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It is, however, due to the Presbytery to state, that the members had not the most distant idea of abandoning any of their publicly espoused principles, or of dropping any part of that Testimony, which they were maintaining in common with their brethren of the Associate Synod in Britain. The main thing they seem to have had in view, was, the obtaining of more help for their numerous and destitute vacancies. But in this they were disappointed, for both these men soon went back to Scotland, and joined their former connection; and the Presbytery became more helpless than ever; as the Synod had now ceased to send them assistance.

The Presbytery now began to feel the unpleasantness of its condition, and most of the members to see the impropriety of the course they had pursued. They, therefore, instructed the people to apply themselves directly to the Synod for supply, which they accordingly did, and with the desired effect. In answer to this new application from the people, the Synod in 1770, appointed on a new mission to America, Messrs. John Smith and John Rodger, with particular instructions, to require the Presbytery to annul the union with the Burgher Brethren, and obliterate the minute respecting it.*

Upon the arrival of these brethren in 1771, a meeting of the Presbytery was called at Pequa, Pa., June 5th of that year; when Messrs. Rodger and Smith laid before the Presbytery the instructions which they had received from the Synod. To the first requisition of the Synod, viz: "To dissolve the union with the Burgher Brethren," the Presbytery unanimously agreed, stating in the minutes, that Presbytery "now found, that in making the union with the Burgher Brethren they had taken some steps inconsistent with the subordination to the Synod to which they have been, and are subordinate; and they are determined that for the future they shall have no ministerial communion with them, until they lay the case before Synod, and receive instructions from them."t

From this language, and the unanimity with which it was adopted, it is manifest that the Presbytery was now sensible of the error that had been committed in receiving into fellowship persons, who were maintaining, to any extent, an ecclesiastical connection different from, and in some things opposite to that, to which they had now acceded. A society thus constituted could not exhibit that mark of the true church, which God has promised his people shall enjoy, when "He will give them one heart, and one way." Such a society of

* See Appendix B.

+ See Appendix C.

Jer. xxxii. 39.

professing christians could not "be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and the same judgment."* With the other particular in the instructions of the Synod, the Presbytery declined complying. As the minute recording the admission of the Burgher Brethren, was a correct record of the transaction, it was thought proper it should stand as such; and the minute recording the acknowledgment of the Presbytery's error in that act, would be sufficient to counteract the evil influence, the former minute might have as a precedent. The Synod appears to have concurred in this judgment of the Presbytery from their acquiescing in it.

Messrs. Rodger and Smith considered the demand of the Synod materially complied with, on the part of the Presbytery; they accordingly took their seats as members of the Presbytery. In this whole transaction, also, the brethren of the Presbytery appeared hearty; for the Moderator, the Rev. James Proudfit, stated to Mr. Telfair, who returned from Scotland this year and claimed his seat in Presbytery, that "the union between him and the Presbytery was dissolved, and that it was very sinful in them ever to have made it."†

Thus terminated the connection between the Associate Presbytery and the Burgher Brethren, which indeed never deserved the name of a union; though it was not made on as loose terms as that which was afterwards formed with the Reformed Presbytery; for the Secession Testimony was adopted as the bond of it; yet, being gone into irregularly, it no doubt had its influence in paving the way for that union which trampled the Testimony under foot, and rent the Associate Body in pieces.

About the same time that these difficulties existed between the Presbytery and Synod, a correspondence was opened between the Synod of New-York and Pennsylvania, (now the General Assembly,) and the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania, respecting a union between these two bodies. Committees of correspondence were appointed, and some terms, or basis of union, were proposed; and during the years 1770, and 1771, several papers on the subject passed between the two bodies, through their committees. But their views were found to be so widely different on several important points, that the plan was finally abandoned as hopeless. It was soon manifest, that the two bodies in their then present views, were not sufficiently agreed to walk together.‡

* 1 Cor. i. 10.

+ Vindication of the Presbytery. Marshall's Life, page 15.

Harmony being again restored between the Presbytery and the Synod, the former having received additional strength by the accession of the Synod's missionaries, its prosperity and that of the congregations under its charge, seemed to progress with accelerated steps. So much had the Presbytery increased, that in May, 1776, it was agreed to divide it into two; several of the members being settled in the Province of NewYork, and the means of intercourse between distant places being then attended with much loss of time, and expenditure of money, were also considerations increasing the necessity of a division.

The whole Presbytery at that time consisted of thineen ministers, scattered through Pennsylvania and New York. Those ministers residing in Pennsylvania remaine in the Presbytery of Pennsylvania. Those in New-Yo were set off for a new Presbytery, which was called the resbytery of New-York. The former consisted of the follo ing members, viz: Messrs. James Proudfit, Matthew Hederson, William Marshall, John Rodger, John Smith, Janes Clarkson, William Logan, and John Murray, togeth with a Mr. James Martin, and Mr. Andrew Patten.

The Presbytery of New-York ws composed of the following members, viz: Messrs. Job Mason, Thomas Clark and Robert Annan.*

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It was agreed that the o Presbyteries should keep up a correspondence with ear other. This appears to have been the only terms upon ch they proposed to maintain their unity. However hest all the members were in this matter, it was evidently great and unhappy departure from those Presbyterian pciples, which the whole body professed, and by which ale the visible unity and communion of the e preserved. By a division of the Presbytery inciple, each Presbytery became a distinct and inupon this dependet judicature. The one having no right to review the deeds the other, they might pursue different and even opcourses from each other, as the event soon demonstraposi Had they divided into three Presbyteries, as they might onveniently have done, and then met together in Synod, (and this Synod again subordinate to a general Synod) where the proceedings of each Presbytery could have been reviewed, and to which appeals could have been made, the true Presbyterian principle would have been maintained: as both Presbyteries were, however, to remain subordinate to the As

te

*Marshall's Life, page 16.

sociate Synod in Scotland, the members doubtless believed that no other connection than the friendly correspondence they proposed, was necessary for maintaining the scriptural unity of the visible church; but the impracticability of carrying up appeals to a judicature, situated at so great a distance and of having the minutes of each Presbytery regularly reviewed, seems not to have been duly considered.

In reviewing this part of the history of the Associate Church, we think we can trace many of the unhappy divisions that have since taken place, to this step of the Presbytery; ard the reflection presses itself upon us, that, when the people of God step aside from the prescribed path of duty, the great Shepherd and Bishop of their souls may sometimes permit then to wander far and long, before he brings them back.

When hese two Presbyteries divided, more than half a century since, hey were united in sentiment, in doctrine, in discipline and affection; but the division was the beginning of a separation, which soon disrupted the bonds of brotherhood; and a trail of evils ensued, which nearly annihilated in America, that Cse, which all had been apparently most cordially "striving to ther" to maintain.

CHAPTER I.

Union proposed between the Reformed Presbytery and
Conference on the subject at Donegal, in 1777-And &
Murray's Overture--Presbytery and Conference at Midd

e Associate PresbyteryPequa, in 1778--Mr. Octorara--Diversity

r future conside

of opinion on the subjects discussed-Propositions drawn up
ration-Meeting of Presbytery at Big Spring, at which other positions were
drawn up--And to which a representation and petition was sent, &
satisfaction with the Union-Conference at Pequa, June, 1779--Mr.
timents-Attempt to compromise the difference of sentiment-Case

ressing dis

inn's sen

f Mr.

Rodger-Andrew Patten--James Martin-Ultimatum drawn up by M grs. Smith and Marshall-Answer to, from the Reformed Presbytery-Union ap rently abandoned.

FROM the division of the Presbytery, May 20th, 1776, until the coalescence, 1782, it was an eventful and trying period to the Associate Church in America. It was during this period that the people of the Colonies were engaged in the contest for the political independence which this nation now enjoys.

The intercourse between this and the mother country being prohibited during that contest, the communication between the Presbytery and Synod, was also necessarily interrupted. Another effect produced by that contest was, the alienation of the affections of the Colonists from the mother country, and by a natural and almost uniform transition, they were also transferred from the institutions in that country. This was succeeded by a more close union among the Colonists themselves; religious distinctions were in a great measure lost, in the political union of all classes, especially of Presbyterians, in the common defence of liberty and independence.

These effects soon appeared in a plan of union proposed to be formed between the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania, and the Reformed Presbytery, commonly called Covenanters. This Presbytery had been constituted in this country in the year 1774, two years before the Declaration of Independence; they professed the same principles with the Reformed Presbyterians in Scotland and Ireland, with which they were ecclesiastically connected. It consisted of three members, viz: Messrs. John Cuthbertson, William Linn, and Alexander Dobbin, who preached mostly in Pennsylvania.* The members of this Presbytery, notwithstanding all that was maintained in their Testimony respecting the necessity of scriptural qualifications to the lawful existence of civil magistracy, fell in with the American Revolution, and submitted to the government as now organized.

The Reformed Presbytery were reputed strict in adhering to their profession, and generally exemplary in their practice; and as they now acknowledged the newly created government of the United States, the scheme of union with them seemed to have much to recommend it, and it was accordingly espoused by some, who had been formerly zealous in opposing the distinguishing peculiarities of this Presbytery. These now alledged that nothing but prejudice, bigotry or ignorance would oppose the union.† They seemed to lose sight of all the other distinguishing tenets of this Presbytery, upon its abandoning the one respecting civil magistracy.

Among the number of those who favored the union, was the Rev. Robert Annan, who was settled at Walkill, in the State of New-York. In the summer of 1777, while the British had possession of Philadelphia, and their army was marching through Pennsylvania, Mr. Annan came to Pennsylvania, and

*

Marshall's Life, page 17; and Reformation Principles Exhibited, page 96. + Vindication, page 10.

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