Its first meeting was held 5 Oct. 1813, when it proclaimed a summary of its doctrines. A year later it revised the Confession of Faith to meet its views regarding the articles to which exception had been taken. These were, specially, the third chapter with reference to the decrees of God, and the article with reference to the salvation of infants. The new Church, filled with the revival zeal of its origin, made rapid advances. In 1827 it established at Princeton, Ky., an institution of learning, with a view to securing educated men for the ministry. In 1829 the General Assembly of the Cumberland Church was organized, consisting of five synods. At that time the field occupied by the Church embraced eight States, in which there were 18 presbyteries.
In 1906 it was adjudged that the doctrinal differences which had separated the Cumber land Church from the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America had been largely composed. A union of the two Churches was affected. At the time of the reunion the Cum berland Church had a roll of 1,514 ordained ministers serving 2,869 churches, with a total membership of 185,212 and annual contributions aggregating $933,920. A small part of the Cumberland Church, however, refused to enter into the reunion and has continued the organiza tion of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The principal reason given for refusing to enter the union was that the revision of the West minster Confession had not brought the two Churches sufficiently into doctrinal accord to justify the cessation of the separate existence of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The question of property and institutions was car ried into the courts; but in almost all cases it was decided in the court of final appeal in favor of the body which had gone into the union. The number of ministers in the con tinued organization is 996 and the total number of Church membership, resident and non-resi dent, is 63,735. They carry on their benevolent work through Boards of Missions, Education, Publication and Ministerial Relief. They have a theological seminary — the Cumberland Pres Theological Seminary — located at Mc Kenzie, Tenn., and the Cumberland College lo cated at Leonard, Tex. During its history, various attempts have been made to restore its union with the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, but they failed on account of doctrinal differences until 24 May 1906 when, in convention assembled, the former at Decatur, Ill., the latter at Des Moines, Iowa, the reunion was accomplished.
The Colored Cumberland Presbyterian Prior to the Civil War the number of colored people in connection with the Cum berland Church amounted to 20,000. In times of slavery, they worshipped in the same build ings with their masters, a particular portion of the church being assigned to them; but they were not allowed to participate in the govern ment of the church. After the Civil War, it was deemed expedient that these members should be associated in a separate organization. Accordingly presbyteries and synods were formed, which met in a General 1 May 1874. This organization, whose statistics are rather indefinite, now reports a membership of 25,000. It has one educational institution, but the poverty of the people has prevented them from obtaining a thoroughly educated ministry.
The Presbyterian Church in the United States (Southern).—This Church had its origin at the beginning of the Civil War, and from causes connected with it. The action of the General Assembly, Old School, in 1861 was one of the leading causes. By the passage of the
•Spring Resolutions* concerning the Civil War, it had determined for all under its jurisdiction that their allegiance was due to the national government. A minority held that this action, whether true or false, was beyond the jurisdic tion of the General Assembly, and that in mak ing- it the Church was transcending her sphere, and usurping the duties of the state, which alone had the power to define civil duties. A protest was presented against this action, in which it was urged that the Assembly in thus deciding a political question, and in making that decision binding upon those under its care, practically made a condition of church mem bership which violated the constitution of the Church, and usurped the prerogative of its di vine Head. Presbyteries in the seceding States generally coincided with this view, and con cluded that a separation from the General As sembly was demanded for the defense of a great truth, and for the protection of the liberty with which Christ had made them free. The organization of the Confederate States fur nished another reason. It was, in brief, that the changed condition of civil affairs made it expedient and necessary that the presbyteries within the bounds of the Confederacy should be organized as a separate and independent body. Accordingly 93 ministers and elders, representatives from presbyteries, met in Augusta, Ga., 4 Dec. 1861, and constituted a General Assembly, under the name of the General Assembly of the Confederate States of America. They adopted at the same time, as their standards of doctrine, the Westminster Confession of Faith, and the Form of Govern ment as held in the old Church. At the close of the war, the name of the Church was changed to the Presbyterian Church in the United States. In 1864 the United Synod of the South, com posed of the presbyteries and churches which had seceded from the General Assembly (New School), on account of its action concerning slavery, was admitted into the General Assem bly of the Confederate States. It consisted of 120 ministers, 190 churches and 12,000 com municants. In 1869 that portion of the Synod of Kentucky which had separated from the Gen eral Assembly (Old School) in 1867 was re ceived into connection with the Southern Gen eral Assembly, bringing with it 13,540 com municants. In 1874 the independent Synod of Missouri, which had separated itself from the Northern Assembly on account of its action concerning civil affairs, united with the South ern Assembly. The churches in connection with this Assembly are almost exclusively in what is known as the Southern States, and for that reason it is commonly called the South ern General Assembly° in distinction from the Assembly, North. Its missionary and benevolent operations are not conducted by organized boards, but through committees elected an nually by the General Assembly, directly re sponsible to it, and acting under its instruction. It carries on mission work in China, Africa, South America, Greece, Italy and Mexico. Its home mission work is conducted with vigor and efficiency, and includes work among Indians and negroes, as well as the white population. It has under its care Union Theological Semi nary at Richmond, Va.; the Theological Semi nary at Columbia, S. C., and the Theological Seminary at Louisville, Ky. The last-named institution, having been joined with Danville Seminary, is now under the joint control of both synods of Kentucky, one in connection with the Northern and the other with the South ern Assembly.