gmmxati |tolnstmait. THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 1868, fflgf On page second the proceedings in the Assembly (conclusion of Saturday and nearly the whole of Monday ) will be found. On page third, correspondence —a letter from the Rev. A. M. Stewart—and Editor's Table. On fourth page , “ The Family CircleOn page seventh, the speeches of Drs. Fisher and Darling in the Assembly of the other branch, with Moderator Musgrave's reply to the latter. GENERAL ASSEMBLY. [Continued from inside.] 1 a ided and alone. He wished to show why it was, that Syria was so especially a chosen place for mis sionary work. He therefore traced the progress of Mohammedanism from.Meeca outward. One hundred and fifty millions, stretching over one hundred and twenty degrees of longitude, are now of this reli gion. BurtOn arfd Burkhardt only have entered Mecda. Turkey, Northern' India, (Hiiina, Northern Africa all have their vernacular and read the Koran in'Arabic. There is no possibility of a mis sionary living in such places. In Syria it is different. All religions are mingled there. This is the base, the strategic point.; Dr. Van Dyke and Dr. Smith gave the Bible to the Mohammedans in the pure, classic, voweled Arabic. The vowel points are essen tial to a sacred book. The Koran has every vowel and so the Bible must have. In Beirut Dr. Van Dykfe and a Mufti are at work on the Old Testament and the New is issued. From Gaza and Antioch this version has gone—up the valley ot the Nile— lrofn Liberia into the interior of Africa—down, the Bed Sea to the port of Mecca. This last is said to be the landing place of Eve, when the first pair fell from Paradise. Adam struck Jjn Ceylon, and when be set out to seek her, wherever lie put, liis ' foot a city grew up. Djebel Arafat is mountaik wh4r6 Eve saw and “recognized” (arafat) Adam. Dr. Eli Smith never dreamed that this version-of the Bible would go so. soon through 1,20 decrees of longitude. Christian churches are also planted. ’The mission aries had met corrupt oriental and naminal Chris tians— Maroniles and Greeks —who were image worshippers. So they had to overthrow the doctrines of these sects from the start and now point to.the result, and the Mohammedans now may by law be proselyted and not be put to death as formerly. One tiring remains tm-be gained. Errbrs of statementare made against us and we can not publish against them the truth as yet. But we may soon. The Bible however is sacred to Moham medans and that can be used. They stood commit ted to give a literature to., all the hundred millions who speak and a hundred and fifty millions who read the Arabic, Who is to prepare commentaries on the finished Bible ? who is to teach the students? Dr. Van Dyke is feeble from over-work. Dr. Cal houn is old and their only theological teacher. So some have to give up;—those who can belittle spared are com pel led to surrender their posts in order to teach.’ Theispeaker has been to Audoveiy Auburn, Union, Princeton and other seminaries, and had begged for men. Princeton would send six men to China and he blessed God for it. Only one or two in Union—not one in Auburn and the same in the other Seminaries—were ready to,go. What is to be done ? This is an extremity. They’ don’t want mis sionaries for pastors of native churches. Such was not Paul’s work. He went about establishing churches here and there, and fitting out men to take care of themselves. The people are poor. They may not have much. One-tenth to government ano one-jialf tp the Sheikhs left only a little. But ten ; families give a tenth each and that will support a, native pastor. The great object is to set native churches upon.their feet. Some might ask “we.have. been 'so long connected with the American Board, and what have we as a denomination to show for it?” He thought, fully as much as Paul. Send a missionary ta preach year after year to a native church and you'll palsy it. Presbytery-forming is; therefore no good. There would be too much eccle siasticisin about it—complicated questions which make America to overshadow and crush out the mative self-respect. One of the U. P. brethren told him in Egypt that their Presbytery of Egypt didn’t work. A native pastpr connected with that Pres bytery oame down from the Upper Nile. How was he to be made to comprehend foreign relations? Wait until they could do it by and among natives. For twelve years .the A. B. C F. M. has left the na tive Christians in Syria alone aboutdenominational matters. He bore testi siony to the fidelity, Chris tian courtesy and manliness, the thoughtfulness and care of the Prudential Committee in Boston. Every Tuesday lawyers and business men gave up their time,.and he.here thanked them .publicly for the work of the last twelve years. ( Applause.) He wanted to see in the Re-union all Presbyterians unite. He liad’nt dared to tell the Arabs how sep arate they were. He and a Greek poet and an Arab Sheikh had made a version of the one hundred