Forty Years in South China: The Life of Rev. John Van Nest Talmage, D.D.Fagg, John Gerardus
Religion
Forty Years in South China: The Life of Rev. John Van Nest Talmage, D.D.
Fagg, John Gerardus
Missions -- China; Talmage, John Van Nest, 1819-1892
reference to the election of church officers. He voted with us and our
church members. He united with us in setting apart the officers-elect to
their respective offices, and since then has usually united with us in our
deliberations in our consistorial meetings. Surely in this matter we have
acted according to the leadings of Providence and the spirit and
instructions of the Gospel of Christ; for in Christ Jesus there is no
distinction of nationalities. Our labors having thus far been so
intermingled and our churches so intimately related and united together, we
can see no sufficient reason for separation. If there be any advantage in
the association of churches by the organization of Classes or Presbyteries,
why should we deprive these churches in their infancy and weakness of this
advantage? We have always taught our people to study the Word of God and
make it their rule. Can we give them a sufficient reason for such
separation? Doubtless if we were to tell them, that the churches by which
we are sent out and sustained desire separate organizations, and therefore
should recommend such organizations to them, they would acquiesce. They
know that they cannot stand alone. Gratitude, also, and ardent affection
for those churches by whose liberality they have been made acquainted with
the Gospel, would lead them to do all in their power to please those
churches. We can hardly suppose, however, that such separation would
accord with their judgment, or with those Christian feelings which they
have always exercised towards each other as members of the same Church.
But we do not suppose that either our Church or the English Presbyterian
Church will recommend such a separation. The Dutch Church in North America
has always manifested an enlarged Christian spirit, and therefore we cannot
doubt but that she will approve of an organization by which the churches
here, which are one in doctrine and one in spirit, may also be one in
ecclesiastical matters. Neither do we doubt but that the English
Presbyterian Church will also approve of the same course. We do not know
as much of that Church as we hope to know in the future. Yet we know
enough of her already to love her. But if separation must come, let not
our Church bear the responsibility.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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