She freslitewai ISTew Series, Vol. "V, 3STo. 21. $3 00 By Hail. 33 50 By Carrier. V 50cts Additional after three Months. J THURSDAY, MAY 2i, 1868. LETTERS ON REBNION.—Y. [We take pleasure •’ ifi ! according to the concluding letter of this seriesthe leading place in our issue for this week, 9a account of thq calmly luminous scanner in which it presents our own thoughts subject. We need scarcely say to out feeders thatthese,letters are from one minds in our Church, well known as pastor' in the North west. The prospectof hear ing farther from the Batoe soutoewilM)e ! gratify* ing to our readers.] *' , w ;' f . Mb> 11 ditqr:—l mqst hasjflii, to spy, in,a, few words, what I have to adij, resp|ating :tbe MBi CSSS ARY CONDITIONS of* considering the differences art lelieVed to exist, and the relations of the parties, td each qther.. ' 1; It ia absurd tosirppose.that ,a mere organic union wonld blot out the differing convictions of men oti both! sides who hive feirtfestfy studied the questions at isSffl dll teerf llvei, *6 thht there wodld be “no,pi.9re. K pld-gehopl and Sohqo}.'’ differtwes TMW one’ Church in: fortn add organisation:; ■: stofl they Will be tdatked nOd distiflct foV it feabt 'A genera tion to conie, whater , er' 'tkke place.' ! 2. If reunion Is to he effeotea,,either (1.) ,'The New School must go over to the OJd, or (2.) The parties must oome together; on a * basis broad enough to allow New and Old SdhobTinen to en joy and propagate their own opinions side, by side as equals; or (3.)- The two bodies must unite without any clear understanding of the grounds of re-union, and “ trust each other,” for the consequences. Of course, the first mode is out of the question. The third course would be a venture in the dark, which there is scarcely folly enough on either side to make. A fade be tween two parties in the united churchy fob a nu merical ascendency in the construction of- equivo cal terms, and for the rule.,of the whole body, would he attended with evils .that would disgrace our common Christianity, besides working the ruin of Presbyterianism in this country. The second course remains, as the - only one that can afford any promise of harmony and prac tical co-operation. This must be evident to all considerate friends of re-union. But, how, the question is, What is essentialih order to bring about a union on the generous basis that has been indicated, in such a manner that it will be likely to prove isatisfactory and enduring ? This question must be answered in the light of three great facts. (1.) The Old School party will have a large majority in the united church. (2.) In all churches having extended confessions, liturgies, or constitutions,, the letter-men, or the high ohuroh party,,have, the ! advantage of the men of progress, who; go rather for the spirit than the letter. This is seen alike in the Luth eran, Episoopal and. Presbyterian Churches. It is easy to insist upon the mere words of a symbol or form of service, or plan, of government, and oast suspicion upon every man that adheres more closely to Scripture, than to ,the “standards” whioh men have set up... (3.) The New School body are not only the weaker, but also the ac cused party. We must therefore at the host enter into the union, already partially under suspi cion. For these reasons, we need and must hare clear definition* of the grounds on which the union is to be consummated. This ought to desired on all hands. For it would be most disastrous to go into ah union 6n terms that were construed dif ferently by the two sides, and the final construc tion of whioh must depend upon the question, whioh should prove the stronger party in the ohurch. Already we heat,it claimed,on one side that the more liberal party will have the majority and will be able to give their own construction to disputed terms ; while on the other side it is claimed that the majority will be with the more stringent pltty. Now'unless on leading points at least, suoh as thd doctrinal basis, the terms are understood essentially fllike by all