USA > Virginia > Sketches of Virginia : historical and biographical > Part 64
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While the discussions on the citation were going on, the mind of Dr. Baxter was painfully impressed with the facts and illustrations brought forward by Dr. Beman, and others, to show the difficulty of executing any such discipline. They had said, Suppose you cite Sessions, they will be defended by their Presbyteries ; suppose you cite Presbyteries, they will be defended by their Synods ; for the Synods, Presbyteries, and Churches, are harmonious in belief and practice ; that the evils complained of were justified by the original condition of things, by consequent habit, and the strong hope that, in a few years, by the operation of the causes at work in the West, the majority of the Presbyterian' Church would be of their way of thinking ; that the East looked for it as well as the West. The documents showed him what the state of things was in some places ; the speakers had said there was great harmony in opinion and action. He was astounded and distressed. He felt the extent of the obser- vation of a certain theological professor, "that the progress of cer- tain notions in the West would soon revolutionize the Presbyterian Church," and of the expression of another, "that the last kick of
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Presbyterianism had been made." He, with others, were oppressed by these reflections. The condition of things was worse, by the showing of friends, than had been supposed by those generally who voted for citation. Dining with a young friend one day, he says - " What think you of the principle, that an unconstitutional law involves the unconstitutionality of all done under it." His friend replied that the question was new, and he was not prepared to answer without more reflection. Dr. Baxter then enlarged upon it, and showed its application to the matter in hand. His young friend proposed that he form a proposition in writing, with some thoughts, and submit them to the consideration of the older members of As- sembly. Pen and paper were brought, and the Doctor wrote a few lines, and agreed to propose the subject to his acquaintances ; and his young friend promised to do the same. And the proposition was brought up in private circles and fully considered.
On the night of Monday, the 29th, the night before the report of the Committee on the State of the Church, or division of the Church, the Convention held a session. No previous meeting exhibited equal depth of feeling or strength of interest. Proposi- tions were made without speeches or arguments, or exhortations. - The votes were taken after some time of silent consideration. It was "Resolved, that in order to prevent confusion, all subjects pre- sented by the majority for the consideration of the Assembly, should be first agreed upon in the Convention ; that the propositions agreed upon should be presented by some one known to all; and five persons were named, one of whom should offer the resolutions agreed upon, that nullification followed unconstitutionality, and that the applica- tion of the principle should be made first with the Western Reserve Synod; and, finally, unless the Committee on the State of the Church should on the next morning make some proposition for division that should prove acceptable, a motion should be made to disconnect the Western Reserve Synod from the Assembly.
On Tuesday morning, May 30th, after the report of Committee on the state of the Church was made, and the whole matter laid on the table, Mr. Plumer rose and offered the following resolution - " That by the operation of the abrogation of the Plan of Union of 1801, the Synod of the Western Reserve is, and is hereby declared to be no longer a part of the Presbyterian Church of the United States of America." Having made the proposition he yielded the floor to Dr. Baxter, who said, " the resolution was not propounded in un- kindness, but as the only way left to effect a separation pronounced by all desirable. No principle was better established than this, that when an unconstitutional law was abrogated, all that had grown up under that law was swept away with it. While a law stands the claims under it are valid ; but when it is pronounced unconstitutional everything dependent on it falls. The Yazoo claims in Georgia illustrate the principle." " He then applied the principle to the Western Reserve Synod. Dr. Peters and others frequently inter- rupted him in his argument by calls for "order," a call Dr. Baxter
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never before heard made in any judicatory while he was speaking. After hearing it repeatedly, he said, " If gentlemeen will call on me so often, I shall be under the necessity of calling on them to write out a speech for me." He then proceeded to show from facts and documents before the Assembly, and the speeches of those opposed to citation, that the state of things in the Church was such that a separation could not be effected too soon.
