EPISCOPALIAN AND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES OF THE UNITED STATES.

Southland Times, Issue 915, 13 March 1868, Page 3

EPISCOPALIAN AND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES OF THE UNITED STATES.

(Abridged from the New York Observer.') The Presbyterian Convention unanimously adopted the following resolution: — " Resolved that this Convention send its cordial salutation to our Episcopal brethren now assembled in convention in this city, praying that grace, mercy, and peace may rest upon them from G-od our Father, and from the Lord Jusus Christ." A committee, consisting of Eev. Henry B. Smith, D.D., Robert Carter, and Hon. Charles D. Drake, was appointed to bear to the Episcopal brethren the salutations of the Presbyterian Convention. Professor Smith subsequently reported that the committee had waited upon the assemblage of Episcopal clergmen and laymen, and said : — " The business before them was suspended in order that we might be received. We expressed to them our cordial felicitation and salutation. The address was responded to by the presiding officer, Bishop M'llvaine, in the most cordial terms. I wish all had been there to hear the eulogy pronounced by that estimable man upon the Presbyterian standards, and the sympathy he expressed in the movement for reunion." Friday morning was entirely devoted to the reception of the Episcopal Delegation. Near the close of the morning

prayer meeting, more than 100 of the Episcopal clergymen entered the Church together, and the Convention rose to receive them. The President called upon the Rev. Dr Newton, rector of the Church of the Epiphany, Philadelphia, to lead in prayer, and gave out the 133 rd Psalm, which was sung by the whole congregation standing — Behold how good a thing it is, And flow becoming well, Together such as brethren are In unity to dwell. The deputation, consisting of Bishops M'llvaine and Lee; Eev Stephen H. Tyng, Junr. ; and Hon Messrs Conyngham and Brunot, entered, and ascending the platform, were introduced by Eev Henry B. Smith D.D., when the President gave to them a cordial greeting. Bishop M'llvaine then addressed the Convention, saying : — Dearly beloved brethren — We reciprocate your prayers on our behalf. Those prayers have been answered, not directly, but more auspiciously than most of us could have anticipated. G-od has answered them in the spirit of love. The entrance of. your deputation was a grateful surprise, and every heart was open at once. We are here to-day for the purpose of expressing our love and our desires in response. It may seem to you a remarkable indication of Providence when I tell you that when the Episcopal G-eneral Convention was assembled in this city in 1856, the matter of promoting cooperation with other churches in measures for the bringing about a better understanding was brought before the House of Bishops. A committee of five was appointed to take advantage of any opportunity^ that God in his providence might devise in promoting a nearer union. It is remarkable that lam the only surviving member of that committee. The rest have all gone to the blessed union above. lam rejoiced to think it is reserved for me to stand in this place to discharge the duty which I believe to be of the sort contemplated by the House of Bishops. The right hand of fellowship was extended to us yesterday in prayer, and now in this manner. I greet you in the name of the House of Bishops, and I greet you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Applause.) These are times when, instead of there being a desire to magnify our differences, we should aim to bring about such measures as will unite us in the advancement of the Church of Christ. The foundation which the Church builds upon is a sure one, and we stand here to testify to our common standing on that foundation. Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ. Let us be careful, however, how we build thereon. We live in a most solemn age of the world, and we have serious evils to face ; we have to war against infidelity ; we have to war against the power which has stood against the Church — a power which, at this day, has its eyes upon this j country, and that on the other side of the water. It becomes us, therefore, to unite j our endeavors to further every right effort to advance the truth. May Grod i bless us in our endeavors in this great work. The President, then, taking Bishop Lee by the hand, introduced him to the Convention, saying : The last time that Bishop M'llvaine, Bishop Lee, and I met, we were at the gates of Eichmond, asking Jefferson Davis to allow us to enter Eichmond and minister to the starving Union soldiers who had been battling for our beloved country. Now that we have one united country, may we not hope that soon we will have one united Church ? Professor Smith then led in reciting the Apostle's Creed — all present repeating; after which the hymn, " Blest be the tie that binds Our hearts in Christian love," was sung by the entire assembly with j deep emotion. Eev Stephen H. Tyng, jnr., and Messrs Conyngham and Brunot, made brief ad- | dresses, wheu Mr Stuart replied — Eight Eeverend Fathers and dearly beloved brethren, we thank you, in the name of this Convention, for the words of cordial greeting and Christian sympathy which you have been permitted, as the representatives of one of the great religious bodies of this country, to express. Your trials are ours. We have the same battles to fight, we have the same doctrines of Jesus Christ to proclaim to the world, and we rejoice that there are fields in which we can work together. He then alluded to scenes in which he had labored in connection with Bishop M'llvaine in behalf of dying men on the battle field and in hospitals, and wherever dying men could be found. He did not believe that this honored father was ever engaged in more truly apostolic work than when, as he once saw him, he was preaching Christ from the saddle to 1200 prisoners of war ; or when, as he saw him on another occasion, he was kneeling on the bar-room floor of the Planters' Hotel at Eredericksburg, by the side of a dying Indian, who had served in the army of the Union, pointing him to a crucified Saviour, and commending his soul in prayer to God. He depicted other scenes deeply affecting to aU present. The President then called upon Eev Charles Hodge, D.D., of Princeton Theological Seminary, who addressed the deputation. Dr Hodge said : I am called upon to speak a word of welcome in behalf of the brethren of the Presbyterian Church, a denomination that is represented by about five thousand ministers, an equal number of churches, and over a million of souls, who have been baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. lam for the moment the mouthpiece of this body, and allow me to present to you (addressing the deputation) our cordial and affectionate Christion salutation. We wish to assure you that your names are just as familiar to our people as your own, and that we appreciate your services in the cause of our common Master as highly as the people of your own denomination. We

rejoice with them in all the good that has been accomplished through your instrumentality. I hope this audience will parden a reference to what might seem personal under any other circumstances than the present. You, Bishop M'llvaine, and Bishop Johns, whom I had hoped to see on this occasion, and I, were hoys together in Princeton College 50 odd years ago. Evening after evening have we knelt together in prayer. We were baptised in spirit together in the great revival of 1815, in that institution ; we sat together year after year in the same class- room, and we were instructed by the same venerable theological teachers. You have gone your way and I mine, but I will venture to say, in the presence of this audience, that I do not believe that in all that time you have preached any one sermon which I would not have rejoiced to have delivered. I feel the same confidence in saying that I never preached ( a sermon which you would not have 1 fully and cordially endorsed. Here we I now stand grey-headed, side by side, after i more than fifty years, the representatives of these two great bodies, feeling for each other the same intimate and cordial love, looking not backwards, not downwards at the grave at our very feet, but onward to the coming glory. Brethren, pardon these personal allusions, but is there not something that may be regarded as symbolical on this occasion? Sir, were not your Church and ours rocked in the same cradle ! Save they not passed through the same Bed Sea of trial ? Do they not bear the samo testimony to Christ and the Apostles ? "What difference between the Thirty-nine Articles and our Confession, greater than the difference between the different parts of one great cathedral anthem that arises to the skies ? Does it not seem to you that these great Churches are coming together ? We stand here to declare to the whole world that we are one in faith, one in baptism, one in hope, and one in allegiance to your Lord and our Lord. During the delivery of Dr Hodge's address, tears were falling from almost every eye, and it would be impossible with the pen to convey any adequate impression of the solemnity of the scene. After the addresses, the Convention spent some moments in silent prayer, wien Bishop M'llvaine led in fervent prayer for the object contemplated in this Presbyterian Convention, and the Eev Dr John Hall, of New York (late of Dublin), led, in earnest and appropriate player for the Episcopal Churches in this country and in fekeat Britain and Ireland. Bishop Lee offered the Lord's Prayer, the vast assemblage joining. Mr Stuart, the President, addressing Bishop M'llvaine, repeated the last three reraes of the sixth chapter of Numbers — The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift His countenance upon thee and give thee peace. The assembly then joined in singing the Christian Doxology — Praise God from whom all blessings flow, and the benediction was pronounced by Bishop M'llvaine.