walk in his ways, keep his judgments and commandments and hearken to his voice; and particularly, that we shall, by the Lord's grace, continue and abide in the profession of the faith and obedience of the aforesaid true reformed religion, in doctrine, worship, and Presbyterian church government and discipline, and that we shall, according to our several places and callings, contend and testify against the contrary evils, errors, and corruptions; particularly Prelacy, Deism, Arianism, Arminianism, and every other error eversive of the doctrine of grace; also Independency, and Latitudinarian tenents.'

4.

This scheme of union is unhinging this Presbytery from its original constitution, and is a breach of the covenant mutally entered into by ministers and people, when the pastoral relation took place, as it is directly contrary to the call which contains this solemn covenant. The preamble to all the calls that are given in the Associate body, runs thus-'We undersubscribers, elders and other members of the Associate congregation of who have acceded to the Lord's cause and testimony, as professed, witnessed for, and maintained by the Associate Synod, and the several Presbyteries in Scotland and Ireland subordinate thereto, as the only lawful and right constitute courts of Christ to which we can submit in the Lord.'

❝.5. This plan of union throws the Presbytery destitute of that source of supply of ministers it has hitherto had from our connections with the Associate Synod, by joining those who refuse to own any subjection to them.

"6. It has a tendency to rend our churches to pieces, and throw stumbling blocks in the way of the Lord's people.

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"7. The terms of union are not clear and explicit, and both parties put their own interpretation on them in favor of their received principles.

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8. This union is most irregularly gone into by some members of this Presbytery.

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9. This scheme of union is most tyrannical, and an invasion on the rights of the Christian people-because entered into without the people being previously informed of the terms on which it is made, and of the alterations made in their religious profession by this Presbytery.

"And we crave leave to bring in further reasons of protest, in due time, and illustrating the above reasons as we see cause. We protest against further proceeding in this union, and we appeal to the reverend the Associate Synod, at their first ordinary meeting we have access to.

"Signed, William Marshall, James Clarkson, ministers; Robert Hunter, James Thomson, and Alexander Moor, elders.

"The question was then stated, 'Shall this protest and appeal be admitted?' It was carried, Admit—but on a review of its containing an appeal, the vote was reversed, and carried, Not admit.

“Mr. Marshall then read another protestation to this effect: That whereas the Presbytery have tyrannically refused our protest and appeal, we are under the necessity of protesting that the powers of the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania, are now vested only in us who adhere to the true principles and constitution of said Presbytery.'

“Likewise signed, at Pequa, June 13th, 1782, by William Marshall, James Clarkson, ministers; Robert Hunter, James Thomson, and Alexander Moor, elders.

"Whereupon the protestors withdrew to the session house, and considering themselves, on good grounds, to be the true Associate Presbytery, now constituted, but by this affair deprived of their moderator, they proceeded immediately, without constituting a-new, to choose another, and Mr. Clarkson was chosen, and took the chair accordingly; and after finishing what business came before them, adjourned to meet at Mrs. Johnston's this evening at seven o'clock. Closed with prayer."

On these important transactions, which deeply affected the church of Christ in this country, we may pause for a few remarks.

There was evidently on the part of the majority an aban donment of their former professed principles, to which up to this time, and indeed for some time afterwards, they still professed to adhere. By this act they broke off connection with the Associate Synod to which they had vowed submission in the Lord. The ostensible ground taken for refusing the protest was, that it contained an appeal to the Synod in Scotland. If the prevailing party had intended to remain in communion with their brethren in Scotland, they could not consistently with Presbyterian principles refuse to admit an appeal to the Synod, and especially on such a question as this; for in Presbyterianism a Presbytery must be subordinate to a Synod, as a session or particular congregation is to a Presbytery. In answer to this it was alleged, that as the civil or political connection between this country and Great Britain was now dissolved, it would be improper to admit an appeal in religious matters to an ecclesiastical judicature situated in that country, of which we were now politically independent.

On the other hand it was plead that the true church of Christ is ONE,-is unaffected by political divisions and revolutions. "My love my undefiled is one." (Song vi. 9.) Religion, like philosophy, knows no country.

The question which would have arisen from the protest. and appeal would simply be, Have the majority, in forming the union on the present basis, acted according to the received principles of the Associate Synod?" All that would have been necessary in this case, would have been the submission of the papers,-to have put the Synod in possession of all the necessary information to form a judgment on the premises.

The manner in which this measure had been brought about was disorderly, and inconsistent with the prerogative of a Presbytery; because it was introduced and issued in Presbytery at the same meeting. A matter of this nature affecting the constitution and integrity of the body, could not be brought forward and issued, even in the supreme judicature, according to the rules of order, without submitting it to the consideration of the inferior and subordinate courts; much less is it competent for a Presbytery or Session to give a final decision on a question involving the integrity of the whole body, consisting of many presbyteries and congregations, until it has been submitted to the whole body. The absurdity and disorganizing tendency of the contrary course, would be manifest in civil affairs. Could one of the states of our confederated political union make treaties and form alliances which affected the integrity of the union, without the consent and aprobatiaon of the general government? Certainly not. And until this step was taken, all the members of the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania were not only united together themselves as one body, on the principles set forth in the standards of the Associate Synod of Scotland; but they were united with that Synod also; the constituent parts of which were pledged to each other on these principles; and those who departed from them, then dissolved the bond of union. The very act by which this union was formed was the dissolution of one much more extensive, and cemented by many years of intimate fellowship in a public profession.

Messrs. Marshall and Clarkson, and the other protestors did not form a new and distinct Presbytery; but were, and remained to be, the true Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania, holding its original principles, and constitution. This the Associate Synod declared in their act condemning the union, and approving of the course pursued by those who protested against it. As this act forms an important link in the history

of the Associate Church in America, it is proper it should be preserved entire. It is also an authoritative refutation of a misrepresentation concerning the rise of the Associate Church and Synod in this country, lately given to the public.* The act is as follows:

"ACT of the ASSOCIATE SYNOD in Scotland concerning the ASSOCIATE PRESBYTERY of Pennsylvania. At EDINBURGH, the thirty-first day of August, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five years.

"THE Associate Synod took into their consideration, an Address to them by the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania, dated at Philadelphia on the 30th of October, 1784; which was laid before this Synod in April last, but upon which they could not then overtake any procedure;-as also an address to them by the same Presbytery, dated at Pequa on the 14th of April last, now laid before this Synod:-In both of which addresses, they represent the great difficulties and discouragements through which they have been assaying to maintain the Testimony among their hands in connection with, and subordination to, this Synod; particularly from the vehement opposition managed against them by their separating brethren, and the activity with which some of these were endeavoring to get them crushed altogether, and their people ensnared ;-representing also that they had published a Narative, Declaration and Testimony, for adapting the Reformation Testimony among the hands of this Synod, to the present state of matters in North America, and craving to have the judgment of this Synod concerning the same, for strengthening their hands in so far as they may be found to have done well, and for correcting them in so far as they may be found in any mistake; And in the last of which addresses, they crave to have a minister or ministers sent over for their assistance; as the applications to them for sermon, are more than they can well answer.

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"The Synod, after serious deliberation on this subject, with prayer for the Lord's countenance and direction,-did, and hereby do, unanimously agree in expressing great satisfaction and in holding it for matter of great thankfulness to the Lord, that their brethren of the said Presbytery have been enabled

*The Associate Reformed Presbytery of Caledonia, N. Y., in a Report on the subject of "UNION AND COMMUNION,' laid before the Associate Reformed Synod of New-York, which met in Salem, N. Y., Sept., 1838, have fallen into an error on this pomt. Speaking of this union and the protest and withdrawal of Messrs. Marshall and Clarkson, they say, "It was the beginning of what is now called the Associate Church and Synod."

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to proceed with much honesty, faithfulness and zeal, according to their ordination vows and solemn covenant engagements, in maintaining the Lord's cause among their hands, against the cause of their separating brethren. More particularly, whereas the generality of the ministers who originally belonged to the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania, having been sent over to North America at different times by this Synod, viz. Messrs. James Proudfit, Mathew Henderson, John Mason, Robert Annan, John Smith, and William Logan, have thrown off their former connection with and subordination to this Synod, so as to be no longer part of the same witnessing body with them; as they have formed themselves into a new state of union and church communion with several ministers of a pretended reformed Presbytery in Pennsylvania, belonging to the anti-government party in Scotland; also with Mr. John Rodger, who had been sent over by this Synod, but had been afterwards deposed and laid under the sentence of the lesser excommunication by the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania, for errors taught and maintained by him; and likewise with two ministers belonging to the Synod of the separating brethren in Scotland, one of whom is lying under the sentence of the higher excommunication by this Synod; and have embodied themselves with all these ministers in a new constitution of three Presbyteries, under what they call the Associate Reformed Synod; upon terms so loose and general as to consist with the former different principles and professions of these ministers,-while subversive of the Reformation Testimony among the hands of this Synod, and casting the door open for the grossest Latitudinarianism: Therefore this Synod did and hereby do declare, that they disclaim all connection with and acknowledgement of the said constitution, and the body so constituted; and that they hold all the ministers above particularly named, in respect of their new union and constitution, to be in a state of apostacy from the said Reformation Testimony, and their witnessing profession,-under a gross and manifest breach of their ordination vows, and solemn covenant engagements to maintain the same.

"And whereas at a meeting of the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania in June, 1782, when the aforesaid union was voted, Messrs. William Marshall and James Clarkson, Ministers and members of the said Presbytery; with James Thomson from Pequa, Robert Hunter from Philadelphia, and Alexander Moor from Muddy Creek, Ruling Elders and Commissioners from their respective Sessions to the said meeting