Mr. Jessup followed, denying the power of the Assembly to cut off the Western Reserve, or declare her out of the connexion, and strongly deprecated the measure as unconstitutional, and unneces- sary if it were. Dr. M'Auley followed, strongly deprecating the measure, and spoke with deep feeling, and at times with much pathos. . He thought the evils complained of might be remedied some other way more agreeable to her views of right and prudence; that this act was an attempt at dissolving churches, and unclothing ministers blessed of God. Mr. Plumer replied, " that as in the abro- gation of the Plan of Union, the churches were not dissolved, so under the present resolution the church capacity of these churches was not interfered with, or the office of the ministry ; it was a decla- ration that they were not a part of the Presbyterian Church, and the declaration was grounded on the fact that they had not con- formed themselves to the doctrines, or forms, or discipline of that Church. . If there were any true Presbyterian churches in that region, they would come out and unite on the true principle, and the others would follow their own predilections.
Mr. Cleveland followed; his earnest desire was for peace. He proposed the consideration by the Assembly of the propositions before the Committee-of ten on the state of the Church ; that per- haps some amicable division might take place. The day being spent, Mr. Cleveland gave way to adjournment. On Wednesday morning, May 31st, he resumed his speech, and having restated his opinions and wishes, moved to postpone the resolution offered by Mr. Plumer, and take up the question of separation in a constitutional and amicable way. Mr. Junkin followed, and opposed any such post- ponement, and advocated speedy separation. He said there was satisfactory evidence, though not strictly legal evidence, that the overwhelming majority of the churches in that Synod were not Pres- byterians. He was repeatedly interrupted with offers to prove that the state of things was better than he had stated. Mr. Junkin gave : way to hear. Some Commissioners from that Synod came forward to give information. The question was put to each one of these before he gave the information in extenso - "Have you publicly received the Confession of Faith." Each one refused to answer that or any other question respecting themselves, as they were not on trial. Mr. Junkin proceeded. It was stated that it had been actually discussed among the ministers of the Western Reserve - Whether they should not leave the Presbyterian connexion, and form a Congregational Association. Mr. Junkin argued that the churches and ministers were not Presbyterian in doctrine, or form, or desire,
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or intention, and therefore the sooner they were by themselves the better. Dr. Peters spoke at length against the principle of the resolution ; he quoted an assertion of Dr. Witherspoon respecting himself, which he considered derogatory; Dr. Witherspoon arose, acknowledged the assertion and his error, and honorably retracted. In the course of his speech, Dr. Peters admitted that he had objected to the Assembly's carrying on Foreign and Domestic Missions, and that he thought the American Home Missionary Society, (of which he was secretary), was enough for domestic missions, and the Ameri- can Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions, for foreign mis- sions.
On Thursday, June 1st, Mr. Jessup said, Dr. Baxter had put his written argument into his hands with a request for him to answer it. He stated his argument against it, and contended that if it were applied to the question in hand, it dissolved the churches. Mr. Ewing followed, and was arguing the question of constitutionality .. in the calm, forensic manner of his profession ; being repeatedly in- terrupted by the declaration that things were better than his argu- ment supposed; when Mr. Breckenridge arose and once more asked of Mr. Kingsbury, a Ruling Elder from the Western Reserve, and a Commissioner in the Assembly -"Have you ever adopted the Con- fession of Faith?" He refused to answer "that question." Mr. Ewing. continued, and explained at large the Yazoo claims, and the manner of their settlement; the unconstitutionality of the law, on which these claims were founded, being declared, the claims were set aside. He argued from the Form of Government the right of the Assembly to act on the principle proposed in the resolution under discussion. Mr. S. C. Anderson followed with a constitutional argument in favor of the resolution. He presented the whole sub- ject, the principles and the application; and illustrated them from the process of civil law and natural law, and the principles and government of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Ewing spoke with the coolness and precision of the Pennsylvania lawyer ; Mr. Anderson with the vehemence and apparent carelessness about words of the Vir- ginia bar; both specimens of their kind. At the close of Mr. An- derson's speech there was a general call for the previous question- and then the main question was put, yeas 132, nays 105; and the Western Reserve Synod was declared not to be a part of the Pres- byterian Church in the United States.
