711v..t*1 . ,0*. i1.,......2.:::t_1itirri.i,tu
John AWeir
18j 1 467
New Series, Vol. IV, No. 25.
smErirau Erulxgtiziait.
THURSDAY, JUNE 20,1867
EDITORIAL NOTES ON THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY. 111.
Doubtless the great events of the late ses
sion of the General Assembly were the re
ceptions of the Scottish and Irish deputa
tions. The Free Church of Scotland and
the Presbyterian Church of Ireland, being
very much in earnest in the Matter, sent us
their picked men, including, indeed, such
men as Guthrie and Arnot in their 'appoint
ment, who, unfortunately, were unable to
come. But those who did come were re
presentative men, deputed expressly for an
errand, which they were competent worthi
ly to perform. The representatives of our
Americian Churches, on the contrary, were
men named for the duty after it was known
that, for other reasons, they found it con
venient or necessary to be in Great Britain
at that time. There were good reasons,
therefore, why the reception of the British
deputations among us should be marked by
an eclat which does not seem to have at
tended our own men, at least in. Scotland.
In Philadelphia, in Now York, in Rochester,
and in Cincinnati, the reception was almost,
an ovation. A large part of the most v.alua
ble working time of our. ody was given, oo
two distinct occasions, to the hearing of the
Irish and Scotch deputations, and no one
grudged it to men on such an errand, and
in themselves so eminently worthy of a
hearing. Whereas, in Edinburgh, the Free
Church Assembly crowded the reception of
three delegates from the other branch, two
from our own, and the Agent of the Ameri
can Missionary Association, with the single
response of the Moderator to the whole, into
the first Monday evening of the session, May
27th.
On the part of our Assembly especially,
the presence of then. clQlagatos vas-felt to
he an occasion of peculiar interest, as the
first formal recognition of our body by trans
atlantic Presbyterian Churches. Every one
knows how, for years, the Assembly of the
other branch almost wholly pior.opolized
such recognition; how, by reason of its pro
slavery character, it lost that advantage,
and doomed to hold official intercourse with
these bodies; how our own advanced posi
tion on slavery predisposed our British bre
thren to a more candid consideration of oar
Presbyterian character generally, so that, at
last, we find ourselves, in some respects,
higher on their books than any Presbyteri
an body in this country.
But the prominent feeling in our body,
upon these occasions, was Christian joy in
the outflowing and interchange of fraternal
feeling with the honored representatives of
sister Churches of glorious reputation and
abundant usefulness in the mother country.
It was joy in the formation of a visible and
outward tie between brethren, heretofore
known only through literature, through his
tory, and by general Christian intercourse.
The memories of Londonderry, and of the
disruption, and of Thomas Chalmers, seemed
borno into the Assembly, along with the
noble persons and the eloquent words of
Fairbairn and Hall, of Denham and Wells.
The stream of fraternal intercourse had
greatly widened and lengthened; our heart
throbs were stronger and our pulses quicker;
our sense of Presbyterian and Christian
unity was broader and deeper than ever be
fore. The concluding words of Moderator
Nelson in his eloquent reply, well expressed
the feeling:
"iikre we not realizing in our hearts, the commu
nion of saints? Is it not because we are one in
Christ Jesus, that we find it practicable thus to
unite our sympathies? We are feeling : more than
ever, that the Church of Christ is one, and that we
may be all unitedin the one work and look forward
to the time when we shall be united in the ,Church
above."
Besides the expression of fraternal regard,
these deputations were a tribute to the great
ness and importance of Christian America,
especially as emerging triumphantly from
the throes of a great struggle with rebellion.
Perhaps only the delegates from Ireland re
presented a public sentiment, which bad been
thoroughly favorable to the North during
the entire struggle; but both deputations
felt themselves upon the soil of one of the
two or three great protestant .countriei of
the globe, at a time when that greatness
had been guaranteed as never before, by
victory; and it was this circumstance, doubt-
less, that largely aided in bringing them to our
shores. And both deputations were earnest
and eloquent in their congratulations upon
the overthrow of slavery. Their hearts
were full of it. It was " the greatest of all
recent causes of congratulation." Anti
slavery Scotland rejoiced " that not one
slave breathes on our soil to-day." The
Irishmen 'not only rejoiced at the spread of
liberty, but showed their . superior knowl
edge of the position of our own branch of
the Church on the subject. Said Dr. Den
ham: "We especially desire to express our
respect for the solemn, faithful, continuous,
decided testimony you bore against slavery
and in favor of the poor, down-trodden ne
gro." "We come," said Dr. Hall, "to con
gratulate you on your fidelity to truth."
