the Lord Jesus called him into the ministry. Being a minister he was no politician, although he was a patriot who cheerfully gave his eldest son to die for his country, and who did, on some few very great occasions of peril to the state he loved, utter his political opinions, usually however against and not in favor of the current ideas.

I am well persuaded, gentlemen, that you held the distinguished subject of this latter in high esteem, however you may have differed with him on some points, and I do not doubt that you will cordially allow me to put forth my demurrer to the statements respecting him which I have pointed out.

Very respectfully yours,

JNO. B. ADGER,

ART. VIII.-NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS.

By LYMAN H. ATWATER, D.D.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the United States of America, met in the Central Church in Baltimore on the 15th day of May, 1873. The Rev. Howard Crosby, D.D., LL.D., of New York, was chosen Moderator, and evinced rare qualifications for the office. The body owed much of its harmony and efficiency to his dignified and courteous bearing. and his prompt and just rulings, in guiding its deliberations. It found a hearty welcome, and a refined hospitality in the Christian homes of the Monumental City, which will long be warmly and gratefully remembered.

We cannot undertake any full narrative or even brief summation of its proceedings. We wish simply to signalize some of the more momentous matters with which it had to deal, as filling the place we are wont to assign to "Current Topics," which in this number will be confined to some of those disposed of in the Assembly. To an unusual extent these seem to us to have been issued wisely and well. In all cases in which the way was not clear for present definitive action, the subjects were referred

directly, or through committees to be more minutely examined and thoroughly weighed, and reported on to the next General Assembly.

Consolidation, the limited or life-term of the eldership, the plan of a cheap or gratuitous church newspaper to be published by the Board of Publication, the report on Sabbath Observance, were thus disposed of. The Form of Admission to the Lord's Supper, matured and reported by the committee appointed for the purpose by the previous Assembly, was also ordered to be printed in the minutes, and referred to the next Assembly. Some of these measures involve changes so serious, that more extended discussion is requisite to guide the mind of the Church to a ripe decision upon them. They are many-sided, and require to be viewed on all sides. Too many of those now most confident of their own full preparation to inaugurate the most momentous changes, have as yet looked mainly at one side of the subject, and see that intensely, because they see it only. We think the Assembly as much to be commended in what it postponed for further light, as in what it decided. Prominent among the latter we are glad to find the following action unanimously adopted in reference to

THE SOUTHERN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AND EXISTING BARRIERS TO REUNION WITH IT.

"The General Assembly, deploring the divisions that have occurred and that continue among Presbyterians in the United States of America, and earnestly desiring to do whatever is consistent with duty and fidelity to the Lord towards healing these divisions, and, furthermore, having good reason to hope that the action contemplated in the following paper will promote and secure this happy result, do solemnly declare

First. That in accordance with a resolution unanimously adopted by each of the two bodies now constituting the reunited Assembly, all action touching the brethren adhering to the body popularly known as the Southern General Assembly, together with all action touching the brethren adhering to the body known as the Old School Synod of Missouri, has been since the reunion, null and void, and therefore of no binding effect, and not to be pleaded as a precedent in the future.

Second. The Assembly also express confidence in the soundness of doctrine and in the Christian character of these brethren, and can not doubt that a more intimate communion would lead to the speedy removal of the barriers that now separate those of like precious faith, to increased mutual affection and esteem, and to a practical manifestation of our oneness in Christ.

With regard to the civil magistrate and the relations of Church and State the Assembly deem it sufficient to call attention to the following principles and statements found in the Standards, to-wit: (1.) "Synods and Councils are to handle or conclude nothing, but that which is ecclesiastical; and are not to intermeddle with civil affairs which concern the commonwealth, unless by way of humble petition in cases extraordinary, or by way of advice for satisfaction of conscience, if they be thereunto required by the civil magistrate." (Confession of Faith, chap. xxxi., sec. iv.):—(2. ) "That God alone is Lord of the conscience, and hath left it free from the doctrine and commandments of men, which are in anything contrary to His word, or beside it in matters of faith or worship;" "That all Church power, whether exercised by the body in general, or in the way of representation by delegated authority, is only ministerial and declarative: That is to say, that the Holy Scriptures are the only rule of faith and manners; that no Church judicatory ought to pretend to make laws, to bind the conscience in virtue of their own authority; and that all their decisions should be founded upon the revealed will of God," (Form of Gov., chap. 1., secs. i. and vii.):—and (3.) that “The Assembly will appoint two Committees to confer with similar Committees, if appointed by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States and by the Old School Synod of Missouri, to seek closer and more fraternal relations with those bodies."

