extraordinary times and circumstances such rules ought to be suspended. Acting upon this principle, they divided the great majority of the congregations within the sphere of their operations, and by appealing to the people, succeeded in overwhelming their brethren with popular obloquy. Excited by a sense of injury, and alarmed by the disorders consequent on these new methods, the opposite party had recourse to violent measures for redress, which removed none of the evils under which they suffered, and involved them in a controversy with a large class of their brethren, with whom they had hitherto acted in concert. These facts our fathers have left on record for the instruction of their children; to teach them that in times of excitement the rules of order, instead of being suspended, are of more importance than ever to the well-being of the church; that no pretence of zeal can authorize the violation of the rules of charity and justice; and on the other hand, that it is better to suffer wrong than to have recourse to illegal methods of redress; that violence is no proper remedy for disorder, and that adherence to the constitution, is not only the most Christian, but also the most effectual means of resistance against the disturbers of the peace and order of the church. 253 CHAPTER VI. HISTORY OF THE CHURCH DURING THE SCHISM, SYNOD OF PHILADELPHIA. Accessions to the synod.-Missionary labours of the synod-Its efforts in behalf of education.-Establishment of the widows' fund. The form of government.-Presbyterial acts performed by the synod.-Its supervisory power.-Decision of casuistical questions.— Addresses to the churches in reference to the low state of religion, and to public calamities. SYNOD OF NEW YORK. Articles of agreement on which the synod was founded.-Accessions to the synod.-Its missionary labours.—Its efforts in behalf of education.-Its standard of doctrine.-Its form of government, illustrated by its acts of review and control; the formation of new presby. teries; the decision of judicial questions; the strict presbyterianism of its subordinate presbyteries.-The synod conformed to the Scottish model, in appointing annually a commission, in investing committees with full synodical power, and in acting as a presbytery.-History of the negotiations for an union of the two synods.-The plan of union ultimately adopted in 1758. THE number of ministers connected with the synod of Philadelphia, before the schism, was from forty to fortyfive. Nine were excluded in 1741, and eleven or twelve withdrew in 1745, when the synod of New York was formed, leaving in connexion with the old synod from twenty to twenty-three. During the seventeen years that the separation lasted, the number of ministers in the synod of Philadelphia, remained nearly stationary. This was the result of various causes. The portion of the country which fell within the bounds of that synod, was comparatively new, and settled by a heterogeneous population, Irish, Scotch, German, Welsh, and English. These people to a great extent were poor, and much less cultivated than the original settlers of New England. They were also widely scattered and mixed with other denominations, which rendered the formation of churches, and the support of pastors, exceedingly difficult. The number of young men qualified for the ministry furnished by such a population, was of course small, and the supply of preachers from abroad was tardy and precarious. During this period also, the colonies, especially Pennsylvania and Virginia, were greatly harassed and injured by the French and Indian wars. In a multitude of cases settlements, instead of increasing, were entirely broken up, and the people murdered or scattered. This disturbed state of the country was of course very unfavourable to the formation of new congregations, and to the increase of those already established. Missionaries sent by the synod of New York to Virginia, were more than once entirely prevented from fulfilling their appointments, by the dangerous condition of the frontier settlements. 1 Another cause of the slow increase of the synod of Philadelphia, was the decided superiority of the synod of New York. This superiority was not merely as to numbers, but as to zeal, weight of character, and facility of obtaining a supply of ministers. To this synod, therefore, was attracted a large proportion of those young men, who, from their geographical position, most naturally belonged to the other. New England too, even at that day, had begun to be the hive of ministers. The presbyteries of 1 Minutes of the synod of New York, p. 101. "The difficulties and dangers of the times," it is said, "rendered it in a great degree impracticable for Messrs. Spencer and Brainard to answer the end of their appointment to the southward, and for that reason said appointments were not fulfilled. There were like reasons for Mr. Clark not fulfilling his appointment to the southern provinces." These appointments were made in 1755. New York and New Brunswick lying contiguous to the sources of supply, naturally received the ministers who entered our church from the eastern provinces. The The synod of Philadelphia, however, laboured with no little zeal and fidelity to cope with the difficulties with which they were surrounded, and to cultivate successfully, the field which God had committed to their care. following ordinations and receptions of new members were reported to the synod during the period now under review; in 1742, Messrs. Guild and Samuel Evans, by the presbytery of Philadelphia, and Mr. Alexander McDowell, by the presbytery of Donegal; in 1744, Timothy Griffiths and John Steele, by the presbytery of Newcastle, who also reported the reception of Mr. James Scougall, an ordained minister from Scotland, and his settlement at Snowhill, Maryland. In 1747, the presbytery of Donegal reported the ordination of David Thorn, and the presbytery of Newcastle that of John Dick, John Hamilton, and Hector Alison. In 1748, the Rev. David Brown, from Scotland, was received by the presbytery of Newcastle. In 1749, the presbytery of Donegal reported the ordination of Mr. Tate; and in 1752, that of Mr. Samson Smith; and in 1754, that of Robert McMurdie; the same year the presbytery of Philadelphia reported the ordination of John Kinkead. In 1757, the Rev. John Miller was received by the presbytery of Newcastle. This gentleman, the father of the Rev. Dr. Miller, of Princeton, was born in Boston, whither his parents had removed from Scotland. Mr. John Miller was settled at Dover, in the State of Delaware, and continued the faithful pastor of that church until his death, in 1791. The same year the Rev. Alexander Miller was received by the synod. Besides these, we find the names of Mr. William McKennan, Matthew Wilson, William Donaldson, and John Alison, on the minutes as ministers or preachers. It thus appears that about twenty-two mimisters were added to the synod of Philadelphia during the continuance of the schism. During the same period the death or removal of ten ministers is recorded. It is not probable that the minutes give a full account either of the accessions or losses, particularly of the latter, as the number upon record in 1758, was not much larger than it was in 1745. 2 The attention of the synod was early turned, not only to the wants of the people within their immediate bounds, but to those also of the emigrants who were rapidly extending themselves through Virginia and North Carolina. In 1742, a supplication was received "from some of the back inhabitants of Virginia," begging the synod to write to the general assembly in Scotland, or to its commission, requesting that a minister or probationer might be sent over to them. Such a letter was accordingly written. The following year the synod wrote again to the assembly, "to lay before them the low and melancholy condition of this infant church, both for want of probationers to supply our numerous vacancies, and also for want of suitable encouragement for ministers in new settlements, and to intreat them both to send ministers and probationers, and to allow them some small support out of their fund for some years, in new places; and that they be pleased to enable us in some measure or by some method to erect a seminary or The deaths reported are those of Thomas Evans and James Martin in 1743, of Mr. Andrews in 1747, of John Dick in 1748, of David Evans and Samuel Cavin in 1751, of John Thompson and Hugh Conn in 1753, of Robert Cathcart and Timothy Griffiths in 1754, and of Mr. Elmer in 1755. The return of Mr. David Brown to Scotland, is mentioned in the minutes for 1749. 2 Minutes of the synod of Philadelphia, vol. ii. p. 79. |