CHAPTER XLII. THE RESULT.

Afterthedevotionalserviceswereover,Dr.Calkerproceededimmediatelywiththebusinessthathehadinhismind."Now,brotherCushing,"hesaid,"thereneverwasanyinstrumentalityraisedupbyProvidencetobringinthelatterdayequaltothePresbyterianChurchintheUnitedStatesofAmerica.Itisthegreathopeoftheworldforhere,inthiscountry,wearetryingthegreatexperimentforallagesand,undoubtedly,thePresbyterianChurchcomesthenearestperfectionofanyformoforganizationpossibletoourfrailhumanity.Itisthearkofthecovenantforthisnation,andforallnations.Missionaryenterprisestoforeigncountries,tractsocieties,homemissionary,seamen'sfriendsocieties,Biblesocieties,Sunday-schoolunions,allareembracedinitsbosomanditgrowsinafreecountry,plantedbyGod'sownrighthand,withsuchlawsandinstitutionsasneverweregiventomortalmanbefore.Itiscarryingusrightontothemillenniumandallwewantisunion.United,westandthemostglorious,themostpowerfulinstitutionintheworld.Now,therewasnoneedforyousouthernbrethrentobesorestiveasyouwere.Weweredoingallwecouldtokeepdownthefire,andkeepthingsquiet,andyououghtnottohaveboltedso.Sinceyouhaveseparatedfromus,whathavewedone?Isupposeyouthoughtweweregoingtoblazeoutinaregularabolitionfurybutyouseewehaven'tdoneit.Wehaven'tdoneanymorethanwhenwewereunited.Justlookatourminutes,andyou'llseeit.Wehavestronganddeterminedabolitionistsamongus,andtheyareconstantlyurgingandpushing.Therehavebeengreatpublicexcitementsonthesubjectofslavery,andwehavebeenplaguedandteasedtodeclareourselves,butwehaven'tdoneitinasingleinstance—notone.YouseethatRuskinandhiscliquehavegoneofffromus,becausewewouldholdstill.Itistruethatnowandthenwehadtoletsomeanti-slaverymanpreachanopeningsermon,orsomethingofthatsortbut,then,openingsermonsarenothingtheydon'tcommitanybodytheydon'tshowtheopinionofanybodybutthespeaker.Infact,theydon'texpressanymorethanthatdeclarationofeighteenhundredandeighteen,whichstandsunrepealedonyourrecords,aswellasonours.Ofcourse,weareallwillingtosaythatslaveryisanevil,'entirelyinconsistentwiththespiritoftheGospel,'andallthat,becausethat'sonyourownbooksweonlyagreetosaynothingaboutit,nowadays,inourpubliccapacity,becausewhatwassaidineighteenhundredandeighteenisall-sufficient,andpreventstheodiumandscandalofpubliccontroversynow.Now,forproofthatwhatIhavejustsaidistrue,lookatthefacts.Wehadthreepresbyteriesinslave-holdingstateswhenwestarted,andnowwehaveovertwenty,withfromfifteentotwentythousandmembers.Thatmustshowyouwhatourheartsareonthissubject.Andhavewenotalwaysbeenmakingoverturesforreunion—reallyhumblingourselvestoyou,brethren?Now,Isayyououghttotakethesefactsintoaccountourslave-holdingmembersandchurchesareleftasperfectlyundisturbed,tomanageintheirownway,asyours.Tobesure,someofthosewesternmenwillfireoffaremonstranceonceayear,orsomethingofthatsort.Justletthemdothatitkeepsthemeasyandcontented.And,solongasthereisreallynointerferinginthewayofdisciplineorcontrol,whatharmisdone?Yououghttobearsomewiththenorthernbrethren,unreasonableastheyareandwemaywellhaveadiscussioneveryyear,toletoffthesteam." "Formypart,"saidfatherBonnie,"Iwantunion,I'msure.I'dtarandfeatherthosenorthernabolitionists,ifIcouldgetatthem!" "Figuratively,Isuppose,"saidDr.Packthread,withagentlesmile.