parties, an union will only bh the opening of a thirty years’ war. Let us not patch up & hollow union. Let there be a clear,’undoubted understanding of the terms, On both Sides, as preliminary to.union, whether it takes two or ten years to effect it. In time we shall come to it, if we only have patience. The points, as it seems to many, on whioh we need to have explicit, unequivocal terms, are (1.) The dootrinal basis; which ought to be .Understood to provide for the full and free'allowance of all the theological views that are well ~ known and publicly recognized as allowable in each branch of the church. Without this, union will he no th ing but the “ absorption " of tlw smaller body by the larger (2.) The status, in the united church, of JiM the. ministers and churches now in both .cou nections, should remain unchanged, includ ing full liberty to. ministers now in good standing, to • pass from one Presbytery' 40 another as freely as. heretofore; So lion®■ 3 asf they shall commit nO offense, toimpafr their<standing ; and embracing tHd tight of thO i "“'mixbtl ches”to enjoy all the privileges'guaranteed'to them by the conditions on which tjhgy were- or ganized. •: As miich as this must be embraced in an union “on equali terms/’ And if eithef party ttsfii« nnftfe %f *sls? ar&toto sepa»lii<«ir,!.fjfj the light of; examipijig ,and>,,re T jbctuig'mitristera ho.fr in good «tanding;jon their hhe ,J Pi?esbyteryl to * another ;'-is • dote the' terms','ih’wiU.bd hpbedly: exercised i%a mjiqnpr tjifttj; will the., ojjl idoctijinpl controversy from one end of tbe lanj} t [jjp o( fji l e other. ; f It wfAildt'/rtotbe demanded\ f& ascbndition of union/thairthe right’ of examinhtibh ®h'dfitd f) be exjiressiy, conceded in tTie terms, if design'tqsssert s jp]in practice. The utmost ,thal can be safely igfanted on this point,- is to leave <‘ the 1 qudsbibtt hif where •it 'was ifie* fote thdiicHtdoyeriw hi'o'se' b'etwferi ihe~twb :) SehQdte thrms/toi iu ‘ :■ in-ir csimdi , ;K /• ufw «i tiMOxit ’."(di) The way sSh«hld4d ileft fliliy ''bjbem.'fer the ogy both in the seminaries pf 'thp church/arid ih the. doctrin.pl publications of. chprch,,so far .as any ecclesiasticalrestrictions are concerned; and no invidious distinctions Should -lb* made" be tween the Seminaries fiow conhCcted with tlie This is evident if we are to unite “ tpnqp/,’ , •/ ] , uv , (4.) To adapt theforganiza'tioii of .thh; to 'the altered condition' afld to ifiviiid | conflicts 09 points of. .difference po of-. juSusiitqries,j t|eperal Assembly, it should, bo.vunderstopd that opjggditjas practicable, 1 the constitution willbeso modified as to provide' ftu* church, somewhdt analogous to the distribution of powera and functions'under the sys tem of our state and general governments. I only express a growing- and deep conviction of; many thinking minds, when I say, that unless some such readjustment of our, ecclesiastical system as this, is effected,, we,shall never haye per manent union, peace . and; prosperity as; a great and >wide-spread division: of the Lord’s army in i this free and brbad‘country; ; In asking for weil;defined' and liberal terms of re-union, we do not, overlook ‘the necessity of “ mutual confidence,” to make any compact of real, practical value.. But we do hold that it must be fully understood what (Tie tio'oparties'afe willing to do in relation to the points of known difference, to,make the necessary‘.‘mutual confi dence ” possible. If the terms are so drawn up as to provid o, clearly and unequivocally , for the liberty and security which we demand, and our Old School brethren publicly agree to accept them, we shall have no doubt % that ,as men they will their engagements. But we are not willing that either party should -act,-in a case involving such interests, under a misappre hension; or that termsTsKould be agreed upon which are- known to be cOnsir uedun different and opposite ways by large pbirtions of the two chur- ‘ ches. " I shall defer the* discussion as 1 hi 'the extent to which the necessary conditions