r (OTA H H H A A. VOL. XIII NO. 110. PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, MAY 19, 1870. DOUBLE SnEET THREE CENTS. pet FIRST EDITION THE ASSEMBLY. Tho Reunited Fresbyterian Church-Its First Gene ral Assembly in Session. The Opening Exercises. The Sermon by tho Rcy. Philemon II. Fowler, D. 1)., Moderator of the Last New School Assembly. "What God Las joined together, let not man put asunder." Snch were the words pronounced by George II. 8tuart, Esq., of this city, on the 12th of NoTember last, at Pittsburg, where the Rev. Dr. Jacobus, Moderator of the "Old School" Presby terian Assembly, grasping the Rev. Dr. Fowler, Moderator of the 'New School" Assembly, by the hand, declared, by the almost unanimous Vote of the clerical and lay members of both branches of the denomination, that "these churches .have been united." It was in this epirit that a large and a tt en tire audience aathered at an early hour this morning in the old First Presbyterian Church, on South Wash ington Square, to witness the opening -exercises of the First General Assembly of the reunited Church. On the 17th of May, 1833, a full generation ago, the representatives of this large and in fluential denomination met together for the last time previous to this occasion, in tho old Seventh Church building, which at that time stood on Ranstead Place, Fourth street, above Chesnut, but which, like the unseemly disputes which led to the disruption of the Church at that time, has fiassed away forever! At the Assembly held in 837, premonitions of a schism were evident In the action of that body in exscinding four of the synods which were regarded as Congregational and heterodox, and the effort to organize the Assembly of 1838 manifested so much discord ance iu its elements, that the representatives of the excommunicated synods and their friends throughout the Church abandoned the regular place of meeting and organized the "New School" Assembly in the very church where to day, thirty-two years after, the delegates of the whole Church came together in entire harmony and without a semblance of discord. The Delegate continued to arrive in large numbers yesterday afternoon and this morning, and by 11 o'clock to-day nearly all the six hundred or more "com missioners" who will compose the Assembly were in the city. The Committee Con ommis eions were in session at the First Church both yesterday afternoon and this morning, examin ing the credentials of the delegates and assign ing them their quarters with the members of the different city churches, as fast as they reported their arrival. The Arrangements at the Place of Meeting. As already stated, the sessions of the Assem bly are being held in the First Presbyterian Church, at the corner of Seventh street and South Washington Square, of which the He v. Albert Barnes was for so many years pastor, being succeeded in the active duties of the pul pit recently by the Rev. llerrick Johnson, D. D. The interior of the church has been prepared In the most elaborate manner for the accommoda tion of the convention. For the use of the olll cers of the Assembly a spacious platform has been erected around and in front of the pulpit, and immediately over the latter is suspended, in neat lettering, composed of evergreens, the fol lowing expressive passage from the twentieth verge of the twelfth chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians: "But now are they many members, yet but one body." Around the entire interior, in front of the galleites, a continuous string of evergreen it stretched, looped up at frequent intervals into graceful festoons. Immediately in front of the platform are the quarters of the representatives of the press, who . occupy the front pew, and therefore face the officers. The lower floor of the church is intended for i the delegates and reporters only, at ast for the resent. This may be changed when it is found ow much room is actually needed for the dele gates. Arrangements have also been made to con duce to the comfort of the delegates by covering Seventh street with a coating of tan to the depth of several Inches. There is a great deal of travel on this street, but the measure re sorted to will serve to deaden the rattle and rumble of passing vehicles, and the only dis cordant sounds that will disturb the proceed ings will be the periodical jingle of the bells on the patsenger car horses. Preliminary Exercise Last Evening. Last evening, as a preliminary to the opening session, a union prayer meeting was held at the church, which was crowded by people drawn together by the peculiar interest attached to the occasion. The Kev. Dr. Nichols, of SU Louis, presided, and opened the devotional exercises with a brief address appropriate to the occasion. After the singing of a hymn, prayer was offered up. The evening was occupied with addresses by delegates to the Assembly, prayer and sing ing. The remarks of the different speakers had a bearing on the meeting to be commenced this morning and the importance of the questions which will occupy the atteution of the General Assembly during its contlr.uance. 1 he Opening Exerelaea tut. Morning. . At an early hour this morning the church was thrown open, aud long before the hour ap peinted for the opening exercises a large audi ence, made up indiscriminately of delegates and spectators, was present. Prominent among the former present were the Rev. William Adams, D. D., of New York city, who has been one of the leading advocates of reunion, and was chairman of the New School Assembly Com mittee which negotiated tho basis of reunion; Rev. H. R. Wilson, L. D. (O. S.). of St. Louis; Rev. R. W. Patterson, D.D. (0. 