In the afternoon of Friday, June 2d, a resolution was passed advisory to the discontinuance of the operations of the American Education Society, and the American Home Missionary Society in the bounds of the Presbyterian Church. The intention was to per- mit the Presbyteries' to carry on the education cause and the mis- sionary cause under the supervision of the Assembly.
On Saturday morning, June 3d, Mr. Breckenridge proposed the following resolutions, viz. : "1st. That in consequence of the abro- gation by this Assembly, of the Plan of Union of 1801, between it and the General Association of Connecticut, as utterly unconstitu-
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tional, and therefore null and void from the beginning, the Synods of Utica, Geneva, and Genesee, which were formed and attached to this body under and in execution of said Plan of Union, be, and are hereby declared to be out of the ecclesiastical connexion of the Presbyterian Church of the United States of America, and they are not in form or in fact an integral portion of said church." Resolutions 2, 3, and 4, followed. By motion of Mr. Jessup this resolution was brought up by itself to the consideration of Assem- bly ; and after some debate he proposed as a substitute, a citation of the Synods to appear at the next Assembly and answer-" What they have done or failed to do," "and generally to answer any charges that may or can be alleged against them," &c.
On Monday, the 5th of June, the debate on postponement was continued till the afternoon. ' The arguments on both sides were sub- stantially those on the question of the Western Reserve, and turned on the constitutionality, the necessity and prudence of the proposed cause of action. The previous question was called for, and the post- ponement and further debate cut off. The resolution was carried - yeas 115, nays 88.
The remaining resolutions of Mr. Breckenridge were proposed in order and carried, viz .: 2d. That the solicitude of this Assembly on the whole subject, and its urgency for the immediate decision of it, are greatly increased by reason of the gross disorders which are ascertained to have prevailed in those Synods (as well as that of the Western Reserve, against which a declarative resolution, similar to the first of these, has been passed during our present sessions) ; it being made clear to us, that even the Plan of Union itself was never consistently carried into effect by those professing to act under it. 3d. That the General Assembly has no intention, by these resolutions, or by that passed in the case of the Synod of the Western Reserve, to affect in any way the ministerial standing of any members of either of said Synods; nor to disturb the pastoral relation in any church; nor to interfere with the duties or relations of private Christians in their respective congrega- tions ; but only to declare and determine according to the truth and necessity of the case, by virtue of the full authority existing in it for the purpose, the relation of all said Synods, and all their constituent parts to this body, and to the Presbyterian Church in the United States. 4th. The fourth makes provision for such churches and ministers in the four Synods as are Pres- byterian in doctrine and order. These were passed by yeas 113, nays 60.
Tuesday, June 6th, Dr. Alexander proposed to add to the rules of Assembly -1st, forbidding Commissioners to be reported from Presbyteries whose names are not duly reported by Synod and recognized by the Assembly; and 2d, refusing seats to any Com- missioners from Presbyteries for unduly increasing representation, and requiring the Assembly to dissolve the Presbyteries. They
were both carried.
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Wednesday morning, June 7th. The subject of Foreign Missions was taken up. Resolved, "That the General Assembly will super- intend and conduct, by its own proper authority, the works of Fo- reign Missions of the Presbyterian Church, by a Board appointed for that purpose, and directly amenable to the Assembly." This subject caused no debate in this stage of the business of the Assem- bly. Probably there was no subject on which previous Assemblies had ever acted, so deeply interesting to the Southern Church as this had been. They had been distant spectators of the excitements of other Synods and Presbyteries on doctrine and church order, and could hardly understand how Presbyteries, or ministers, or churches could claim to be Presbyterians without adopting the Confession of Faith, the platform of agreement, and distinction from all other churches ; or how there could be so much discussion about doctrine by churches or ministers who claimed to be Presbyterians, unless they loved discussion and disputation for disputation's sake ; or why, if the parties did not believe in the doctrines and forms professed, they desired to remain in the Presbyterian Church, unless the things about which they discussed and acted so vehemently, were nevertheless - considered, after all, as logomachies, things for discussion, and mere verbal differences. They had carefully kept aloof from all commin- gling in the debate. The conviction that there was something real in dispute, and strange as it was real, began to fasten on them; and that the Southern churches would be compelled to reavow the Con- fession of Faith as their platform, and perhaps separate from those most excited by these matters of disputation. But the action of the commissioners assembled in General Assembly of 1836, in setting aside the agreement made between the Western Board of Foreign Missions and the committee of Assembly, and promulgating the principle that the Presbyterian Church, as a Church, ought not to carry on Foreign Missions or Domestic Missions on a scale equal to her limits, completely aroused many that had hitherto felt it their duty to remain quiet, to avow that the Presbyterian Church has a right to carry on missions; that she is herself a Missionary Society by the very nature of her constitution and essence of her existence; and no power shall forbid her to do so, if she feel it her duty so to do.