and fifty psalms. The U. P. men sang them at home but couldn’t sing hymns at Beirut. These men were afraid of their home constituency. Aftd he couldn’t tell the Arabs the difference between them, and didn’t dare. They could understand how Greek patriarchs could quarrel about the angles in a hexagonal or octagonal sacred cap—but they couldn’t understand the distinctions between psalms and hymns. These matters must be settled at home. (Applause.) He was confident that there were men from this very Assembly who should go. He seemed to In ar Dr. Van Dyke and Dr. Calhoun and the rest calling from the other side to them to come. There's i call, here to-night To the new graduates of theological seminaries. He did not dare to go across and tell his brethren to retreat. There are not men enough here it appears for the little church of Montclair, N. J., where lie learned they had heard only fifty candidates, and all Syria only asks for three men. [Dr. Jessup pleaded as your reporter has seldom heard a man speak.] He acknowledged that many are held at home by chains not to be broken—but there are many still ■ who should be ready to go and enter in at the great -postern of ; the Mohammedan Church. He spoke of the effect upon a Greek Sheikh, when he saw the ] rioting office, where 1800 leaden types are used on an Arabic page) and all the other won ders of the mission. “ All of us” Buid that priest Job “ must be swept away, Copts and Maron ites and all; but this gospel of Jesus Christ will re- uiaiu.” Oil a great Mohammedan mosque there id an in scription in Greek characters, which reads, ‘‘Thy kingdom, 0 Christ, is forever and ever.” That is on all the mosques; written by the finger of God, and visible or invisible it shall be fulfilled. 1 ’Dr, Adorns remembered that on oue occasion he. Sad heard it said, that all that was needed was ‘‘ a few flashes of Bilence.” He desired to play the part of..a hyphen between his friend Mr. Jessup and hiß friend Mr. Dodge. (liaughter and applause.) Mr. Dodge spoke of,his love and.re'gard for Dr. Jessup, and his knowledge of how deep was that man’s reefing on the subject, liis own son was there and with him his wire, a daughter of one or the wealthier’families in New York. The father of that daughter, had once refused to give money, because he objected to hiß daughter’s exile, But he had been there: personally, and.had jseen the ground—the rapjd growth of Beirut, and he gave THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 1868. his check for $5OOO to buy a permanent place for the seminary. Land there is cheap. Beirut—eigh teen days away from here—is a city of 80,000 peo ple, with European society, and to this where all things are started and forty students are in prepar ation, Dr. Jessup calls for men to go. Shall he return alone? The meeting closed with the last two verses of that grand old missionary hymn which is Bishop Heber’s legacy to the Church, and the benedic tion by Dr. Cox. Tuesday Morning-, May 86. The General Assembly convened at half-past eight o’clock. .This being the morning set apart by both Assemblies for prayer for Divine guidance in the dis cussion and determination of the question of re- union, Dr. Steams, the Moderator, said: The business in which we are to be engaged to-day is far-reaching. It will affect vitally the interests of the'Church' for many generations, and through the Church it will affect vitally the interests of this poor dying world. Oh, who can tell what depends upon the transactions of this day, in both Assemblies, here and there ? How much do we need the guidance of , the Holy Spirit that the things of Christwshould be shown to us in this matter ? Good old George Herbert, in his qaint way, has compared prayer to a triangle-, the base, of which was on earth ana the apex in Heaven. No odds where the prayers .originated, at widely di verg ing points, they all ascend* to the'same'th'rone kbbve) So, now, we, and pur,brethren, though far apart on the surface of this lower world, may sfend‘ up*our prayers jo meet in the same same : throne of God. Let us look upon this hour,'breth ren, as devoted to earnest business. A good old missionary, when ashed "What is prayer?” said: First, to knpw your errand at the Throne of Grace; Second, to do it., This is the function-we are to per form here this morning. , Let all the prayers be short and pertinent. ' Let every man .wnoit prays have something to say to God, say it and be done. Let him have something definite, and then leave room for another. The most interesting prayer-meeting I ever attended was at Lyons, France., Only fifteen minutes were allowed. None, repeated what' the other had said. This is a inodel we should follow on such occasions as this. The meeting will be perfectly open. The exercises should be spontaneous. The brethren free tog&Sk, or lead in prayer, bft fiing tip sohgiaf,praise, vf J The Assembly then engaged in prayer, interspers ed with singing, and short addresses on the subject of Re-union. At half-past nine o’clock the Moderator called the Assembly to order, for .business. „ „„„ About ten entered the church, and was invited to the platform. As he as cended *.th,e,steps 'heTwas greeted with, qpplause. 