of real union are ! met by the terms that have'been 1 agr'eed Uponby the Joint Committee, untiUfhe repo’rt of Mai; Cbm-; mittee shall have been presented tb the* General, Assemblies. * ’ 1 Rbax, Uniosj. WELCOME TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. The General Assembly meets to-day qnce more; within the bounds of our State, and Synod. Five years ago, it sat in the First, church, 'Philadel phia, and those who remember the happy im pression made'by that meeting are prepared ho give thje r body a double welcome to our . churches. In 1863,, it will be remembered, foripal inter-, course with the other branch was begun, and .the admirable ! spMt and ability which, imakked "Me, first series of addresses and replies will not' easily be forgotten. At that session, top, .which .pre ceded, by two months only, the most critical pe riod of out country's? whole histoyy; while Grant' was preparing to invest Vicksburg and Lee ar ranging his advance' upon Pennsylvania, the As sembly was providentially led to declare itself, in the most unqualified terms, for. the support, not only of the country in some vague phrase', but of tbe administration, specifically.," as faithfully, maintaining thb cause of the country,'ind asF de serving the/hearty snpport of every, patriot and every Christian. Then it was, too, that the As sembly/stimulated by the able report? of . Dri Be- PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, MAY 21, 1868. nmu, sdaeisftngaged in : work of Publica tionyandl lif ■ed iAie'fcatJse - froin 'its - - embarrassed and dubious condition hitherto. Anebdowment 6f jfsp,obo was secured as tbe result of tjat ac tion, and,the career of rapid development in pros perity >and usefulness Committee dates frorri that action. ! ■ '■ 'in'lUct, almost the entire absolute growth of the, ’Church, i dates' from that /Only fire-year-old Assembly-The report of the,Bresbyterigj fpr 18fiB>fehowed that the entire numbopof our ihem- Bfef'ship wasdessl than•i&6?ooo}br nearly tell thou: ‘lWs'^fc'ih' 1 iff tiie yeaf i ' , fii£6. i Previous tb ityf.! inini. i. ;>>.» -.iMvi!.;! 18j6|j !: anj, gains , which were permanent, or upon which there grew a per* cenfagd>tff> newigaius. > i After' the docessiontf ire pbrtdlpih ’4& and ' , 46^ ; ouir imM: bSr^ifedione 'hubcfreii thousand ijti'tili'e beginhitij' f«a -labCM , ■: j ioit-PoiToP hMP ° nr Church seemed more like an anvil than a liying, eipahdihg brganisiiiij’not growiihgj ’but not refiro gthdingf ' fAlnl' attrition, "b‘ut Roving itself of,' sterner'btuff and ;qet]ier millstones, whjchsptqei thought ibiWouldgraduallydisappear.d.Oteithe; contrary, ibi thA fdur years ending > \hith ‘ they Assembly at Boohester dhsi^year,- thb total or membership 1 had woJTsiy ihiifiT H, !•!.!•. X- ndi »i «/'U AVI , increased nearly twenty-six thousand, and m,al <i St Deneoda a .uiedi t: .ijmeis v.’-ii ’ie^brte®;during the past Whs oybr one oP 1 dollies, or •WF^iWa^bM?; er . | v ,iii i rP*tsiotism,.Ga!thplieity, a regard ffdr the moral: aspectstdf fedcnlar affairs; ifor OhrisfYn • H ib’vphole’ ChiirohI,’ 1 ,’ ibid sphfcial relations and duties’ih tlwtCliiiii’cii j'-p-fhese traits .which ifiay be.viewed as setforK substantially,lay jjeter in,his godliness,‘ybrijtb.erlyrkmdness,' ®ffd-“ ehirity j -’? and'Which are wogether ftie Yul IS&j and,’ lbve ‘io ohrselves : Ju‘aJffijwbicii > mu^ t be- i long to the life.ofeyery.hru^Cmrch,.and which, as they are effectivelyandhamonibuslyeetfoTth, ■ ‘are'a;j4Bti ineaauremf its pnjSMiniy—"were l neVer. tlfe ’tfets spirit oif nny General Assembly.,of our Qhureh than in that of 1863.