Churches and ministers who had been contented to send their tokens of Christian interest to the heathen through the American Board, and would have been content for a long time to come with that single channel, now resolved it was time there was another channel opened, though it was more stupendous in accomplishment than uniting the oceans by a pathway across America. Accordingly a Southern Presbytery, that had held aloof from all intermingling in the agitations in the Assembly, resolved, in the spring of 1837, to send a delegate to the Convention, and that the delegate to Con- vention should be commissioner to the Assembly. And what do you wish your delegate and commissioner to do in the Convention and Assembly ? asked the commissioner. An elder member replied, " We
,
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expect you to vote for a Board of Foreign Missions under the direc- tion of the Assembly. We are all here connected with the American Board, and we may continue to be so. But the right and duty of the Presbyterian Church as a Church to carry on the work of Mis- sions, Foreign and Domestic, and be a channel to those who wish to send the gospel to others, must be maintained at all hazards. On other subjects that come up, vote and act according to your own con- science." To this all assented. And unless the Assembly had established this Board, the efforts for purification would have been all in vain. There were the same reasons against all her Boards as against this ; and this finally lost, all would have been lost. This gained, all were gained. After the decision of Assembly on other subjects discussion was unnecessary on this.
The commissioners of the Western Reserve, in preparation for a law-suit, having given' notice to the treasurer and trustees of the General Assembly, not to regard the orders of the Assembly of 1837 -on motion of Mr. Breckenridge, Resolved-" That this Assembly, in virtue of the powers vested in it by the act incorporating its trus- tees, do hereby in writing direct their trustees to continue to pay as heretofore, and to have no manner of respect to the notice mentioned above, nor to any similar notice that may come to their knowledge." The Assembly pledged itself to sustain the trustees in performing their duty. This was considered the first step towards a law-suit about the funds.
On the afternoon of Wednesday, 7th June, the Assembly took up the unfinished business of May 25th, the indefinite postponement of Mr. Mines' motion to amend the resolution on doctrinal errors, made May 22d, and postponed from time to time. By the previous ques- tion, taken without debate, the proposition to postpone, with Mr. Mines' motion for amendment, were both cut off. The resolution made May 22d, was carried without debate, ayes 109, nays, and non liquet, 17. The list of errors, with a few verbal alterations, is the same as presented by the Convention. The alterations are-in the 1st error, " God would have prevented," instead of " God would have been glad to prevent." In the 5th, after the 12th word, which is " God," insert "in this world." In the 6th, leave out "or " after the first semicolon. In the 7th, read "the guilt of Adam's sin, or of the righteousness of Christ." In the 10th, leave out the first clause. In the 11th, read " That saving faith is not an effort of the special operations of the Holy Spirit, but a mere rational belief in the truth, or assent to the word of God." In the 14th, read "par- ticular," for "certain."
