Ihr ;,inicrir, n..:PHrrsboirrian
New Series, Vol. VI, No. 22.
Strictly in Advance $2.50, Otherwise $3. 1
Postage 20ots, to be paid where delivered. j
gmititait UrcsTsgttrian.
THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 1869
—Rev. Absalom Peters, D.D., who
figured in the day of the division of the
Presbyterian Church as a New School
leader, being the Secretary and champion
of the American Home Missionary So
ciety, and a member of a New York
Presbytery, died in New York just two
days before the Assemblies met, in the
76th year of his age. He has more re•
cently been pastor of the Congregational
church in Williamstown, Mass.
—We observe that in the Assembly of
the other branch a church was over
rated in its determination to adopt the
system of a rotary eldership, the decisions
of Synod and Presbytery being sus
tained. The ground taken was that the
traditions of the body were against the
change. Some people like short tradi
tions in Church matters. We prefer the
long ones, which are on the other side in.
this case.
—The proposals made and urged in
the other Assembly to begin correspon
dence with the Southern Assembly have
not been adopted, partly at the wish of
leading Southern Presbyterians, who fear
that the movement would divide them
selves into two parties—one, we suppose,
willing to take the olive-branch in good
faith,—the other to slap the 0. S. As
sembly across the face with it. We
know only by brief telegrams what has
been the tone of the deliberations at
Memphis, but the election. of Stuart Rob
inson to the Moderator's chair will not
be taken as complimentary to the North.
—The R. P. General Synod decides that
the Presbyteries (Philadelphia, Pitts
burg and Saharanpur) which "suspended
relations" to Synod until it repealed the
suspension of Mr. Stuart, have thereby
cut themselves off from the denomina
tion. The protests of the Philadelphia
Presbytery against the statements made
in the Report of the Commission of last
year, were not allowed to be read until
the Report of the Commission had been
adopted. A minority of fifty-seven in
the Second church of this city, (Dr.
Sterrett's) who memorialized Synod for
advice, and probably wanted a Commis
sion sent down to politely force their
pastor into the Second Presbytery, had
the whole responsibility thrown upon
their own shoulders by being recognized
as the true 2d R. P. church. The Sa
haranpur Mission Presbytery were re
quired to return to their allegiance with
in a year, and notified that. if they do
not, a competent missionary will be sent
out to claim the property and the custody
of the children, and a special committee
was ordered to correspond with the " con
verted heathen missionaries" to induce
them to break with the American mem
bers of the Mission on the promise that
they shall be recognized as the Presby
tery. Fine work for a Church, sowing
discord on a mission field, and exposing
the worst nakednesses of Christendom
in the sight of the heathen !
On Union with the U. P. Church the
Report was recommitted to the Commit.
tee without endorsal or instructions, be
ing, indeed, advocated with earnestness
only by Dr. M'Master. Synod—like the
Democracy in our late war—is in favor
of the Union but opposed to any mea
sures for securing it.
Dr. M'Leod besought Synod not to
bring any more odium on itself by mul
tiplying excisions. We think that the
results of the whole session—results for
which Synod by special resolution re
turned thanks to God,—will have just
the effect that he deprecates. The min
isterial force of the body has dwindled
from 53 ministers in 1865 to 27 in 1869
—a loss of over one-half in four years,
in spite of some twenty accessions to its
ranks.
—Dr. M'llvaine, of Princeton, delivered
a fine lecture in the Hall ofthe Univer
sity, last Saturday evening, on the Chris
tian solution of the problems of Social
Science. It is hoped that he will aocept
the new chair, to which he has been in
vited by the Trustees.
JobnAWeir 15ju1y69
LETTER FROM THE ASSEMBLY.
Wednesday, May 26th, was a great
day in our Assembly. Reports on Home
Missions, by Dr. Humphrey, on the
Freedmen, by Rev. Arthur Mitchell;
on Church Erection, by Dr. Herrick
Johnson, and on Education, by Profes
sor Huntington, were successively read ;
and rarely have there bee.n abler, more
eloquent, or more stirring papers
placed before our body. The strength
of, this Assembly has been 'most, wisely
turned in the direction of,' these 'grand,
central causes, which ; in Other years,
have been postponed and interrupted,
and their final disposition often' thrust
into the closing hours of the session.
