History and Ecclesiastical Relations of the Churches of the Presbyterial Order at Amoy, ChinaTalmage, John Van Nest
Religion
History and Ecclesiastical Relations of the Churches of the Presbyterial Order at Amoy, China
Talmage, John Van Nest
Missions -- China; Presbyterian Church -- Missions
Let it be distinctly understood, that I do not publish the above
Reports with such remarks with any design of throwing blame on the Board
of Foreign Missions. The members of it, and the Missionaries, have had
no feelings towards each other but such as are altogether pleasant.
Perhaps the Board, in view of all the circumstances, has simply
performed its duty. I add this Appendix only to illustrate the unity of
the churches at Amoy, and show that the Missionaries have acted
according to the doctrines of God's Word and the fundamental principles
of our Church order.
Appendix B.
In the _Christian Intelligencer_ of June 18, 1863, in the Report of the
Proceedings of General Synod of Thursday, June 11, the last day of the
session, appeared the following paragraphs:
"AMOY MISSION.
"Rev. Dr. Porter arose and said that he was about to utter what to
himself was the gladdest and happiest word he had been permitted to
speak during the Synodical sessions, delightful as they all had
been. He was informed by his beloved brother Talmage, that by
permission of Synod, he would like to express briefly his content,
in the main, with the action which the Synod had taken respecting
the Amoy Mission. It is of the Lord. He has melted all hearts
together as one, for his own work and honor. We see eye to eye, and
Zion may lift up her voice in thanksgiving.
"Rev. J.V.N. Talmage said he wished to express his gratitude to the
fathers and brethren for all their kindness to himself and the
Missionaries at Amoy. If the Synod has not arrived at the very best
decision, he hoped it is the best under the circumstances. He felt
no desire to disobey the Synod, nor will the Missionaries at Amoy.
If we cannot organize a Classis at once, we will do the best we
can. He had been defeated, and he had no qualms of conscience in
submitting to the decision that had been reached."
I was willing to allow the previous, and, as I considered, very partial,
report of the proceedings of Synod to pass unnoticed, but felt that I
had no right to allow errors, such as are contained in the above two
paragraphs, to remain uncorrected. Therefore I addressed to the editor
the following note:
"_To the Christian Intelligencer._
"Mr. Editor:
"In looking over the report of General Synod, as given in the last
number of the _Intelligencer_, I find a very grave mistake in
reference to the position taken by me near the close of the
session. A similar mistake appears in the report made to the _New
York Observer_.[3]
[Footnote 3: I addressed to the editors of the _Observer_ a card,
correcting the mistake which had appeared in their paper, and they
published it.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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