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FOR THAT PtTRFOSE. fai^mH) AT ¥B£ OBROltlCLS 'ft QA^STtB Om^l. 1844. .0 v^. A.i^ . t fi ■ 3 / *^' 5Vilf' :W .'V •• .■ ; t ,/ ^.x. * I,:? l^ J'? J! VI 1-^ tU JOHN CEE1C4IIT0N, Printer. V'^ J. at f:i©>^^: ■.\v .:.( » < . 1 » e DEAFT OF AISWER, &C. As those Ministers and Elders who have withdrawn from tho Synod, have laid on the Table a Protest containing reasons for the step they have taken, and as that Paper has been by them sent forth to the public, the Synod deems it needful that it should be fully answered, so that the Members of the Church which has been so seriously affected by this movement, may be able to form an im- partial judgment on the whole case. As the Protest is divided into a Preamble and Reasons, each of these divisions shall be taken up in its order. , ■ " ■ - "-'j - The first position laid down in the Preamble is,—" Whereas " the Church, as the Divinely constituted depository and guardian " of revealed Truth, is specially bound to lift up Her testimony for " those particular truths which are at any time endangered or over- " borne by the antagonist powers of this world." * '" !' 'H It is not against particular truths, but against all the. grand doctrihes of the Gospel, that the world manifests its enmity. Nor is it easy to say which of these doctrines the World dislikes most. It may, however, be safely affirmed, that the peculiar doctrines of the Gospel have never, been so deeply injured, nor so fatally over- borne, by the enmity of the World, great as it is, as by the igno- rance, vanity, and ambition of those who have held rule in the Church. It has been in the house of professed friends that Christ has been most deeply wounded. With these remarks, the principle as laid down by the Protesters is fully admitted. But then how is this, or any oilier Church, to give effect td that principle. The simple answer assuredly is,, — by unfolding, in its Standards, not particular truths, but the whole sum of saving knowledge, and by giving a faithful developement of it from its pulpits, and an exemplification of its practical principles in the lives cf its members. The Church that acts thus, takes the best course, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to conserve Trath within Us Own pale, and repel the assaults of error, whether these be made by the men of the World or by Ecclesiastics. Although we would not be thought to under-rate occasional Synodical tef^timonies to particular truths, yet those who are sufHciently versed in Church Historv will be at no loss to advert to instances, both rn ancient and more recent times, which but too plainly show, that Ministers^ a2 .,,fe'%.- •l!>- ii" ' I > /i M J in Councils or Synods, may be loudly proclaiming certain great truths with their lips, which have no hold on their hearts, and which, through their want of fidelity to their pulpit and pastoral duties, are rapidly vanishing from the minds of the people. That Our scriptural Standards fully and explicitly present the truth as it it in Jesus, will, at least, not be denied by the Protesters, and we think it may be affirmed, without fear of contradiction, that this truth is at present honestly preached from all our pulpits. This, we humbly conceive, is the proper way to proclaim to the world, and to sister Churches, what our views of Divine Truth are, and it is certainly not the least efficacious mode of testifying against the peculiar errors of the times, or those errors which are common to depraved man in all ages. — But the Preamble goes on — " And whereas those great and fundamental truths which re- spect the supremacy of Christ in His Church, — the spiritual in- dependence of her Rulers, their exclusive responsibility to her great Head, — the rights and privileges of His people, — and the proper relation which should subsist between the Church and the ** State, are in the present day endangered, and have actually been overborne in the Established Church of Scotland, through recent enoroaohments of the State upon the spiritual Province, and sub- ** mitted to by her." Even should all that is here assumed be admitted, its applica- tion to this Church, or its bearing on the present case might safely be denied. Wh6n did the Synod in any way appear as an apolo- gist for the course pursued by the Civil Courts in Scotland in refe- rence to the Church ? Nay, in as far as the Civil Courts were making encroachments, as seemed to many among us, on the spiri- tual rights of the Church, the Synod did in the most explicit terms declare that such encroachments were wrong, and ought to be resist- ed, not only in Scotland, but in every other part of the Christian world. Nay more — the Synod has declared, for itself, that it is prepared to resist at all hazards, any secular interference with mat- ters that are purely spiritual. Whether with sufficient evidence before it for forming a judgment or not, it is needless now to ask,— - it cannot, however, be denied, that when the Church of Scotland was believed to be struggling against secular interference, the Sy- nod sympathized with her, and that, in as far as it was apprehends ed she had made sinful concessions, it deeply deplored these, and openly and frankly condemned whatever seemed, even remotely, to imply th^ sacrifice of any portion of her spiritual rights or ecclesias- «< c< « <^i lical functions. But although tho Church of Scotland should he regarded as having erred, in some respects, by unduly yielding, in circumstances of peculiar difficulty, in things spiritual — not, how- ever, as is unfairly and injuriously asserted, to the " Powers of the World," or to a power originating with " the Prince of this World,*' but to the Civil Magistrate, a power which, liable though it be, in the hands of fallible men, to be abused and exceeded, is ne- vertheless a " po wer ordajned. of God," still the charge brought against the Church of Scotland in the premises cannot be admitted to be borne out by facts, or to rest on evidence so clear and le- gitimate as such a fearful charge demands. To sustain such a Sweeping sentence of condemnation, impartial men will require discriminating proof, which shall apply directjyjto thespecial merits of each case, while men who have a proper regard to the credit of their own understanding and their claims to i^^ggjjjy, will be care- ful not to make such charges on mere c onstruc tive, inferen tial, and cumulative evidence. '" — — — TKe Church of Scotland ought surely not to be condemned unheard, and the statements which she makes, hastily questioned. Now, her declaration is, that she still adheres to her Standards, and that these Standards are yet unchanged. The Synod has said, — ^ and has shewn no wish to flinch from it, — that it thinks e>he has at ^ least endured an amount of interference with her spiritual functions, < which to many of us appears unlawful. This is our testimony. / But how can this testimony^ by the most violent construction, be made to imply, that we thought she had sinned to reprobation, and was to be lopped off as a rotten branch and cast into the fire ? And, as we have never in thes<; tc;rms condemned the Church of Scot- land, as little have we ever assumed the defence of her recent act- ings. The Synod has therefore no right to claim the honour, or be made to bear the odium, which such defence might imply, accord- ing to the views and feelings of different parties. But next — " And whereas in righteous testimony against these encroach- '^ ments, great numbers of office-bearers and members of said Church " have solemnly and deliberately come out from her, and are now " formally constituted into the Free Protesting Church of Scotland, " a Church which has during the last twelve months enjoyed many " unequivocal tokens of the approbation of her great Head. And " whereas the Synod of the Presbyterian Church of Canada, in ** connection with the Church of Scotland, apart from all conside- " rations of a general kind, which should have led them to testifv a3 Hi (It ,!5 f r II i()ns, let it be produced. But it cannot. Nor have the Protesters in plain terms said so, — ^yet the measures they wished to force on the Synod, as well as the course they have taken, inevitably lead to these horrid conclusions, or the whole of their procedure is utterly inexplicable. That there is a connection is readily admitted, and as the Synod sees no cause to be ashamed of it, so it does not hesitate honestly to state what that connection implies. It is a connection, 1st, Of Descent^ — 2nd, Of adherence to the same Standards^ — 3rd, Of friendly intercourse^ — ministerial communion, and Christian fellowship. The first cannot be given up, even if it were desirable to do so. The second there is on the part of the Synod at least, and its people, no wish to give up. This Church represents the Church of Scotland in her Standards, Doctrines, Worship, Discipline and Government. To all this, and to the connection in all this, the members of the Svnod cleave *wilh their whole heart. And no one ivill deny that in these respects the Synod can represent the Mother Church in this Province without representing her or being in any way identified with her in what is peculiar to her position as an Establishment in Scotland. With these peculiarities, as practical matters, the Church in this Country, has never had, and never can hove any kind of concern ; and just as little to do with her actings as an Established Church, unless it can be shown, not by obscure inferences, but by plain reasoniigs, that her actings in (his respect destroy her claims to the character of a Church of Christ. But this is not affirmed. Hence this Church is warranted to support the connection on the third ground, viz : friendly intercourse, and ministerial and Christian communion and fellowship. And when it is remembered that of all the daughters of the Reformation she? has been the fairest, and the most useful in the world, — and that she has been made, for ages, the instrument of unspeakable good to multitudes of immortal souls both at home and abroad, — and when it is borne in mind that there is yet within her pale, her enemies being judges, a vast amount of high talent and genuine piety, both among her Ministers and people, who dare assert that the Lord has cast her oft*? Surely the language of re- probation is not the language which enliglitened charity dictates as applicable to the Church of Scotland, and especially from her Chil- dren. Has she erre;! ? Let us go to her and tell her her faults. This WJuld be wise and Christian, but to curse her and turn our f / 10 I!' s back upon her, is neither. Sho has of late, — the symptom is good, — home herself with a generous meekness. She will listen to adnnonition, if properly tendered, and the Synod never forbade these Brethren to take this course. But it seeiiS a wish was expressed through Petitions from con- gregations and Overtures from Presbyteries, that the connection with the Church of Scotland should terminate, and that the Synod should alter its designation. This statenaent is fitted to mislead from the manner in which the sentiment contained in it is expressed. There is no wish, at present, to speak of the arts by which petitions may be g olLuP' ^^' simply to advert to facts that admit of no question. BJefore the disruption, the Syno3 emDracecl more than two aundred organized Oongregations. About twenty of these, or a tenth part of the Church, laid petitions on the table of the Synod, while of the over- tures from the Presbyteries, onli j one seemed^ to wish for any con- stitutional change, and even that l *resbvterv [ Ham ilton 1 made no suchj^enwnd^asj^ in the JPream ble would lead the rea derl Ito^ suppose r -^Thel?apersTrave nolhingoT intrinsic worth in them, vet it might have been well on various accounts, for some of the Protesters to have re freshed thei r memorie s by a r e-perusal^ 'of such documents as the Resolulions ot the Congregation" or Ualt, and the Overture from the Presbytery of Hamilton ! ! The fact is, the Synod, notwithstanding the violent attempt ma d e by ce rtain parties to " ~ " ' agitate Congregations o n the sub j ect^ ha d no evidence , from what was laicf on the lable, that theTiTwas anylhuig like Tgeneral wish expressed t hroughout the Church that the Synod should either alter its desig iat ion, or virtually excom munica te the Chu rch of Scotla nd. The latter of these poinls has"aTready T)een spoken of— ~ the Vormer now demands a few remarks. v It is the opinion of many persons, and some of them men to whose opinion on a matter of this sort it is hardly possible to pay too much deference, that for the Synod, hy Us own mere motion, to alter its style or designation in law — would be at once to alienate a vast amount of the fJroperty of the Church. Indeed on this there can scarcely be a shaaow of a doubt. Now, when it is considered that the mind of the Church was but very partially expressed through the petitions presented, while in all probability the few Congregations that did petition^or rather the few persons who at- tended those meetings at which petitions were got up, comprehend- ed but Very imperfectly the ultimate effects of the steps they asked 11 f' the Church to take, was the Synod, as a mere Ecclesiastical Body, at liberty to pass a vote which would destroy all legal claims lo the property. Whether after in the fullest possible way explain* ing to the Congregations the temporal consequences of the course to be taken, and after having received a general sanction to that course from those more immediately concerned, the Synod were warranted to unsettle or entirely vitiate the titles by which Churches, Glebes, and other property is held, might have been made a question of expediency if not of law ; but with the very partial expression of the popular mind which had been given, to have subverted the great temporal interests which were at stake would have been a piece of gross ecclesiastical usurpation in things secular. This Church is Presbyterian, not Congregational, — hence, while it readily admits an expression of the mind of the people on any weighty matters that may come before it, yet it cannot allow that the popular will shall decide Spiritual questions in its Church Courts. But this matter was by no means purely Spiritual. Every one sees that it involves great temporal rights, and rights in which the people, as, well as their children for many generations, have a deep and direct interest. It is true the people may, if they chodse, throw away their rights, or trifle with the most precious in- terests of future generations, or sacrifice their property, but for the Synod to db either, without even consulting them, wouW havo been a stretch of ecclesiastical despotism which could not be too severely reprobated. This however was the course which the Syrtod was urged by the Protesters to take. ' > > ' Yet the Protesters cannot assume, whoever may do so, the Icrfty air of men who are utterly forgetful of temporal things ; in as much as they manifest, both in their Resolutions and Protest, an anxiety and conviction, contrasting, whether favourably or unfavourably, with the conduct of those in Scotland whom they profess to imitate, that no tem^ral sacrifice, however slight, shall follow the step they have trikeh.* Thete are different ways of retaining property, and "ome men h&vd as s trange notions on this_^ poin t, as others have *''Tl-iey lolcmnly pledge therosclves that should the British Legidatura declare *' this to be their underitanding of these terms, they shall at once, ana without further ** struggtit, mibmil to their decision — only protesting against its injustice, and re$9rv- " ing to ihtmtelves and their eueceuors, to tue all competent meant for indneing the ** Government to acknowledge their rightt," — IResoIution No. 3. "Further also we protest in behalf of ourselres and those of the pe(^te of this *' Church, ^fho may now or hereafter adhere >.o us, that we HM oweelvee etititled to '* all the property and endowmente, of ivhatevci kind, now in our posie$»ion>"-^ f P.* 5.*w/, Section?. I:* (■': r ! 13 liii 'I '1 i ii i of tho arts by which it may be acquireil ; but no matt of sound principle and understanding will say that had the Resolutions of the Protesters been carried, the Synod could^ either in honor or law have r etained its property , that t|8 to say, after altering its d^ignation and changin g The co ndition s on which that property had been granted and was belcJ. Hut great principles, it was asserted, were at stake, and it was asked if con- siderations about property were to be permitted to endanger these ? Assuredly t h e Ciurch^s &>piritual heritage "Spiritual rights whatever were in "danger, and it is further denied ^^ that the Synod had a right while all its Spiritual functions were ' entire and unembarassed, capriciously to vote away the property of the Church, merely with a view to honour or to humour a party / in Scotland. So much for the Preamble. The reasons which are assigned for the Secession which has taken place must now be considered. " First^ — That in our conscientious conviction this Synod are " thereby giving their virtual sanction to the procedure of the *•* Established Church of Scotland, in the great questions at issue " between that Church and the Free Protesting Church of Scotland, ^' and lending the weight of their influence as a Church to the sup- " port of principles which are incompatible with the purity and " liberty of any Church by which they are allowed, and which are " fitted at the same time to do grievous injury to the cause of the " Redeemer throughout the world." < ;?i;i • m ni <)d, '•>/ The answer to this shall be brief, yet it cannot bo given without a slight repetition of matter which has already been some- what fully noticed. In employing the words " in our conscientious conviction^^' the Protesters have entirely forgotten, — for there is no wish to ac- cuse them of wilful misrepresentation, — what have been the decltt- rations of the Synod, and what has been its practice. Did not the Synod last year declare its. mind on the principles said to be in- volved in the questions at issne ? It would appear that in the esti- mation of the Protesters, the testimony of the Church, a testimony emitted by the Protesters themselves, is to be construed in a man- ^ ner directly contrary to its obvious meaning. Her approval means f^ condemnation, and her condemnation means approval ! Did not the / Synod, by a majority, approve of thosie who stood up, within tjie 13 Church, for the spiritual independence of tlie Gliurch at home,- — did she not condemn interference by the Givil Power m tilings purely spiritual ? What has she done t > bring her lionesty or con- sistency in these matters into question ? But beyond giving her testimony and employing remonstrance, what right has the Synod to make herself a party in the questions which were in dispute be- twixt the Established Church and those who had left her in Scot- land. To fling herself into the conflict which has been carried on at home,— a conflict with which it was declared^lastyear Jhatjie Synod had nothing practicallyTo Jo, — would have b'*en no proof even oTwisciom, principle, or e'hlighiened benevolence. To take a course of this kind could have served no good purpose in Scotland, while it would to a certainty have injured if not ruined ourse lves. When a neighbour's house is on fire. Dene vole nee requires that we make every effort to extinguish the flames, biit to kindle our ow n in order to show how much we feel for our nejofhbour.ls a'ssurecilv a kind of s ympatliy as nove l as it is i rrationa l. : " iW second reason is little more than an explanation of the thought contained in the first. ,. .. j i ,;. > . r , J ; 1 v; " Second, — That in a case relating to a Church in which they ** have many and obvious reasons for feeling a very deep and spir- *' itual interest, a cause too in which the honor of Christ's Crown ** and the interests of His kingdom are intimately concerned, they " have refused to discharge the obvious duty of lifting Up a full and " unambiguous testimony for the truth, and thereby strengthening "the hands of those who are witnessing for Christ and sutfering " for his sake." -^uhx-J . - o» . . * ' '. \ . : . ..li*/ ' The guilt, then, of the Synod, ^fter all, is not fhialt she has ta- ken no part in the question, or has stood by with closed lips, but that she has not given her testimony fully and unambiguously. It is de- nied that the testimonv given last vear, or on anv former occasion", is chargeable with ambiguity. It cannot be that those who signed this Protest are ignorant who the individuals wore that drew up that testimony, and who they were that voted for it. But suppose it were not to the satisfaction of some who were present this year, — men of sounder judgments and more tender consciences, — why did not they, — why did not all the Protesters, ask for a fullerer testii iony? No such request was made, — -no such Paper was laid on the Ta- ble. For although the Synod, had said last year, and in this the Protesters joined, that we had discharged our duty, and were nirt called to meddle farther in the matter, yet this did nt)t preclude an i V / 1l ' l^ i f! ■ IF I i. '^i ! ■: i ' \ J- ■ I I I If 14 additional and mor« distinet manifestation or declaratioii of princi- ples, if this were deemed proper. But the fact is, as the Synod might sav to the Protesters, ye came not seeking a more ample tes- timony to great truths, — for your Resolutions are neither in the form nor spirit of this, — but ye came demanding an act of excom- munication against the Church of Scotland. The Synod would have granted the former, but shrunk from the latter. It is in vain for you to disguise it, for if all intercours6 and connection with that Church is to terminate, and if we are to abjure her very name, we may not go about the business with all the accustomed usages, yet the thing nevertheless would as really have been done ns if it had been done with all formality. We would, in eff&ct, by complying with your demands, in the circumstances, and upon the grounds set forth, have pronounced the Church of Scotland to be no Church of Christ. We repeat it, — this is the testimony you wished, or it is impossible to conceive by what motives you were actuated, or what intelligible end you had in view. But you seemed to lack the courage plainly to announce your wish. Hence the attempt to veil the real object under certain abstract phrases and equivocal terms. But when an act of this kind must be performed, it ought, we think, to be gone about with a solemn and painful reluctance, and should b& announced with a meek yet manly simplicity. We are sorry to say that neither your conduct nor your written documents will bear to be tried by this test. " TAird,— -That after solemnly pledging themselves in various *' forms and at different times to maintain the great principles for " which the Free Protesting Church is now contending, and which " the Established Church of Scotland has practically repudiated, — " and l»specially after the import and sincerity of such pledges had " been brought into question by the actings of various ministers, " and even one of the inferior Church Courts, they have virtually '* receded from their solemn pledges and destroyed the weight of ev- " ery expression of their opinions in favour of the aforesaid princi- ** pies embodied in their Records." In answering the above reason the Synod is compelled to re- i^ peat that it stands pledged not to men but to principles, not even to ^ the practical application which others may make of true principles, — to principles which this Church held, r.nd on which she acted be- fore "the Free Church" was heard of, and while not a few of those who are now her leading irien were the ardent supporters of ^that Patronage which they and the Protesters now so loudly con- demn. grc if thi w I 15 But hero again It may be said to the Protesters, you break nevT ground — ^you accuse us of having receded from our pledges. This, if true, would be a serious charge to us, but, if false, it is a serious thing for you to make it. No doubt you have done it unwittingly, yet what will men think when they learn, as we pledge ourselves to prove, — and will prove, — that the char ge is wholly without foun- dation. *- ' What arc ths principles then to which we stand pledged and from which you say we have virtually receded ? 1st. " The Su- preme Headship of Christ over His Church." Now will any man, who has the l east regard for his own reputation^ say that we have receded from this .'' ^nJ '^ 'I'he rights which Christ has conferred on his duty constituted office-bearers to rule and minister indepen- dently of all external control." We stand pledged to this. Have we receded from it ? 3rd. " The privilege Christ has bestowed on his people of exercising a free concurrence in the appointment of those office bearers." We do not presume to set any bounds to what the Protesters may represent us as pledged to. But we know to what we pledged ourselves and these are the principles to which we stand pledged by the Resolutions of 1843, and similar recorded declarations. It is unworthy of upright men to say in an easy affirmatory way, or try to make it out by sophistical r easoning or circuitous inferen- has'^oandoned any pledg ces, that the Synod has any pledge which she has ever given on the matters in question. Such charges must rest on more solid grounds, or men may begin to whisper that testimonies are sometimes borne which accord but little with the precept which says " thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." , We recede from our pledges ! — No. But we say to the Protest- ers you have done so. Ye are the men who pledged yourselves last year, " to pray to Almighty God that He would of His Grace " and good Spirit, turn the hearts of all concerned so that the deep " wound inflicted on the Church of our Fathers might be healed, " and the breaches repaired." — Now your language is " ra ze her, rajce her." '"^ You pledged you rselves not to enter on t he discussion or the decision of these questions ^oTyourselves^ as no^discussioa or deci - sion of the kind was required^ he re. This was wise. i5ut let your conduct |br mopths past ancf jOlie course yo u have pursued i n the Synod, be compared with it» ?.'. y i 5 J \ •«V I '\ 11 i f i I .! ' 16 Yes, and you pledgetl yourselves " to seek the peace and well being of the Synod." — You have rent it in twain. And this has been done in defiance of fill consistency, and while no principle was in peril. Talk of consistency and adherence to pledges ! Before God and the Christian world we say it, we have receded from none of our pledges. Read your Resolutions of last year and be silent, or honestly confess that you understood the Synod not pledged to principles but to a party, — to stand still or move, as that party might direct. >' , c; But then our " sincerity has been brought into question by the actings of certain Ministers and even one of the inferior Church Courts." We presume this refers to the answer that was returned bv certain of our Brethren to a letter from the Colonial Committee This matter it has been of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, has been much mistaken by many, while by some grossly misrepresented. A few remarks will serve to place it in a clear and unexceptionable light. — 1st. Was it not again and again declared bv the Protesters during the debate, that thev had no ob- jection that those who wished to retain their Status as Ministers of the Church of Scotland should do so, and still remain connected with the Synod ? But to grant tiiis and yet forbid them as individ- uals to correspond with any Minister or Oifice-bearer of that Church would have been a cruel mockery of their privileges, — a species of tyranny to which no man of honor or conscience could submit. 2d. — The Synod had not forbidden either individuals or Presby- teries to correspond with the Ciiurch of Scotland or any other Church. — It had retained its " connection with the Church of Scotland", consequently the authority of the Synod was not viola- ted or in any way compromised. But 3d. — If these parties erred as to the manner of their correspondence, why did not the Protes- ters call them to account and have them tried, and if found guilty, have them punished by the Supreme Court? 4th. — The Church of Scotland did not write to our Church Courts, because she claims no jurisdiction over them, but she vi^rote to those who were licensed by her, or wliom she supposed to be her licentiates. We presume she might have done the same thing had they been acting as Min- isters of the Church of Holland, or of the Piesbyterian Churci* in the United States. With the expediency of writing that letter, at the time, we have nothing to do. Although we confess, when thus explained) we can see no harm in it. Nor are we calhd upon to f^ay how far it was prudent to answer it in the manner some did, as (( it :.;, i It this plainly must be left to tlie judgment of each one concerned. But that this, which really seems nothing more than the right of every free man, should be made a reason for the disruption of the Synod, when it never was in any reguiar way brought up as a complaint, appears truly extraordinary. Reasons were not rife when this one was chosen. " Fourtli. — Tha^ by leaving an open door for the admission of " Ministers and Elders from the Established Church of Scotland, " holding unsound views on the great principles aforesaid, they " h^ve most seriously endangered the purity of the Church, and '' brought even her independence into peril through the probable " introduction of office-bearers prepared to submit to the same en- " croachments of the civil Power by which the Church of Scot- " land has been enslaved." If it be difficult to find anything solid in the reasons already gone over, we cannot accuse this one of weakness or evasion, as it contains as plain and bold a defiance of (i truths and as unwar- rantable an assumption, as any we remember to have met with. We will not charge the Protesters w^ith uttering a falsehood know- ingly, — a falsehood which they must have been aware would tell powerfully against us wherever it could gain credit. Our impres- sion is that in their determination to find reasons, where no reasons could be found, not only judgment but memory was at fault. Thus it must have been, else they never could have put down what is contained in the Fourth Reason, had they only remembered the Second Resolution of the Act of Synod passed the day before. Here it is — " 2d. That the Members of this Synod feel themselves ** called on by the present circumstances of the Church, to pledge "themselves to maintain the supreme jurisdiction of the Synod over " all its members, and over the Church in this Colony, against all " interference from any quarter whatever, and to frame an Act " declaring such supreme jurisdiction, — the said Act to be read " over to all Ministers and Probationers before their admission into " this Synod, to the end that it may be clearly understood by them " that the maintenance of such jurisdiction is a condition of their "admission." Now look at this. ,, .Jrvii • ' ,;,.; We do not mean to say that this test, — for it really is intended to be such, — or any other, will keep all unsound men out of the Church. Such persons will creep in, whatever precautions may be used. IJut we put it to any man's conscience, whose mind is not blinded by party spirit, to say if anything more stringent could i i ,1 ■:"^^'<..'- 18 hli{ 1 1 I be devised to guard against the errors which the Protesters, in common with us, profess so much to dread. Yet, strange to say, we are to be told that we have left the door wide open for the in- troduction of men who in a little while would bring our Church entirely under the dominion of the State. Besides, the Synod has really granted the very thing with which the Presbytery of Ham- ilton, — the Presbytery which contained the bulk of the Protesters, — asked, and with which they declared they would be satisfied. The respect entertained by the Synod for the Protesters is yet too great to permit it to characterize such conduct as this as it deserves. The subject is indeed so painful that it is better to dismiss it. It will be well for the Protesters that none of their enemies ever fall in with it in connection with the Synod's Resolution. To come now to their Fifth Reason : " Fifth. — That they have rendered the relation in which they '^ stand towards the Established Church of Scotland so doubtful and *' equivocal, that even their declaration of spiritual independence is " necessarily deprived of all significance and vreight ; that the " terms on which the endowments are held have been in effect de- " clared to be such as are incompatible with the proper regulation of " their intercourse with other Churches, and even with free action " in many other matters of great importance; and that, moreover, " they havi cast away the opportunity of placing this Church on a *' basis which might have gathered around her all the sound hearted *' Presbvterianism of the Province." No evidence is furnished in support of what is here stated* But even were it admitted tha< doubts existed, on some of the bear- ings of the connection, this would surprise no man who reflects, that it is often difficult to define precisely the shades of obligation, and distinctly to state the respective interests of Bodies, which stand in either a civil or ecclesiastical connection, and yet are not incorporated. But the relation of the Synod to the Church of Scotland, if not by formal enactmentSy is at least by usage, so well defined that there hang no doubts over it which can per- plex any enlightened and honest mind. The Synod has declared, by every m^e in which such declarations can be made, that in all things spiritual she is uncontroUed, that she has now, and ever has had an independent jurisdiction, and shall continue to exercise all the spiritual functions of an independent Church. If this be equivocal, it may well be asked — what is clear ? 19 lers, in to say, ' the in- Church nod has >f Ham- 3testers, latisfied. yet too eserves. 3 it. It ver fall ich they tful and deuce is that the Feet de- lation of e action oreover, rch on a hearted stated* le bear- reflects, igatioH) which vet are Church uaage^ :;an per- eclared, le, that IS now, itinue to rch. If Well, but it may be rejoined, tlicrc is surely something equivo- cal in the position of tlie Cliurch in this Province. It holds its en- dowments, it seems, on some cquivoc.il and dishonorable terms ! It is difficult to know how to deal with sucii a statement. The ob- ject of the statement is as plain, as it is painful to think it should have been made by educated and christian men. The fact is just this, that those Ministers of tiie Synod who have endowments, hold tliem now on precisely the same terms on which they have held them all along, — yes, on the very Fame terms on whicli the Pro- testers held an(l enjoyed their endowments during last year, and, as far as can be judged, would bo willing to enjoy them for many years to come. If there be anything equivocal or disiionorable in this, they are in the same predicament with the Synod. The alfirmation that the Synod h.is " cast away the opportu- nity of gathering around it all the sound hearted Presbyterianism in the Province,*' is a grave charge, but, like all the others, is a mere assertion without any evidence to sustain it. It has been the ardent wish of the Synod to see tlie whole Presbyterian population, not only living together as brethren in Christ, but actiiig together in an ecclesiastical corporate capacity, and the past history of the Synod shows that something has been achieved in this way. Di- vers advantages, and some of these the most valuable, might have resnlted from this, and we had cherished the thought that our po- sition was the very one on which such a union might have been accomplished. We occupy the ground of the Revolution Settle- meat, — enjoying all its advantages with not a few peculiar to our- selves. Ours is indeed the very position which a great man in the " Free" Church has said is the safest and best in which any Church can be placed. It is as near as may be, that which the Presbyte- rian Churches in Ireland have long occupied. It is not diffi- cult to conceive how a Presbyterianism, semi-Independent and oth- erwise spurious in Church Government, or unsound in its doctrines, should not unite with us, but how sound hearted Presbyterians should stand apart from us, would be difficult to explain, did wo not know that union and separation are with many persons almost convertible terms. Our Brethren, wo hope, will not lose the op- portunity which it is said we have'cast away. * !^* ^.1 V Any hints from their Brellircn whom they have left may, ni present, be received with suspicioh, yet these Brethren cannot but hint Uiat their parting from the Sifnod wnll not quite qualify them as a centre of unity unless they are prepared to part with some prin- 20 1 if W I f — i ciples and practices which they at present profess to hold as strong- ly as the Sy nod . Will not thei r Estab li shment pri n ciples andavow:^ ed determination if possible toclmg to their State endowments, create some difficultie s in the way of a union witFconscIentious Volunta - ries? Will not their use of the Paraphra ses create sppi'e obs tacle to a union with conscientious Antiburgher s T While .anotlier class of Presbyterians will demand, as terms of union, the use of an entire- new Psajmody. Alas ! we have been taught now, if never bc- ore, Tioweasily division may be made, but it would appear the Protesters have yet to learn how hard it i s to bring about that w hicli they have so wantonly c ast^awav, — tlie union "bt the CnurcTi. A few remarlFsrAviH sutticeTbr their sixth reason. " Sixth. — That they have given additional weight to the practi- " cal argument against Establishments, furnished by the present " position of the Established Church of Scotland, — strengthened " the hands of those who, in this Province, are denying the law- *' fulness and expediency of all National Endowments for religious " purposes, and rejected the opportunity which God in His Provi- " dence had afforded them of proving to the world that entire free- *' dom of action and a jealous determination to guard against the " encroachments of the Civil Powers were perfectly compatible with *' the enjoyment of the countenance and support of the State." That the Synod has done all this, or any one thing to produce such impressions, is assertion without proof, uncharitable assump- tion, and groundless insinuation, for which our conduct in no way or manner furnishes the least warrant. Were we to attempt, in a formal way, to meet charges of this sort, preferred as they are here, we must, in the eyes of all thinking men, forfeit every claim to judgment and integrity. Do the Protestors seriously mean to say that the Synod has done any one thing by which its spiritual inde- pendence is impaired, — its powers as a Church of Christ endanger- ed, or its honour in any way compromised in order to retain its en- dowments. If they do, we challenge them to the proof; — but if they do not, or cannot prove what they say, wo ask in the name of honesty, why cast such aspersions upon us ? We can understand how such statements may be made by a heated partizan, at a public meeting, in the conflict of secular politics ; but how high minded men, — men of piety, could have calmly put their names to a Paper containing such groundless and disreputable surmises, surpasses our comprehension. We are quite aware, however, that the sixth rea- son will be readily listened to, and eagerly embraced by a certain 21 5 strong- 8, create Polunta - istacle to r class of n entire- ever bc- pear the at whicli ircE. A le practi- 5 present ngthened the law- religious is Provi- itire free- ;ainst the tible with te." produce assump- no way npt, in a they are ry claim an to say ual inde- indanger- in its en- ; — but if name of iderstand ; a public minded a Paper asses our lixth rea- a certain class. It is level to their capacities, and suitable to their tastes. — This will give us little concern while we can fearlessly leave it without a single additional remark, in the hands of tiiose who kno'.v our principles, and wliat our past conduct has been ; and who will be at pains to read the Act of tlic Synod, and enquire how it war- rants the statements which are here made cigainst us. With great sincerity we aver that had we entertained far greater icars of injury from the Protest than we do, those fears would give place to pity and shame, when wo think that those with whom we have to do should have recourse to such mean and unworthy devices to blacken our character in the eyes of the public. But we now come to their last reason. " Seventh. — Tliat in a matter in which the consciences of many " of their brethren were aggrieved, and for refusing relief in regard " to which no moral necessity could be pleaded on their part, such " relief has nevertheless been refused." Not only every Ecclesiastical Body, but every Christian man should be careful not to wound the conscience of others. While even those who may be weakly sensitive, if sincere, ought not to be needlessly aggrieved. But forbearance, not action, is the rule in this case. This forbearance the Synod was i)repared to extend in the amplest possible way to tliesc Brethren. Thev had p.erfect liberty to protest. Their pr ote st wo uld have b ceii fccqrclcd,^ and Thiis tEeir consciences m ight have b een ex oneratecTT unless the_Sy:;_ Bocl w ere chtirgeable with ii oiumg d ea dly errors, and rcTusccT to be enlightenea or reclaimed. ——-•-«• But what was wrong ? — what was it that aggrieved con- science ? — for this is the question which plain men will ask, and to which they will demand a plain answer ? Did the Synod require of the Protesters any thing which they had not formerly done, — done under the same circumstances, and done without any scru- ples of conscience ? Had the S^iiod^emjb^aced.^^ doc- trine, dropped any vital truths irom her standa RlsT^' was there anything novel or unscriptural in lier practice? Nothing of all this can be affirmed. We, in every respect, are unchanged, or if we have made any movement it is a mov'einentjicarcr Jo JJhQ_groiin^ which the Protesters profess to occuj)^'. Why, then, what wa^ wrongT A rational answer To* "tTi is must not, be sought for in these reasons. But then there was " no moral necessity wliich we could plead" for remaining on (lie ground wliidi wo had taken up ! Wo had no 22 I: ii f. conscience to bo aggrieved by what was proposed to be done ! ! It is always indelicate, not to use a harsher term, for any body of men to assume that they have a monopoly of conscience. Wc also ha d to do with c onsc ience in the matter, and possibly felt it's claims not less than the Protesters, although we have said less about it, believ- ing that with those who know us the thing is not questioned. — A- Many members of the Synoi^ were niost thoro ughly convin ced that ' to vote for the Resolutions of ttie rrotesters wouldlie to'Violajc the ir 6rdination vows and ^dd perjury t o schism , — wouldTiavc "been causelessly to produce a"mostTam6H!able confusion throughout all our congregations, and would have been, in effect, to unchurch the Church of Scotland. Was there no moral necessity to plead in forbearing to do these things ! Truly this is supposing us, whatev- er our views on Church polity may be, to have at least a sufficiently free code of morals. The Protesters know well that we had no wish to set our- selves up as " judges of their doubtful thoughts." We cast no stumbling blocks before them. We were willing to bear and for- bear to the uttermost. But we were not prepared to commit heinous sin. in order to remove scruples of conscience which have as yet never been presented in any other than vague phrases and ill defin- ed allusions. What they wished was from the first as plain as the reasons for demanding it were irrelevant and obscure. The lan- guage of an enlightened conscience, acting from high motives, is simple and definite, while the language of a morbid conscience is as incomprehensible as its claims are unbounded. So much for the reasons, — and it is from no disrespect to the Protesters nor from any wish to cast dust in the eyes of the public when we say that had these Reasons been answered according to their merits, the answer would have been short indeed. Yet who does not know that much time and labour may be required to ex- pose a single fallacy, or set aside a bold assertion. Men of sense will not fail to find in this a sufficient apology for the length to which these remarks have extended. Our Brethren have gone out from us. The parting has been sad, — heart rendingly sad. With many of them we have taken sweet counsel. We have labored together, prayed together, and ^we have eaten of the same bread, and drunk from the same cup at the Sacred Table. But now they have separated themselves 23 ie!l Jt y of men also ha d aims not , believ- ioned. — ic ed that ~viola^c ItTTiavc roughout mchurch plead in whatev- fficiently set oiir- cast no and for- ; heinous ! as yet illdefin- in as the The lan- otives, is ;icnce is ct to the le public rding to Yet who [1 to ex- of sense length to has been 7Q taken her, and ame cup emselves li'om us. We may still speak ()f(u\cii other as JirMliren, hut alas ! the name has not the meaning it oiicu had. And why should that name, so powerful, and so rich in moral associations be now i/ danger of sinking into a cold conventionality ? Why are w^: se- [)arated ? Are wo told to look at the paper before us for the answer ? Wo have done so with a dejirec of candour for whicli we may get little credit. We lind tlie promiijcs ample enough, but we can find little connection botwi\t tlie Premises and the Conclu- sion, — the *' rending of the E dy of Clirist." It surely can be no light matter that can warrant the dismem- berment of a Church of Clirist in any Country. But while the in- trinsic guilt may be equally great in all })laces, the immediate con- seipiences may not in every part of the world be alike disastrous. God may over-rule it for good, yet wo cannot but regard the event which has taken place as likely to be followed by the most serious consequences. Indeed we look upon this Secession as a great social calamity to^the Province. Some may sneer at this, and others hint that these tears only indicate a conscience ill at ease, or a sense of insecurity as to the ground on which w^e stand. To neither shall we make any reply. We are smitten with too intense a grief at present to be much moved by such idle remarks. Our beloved Church is torn in pieces, — the walls of our Zion are shaken, — our hands are made feeble for the work of the Sanctuary, — and the enemy blasphemes. These things fill our hearts with fear and sorrow. If while all was peace and harmony and we were a united Body, we could not then ncarl\ supply the half of the Presbyterian popu- lation with the means of grace, what must be tlie consequences now when exposed to the weakening elfects of division? — And if divi- sions break out in our settled congregations, shall even these be retained as posts of truth, \Yhile we cannot think of the eftects of dissension in our new and imperfectly organized settlements with- out being filled with unspeakable fear. Even now but few compara- tively of our Churches are able to support MinistcrSjand if the division which has taken place shall spread into these Congregatis even with them it is as easy to tell as it is painful to contemplate, the . ^uc. The people may meet and wrangle about matters in which they have no rational, — we had almost said no imaginable concern, and which they comprehend but imperfectly, but they will no longer me et as q uiet Congregation s t o listen to the Truth of God from the lips'bf a Pa stor ; t oir aliiicted with division few'o'f tliem uide ed \yiH !)c atUe to support a Pastor. bS" t \ V 21 I- •:<■■ •1-1 . "! ",'.* h %. I m > liut the very excitcmont which division prixluces will, it miij bo said, stimulate toeirorts of unwonted liberality, and hence these fears arc as grounilless as they arc low. We are not ignorant of the power of division in this respect, when the public mind is fever- ed by it. Yes. it is strength, but it is tiio strength of jhrenzy, not ^f health, — it is temporary not \., manent, — it gorges atTKo hegin- nrngH'iid starves in tho oud. But bo this as it may, we are well , convinced tliat many failliful Ministers, who with their small pit- C tance, hut with peace in their Congregations, have laboured joyful- ' ly, " in season and out of season," would retire with grief and dis- may from a field where tumult and division prevailed, let the tem- poral prospects be ever so in\ iting. These remarks on what is Secular can be mistaken in their bearing only by the ignorant, and P' misre[)resontcd only by tho unprincipled. It may not come, — Oh that it m.'iy not ! — Yet we cannot but dread lest strife and confusion break out in many corners of the V^ineyard where men of God, — men of peace, — were quietly labour- ing to sow the precious seed oftrulli. We cannot but dread Id * alienation of allection, heart burnings, susi)icions, and unholy rival- l ries may spring up and destroy brotherly love and confidence, so . that the Presbyterian Bodv which has hitlierto in tliis country heen / so much distinguished for adherence to sound doctrine, and harmony / of action, sliall be distracted and weakened by a hlind spirit of fac- tion. Our Brethroi surely will never give their counioiiance to it, — vet we know well there are desiguini' and wicked men, who will rejoice that the platform shouUl usurp the pla ce o f the puloit^ and the house of God imide the arena of party spirit and fierce con- t ent io n. If it comes to this^ then sliall that quiet, simple, closet p1eTy, which has been for generations characleriftic of our Preshy- terian people, wither and perish. Tho loss might be little noted, but it would be irreparable. At the same time places of worship might be built, funds raised aid excitement change its form and . vainly attempt to minister to -.m appetite which it has awakened } but cannot satisfy. But if the great truths of the Gospel shall give <" place to artgry discussion, and the graces of charity, peace, meek- i\ ness, and humility, lose their hold of the mind of the Church, — the pCherubim will withdraw from the Temple, for the Lord is not there. Very frankly do we own our fears of the evils of division. For if these divisions are to unlit us for taking possession of the waste places of the land, — and if ihoiisandsj>f our Preshy 'ian po- pulation are to be allowed to siiiK into soinethimi; worse than ordi- 25 II, it mity nee these ;norant of I is fever- enzy, not Kn begni- are well small pit- ed joyful- f and dis- the lem- what is )rant, and annot but rs of the ly labour- [Ircad Ic.t loly rival- lencc, so ntry been harmony it of fac- mce to it, icn, who ic pulpjt v- ?rcc con- ic, closet r Presby- tlo noted, ' worship) fonn and iwakened hall give [:e, meok- rch, — the not there, division, ion of die tc''ian ))o- ihan ordi- j nary h eatheni sm, — if Congregations a rc to l)o re nt in pi eces, — the brotherly covenant brola3n, — 'tTur}) eacc and C hristlai T " comfort of familie s destr oye d, — our usefulness ns a religious 13o3y for a time paralyzeH^i^discipline ruined and the .oundness of our form of Cliurch Government brought into question, — ilicn shall be seen iTie fruits of this division. And if men now have dilficulty in see- ing the cause, thev will then have no diflicultv in markins: tlni con- sequences of the most inexplicable ot all the schisms that hava ever taken place in the Church of Christ. God grant that our fer.rs may [)rove groundless. But we have our apprehensions, and as we dare not conceal them, so through the grace of our Lord we never shall do any thing to realize them. Yet we are told the sin of schism lies at our door. What ! the sin of schism with us ! What has the S^nod done to involve it in such a charge ? Dare the Protesters accuse us of holding error in our standards or of preaching it from our pulpits ? Are we chargeable with laxness of discipline, so that we cloak evils in practice which in words we condemn ? Have we been careless of the spiritual rights of the Church ? Have we sought any secular alliances that are sinful ? Have we attom{)ted to abridge the people of God of any of their Scriptural privileges? Are we not as free this day as we have ever been, or possihiy can be ? These questions must be answered in order that conscience may be cleared of sin, great sin in this matter. And might we l)e permiited to ask the Protesters, as men of sense and ripe scholars, to put away from them, as an unholy thing, that unworthy sophistry which pervades all that they have written on this subject. It can im|xise upon none but the unthinking. It is a poor instrument to employ in a matter of such momentous import, — and it never will furnish solid ground on which the Protesters can take their stand when they are attempting to convince men of observation that tliey did right, — or were forced hy a great and clear necessity to break up the Church. It pains us to speak of it, — yet it is a st;ange and melancholy i'act, that there is not in tho Protest the slightest allusion to one passage of Scripture. Can it be that these Brethren were taking a course so perilous without the Bible os their guide? But be that as it may, we now say to diem, go to that blessed Book and bring reasons thence which will satisfy Christian men that } ou could no longer, with a clear <'onscience, remain in connection with us. When tliis is honestly done, and the conduct Of the Syrux', by fhcst irrefragohle reasons^ clearly condemned, then, but not till then, will the sin of schism lie upon us. mm. 26 It is worthy of remark tliat had ili o first Scceders in Scot|a nd 111 '1:,! .1 m : men in the late Secession from the Scottish EstabllshmenTTieTd a po sition at all .similar to ours, th laken place? imilar to ours, the disr ii ijtion in Scotland had nev er Jtsut we, in Uanatla, at the present day, it seems, have la r "more tender consciences, and much clearer heads than the Erskines and Fishers of a former at >e, or t he Chahners' and Gor- > Jons o t^ the jprcscnt. At least, what we'~lack in judgment we t make up"inT)oldness, ^ Takino; the whole circumstances of the case into calm considc- C ration, we still ask with grief and astonishment why should there / have been a Secession here ? In truth and with solemn sadness we ( tell the Protesters tfuit wo cannot find in their reasonings the an- swer to this most painful question. Indeed, were we not oppressed with far more w^eighty considerations, we should feel touched \ ith shame for the understanding that would })resent these as reasons for rending to pieces a united Church, and should feel mortified at the arrogance that could suppose tlie ignorance or credulity of our peo- ple so great that tliey can be satisfied with these as roasons for de- strojj ru^ the harmony of t he Presbyteria n B ody in Canada. No. (jFiie sldeil views may~(Io mucT], am! e'xcitement inayTTo more, — and men may for a while feel without judging, or judge without ''"evidence, and rush to conclusions wide of the truth. But common sense is not to be always thus overborne, and especially the common sense of our Presbyterian people. And when men come calmly to ask, /or what was the Synod torn in pieces^ dfiend upon it they will demand better reasons than are furnished, or they will tell the "I Scceders that the sin of schism and all its consequences lies at iheir « door. We say it before the searcher of Hearts, and proclaim it in the face of the Christian world that, in order to prevent this sore calam- ity, we made every concession which in conscience we could make. Nor can we yet thnik without sorrow that v.hen at last we pleaded with the Protesters to delay tlie consideration of this matter fc ' at least another year, tHiy would not listen to the request, but urge d > it on to the vote. Still we c.umot but cherish the thought that some S oTour Se('C(l7ng]3retliren on more mature rejiortion, and on a calm f review of the whole sultject, will see and own that (lie step was not / only hastily taken but tliat it mvolves responsibilities far too weigh- ty to be su!>poried by any tliiiii!; in the Protest. m 27 5coj]grjd st sensjg, leading rihe Td a lid nev er it seems, than the ind Gor- ment we 1 considc- ild there idness we s the an- oppressed ;hed \ itli sasons for led at the our peo- is for de- ida. No. ) more, — ! without t common e common calmly to »on it they II tell the es at iheir m it in the ore cal?an- )uld make, ve |)leadcd tier fc • at but urge ti t that some on a calm op WHS not too weigh- But although clear of the sin of schism, yet we dare not hide it from ourselves, that in what has taken place there is plain evi- dence that the Lord has been angry with us. For many sins and short comings we desire to be deeply humbled in His slight. Our privileges have been great, but neither Ministers nor People have improved these as they ought. Judgment hath come. The Lord hath spoken in displeasure, — and oh, may we " hear the rod, and Him that hath appointed it." Yet while He in mercy permits us who are Office-bearers in His house to stand " between the porch and the altar," — our cry shall be, " Lord spare thy people." For ourselves we deeply feel that we need a double portion of faith, that we " stand fast" " nothing moved," — and a large increase of the giaces of meekness and humility, that we may give no causeless offence, — that we may be enabled to bear " cruel mockings," and like our Divine Master when reviled, not to revile again. It shall be our constant aim by a faithful and quiet discharge of our high duties, and by the exercise of a forbearing and peaceable spirit to commend ourselves to the conscience of the wise and good, and in some measure to put to silence "the foolish talking" of uncharitable and unthinking men. We are at least well assured of this that no pretensions of ours, — no temporal advantages, — and no intellectual efforts will atone for any failure in these respects. When the Protesters threatened to drag us to the bar of public opinion, whatever we might think of the spirit of the threat, it did not very greatly alarm us. Not that we are insensible to the judg- ment of our fellow men, — and yet " man's judgment" is but " a small matter" to us, — for now we say it with trembling yet with confidence,—-- that in our own name, in the name of our people and of their children, we appeal to an infinitely higher tribunal. God, our Saviour, is our Judge, and with Him we leave r cause. One word more, — it is a wish, — and we have done. If we can- not act together any longer, we may, at least, avoid all unseemly strife, — and all "bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, with all malice," — which, if indulged in, must open the mouths of scoffers and grieve away the Spirit of God from us both, so that we shall be left to be a reproach and a bye word in the Christian world. May Ephraim no more vex Judah, nor Judah Ephraim. y % '■ ill. T {•1 ?':;li-i 1' m I ^ .