Dr. Humphrey's report admitted the
almost bewildering extent and variety,
presented by the Home field, and touch
ed briefly upon the successive points of
Christian enterprize, immigration, the
West, feeble churches in the East, City
Evangelization, and the Review for the
Year. It closed by an eloquent prophe
cy of the advance in usefulness which
might be expected in •the event of a har
monious union. Mr. Mitchell, of the
Standing Committee on Freedmen, with
his small and juvenile form, brought
quite as impressive arid effective a report
as any. After just expressions of sur
prise at our unaccountable delay as a de
nomination to engage in the work, he
showed how warmly the heart of our
people beat to this cause, and recom
mended that we undertake to raise
$lOO,OOO this year.
Dr. Johnson's report spdke severely
of the fact that' over one thousand
churches had failed to contribute during
the year. The cause suffers because others
are regarded as more spiritual. Regu
larity in contributions is required in or
der to meet obligations, which—when
°anima& ana_inaartgagea.sum oonoernea--
are in a pressing form. What the body
is to the soul, he said, that the church
edifice is to. the Church. Every dollar
given to Church Erection is ten saved to
Home Missions. In our great country,
in causes of evil, -Rome does not wait in
erecting her temples. Why should we
be behindhand ? One hundred thou
sand dollars is the least we should raise,
this year for the work.
Dr: Huntington reported on Educa
tion, and noticed with feeling the death
of Dr. Owen, Whom he placed next, as a
practical commentator, to our beloved
and honored Albert Barnes, who still
survives, but whose last work is done.
Dr. Kendall explained that the balance
of $12,000 in hand was all due to mis
sionaries at the first of May, and that we
are even with the world, as we have
always been, thus far. He also analyzed
more fully the sources of the income for
last year, showing that almost the en
tire increase of the year came from the
Synod of New York and New Jersey.
He showed that we can't get one-fifth of
the men we want though we have taken
them from half a dozen denominations.
He had even gone to Princeton Semi
nary for men. The Committee would
appoint 75 men and locate them at once
if they could be found. It is a peculiar
fact that the very places are now kuown
and waiting to which the most of these
men could be sent. And it is remarka
ble that every graduate of Union Semi
nary this year, save one who goes abroad,
has settled within about a hundred
miles of New York City; just the oppo
site course to that taken by a very large
number of last year's class, ten of whom,
it will be remembered, went in a body to
Missouri and Kansas, and the fruit of
whose labors is seen in the organization
of the new Synod of Kansas with nearly
30 churches. One would think a holy
ambition would fire our young preach
ers to match or exceed such a shining
example of enterprise for Christ.
Dr. Hatfield, from the Freedmen's
Committee, showed how widely the field
was opening, and recounted the invita=
tions from the Freedmen's Bureau to oc
enpy ground for educational purposes, in
Georgia, Alabama and Florida, and the
offer, from Lincoln University, of thirty
young men for labor during the summer.
It was refreshing to hear this excellent
New York chairman remind the breth
ren that our own denominational causes
PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 1869.
should be prized and recognized, before
such institutions as the American Bible
Society or the American Tract Society.
Our Board of Church Erection, it
seems, cannot help these colored church
es in erecting buildings, unless permitted
by the Assembly to make gifts with less
stringent conditions than now. The
Board of the other branch is -untram
meled and is furnishing'such aid.
Dr. Ellinwood illusirated the unity
. of
the three causes now'before the Assem
bly, by a copious flow of apt illustrations
—an isoteelew triangle—the coat of arms
of the Isle of Man (three legs)—the
three branches of an army—the trinity
Of causes. And his whole course of re
mark was bright with striking modes of
presenting his subject. We have, he
said, an actual workitg power. of only
about four hundred churches. We must
multiply the souses of power. A man
is not planted but simply " heeled, in,"
and waiting to be planted, if, he 'has not
a house over his • head. Dr. Bushnell,,
who furnishes so many fine suggestive
thoughts and illustrations, Was quoted as
declaring that no religion had made
itself felt in the world that had not ex
pressed itself in solid masonry, and sig
nificant allUsion was made to the zeal of
the Romanists in this direction. It seems
to us, however, that Romish zeal in this
matter of architecture is excessive, and
that Karnak, and Baalbec, and Cholula,
and the vast temple ruins of India and
Java, besides those of Athens, Antioch,
and Rome, show that the most solid
masonry and most Magnificent structures
are no security against decay. The
spiritual structure must rise parallel
with and inform the material, and .both
together are needed to secure the dura
tion of the system.
Dr. Atterbnry gave some capital illus.
trationg of tho-stucoossa Ma Oontrait—
tee's work . in bringing forward worthy,
young men for the ministry.
In the afternoon the Narrative of the
State of Religion was read by Mr.
Nagle. This document has almost, if
not quite, invariably been reserved for
the closing exercises of the session ; and
wisely. For information continues to
come in, missing documents turn up, and
the whole sphere of view enlarges. In
this instance nearly a dozen Presbyteries
appear to have been overlooked; and
their names, entered in the report as de
linquents, were ordered to be stricken
out by the Assembly. Among these
were some of the most, important in the
body, as those of New York Third and
Pittsburg. And the Narrative certainly
misrepresented the facts and understated
the work of God in the churches, as any
one conversant with the columns of our
newspapers might have known. It Was
not, however, recommitted, as it should
have been.
Nearly all the thirty-one deaths an
nounced are of men ripe and full of
years, two being over eighty years; ten
over seventy; nine over sixty ; four over
fifty ; three over forty; three over thirty
—twenty-one over and'ten under sixty.
Rev. B. F. Randolph, colored State
Senator of South Carolina, fell by vio
lence at the hands of the Ku Klux at
Cokesburg, S. C., and Nathan Campfield
was drowned by his own act, as the
Stated Clerk remarked, at Bellows' Falls.
These brethren were but thirty years
old. Those who died from natural causes
were all much older.
After the-narrative Dr. Ormiston was
heard as a Delegate from the Canada
Presbyterian Church, and then the dis
cussion of the various causes was resumed
by Rev. A. M. Stewart and a number of
other brethren.
The Reunion Report
At half past ten o'clock on Thursday
morning the Chairman of the Commit
tee of Conference, Dr. Adams, appeared.
upon the stand and read the long
expected report, which' was also dis
tributed in printed form among the
members. The announcement that the
Committee had reached a unanimous re
sult was received with applausq. And
while there was manifest satisfaction all
over the Assembly at the results, past
experience and failure in the best laid
schemes, largely restrained such out
bursts of enthusiasm as have at other
times been indulged in. It was fully un
derstood that no attempt unduly to
hasten the passage of the report through
the body should be allowed, and a strong
effort was made by Dr. Crosby for, an •ex
press postponement to 3 o'clock this
afternoon, but was voted down, with the
understanding that discussion , should be
gin at once.
Among the speeches of note were
those of Judge Strong in the morning
and Dr. G. W. Heacock in the after
noon. These were cases o£ . somewhat
recent and reluctant conversion to the
Reunion policy., Judge Strong said he
would have: made a somewhat different
report if it had been left to him, but he
could freely say that he cordially ac
cepted this, one. Dr. Heacock nobly
held up the banner of liberal Calvinism,
that attribute of our, own Church which
had won his suffrage and secured the
support of his best years.
Dr. Pratt of Portsmouth, 0., create&
great and pleasurable sensation by ,de
claring himself a New School man from
the crown of his head to the sole of his
feet. He believed in BARNES, he had
all his works,.and had received more
benefit from them than from those of any
other man. And if our Old School
brethren would 'read and study, these
books on their knees,' they wouldagree
with a venerable U. P. brother who de
dared that Barnes on the Romans. which
he had read through, and part of it—the
Vth chapter—twice over—was substan
tantially correct.
Dr. Patterson was loudly' called . for,
and his declaration . of adherence to the
plan was cheered. Assurances from
brethren on the other side, of 'the utter
absence of any intention to exclude or to
dishonor those who held views like those
of Mr. Barnes, had done much to -re
move his daszalties.
Dr..Joh / /3013'S earnest plea for ' iberty
e .
camwith 11 the more force, because of
his assent to the imputation of being Old
School in theology. Most fervently did
our hearts go with him when he ex
claimed : " Perish the union, if such
freedom is sacrificed to obtain it."
At half past five o'clock, a minute was
spent • in silent prayer, and the vote was
then taken, resulting in a unanimous de
cision for the Basis.
Thus, for the third time, with to deems
and thanksgivings and enthusiasm, as at
each previous occasion, the New School
Assembly cast its unanimous vote for
Reunion with their brethren. Each time
they have made advances and concessions
on their previous basis. Each time they
have believed themselves to be in closer
accord and understanding with their
brethren than before. Each time they
have congratulated themselves on the
favorable adhesion of their 0. S. breth
ren to the terms proposed. At this
time, indeed, the omens are vastly more'
favorable than at any previous time.
The members of our body who have
hitherto hesitated, or resisted the move
ment, will now put no obstacle in the
way, or will positively encourage it. The
new plan includes a solemn Declaration,
recognizing in the fullest manner, the
equal soundness and orthodoxy of both
bodies; the terms of union submitted to•
the Presbyteries accept the Standards in
the truly and sufficiently liberal terms of
the ordination vow; the Scriptures being
put foremost as above all human Confes
sions, and our honored Westminster Con
fession is to `continu e to be sincerely re
ceived and adopted as containing the
system of doctrine taught in the Scrip-
tures." The declarations, made by the
Assemblies,—but not to be submitted to
the Presbyteries—are almost ward for
word, the 'amended basis of our part of
the joint Committee, the clauses of the
First Article and the whole of the Tenth
being omitted.
Hence, most naturally, there was a
material decrease of opposition and dis
satisfaction on our side, and, while not a
few still refuse to admit the expediency
or the obligation of the movement, they
freely and with little or no fear for the
future, declare their entire acqUieseence.
Intercourse between brethren of both
Assemblies, facilitated by the proxiMity
of the places of meeting, has certainly
promoted a better understanding between
some of the most advanced and earnest
on both sides. And it seems a point be
yond question that the prevailing temper
of the Old School Assembly, was favora
ble to every degree of liberty that our
body cared to ask or enjoy. That their
willingness has not found more frank
and emphatic expression in an official
rorm, but can be brought out only by
implication, broad and fair, yet implica
tion only, is explained by the remaining
anxiety of Reunion leaders in that
branch, to avoid needless provocation of
the small but tenacious class of rigid
men yet in their body. The weight and
value of such an explanation have often
been considered in these columns; and
such a concession on our part, as well as
on the part of the other body, has been
steadily opposed as the grant to these
men of an influence practically predomi
nant in both bodies, and in the very 'ar
ticle of union. That these men should
rather have met rebuke, than conces
sion, in such a transaction, has always
been our freely declired opinion. That
they have been rebuked by the movement
as it has now issued, is true, though but
lightly. And the only ground of regret
is, that, as the skins of this class of men
are generally very thick, the rebuke is
not likely to be felt as dm ply as for
peace and liberty it should 'ff.
Nevertheless, they have been rebuked,
and without doubt, they feel that their
day is done, their rule. is broken ; suspi
cions, slanders and scandals can no long
er be put upon a man for refusing to the
orize in their exact line of thought or in
any line at all, on those departments of
truth that lie outside of the plain declar
ations of Scripture and the universally
recognized essentials of the Calvinistic
system. Leading men among us are sat
isfied that this is the true state of things
in the other branch. And not only did
Dr. Adams, in his admirable address be
fore their Assembly, as a delegate from
our body, with equal grace and empha
sis maintain our liberal position and
commend our honored historic names to
their reverence ; not only were the Old
School members of the Committee of
Conference fully informed by our own
of the persistence of our body in its
liberal interpretation of the non-essen
tials of our Standards, but particular
pains were taken in the debate, especial
ly by Dr. Heaeock •of Buffalo and by
Dr. Johnson of our city, to put the doe
-
'trine' claims and character of our body
on record in the most public and em
phatic manner, at the very moment when
each Assembly was voting the other to
be a sound body. •
FROM OUR ROCHESTER CORRES
PONDENT.
THE OLD AUBDEN FIRST
We are pleased to learn that the old
wooden structure used so long by the
First church of Auburn, and so hallow
ed by varied associations, is not, after
all, to disappear altogether, nor cease
from sacred uses. It was pulled down
with care, and is to be re-erected as a
mission chapel. Although it is to be
reduced somewhat in size, it is to look as
much like itself as may be, and to be
consecrated again to sacred uses.
It is to be located in the Eastern part
of the city, where such a structure is
needed, on grounds given for the pur
pose by. James S. Seymour, Esq. The
mission school is to be managed by the
First church, who are not so bound up
in their new church enterprise, but that
they can care also for the general inter
ests of the city. It is hoped that this
school will not only care for the, present
wants of children in its locality, but
grow also into a church with the grow
ing city, at some day not distant.
H. Y. STATE S. S. TEACHERS' ASSOCIA-
The fourteenth Annual Convention of
the New York State Sabbath-school As
sociation, is to be held in Albany, on
the 15th, 16th and 17th days of June.
Every Sabbath-school in the State is in
vited to ,send "one delegate, and their
minister," and, one " additional delegate
for every hundred scholars." All per
sons who intend to be present are parti
cularly requested to notify Mr. H. H.
Boone, Chairman of Reception Commit
tee, or some member of the Committee
at Albany, on or before the sth day. of
June, so that arrangements may be made
for their entertainment.
Genesee Evangelist, No. 1:202.
I Home & Foreign Miss. $2.00.
Address :-1334 Chestnut Street
These Conventions aregreat occasions.
We need not urge any one to be there.
The crowd will be great without any
urging. Questions of practical impor
tance will be discussed; papers of much
value will be read; and many of the
leading Sunday-school men of the land
will be there to give to all present the
benefit of their experience and wisdom
in Sunday-school matters. To a young
teacher or a new Superintendent one
of these conventions is worth years of
experience and hard work, in learning
how best to perform the great duties
they have taken in hand.
PERSONAL.-The Auburn Advertiser
mentions a serious accident which befel
Rev. G. G. Smith, who has been preach
ing at Sennett for a year past. He was
removing to Genoa, where 'he has been
invited to take charge of the Presbyte
rian church, and while driving a wagon
loaded with his goods, he was thrown
from his seat forward upon the horses,
frightening them into a run. He fell to
the ground, and the hinder wheels pass
ed over him. The lines had also caught
about his body in such a manner, as to
drag him after the friohtened team for
several rods, tearing and bruising him
badly. He was taken into a hotel and
kindly cared for. We hope it will prove
that he was not so badly hurt, as this
account would seem to indicate.
THE CLINTON STREET CHURCH cele -
brated the Thirty-third Anniversary, of
their Sabbath-schools last Sabbath after
noon. The occasion was a happy one. A
profusion ,of, growing plants and beauti
ful bouquets adorned the platform and
pulpit. The singing was lively, joyous
and accurate, the selections being from
Gould's new book, "Songs of Gladness."
The school is larger than last year, num
bering 250 in attendance. The Mission
ary Contributions were within a trifle of
ssoo—of which had been donated to Mr.
Jessnp's schools in Syria, sloo—to our
own. Home Missions, $80; to Rev. R.
G. Wilder's Mission in India, 650; to
the American Sunday-sChool Union, $6O;
to the support of a pupil in Mrs. Bridge
man#s school in China, $4O. Addresses
were delivered by Rev. Mr. Dana of the
Walnut street church, Dr. Stryker of
North' Broad street church, and the
pastor, Dr. March.
Allusion was made to our deceased
member, Mr.. Clem Zinglay, for many
years been a teacher in the school, but
had been removed during the year by
death. Also to Mr. B. B. Comegys,
formerly the Superintendent of the
school, now out on the ocean on his way
to visit foreign lands.
—The University of Pennsylvania
seems likely to be restored 'to its proper
place in the estimation of the public. A
movement for its 'increased endowment
has already secured pledges of $150,000
from the merchants of our city. The
Trustees have voted to establish a special
chair of "Social Science and kindred
subjects" for the dissemination of just
views on points of the utmost importance
to our State and city. Mr. Stephen Col
well, the 'translator of "List's National
System," has presented them with his
magnificent library of over 15,000 works
on political economy, the most complete
and valuable in the world. It was col
lected by himself in this and the old
world, at a cost of some $25,000, and
covers the entire literature of the subject
in the leading modern languages. A
bill is before City Councils to sell a part
of the city property in the Southern part
of West Philadelphia for the erection of
new buildings, and although the price
offered is less than the land is or soon
will be worth, yet the city will hardly
lose much by the sale, as the far more
valuable property on Ninth Street is now
exempt from taxation, but will no longer
be so when devoted to other than its
present purposes. The Common Coun
cils have refused to reconsider their vote
on the Bill, and it is hoped' that the Se
lect Council will not be behind them in
the adoption of a generous municipal
policy towards an institution founded by
Franklin (among others), and partially
endowed by the Penns.
Rev. Mr. Dickey, pastor of a U. P.
church in Allegheny City, aocepts a call
to the First church, St. Louis, (formerly
Dr. Nelson's.),
Rochester, May 29, 1869
i=emmim
CITY BULLETIN.
GENESEE.