'r ” j 1 ®r- H&urens- P.-Hickoh read the report-of the Special Committee on Re-union, that,being the or-: der for the day. It is as follows: ' ■ • : . ’ Special .Report on RexuniQnr The committee to whom was referred the report of the General Committee on-Re-union respectfully make their report; This report of the General Committee.,of this As r sembly contains the forms and recommendations for Re-union as the report of the Joint Committee of both Assemblies, and which ‘- terms and-recbnflnen dations” have manifestly been most carefully prepared, are clear in statement, comprehensive of the whole subject of Re-union, and present a plain and intelli gible basis on which the divided portions of'the Presbyterian Church in the United States may again stand together. the basis- is ’fpllpw 3 ,: The Scriptures of the Old and New Testamentthe Confession of Faith and system of, doctrine, and this to be received' in the Reformed or Calvihistic sense ; and the allowance of philosophical.views and explanatory ; statements in the Hinted Church 1 which? db"nbt l im- : pair the: integrity ofithfiCalvinistic system. To these particulars, as the., substance of—the. basis, other “ terms and recbmmendatibns”' afe^iven,■‘which may be considered as complementary to the former, and on this ground it is. proposed that the two bodies again become, permanently .one. To these "terms and recommendations” the re port of the General Committee of the Assembly ap- 1 pends as prefatory such historic and explanatory statements as may serve to convey to.othersithe facts and motives which proyed of such weight to them selves, and also, -as suplementary a yery .clear and full comment on the body of the'" recom mendations" contained in the Joint Committee’s re port. The General Committee of the other Assem bly append also indheir. report tp thatbod.y the same comments and statements to.these same joint “ terms and recommendations,” appended statements and'comments itCis understood ffaye been personally signed orassehted to‘‘by‘nearly ali the members"of the Joint Committee. This is deemed to be a very valuable and important part of the report which has been gilt into-our hands, cbnalitUtingLan*,official and authoritative exposition of the meaning of the terms and recommendations and which exposition is given; as clearly'ahd conclusively as language can bemused to explain language. It must preclude’ the practica bility of any judicial application of the “ terms and ■recommendatians” beyond the meaning here affixed to them by the authors themselves. Though not the covenant itself of re-uniou, it is. a direct official interpretation of it, and such that any attempt to override it would be repelled by all the force df Christian indignation throughout the religious world. While the basis of re-union given in the " terms and recommendations” may hopefully be expected to be found acceptable and even satisfactory to most of the members of both branches of the Church, it has already become manifest that it is not acceptable to all. Difficulties and objections of probably opposite bearings lyill be found 'in the different divisions of the Church, but is is of importance here to us'that we recognize only such - as it may be apprehended will be felt and urged in our own body, Among the most prominent will be doubtless found a measure,of hesitation and objections somewhat in the following form : “ Various methods of viewing, stating, explaining and illustrating" the'doctrines of the Confession of ; Faith are to be freely alkmed in the united Church as they have hitherto been allowed in the separate Churches, only they must not impair the integrity of : the Calvinistic system. And now who shall decide - whether these views do impair the integrity of this : system ? If there be a strenuous and rigid umpire such will doubtless be found intolerant of opinions and interpretations contrary to its own. A mind cautious and jealous of all encroachment on religious; liberty will doubt and, ih proportion to his fears, he will hesitate or object. , But is the danger here really formidable ? Admit that the majority of the ecclesiastical body must decide but in the way the members of our Presbyteries now will have their standing in the' united Church then, will they be. unsafe and exposed to oppression? Aside from the manifest liberality and confidence and love which there must be in the members of the op posite branch before three-quarters of its Presbyteries shall yote us together, there are three quite impreg nable safeguards. The man whose sentiments do not violate the Calvinistic system cannot be hurt. And if the fear still is, that in the opinion of the ju dicatory, the sentiment may be in violation of the integrity of the Calvinistic