Yours dated 10th, came to hand this morning, and its contents have been read with much interest. If union be consummated for any other reason than love of, and in the truth, disaster, especially spiritual, is bound to overtake the parties thereto who are the true witnesses.
The first great spiritual rift in the Free Church was occasioned by the negotiations for union that begun in 1863 when the proper work of the ministry was superseded by strife and wrangling; the Church lost her peace, and ceasing to walk in the fear of the Lord, sinners were not converted, nor saints edified, and a development went on in unsound doctrine, dishonouring to the truth of God, and the God of Truth, and gratifying only to the malice of the evil ones, ever skilful in laying snares for the Church of Christ. It would be a sad thing, and unfaithful to God were the Free Presbyterians to enter any other fold. Such as desire to join you, let them come to you, but go ye not after them, and let no consideration of temporalities abate a jot or tittle of your testimony for the blessed truth of God, who has never failed those who truly trust him.
See the Barrenness spiritually of such unions as have been effected since 1843. Which should give pause to every one knowing and loving the truth, should they feel impelled to move in that direction. This is a time for loving souls to lay hold of the Omnipotent Arm of Jehovah, pleading for a mighty movement of the divine spirit upon all flesh, and when that comes there will be a union, or at least unity in the truth as it is in Jesus, and not based upon temporal expediency, nor in the wire-pulling of the professional ecclesiastics.