112 MINUTES OF THE SYNCH/.

SESSION IX.—1821,

Philadelphia, October 17, 1821.

The Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church met, agreeably to adjournment, and was opened with a sermon by the Rev. ROBERT LUSK, from Isaiah Iiii. 5, But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. The sermon being fin¬ ished, the court adjourned till to-morrow morning at 9 o'clock.

October 18, 1821.

Pursuant to adjournment, the Synod met, and were cal¬ led to order by the Rev. Dr. Wylie, being Moderator pro tempore; the Moderator of last Synod, Mr. Cannon, being absent.

The court then proceeded to ascertain the members of the present Synod, when it appeared there were present from the Northern Presbytery, Rev. Dr. M’LEOD, Messrs. M’MASTER, MILLIGAN, and WILLSON, Ministers, Mr. AN¬

DREW GIFFORD, Ruling Elder. From the Presbytery of Philadelphia, Rev. Dr. WYLIE, Messrs. LUSK, and JOHN

GI BSON, Ministers, Messrs. ROBERT ORR, and JOHN REN¬

FREW, Ruling Elders. From the Presbytery of Pittsburgh, Rev. Messrs. GIBSON, and BLACK, Ministers; no ruling el¬ ders. From the Western Presbytery, Rev. Mr. SAMUEL

WYLIE, Minister; no ruling elders. From the Southern Presbytery, no members.

The Rev. JOHN GIBSON was called to the Moderator’s uhair, and Mr. BLACK was continued Synod’s clerk.

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MINUTES OF THE SYNOD. 113

The Rev. SAMUEL M. WILLSON was introduced by the Rev. G. 'M’Master, as a minister ordained by the Northern Presbytery, and settled as jiastor of the united congregations of Gahvay and Broad Albin.—He was invi¬ ted to a seat in Synod. He took his seat accordingly.

The Rev. MELANCTHON B. WILLIAMS was introduced by the Hev. Mr. Willson, as a minister ordained by the Northern Presbytery, to the pastoral charge of the congre¬ gation of Kortwright. He was invited to a seat in the court, with which invitation he complied.

The Synod agree, that the following amendments be made to the rules, to be inserted between the 4th and 5th rules, viz. There shall be six standing committees appoint¬ ed as soon as Synod is constituted, and new members in¬ troduced; each of them to consist of two members, to be nominated by the Moderator: but Synod may at any time increase the number of members in any of these commit¬ tees. Standing committees: 4. A committee for unfinished business. 2. A committee for Presbyterial reports. 3. A committee for the Theological Seminary . 4. A committee for the signs of the times. 5. A committee for cases of discipline. 6. A committee for foreign correspondence. The following members were appointed for these com¬

mittees, viz. For unfinished business, Rev. Messrs J. R. Willson and

Samuel Wylie. For Presbyterial reports, Messrs. M’Master and Lusk. For the Theological Seminary, Messrs. Black and

Milligan. For the signs of the times, Messrs. Gibson and Samuel

M. Wilson. For cases of discipline, Dr. M’Leod and Sir. Orr. On foreign correspondence, Drs. M’Leod and Wylie.

114 MINUTES OF THE SYNOD.

The committee to whom was referred the republication. of the Testimony, &c. were called on to report. They re¬ ported, that for reasons which were sustained, they had nev¬ er met on this business. On motion, it was agreed, that the business of the above committee be referred to the commit¬ tee for unfinished business.

The persons to whom were referred the various subjects of the third part of the Testimony, w ere inquired at, w heth¬ er they were prepared to present to Synod the essays sev¬ erally appointed to them. It appearing that the majority of the members not being prepared; on motion, it was re¬ solved, that this business be referred to the committee for unfinished business to report thereon.

On motion, resolved, that the committee respecting an address to our sister Synods in Britain and Ireland, be dis¬ charged, and that the disposal of this business be referred

to the committee on foreign correspondence. On motion, resolved, that such parts of the minutes as re¬

late to the Theological Seminary, be referred to the com¬ mittee on the Theological Seminary.

Adjourned till 3 o'clock, P. M.

3 o'clock, Eodem die et loco.

Synod met, agreeably to adjournment. Same members

ut supra. A paper was presented from a society in Lincoln, West

Tennessee, containing a call to Mr. Hugh M’Millan. Re¬ ferred to the committee on Presbyterial reports.