We rejoice in this action, not simply because it removes a cause of offence to our Southern brethren, but because it is right. There were certain measures adopted in the excitement attending and following the civil war which wounded the conscientious feelings of many in the Northern, as well as Southern Church. The best thing to be said of some of them is that upon their merits they are "null and void." So far, also, as they have been barriers to union and fellowship to any sound Presbyterians in the country, we rejoice in their removal for this reason also. Now that they are removed, we think the responsibility for the next stage in the affair, whether it be the continuance or abatement of the present degree of separation between us and our Southern brethren, must be left with them. If good does not at once come of the attitude in which our Church has placed itself, we need not despond. It requires time as well as other medication to heal all the wounds growing out of our late terrible couflict. But let us not be weary in well doing, for in due time we shall reap if we faint not.

It is still further evidence of the feeling of the Assembly, that it cordially adopted a resolution, offered by Dr. Vandyke, "recording the gratitude of the Assembly to Almighty God for

the spirit of fraternity, and the desire for union that pervaded the Assembly towards a Church lately separated from us." It is also to be noted that the order respecting the observances in our Church in connection with the approaching centenary celebration of the Declaration of National Independence was sedulously shaped to meet the views of those most acquainted with the sensitiveness of our Southern brethren on such subjects.

THE BOOK OF PRAISE.

This was reported by the committee in charge to be yet unfinished, but so far forward under the hands of its able editor, Dr. Duryee, as to be in a condition for printing and publication during the year to come. They, therefore, asked the authority of the Assembly to go forward and stereotype it, without waiting to have it first put through the ordeal of criticism and formal sanction by the next Assembly. This report was referred to a special committee who recommended the following resolution, which was adopted.

Resolved, That we approve of the plan and progress of the work, and recommend that they be instructed to proceed with its compilation, and, under the direction of the Committee of the Board of Publication, stereotype and publish the same.

This was clearly the only course, if the Church intends to have a hymn book suited for universal use by its congregations, under its own imprimatur. The idea of any critical review of a book of some thousand hymns and tunes, by a General Assembly, is simply absurd and ridiculous. The only possibility of any adequate supervision and critical oversight is through a competent committee. Such a committee must do its best, and then their work will in the end stand or fall upon its own merits, assisted, however, to a fair and favorable trial by the sanction of the Assembly and the prevailing strong and reasonable desire for unity in this branch of worship. Not only so, but this course is the only alternative to leaving the whole Psalmody of the Church to the chaotic confusion resulting from its being determined by the greed and push of rival publishers, some of them not even connected with our Church. We would allow the utmost liberty to our churches as to the choice of such books of praise as suit them. But we would also have a book authorized by the Church for the convenience of all that vast body of congrega

tions who wish to procure books undoubtedly suitable, without being obliged to go through a process of examination and comparison, for which they have neither leisure nor qualification, and for those who desire and deem it important, as far as possible, to have a common Book of Praise throughout the Church. For this service no single individual, however competent, is likely to be so gifted as a committee representing the varied elements in our Church. It is almost certain that a purely individual compilation will too exclusively or predominantly carry out some single idea of the compiler, which may endear his work to some churches, but will seriously injure it for general use. Many of these collections, having high merits in some directions, and indicating great ability on the part of their authors, are nevertheless marred for general use by idiosyncratic features. Certain conditions may be regarded as indispensable to any collection of hymns and tunes for general use.

1. The great body of them should be such as have come to be already accepted as standard, after being tested by ample trial.

2. Alterations of either from the form in which they have become familiar and dear to the Church, whether by deviation from, or restoration to, the forms in which they came from their original authors, should be scrupulously avoided, unless constrained by the most overbearing demands of truth or taste. The change of a single word or quarter note in a standard hymn or tune, to suit the fancy of some editor, has often deranged the singing of choirs and congregations for half a generation.

3. An avalanche of new, unknown tunes in such a book, by its editor, is sure to spoil it, for it is well settled that, of all the new tunes in any of even our best music books, not more than one in ten usually outlives the test of trial. A church hymn book cannot afford to waste its pages in such futile experiments.

4. Great care should be taken to retain nearly all the hymns that are enshrined in the heart of the Church and intertwined with devout feelings. The more these are still linked to the tunes with which they have been commonly associated the better.

5. All this consists with weeding out some of the worst of our accepted hymns and tunes, and putting in their place some of

the best recent ones.