system and that the, opinion'of the judicatory must rule, the answer at once is,—not the judicatory on its own opinion, but the judicatory as convinced that the opposite branch of the Church has allowed or not allowed the, senti ment to be in consonance with the Calvinistic sys tem. If the man is not out of the pale of his'former: Church’s orthodoxy; he carihqt be in -daigef from any ecclesiastical court’s rigidity or bigotry. Danger from this Cannot be further pressed without direedy questioning the candor and honesty of the judicatory, and then we are beyond all Christian redress or re gulation. Another difficulty is with the churches that have their standing on the Plan of Union. They are to stand in the united body as they now stand in the New School body. They are, however, to be coun seled and expected to become thoroughly Presbyte rian. So far there is no apprehension of complaint. But they are to be counseled and expected to do this " as early within the period of five years as is per mitted by the highest interests to be consulted.” And in this there is fear of the inquiry: Why speci fy five years? The inference prompted by the fear is that such churches remaining after the five years' counseling are to be excluded. But such inference is wholly gratuitous. The “ five years” is put to give earnestness to the counsel and definiteness to the expectation. Counseled ,to become thoroughly, Presbyterian and expectation that it will be so at a period running beyond five years will be weakness; If this cannot be gained within that time, both coun-i sel and expectation may there' cease. This is as long as self-respect in th& iCounsellor will allow of his. working and waiting. But what if all this fails and some of those chur-; ches stand still on the old Plan, of Union ? The an swer is that though the"inViolable agreement Still allows them the same standing'in the united body, yet that no more such churches are-to be organized and these few will not greatly trouble nor will, they long continue to “ hang on the verge of thegovern-- merit” of the Presbyterian Church. [Laughter.] One other source of apprehended difficulty only, need now be mentioned. It is in the- express ed agreement* thit,the Presbyteries possess the right to examine ministers applying for admission from another Presbytery.., The position from which the objection cpmes is that the Presbyterian Church is a cdnfederatd r b6cly; find ! ttie confederacy is a unit, and membership in one' place with- fair paper.sof transfer, confers "the right of membership in all places in ! dotfbless the safe practice firidvp'rinciple- m all ordinary cfises., Hat ex tremities become often necessities. fiufipbse #| f&kq t|iis|dbei-ih| 'of ;jp#e* vidnl feAteinatiTon inSfcafefiioft lastf ixtrfeinitm or even ItoisuppKse lit toil ilfefdi aS very? cbitim'only.all low able, what of oppression is there? Let the examination 'befeWaramonW as rigid’aS it may, the judiciary. cau 'do-nothing.against the’ man who is still, within the pale, of orthofioxy, according to .the allowance, of the old* body,, with which he; is in sym pathy. - The united Church is to fellowship the or thodoxy of both the present Churches. - ! 1 * Considerations like these'induce your committee to the*conviction that if.'the “Terms and Recom mendations” are not all that one would wish, and even in some things are what one would wish they were thpfnipst they !aJte’'n'ot-open; to an for Jiarigerws Jise. K There f is J 3 Idhfence erected over which nothing but dishonesty can come to wbtk harifi. |Tfie bl&’sitfg.bflifaidnfso' accojn plishedfiieed not he feared ashf abdbl tS be cSuhter injuri4f 1 * -W -J 1 IlllT. But on- .the -otherrhand »yau» <£>mmitlee are con vinced th&t there 'is not only danger' of losing the possibility of re-union,-but of incurring very hazard ous and -perhaps ruinous: results, if the action be longer , delayed.. be -proposed, or Conditions aald nslw^fi-xprfination^’*be s 'v6te*d“by 'our ourselves, besides-the ;certain distrust and jealousy promoted, there will inevitfibly be the meeting of this by the contra-modifications, conditions ahd’eX planations, and we shall run at once into the temper and spirit of theological controversy. The heart of brotherly .unity, wi|l _be wounded, alienated and abandoned; hwipbthi sides/ | ' | t/ | Should 1 we d'etermin'e to postpone action’till ano ther [year many of thp churches yill potfielayr ; They will’come together desultorily find more or lfess'dis orderly. Othm-s |.will. seekj pther fcqppections, and disintegration wili.in vyide regions en sue. The qqnvictiori of the importance of re-union and the hone of its possession have been stricken; top deeply in the heart of the churches, to be no® check ed in,.safety., Even iyi,th much doubt of the, wisdom of sbme-of-the Terms 1 and RecPmmendatibns your committee,deem-it-best that the matter v ,go*down ( ,tp the Presbyteries for their decision.’ Divisions and alienations among onraelves'will be best precluded by letting the grand issue be at once decided. It is therefore, t • i;Y:JJ- V ‘j g That this’ jCommitte' recommend to Ifee General Assembly, the, adoption of* the proposjla terms'of gjyenj bn.:pages;B3q s |l|gof tlfe ifiport and alsp on. page ,14 withthe ac companying interpretations of the Joint-Committee and that the same be sent-down as tlie coverture ; to pur y ( - 1-' ..zj 1:;, \'i. All of whicli is respectfully, submitted. • • hi , , ' Laurens P. Hickok, Chairman.- ' The repoft was greeted with loud applause. Rev. Dr. Pidtiysdhj. of ’Chicago, rost[ to a question of order. Withofut 1 - regard 1 td-Hife- question which, yas now, before the ,Assembly, h‘e' ;had; ;felt; duripg the that the. demonstrations that had been so repeatedly made were not in accordance with the custom of jtihej-highestyudicatory pfethe Church. He would askMffit not 1 proper that the former usages be observed ?, , j Sr ; . . The Moderator said he had observed this diver gence from the custom'ary order, but had not re pressed it, x becauseit hficl never become excessive. ' Rev. Dr, Samuel W. Fisher, said he was in the other Assepibly last week, and there were no demon strations there. -The’subject- had-been discussed in silence and perfept- order. The demonstrations in this body had grated harshly upon his feelings. If one party was to be allowed to applaud, ths other should, on the same principle, be allowed to hiss. Then what a scene. there would be in this highest judicatory.of the Church !, He sincerely hoped, that due order and decorum would be observed.' Rev. Dr. Thomas H. Skinner, endorsed everything that the two gentlemfen -wbo had preceded him said, in such a meeting as this, held'in a consecrated place, such demonstrations were undoubtedly out of order. He hoped that gentleman would' abstain from all stamping of feet and clapping of hands. If these indecorous manifestations were allowed to go on, this building Would soon become like the church of, St. Chrysostom, at Constantinople. The Assem bly would come to that if they went on at the rate in which they were going on now. Delegates from the other Assembly. Rev. Dr. J. F. Tuttle moved to suspend the busi ness- before the Assembly for the purpose of hearing the delegates from the Old School Assembly. Dev. Dr. Nelson, objected, as he had a .-very strong desire to go on'with the consideration of the re port. He proposed that the delegates from the other Assembly should be heard after they should have more fully heard the expression of this Assem bly on the- question which interested both in com mon. If it suited their convenience, and made no material difference, he thought those gentlemen could be heard later in the day. , , The Moderator stated that a letter had been re ceived yesterday from- those gentlemen, asking that they might be heard in this place at that time. But the Assembly was, then so occupied that they had not had the opportunity to speak. It would be in convenient for them to remain here longer than until noon. Elder Ketchum urged that if the brethren were present they should he heard. Dr. Nelson, withdrew his objection, and the motion was agreed to. The Moderator introduced to the Assembly the Rev. Dr. Richardson, .from Newburyport, Mass., and Rx-Chancellor Greeri, : of New Jersey, the delegates from the 0. 8. General Assembly, . f . , _ Dr Riel&rdsoii said that those; civilities which were usually exchanged between the Churches, one with another, were prone to degenerate into mere formali ties, as empty as the apmpliments which pass from lip to lip in social life. V But that was not the case in this instance. He was here for the immediate pur pose of rendering hearty sympathy and co-operation. He knew how;persistently an army would fight so long as it could hear the booming of cannon from confederates in another, quarter; but as soon as tbat sound ceased, courage began to fail and the ranks to give way. While all their hopes of success rested ultimately upon Him above, they could; not free themselves from the feeling that they were strong, not only because the Lord of Hosts was with them, but because the hosts of the {Lord were with them j too. It was, not with barren compliments that they had come here to-day, They spoke to. this As sembly with .hearts animated by the spirit-of, true brotherhood. They brought to, this Assembly not merely the salutations of their brethren at-.Albapy;- but . their hearty, sympathy ip all their work . and welfare. They doubted not that this Assembly rejoiced in all that had been wrought for them. They hoped that this Assembly might , abound,, every good work; that it might multiply the fruitaof righteousness. They asked like prayers from, this Assembly, on their.behalf. It would not be becoming in'Him to anticipate the,action of this Assembly oij even influence it. They had, plpeady been united ( ih earnpst desire, and prayer to God. There were hot many present who, on looking at the past progress of the Church