D. D.'s, two L. L.
D.'s, four Hon.'s and seven M. D.'s,—not
very liberal
,amount.
DOubtful whether we shall find space. in
our colUmni for any but the regular pro
ceedings, we take this opportunity to speak
Of some of the meetings held in connection
with the Assembly. The Elders held one of
their most successful conventions on Friday
evening. The large leeture room of, the
church was thronged, and many. -stood
around doors and passages, and many Went
away unable to gain admittance. Mr. In
gersoll of St. Paul presided, and Elder. Hun
tington of Rochester, acted as Seeretary.
The evening passed rapidly away in. earn
est addresses, prayers and hymns. Stephen
Torrey of this State, and Amos Davis, an
exceedingly plain but sterling man, from St.
Joseph Presbytery, Indiana, gave practical
illuStrations of the value of a faithful Elder
ship in Home , Missionary efforts. Stirring
addresses were also made by William H.
Jessup, Esq., Hon. Peter Odlin, of Ohio, and
a physician from Central New York; who
spoke especially of the 'great good which
faithfal, sympathizing Elders ',could do at
the sick-bed. A Committee of five was ap•
pointed . to nominate a permanent Commit
tee of the Eldership, so as •to secure the
greatest . possible amount of profit from,
these annual Conferences at the General As
sembly.
On Tuesday. evening, . May. 21st, a . joint
meethig in the interest of Home Missions,
Church Erection and Education was held.
Judge Williams of Pittsburg was in the
chair, and made the opening address ; he
said wherever our people are we need
churches, and wherever we have churches
we need an educated ministry. Therefore
these three causes go together. Secretary
Mills spoke of the regular logical system
which pervaded the arrangements of the
Presbyterian Church for the work of con
verting the world. The world is to be
saved by preaching; not by rites or ordi
nances. We therefore need preachers Of
the gospel. Next follows the Missionary
Society to send the preachers abroad. The
minister being obtained, he next needs a
place to preach. He bespoke the prayers
of the Assembly for the raising up of min
isters.
Dr. Cuyler, of Brooklyn, spoke in his in
imitable way upon church erection. He said
there are no classes for whom I would sooner
take off my hat than for a wounded soldier and
for a Western Missionary. The soldier was
willing to make himself a target to the enemy,
but he wants his country to give him the
musket, the tent and the rations. So the
Home Missionaries have a right to ask a
house to live in, a house to preach in, and
something to keep soul and body together.
If he will give himself, it is a small thing for
us to give him the church in which he can
preach the Gospel.
The speaker congratulated himself that he
has built two churches, one in Trenton, and
one in Brooklyn, two memorials when the
dust of death shall cover me. Home Missions
and Church Erection are kindred causes.
What God bath joined together let not the
General Assembly put asunder. There is the
West; as Webster said of Massachusetts, there
she is, look at her. And there, where we get
our moderator, on the banks of the Missis
sippi, is probably the site of the future capital
of our country, and there, at some future day,
the United Presbyterian Church shall meet in
one General Assembly, possibly some black
moderator shall preside over its deliberations,
and some short, fat man, clad from head to
foot in furs, shall represent Mr. Seward's
newly acquired possessions of Sitka and
Alaska.
Other addresses of great interest and
power were made by Rev. E. B. Wals
worth, of California, Dr. Robinson, of Brook
lyn, Rev.. H. Johnson, of Pittsburgh, Dr.
Nelson the Moderator.
On Wednesday evening there was a meet
ing of thrilling interest, also, in behalf of
PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 1867.
Foreign Missions. T. P. lEfaiidy, of Cleve
land presided. Dr. Nelson said that hedid
not believe that the mighty' West can be
evangelized and saved, untese they take a
deep and lively interest in the salvation of
all the world. If our Church should with
draw her sympathy and co-operation forthe
world's salvation, it will shrivel and blight
her piety. Those whose hearts go forth for
the salvation of all, are those who do most
for those around them. 'Those who sent
bread to Ireland,were not thqse who suffered
their neighbors to starVe. , Dr. Odyler said
that the largest giver in his' church was a
servant girl. The coneludi4 address, was
made by the venerable Dr. Jonas King of
Greece. •
A meeting was also held on Friday eve
ning on behalf of, the. American and For
eign Christian Union.
These meetings were largely attended,
were well managed, and 'may be regarded
as a series of highly successful anniversaries
of the great causes of Christian beneficence
and Church action there represented.