The numbers, the great activity; the en
terprize and efficiency of our American Pres
byterian Churches, in their vast field of ef
fort deeply impressed the deputation. A
sense of the comparative smallness of their
own field and their own numbers at home,
seemed really at times to oppress them. The
immense, handsomely executed map of our
vast country, hung behind the pulpit, con
tributed to deepen such impressions. And
this free, victorious, Protestant America
they came to draw more Closely to their own
land, through the tie of Presbyterian sympa
thy. The daegates were really ambassa
dors of the Christian people of Scotland and
Ireland, arranging an informal treaty of
peace with ourselves. Not out'of unmanly
fear for their country, but as friends and
guardians of Christian civilization, of the
orthodox faith against ritualism and ration
alism, and of Protestantism against Roman
ism,—in that high capacity they came to im
prove and to perpetuate the good under
standing between God's people in both cottn-
Presbyterian Union was, of course, warm-
ly urged, not by any means for the sake of
Presbyterianism alone, but for the sake of
the great interests of evangelical truth, of
Missions, of Education, which would, they
believed, be promoted by such union. The
delegates spoke as men fresh from scenes of
arduous and doubtful conflict with the ene
mies of righteousness and looking tiround
anxiously for new sources of strength to be
had in readiness for the future. They be
held in the tendencies to Presbyterian Union
one of the most hopeful indications of the
times, and from their point of view felt
bound to seize upon it and to encourage it
to the utmost. Said Dr. Hall :
"There are high interests which can be promoted
only by such union. There are great literary under
takings which we can carry out only by union. The
day calls for great literary efforts, it is required of
us to meet unbelievers on their own ground. Ex
tensive missionary efforts are best conducted by
Churches in co-operation. A noble spectacle it
would be if all the Presbyterian Churches in the
world could take counsel together, and how would
it prondote the interests of the world, if we should
diffuse our missionaries, so as to reach every dark
spot and diffuse the light more equally on heathen
dom."
Dr. Fairbairn's appeal for a broad and
liberal culture as necessary adequately to
prepare the ministry of the present age to
maintain a high and influential position, as
well as his appeal for a more liberal support
to the ministry, sprang, apparently, from
the same source of solicitude for the cause
of Christ in the great struggles now trans
piring. An uncultivated and an unpaid
ministry, must be alike weak, and incapable
of meeting the present race of the champions
of error. PresbyterianiSm must not be be
hind-hand in the inevitable conflict; she
must train her leaders with a generous
culture and must support them so well that
they can give their whole time and energies
to the work. These high lessons were en
forced by Dr. Fairbairn's account of the
Sustentation Fund in Scotland, and by Dr.
Hall's account of the Manse Fund in Ireland.
They placed the education and support of
the ministry, together, upon the highest
grounds, and the stimulus which they thus
gave to movements among ourselveS for
these great objects will, we think, be found
to be by no means the least important re
sult of their visit.
DEATH OF EARNEST C. WALLACE.—The se
cular press of this city has announced, with
every mark of respect, the death of this
gentleman, who, many of our readers will
be interested to know, was the son of the
late Rev. Benjamin J. Wallace, D.D., one of
the founders and first editors of this paper.
Mr. E. C. Wallace, like his father, was smit
ten with the love of literature, and at •the
PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1867.
time of his death, had an interest , in the
Evening Bulletin, of this city. He was also
a prominent officer in the Press Plub, em=
bracing representatives of the secular press
of Pbiladelphii. He was comparqively a
young man. ' Thus the gifted father, and
two sons of this family, have been taken
within abeut five years all in the midst of
their years and their activity.
THE DEPUTATIONS: TO THE fREE CHURCH
ASSEMBLY.; i• .
These .deputatiens, consisting of seven
persons, representing both branches of the
Presbyterian Church, the Reformed Dutch
.
Church'and the American Missionary Asso
ciation, were received by the Free Church
Assembly, 'on Monday 'evening, May 27th.
The building was crowded. The delegates
from the . other branch were beard-first, viz:
Dr. Hickok of Scranton, Rev . . Mr. Parker,
and Rev. Henry M. McCraken. Dr. Hickok
spoke of the difficulties in the way of evan
gelistic work. in America, among which, he
named especially theultiplicity of sects,
1
and closed with a very loquent allusion to
the movements for Presbyterian union in
Scotland and in this country; which was re
ceived with loud applause. Mr. Parker re
ferred to the religious' newspapers of .
Ame
rica, by which bur people are kept well in
formed in regard to the condition of the
trans-atlantic churches.' Such newspapers
he did not see there. He thought if there•
had' been, much misunderstanding would
have been obviated. Thiregretted that his
church had not long ago taken a more radi-,
cal position on slavery .
He showed why
Presbyterianism:could not occupy in Ame
rica, the place it did in Scotland; it was not,
however from doctrinal laxity, forhe believed
the Confession . was held in our two Presby
terian Churches, as fully and as fairly as in'
Scotdand, (hear hear.) Mr. McCraken- gave
some testimony from perisonal.observation,
as to the substantial until of the two bran.
ehes ii "America, which was received with
great applause.
Rev. E. E. Adams D.D., was next intro
duced, as the delegate from our branch. He.
is reported to have said:
I
I come to you as one of its deraNes, greeting you
cordially on behalf of the New School Free Church
in America. (Applause.) We believe we have a
claim to the appellation, for we were free of the en
cumbrance of slavery before our honored bre
thren. (Hear.) When I entered Pennsylvania a
few vears ago, going there for the benefit of my
healih, I was drawn into the New School relation.
I was born among Congregationalists, and it was not
from any objedtion to the Old School doctrine that I
joined the New school, for I have been called Old
'School for my attachment to those doctrines. (Hear.)
Dr. Adams then gave statistics of our own
Church which, in some instances, are ludi
crously mis-reported, and which, we there
fore, forbear to copy. He also gave some
facts in regard to the rapid progress of edu
cation among the Freedmen. 11113 conclud
ing remarks are reported as follows
Perhaps I should say that I was very happy to
hear what brother Hickok said about Union. I can
endorse all that he said, and more than all that be
said. There is no reason why the Old and New
School Presbyterians in America should not be one
(Hear, hear.) There is no difference substantially
in doctrine. We all take the standard [sic] Cate
chism as ours. Everything is passing away that
has kept us apart, and will soon be gone; and
the committees appointed by each, we have heard,.
since coming here, have agreed unanimously upon
terms of union. (Applause:) Those terms will be
belief in the Standards and nothing more; and it
will not be long until we shall coalesce and show
forth to the world a Church of more than 4,000
churches and 4,000 ministers of the Gospel. But
there is a wider and more general union of Christian
Churches to be looked for, and I have a suggestion
to make in regard to such union. I would like to
see your venerable Dr. Duff and' ur own Dr Thomp
son appointed to select a broad Missionary field for
the action of all Presbyterianism in Scotland, Ire
land and England, also the Presbyterians in France
and in America. Let them join together to work
that field, and show what Presbyterianism can do
in gaining a mighty nation from heathen influence
and heathen destruction. (Cheers.).
Rev. Dr. Field, also a delegate from our
body showed the composite nature of our
Presbyterianism in America, resulting from
the diversity of oar origin. He spoke apol
ogetically of the American "fancy," of the
vastness of our religious and political in
stititions, and said that the effect of such
sudden advancement as we had experienced
was dangerous.
"Our country has learned the secret of its own
power. It has got a taste of war. Fearing nothing
frtma external enemies, our only danger is from
withini hence our only hope for our country is in
the universal prevalence of education and relition."
The conclusion of Dr. Field's speech was
marked by a disagreeable incident, the re
sponsibility for which rest solely with himself
and which illustrates what we have elsewhere
said of the importance of ' sending represen
tative men fnr such services as these. The
report continues as follows:
I am often asked if we are not disposed to oppress
the People 'of the SOuth. On the contrary, I con
tend that there is not an example in history of a
war so terrible in its character and so tremendous
in its propditions, yet ending With less of vengeance.
Not a single individual has suffered for treason.
Pardon me if'l recal this unexampled Magnaminity
and mercy at this moment when the Great English
GOvernment, ruling an empire on which the sun
never sets, feels it necessary to send a miserable
Irishman to the scaffold, concerned in an insurrec-
tion that did' not rise even to the dignity of a mob—
and reflect, with Satisfaction ' that my country, after
the most terrible! civil war known in history, has:
not stained its triumphs ,by one drop of blood.
(Hisses froni the gallery.) Dr. Field, turning to
that; art of the hall from which the hisses came,
said—ls this the city of John Knox, the intrepid
Reformer, who feared not the face of man? I thought
it was a city where they loved a little frankness of
speech. - During the last five years we have had to
bear with a great deal of plain 'talk from this side of
the ocean ; and I think that a single manly word
may be born froth an American." (Applause.) .
The genuine pluck shown by Dr. Field in
his answer was evidently appreciated, by
his audience, and relieves us of the necessi
ty of extending to him our sympathies. For
to say the truth, we have little or none
to offer. When a representative of the New
School . Presbyterian Church undertakes the
role of a conservative politician and a Fenian
sympathizer, he may content himself with
insult abroad as shielding him from reproof
and censure at home. Nine-tenths of the
New School body feel themselves deeply
misrepresented and wronged by any body
presuming;• in their name, to rejoice at the
complete escape of the most guilty rebels
the world has ever known from condign
punishment. They repudiate the political
universalism of Horace Greeley and so many
other New York editors, of whom better
things might be expected.
Had it not been for the appropriate, open
ing words of Dr. Adams, we should have
had the singular spectacle of an Old School
delegation talking radicalism and the New
School-conservatism,before the Free Church
Assembly.
After an' address by Mr.' Thome" of the
American Missionary Association, the re
port of the proceedings continues:
Dr. Candlish moved that in the meantime the
Assembly should ask the Moderator to express to
the American deputies the satisfaction' with which
they had heard their addresses. reserving, for a fu
ture time the drawing up of a formal minute. He
.could not express the exceeding delight with which
they had revived the intimate relations with the
American aurches—(applause..) In regard to the
position taken taken by Scotland and the Churches
of Scotland during the war, he would just take the
liberty of stating that, at the, commencement of the
war, there . appeared to be as much misunderstand
ing and doubt as to the real object of the war across
the Atlantic as there was with them here. (Laugh
ter.) However, he begged to assure them of the
sympathy of the Churches in this country, and of
the country generally, as regarded the prospect of
the war issuing, as it had issued, in the entire aboli
tion of slavery. (Applause.) He concurred in the
idea that the work of raising the intelligence and
educating the freedmen of America was one which
belonged to the entire Christian world ; and he felt
confident that the vast problem of overtaking a
population increasing at a rate almost unprece
dented was one which ought not to be left to Ameri
cat° solve alone. (Hear, hear.)
:_'Colonel Davidson seconded the motion, and
stated that as America sent some of the noblest
missionaries in the field to India, so should this
country help AMerica in her present position.
The Moderator then formally thanked the Ameri
can,deputies for the interesting addresses they had
delivered, and in doing so he stated that if the voices
of the Churches in Britain and America were lis
tened to, instead of only a section Of the press,
which he held did not represent the feeling of the
countries, the only feeling existing between the two
countries would be one of the most affectionate con
'fidence and regard. (Applause.)
GETTYSBURG NATIONAL ORPHANS' HOME
STEAD.
Many of our readers are among the friends
of this Institution. Perhaps some of them
need to be informed that it is not identical
with the Gettysburg Asylum for Soldiers
and Sailors, an organization incorporated
by our last Legislature, and which claims
authority, from the act of incorporation, to
carry on the lottery business, as the chief
means of filling its Treasury. The Orphans'
Homestead has nothing whatever to do with
this concern. It depends not upon fairs,
gift enterprises or lottery schemes, but upon
contributions which haire been steadily paid
into its treasury by the Christian people and
Sabbath schools of every part of the country.