} Let us accept , the omen., Let us be * true to the spirit of our Church, which has ever aimed at realizing these three ideas, and which has bben bohspicuous among the. Churches of fqr its fidelity to them all. Let us aim to hold none at the .expense of the others, and, as a prac tical corollary, let us sde to it that ho- interest of the dcffoihination suffers, and no scheme of progress! is' arrested while ,*jfer' Re- 1 union, which may or may not succeed; are pend- n SOCIAL PLEASURES OF CHRISTIANS. It is a pity the social. pleasures of Christiahs caqnot be regulated bj' a Clirbitian common sense. Such a pommon sense would indicate a reasonable (concern for our physical and not to shy moral natures; and would; deny the name social pleasure ito the, excesses in. these are sacrificed. It ,is no part of Christianity to interdict any real enjoyment.. Its province is to regulate, to elevate, and so, to enhance onr pleasures; to keep, them from bepoming a 1 mer,e folly'and delusion, aAnare to our souls and a.by path out. of the narrow yray into the broad' read of utter contormity to the world; 1 J No : people have a bettor right ’to a happy social evening Man Christians. Thpy may justly regard it a pMt,of their Chr.ikt.ian , calling to cultivate among themselves, and > their /friends the /social propensities. They may well regard it an evil omen when'the whole control of the festivities ‘6f society is allowed to fall into, world! -•— . T--•• lTr . i ,-t. ' vT .Jy,.bauds. When their circumstances they should gi,ye and go-to parties." Butthey should eherish and inculcate a Christian manliness; an'independence of th,e world’s ways ( in all. They should feel that there is a Christian type of amusements which it is their business to discover and to endeavor to establish in the commnnity. , ~ We ask Christian people and-those who admit the value of Christian prudence to consider and revise,their social habits... While vce admonish them against sinking into an unsocial, over-re tired, hhif-oyh'iO mode of life, we also warn them, against pernicious conforihity to the world and its social excesses. There are enough Christian • famUies -in good society to make an effective-stand against these excesses. Let there be some mu tual understanding that the had hours, and worse practices of mere “pleasure-lovers shall not be slavishly aped, but shall ho discountenanced and frowned down in their sooial assemblies, and that methods more truly Christian, but not a whit less ’entertaining shall be'pursued. Let a set of stand ing rides be laid down, like the follow ing: > ;■■■■ •t ! 1. Cards'of- invitation to State- distinctly the ‘V ..t I,V MTP 7 .-'l - horns; within which guests will be entertained— say froin-} past 8 'to 11 o’clock—(just as long as from } past nine to twelve) and as the “ refresh ments,*’ we are sorry to say, form so large a part of buy .entertainments, put them before the com ,pany punctually,atteu. o’cloqk. We nepd not say to the public for whom: we are writing: ex clude conscientiously from your tables all that can urtoixicate. Let ii be hnderbtood that to stay‘be yopd the hour named is a violation of propriety. i (‘2. Waltzing and the kindred kinds of dancing to b ; e forbidden. Tt is certainly surprising that such a rale should be needed in tbe social as |embli|BS 'of'Christian people .who desire to culti vate p.ure-mindedness among their children. Yet such is, the fact, aud the rule eannot .be adopted too soonjbr. enfoseedi too carefully. We see no in the simpler sorts of this amusement. 3.‘ u other and better •'and''mbre intellectual provided, A or .elocutionist would, delight any,egmpadj;:at:intervals, for-,an: hour, by recit ingfine Jpassages from standardor, recent /writers, iri character: en tertaining Raines an 9 deyiebs should' be in troduced; fla yril? be recognized, as a public benefabtor, who devises; some successful means of kbe jtf tig a eompany in social rapport besides danc ing bating, and tbe displaying of dry goods, which in the absence of high conversational powers have become the monotonous evening parties in America; ; ■..! •We make these suggestions in the Bpirit of in quiry: Perhaps some of our fair'readers may be djalp acquaint ns efforjts of'' tjhe. kind al-: rea,4y injprqgresSj.or, wil| giye,ns ajhetter.idea of 1 the.