The reception of the Delegates from the
Irish and Scottish Churched was one , of the
great events of the session. It so happened
that very few of the bodieswith which we
are in correspondence bad sent their usual
delegates. From the Assembly of the other
branch we had but a single member, a lay-.
man residing in this city; all the others had
failed—principal and alternate. From the
United . Presbyterians we had the well-known
PennsylVania legislator and unyielding
friend of the Sabbath, Rev. R. Audley Brown',
D.D., who represented his denomination ably
and frankly, concealing nothing of its close
communion and exclusive character; and
many were the conscious pods and winks
when our Moderator happily encircled him
and his orthodox associated in the arms of 'a
charity which . included. admission to the
communion table; and foretold the time
when we should all boATuited Presby
terians" together. There: was, late in the
session, a delegate from the Reformed Dutch
Church. Besides these there was not a
delegate from a solitary affiliated body out
side of New England; and from New Eng
land came only - two. These unusual omis
sions, however, left all the more room for
the novel and deeply interesting occasions,
by which the remoter branches of the great
Presbyterian family were first brought into
formal relations with our own. We need,
not dwell upon the addresses, as they are
given very fully in another part of the pa
per. It is beyond question, however, that
our Irish brethren made the deepest impres
sion by the fervor and naturalness of their
eloquence, and by the close affinity which
they, somehow, showed they felt with every
thing American. There was, we are bound
to say, a little feeling of heaviness and inap
propriateness, in regard to Mr. Wells' long
explanation of Scottish Missionary work,
deeply important and encouraging in every
respect as that work was universally admit
ted to be, and ably as he presented it. Why
might not the facts have been even more
fully stated in a formal lecture, or in some
printed form, instead of consuming the
precious time of a Church-judiciatory-,
crowded with business of the highest im
portance, in thus partially setting them
forth? So argued some of the brethren; and
yet it may be questioned if any more im
portant subject, or one more worthy the at
tention of the brethren, was presented, than
this fervid narrative of the Territorial sys
tem of Scottish Church Extension, from the
lips of one who spoke from experience,
gathered in the footsteps of Thomas Chal
mers himself.
But 'we believe every member of the As
sembly, lay and clerical, felt devoutly thank
ful to these brethren, particularly to Drs.
Hall and Fairbarn, for the high ground they
took in regard to the support of the minis
try, and for the peculiarly forcible and no
vel manner in which they set forth its claims
as a profespion to adequate support. The
intimate union which they pointed out
between the prosperity, not only of the min
istry, but also of the Presbyterian Church,
and the support given to the ministry, must,
we are sure, make a deep and salutary im
pression upon the churches before whom
they appear, as advocates of the most un
doubted impartiality. And on the whole,
if' these men gained new views of the grand
eur of our country, and of the work before
the churches of America, they certainly
proved that the churches in their limited
territory had grasped great ideas of Chris
tian activity and Christian beneficence at
least in the Home Department of their
work.
It may seem remarkable that the report
of the Assembly's special committee on re
union was adopted unanimously and without
debate; but when we consider the great libe
rality of the terms proposed, in 'which pretty
much everything demanded by the principle
of toleration is granted, and 'when we re
fleet that the action of this Assembly simply
places the whole subject before the churches
and the Presbyterian public for considera
tion withoutaction during the coming year,
all reason, for surprise will disappear. The
real ground of surprise is, that terms so lib
eral should have been agreed to by the 0. S.
portion of the joint committee ; still greater
will be the surprise and gratification if a de
cided majority of the ministry and people of
the other branch shall be found giving them
their hearty approval.
At all events, the. vote for adopting the
Special' Commjttee's report approving the
doings of the Joint Committee, was unani
mous and hearty, though I must say I
heard a more emphatic chorus of ayes du
ring my experience at General Assemblies,
on critical occasions. After the vote, one
or two persons spoke, and a proposition was
made to telegraph the entire report to the
General Assembly at Cincinnati, particularly
in order to correct, or neutralize misappre
hensions which had arisen from a misprint
in the Reunion Committee's Report, as it
appeared in the secular papers. But the
proposition was not entertained by the As
sembly and was withdrawn by the mover.
Up to this writing (Monday,) no word has
been, received here of the disposition made
is Cincinnati, of the Joint Committee's Re
port.
THE OLD SCHOOL ASSEMBLY.
We clip from the Press of this city, the
following telegraphic report of the proceed
ings of the Assembly of' the Other Branch on
the two days when the question of Re-union
was under discussion:—
Cincinnati, May 28.