It has been in successful operation since last
fall; it has fifty children, as many as its
present accOmmodations will admit, gath
ered from Pennsylvania., New York, Illinois,
Michigan, Sic.; its buildings and grounds,—
four acres directly adjacent to the National
Cemetery,—are paid for within a few hun
dyed dollars, and the instruction and influ
ences under which the children are placed
are such as to make the Homestead equal to
Genesee Evangelist., No. 1100.
any institution of the kind in the State or
country. The peculiarities of the institution
are in part, as follows:
1. It is National. Children from all parts
of the country are admitted. This is an im
po4ant fact, as very few of the States have
asylums for the orphan children of their
fallen soldiers.
2. It is not under State control, but is in the
hands of religions men. Bishop Simpson is
President; Dr. Newton is Chairman of the.
Executive Committee; Peter B. Simons, Esq.,
President of the Y.M:C.A. of this city, is
Treasurer; Gen. Meade is one of the Vice
Presidents. The religious interests of the
children are carefully regarded.
3. Its plan of operations puts it in direct
connection with the Sabbath schools of the
country. The contribution of any sum from
825. and upwards, gives a Sabbath school
the right of nomination of a soldier's orphan
for, admission. When admitted, the officers
of the school may become joint guardians,
with the Homestead of the orphan. Some
of the schools take a lively interest in their
wards, and the relation is mutually gratify
ing and profitable.
The main want of the Institution, at pre
sent, is a larger building. Nearly half the
amount needed for that purpose is in hand.
When sufficient means are secured, it is pro
posed to erect on the brow of the famous
Cemetery Hill, a monument, not to fortune
with her wheel, not to odd numbers and to
luck, not to the willingness of the American
people to be duped in the holy name of
Charity, but a monument of gratitude from
true American and Christian hearts, to the
men, who, under the blessing of God, held
that hill and saved that critical day at the
cost of their lives, and to all the men of our
armies, who fell .in the glorious struggle for
national life and liberty.
Who will help speedily in this work?
- Txs N. Y. INDEreNnExT, being considera
bly out at the elbows as to orthodoxy, even
in the view of such liberal persons as Con
gregationalists, is trying to mend matters
by assuming a chivalrous attitude among
the denominations. That very meek and
feeble body of Christians, the Episcopalians,
having been rudely assaulted by a certain
ogre, in. the shape of a New School Presby
terian Professor, this knight-errant of the
Independent, has undertaken to right a wrong
so monstrous and so nearly irreparable. The
leading editorial last week, a column and a
half long, is devoted to
.weak and noisy
generalities on Dr. Hopkins' trenchant
phrase : "An Imbecile Pulpit."
We have never felt like defending Dr.'ll.,
very warmly in the use of the phrase, but.
we are quite sure our Episcopal brethren
are abundantly able to take care of them
selves, and until they show signs of, being
badly hurt we shall not undertake any vin
dication of the Presbyterian. ogre. We
have - evidence, in the following extract from
the Protestant Churchman, that some of their
most sensible men are inclined to justify
the strong language of the Professor. The
New York correspondent of the Churchman
after describing the inanities with which
Ritualist papers interlard their Church Intel
ligence says :
Such wishy-washy stuff is an insult to
the intellectual character of our age. It
stultifies our Church before a community
which laugh at such childishness. How
can one blame the Reverend Moderator
of the Presbyterian Assembly for speak
ing of "the imbecile ministry of the Epis
copal Church," when Doctors of Divinity,
and Deacons, with no higher hope, spend
all their time in the preparation and publi
cation of such ridiculous contributions as
these ?
GRAND DEMONSTRATION IN SUPPORT OF
THE SUNDAY TEMPERANCE LAW. - The
friends of Temperance and of the Sabbath
are invited to join in Mass Meeting on Fri
day evening, June 21st, at the new Horti
cultural Hall, Broad above Spruce Streets to
demonstrate their purpose to sustain the
authorities of our. City in enforcing the pro
visions of the excellent Sunday Liquor Law.
Hon. Wm. A. Porter will preside, and ad
dresses will be delivered by Gen. S. F. Cary,
Judge F. Carroll Brewster, Thomas Potter
Esq., Rev. A. A. Willitts D. D. and others.
Tickets may be had gratuously at Ashmead's
Book Store, 724 Chesnut Street.
There is only so much - worth in what we
do, as there is of heart; in it.