< difficulties in the wayi > We should be glad do'hear'from them, i - . : : f r st-dm i ■: .ill; ; A SbETOUS QUESTION Oi’ Veracity has arisen’hetween the eorresjob dent of The Preshy te^an^ signing himself Old j School well known to be jjßev; Br. Charles Hodge, of Princeton—and ;the Old School portion of the . Joint Committee. As wff publish “ 014School’B w ; article ‘entire on an inside page, we freely ad mit . the follo wing correspondence, though -we think its first, appearance should, properly be in the paper in which the obnoxious statement first appealed-; ‘ * Philadelphia, May 16, 1868. . Rev,. rl>a, Mears—Dear .‘—Peeling a; deep interest in ‘the proposed union of the'two brabches of the Presbyterian Church (0. S. and N. S.), and sincerely desiring that 'all obstacle’s, •to a.proper and .permanent union may be remov ed,si .take, pleasure in furnishing for publication, the acco mpa nyi ng copy, of a letter received: from an esteemed member (0, S.) of the Joint Com mittee on Union. It •’will explain itself, and I trust w.ill do, good; By inserting it entire, and if possible, with it also the article referred to in the Presbytery in the next issue of your valuable paper, you will confer a-fayor on many of your readers, and especially op. ; ; Yours Truly, S. W; Crittenden. Camden, May 13th, 1868. Rev.; S. W. Chittenden — Rev. and Dear Sir :—I thank you for‘calling my attention to an article that appeared originally in the “ Pres byterian ” of vo.ur city and has been copied into other papers, relative-to a Resolution' said to have been adopted by the 0. S. portion of the Joint Committee on reunion at their recent meeting. , " Allow me to ‘call your attention to a correction of that article in the Cincinnati Presbyter ’’ of May‘6th. Dr. Monfort, editor of the “ Pres byter,” is a member of the Joint Committee, was present at the ,“ separate meetings ” of the 0. S. Committee and beyond question his correction is right. ‘No such “ resolution ” as that referred to irit the article in question was Over adopted. ’ The records of the jO.’S. Committee are in my pos sessipn, and not only is np such resolution to be found,'but there is no foundation whatever . for the’ allfegation made in reference to our branch of: the Joint Committee. If you think this state ment will correct misunderstanding and remove suspicion, you are .at libejty.Jo use it for that purpose in any way you please. Yours Truly, j”1 V. D; Reed, Sec’y. of O.S. Com. The paragraph in the Presbyter, above referred to, ‘ is as follows : “ .There was no vote in any- ‘ separate meeting’ of.the ‘Old School members’, of the Committee' as to,,consenting to ‘ terms of union which should bind th,e .United Church to tbe latitude of inter preting, the Confession, which, the New School had, hitherto allowed;’ There was no reference to ‘ the latitude which the New School had hith erto enjoyed.’ ” , : , . 7 Readers are referred to the paragraph marked 4, near the head of the third column, on the second page of this paper, as containing the state ments aimed at in Dr. Reed’s and Dr; Monfort’s denials. Whether the allegation of “Old Sehool” is an utter fabrication, or no, it is not to be supposed that either Dr. HoJge or the Joint Committee wjll leave the matter rest here, One or, the other of the distinguished parties m placed in. a very questionable position hy the, correspondence; If Genesee Evangelist. ISTo. 1148. 1 Ministers $2.50 H. fflfia. $2.00. I Address:—l334 Chestnut Street. it is a misconception, it is one of the most mon strous on record. If such dense fogs arise at the rery opening of the reunion negotiations, what is the promise for the future ? Rev. Dr. Wm.L. Breckinridge has been en lightening Transylvania Presbytery upon' the character of the, American Presbyterian, in such -terms that to that remote body our existence must be a most portentous and direful pheno menon. As the Dr.’s information is not direct, but reaches him only through the haze of the prejudices and fancies of partizan observers, the impression jhe ,makes in .using his information is neccessan'ly distorted as well, as exaggerated. There are,'consequently, severstl downright un truths in, the assertions made in Dr. Breckin- ridge’s .remarks,..not intentional on his part, but the result .of .allowing himself to be led by these sources, which' he bo mistakenly thanks for ;their vigila’nce. ' (1 ) We never complained of thb mere writing or publishing of Prof Hodge's yiewi of, the Atonement. Our hharge was, that .tjie issue iof a book; containing,: wholesale - Charge of heresy against leading New School men by name', and claiming to be conclusive authority oh mooted points between the two Schools, Ay <Ae of ficial dttdf the Church while friendly negotiations were pendi/ig, was a breach of the truce. : (2.) We never,, said thatthe Princeton theology was to be swept; from the. Church by the Reunion mover ment, but JExclu&ioeism. Exelusiveism is not a theology, but a spirit or mode of bolding a theo logy. The readiness witb which our Princeton QrTtics r p’ppfounded ,the two terms is significant. But, it .was .exclusively.tfieiw work, not ours. Wo -do i believe .'that Re-uniony if successful, will be the death'* of all claims to' exclusive' authority, which any existing type of Calvinistic theology might he disposed, to set up. (3.) We can never admire or- approve of Dr. Hodge’s view of the atonement. But' the strong language which we used agaibst it would not have been elicited by the modest avowal of the views as personal -to the author. It wasasonly.promulgod by authority anji .announced as a. finality that they stirred and con tinue. to stir our indignation. • -,j . i IMPORTANT, INSTALLATIONS. The. Third Presbytery of this city is engaged in the agreeable work of reestablishing pastoral relations in some of the most important of its fields in' this city. On Thursday May 14th, Rev. Peter Stryker, D.D., was installed as pastor of North Broad Street Church, - Rev. Dr. Wiswell presided and put the Constitutional questions. Rev. H. B. Stryker'of the church of the Hugue nots, Staton Island, father of the pastor, preached the sermon, upon Christ’s commission and promise to his ministers, —a sermon lull of Gospel simplicity and unction, well befittingji,patriarch in the service. Dr. March, eloquent and brief charge to the pastor, requiring of him the especial exercise, of faith, hope'andclmn(^; ( and Dr. Adams gave a charge to the’,pebj>||,which overflowed with" the pathos, the richness oT'im- 1 agination, the’affluence 'of style and the Ireek bright thoughts, so characteristic of the maq: We have the manuscript for early publication. The usual hearty greqtihg»twas extended .to the pastor at the close, a large v|fart gation lingering behind aud r slitting hand. ■ ' » ’ Calvary Church received its new pastor, Z. M. Humphrey, D.D. at the hands of the same Presbytery on Monday; May 18th. Rev. J. .G. Butler, D.D. presided, and proposed the qngto tions, prayer was offered by Rev. John Hears, D.D., the sermon, an 'earnest, grapHe; trenchant presentation of the main elements of the preacher’s power, of the hindrances to his suc cess and his encouragement in the Holy Ghost, was preached by Rev. E. P. Humphrey D.D. of Louisville, brother of the pastor; the charge to the pastor, from Dr. March, presented in an. im pressive manner the peculiar responsibilities and opportunities opening before the pastor in his new field; and. the charge to the people was from Al bert Barnes, who in a few weighty sentences re ferred to the past history of the church, the ob jects;of> its founders, many of whom he-touch ingly mentioned as bavmg passed away; and to the high expectations entertained of its future, as a mother of churches. The services in both instances were largely at tended, and everything promises well for the fu ture of these charges, under their competent and worthy pastors, whom we heartily welcome to the growing circle of the ministry in our eity. We shake in the grief, surprise and mortifi cation, of ninetenths of the loyal people at the failure thus far of the attempt to remove And' Johnson. But as the end is not yet,,.’ 7 ' to delay anything we might wish .t 7 ' subject.. \
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers