whole course of the proceedings. In fact, sectarian diversities sunk out of sight in the unity of feeling and purpose which pervaded the assembly, and the question, "Of what church is he? was seldom asked. To every one who deplores the divisions of the Church, our work has great moral value, as it makes visible the underlying unity and essential agreement of all Christian sects, and brings them together in a holy fellowship which greatly promotes mutual acquaintance and esteem. A similar sketch of the origin and progess of this movement, of which this is in part a condensation, was prefixed to the proceedings of the last National Convention. The reader is referred to this for additional information. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL CONVENTION, NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 26 AND 27, 1873. This Convention of the friends of the movement to secure the Religious Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, met in the Large Hall of the Cooper Institute, on Wednesday, February 26, at two o'clock, P. M. The call, in response to which the Convention assembled, was as follows: CALL FOR A NATIONAL CONVENTION. THE QUESTION of the Bible in the Public Schools, of Sabbath Laws, and many similar questions, are now demanding attention and decisive settlement. Shall the Nation preserve the Christian features of its life? This is rapidly becoming the issue of our day. Many thoughtful citizens view with deep concern the assaults now being made on everything of a Christian character in our civil institutions. Not only time-serving politicians and irreligious men, but eminent officers of government, and leaders among Christians, accepting the false theory that government has nothing to do with religion, coöperate in these assaults. An appeal against the Bible in the Common Schools now lies before the Supreme Court of Ohio. It will come up for adjudication, in its regular order, sometime this winter, when a determined effort will be made to overturn the present noble school system of that State. The Superintendent of Public Instruction of the State of New York has recently decided that the Bible, though assigned an honorable place in the State system of education when first established, and actually used for sixty years, can no longer be legally read during regular hours in any school of the State. Armed with authoritative decisions like this, the enemies of the Bible certainly will succeed unless the friends of our Common Schools awake to the dangers that threaten them, and take prompt and adequate action. In order successfully to repel their assaults, the assailants must be met at their own point of attack. They assail the Bible in the Schools, Sabbath Laws, Laws against Polygamy, and every similar element of our Christian civilization, on the ground of their inconsistency with the Constitution of the United States, which acknowledges neither God nor the Bible, and with which everything in the actual administration of the Government should harmonize. What shall be done? This is the momentous question now forcing itself upon the American people. It will not down. It must soon be answered in one of two ways. Which shall it be? Shall we obliterate every Christian feature from existing institutions? Or, shall we make the Constitution explicitly Christian? Shall we thrust out the Bible from our schools to make them conform to the Constitution? Patriotism and true Statesmanship answer, No! But let the acknowledgment of God and the Bible be inserted in the Constitution to make it conform to the Common Schools. The National Association has been formed for the purpose of securing such an amendment to the Constitution as will suitably acknowledge Almighty God as the author of the nation's existence and the ultimate source of its authority, Jesus Christ as its Ruler, and the Bible as the fountain of its laws, and thus indicate that this is a Christian nation, and place all Christian laws, institutions, and usages in our government on an undeniable legal basis in the fundamental law of the land. This Association invites all citizens, who favor such an amendment, without distinction of party or creed, to meet in the HALL OF THE COOPER UNION, New York City, on Wednesday, February 26, 1873, at 2 o'clock, P. M. All such citizens, to whose notice this call may be brought, are requested to hold meetings, and appoint Delegates to the Convention. WILLIAM STRONG, U. S. Supreme Court, President of the National Association. VICE-PRESIDENTS: His Excellency, JAMES M. HARVEY, Governor of Kansas. The Hon. W. H. CUMBACK, Lieutenant-Governor of Indiana. The Hon. WM. MURRAY, Supreme Court of New York. The Hon. M. B. HAGANS, Superior Court of Cincinnati. The Hon. FELIX R. BRUNOT, Chairman of the Board of Indian Commissioners, Pittsburg, Pa. JOHN ALEXANDER, Esq., Philadelphia, Pa. CHARLES G. NAZRO, Esq., Boston, Mass. The Hon. THOMAS W. BICKNELL, Commissioner Public Schools, Rhode Island. JAMES W. TAYLOR, Esq., Newburg, New York. Prof. TAYLER LEWIS, LL.D., Union College, New