EXTRACTS

FROM THE MINUTES OF THE

SYNOD

OF THE

REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,

SESSION VI.-1S17

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MINUTES OF THE SYNOD. 87

SESSION VI.—1817.

Coldenham, Sept. 3, 1817. The Synoil of the Reformed Presbyterian Church hav¬

ing met, the Rev. JAMES MILLIGAN (Dr. Wylie who was appointed to have preached on the occasion not being pres¬ ent) opened the meeting by a sermon from Mai. ii. 7, For

the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek

the law at his mouth : for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts. The Moderator of Synod not being present, the Rev. JOHN BLACK, the senior minister, took the chair, and by prayer constituted the Synod. Members present—Rev. Dr. M’LEOD, GILBERT M’MASTER, JAMES MILLIGAN, Min¬ isters. JOHN AGNEW, ROBERT BEATTY, Ruling Elders. No ruling elders being delegated from the other churches, JAMES CLARK and ANDREW GIFFORD were invited to take a seat in Synod, which they did accordingly. The Rev. ROBERT LUSK and JOHN CANNON, of the Middle Presbytery, being ordained since last meeting, were introduced by the Rev. J. Black, and accordingly recognised as members of Synod. At the request of Mr. Lusk, DAVID RAINY was ad¬ mitted to a seat as ruling elder. At the request of Mr- Cannon, WILLIAM BEATTY took a seat in a similar charac¬ ter. Rev. ROBERT LUSK was chosen Moderator; Rev. G.

M’MASTER, appointed clerk, pro. tern, while the stated clerk, Rev. Mr. Black, occupied the chair. Minutes of the last Synod being read—

Moved and carried, that the consideration of unfinished business be postponed till to-morrow.

Papers being called for, a letter, No. 1, from Rev. Dr. Wylie, was presented and read, resigning the professorship in the Theological Seminary. A letter from the Southern

Presbytery, No. 2. was also presented anil read.

88 MINUTES OP THE SYNOD.

Presbyterial Reports were called for. The Northern Presbytery not being ready to report, the Middle Presbyte¬ ry reported on their state. Their report, No. 3, was sustained.

After some remarks on the subject of the letter from the Southern Presbytery, it was ordered that the clerk write an answer to (hat letter.

A committee of Messrs. M’MASTF.R and LUSK were ap¬ pointed to report whether any, and if any, what causes of fasting and thanksgiving exist in the bounds of this Synod.

'flic resignation of Dr. Wylie was referred to a commit¬ tee of Dr. M’LEOD and Mr. BLACK, to report thereon with all convenient speed.

Moved, to adjourn till to-morrow at 10 o’clock, A. M. Carried.

•Adjourned by prayer.

September 4, 181T. The Synod met, and were called to order by the Modera¬

tor. Same members ut antea. A remonstrance from a number of members in Colden-

ham was received and referred. Mr. ULA CK was called on to say whether he had fulfilled

his appointment, in writing to the Reformed Synod in Ire¬ land. lie answered he had written, and produced a du¬ plicate w Inch was read and approved.

The committee appointed to prepare the Directories, D raught of a Covenant, &c. were-called to state whether they w ere in readiness to report. They declared they were not, and ottered reasons which were sustained.

Mr. BLACK was called on to state whether he had pre¬ pared the sermon for the press, which he delivered at the opening of last Synod. He w as not in readiness, and otter¬ ed reasons which were sustained, and the appointment continued.

MINUTES OP THE SYNOD. 89

The several ministers in Synod were called to report re¬ specting the fund for the support of the Theological Semi¬ nary. Something had been done: the further considera¬ tion of which was referred, together with the remaining minutes, till to-morrow.

Whereas, a judicial testimony for truth and against errors and immoral practices, unaccompanied with an argumen¬ tative defence of the one, and refutation of the other, must be defective—and as a promise has been given by the high¬ est judicatory of this church, that such a defence and re¬

futation, as a third part of our testimony, may be expected—• Therefore, Resolved, That amfiminitiee be appointed to

inquire into the subject, and report on the propriety of re¬ deeming their pledge at this time, and to suggest the fittest mode for accomplishing that purpose.

Resolved, That this committee consist of three members, viz. Dr. M’LEOD, Mr. MILLIGAN and Mr. LUSK.

Adjourned till to-morrow at 10 o’clock, A. M.

September 5, 1817. Agreeably to adjournment, the court met, and were cal¬

led to order by the Moderator. The minutes of the last sederunt were read, and the un¬

finished business arising therefrom, proceeded to. The committee to whom was referred the inquiry con¬

cerning causes of fasting and thanksgiving, report— That from the consideration of general tranquillity, the

sending of the word of life to the nations lying in darkness, and more particularly as it respects our own country— peace commensurate with her territory—the facilities of acquiring knowledge rapidly increasing, and the husband¬ man's toil amply repaid : all of which is calculated to ex¬ cite grateful emotions in the Christian's heart, call for ex¬

pressions of gratitude aud thanksgiving to the living God.

90 MINUTES OP THE SYNOD.

But the ehurch is still in the wilderness: the witnesses are still prophesying in sackcloth, vain, therefore, must be the hopes of her sons, and gloomy the prospects for a more glorious state of Zion’s prosperity, if causes of fasting and mourning do not still remain. The apathy that pervades

..the moral world in general—the unhallowed combinations of the old world—the loose and incorrect views of gospel doc¬ trines, of vital godliness and of Christian deportment in our own country, under the specious name of liberality and charity, too generally betray a spirit of luke-warmness and indifference to the institutions of the Redeemer. All of which, loudly call for fasting, mourning and humiliation be¬ fore God; your committee, therefore, recommend, that the first Thursday of November next, be observed by this Synod, and all under their inspection, as a day of thanksgiving; and the first Thursday of February, 1818, as a day of fast¬ ing and humiliation. This report was adopted by Synod.

Inquiry was made at the several ministers ip. Synod, whether their congregations bad complied with the act re¬ specting funds for the Theological Seminary.

Mr. BLACK reported, that the congregation of Pittsburgh had raised, and sent with him to the treasurer, forty-two dollars, but had not been able to comply with that part of the act that required the first payment to be made on, or be¬ fore the 1st of December, 1810.

Mr. CANNON reported, that the congregation of Greens- burgli had sent with him thirty-three dollars for the same purpose.

Mr. Lusk reported, that the congregation of Conoco- cheague had, according to his impressions, raised thirty dollars or thereabout.

Dr. M’LEOD reported, that for the congregation of.New- York, he had placed at the disposal of the treasurer, one hundred dollars. The congregations of Duanesburgh and Galway, had previously transmitted to the treasury, seven¬ ty-two dollars and seventy-five cents.

MINUTES OE THE SYNOD. 91

Mr. MILLIGAN reported, that the congregation of Col- denliam had raised thirty dollars, which were ready to be

sent to the treasurer. From ltyegate, Canonsburgh, Beaver, and the congre¬

gations belonging to the Western and Southern Presbyte¬ ries, it did not appear that any remittances had been made.

From Philadelphia, information was obtained, that one hundred dollars would be placed under the control of the treasurer, for the use of the Seminary, shortly after the meeting of Synod. The whole amount appeared to be S335.

On motion, it was agreed that the act of last Synod for raising funds for the Theological Seminary, be so amend¬ ed, as to read as follows :—■

Eesulved, that the officers of each congregation be re¬ quested to make a collection in their respective bounds, once in every year, for the support of the Theological Seminary.

The members were called to state, whether they had ob¬ served, in their respective congregations, the days appoint¬ ed by Synod, for fasting and humiliation. These days had been observed.

The committee to whom was referred the consideration of the argumentative part of the testimony, report—

That it would be desirable to have this part of the plan long since proposed, carried into execution.

They recommend the appointment, with all convenient speed, of several writers, to the several subjects which this

work contemplates, and that their writings be so extended, as. collectively, to make a sufficient copy for three or four hundred pages 12 mo. and that the following subjects be embraced, viz. Infidelity, Soeinianism, Universalism, Ar- Tninianism, Hopkinsianism, Prelacy and Popery, Method¬ ism and Independency, the Anabaptist controversy, Lu¬

therans, German Calvinists, Reformed Dutch Church, General Assembly, and the Secession controversy.

MINUTES OF THE SYNOTL 92

The Synod adopt this report, and resolve— 'I'hat the apportioning of the several subjects, and the

writers unto whom they arc to be apportioned, shall be referred to the next meeting of Synod.

On motion, it was agreed that the Deficit aetbe repealed, Adjourned.

September 6, 181f. The court met, and were called to order. Same mem¬

bers as before, with the exception of Mr. Gifford.

The Superintendents of the Theological Seminary, re¬ ported, That it was beyond the power of a majority of them to meet at the appointed time in Philadelphia, in May last; that Dr. M’Leod alone attended at that time; and that he, and the professor, heard the public exercises of the students with great satisfaction, and gave them directions how to act until the meeting of Synod.

The three who finished their studies, Messrs. JOHNSON,

GIBSON and CRAWFORD, and Mr. SAMUEL WYLIE, who had liberty of returning to attend another season at the Semi¬ nary, were disposed of as follows: Messrs. Johnson and Gibson to the Northern Presbytery, Mr. Crawford to the Middle Presbytery, and Mr. Wylie to the Southern.

There are now in the Seminary five Alumni, viz. Messrs. M KEE, "NY ILLIAMS, and S. M. "WILLSON, now admitted to the second class, and Messrs. ENGLES and GIBSON to the third. The Synod approve of this report.

On motion, agreed that Mr. JAMES ffi- WILLSON, a licen¬ tiate of the Middle. Presbytery, he transferred by Synod to the Northern Presbytery, and likewise that they take steps for his ordination with all convenient speed.

The committee to whom was referred the letter contain¬ ing Dr. Wylie’s resignation of the professorate, report—

That after ^nature deliberation, they are constrained to

recommend to this Synod—

MINUTES OF THE SYNOD. 93

That Dr. Wylie’s resignation he accepted: That the thanks of this church be rendered to the Rev.

professor, for his great and faithful labours, and his excel¬ lent instructions, during his continuance in that important office.

That every exertion be used, to pay, with all speed, to Dr, Wylie, the sum of g500, allowed him by Synod for the last year.

That the operation of the act, establishing a Theologi¬ cal Seminary, be suspended, until the next meeting of Synod.

The Synod appoint its next meeting at Pittsburgh, on the last Tuesday of May, 18iS, at 3 o’clock, P. M.

Messrs. Gibson, Crawford, and Johnson, are referred to the Middle Presbytery.

Adjourned.

Sept. 8, Eodem loco. The Synod met, agreeably to adjournment, and (the

Moderator being absent) Dr. M’Leod was called to the chair.

The Rev. Mr. JAMES R. WILLSON, was introduced to Synod, by the Rev. Mr. M’Master, as an ordained minister, and member of the Northern Presbytery. He was accor¬ dingly invited to a seat in Synod.

The Rev. THOMAS DONNELLY was appointed to open the next Synod with a sermon, on the doctrine of imputed righteousness.

A Presbyteriul report was received from the Northern Presbytery, and read. It reported the removal of the Rev. James Milligan, from his charge in Coldenham, with an intention to fix him in Ryegate, Vermont—the ordination of Mr. James R. Willson, and his instalment as the pastor of the ckureh in Coldenham, &e,

N

MINTJTES OF THE SYNOD.

This report was accepted. No more business appearing before Synod, the Moderator concluded by prayer aud singing.

Signed, j^oW'. Jo k i "VYVorf.eta.Cor . ALEXANDER M’LEOD, Moderator^toJOv

JoHy BLACK, Synod Clerk.