8.), of Chicago; Rev. James McCosh, D. D., the President of Princeton College; Kev. Jonathan F. Stearns, D. D. (N. S.), of Newark, N. J.; and the ollieers who compose The Preliminary Organization. According to the "Plan of Reunion," the Rev. Philemon II. Fowler, 1. D., of Utlca, New York, the late Moderator of the "New School" Assembly, jointly with the Rev. M. W. Jacobus, I). D., of Allegheny city, Pa., the late Modera tor of the "Old School" Assembly, will preside until the selection of a new Moderator, the lajtter puttiog the votes and deciding the questions of ' order that may arise, while to the former was assigned the duty of preaching the opening sermon, which, in common with that of pre siding until the election of a Moderator, has alwavs devolved upon the Moderator of the previous Assembly in both the former branches. Until the Assembly elects a Stated Clerk or Clerks, the similar officers of the Assemblies of last rear will act in that capacity. The are the fa?. Alexander T. McCUl, D. of tho Theological Seminary at Princeton, N. J. o! the "Old Bchool," and Rev. Edwin Ilatfleld, D. D:, of New York city, of the "New Bchool." Until an election for Permanent Clerks can be had, the duties of these offices will be performed by the .Rev. William K. Ichenck, D. D . who held the same position in the last "Old School" Assembly, and has for some years been Super intendent of the Chureb. Extension operations and Secretary of the Board of Publication, and by the Ret. J. Glentworth Butler, D. D., of this city, the Permanent Clerk of the last "New School" Assembly. Interesting sketches of all tbee distinguished divines will bo found on an inside page. It will be interesting to note that from 1788 to the division of the Church, in 1838, them were only eight Stated and four Permanent Clerks, and since 1838 the Old School has had four of the first and four of the second, and the New School two of the first and three of the second. Doubtless from the list given abore of tempo rary clerks the regular clerks of the Reunited Assembly will be selected. The proceedings opened at 11 o'clock promptly, with a voluntary on the organ, followed by the anthem "O, be joyful in the Lord," by the quar tette choir of the church. The Opening Prayer. At the conclusion of the anthem, prayer of invocation was offered by Rev. M. W. Jacabus, D. D., of the Theological Seminary at Alle gheny City, Pa., and Moderator of the last "Old School" Assembly, as follows: 'Great Ood, Most nigh, Almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, glory be to Thee this day. Are we not Thy people and the sheep of Thy pasture ? Thy mercy is everlasting and Thy mercy endureth to all generations. Who is there like unto Thee ? Thau rnlest the raging of the sea, when the waves thereof arise. Thou stillest the noise of the sea, the noise of the waves and the tumults of the people. Thou art a great God and a great King. Thou relgnest above all kings forever. Thou art God and we will praise Thee. Thou art our Father and we will glorify Thee. 'We give thanks to the Lord, for Tie Is good; for His mercy endureth forever." We thank Thee this day for all the good things we enjoy for the Scrip tures, for the ministry, for the words of Christ, and the hope of glory. Epecially would we thank Thee on this bright blessed day for the reunion of the chnrches which we represent, and which this day Is celebrated. We thank Thee for all we this day en joy ; for having come together from different parts of the land and from abroad to sit In council together in this court of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. Is there not one body and one spirit even as we are one together? Wilt not Thou, O Lord, Head of the Church In all ages, be present here In this Assembly, and give a spirit of love and right, a spirit of fear, and of a sound mind, that we may have power to work righteously In Thy sight? May we be baptised with the HolyGnost and with lire. We beseech Thee to bless ns this day, and in all the sittings of this Assembly grant ns Thy protection for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ; and we would give praise to God Most High, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost one God, blessed and glorious forever. Amen." The Opening Hymn. The following hymn, written especially for the occasion by Francis de Ilaes Janvier, Esq., of this city, was then announced, the whole congregation joining in singing it to the tune of "Old Hundred": . Almighty God while, day by day, We falter, fail, and pass away ; Tby changeless glory we adore: Immutable forevermore. Though prone to err, and disagree, And slight thy law of harmony ; All controversy we resign, And pledge ourselves, in union, thine. Thine, and thine only, wonld we be ; (me with each other, one with thee: In God the Father, God the Son, And God the Spirit, ever one. 'One, in the mission we fulfil ; One, in devotion to Thy will ; One, here, In fellowship and love; One, with thy ransomed church above. Other Devotional Exercises. Rev. Dr. Fowler, the Moderator of the last "New School" Assembly, then read a part of the fourth chapter of the Epistle to the Epheslans, beginning "I, therefore, a prisoner of the Lord." The reading of the Scriptures was followed by the general prayer, also offered by Dr. Ja cobus, of which the following is an abstract: "Oh, Thou Shepherd and Friend, shine forth among us this day. Stir up Thy strength, and come down among ns to save men, we beseech Thee, O Lord. -We thank Thee this day that Thou brlngest us together in this holy sanctuary, under these pleasant circumstances ; that Thou hast given us opportunity to again give ourselves as a Church to Thy care and keeping. .Thou hast watched over us and done us good all our lives long. We thank Thee for the history of Thy Church. We thank Thee for the Church invisible and for the Church indivisible, and for one blessed precious Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, which Be has purchased with Ills blood for ail cnurcnes and peoples ana denominations, we pray Thee to grant a blessing upon us this day." The prayer made mention of the sickness of Dr. Fisher, of Utlca, N. Y., who is a member of the Reconstruction Committee, but who is de tained from the Assembly by a severe and sud den stroke of paralysis. After the expression oi a ueariy oesire mat uwiu miui ue resiureu to the stricken memoer, tne prayer was con eluded bv the recital of the Lord's Prayer. The 137th psalm. "I love Thy kingdom, Lord," wm men announced ana sung. . ' " The Daily Programme. Rev. Herrick Johnson. D. D.. then announced that during the bMioa of the Assembly the meetings will be hela m follows, unless it is cnnerwiee orasrea: The first session will be held at M A. M., when one nour win oe spent in - devotional exerciaea This session will adjoirn at 1 P. M. The second session will meet at S P. M. and adjourn at h Jr. Al. The Opening Sermon, bv Rev. P. II. Fowler, The opening sermon was then delivered by tne itev. rnuemon n. owier, oi ctica, jn. i., ine Moderator of tne last "New Bcnooi ' Assem blyv Dr. Fowler chose for his subject. "One spirit and one Body the Ideal of the Christian Church," and for his text the following passage irom npnesians. lv, 4: "There is one body and one spirit, even as ye are caned in one nope or your canine. ' Dr. Fowler states that the preparation of this discourse was somewhat advanced before it was noticed that the Rev. F. Allison. D. D.. had chosen the same text when preaching in this city May 24, 1758, before "The Reverend Synod oi f miadeipnia ana tne Keverend Commission of the Synod of New York," on the occasion of the former reunion of our Church. Instead of changing the text, however, as was the impulse at first, it has been retained as sanctioned by such an authority for it, rather than interdicted by such a use of it. Dr. Fowler spoke as follows: All are agreed In their estimate "bfChrUt lan harmony It commands universal approbation aud admiration, ltut do we not distinguish too much between Chris tlan harmony and Christian uniunt Friendship Is primary aud essential, but la not fellowship needed ? Circumstances set up limitations here. , Chria tiaus have diversities of views and tastes, and while barmoDious In several communities, they might be dissonant In one. Concord takes precedence of union, and uulon may therefore be surreudered for the sake of concord, hi till, sects are evils. For whatever reason permitted, they are evils. Nothing In . the normal state of thiUKS produces them. They come from human lm per fee. tious. The redeemed in heaven form one com munion, and so, but (or their lutirmities, would the elect on earth. Pioceedlng from evil, sects must be evils. We must not utterly refuse to tolerate them, for they avert greater evils. We must not seek at oae to destroy them. They are so wrought into Christendom that wa cannot tear them out if we would, and should we attempt it, wa must vacrttice much that la sacred aud precious. We must treat tuein as other evils have been treated, wound about communities aud inter penetrating them. We must leave them to the ex traction of gradually operating means, or to the Hidden ejections of Providence. We multiply them by try mu abruotlv to expel them, liven special iu. , teres! in a particular sect is legitimate. Uod prizes ; it as a frBguiect of th tunpla He set up 'a thu earth, axd which lie will replace 14 the as beauti ful, massive pile at its reconstruction : and as our feeling towards It prompt us, so our position In It requires us especially to care for It. The argument which Komanlsnt makes out ef Christian union, and the Illustration It gives of It. may Incline Protestant minds to disparage It. But we may concede its worth without prejudice to our selves or advantage to our adversaries. And wa must not confound witn it their counterfeit of it. They have nnlon without harmony. The cohesion is from compression, uenuine uatnoncism is one spirit and ona body. It Is the attraction of parts, and not weir auigauou. We cannot describe the organisation In which Christians may be eveutually Incorporated. No more of it may exist than Is requisite to a connec tion, and within It may be varieties of polity, and doctrine, and practice, just as these are found in the several congregations of Protestant denominations, and still more in the several orders of the Romish hierarchy. There must be a nnlon of some kind, nowever. we tain oi sects as divisions or an army, but facts do not correspond to the iiirura. There Is a combination of the divisions of an array, but an en tire segregation oi ine secis. artillery, cavalry, and Infantry are parts of a single organism, but ITesbyterlanism, Congregationalism, Methodism, Episcopacy, are so many separate and Independent organisms. The military unite in a legion; the brotherhood co-operate in a work. The one are allies, while the other are a host. The one Catholic Church Is a body with head, trunk, and limbs joined together. It may consist of various members, per- iorming various unices, uul mere must oe a union between them. It may comprehend the diversities of existing evangelical denominations, but It must Dana inose wno ociong w iu The interests or trutn, it may be press mod. will not be sacrificed in unifying the Church. The faith of Christianity Is of more consequence than the union of Christians, and the faith of Christianity wui De maintained iu tne oncoming union or unris tlans. Varieties of creed prevail now many of them, however, not broad enough to separate their adherents, and others of them not at broad as they seem to be ; and the broadest of them expanded by adventitious matter. Looked at with the eye of charity, dlirerences will appear narrower, and the renoval of excrescences will raduce them. The proeess is already going on. Diversities of belief, once exaggerated by transient circumstances, now present small proportions, and the roller of varying systems of what Is extraneous to them brings them nearer together. Preshyterlanism Is liable to disintegration. Count Its sects In Scotland and In this country; the Ks blished, the Free, the United Presbyterian Churches, the Reformed Presbyterian Synod, the Reformed Presbyterian Synod In Scotland, the Synod of United Original Seceders, there, and the Presbyterian Church In the United States, the Southern Presby terian, tie uumDenanu jresoyterian, ma united Presbvterian. the Associate Reformed Presbyterian. South, the Reformed Presbyterian General Synod, the Reformed Presbyterian Synod, the Associate Reformed Synod of New York, the Associate Synod of Is art h America, the Reformed Presbyterian Church Synod, and the two Reformed (Dutch and German) Churchers, here. There is an explanation of the fact that turns It to the credit of Presbyterianlsm. It may be ascribed to the mental activity which the system awakens, ana wun wnicn it is congenial, tun to me apprecia tion of truth and the sensitiveness and tenacity of principle which it cherishes aud with which it sym pathises. It quickens the minds of Its adherents and active minds affect It, and minds in motion come Into collision while torpid minds lie in peace. They value truth and will contend for it, while they who care little for it will repel no assaults apon It. They are keenly alive to right and wrong, and cling to the first with an unyielding grasp and thrust on the last with a vigorous repulse. And the causes which In Presbyterianlsm operate for division facilitate union. The eye that Is quick to discern error is as quick to recognize truth. The heart that recoils irom wrong embraces right. Hence the frequency with which divided Presbyte rians have been reunited. The Synod of Ulster and the Irish Seceder Synod coalesced In the Irish Pres byterian General Assembly; the Seceder and the Relief Churches In the United Presbyterian Church of Great Britain; the Synod of Philadelphia and the Synod of New York in the Synod of New York and Philadelphia; the Associate and the Associate Re formed Churches in the United Presbyterian Church ; the Old and New School In the Southern General Assembly, and here we are once two bodies of the same name, at a jubilee meeting of the General As sembly of the one Presbyterian Church In the United States of America. And the gathering of the dispersed goes on, A re markable convention held sessions In this city In 1807. Many of the oldest and best of the Old and New School Presbyterians, the United Presbyterians, the Associate Relormed. the Dutch Reformed, the German Reformed, the Cumberland Presbyterians, consulted and prayed there about the practicability of collecting our various households together, and the Lord manifestly appeared among them. To their own surprise and delight, and to the Joy of heaven and earth, they quickly and quite unanimously and most cordially agreed, with the exception of the Cumberland Presbyterians, on very simple terms of union. Progress has been retarded by casual cir cumstances, bat nothing has occurred or appeared of evil omen and discouraging signification. The oldest of us may hope to sit at one hearthstone with all of our kindred and name in the land. The Free Church Presbyterians of Scotland and the United Presbyterians have brought their deli berately conducted conferences about a union to the eve of a happy conclusion, and we cannot but hope that the Reformed Presbyterians who were at first In this council with their brethren, mar be found in their goodly company. Nay, are not cnangeB in tne Mate removing eDsirucitons in the Church, and must not the rising spirit of fraterniza tion mingle Presbyterians or every name throughout Great Britain and Ireland in a single communion? Most cordially do we bid welcome to our kindred from Scotland and Ireland, bringing congratulations to us from the old homestead. From no quarter could they be so gratifying, as from no quarter they could be so natural. We accept tham, not merely as expressions of Interest in us, the emigrant children of the lamlly, but as recognitions of the happiness of the union of Presbyterians everywhere, aud glad shall we be of an early opportunity to reciprocate these congratulations. And what pleasure it would be to ns to creet brethren from France. Hnliami Germany, Switzerland, and every other country In tne world, the representatives oi ram-presbyterlan-lm 1 The last division of onr Church was one of the most painful events ia ecclesiastical history painlul because It was the division of a Church, and especi ally nalnful because it was the division of a larsre. noble, aowerful. and most usefal Church a Church of pie eminent intelligence and spirituality, and wnicn n in not immoueHt to say naa aone ana was doing more for ttut country and the world than any muu iu uin muu, tv may nave recjncueu our selves to It by Its unavoiaableuess in the clrcum. tancesof the case; we may have comforted our selves in it Dy tne good ior wmcs it wt overruled ; but If it could not have been averted and if it has been mitigated, it was deplorable and has proved disastrous, our denominational superiority suffered from It. We stood pre-eiriinent In character.ln position, in influence and in achievement, but we have fallen relatively and others have risen. It was a terrible blow to us and to religion. We need not ask whether there was enough to justiry It. Suffice it to know that there was enough to produce it. And yet how Hard it has been intelligibly to explain it i The divi sion was an eruption. We were constituted ecclesl- sstically, as the nation is politically, of the varieties of the race. Every country of Europe and every State of the Union were represented In us, but Bcotianu, ireiana, ana Mew ngianu contributed most largely to us. The Scotch aud Irish were rltrid in adherence to doctrines aud strict la the obser vance of rules, and the New Knglanders claimed and allowed latitude ami Independence. Thus dis cordant, they eould hardly stiuu collision, and three occasions ior it were pr esented. First. New England activity applied Itself to the abolition or aiavery, ana antipathy to New Kngiand quite naturally resisted it. There were numerous exceptions to this, but it was extensively the fact, and though others sympathized with New Knsrland. era in their assaultthey were the leaders In it and n expressed ineir spirit. Second. New England activity also applied Itself to theological Inquiries, and just at the time when the principal constltueuts of our Church were most sensitive, naw views of truth were promulgated. The New Emrlaud element assimilated to them, or kept quiet wl'h them, while the Scotch and Irish element was repallant of them, and the question of tolerance or intolerance of them Introduced the question of the extent to which our standards are auopiu in subscriptions to mum. Third. New England activity is individual. Its ecclesiastical polity is one of Isolation and voluutary co-operation. Its i-hurches are Independent aud their members combine witu oiuers to promote reli gion aud benevolence at large, only as they Hut, Hence the oriirlu of societies for general evauflrolizd. tlon. Scotch and Irish Presbyterlaus were traiud under ecclesiastical organizations lor the promotion of religion and bcuevoleuca. With thein it was the work of the cuurcn to oo me wor or tne Church, and hence the seal for Hoards of the Church. The two systems could not harmoniously co-ODerat. Lach rallied Us supporters to itself and tuey fell into conillcr. New Euulaud alertuess eava it th artv8Hee for a time, (fid wade It Imperious, per- iiups. iiurcu acuou iu jurcu uuaaioos was vir tually forbidden, and voluntary action for home mis sions ruled judicatories and determined ecclesiasti cal aflminirtration.'r-r- Whlle these circumstances developed the dis cordances In our Church, they did not rank the same contestants together and tn antagonism, and there was not unanimity of sentiment In regard to them on either side, sad yet we divided on them, and It was our discordance from our diverse constituency ID at divinea us on mem. It wohld be presamptaous, especially In this pres ence, and most opportune on this occasion, to dis tribute the fault In the case. Let that lie hurled beneath the obscurity by which It is hidden, and let it sink deeper and deeper In Impenetrable darkness. And It is not necessary to detail the proceedings In which the division transpired. They are familiar to us an ana agrceabia to nana, and we would ex punge the record rather than freshen It The causes of the division have been mentioned for the ase they serve. They establish the legitimacy of onr reunion and demonstrate Its hopefulness. An tagonisms have ceased, and there is nothing to separate us. The amalgamation of Us elements, so rematkable In the State, Is complete In our Church. We do not reject, nor repeal, nor disown New England. Ten- aeny ana fervently oo we love ner, aaa prouniy ao we glory tn her. Bat the Congregationalism of New England that antagonized Presbyterianlsm, and would not quietly mingle witn it, nas been with drawn from us. We did not elect It or drain It: it thrust itself out or was plucked frost us. Becoming sectarian and proselyting I do not mean to speak offensively, and I mention the fact only because It Is essential to my narrative becoming sectarlaa aud proselyting, whatever might have been our wish In tne matter, anu wnaiever our interest, it nas in sisted on departing from us and on leaving nothing of Its relationship with as. We are thus one spirit In one body; by no means bigoted, and yet ful'y Presbyterian; of varloas nativity, education, and descent, but in complete accord; with that portion of New EDgland removed Irom us that eould not be tolerant of us, and with a large residuum part and parcel of us, and with a heart and a place for the much more that can be accommodated to us. All is quiet about voluntary societies and ecclesi astical boards. None of us Uoabt that the Church Is constituted for the evangelization of the world, ano mat it cannot lawiuny anu wiseu uemit toe work on any substitute irresponsible to It. The polemics that fired us have burned out, and If we would, we could not rekindle them. American slavery Is dead and burled, and without a mourner at Its grave. It was the evil spirit of the country and of the Church, Inspiring animosities among brethren and stirring up strife, but it is exorcised now and annihilated ; and what good Presbyterian, what true American, what genuine man but rejoices at It? And while this demon of discord can never again divide us, why should we and our kindred at the South remain separate 1 We belong together, and the violence that sundered us has spent its force. The message of our hearts to them Is, "Let us be one again. Let the closing of the grave or slavery be the Ailing up of the chasm between us." No terms of rennlon are necessary, no conditions of any kind, no confessions, or pledges. We have none to offer and none to exact we cannot be deprived of satisfaction In the remembrance of our opposition to slavery, though we regret much In its methods and splrit,and we mast raise the shout of victory over it -We are more confident of the legitimacy of our reunion and of the blessings expected from it, be cause tne divine nana is so manliest in it Tflere were human aspirations for t, but no human labor ing in the Inception of it and no human leading In the conduct of It And when barriers were levelled and repulsions abated, how signally divine were the forces that Impelled us together 1 The working of God's Spirit is even more notable than the working of God's Providence. Nothing else can explain our disposition to unite. Itaraso independently of ns, and to our surprise. We were scarcely aware of Its existence before it was univer sal. And how much It vanquished and bore away 1 Those active In the separation have been earnest for the reunion. The JUu tcrator who presided at the divorce declares thru there is no hindrance to the marriage. And was ever such unanimity known? With perfeat freedom to express our judgment and choice, all but three presbyteries out of au hundred and forty-four in one branch voted for the uulon, snd all the presbyteries and every Individual but three, out or three thousand, In the other branch. And since the consummation, the few who were doubtful about It assent to it, and not a minister, not an elder, not a church member has le't us be cause of it We look almost In awe upon a union so manifestly divine. It is sacred In our eyes. God la Identified with it and gives sanctity to it connected with our nnlon is a responsibility. It rejoices our hearts and evokes our praise and excites our hopes, but It also imposes duties upon us we must not neglect There is a caution to heed a caution against pride and self-suitloleucy and indo lence. Let us not glory In our numbers and re sources and Idly repose upon them. Never had wa such occasion for humility and solemnity for so deep a sense of unworthlness aud nothingness, and responsibility I 1 here is a lesson to study, and a costly lesson. and one that sends blushes to our faces and pangs to onr hearts. Mortifying and distressing as It Is, we must address ourselves to it We must learn how foolish and wicked we have been. It Is not the time for crimination aud recrimination, but of general self-conviction. It Is not the time for condemning these or there, nor for distributing blame. It is the time for recognising and deploring our faults as a Church. We must not hide them from ourselves. We must not deny them to each other and to the world. Wa muBt net bury them in oblivion. Fathers and brethren, we sinned in our disruption, and we ought to moarn over It And let us net lose the In struction of the lesson. Let ns guard against the mistakes and wrongs we have committed. Particu larly let us cherish ailectlon and confidence, and practise toleration. .We can safaly love and trust etch other. There la a special reason for heeding the caution given to us and for learning the lesson set for us. The cause of Christian union la at stake upon us. We shall demonstrate its practicability or iiupraatl cability. Wo make the first experiment on a large scale. Its success or failure with us. Its happy or unhappy workings, hastens it through the world, or indefinitely postpones it Divided denominations are coming together, and we must draw them on or drive them back. Assimilating Christendom is yearning for unity, and our pride, or conceit, or Idleness, or discord most keep it divided. There la a work for ns to do, as well as a caution to heed and a lesson to learn. It consists of two parts, reconstruction and evangelization. First, the reunion lays upon us a work of recon struction. Committees appointed to report to this General Assembly are charged chiefly with the ne cessary charges in ine boundaries of our judicato ries, and with the combination of our two sets of evangelistic agencies. Everything distinctive in our polity is beyond in 1 qulry, of course. As none of ns entertain a thought, so none of us could present a proposition looking the most remotely to the ieast alteration of our presbyterianlsm. We fully approve it. We ardent ly love it We define Presbyterianlsm as "a series of courta of review and control." liut ours is a supervision by bodies presbyteries, synods and the General Assembly exerciae it Is there not a measure aad is there aot a method of it that could be entrusted to Individuals, aad that would be use ful to the Church? None of us could be reconciled to an episcopacy teehuically so called. The parity of the minittry is Inviolable among us, and lmperiontness and loqutsltiveness are intolerable by us. We must be freemen and peers. And we would not sacrifice self-training, self-lECitement, self-restraint for the quickening aud check oi a bishop's crook and eye. We must be, we will be, laws to ourselves. Bat cannot Individual Ism be reconciled with a supervision by individuals, and woald not our Presayierianism be helped by it ? Prelacy and Methodism largely owe their efficiency to it, snd guarded against excess and abuse, and aa appendix to supervision by judicatories, might It not add to our force ? This would be no novelty in Presbyterianlsm, as it would be no Intrusion upon it John Knox esta blished it in the Scotch Kirk, which be divided into ten dioceses, for each of which a superintendent was appointed. The tint Book of Discipline directed that tliese superintendents should have their own Hpeetal kirks, betldrs the common charge of others, aud that they should not "remain In their own kirks above three or four months, but should past again to tl elr vUltatlons." Their duty wai described as not only to preach where they went,but to "examine the doctrines, life, diligence, aud behavior of ttie ministers, elders, and deacons;" to coiislder t'te order of the kirk, the manners of the people, how the poor are provided, how the youth are instruct-), how the purity and discipline of the kirk are keeped, how heluous and horrible crimes are currected.' and to "administer and dres things out of order with their council tne best way they may." Our churches sutler from the lack of oversight rasters tend well the folds over which tuey are seve rally set; but, with here and there an exception, our presbyteries and synods very Imperfectly watch the Hheuherdlesa flocks. Scores and hundreds of churches die of neglect and aooret aud hundred of opportunities for churches are lost Episcopacy has an advantage here, aud Methodist Episcopacy Is making the most of it. It takes up our expiring nocks aud puts thtiu in well-teudcd folds. And would not an arrangement f r a klnl n l measure of supervision by individuals as well as ay bodies abate an evil of which both onr chnrches and ministers are the victims? I can hardly bring myself to publish the fact, for It seems like pro claiming either our weakness or our shame, and yet the stress of the ease compels mo to state that while our last minutes report 4181 ministers and 4330 charches, more than looo of oar ministers are stated supplies, or without permanent engagements, and nearly 600 are wholly unemployed, and lets tbsn inoo are pastors, and more than 1500 of onr churches are served by stated supplies, and nearly 100 have ao regular supplies of any kind. Suppose that one-half of these unemployed ministers are aged or Infirm, or otherwise Incompetent for pulpit and pastoral labor, we then have 4uo ministers quali fied to preach and visit, without pulpits and parishes. Most of the 10U0 vacant churches are small and feeble, but the greater their need of care, and with 40t able-bodied and well-trained minis ters disengaged in our bounds, they ought to be Brvcd. The impossibility of a support for these 400 minis ters In these 1000 churches is not the reason of their being unemployed, for long-coatlnued experiment by a sister denomination shows that It can be fur nished. What is needed, though not all that is needed, is an accepted medium of eommuulcation between the two, and also some degree of authority to bring them to terms. Left, aa eah church so much Is left, to provide for Itself, and left, as each minister so much Is left, to settle himself, our minutes will continue to report their hamlUatlng tale. And Is It not distressing to think of this amount of cultivated and consecrated power lying idle In the midst of this abounding waste, and must there not be something faulty or wsating la tho auministrauon mat admits oi it 7 Changes in onr methods and modes, however, will ot adequately help us. Tht Spirit it ourgrmt need. However perfect a machinery, it is of no avail with out propelling force, and we can tolerate poor machinery if only there be propelling force. Of all Christian organizations, ours depends most on the Spirit Neither superstition, nor sentlaient, nor emotion, nor sectarianism can work it The Spirit ta Its sole motive power. Not for the sake of Pres byterianlsm, but for the sake of the part assigned to it, we must make sure of its presence. Holy Spirit, let us live beneath thy rays 1 Be the light and heat and life of our Church 1 Second, the reunion lays upon us an enlarged work of evangelization. Think of forty-two hundred ministers, and forty four hundred churches, and half a million of com municants. What a host Is hare 1 Estimating our capabilities by our numbers, what must be our obligations 1 Think, too, of our means 1 No body of church members in our land approach ours In wealth. Consisting most largely of the industrious, enterprising, and thrifty portion of the community, they principally possess its campetancy. Our people areitne thinking, intelligent, vigorous class, the bone and sinew of society, of just the character and in just the position to De relied upon.for the interests of the country and the world. Think of our ministry as well as of our member ship. It is a delicate subject for remark, and vet we cannot estimate our duty irrespective of it We re cognize In our ministry what is universally accorded to it, learning, principle, and piety. The schools have tried it. Literature, science, and theology have Informed it Think of the magnitude of the work of evangeli sation, and of the pressure and opportunity for'lt Never was It so displayed to the Church. What was the world, as known to the apostles and early Chris tians, compared with the world as known to us? Aud bow universally and easily accessible It has be come. Foielgn missions have ceased to be an open ques tion. The churches that were slowest to recognize them zealously prosecute them. Comparatively early as were in them, and comparatively active and liberal as we have been, our shortcomings aitect us more than onr doings. We have fallen far beiow the scale of our duty to the heathen world. We must be moreearntst let our reunion be the doubling at least of our foreign work. There Is a difference In the degrees of attention demanded by different duties. The nearer objects lie to us, the more claims they have upon us. onr principal work of evangelization is at nome. It is rinnest to us. and no others can share In it with na. and there la an immensity ot It, and the piesent Is a critical tune witniu The work of evangelization turns attention to the tralnlDSTtof the ministry, aa that Is the great agency for promoting It Are we rearing preachers and pastors for the times? Theological seminaries gra duate the best of their kind, but does their educa tion develOD a class of gifts particularly adaDted to the present condition of society? Ministers mingle with people more freely than formerly. They are members of the community and meet all who belong to it ou uio lerujs ui vuuimuu viuxeuauip. 1 118 ministry is tnus urougnc to a cnange or method. The pulpit Is but one of its posts. Elaborate preach ing is necessary, and also impromptu and familiar speaking. We need to be well furnished for the -sanctuary, and ready for the steamer and the street S' methlng of the manner of the apostles is called for again. ' And much as the question has been discussed. should we not continue to ask: is there not a lass thoroughly educated class who may be admitted to ministry or commissioned for a quart ministry? Our Students are seiiooieu oeyonu numoie parisnes. xney are not suitable to them, and cannot be contented with them. And If our style of the ministry was adaDted to the entire field, it cannot be multlDlled enough. Colleges and theological seminaries are unequal to the needful supply. And hasn't the time some for organizing woman's work ? It Is invaluable now, but It is not systematic. Etch dees what her heart prompts and what her Immediate circumstances permit. No schemes of service are constructed by us and no special train ing furnished, sae teacnes, wnea so laciined, In Sunday and industrial aad other charitable schools, and visits the neglected, and relieves the needy and snflerlBg, bat it is only as an incleent in her life and en her personal motion, and according to her conve nience, and In such ways aa she herself may devise or discover or learn, or without more than such a general preparation as sti may happen to have or aoquire. It is wonderful that with such desultory modes she should have accomplished so much. The Church is fall ef women sighing for work. They need occupation and desire usefulness. Butthev know not what to do. There is no employment open to them, except of an occasional and casuul charac ternothing to keep them steadily engaged aad tint taxes their powers aud principles, ami raises their ambition. They need a species of profeaslon : some arrangement by which they shall be prepared for laoorB 01 love, ana miroauceu into mem, ana made regular ana persistent in mem. The support of the ministry deserves considers tlon. The first question that presents itself la, how to make this ample, but indlssolubly connected with it is the questioa how to make it ample con sistently witn the Dest sentiments oi tne ministers and the people. The mode of it should be a means of grace to both. Different denominations co-operate in the general work of evaoselization, but there is a part to which each is especially adapted, and to which each is especially assigned. There Is no duubt about a por tion of what belongs to us. It lies in the three spheres ef theology, piety, and morality. The great doctrines oi grace are committed to our stewardship. It devolves on us to keep and dispense them. IT l aiTinism is cared ior, it must be by us, and care for it we will. With all our hearts we em brace it If not the whole of Christianity, nor the whole of the substance of Christianity, It is indis pensable to Christianity. And never was Calvlulsm more needed than now. The theology or the day is effeminate aaa nunsy. w e must give it Dackboue. Our type of piety is dlstincty deiued. Intelligence, principle, and depth of experience constitute its uibiiDguiMuiiiK iraiui. us emotions stir me soul, ana are too profound always to appear. It is conviction rather than excitement. Truth la its inspiration and supply. And Is not this just the piety demanded by the times ? Human thought Is chaotic Society is surging. The light and floating must be shattered. The stauuch aloue can live. No open persecution is waned, snd yet wltness-beariug is required. Pres byterian piety is heroic. It can face prisons aud racks and stakes. The popular judgment denies ns the (esthetic, but accords us the ethical. Sturdy priuciple appears in the portrait drawn of us. And what description of men are more needed now? Dishonesty is tue crime of the day. The foundations of society are shaken by it The insane love of money, the haste to get rich, the spirit ol extravagance, the pamiou for ad venture, the frenzy of fashion and pleasure, are abroad in the world, and fraud convulses it. Who knoweth whether we are come to our integrity for urh a time as this ? Fathers aud brethren, conflicting seatitnents struggle w ithin ns. We celebrate our union buoyant with joy. Every face smiles. Every eye sparkles. Every voles rings, fivery heart bouuds. But serious thoughts come iu. Responsibility subdues exhilara tion A sense of duty sobers delight We tremble under our obligations, while elated by our blessings. Could more be conferred and devolved upon a Church? Aud yet responsibility is not uecessirily oppressive. Opportunity gives it wings ami lifts ua up with It. Aud was ever opportumty like ours? How grand the woik before us! How timely the age ! How appropriate the held ! 'With but a spark of religion, a spark of enterprise, a spark of man hood, zeal must burst into a name. And what translated spirits gather about us? KrcLs and Brslnerd, heads of th committee to pre. para for this festival tie Ricuardses, Fishers, Millers, Alexanders, who while on earth woald have been so glad to sttand it the Greens and Masons and Baxters and Elyt and Junklns and Wilsons ana Beechera, once in the thickest of the conflict be tween us, but now nearest together at the table with us the Edwardaes, Withertpoona, smiths, Rodrersee, Wllsona and Waddeia ot tne former period of restored fraternity; the Allisons, Crosse a, Tensants and Blalrs of the flratdleruption, and the Hiuespies, untenmtons, uicsinsona. rembertoaa. Plersons, Burrs coeval with it, but not participants In It; the Makemles, namptons, MacknHhea, An drewses, onr American fathers; the Calvins, Zwlnrles, Knoxes, our foreign ancestors ; Paal, onr apostle, snd his associates. And while present at our feast, and joyous witn us, how eagerly they will watch, our work I Happy In our union, they are anxtoas for our fidelity. vv nereiore, seeing we are compassed about wittt so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us. and let ua rua with patience the race that la set be- iore ns, looking unto .lesas, the author aud finisher of our faith!" Tbe Baalaeea Heaeloau At the conclusion of the sermon the an rjouncement was made that the meetings of the Atsembly would be open to the public, and that an wouia db maae welcome. The regular business session was then ensued by a short prayer by Dr. Jacobus. ur. lowier. on taking tne chair, stated that previous to an election It wonld be in order to appoint a committee an commissions to whom all doubtful commissions should be referred. On motion, the Chair appointed George C. Hick man, D.D.. of Albany : Rev. 8amuol L. Morton, of Missouri; Ruling Elder David Robinson, of ritttburg. I hit committee met immediately after the ap pointment in the lecture room of the church. un motion the session then adjourned, with prayer by the Moderator. Tho Delearatee. We have already alven the list of delegates or "commissioners" from the five Philadelphia Presby teries three of which belonged to the late "01l School" branch, and two to the "New School'' branch. The complete roll of the Atsembly, which is now before us, is so long that It Is Impossible to print It entire to-day, but we give below the namea of the delegates from the presbyteries In this and the surrounding States as follows :-- rKNNSVLVANIA FBXSBYTEJtnCS. Huntingdon (0. S.) Mimitttrt. Ruling Kldtrt, Robert Hamlin, H. N. MoAUster, O. O. McClean, W. S. Doty, WlUlam Prldeux. John Porter. Xew Castt 0. 8.) m J. B. Spotswood, Stephen Springer, J J. Pomeroy, David Scott Pittslura (y. 5.) Henry Kendall, Richard Edwards. AKeaheny Cttv lO. 8.) J. B. BHtlnger, S. R. Stewart, .uavia muoi, a, v. ewis, Jkavtr (O. 8.) W. C. Falconer, Charles Eoonea, Wdltboj (JV, &) C Otis Thatcher, Hon. H. W. Williams, CrUU Itf. 8.) Thomas Crelght, Joseph Rench, William A. Wast, Jotepn M. Means. Salisbury (O. 3.) J. E. Carutaers, Dr. R. McCbesney. Ohio (O. &) M. W. Jacobus, U p., David Robinson, John Kerr, John A. Renshaw. Xorthumberland (O. &) W-E. G. Agnew, Dr. Andrew nepburn, Dr. Watson, John H. Vandersllce. Luzerne (O. 8.) IT. H. Wells, Jacob Belvllle, jw. uoiienback, A. Hand. Erie (.V. s.) r George Kellogg. Erit (O. S.) R. M. Jamea. Redstone (O. S.) George A. Lyon, J. W. McClune, W. L. Boyd, Samuel Black. MIW JIRSKY PRR8BYTBBIES. A'ewark N. 8.) J. Few Smith, Jehn c. THmes, J. P. Wilson, J. C. Potts, George C. Seibert, George B. Sears. Jitv Bruneteick (O. S.) Pres. Jas. McCosh, D. D., Hon. II. W. Green, J. B. Kennedy, Prof. S. Alexander, Burlington (O. S.) T. D. Reed, J. D. Relnboth. rBKSBYTKBIKa IN OTUKR 8TATKS. JSaltimtre (O. 8.) Cyrus Dickson, D. 8. Courtney, John C. Backus, W. B. Canneld. Wilmington (X S.) John Crowell, Win. w. Faria. Cincinnati (O. S.) Charles Thompson, S. J. Thompson, W. F. James, H. F. Kemper. Cincinnati (.V. 8.) Joseph Chester, J. V. Chamberlain, J. L. RobertBon, Dr. James Tyler. Chicago (N. 8.) R. W. Patterson, D. D., Robert Strong, J. H. Trowbridge, Edward bilvey. L.H. Relt, O. Kendall. Chicago (O. S.) R. Patterson, H. G. Spafford,. R. G. Thomson, George Guy. Kv York (O. &) John Thomson, James Brown, , William M. Pax ton, J. D. Vermilye, Samuel D. Alexander, John Stewart Niu York id (a 8.) D. M. nellUay,- Robert Carter, A'eta York 3d (.V. S.). E. T. Hatfield, Thomas Bond, It. K. Booth, S. S. Thompson, J. C. Egbert, Stephen Cutter, Xew Yorkitkty. S.) William Adams, William K. Dodge, George L Prentiss, B. M. Kinpsley, Howard Crosby, J. P. Crosby, Brooklyn (.V. 8.), ' T. L Cuyler, K. A. Lambert, Amos N. Fraalaad, 8. T. Freeman, TUE GREEK YICTIMS. Funeral Honora ta the Murdered Alea Athenian Correspondence of Galignani. One of the most imposing ceremonies ever witnessed in this city occurred at the obsequies of the four foreigners recently massacred by the brigands. Tbe Englishmen Herbert, Secretary of Legation, Viner, and Lloyd were interred from the Protestant Chapel, and Count Albert de Boyl, Secretary of tbe Italian Legation, from tbe Roman Catholic Cathedral. The remains were accompanied to the grave by their Majes ties the King and Quean; the chief aides-decamp of the court; the venerable Archbishop of tbe Greek Church and his deacons; the members of the Greek government; the diplomatic corps; the officers of tbe army and navy, and all the prominent persons of the capital, Including many ladies. About eight thousand persons were collected between the church and the burial place. The King, in a long military cloak and helmet cap with feathers, walked Immediately behind the collins, which were borne upon the shoul ders of marines, and covered with the national flags. A large body of the National Guard, with the band playing dirges, preceded tbe procession to the place of interment, yesterday the de cav4tated heads of seven brigands, killed by the soldiers during the late encounter, were dis played strung in line on a scaffolding in tha Champ de Aiars at Athens, where crowds went out to see them. Besides the gendarme shot by the brigands at the time of the seizure, about thirty soldiers lost their lives on the final attack upon the outlaws. Many of these soldiers leave their families unprovided for. A subscription for their relief has beeu Initiated by tho diph. matic corps. IfaJllnore Predate fflarket. Baltimohs, May 19. Cotton dullat2Vc Flour dull and weak. Wheat very dull and lower; Penn. sjhania.tlSiit-Bs; Western, 1UM1"28. Corn dull and lowtr; white, l 20; yellow. II-13. Oata nrui at ti-v.. Provisions unchanged. Whisky quiet and un changed. A Masfachusetts dentist recently advertised that he would give a set of toeth to the first caller on a certain Monday morning, aud before . euntet on Suuday there were two men and a woman on hit doorstep imjiatieutly waiting for the uumu aad tbe coveted ytuv. 1
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers