"If the Presbyterians, in the late session of their general assembly, had adhered to these principles they would not have been split asunder. But how plain it is to every impartial spectator that they substituted a few little things as the criterion of fellowship; hence they are rent in twain. But their separation, which is by the most of people considered as a matter of lamentation, we regard as a favorable omen. They were a great, a powerful people, united by human laws made by themselves. They were oppressive, proud, and cruel; and their arbitrary measures, party feelings, and great influence, might yet have endangered our liberties. Their ranks are now broken, and the work of reform is begun. They will again be more cordially united when they all submit to Christ, throw by their petty stars and dark planets, and acknowledge the supremacy of the glorious Sun, the Gospel of our blessed Lord. "When the temperance reform was introduced it was a blessed work; but many good and zealous persons placed it altogether before Christianity, and represented the Gospel as a feeble instrument in doing good compared with this benevolent human association. We were never opposed to temperance, but to intemperate measures for the promotion of temperance. We are still opposed to placing the temperance cause before Christianity, making it the centre, and calling upon the Gospel, as an inferior orb, to revolve around it. "When the tornado of anti-masonry swept like a mighty torrent through the land, rending asunder the churches of God and separating the ministers of Christ, the cause of Jesus bled at every pore. What a desolating mildew it left! What an overheated course many a zealous and good brother ran in this holy war. In those perilous times we were among the cool who pleaded for the union of the churches and conferences; we then deprecated all forced measures and intemperate decisions, and said, Do not try to make this star a sun, but let us all keep our eye upon the great centre, and all be Christians. This mild doctrine prevailed, and all now rejoice that we were saved from disorder and ruin.