A letter was received from James Willson, Kaskaskia, state of Illinois, praying for information respecting Dea¬ cons, &,c. Referred to the committee of discipline.

Presbyterial reports were called for; none were in read¬ iness, except the report of the Western Presbytery, which was received, read, and referred to the commilttee on Presbyterial reports.

MINUTES OF THE SYNOD. 115

Receiving Presbyterial reports, made the order of the day for to-morrow.

Rev. Samuel M. Willson, craved to be discharged from being a member of the committee on the signs of the times, on account of indisposition—granted, and the Rev. J. R. Willson put in his place.

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

October 19, 1821. Agreeably to adjournment, the court met, and constitu¬

ted. Same members ut an tea. The order of the day was the receiving Presbyterial

reports. The Northern Presbytery presented a report which was

read and referred to the committee on Presbyterial reports. The committee on discipline reported on tne letter of

James Willson, from Illinois, enjoining it on the stated clerk of this Synod, to inform Mr. Willson “ that it ac¬ cords with the principles and the practice of this church to ordain congregational deacons, so soon as the fiscal con¬ cerns of any church render it necessary, and that no con¬ nexion with the laws, the officers, or the order of the state, is prohibited by the church, except what truly involves im¬ morality.” The above report was adopted by the Synod.

The committee of Presbyterial reports, to which was re¬ ferred the petition from Lincoln county, Tennessee, and Todd county, Kentucky, report the following resolutions—

That the said petition to Synod, and the call upon Mr. M’Millun, which it covers, be referred to the Presbytery of Philadelphia, and that it be enjoined upon said Presby¬ tery to take order thereon forthwith.

The committee further recommend that the report of the Western Presbytery be accepted, and that the care of Mr.

116 MINUTES OF THE SYNOD.

Robinson, as presented in said report, be referred to the committee of discipline.

Adjourned till 3 o’clock, P. M.

3 o’clock, Eodem die el loco.

The court met, and were called to order by the Moder¬ ator. Same members ut supra.

A report was received from the Presbytery of Pittsburgh, which was read. This report states an accession of two members to that Presbytery since last meeting of Synod, viz. the Rev. Robert Gibson, ordained September 6, 1S19, to the pastoral charge of the congregation of Little Bea¬ ver, Pennsylvania, and the Rev. Charles B. M’Kee, ordain¬ ed August 7,1821, to the pastoral charge of a congregation in Chilieothe and its vicinity, state of Ohio.—Accepted.

A report from the committee on the signs of the times, was received and read; it contained a statement of causes of fasting and humiliation, as also causes of thanksgiving.

The causes of fasting were accepted and ordered to be printed.

On motion, resolved, (hat the causes of thanksgiving he recommitted to the same committee, with a view to their enlargement, and being again presented to this court, when thus enlarged—the second Wednesday of December next, (or the next Thursday, as it might best suit the several congregations) was appointed as a day of thanksgiving, and (he second Thursday of February, 1823, as a day ol fasting and humiliation.

The Rev. Dr. M’Leod read an extract from a letter which he had received from professor Symington, inform¬ ing that he had sent on a number of copies of a summary of the doctrines, &c. of the Scottish Testimony; that the Scottish Synod would sent! to this court a Synodical letter, that the judgment of the American Synod would be reques-

MINUTES OF THE SYNOD. uy fed respecting this publication, which was now in over¬ ture, &c. The books having arrived, Dr. M’Leod pre¬ sented one to this court in the name of the Scottish Synod.

Adjourned.

October 22, 1821. The court met, agreeably to adjournment, and werfc

called to order by the Moderator. Same members ut

antea. The report of the committee on unfinished business was

called up. This report had recommended, in relation to the argumentative part of our Testimony, that all the docu¬ ments which have been presented to Synod, with those pa^ pers that are in readiness by other members, be referred to a committee to consist of two members, who shall, if pos¬ sible, be prepared to report at the next meeting of Synod. —To this recommendation the Synod agreed. The Mod¬ erator nominated the Hev. Drs. M’Leod and Wylie as that committee. On putting the question to these gentlemen, whether they would accept their appointment, they both hesitated for the present, and had time allowed for eon* sideration.