and the present position, of. the world, did not feel more, or less disheartened. ; So in looking at the future, .the hearfbwas full of, doubt and fear. It ; was not given to them, to see the, times and the seasons ,that Hpd was pleased to adopt for His pur poses. He waa able to fill this world with His glory before, the setting, of the isub.v.lt-might -be that through long.ages .the Church might struggle .along in its decline. , It .might be, that this seenunglylqijg postponement of universal salvation, .was but..syitfi serving His purpose. Hne -day, to,,Him 'was>as'a thousand years .and a thousand yearn as one day., Their faith .would revive just ]n,, proportion as .they, recognized that truth. But, les f he/jime be wheh'it might, their interest, their duty arid their privileges Fere no failure to act yrould keep back -that {glorious day of the world's 'redemption.' He did not think it could be denied the-t.-the sayingrtljat one was better than two, or three,''or four, or’’any other number, was as apg'lieabldcto thwOhurch as toyanything Division might perhaps'liave'been made necessary! But he believed that that necessityfar'ofciefenly out of the im.pgrfecJiqiL.qf faitii, and feeling., He did not be lieve, contrary it coulcTnot biitTbe displeasing to Him. He had'always regarded it as a’necessary evil rather than as a blessing. The effect had been to direct their efforts against, each .other instead pf against the enemiestofCttte Church. ‘There wasfno'thihg/iindeda; that could compensate for that grand, majestic advance, which would come if all were united. Division in jured. the . Church—so it looked to the world, and oftenfit-was true!’-' ft had: often Happened .that fliey were found fighting each, other when they should have stood shoulder tne Lord. True advance might be best secured by v combination —the New Behoof'with'the -Old' School—thus bring ing into play, all ; that; was; good Ipr both.; ; It might be that as Presbyterians, ..while they had dwelt upon the saying that the: “rpriest’s,lips should keep knowl edge" ami had rejected all zeal not according to they 'had sometimes ’ been -given to the opposite extreme ahd 'been r contented;with »;knowl edge that, was tlm opposite of zeal! 'He' thought they should be glad 5 to drink wine out of the''Same old-fashioned cupsjrqm.which their, .common Mas ter drank. , oplyjor twchpw more, Churches, they might all have grace given them to do their best and bravest for the cross and the crown, the,ir,Lord and.-Redeemer. , ... .Jihr'C/iancelior Qreen skidithatSasu'ihe agegtia|id his o^n- Church he tendered this Assembly his 'sincere and cordial good wishes— wishes for their prosperity, for their success and hap piness, for the growth of their Chpr/ch ,and for their usefulness on earth—:'assuring them that his Church joyed in joys, sorrowed in their, sorrows. They had yet one' faith, one Church, one baptism. And now perhaps his duty had been discharged. But He had sometlnug which he' desired to say, lor which he alonc'Shbuld be held responsible, and not the Church to which he belonged. They should all remember that, he/jgas nqt He was a plain eider. He not .ha.ye come a long .way but to assure them of liis'levetence and regard.'* But he-bad ano ther object ifivievvin coming here. His heart, he hesitated not to this union. He longed for it, prayed for it/ panted for it, as he did for no thing else except for his'Saviour: Among his first pastors was Dr. William J. Annstrohg, who was his bosom friend, his counsellor, and be loved him as .a brother;.lie had lived with him, talked with him daily, and if ever any one on earth' had guided him and moulded his character, it was Dr. Armstrong. H e was of their Church and his Church. Afterwards he had sat under the elder Dr. Beecher, whom also he loved. There was another, an intimate friend of Dr. Armstrong^—Dr. Barnes. He had heard him again and again. l lf he [Dr. Barnes] was in error,- he bad never discovered it. These two had helped him on. How could he stand in a divided Church witluthose men as his Counsellors? They had been at his father’s table and at his mother's table. And yet there was a great space between them. AVhy ? Theological professors, why? Hell a pMh, Chfistiap, could not tell why. bnij,mburft bvfr it! He did not want to 'fie’easf-out because he'bllonged Church! He would not say there' wap any one to lt“may have, be.en that; .the times demanded itf* But* surely if circdihstaWies onqe required, it, was it’not nbwtimejhat it should qease? Bor .sixty yearn the Church-here-had been one. There had been no Hew School, no.. Old School. To be sure there were some men here w'bo would say that this division really existed from the beginning. ..