Had this resolution passed on the day it was proposed, or on the next day, with a strong majority-and there is little doubt a very large majority, particularly if we may judge from Mr. Duffield's pro- test, were prepared to condemn them-the whole course of affairs in the Assembly would have been changed. The plan of Union would have been abrogated ; the Western Reserve Synod would have been cited ; and a Board of Foreign Missions formed ; and there the majority
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would have paused, in all probability, as the memorialists expected. But the postponement was made on account of facts brought to light, and a conviction arising from the debate as carried on by the oppo- nents, that the Assembly would be compelled to try another course. That other course was previously unthought of, and in its immediate and remote effects revolutionary. What the state of the Presbyte- rian Church would have been now, had the proposed course been pursued, is matter of speculation. Division would have been delayed probably ; but when it would have come, and how it would come, no one can conjecture.
On motion of Mr. Plumer, Synods, Presbyteries and Sessions, were enjoined to exercise Christian discipline as the means of restoring and preserving purity in the Church. On motion of Mr. Brecken- ridge, the Third Presbytery of Philadelphia was dissolved, and the component parts reannexed to the Presbyteries from which they were taken.
A number of protests against the acts of Assembly were presented and admitted to record. June 7th. The protest of the commis- sioners from the Western Reserve Synod, against the act declaring that Synod not a part of the Presbyterian Church; the answer by Messrs. Plumer, Ewing and Woodhull; the whole argument on both sides in a condensed form. On the same day a protest against the abrogation of the Plan of Union; answer by Messrs. Junkin, Green and Anderson ; a summary of the arguments used by both parties. On the same day a protest from the commissioners from the Synods of Utica, Geneva and Genessee, against the act declaring them no longer a part of the Presbyterian Church; answer by Messrs. Witherspoon, Murray and Simpson; a concise statement of the whole argument. On Thursday, 8th. The protest of Dr. Beman and others against the act of citation, and the act respecting the Synod of Western Reserve; answer by Messrs. Breckenridge, Annin and Todd ; the argument on both sides stated with ability. On the same day, a protest by Mr. Duffield and others against the resolution on erroneous doctrines ; Mr. Plumer moved it be recorded without answer, and copies be sent to the Presbyteries to which the protes- tors belong, with injunction that enquiry be made into the soundness of the faith of those who have made the avowals in the protest. Mr. Duffield, presented a protest against the dissolution of the Third Presbytery of Philadelphia. Mr. Plumer proposed a short answer, which was adopted-that the principle of elective affinity on which it was founded, has been declared unconstitutional; and having been formed by Assembly could certainly be dissolved by it. A protest against the action relating to the American Home Missionary So- ciety and American Education Society ; the answer by Messrs. Alexander, Green and Potts; the argument ably stated on both sides. A protest from Dr. Beman against the action respecting the Synods of Utica, Geneva and Genessee; Mr. Plumer proposed for answer a reference to the answer to preceding memorials on the same subject.
1
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DIVISION OF THE SYNOD OF VIRGINIA.
These protests and answers embrace the whole subject of the con- troverted action of the Assembly of 1837, and are presented in the minutes of the meeting for that year. To these the Assembly added a pastoral letter prepared by Messrs. Alexander, Baxter and Leland. This gives the reasons for abrogating the Plan of Union, and for declaring the four Synods no longer a part of the Presby- terian Church, and for the orders necessarily connected with these acts, in the plain, direct language, and consecutive reasoning, charac- teristic of the writers, two of whom Virginia claimed as her sons. A circular letter was prepared by Messrs. Breckenridge, Latta and Plumer, addressed to all other churches, presenting the Presbyte- rian Church in the midst of her troubles, in a graphic manner, and her efforts to shake off the superincumbent weight, in language becoming the committee and the Church. These various papers give imperishable value to the pamphlet containing the printed min- utes of the Assembly of 1837.
On the evening of Thursday, 8th of June, the Assembly was dis- solved. The members returned to their homes, to meet their fellow presbyters and the churches, and give an account of their doings, and to receive their condemnation, or grateful approbation. The commissioners from Virginia returned to excitements unprecedented in the history of the Synod. They went conscious that many things would appear as having been done hastily and prematurely ; that the public mind was prepared for the course designed by the memorialists, - decision on the list of errors of doctrine, citation of Synods supposed in error, and abrogation of the Plan of Union - and a division amicably agreed upon, or one separating North and South ; - but not prepared for the division that had been made.
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