CHAPTER
XXIV
THE
WESTERN MISSIONARY QUESTION
THE subject of Domestic
Missions came before the Assembly of 1831, through several overtures, on
missions in the West, and through the annual report of the Board. In the report,
the Assembly was informed of a year of most successful operations. It also
communicated a resolution just adopted by the Board, that "in humble
reliance on divine Providence, the Board of Missions will use their best
endeavors to supply, in the course of five years, every vacant Presbyterian
congregation, and destitute district, which may be disposed to receive aid from
this Board, with a faithful and devoted minister of the gospel of Christ; and
they do hereby pledge themselves to extend prompt and efficient aid to all
feeble congregations, throughout the Valley, which shall apply to them for
assistance, with suitable recommendations; and, also, to send into this
particular field, every well‑qualified licentiate or minister of the
Gospel who may hereafter be willing to engage in this work."
Three friends of the present Board of Missions had promised the sum of
fifteen thousand dollars, in five annual payments, to aid in fulfilling this
pledge. The evidence thus given by the Board and its friends,
of a purpose to enter with determined energy into the great Valley of the
West, which the American Home Missionary Society was so earnestly striving to
possess, elicited strong indications of displeasure, from the majority of the
Assembly. The usual vote of
approval was withheld. Members insisted upon the striking out of that part of
the report which respected the pledge; but it was, at length, resolved that with
the suggestions made by the committee, which denied the accuracy of the
statements of the report, on these points, “it be returned to the Board for
its disposal."
The overtures on missions in the West were referred to a committee, which
reported a plan for union with the American Society, upon the basis of Dr.
Peters' Cincinnati scheme.
A substitute for this proposition was moved, recommending the Western
Synods to correspond with one another, and agree upon some plan, to be reported
to the next Assembly. Pending the decision, the movements hostile to the Board
reached a crisis.
A
motion had been made, by Dr. Richards,
that a committee should be raised to nominate a Board of Missions. Dr. William
Wylie moved a postponement of this, to make room for a motion to reappoint the
old Board. In the discussion, the Rev. E. N. Kirk, stated that he came to the
Assembly, for the purpose of accomplishing two objects, the vindication of Mr.
Barnes, and the dismissal of Mr. Russell, from the service of the Board; on
account of his course in the case of Mr. Barnes. He intimated that these were
the objects of his party, and that candor required their avowal.
The means on which the party
relied for the latter purpose, was the election of a new Board, which was
expected to amalgamate with the American Society.
The motion to appoint a
nominating committee prevailed, by a vote of 109, to 87. This committee,
appointed by the Moderator, consisted of Rev. Dr. Asa Hillyer, Rev. D. H.
Riddle, Rev. Moses Chase, Rev. Asahel Bronson, Rev. S. Y. Garrison; and Elders
William Jessup and William Anderson: The chairman, Dr. Hillyer, was a member of
the Board of Directors of the Home Missionary Society, and the other members
were, without exception, hostile to the Assembly's Board. This committee soon
reported a list of nominations, in which the friends of the Home Missionary
Society, and enemies of the Boards of the Church had an overwhelming majority.
The Old School were allowed a respectable representation, in the distant parts
of the Church. But of the members from the two Synods of New Jersey and
Philadelphia, which lay immediately adjacent to the office of the Board in
Philadelphia, the New School were assigned a majority of nearly two to one. Dr.
Green, Mr. Russell, and a few others of the old friends of the Board were
retained. But so few that they could have done nothing; and their continuance
was believed to be with the expectation that they would resign, as soon as the
changed complexion of the Board became apparent.
It was understood, by the
Old School members of the Assembly, that the plan was to have the new Board
meet, at once; while the Assembly was still in session, and enter into such a
treaty with the American Society as would bind the Church to that institution.
When, therefore, the report of the nominating committee came in, it occasioned a
scene of intense . excitement and confusion. Various motions were made; and many
speakers at once claimed the floor. The Moderator's authority was disregarded,
and at length a recess of ten minutes was resorted to, as the only means of
restoring the house to order.
After the recess, the
Assembly engaged in prayer for the divine direction. The Rev. Dr. William
Patton, then, offered a proposition, upon which he and Dr. Spring had agreed,
during the recess, as a compromise. It consisted in reappointing the old Board,
and the adoption of the resolution then pending, as to the. plan for missions in
the West. The Rev. Elipha White, of Charleston, S. C., opposed the continuance
of the old Board, because they were so devoted to the West that they would
neglect the South. To obviate this objection, Dr. Spring proposed to endeavor to
raise a thousand dollars, to be expended by the Board in the South. This, Mr.
White resented, as an offered bribe!
A committee of compromise
was at length appointed, consisting of the Rev. F. A. Ross, Dr. Peters, and Mr.
Jessup; Dr. Green, Dr. Spring, and Mr. Breckinridge.
The committee, almost
immediately, reported the following minute:
"In view of existing evils, resulting from the separate action of
the Board of Missions of the General Assembly, and the American Home Missionary
Society; the General Assembly recommends to the Synods of Ohio, Cincinnati,
Kentucky, Tennessee, West Tennessee, Indiana, and Illinois, and the Presbyteries
connected with the same, to correspond with each other, and endeavor to agree
upon some plan of conducting domestic missions, in the Western States, and
report the result of their correspondence to the next General Assembly; it being
understood that the brethren of the West be left to their freedom to form any
organization which, in their judgment, may best promote the cause of missions,
in those States, and, also, that all the Synods and Presbyteries in the Valley
of the Mississippi may be embraced in this correspondence, provided they desire
it.
" Resolved, by this Assembly, that the present Board of Missions be
reappointed."
An attempt was made to strike out of this report, the clause proposing
to embrace all the Synods and Presbyteries, in the Valley of the Mississippi,
provided they desire it; but the motion was rejected. The report was then
adopted, by a large majority.
The plan for a correspondence of the western judicatories was urged
upon the Assembly, by the friends of the American Society, in the confidence of
having the control in those bodies; and measures were at once taken to secure
that object. Under date of June 6th, a communication was sent from Philadelphia,
by a number of the western members of the Assembly to the Rev. John Thompson and
two other members of the Cincinnati Presbytery, appointing them a committee to
organize and direct the correspondence. They were advised to secure the
appointment, by the Presbyteries, at their fall meetings, of delegates to meet
in Cincinnati, “with all other friends that might be disposed so to do,"
to determine the question which was submitted to them.
In fulfillment of this appointment and plan, Mr. Thompson issued a
circular letter, in which he designated Wednesday, the 23d of November, as the
time for the proposed convention. After indicating the design of the convention,
to determine whether any change was desirable; and if any, what, he stated that,
as the convention meet only for obtaining information, for mutual prayerful
deliberation, and counsel, it is thought best to leave it to every Presbytery to
send as many delegates as they choose, or may find convenient; allowing, also,
any intelligent members of the Presbyterian churches, who feel a deep interest
in the missionary cause, in the West, to attend and aid, in the deliberations;
if they observe the same order as will be expected of delegates appointed by
Presbyteries."
Could
this plan have been carried into effect, the Convention would have been
controlled by the New School of Cincinnati. Upon the publication of Mr.
Thompson's circular, a meeting of the Presbytery of West Lexington was
immediately called. After two days deliberation, it unanimously adopted a plan
for the convention. It declared it desirable and expedient that all the
Presbyteries in the Valley be represented, that their representation be upon the
ratio to which they are entitled in the Assembly, that if distant Presbyteries
send a less number than their ratio, they be entitled to their full vote; that
if any Presbytery be unable to send delegates, it forward an answer to the
question, "To what plan, for conducting missions in the Valley of the
Mississippi, would your Presbytery give the preference?”—and that no
delegate be sent, who has not been regularly ordained to the ministry or
eldership, after taking the prescribed obligations to the Constitution. With
these, were other subsidiary regulations.
The clerk was directed to
publish this plan in all the papers; to send a copy to the stated clerk of each
Presbytery in the Valley, and to request Mr. Thompson to co-operate with this
modified arrangement. Several other Presbyteries endorsed the plan thus modified
;and in accordance with it, the convention was organized.
On the 1st of September, a
conference was held in Pittsburgh, in response to a published call to the
members of the Synod, of that name, to consult as to their duty in the premises.
There were present members from five of the Presbyteries of that Synod. They
declared themselves "decidedly of the opinion that the General Assembly
should not place the important and precious trust of missions beyond the control
and authority of its judicatories; and that the exigencies of the case do not
require the institution, within its bounds, of an additional Board of domestic
missions." They also declared it to be "highly expedient to cooperate
with the western brethren, on the plan recommended by the Presbytery of West
Lexington."
Subsequently, a Pittsburgh
delegate elect, addressed a written inquiry to Mr. Thompson, whether the
presence of the delegation from that Synod was expected or desirable. The reply
was in the affirmative.
At the appointed time, the
convention met, in the Third Presbyterian Church, in Cincinnati. An opening
sermon was preached by the Rev. James Gallaher, Rev. Messrs. T. D. Baird, and
Gallaher, and R. J. Breckinridge, Esq., were appointed a committee of elections,
and reported forty-five delegates in attendance, representing twenty
Presbyteries. The Rev. Dr. James Blythe was chosen Moderator, and Rev. Messrs:
Samuel Steel and A. O. Patterson, clerks.
The convention continued in
session a week. Incidental to its main business, a letter was received and read
from two ruling elders in the Presbytery of Portage, Messrs. Joseph Ewart and
Robert Baird, elders of the congregation of Springfield. They stated themselves
to be, so far as they knew or believed, the only elders in the entire
Presbytery, the only persons therefore entitled to sit as such from that
Presbytery, in the Convention, and, as they dissented from the mind of the
Presbytery, on the missionary question, they took this mode of expressing their
dissent. They held that "The location and removal of ministers and pastors
belongs to the Church as
such, agreeably to the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church; and
we believe this accords with the Word of God. If this be proper and needful, in
the case of regularly organized congregations, it is much more necessary, in
sending missionaries to destitute regions." "Further, as we apprehend
that it is contemplated to form a missionary organization or agency at
Cincinnati; even though a majority of the Convention be opposed to it, and
though the last General Assembly recommended that the result of the
correspondence be reported to the next Assembly, for its decision, we do here
record our entire. disapprobation of such a procedure. We consider that such a
measure would be a direct violation of order, rendering the Convention of none
effect, and calculated to create and increase division in the Church of Christ,
particularly in that branch of it over which we, by office, and solemn covenant
obligations, are appointed as watchmen."
The apprehension thus
expressed, arose no doubt from the action of Grand River Presbytery, which was
not represented in the Convection, but sent on a communication, proposing that a
society be formed, independent of both those already existing, but "to
co‑operate with either or both of them, whenever they may think best, have
the centre of their operations at Cincinnati or some more convenient place; and
that this society be formed during the sitting of the Convention, by such
members as approve of the plan, and that measures be taken to commence immediate
operations."
It was apparent, however,
from the .first moment of the assembling of the Convention, that the Home
Society had utterly miscalculated its strength in the West. Five agents and
missionaries of the society were members of the Convention ; and but two other
ministerial delegates voted with them.
On the third day of the
sessions, a proposition was made, that the Assembly organize a Western Board of
Missions, to be under its control and supervision, independent, alike, of the
Society and of the existing Board; but to receive pecuniary aid from both. This
motion was rejected, by a vote of twenty-eight to forty-one; the vote being
counted according to the representative ratio of the Presbyteries. Another
proposition was made, that. the wrongs done on both sides be forgiven and
forgotten, and both the Assembly's Board and the American Society recommended,
as deserving the support and confidence of the churches; their amalgamation
being pronounced undesirable, as the two would do more good, than one. This way
rejected, by a vote of seventeen to fifty-two. The final result of six days'
deliberations, was embodied in the following minute:
"Whereas, it appears
from the report of the committee to receive and report all written
communications to the Convention, that, of the Presbyteries in the Valley of the
Mississippi, fifteen, entitled to forty-two votes, have not been heard from;
that one, entitled to two votes, is in favor of the American Home Missionary
Society; that one, entitled to four votes, is in favor of both Boards, as they
now exist; that two, entitled to eight votes, are in favor of an independent
Western society; that one, entitled to two votes, is in favor of ecclesiastical
supervision; and that seven, entitled to twenty-two votes, are in favor of the
General Assembly's Board, in its present organization; and whereas twenty
Presbyteries, entitled to seventy votes, being actually present in the
Convention, a plan for the establishment of a Western Board of Missions, under
the care of the General Assembly, after a full discussion, has been rejected, by
a vote of forty-one to twenty-eight; and as it appears to the Convention, from
these facts, that no arrangement, into which we can possibly enter, is likely to
reconcile conflicting views on the subject; that, so far from healing divisions,
or restoring peace to the churches, by any new expedients, they would only tend
to multiply the points of difference, and increase the evil, therefore,
"Resolved,
That, under these circumstances, they deem it inexpedient to propose any
change in the General Assembly's mode of conducting missions; as they fully
approve of that now in such successful operation; and that the purity, peace,
and prosperity of the Presbyterian Church materially depend on the active and
efficient aid the sessions and Presbyteries under its care may afford to the
Assembly's Board."
The minute was adopted; by
fifty‑four ayes, to fifteen noes. The following resolution was then
offered:
"That this Convention,
notwithstanding the preference avowed for the Assembly's Board of Missions,
unite with the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in feelings, of
regard and affection for the American Home Missionary Society; and rejoice in
the hope that by the aid of that society many of the destitute churches in the
Valley of the Mississippi will be supplied with the stated preaching of the
gospel, and many souls converted to God."
This resolution was
indefinitely postponed, by a vote of forty‑two to seventeen. After taking
order for the publication of its proceedings, the Convention, then, adjourned.
Before separating the minority appointed a committee to
draw up and publish a statement of reasons of dissatisfaction with the
decisions. This committee, speedily issued a "Report," in a pamphlet
of forty-eight pages. They complained grievously of "the paramount and
controlling influence, in the Convention, of the Synod of Pittsburgh:" that
Synod not being one of the seven specified in the minute of the Assembly, under
which the Convention was called. One of the committee, by whom this report was
prepared and published, was the Rev. Daniel W. Lathrop, of the Synod of the
Western Reserve, which was no more specifically named in the Assembly's minute
than was the other. But both were included in the provision, which the Assembly,
expressly, refused to strike out of the minute, that any other Synods and
Presbyteries in the Valley, besides those named should " be embraced in the
correspondence, if they desire it."
Other complaints, made, in
the report, were, that the Cincinnati Standard had opposed the Convention, and
thus led the friends of the American Society to absent themselves, upon the
supposition that its conclusions would not be regarded, by the friends of the
Board; that the delegates came, under instructions as to their votes, and were
therefore without discretion; and that the Board of Missions itself had violated
a tacit expectation of the Assembly, that they would not interfere; by
republishing its reply to the Cincinnati Presbytery; and by announcing to the
public that its views remained the same.
But
especial emphasis was laid upon "the Secret Circular, issued by a certain
Central Committee in Philadelphia." "To that circular we are disposed
to trace the singularly full representation of the Synod of Pittsburgh. It is,
at least, a striking fact that the Convention at Pittsburgh, which resulted in
so full a representation to the Convention at Cincinnati, was called by the
committee of safety for that Synod, named in the circular; with the exception of
one whose name was placed on that committee without his sanction."
The Central Committee, here
alluded to, was appointed by the minority of the Assembly of 1831. It consisted
of the Rev. Dr. Green, Rev. Messrs. Potts, Engles, and Winchester, and Elders
Matthew L. Bevan, Solomon Allen, and Furman Learning. At the same time,
committees of correspondence were appointed in each Synod. That of the Synod of
Pittsburgh, referred to in the Report, consisted of Rev. Messrs. E. P. Swift, T.
D. Baird, A. D. Campbell, Win. Wylie, C. C. Beattie, and John W. Nevin.
The " Secret
Circular" was a communication, under date of July 21, 1831, issued by the
Central Committee, and sent to the Synodical committees, and to others
throughout the Church, who were supposed to sympathize with the objects. After
stating the nature of the crisis, resulting from the organization and action of
the Assembly of 1831, the circular proposed and answered the question,
"What ought to be done?" Under the solemn conviction that "this
is the last year in which our Church will remain without essential changes,
unless her children shall be roused to a sense of their danger, and call into
vigorous action their united energies, in her defence," the following
measures were recommended:
"First of all, look to
God for his guidance and blessing …Let us also both pray and labor to promote
vital piety…
"2. Let all lawful
measures be used to rouse our brethren, both clergy and laity, to a just sense
of their situation and their duty. With this view, we advise that you correspond
with Presbyteries, as stated in the beginning of this communication. Make, also,
a free, but discreet use of the press; and encourage liberally, and circulate as
widely as possible those publications which maintain the real doctrines of our
Church, and advocate the support of her institutions…
"3. Our Board of
Education and Board of Missions must both receive a liberal patronage and a
decided support. This is essential; without this, we are undone. The voluntary
associations that seek to engross the patronage of our Church, and have already
engrossed a large part of it, have taken the start of us, in the all important
concerns of education and of missions. They now labor to get the whole of these
into their own bands; well knowing that, if this be effected, they will,
infallibly, in a very short time, govern the Church; for education furnishes
missionaries, and missionaries become pastors, and pastors, with their ruling
elders, form Church Sessions, Presbyteries, Synods, and General Assemblies...
"Finally, The several
judicatories of our Church must be carefully and punctually attended, by every
orthodox man, whose right and duty it is to hold a seat in them…Nor was it
ever so important in our Church, as at the present time, that orthodox
Presbyteries should choose wise men, and firm men, to represent them in the
Assembly. But it is most important that every man elected, whether minister or
elder, unless prevented by invincible hindrances of a providential kind, should
attend that body, at the next meeting. For want of that, at our last meeting, we
were left in a minority."…
Such was the whole substance
of the paper, stigmatized in the "Report," as a "Secret
Circular," although it conveyed no injunction of secrecy, and proposed no
deeds of darkness. The New School party strove, by every means, to render it
odious, with a zeal proportioned to the well-grounded apprehensions they felt of
its influence in arousing and organizing the Old School party.
A reply to the Report, and a
review of the Convention was published in the Presbyterian, by the Rev. Thomas
D. Baird, in a series of articles, signed by "A member of the
Convention." The developments and decisions of that Convention, terminated
the active Home Missionary controversy. Thenceforward, the efforts of the
American Society were directed, rather, to the silent acquisition of influence,
by multiplying its missionaries; than, to open assaults upon the Board, or
formal attempts to accomplish its amalgamation, by the authority of the
Assembly.
One of the suggestions made in the Philadelphia Circular was that a free use of the press should be made by the Old School. Heretofore, the papers of the Church had all been under the control of the New School, or of the Moderates. But, on the 16th of March, 1831, the first number of the Presbyterian was issued, a paper, the principles of which were sufficiently indicated by the statement at its head, that its profits would be divided between the Boards of Missions and Education. During the same season the Cincinnati Standard commenced its issues; and the next spring, the Rev. Thomas D. Baird succeeded to the editorial chair of the Pittsburgh Christian Herald. Mr. Baird and the Rev. Dr. Samuel Ralston, the Philo Evangelicus of the Herald, had early covenanted with each other to devote their pens to the maintenance of the doctrinal purity and the order of the Church; a covenant which both of them fully redeemed; and Mr. Baird was now, by the friends of sound order, selected to preside over the press, at the most critical position in the entire field; requiring, more perhaps than any other, the utmost prudence, sound judgment, and firmness. For, whilst the Scotch‑Irish Presbyterians of that Synod were of the most determined loyalty to the doctrines and institutions of the Church, the positions of distinction and controlling influence in the Synod were, with a very few exceptions, held by men whose sympathies were altogether against the decisive course of policy, by which, under the smile of the gracious Head of the Church, she was finally rescued from the dangers which surrounded her.