The committee on cases of order and discipline, report, that they have attended to the case of Mr. Samuel Robinson. From all their inquiries, they have not been able to discov¬ er any thing that can be produced in evidence in the ease, except the report of the Western Presbytery, and of course, they have nothing to recommend on that subject. Mr. S. Robinson having been deposed from the office of the holy ministry, by one of our Presbyteries-, and nothing occurring to shake the Synod’s confidence in said court, the said sentence of deposition must be deemed valid. This report was accepted.

Resolved, that in due time before caeh meeting of Svnnd. Q

ns MINUTES OF TflE SYNOD.

a collection be taken up in all the congregations, in order to defray the expenses of ministers and elders in attending Synod, and distributed in proportion to the distance they have to travel in order to attend the meetings of this court- provided that no mileage shall be allowed to any member residing within fifty miles of the place of meeting.

adjourned till 3 o'clock, 1’. M.

3 o'clock, P. AT. The Synod met, and were called to order by the Moder¬

ator. Same members ut supra. A report was received from the Presbytery of Philadel¬

phia, read and accepted. The special committee reported the following amend¬

ment on the Gth article of the 2d section of the Book of Discipline: instead of “ lodges of Freemasons,” substitute, “ especially from all entangling associations with ungod¬ ly men.” Adopted.

Adjourned till 10 o'clock, to-morron\

October 23, 1S21.

The special committee appointed on the chapter on Marriage, presented the following amendment—

In order to prevent rash and unlawful connexions, no minister shall solemnize marriage, until he shall have ev¬ idence that the parties have caused their purpose to be duly published to all whom it may concern: such publica¬ tion shall be made in the tow n or congregation to which each of the parties belongs, and for such length of time as may be necessary to ascertain, to the satisfaction of the el¬ ders of the church, that no lawful impediment to their union exists. The Synod ratify this amendment.

MINUTES OF THE SYNOD. 119

The committee of Presbyterial reports and records, re? ported as follows—

Upon the state of the several congregations under the jurisdiction of this Synod, your committee deems it unneces¬ sary to make any further remarks. Synod, by a reference to the particular reports of Presbyteries upon their minutes, will find the prospects of our church such as to encauraga exertion, and to give assurance of success, under the gra¬ cious providence uf the King of Zion. The increase of those who labour in the vineyard of the Lord, the blessing of God accompanying their services, the general aspect of spiritual health throughout our churches, must impress up¬ on our minds a lesson of gratitude to the Supreme Giver of all good.

Although your committee is not certain that the recom¬ mendation of the following resolution properly belongs to them, yet being assured of its importance for the preserva- tion of order, venture to oiler it to Synod for adoption.

Resolved, that any minister or probationer, duly certifi¬ ed, coming within the bounds of any Presbytery under the jurisdiction of this Synod, in order to reside, may be employ¬ ed in those public services to which he may be competent, until the first meeting of Presbytery, next after his arrival; but if such minister or probationer omit to report himself within six mouths, or at said meeting, he may not be em¬ ployed uutil he report himself, and submit to Presbyterial. direction. Adopted by the Synod.

A reference from the Philadelphia Presbytery, together with certain documents, were received. Referred to the committee on order and discipline, to report in the afternoon.

Adjourned, till 4 o’clock, 1\ A/.

4 o'clock, P. A!. The Synod met, and were called to order by the Moder¬

ator. Same members ut supra.

120 MINUTES OF THE SYNOD.

Resolved, that the two acts in the Narrative of our Tes¬ timony respecting swearing of oaths before magistrates, and sitting on juries, be left out of the Narrative in the pub¬ lication of the Testimony, and that these acts be transcri¬ bed into the Statute Book, and together with other statutes in force, shall, in due time, be published in the form of a Digest.

The committee on order and discipline presented the following report on the reference from the Presbytery of

Philadelphia— The committtee finally report, that they have considered

the case referred to them by the Presbyterial of Philadel¬ phia, carried up from the session of Conocoeheague, and that they find nothing requiring the interference of Synod¬ ical authority, except a question of order, upon the relative powers of the Moderator and members of session.

Upon that question, without any special view of one case more than another, the committee recommend to Synod the following resolution;

That the Presbytery of Philadelphia be informed, that the common order of society, and especially Presbyterial or¬ der, requires, that the presiding officer of any society, and certainly the Moderator of a session, must put any question that comes regularly moved and seconded before him, and if, in the estimation of either the Moderator, or any other member of session, there should be any thing irregular in form, or incorrect in principle in any such resolution, there is an ample remedy in the right of appeal to the superior judicatory, from whatever decision may be so made. This report was accepted by Synod.

