History and Ecclesiastical Relations of the Churches of the Presbyterial Order Part 3

_Synod of Northern India_--Was organized in 1841. Is composed of three Presbyteries. Now has 19 ministers (only one of these is a _native pastor_); 9 churches; 246 communicants. (How many of these are natives not reported.)

_Presbytery of Canton_--Has 4 ministers; no native pastor; 1 church; 12 communicants. (How many of these are natives not reported.) _Presbytery of Ningpo_--Has 8 ministers; no native pastor; 2 churches; 111 native members.

_Presbytery of Siam_--Has 6 ministers; no native pastor; 1 church; 8 communicants. (How many of these are native members not reported.)

_Presbytery of West Africa_--Has 9 ministers; no native pastor; 6 churches; 191 communicants (probably all natives.)

Are these ecclesiastical bodies respectively Indian, Chinese, and African in their character? or are they all _essentially American_? Yet these are the bodies to which the Committee of General Synod of 1857 referred when they said, "As to the difficulties suggested" [by the Missionaries at Amoy] "respecting the delays of carrying out a system of appellate jurisdiction covering America and China, it is enough to say, that the Presbyterian Church (O.S.) finds no insuperable difficulties in carrying into operation her system, which comprehends Presbyteries and Synods in India as well as here." Why should there be many _insuperable_ difficulties so long as these bodies remain _American Missionary bodies_, instead of being _native ecclesiastical bodies_? Practically they do not need representation in the Church at home more than our Missions need representatives in the Board of Missions. In the aggregate of all the above-mentioned ecclesiastical missionary bodies, there is _but one native pastor_, and this, as might be expected, so far as we are aware, furnished the only case in which difficulty has occurred.

Doubtless in the instance referred to, the native pastor was in error, and, as he found some _insuperable difficulty_ in getting his case before the General a.s.sembly, a similar effort is not likely soon to be made.]

So is the Cla.s.sis of Arcot appealed to. Such appeals put us in a somewhat painful position. As with the Presbyterian bodies just mentioned, so with the Cla.s.sis of Arcot. We have no rivalry with the brethren there, and do not wish to say a word that looks like stricture on their policy. We do not utter a word of this kind, except in self-defense. We rejoice in all their successes. But the time will come, if the blessing of G.o.d continues to follow their labors, when they will be compelled to adopt our principles. The Missionaries at Arcot are not properly _pastors_ of the native churches. They exercise the pastoral office only temporarily, until native pastors are raised up. Their relation to the Synods in this country is not like that of the other Cla.s.ses of our Church. They never have had and never will have a proper representation in these higher courts. They have never had a native elder present. They never have even a partial representation of ministers, except under the afflictive dispensations of Providence. For several years past they would have been without any representation at all, but for the fact of one of their number being in this country whose ill health forbids his return to that field of labor. It is by being unfitted to be a member of the Cla.s.sis that he becomes able to be a representative of the Cla.s.sis in the Synod! At the present time, because of the still American character of their body, they may feel no serious inconvenience. If our position had been like theirs, occupying the ground at Amoy alone, possibly we should have done as they have. We should have understood well enough that the connection of the native Church with the Church at home could only be _nominal_. But if our Church desired this, so long as it did not injure the native Church, we probably should have made no objections.

But we are told that it is not desired that this connection with the Church in America should be perpetual. It will last only until the Church at Amoy has sufficient development to stand alone. Then, of course, our Church will consent to the separation. (A very different doctrine, by the way, from the "_a.s.sertion_" of the committee of Synod that the Church can not "voluntarily relinquish its powers.") After that, the churches at Amoy which have been under our care, and those which have been under the care of the English Presbyterians, may again unite in one Denomination, if they see fit. This sounds pretty well. But look at it. First separate the churches long enough to engender rivalries and allow prejudices to grow up, and then attempt to unite them, and what will be the result? Unless they have a more liberal spirit than is usual in the churches in this land, instead of making one denomination out of two, we shall have three. But who shall be the judge when the proper time has arrived to liberate the Church in China, if the opinions of those on the ground, and of the native churches, are all to be ignored?

3. It will injure the efficiency of the Church at Amoy. Besides the objection--which the heathen will thus, as readily as the irreligious in this country, be able to urge against Christianity--furnished by the increase of Denominations, it will deprive the churches of the benefit of the united wisdom and strength of the whole of them for self-cultivation and for Christian enterprise, and will introduce a spirit of jealous rivalry among them. We know it is said that there need be no such result, and that the native churches may remain just as united in spirit after the organization of two Denominations as before.

Such a sentiment takes for granted, either that ecclesiastical organization has in fact no efficiency (such is not the doctrine of our Church), or that the Chinese churches have arrived at a far higher state of sanctification than the churches have attained to in this land. Do not different Denominations exhibit jealous rivalry in this land? Why, your Missionaries are already frequently charged with being too liberal towards their English Presbyterian brethren in giving to them members and churches which, it is said, properly belong to us. Is Chinese human nature different from American?

In consequence of such division, the native Churches will not be so able to support the Gospel among themselves. Look at the condition of our western towns in this respect. Why strive to entail like evils on our Missionary churches? Their strength will be weakened for evangelistic effort. Their Missionary efforts is one of the most striking and praiseworthy characteristics of the Amoy churches. How will they be shorn of their strength by division and necessary rivalry! Besides this, if the connection with the Church at home be anything more than nominal, our churches should, in part at least, work through the Church at home. No? Then why form the connection?

4. Instead of the Dutch Church being _the_ Presbyterian Church at Amoy, it will only be a small Church, bearing about the same proportion to the other Christian Churches there, that it does to the other Churches in this land. Why is not the Dutch Church the princ.i.p.al Presbyterian body in this land? Unless we are mistaken in regard to its excellency of order, it has all the adaptedness, and it was here first. Do you wish a similar result in China?

That it may be seen whether the Missionaries of Amoy have asked of our Church to "surrender the Const.i.tution, the policy, the interests of our Church," "nay, even their own welfare, and that of the Mission they are so tenderly attached to"--whether what they ask for "is flatly in the face of our Const.i.tution and order"--whether the "Synod has no right to form, or to authorize any such self-regulating, ecclesiastical body, or to consent that any Ministers of our Church should hold seats in such a body"--whether, "if we do it, we transcend the most liberal construction which has ever been known to be given to the powers of the General Synod"--whether, by granting the request of the Missionaries, "we violate our own order, our fundamental principles, the polity to which we are bound by our profession, by our subscription, by every tie which can bind religious and honorable, men"--I will append the resolution which was offered by me in the General Synod as a subst.i.tute for those offered by the Committee. If it called for declamation like the above, well. These are the words:

_Resolved_, That the Synod learn, with grat.i.tude to G.o.d, of the great progress of the work of the Lord at Amoy, and in the region around, so that already we hear of six organized churches with their Consistories, and others growing up, not yet organized; two native Pastors, who were to have been ordained on the 29th of March last, and the whole under the care of a Cla.s.sis composed of the Missionaries of our Church and the English Presbyterian Church, and representative Elders of the several churches. It calls for our hearty grat.i.tude to the Great Head of the Church, that the Missionaries of different Churches, and different countries, have been enabled, through Divine grace, to work together in such harmony. It is also gratifying to us that these Churches and this Cla.s.sis have been organized according to the polity of our Church.

Inasmuch as the Synod of the English Presbyterian Church has approved of the course of their Missionaries in uniting with ours in the organization of the Church at Amoy, after our order, therefore, this Synod would direct its Board of Foreign Missions to allow their Missionaries to continue their present relations with the Missionaries of the English Presbyterian Church, and the churches under their several care, so long as the present harmony shall continue, and no departure shall be made from the doctrines and essential polity of our Church, or until this Synod shall otherwise direct.

Some, after reading the foregoing discussion, will be ready to say to us: "Your views are in the main correct. It would have been better if Synod had decided otherwise, but the decision has been made, and we must put up with it." We answer, Not so. We must obey Synod, but may not the Church change or improve her decisions? Here is one of the good things we hope to see come out of this mistake of the Church. Jesus rules, and he is ordering all things for the welfare of his Church and the advancement of his cause. Sometimes, the better to accomplish this end, he permits the Church to make mistakes. When we failed in former days to get our views made public, it gave us no anxiety, for we believed the doctrine that Jesus reigns. So we now feel, nothwithstanding this mistake. The Master will overrule it for good. We do not certainly know how, but we can imagine one way. By means of this mistake the matter may be brought before our Church, and before other Churches, more clearly than it would otherwise have been for many years to come, and in consequence of this we expect, in due time, that our Church, instead of coming up merely to the standard of liberality for which we have been contending, will rise far above anything we have asked for or even imagined, and other Churches will also raise their standard higher.

Hereafter we expect to contend for still higher principles. This is the doctrine: Let all the branches of the great Presbyterian family in the same region in any heathen country, which are sound in the faith, organize themselves, _if convenient_, into one organic whole, allowing liberty to the different parts in things non-essential. Let those who adopt Dutch customs, as at Amoy, continue, if they see fit, their peculiarities, and those who adopt other Presbyterian customs, as at Ningpo and other places, continue their peculiarities, and yet all unite as one Church. This subject does not simply relate to the interests of the Church at Amoy. It relates to the interests of all the Missionary work of all the Churches of the Presbyterian order in all parts of the world. Oh that our Church might take the lead in this catholicity of spirit--instead of falling back in the opposite direction--that no one may take her crown! But if she do not, then we trust that some other of the sacramental hosts will take the lead and receive too the honor, for it is for the glory of the great Captain of our salvation, and for the interests of His kingdom. We need the united strength of all these branches of Zion for the great work, which the Master has set before us, in calling on us to evangelize the world. In expecting to obtain this union, will it be said, that we are looking for a chimera? It ought to be so, ought it not? Then it is no chimera. It may take time for the churches to come up to this standard, but within a few years past we have seen tendencies to union among different branches of the Presbyterian family in Australia, in Canada, in our own country, and in England and Scotland. In many places these tendencies are stronger now than they have ever before been since the days of the Reformation. True, human nature is still compa.s.sed with infirmities even in the Church of Christ. But the day of the world's regeneration is approaching, and as it approaches nearer to us, doubtless the different branches of the Presbyterian family will approach still nearer to each other. G.o.d hasten the time, and keep us also from doing anything to r.e.t.a.r.d, but everything to help it forward, and to his name be the praise forever. Amen.

Appendix A.

Further to ill.u.s.trate the unity of the Churches under the care of the two Missions, I will transcribe from the _Reports_ of the Amoy Mission, for the years 1861 and 1862.

_From the Report for 1861_. Dated Feb. 24. 1862.

Our work is so interwoven with that of the Missionaries of the English Presbyterian Church, that we cannot give a full report of the state of our Churches and out-stations without including in it a partial report of some of their stations. We have, therefore, thought it best, both on this account, and because the Churches gathered by us and by them are really one, to give statistics of both Missions with brief remarks.

These, besides simplifying the matter, will enable the Church at home to become better acquainted with the real progress of the cause of Christ in this region.

_Missionaries and a.s.sistant Missionaries of the Reformed Dutch Church at Amoy, at the close if the year_ 1861. [Here follow their names, and remarks concerning them.]

_Missionaries and a.s.sistant Missionaries of the English Presbyterian Church at the close of the year_ 1861. [Here follow their names, and remarks concerning them.]

_Tabular View of the Churches and Mission Stations under the care of the Reformed Dutch Church, and English Presbyterian Church, in Amoy and vicinity_.

----------------------------------------------------------------------- |Native | | |No. of |Rec'd Churches and |helpers | | |Church |during Mission |sustained | | |Members, |the Stations. |by Mission.|Elders.|Deacons.|Jan. 1, 1861.|year.

----------------------------------------------------------------------- First Church at Amoy | 3 | 4 | 4 | 102 | 24 Second " " | 2 | 4 | 4 | 78 | 13 Church at Chioh-be | 2 | 4 | 4 | 47 | 5 " Peh-chui-ia | 3 | 2 | .. | 25 | 3 " Ma-peng | 2 | 2 | 3 | 33 | 6 Station at An-hai | 3 | .. | .. | 7 | 23 " Khang-khau| 1 |The Church members at this Station | |are reckoned to the Church at Ma-peng.

" Kang-thau | 1 |The Church members at this Station | |are reckoned to the First Church at | |Amoy.

" E-mng-kang| 1 |The Church members at this Station | |are reckoned to the First Church at | |Amoy.

" Chiang-chiu| 2 | -----------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------- | | |No. of | Churches and | | |Church |Under Mission | | |Members, |suspension Stations. |Dead.|Excommunicated.|Dec. 31, 1861.|Dec., 1861.

----------------------------------------------------------------------- First Church at Amoy | 2 | 2 | 122 | 4 Second " " | 1 | 1 | 89 | 1 Church at Chioh-be | 1 | .. | 51 | 3 " Peh-chui-ia | 1 | .. | 27 | 1 " Ma-peng | 1 | 1 | 37 | 3 Station at An-hai | 1 | .. | 29 | ...

" Khang-khau|The Church members at this Station are reckoned |to the Church at Ma-peng.

" Kang-thau |The Church members at this Station are reckoned |to the First Church at Amoy.

" E-mng-kang|The Church members at this Station are reckoned |to the First Church at Amoy.

" Chiang-chiu| -----------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------- |Infants |Colporteurs| Churches and |baptized |sustained | Mission |during |by Native |Benevolent Stations. |the year.|Church. |Contributions ----------------------------------------------------------------------- First Church at Amoy | 13 | 1 } | Second " " | 11 | 1 } | $471.33 Church at Chioh-be | 5 | 1 | 200.29 " Peh-chui-ia | 3 | ... | ......

" Ma-peng | 3 | ... | ......

Station at An-hai | 4 | ... | ......

" Khang-khau|The Church members at this Station are reckoned |to the Church at Ma-peng.

" Kang-thau |The Church members at this Station are reckoned |to the First Church at Amoy.

" E-mng-kang|The Church members at this Station are reckoned |to the First Church at Amoy.

" Chiang-chiu| -----------------------------------------------------------------------

[Then come remarks about _native helpers_, not included in the above; _Schools_ sustained by each of the Missions, and by the native Churches; _Theological Cla.s.s_; Students sustained by each Mission.]

_Remarks on the above Tabular View_.

The two Churches at Amoy, and the one at Chioh-be are under the care of the Missionaries of the Reformed Dutch Church. * * * * * *

The Churches at Peh-chui-ia and Ma-peng, are under the care of the Missionaries of the English Presbyterian Church. * * * * * *

The Congregation at An-hai is under the care of the English Presbyterian Missionaries. It has not yet been organized into a Church.

It is so far removed from Amoy that it cannot conveniently be placed under the supervision of either of the Consistories. * * * * * *

Khang-khau is a station under the care of the English Presbyterian Mission. * * * * * *

Kang-thau is under the care of the Reformed Dutch Mission.

E-mng-kang is a suburb of Amoy. The Congregation wors.h.i.+ping there belongs, mostly, to the First Church at Amoy. The Station is under the care of the English Presbyterian Mission. * * * * * *

Chiang-chiu is a large city, some twelve miles or more beyond Chioh-be, and about thirty-five miles from Amoy. In times past, several efforts have been made to establish a Station at Chiang-chiu, but always without success, until during the past year. At the close of the year there had not yet been any baptisms at that Station. Since the beginning of this year, there have been several. The Church members are reckoned to the Church at Chioh-be, and are under the oversight of the Chioh-be Consistory. Both Missions work as one at Chiang-chiu. Each Mission is to furnish half the expense. To simplify the work, it was thought best that one Mission be responsible for the control of the Station, and direct the work. At present this is the Mission of the Reformed Dutch Church.

If the work be prospered, it is proposed to form two Stations, one under the care of each Mission.

[The remaining part of the Report, having no bearing on the subject before us, need not be quoted.]

_From the Report for 1862._

[It will be sufficient merely to transcribe the _Tabular View_, and add one or two explanatory remarks.]