1RENIC MOVEMENTS 1-17 



cipline and not divided by any profound 

 sectional and political feeling could remain 

 forever apart. A new generation came that 

 knew but little and cared less about the 

 old causes of strife. Churches and pastors 

 united in the ordinary ways of fraternal 

 intercourse. Then the mighty struggle for 

 the Union baptized the northern churches 

 into a oneness of feeling. Patriotism be- 

 came the hand-maid of religion. Why 

 should not the Church be one as the 

 nation is one? In 1862 the Old School 

 Assembly proposed a stated annual and 

 friendly interchange of commissioners be- 

 tween the two General Assemblies. This 

 was met by a hearty response in the friend- 

 liest spirit by the New School Assembly. 

 At a meeting of the Old School General 

 Assembly at Newark in 1864, a number of 

 ministers and laymen met together to con- 

 sider organic union. This non-official body 

 adopted a statement in winch, among other 

 tilings, they said : — 



" It is believed that the great majority in 

 each branch sincerely receive and adopt the 

 Confession of Faith, as containing the system 

 of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures, 

 and approve the same government and dis- 