The clerk of the Synod was authorised to furnish a folio book, and employ a clerk under his inspection, to write out a fair copy of the minutes, and draw on Synod for the amount.

Mjourned till to-morrow at half past 6 o'clock■

MINUTES OF THE SYNOD. 131

October 24, half past 6 o'clock'.

The court met. and were called to order by the Moder¬ ator. Same members ut antea.

Oil motion, resolved, that Messrs. J. Cannon, S. Wylie, James R. Willson, and Robert Lusk, or as many of these members as can go, be, and they hereby are, appointed a committee to repair, as speedily as possible, to the bounds of the Southern Presbytery, and reorganize that Presbytery, and assist in doing whatever Fresbyterial business may be

required in that district. Resolved, that a committee of two he appointed, who

shall prepare a chapter on adoption, to be inserted in our Testimony on its republication, and likewise bring down the Narrative of the history of this period to this date, and present these documents to the next meeting of Synod.

Messrs. Black and Gibson were appointed that com¬ mittee.

The committee on foreign correspondence reported—■ that it is, in their opinion, important, considering the crit¬ ical condition in which the church in the British Islands now stands, to hold with them a regular correspondence, and to give all the aid in the power of this church to their brethren across the Atlantic, in maintaining, unimpaired, the testimony which they have so long and so honorably- held. They accordingly recommend the following res¬ olution:

Resolved, that a committee he appointed to address, in the name of this Synod, each of the Synods in the British dominions.

That the members of this Synod who have correspon¬ dents among the ministers of the church of Scotland, be requested to examine the summary. See. and write their re¬ marks on the same to tlieir correspondents.

Drs. M’Lcod and Wylie were appointed a committee to address our sister Synods in Britain and Ireland.

Adjourned till 10 o'clock'.

MINUTES OF THE SYNOD. 128

10 o’clock. The Synod met, and were called to order by the Moder¬

ator. Same members ut antea, with the exception of Messrs. Melaucthon Williams, and Samuel M. Willson, who had leave of absence.

The committee on the Theological Seminary presented a report, recommending the following resolution, viz. that the Synod enjoin upon all its members, and the church at large, to use all lawful exertions to resuscitate the Semina¬ ry, and in the mean time, to endeavour to raise funds for this purpose.

That the Presbyteries shall pay all possible attention to young men in their bounds, who have talents and piety, and a desire to devote themselves to the work of the ministry.

That the literary qualifications prescribed and required by the Theological Seminary, as far as practicable, shall still be required by the several Presbyteries, from those young men w ho are recognised as students of divinity', and that strict attention shall be paid to all the injunctions of last Synod in relationTo this subject. Adopted by the Synod.

Dr. M’Leod presented his consent to serve on the com¬ mittee for completing the third part of the Testimony, in (he following words:—

“ Dr. M’Leod returns thanks to the Moderator for his indulgence in regard to his appointment to the commit¬ tee for completing the third part of the Testimony, and now respectfully consents to serve on that committee. He, however, requests of Synod, that all the pieces already pre¬ pared, be delivered to him, with a table of contents to ench piece, composed by its author, and referring to the pages of his own manuscript. That Mr. J. R. Willson be added, and that both Dr. Wylie and he be directed to furnish Dr. M’Leod with a schedule ol' the subjects proper for such a

MINUTES OF THE SYNOD. 183

work, specifying the order of discussion, and the classis argumentorum under each topic. In such case, Dr. M’Leod consents to write out the whole work for the inspection of the Synod at its next meeting.” The Synod accept this consent.

The next meeting of Synod is appointed to be in Pitts¬ burgh on the first Tuesday of August, 1823, at 11 o’clock, A. M. to be opened with a sermon on regeneration, by Mr. John Gibson, and he failing, by Mr. Robert Gibson, as a substitute.

The thanks of the Synod were returned to Mr. Lusk for his sermon, and he was requested to furnish the committee of revision with a copy, as soon as convenient. Mr. Lusk consented.

The Synod, on motion, concluded its session for the pre¬ sent, and adjourned by prayer and singing.

Signed, JOHN GIBSON, Moderator.

JOHN BLACK. Synod Clerk.