The order of the day being the consideration of
the Committee on the Basis of Re-union,
Dr. Smith author of the Minority Report, moved
its adoption, and. thus got the floor. In a speech of
an hour's length, he opposed showing any favor to
the Basis of Union adopted by the Joint Committee
of the two branches. He was in favor of re-union,
but only on a sound and enduring basis. For one,
he could never consent to a union on such a basis
as this, and he misunderstood the attitude of his
brethren if they could do it. Never would the
Presbyterian Church consent to abjure all its con
victions, and surrender every principle for which
our fathers have been contending for thirty years
every principle on which division originally took
place. Churches not presbyterially organized are not
to be re-organized as Presbyterian churches Min
isters are to be received by presbyteries without ex
amination. New School theological seminaries are
not to be under the control of the united Church,
and their professors will teach what theology they
please. The thousand publications of, the Old
School Board are to be given into the hands of the
New School men to be examined, and all objection
able ones to be thrown out, while only thirty books
of the New. School board are liable to the same ac
tion from the Old School Committee.
Dr. Breckinridge was opposed to both Reports—
the union movement could not be put in any shape
that would make it acceptable to him. The only
way in which he was willing that the New School
brethren should come in was through the presby
teries, as he and all others had come. The Con
stitution of' the Church made no provision for re
ceiving ministers and elders in a lump.
Hon. Samuel Galloway, an elder, replied in his
inimitable way, showing the difference in the state
of things from what they were thirty years ago.
The world had progressed, and, though Presbyteri
anism was the same, the men connected with the or
ganization were more liberal and kindly disposed
toward each other. Ile ridiculed the attempt to
show any difference in faith or rules of practice be
tween the two Schools, in such a way as to excite
general laughter.
He was followed by Rev. Geo. Marshall. D.D., of
Upper St. Clair,' Pa., in favor of the majority re
port, sending the clauses down to the churches for
discussion and amendment by overture.
Elder H. K. Clark, of Detroit, the only man on
the Joint Committee opposed to the Basis of Union,
made a very ineffectual speech adverse to union.
Every manifestation in the body of the Assembly
during the discussion was favorable to union.
After the usual devotional exercises the discus
sion of the reports on the question of re-union was
resumed and continued all day. Finally it was
brought to a close by a compromise effected between
the parties &aiming the floor. The proposition was
made by Dr. Breed, of Philadelphia, to Dr. Patter
son, of Philadelphia Central Presbytery, that the
opponents of re-union should withhold the delivery
of their speeches on the subject, if the other side
would do the same. This was finally agreed to.
The question then came up on the adoption of
the Minority Report, which is in opposition to the
Plan of Re-union.
_ .
It was moved to lay the motion to adopt on the
table. On this the yeas and nays were called and
ordered, and the vote resulted—yeas 138, nays 63.*
The question was then on the adoption of the
Majority Report, referring the Basis of Re-union to
Genesee Evangelist, No. 1098.
the churches, and a Joint Committee, for donEndera
tiori till the next Aasemblv.'
On motion of Dr. Breed, the last resolution of the
Report, requiring the Joint Committee to report to
the next Assembly the amendments to the Church
constitution, was struck out.
A resolution was offered by Dr. Patteracin, In
structing the Committee to endeavor to ,Apcure a
more clear and definite statement of the doctrinal
basis on which union shall take place, and another
proposing a modification of the second article, so as
to insure a thorough and speedy presbyterial or
ganization of all the churches, were laid on the
table.
On motion of Dr. Brownson, the following was
adopted as additional to the majority report:—
Resolved, That in submitting the Report of the
Committee on Re-union to the consideration of the
churches, the Assembly is not called upon at this
time to express either approbation or disapproba
tion of the Plan of Re-union presented by the Com
mttee, in its details, but only to afford the Church a ,
full opportunity to to examine the subject in the
light of all its advantages and difficulties, so that the
Committee may have the benefit of any suggestion
which may be offered before making a final report
for the action of the next Assembly.
On motion, the moderator was authorized to fill
the present virtual vacancy in the Joint Committee
in the place of Dr. Krebs, which he did by appoint
ing Dr. Rackwell.
The dispdsition (continues the report,) of the union
question gives satisfaction to all—those unfavorable
to union regarding Dr. Brownson's resolution as a
concession that will enable them to overcome the
popular tide in favor of union.
The names of the—sixty-three who voted in the
majority taken by Synods are as follows:
Synod of Albany—Rev. R. H. Richardson D. D., -
of the Presbytery of Londonderry.
Synod of Buffalo--,Rev. J. Jones and Elder; D. C.
McPherson in Presbytery of Genesee; Rev. J: s
Cleland in Presbytery of Ogdensburgh ; and Elder
•
G. Hubbell in Presbytery of Rochester.
Synod of New York—Rev. V. A. Lewis and H..
G. Hinsdale ' Rev. D. N. Freeland in Presbytery of
Husain and Rev. W. Morrison in the Missionary
Pres. of Ningpo, China.