-But if for sixty years they had been one body, eould they not a<'am be brethren ? He assured them that even in they did not profess to have such a thing as. entire unity of sentiment. I-Whfere, in deed, could there be entire unity of sentiment? There was really less division of-feeling fin the Pres byterian Church than in any other. in„the Catholic Church there-were many diversities, .yet/ the Church was one, and all its influence was' directed towards the same end. And this 5 Presbyterian Church, so united,inHeeling, vvas.broken up into separate creeds. Was this right. ?' Was it to the-honor and glory of God ? There was a principle in medicine which he begged, pardon? for applying, in this: connection— “ Uiii attenlio, ibiirrdutio." Start a sharp question in any Church and.you would have a large difference of He was somewhat like his mother, who, when herifbeling in the matter now under consideration, answered that she had heard there was a difference, hut on wliich side she didn’ t know. ’ [Laugh ter.]. - For the life of him, when he heard the addres ses'yesterday and this morning, he could hot tell whether he was jn a New School or an : Old .School Church. The only difference was that one oifithem sung long metre, the other short. They worked at a little scratch on their bodies and made it sore. He was here in this Assembly for the first time on; eafeth; he hoped it would be his soon. If the clergy of the Presbyterian Church oould not meet and trust each other, who in God’s name could ? Where was the ne cessity of plain people making these differences? By the -blessing of God he had been with the Moderator (Dr. Stearns) and the Stated Clerk (Dr; Hatfield) in : the Convention at Philadelphia. He was then much hearer heaven than he ever was before or had ever hoped to be on -this earth. When-he went there, he- went fqr fie purpose qf.furthering the cause of union. "He should not have cared ,if tKai. whdlb iOl'd , School Church had been opposed to it, he should have fa vored it. His own pastor, who accompanied him, was opposed to it when he went there. Yet before he had been there three days he went back to Tren ton rejoicing in the prospect of a perfect union! Laughter.] He even preached a sermon for it in lis church on the following Sunday I There were one hundred and seventy-eight votes in that Con vention, and but two votes, against re-union. That Convention was largely composed of Scotchmen who were supposed never to agree on anything. It had passed into a proverb that they couldn’t exist with out disagreeing with somebody; if with nobody else, then with themselves. [Laughter.] But every vote in that Convention was for union, except two, and they differed from each pther. on. precisely the- same grounds ! [Laughter.] Were not the merest trifles magnified? He had teen struck with a remark that fell from the lips of a delegate last night, that ’the merest trifles had injuriously; affected- the missionary cause. How much more had they affected the" great i cause of the Church here ? His heart's desire and prayer was that they might all again be one. .-He would not say when or where. He would leave that to the venerable fathers of the Church. The elders hadnot created this division. Alienation had not ‘ come through them. There was but one voice among the.laymen.pf the Church. They would: leave the master ,to the.,clergy; they would suffer rather than, dissent from*, them] . It Was the clergy who made the sdvferancej and it was the clergy who'must make th'b utaiond" HA [frayed-that this union might come speedily ih His- time-and in His way. . ’ Dr: Stearins, the Moderator, said; In rising to-reb spppd; tOjtheße .fraternal words- which Jyou haveisppjcen.tp uSjjn.th&mame of the honored, ; body of which you are the representatives, I am con scious of.- peculiar .emotions,cal. have been in the Mime Assembly ;which you represent to-day. Iknow them well, and I love and honor them well, I have been almost twenty years in'this Assembly.. Iknow them well, t'odfb'Thatrthfejl hfoy'e' them faults I do not-deny.- That they" are ! a , band -of h as 1 faithful Christians as I !ever existed, I ain sure.- Brethren, ’these two Gburches.that-have been in an attitude of rivalry., for,, so Ipng.Urtijine, are after all sisters-Mivfin sisters ;" and. though they have ,their differences, they seem’ most beautiful when they are twined in each other’s aims in harmony.' ’ Ypu are Old Schodi, we : are New School.'’ You bbas’tbf staying by the'stuifj'tve boast of going l doVra ijito.thP battle. ’ DO we’-notiact as complementary of each other in the parts which we. severally perform?.,-! -W&s both; bear; thsusame namp. We, both maintain [ the |sanre r polity.,, , both. adhere to . the same"'former the same form of faith. . What if there .be in " viewing, stktihg,; explaining anti'illustrating* the doctrines of : the Confession df yMth ? Does that hinder us, from ! coming together’'ahfd seeing eye to eye in the great fundamentals- of our faith-? There always was a ,marked distinction (in our Cbui'chfrom the beginning. There ever -will .be- so long .as.its members think for themselves' anti the Word, of .God is free? , We therefore ask, if "we come together, lib erty—that liberty which we readily'accord