York. EDWARD S. TOBEY, Esq., Boston. RUSSELL STURGIS, Jr., Esq., Boston. The Right Rev. G. T. BEDELL, D.D., Assistant Bishop of the P. E. Church, Diocese of Ohio. The Right Rev. G. D. CUMMINS, D.D., Assistant Bishop of the P. E. Church, Diocese of Kentucky. The Rev. C. S. FINNEY, D.D., formerly President of Oberlin College, Oberlin, O. The Rev. F. MERRICK, D.D., LL.D., President of the Ohio University, Delaware, O. The Rev. JOSEPH CUMMINGS, D.D., LL.D., Pres't of the Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn. The Rev. A. D. MAYO, D.D., Cincinnati. The Rev. T. A. MORRIS, D.D., Bishop of the M. E. Church, Springfield, Ohio. O. The Rev. J. BLANCHARD, D.D., President of Wheaton College, Ill. The Right Rev. JOHN B. KERFOOT; D.D., Bishop of the P. E. Church, Diocese of Pittsburg. The Right Rev. F. D. HUNTINGDON, D.D., Bishop of the P. E. Church, Diocese of Central New York. The Rev. T. L. CUYLER, D.D., Brooklyn. The Rev. LEVI SCOTT, D.D., Bishop of the M. E. Church, Delaware. Prof. JULIUS H. SEELYE, D.D., Amherst College, Mass. The Right Rev. CHARLES P. MCILVAINE, D.D., LL.D., D.C.L., Bishop of the P. E. Church, Diocese of Ohio. The Rev. A. A. MINER, D.D., President of Tuft's College, Mass. The Rev. JONATHAN EDWARDS, D.D., Peoria, Ill. GENERAL SECRETARY: The Rev. D. MCALLISTER, 410 West Forty-third street, New York. CORRESPONDING SECRETARY: The Rev. T. P. STEVENSON, 38 North Sixteenth street, Philadelphia. RECORDING SECRETARY: The Rev. W. W. BARR, Philadelphia. TREASURER: SAMUEL AGNEW, Esq., 1126 Arch street, Philadelphia. THE FOLLOWING GENTLEMEN CONCUR IN THE FOREGOING CALL: The Rev. CHARLES HODGE, D.D., Princeton Theological Seminary, N. J. The Rev. JOHN S. STONE, D.D., Episcopal Theological School, Cambridge, Mass. The Rev. EDMUND S. JANES, D.D., Bishop of the M. E. Church, New York. The Rev. HENRY J. Fox, D.D., Charleston, S. C. The Rev. THOMAS DE WITT, D.D., Collegiate Reformed Church, New York. Pres't JAMES W. STRONG, D.D., Carleton College, Minn. Pres't THOMAS HOLMES, D.D., Union Christian College, Ind. Pres't GEO. LOOMIS, D.D., Alleghany College, Pa. Pres't W. F. KING, D.D., Cornell College, Iowa. The Rev. WILLIAM M. PAXTON, D.D., First Presbyterian Church, New York. The Rev. WILLIAM R. NICHOLSON, D.D., Trinity Church, Newark, N. J. The Rev. E. R. CRAVEN, D.D., Newark, N. J. Pres't WILLIAM CAREY CRANE, D.D., Baylor University, Texas. Pres't REUBEN ANDRUS, D.D., Indiana Ashbury University. Pres't JOHN WHEELER, D.D., Iowa Wesleyan University. Prof. J. R. W. SLOANE, D.D., Reformed Presb. Theo. Seminary, Alleghany, Pa. The Rev. J. PICKETT, D.D., Holly Springs, Miss. H. M. ANDERSON, Esq., Treasurer of the University of the South, Tenn. Prof. LYMAN H. ATWATER, D.D., Editor of the Presbyterian Quarterly, Princeton, N. J. The Rev. WILLIAM NAST, D.D., Editor of German Publications of M. E. Church, Cincinnati, O. Prof. R. BETHELL CLAXTON, D.D., P. E. Divinity School, Philadelphia. Pres't GEO. B. JOCELYN, D.D., Albion College, Mich. Prof. J. FULLONTON, D.D., Bates College, Maine. The Rev. STEPHEN H. TYNG, D.D., St. George's Church, New York. The Hon. J. W. CURRY, Member of Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention. The Hon. JOHN COLLINS, Member of Penn. Consti. Con. Prof. H. L. SMITH, LL.D., Hobart College, N. Y. Prof. THOS. SPROULL, D.D., Reformed Presb. Theo. Seminary, Alleghany, Pa. Prof. S. T. WOODHULL, Lincoln University, Pa. The Hon. T. H. BAIRD PATTERSON, Member of Pennsylvania Constitutional AND NUMEROUS OTHERS. The Hon. Wm. Strong, of Washington, President of the National Association, being absent, Jno. Alexander, Esq., of Philadelphia, one of the Vice-Presidents of the National Association, called the Convention to order, and spoke as follows: We are called together at a time of no ordinary significance. The commanding influence of our American republicanism is causing republics to be born in a day; and if constant vigilance be necessary to preserve liberty, our present national necessity is that Christian statesmanship which we have assembled together to promote. It is, therefore, no transient, sectional, or party interest that has called us to the metropolis of American influence at this time. This National Association desires to preserve and perpetuate for ourselves, our children, and for the example of all the world, the glorious inheritance which we have received from our Christian patriotic ancestors. We know from other history of the past, as well as from Holy Writ, that the nation that will not serve Him shall perish. The Rev. A. M. Milligan, D.D., of Pittsburg, was called upon by the Chairman to lead the Convention in prayer. A Committee on Enrollment was then appointed, as follows: Rev. J. R. THOMPSON, Chairman; Rev. E. H. FANNING, Rev. W. H. Knox, Rev. S. H. GRAHAM, Rev. D. B. WILLSON,. Messrs. J. B. CALDWELL, A. L. KELLEY, LEWIS RENFIELD, ROBERT TAYLOR, D. CHESNUT, and JOHN LOVE. A Committee on Permanent Organization was also appointed, as follows: Rev. J. C. K. MILLIGAN, Chairman; Rev. GEORGE TAYLOR, Rev. ALEX. CALHOUN, and J. J. SWANWICK, Esq. |