Synod of New. Jersey—Elder G. H. Van Gelder
in Pres. of Burlidgton ; Rev. C. F. Worrell in Pres.
of Monmouth; Rev. D. K. Freeman in Pres. of
Newton ; Rev. J. T. Duffield in Pres. of New Bruns
wick ; Rev. D. Irving in Pres. of Passaic; Rev. J.
S. Van Dyke in Pres. of Raritan ; and Rev. R. B.
Davis in Pres. of West Jersey.
Synod of Philadelphia—Revs. S. McNair and J.
D. Smith in Pres. of Donegal ; Rev. W. G. Gibson
and Elder J. S. Gardner in Pres. of Huntington ;
Rev. S. A. Gayley in Pres. of New Castle; Elder A.
Martien in Pres. of Philadelphia; Rev. R. M. Pat
terson and Elders J. Harvey and W. Main. in Cen
tral Philadelphia Pres. ; Rev. A. M. Woods in Phila
delphia 2nd.
Synod of Baltimore—Rev. J. T. Smith and Elder
T. Archer in Pres. of Carlisle; Rev. B. T. Jones in
Pres. of Lewes. -
Synod or Pittsburgh—none.
Synod of Alleghany—none.
Synod of Wheelipg—none.
Synod of Cineinnati—none.
Synod of Ohio—Rev. T. B. Van Eman in Pres
of Wooster.
Synod of Sandusky—Elder H. K. Clark in Pres.
of Michigan.
Synod of Indiana—Rev. B. F. Wood and Elder
J. Orchard in Pres. of Indianapolis; Elder A. B.
McKee in Pres. of Vincennes.
Synod of Northern Indiana—Rev. G. Morrison
in Pres. of Crawfordsville; Rev. W. B. Brown and
Elder R. C. Marquis in Pres. of Fort Wayne.
Synod of Illinois—Rev. A. J. Clark and Elder C.
Wakefield in Pres. of Bloomington ; Rev. W. E. Mc-
Laren and Elder E. D. Rice in Pres. of Peoria.
Synod of Chicago—Rev. W. W, Moorehead in
Pres. of Burean ; Elder C. A. Spring in Pres. of
Chicago.
Synod of Wisconsin—Elder D. H. Tullis in Pres.
of Dane; Rev. P. D. Young in Pres. of Milwaukee.
Synod of St. Paul—Elder J. D. Pollock, in Pres.
of St. Paul.
Synod of lowa—none;
Synod of Southern lowa—Rev. W. C. Craig, and
Elder J. B. Pease, in Pres. of lowa, Rev. J. W. Clark,
in Pres. of Missouri River.
Syncid of Kansas—Rev. Rev. G. Hickman, in Pres.
of Highland.
Synod of Missouri—Rev. T. C. Barrett, in Pres.
of Potosi, Rev. S. J. Nichols and Elder E. A. More,
in Pres. of St. Lonis.
Synod of Mississippi.—none.
Synod of Nashville—Rev. A. Vance in Pres. of
Holston.
Synod of Kentucky—Rev. J. P. Hendricks in
Pres. of Ebenezer, Rev. W. C. Matthews in Pres.
of Louisville, Rev. J. Hawthorn in Pres. of Padu
cah, Rev. J. Matthews and Elder O. Beatty and Rev.
R. J. Breckenridge and Elder H. Allen in Pres. of
W. Lexington.
Synod of North Carolina.—Rev. J. C. Stewart in
Pres. of Concord.
The Synods of Pacific and Northern India were
not represented in the Assembly.
N. B.—Dr. SAUNDERS, one of the Commissioners
to the General Assembly at Cincinnati, informs us
that when the final vote was taken not more
than four or five voices were heard in the negative;
of course Dr. Breckinridge's was one of them. We
have seen• by the Cincinnati papers, that our friend,
Dr. Saunders, advocates increased domestic mission
ary operations from Alaska to Mexico, commensu
rate with other great movements of the time.
REv. JOJLN CROWELL has received and ac
cepted a unanimous call to the pastoral
charge of the Church of Odessa. We con
gratulate the people of that long vacant
charge on their choice, and :cannot doubt
under the care of sek judicious, experienced,
and able a pastor, they will, with the divine
blessing, enter upon a career of great pros
perity.
Cincinnati, May 29
THE STATE Sabbath School Convention
which met in this city - last week, numbered
over 700 Delegates and was a working body.
$2,500 was pledged for the expenses, and it
was resolved to provide for a National Con
vention in 1869. The next State Convention
.
meets in Pittsburg.