to you— of se’eing'things with-our owti ejfesAnd of Holdmg'to • liberty wbich'Dr/ Hdclgej ih the late. Convention in Philadelphia;’ so . gracefully conceded, ilfhatis all we want; Ifwe.areitp go;on in a career of usefulness, we must have a free, devel-. opment of our principles, , We must< not. be bound njj ih the, old‘archaic men and' ages, hut mustfspeak td’-thepassihg'geheratiph. tilhp Presbyterian Church, or-ithe ’germs: bf ’it- haW been in' ’this ISniTfrom its first-settlement,’ It was a little rivulet then, 1 hardly distinguishable] .except.tby’ the good.' accomplished hererand there.; ;But it.,went on.grdwing ancf.s.well ing till it became a -noble stream,flowing throughout the length and breadth of four land—until thirty years ago it encountered' a rock. It parted/and for thirty years the separate streams have gone on, chafing along the' rocky sides' of, that rough • island. It-has been all contention;-allcollision. ButPheacb side minor, streams have fiowed' in and increased the waters. They have, met green fields and waving corn, villages and thriving cities along' their course. And now the rocks are-passed, and there is nothing between us but a little slip of ! green, flowery Boil. And that little slip is getting narrower and narrower. Oh, shall these thirty years of separation prevent us from mingling in one ? What a grand stream will it form then! How will it cause the country through which it,passes to flourish like algarden of the Lord! What proud navies will ride upon its bosom, and how beautifully will every wavelet reflect the glory of the Sun of .Righteousness, as it moves to the great ocean where Uod shall be all in all! Brethren, in the name of this General Assembly, let me ask you to bear back to our hondred and beloved brethren now assembled.in Albany, our most Christian and fraternal salutations. Tell’ them we know them as brethren. ~ Tell them 1 we' long <to -be not only heart to heart, but hand to.hand .with-them, We.long.to come together and in. harmony to fight the great battles of- salvation.. ,1 trust the time is notfar dis tant when there shall (benojmore differences among US, but that-as one grand ufiited Preebyterian Church we shall stand accepted by'Him. . ■ The Assembly then sang “Blessed be the tie that binds Our hearts in Christian love,” &c. .. <-: The report on re-union was then accepted. . Rev. John Rankin, of Cincinnati, moved -that it be adopted. ' Tuesday Afternoon, Hay 27. T. H. Skinner, D.D., 'presented the report of the Committee to whom was referred the delinquency of the churches in Foreign Missions. It reeognizes that benevolence is in.kind as well as in degree. It speaks of the necessity of impressing the fact upon the chiirches. .■ - 1- D. B. Greene read a sub-report extending the for mer Foreign Missions report to considerable length. The two things to be, overcome by the, plan pro posed were ignorance and indifference. Dr. Henry B. Smith presented for the Committee on Bills hnd Overtures, an overture of the Synod of Minnesota- relating to. the Indians. It represents that there is no government among them fitted to protect them, nor is any way provided by the United States for their redress. It asks that the General Assembly memorialize Congress respecting this thing. The Committee recommends a special com mittee to draw lip the memorial proposed. This was adopted. A letter from Dr. Musgrave was received and read. It contained a copy of the Philadelphia Convention’s Basis, and Dr; M. also regretted- that his own position - necessitated his absence at this time. This communication was accepted and put upon the docket. Dr. Hickok, having the floor from the morning’s session, theri spoke upon the -pending motion to adopt the Special Cbminittee’s report upon Reunion. He was’ willing to take off the sentence alluded to by Dr: Nelson, vizi, “ Hanging on the verge of tlie government.” ; Rev. 5. W. r Fisker ; wished to say a word on the sub ject of the terms ofsubscription to the Confesssion of Faith. That is a perma'nefit symbol to which we hold and which shall be for the future. The lack of confi dence in us refers'to bur mode of subscription to it. D'r. Fisher ispoke of the Convention'at; Philadelphia where some seventy New School men were present. There this question came up, and some time after he was surprised tq learn that out west they seemed to think that the N. S. men had subscribed to the ipiitei nia verba. This'is what Princeton doesn’t claim, and we didn’t grant- and -which can’t-be- granted: Prof. Smith and himself did not profess/to represent the New School Church, but they thought they understood it. Dr. Fisher went onfnrther to say that lie had been brought out to speak there upon that subscription. He riad'from the'feportof theUnion Convention, tpshow .how he had then spoken^ ••Presbylenanism fests'en lwopillars, so far S 3 firm is concerned ; ‘tlie firift dqpfrinp ;the second i s orter.
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