CONTENTS. CHAP. I.-The first Petition for Supply of Preaching-The Mission of Messrs. Gellatly and Arnot-Their constituting themselves into a Presbyte- ry-New Castle Presbytery's Warning-Results favorably to the cause of the Missionaries-Mr. Arnot returns-Death of Mr. Gellatly-Messrs. Proudfit, Henderson and Mason sent over by the Associate Synod―The ad- mission of, and union with some Burgher Ministers-Disapproved of by the Synod in Scotland-Arrival of Messrs. Smith and Rodger-Union with the Burgher brethren dissolved-Proposed union with the Synod of New-York and Philadelphia-Division of the Presbytery CHAP. II.-Union proposed between the Reformed Presbytery and the Asso- CHAP. III.-Revival of the Union-Terms drawn and agreed upon by some members privately-Subject again introduced into Presbytery-Basis pro- posed-Objections stated-Union closed by the casting vote of the Modera- tor-Protest of Messrs. Marshall, Clarkson and others-Remarks on the Union-The Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania continued-The organi- zation of the Associate Reformed Synod-Remarks-Notices of those who voted for and acceded to the Union - - CHAP. IV.-Proposal for re-union-Mr. Annan's Ruling Elder-Low state of the Presbytery-Application to the Synod in Scotland for more help-Arri- val of Mr. Anderson Of Mr. Beveridge-Narrative and Testimony-Unan- imity of the Members-Revival of the Secession cause in the State of New- York-Return of Mr. Henderson-Extension of the Presbytery-The Se- cession cause spreads in western Pennsylvania-In Vermont-In Kentucky- In Tennessee-In the Carolinas and Virginia-The appointment of a Pro- fessor-The first student licensed-Public Covenanting in New-York-Act on Covenanting-On occasional communion-The Synod constituted-Re- Second Sermon hy ditto INTRODUCTION. A HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE INTRODUCTION AND PROGRESS OF THE ASSOCIATE CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA. CHAPTER I. The first Petition for Supply of Preaching-The Mission of Messrs. Gellatly and Arnot-Their constituting themselves into a Presbytery-New Castle Presbytery's Warning-Results favourably to the cause of the Missionaries-Mr. Arnot returns-Death of Mr. Gellatly-Messrs. Proudfit, Henderson and Mason, sent over by the Associate Synod-The admission of, and union with some Burgher Ministers-Disapproved of by the Synod in Scotland-Arrival of Messrs. Smith and Rodger-Union with the Burgher brethren dissolved-Proposed union with the Synod of New-York and Philadelphia-Division of the Presbytery. THE history of the Associate Church in North America, may be said to commence in the year 1750, when the first application for a supply of preaching was made to the Associate Synod of Edinburgh. This was seventeen years after the rise of the Secession in Scotland, dating this event from November 17, 1733, when Messrs. Ebenezer Erskine, Alexander Moncrief, William Wilson, and James Fisher, gave in their Protestation, to the Commission of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, declaring their SECESSION from the prevailing party in the judicatories of that church. The design of the Associate Brethren in Scotland in declaring their secession, was, that they might maintain in their original purity, the doctrine, order and discipline, set forth in the standards of the Church of Scotland, and which they found themselves no longer able to maintain in connection with the majority in the judicatories of that church; without subunitting to terms which they deemed sinful. It was not, then, from any of the principles or doctrines of that church, nor from the order and discipline which was in accordance with her received standards, that they seceded. Accordingly, in the same Protestation, in which the Associate Brethren declared their secession, they also appealed "to the first free, faithful, and reforming General Assembly of the Church of Scotland," that should ever meet. The importance of that secession was soon acknowledged throughout Scotland, and to a considerable extent among the Presbyterians of Ireland. Large accessions in these kingdoms were in a short time made to that cause. And so early did the knowledge of the cause and grounds of the Secession reach America, that in 1750, but three years after the division on account of the Burgess oath,* a respectable number from the Province of Pennsylvania, forwarded a petition to the Associate [Anti-Burgher] Synod of Scotland, for the dispensation of gospel ordinances. These petitioners were chiefly emigrants from Scotland, or Ireland, who were intelligently and conscientiously attached to the principles of the Reformation, as maintained by the Church of Scotland in her purest times; and who, not finding among Presbyterians in America, that strict regard to those principles which they believed the word of God required, could not unite with them. They were, therefore, shut up to this mode of obtaining the dispensation of gospel ordinances; or submit to many things, which they believed not in accordance with the Holy Scriptures. The Synod in Scotland did not, however, find itself in circumstances to comply immediately with the prayer of the American petitioners. It was not until three years afterwards, that a mission was sent to America. In the making of this appointment, the Synod either designedly followed the example of our Lord, the great Head and l'atron of his church, in sending out his disciples two and two, when they were employed in the capacity of missionaries; or, in this instance, when it was so essentially necessa It was this separation in the Associate Synod that gave rise to the names Burgher and Anti-Burgher. It took place on the 9th of April, in the year 1747. Each party retained the name "Associate Synod.' But the public affixed to them the names of Burgher and Anti-Burgher, as they had been respectively for, or against the propriety of the oath. However convenient these names have been, as distinguishing epithets, but little necessity now exists for longer retaining them. The different divisions, first and last, which have sprung from the Associate Presbytery, that seceded from the Judicatories of the Church of Scotland, have so changed and interminged ecclesiastical connections, that the original name seems now to be left almost exclusively in the possession of the Associate Church in North America, where we trust the original principles in doctrine, practice, and discipline, are still to be found, and where we hope they will long remain. The Burgher Synod never had an organization in the United States. ry to the success of the work, it was brought about by Divine Providence, that two missionaries should be appointed. These were the Rev. Messrs. Alex. Gellatly and Arnot, minis ter of Midholm. The former was sent with a view to a permanent settlement in this country. Although enterprises of this kind have become familiar in the present age, yet at the middle of the last century, it evinced no ordinary degree of zeal in the cause of spreading the gospel of salvation, to volunteer as a missionary to America; then deemed in Europe a wilderness and land of savages. Mr. Gellatly was not connected with a particular congregation. He cheerfully yielded to the authority of the Synod appointing him on the mission. Some difficulty was experienced in finding another as suitable to engage. Mr. Arnot, who had been but recently settled in the pastoral charge of the congregation of Midholm, in the south of Scotland, observing some who were named for the mission appearing backward in undertaking it. declared his willingness to go for two years, on the condition that the Synod would supply his congregation during his absence. This condition was readily accepted, and he was accordingly appointed with Mr. Gellatly. They were authorised to organize congregations, ordain elders, and if they judged it proper, to constitute themselves, with ruling elders, into a Presbytery. The two missionaries set out with the prayers and blessings of the church, and arrived in safety in the summer of 1754. They proceeded without delay to the people, who were seeking their aid. The first applications were confined chiefly, if not wholly, to a few of the eastern counties of what was then the Province, now the State of Pennsylvania, and the largest body of the people who were together, were in parts of Lancaster and Chester Counties. In these places the two brethren found a people anxiously expecting their arrival, and ready to learn the law at their mouth. They soon found, also, that an extensive field and a pressing call for their labors were before them. They, according to the authority committed to them, constituted themselves into a Presbytery, under the name and style of the "Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania, subordinate to the Associate Synod of Edinburgh." The brethren were not, however, left long in their new field *In the copy which I have of the inscription on the grave-stone of Mr. Gellatly, his arrival is dated 1753, but all the other documents I have consulted, give 1754 as the date. |