Northern. All
the prestige of good fellowship was in favor of the report as it was
presented, and the Southern Assembly had adopted it by a large majority
the day before.

The Rev. John Fox, of Allegheny, Penn., opened the opposition, opposing
the report generally, and supporting Elder Breckinridge's minority
report. It was a useful speech, and, though the sentiment of the
Assembly was plainly opposed, it stemmed the tide awhile and prepared
the way for what was to follow. Ex-Moderator Smith, of Baltimore,
Chairman of the Northern Assembly's Committee, then defended his report
and showed how much the Southern Assembly had yielded in accepting it.
Then came the event of the day. The Rev. M. Woolsey Stryker, of Chicago,
a young man of thirty-five, whom our readers will remember as one of our
correspondents, arose and denounced that portion of the report which in
the paragraph given above we have put in italics, and moved its
omission. He denied that the Church ever had "approved the policy of
separate churches, presbyteries and synods," and he declared such a
policy to be utterly unchristian. It instantly appeared that he had the
sympathy of the Assembly, if not of its leaders. Dr. Niccolls, of St.
Louis, supported him vigorously, but briefly, for speakers had been shut
down to five minute speeches. Dr. McCulloch, of Alton Presbytery, Ill.,
defended the report and asked, "Do you mean to tell me that if the
colored people themselves prefer separate churches, presbyteries and
synods, you would deny them the right to have them?" "Yes, by all
means," shouted Mr. Stryker, whose clear head and bold answer was
rewarded with loud approval. Dr. Crosby said he understood that the
Negroes had last year indicated their desire for separation; but Mr.
Sanders, the colored editor of _The Africo-American Presbyterian_, of
North Carolina, arose, and said they had many of them consented to it
last year rather than seem to stand in the way of re-union, but that
this year there was no reason for such a sacrifice, that they did not
wish it, and that while the presbytery of which he was a member had no
white ministers in it, they would be glad to welcome them if they would
come. After other addresses, the motion of Mr. Stryker for the excision
of the paragraph favoring separation of the races was put and carried by
an overwhelming majority, not less than three to one, and the report,
with this amendment, adopted.

It was a glorious victory,