* • Aw' 1 (■; i # \ APPENDIX. Resolutions of Synod, 1843. The Synod having maturely considered the Overture from the Presbytery oT Ham< ilton, respecting a testimony by this Church concerning the great questions which have been recently agitating the Church and Kmgdom of Scotland, and the rights and pri- vileges of the Church of Christ involved therein, and the bearing which the recent de- termination of these questions in Scotland may have on the condition and relations of this Church, Resolved, — 1. That this Synod record their solemn testimony on behalf v. Jie Supreme Head- ship of Christ over His Church— the rights which he has conferred on its duly consti- tuted office-bearers to rule and minister in it independently of all external control — and the privileges he has bestowed on his people of exercising a free concurrence in the appointment of such office-bearers ; as these various principles have recently been contended for by the Church of Scotland ;— The Synod having heretofore entertained an assured conviction that these rights and privileges were substantially recognized in the Constitution of the Church of Scotland, as well as in those Acts of the Civil Go- vernment by which she has enjoyed the advantages of an Establishment, and firmly believing that they have full warrant in the Word of God, and that the maintaining them in their integrity is essential to the well being of the Church, and so far from being incompatible with, is indispensable to Awright and salutary alliance between tho Church and the State. 2. That this Synod regard with the utmost pain and alarm the conduct of the su- preme authorities in the State, in rejecting the claims recently made by the Church of Scotland for a more distinct recognition of the spiritual independence of her Judica- tories and the privileges of her members, and in refusing her the protection she has been constrained to demand against recent encroachments of the civil courts on that spiritual province so distinctly recognized in the Word of God, as belonging to His Church, and for the maintenance of which many of the Scottish Reformers and Con- fessors in different ages, and of all ranks have testified unto the death. And the Synod record their earnest prayer to Almighty God, that He would of His grace, and by His good Spirit so turn the hearts of all concerned, that the deep wound which, through these encroachments has been inflicted on the venerable and honoured Church of our Fathers, and the grievous breaches which have thereby been occasioned, may be heal- ed and repaired, and that the full benefits of a National Establishment constituted and administered on Scriptural principles, may ever be enjoyed by the people of Scotland. 3. That holding the aforesaid principles and views, — feeling specially called in present circumstances to renew their former testimonies in regard to them, — and trust- ing that they shall over be enabled at all hazards faithfully to maintain them, even if called to resist any actual encroachment on them in their own ecclesiastical adminis- tration ; this Synod have yet to record their gratitude to God that He in His good Pro- vidence does not call on them to enter on the discussioi or decision for themselves of the practical bearings of those principles in respect eit) ler tn eny infringement of the spiritual independence of this Church, or of the privileges of its members, or to the connection which subsists between the Church of Scotland and this Synod, — that con- nection neither implying a spiritual jurisdiction on the part of *iie former over the latter, nor involving the latter in a responsibility for any actings of the former. And this Synod do now, as always, recognize the imperious obligations laid en them of seeking the ^eace and well-being of the Presbyterian Church of Canada, at the expense of any sacrifice, save that of consistency and principle. iv^ ,'V i' .i--"iH' T wem : I . 30 4. That this Synod, nliilc i'unisfnnocs in nhich the mcinbrr v!cw' nllh humble thankAilnoss tho fHfOurable cir ri; T hfMvrcrs, ami Judicutories of thU Church are j)hice«i in regard to their pcrftiet OKe«n >''ofi from scf u'ar iritcrfi n iicc with llicir Spiritu- al privih^gcs or fiinctiom, v.'.v\ llic abrf'^iico of iho tcitiptatioiis nhich such interference might occii.tion to discoid and disunion in (ho Church, do yet regard with tho deepest ronccrn tlic prr-^cnt condition .tnd pros'^ccls of tho Churcit of S<'ollaiid ; and do hereby record their deep and affectionate symjuiliy with those of her riilers and members, who, Jeaving tlic Establisiimont at tiie bidJii"!; "("conscience, !>avc thereby sacrificed temporal interests and personal feelings to an c>.i .it that must over cotntnaiid tt^e respect and admiraliou of the Christian Churclu., , I il-)(i M .1 ?;!«;.! YvM.'mr'r<'n . li? ;f'(".;.» iLiriiieoJ ;j.'l •A*. JjvyI. Vj(i jt' •■ >' Rosolutions of Synod, 1844. /l-j-ni'.J h. lU WIJERF.AS the poaco and well h*. la-? of tho Church in this Province ore at the present lime seriously endangered by dmibiE and dillicullies respecting tho position of (his Cliurch, the Synod resolves and di clr.rcs :-- - 1. That the spiritual and tcclcsiaetii^al jurisdlctioi) of this Synod, notwithstanding nny interpretation which may have ber.ti, or aiaybc put en its "connexion wiih the Cliurclj of Scotland,'" hus always been, »« w is, and ought tu be free, final and uncon- trolled. 2. That tho ?vTembers cC 0.\li .^Viud C "1 thetnstlvc* called on by tho present eir- rnmsltincea of tho. Church to plcdire llilMiSacivce to maintain sudi supremo juriediotion cf iho Syncd, over allils members ;irJ (i>;;- the Church !in.tbis:Cok'ny, against all in- terference from any <]iiar(er whjl''>. ei : ned Ij fnnne an Act dctdaring such supreme imisdiclion— the said Act to 'on rc;id ever to all Ministers and Probationers, before their jidii'ission into this Syncd, to liic ond Ihui it may be clearly understood, by thom, that the maintcMiance of snchjuiisdiclion is r, e..)ndition of their admission. 3. That tlie Prcsbyleiies under il o 'uir:sdiction of this Synod be directed to receive Ministers and I'robutioncrs from all rir\^byterian Churches holding Uic same Standards of Dticlr'.nr and Di-c^illnc as tlits C.tiui.-'-' -^ shall produce sufllctentcvidcnce of their character aiid gootLs^aiiding, and cf tii.'ir having utidcrgone such course of Education, Literary, ScicnlifiAi'.u 'Iheologioal, ass l:as b'cn in ordinary cases held to be sufficient by this Church as u preparation for Uie ^ifi^^tiio Holy Miiiiiiiryj upott their coming luider tho usual vywa. . •• ■' :r:] ' «ifei^'' : ./iu •'il;•■>*jiw^f^»^^•^^ *f; V THE REV. MR. URqUHART WAt» PERMITTED TO APrEND TS# FOLLOWINt^ RIDER A' j IIESE RESOLUTIONS : ! ' It is hereby moved that in accoril i "v^tvilh its rG3oIutioni|,,^ir88ed in July, 1843, This ayiind do onow record their p,rat;li;d ij God that Hc,/in^is good Providence, iTi)cs not call on thoin to cnler on ilie dibr^iissicn or decision for Ibomselves of the prac- tical bcarii;^.s of ihosc piiiitiplrs whieh IVj- ■) ro unhappily divided the Church of Scot- land, in respect either to ;uiy iDfriiijjeiit. iit ^'Jjo spiritual indi^pcndcnce of this Church, or cf the p ivllcg^' j of i!s niembcrs, or <;■ 'ho cnntieclion wliioh subeis'^ between the Churcii (if Scotland and this Syntd. — tli.ul v;vi!ncclion neither it>iplying a' spiritual ju- risdiciion on t!io i ai t of the former ovrj tb''. ' 'ttcr, nor involving the litter in a responsi- bility for any yclings cf the foimcr. — Ai'd ;*'- Synod do now, ;)s always, recognize the inipni'Mis ()b)ij;:itioii9 laid on tl cm, of s.eln , llut jA-ueo and well-being of the Presby- terian Cinut'h of C;)nada, at the c%i^usct ay-v saciifice, s,i|yc that of conaislency and principle. --..f '.. .. ...^v i'^ #■ v^":t E»t%»«i urable cir . \\ . " , Church are r i' '' icirSpiriiu- ,1 ' ■-.''•- lUcrfercnce t \ - .',? the deepest ■' ' -^ [1 do hereby ! •' "' nbcrs, wiio, ud temporal ' respcci und '■ ' ■»fj*;-'i?i, -.;, •■ir.n'H'i iy--' ."■'" li.. ' . iJ: > ) ore at the position of ilhstanding -•>»■ n wiib thie md uncon- • )re$ent eir- *« juriectiction / itist all in- . sh supreme . )eforo their » .'' thonij that t \ to receive 1 Standards ice of their Education, A ' e sufficient ^1 eir coming * lily, tm, fovidencp. f the prac- :h of Scot- ia Church, tween the )iritualju- 1 respoiisi- ognizc l!»G \e Prosby- , lenfy and w *} "t^^ifini-i M4fy ;« Jl«t'^h'^i* . , / ^' 1^- *