%. ^>.^laS IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 I.I 1.25 1^ 12.2 |50 m a 1.4 - Illlffi 1.6 PhctDgraphic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREE. W»STER,N.Y. MS80 (716) 872-4303 ^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. 1^ Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques ©1986 Technical and Bibliographic Notai/Notas tachniquas at bibliographiquaa The Instituta has attamptad to obtain the bast original copy avaiiabia for filming. Faaturas of this copy which may ba bibliographically uniqua, which may altar any of tha imagas in tha reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. D Coloured covers/ Couverturs) de couieur I I Covers damaged/ Couvarture endommagie Covers restored and/ r laminated/ Ccuverture restaur^ et/ou pellicul^e Cover title missing/ Le titre de couvertuit njnque Coloured maps/ Cartes gAographiquas en couieur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encra de couieur (i.e. autre que bicue ou noire) Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couieur Bound with other material/ Relii avec d'autres documents □ Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La r9 Mure serr^e pc ut causer de I'ombre ou de la distorsion l« long de la marge IntArieure □ Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have bsen omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutias lors dune restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, torsque eels dtait possible, ces pages n'ont pas iti filmias. L'Institut a microfilm* la meilleur axemplsire qu'il lui a ixi possible de se procurer. Las details de cat axemplaira qui sont peut-dtre uniques du point da vue bibliograf.hique, qui peu/ant modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent txiger une modification dans la m«thode normalo de filmage sont indiquAs ci-dessous. r~~| Coloured pages/ Pages de couieur Pages damaged/ Pages endommagias Pages restored and/oi Pages restauries et/ou pelliculies Pages discoloured, stained or foxe< Pages d*color*es- t^cheties ou piqu^es FTj Pages damaged/ I I Pages restored and/or laminated/ I I Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ □Pages detached/ Pages d*tach*es QShowthrough/ Transparence □ Quality of print varies/ Quality inigala de I'impression □ includes supplementary material/ Comorend du matAri«i siinniam^n Comprend du materiel supplemantaire Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible □ Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc.. have been 'efilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Las pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata. une pelure, etc., cnt 6t* filmies A nouveau de faqon ^ obtanir la meilleure image possible. ryi Additional comments:/ 1^ Commentairas supplimentaires; [Printed ephemera] 1 sheet (verso blank) This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ca document est film* au tayx de riduction indiqu* ci-dessous. J°X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X y 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X Th« copy fiim«d hmf ha* bvan raproducad thanks to tha ganaroaity of: D. B. Weldon Library University of Western Ontario (Regional History Room) Tha imagaa appaaring h<»«>a ara tha baat quality poMibla considaring tha condition and lagibility of tha original copy and in kaaping with tha filming contract spacificationa. Original copiaa in printad papar covara ara fllmad baginning with tha front eovar and anding on tha last paga with a printad or illuatratad impraa- sion. or tha back eovar .vhan appropriata. All othar original copi%« ara filmad baginning on tha f^rst pcga with a printad or illuatratad impraa- sion. and ending on tha laat paga with c printad or illuatratad impraasion. Tha laat racordad frama on aach microflcha shall contain tha symbol «^ (moaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol V (maaning "END"), whichavar appliaa. Maps, plataa, cha> ts. ate, may ba fllmad at diffarant raduction ratioa. Thoaa too larga to ba antiraly includad in ona axpoaura ara filmad baginning in tha uppar iaft hand comar, l<«ft to right and top to bottom, aa many framaa aa raqui/ad. Tha following diagrams illustrata tha mathod: L'axampiaira film* fut raproduit grAca A la g6n*rosit« da: D. B. Weldon Library University of Western Ontario (Regional History Room) Lm imagaa suivantaa ont *t* raproduitas avac la plua grand soin, compta tanu da la condition at dc la nattat* da l'axampiaira film«, at w conformitA avac laa conditions du contrat da filmagff. Laa axamplairaa originaux dont la couvortura an papiar aat imprimte sont fiimAs an commandant par la pramiar plat at an tarminant soi"; par la durni^rm paga qui comporta una amp^ainta d'impraaaion ou d'iiluatration. soit p/jr la sacond plat, salon la caa. Tous las autras cxampiairas originaux sont filmte an commandant par la prami*ra paga qui comporta urja ampreinta d'imprassion ou d'illustrati^n at mn tarminan* par la darniAra paga qui comporta una taila amprainta. Uki daa symbolaa suivants apparaftra sur la damiAra imaga da chaqua microflcha, salon la caa: la symbols — ^ signifia "A SUIVRE", la symbols V signifia "FIN". Laa cartaa, planchas. tabiaaux. ate, pauvant dtra filmAa A daa taux da reduction diff«rants. Lorsqua la document aat trop grand pour dtra raproduit an un saul clich«, il aat film* A partir da I'angia sup4riaur gauche, da gaucha d droita, at da haut an baa, an pranant la nombre d'imagas nAcassaira. Las diagrammas suivants illustrant la mAthoda. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 TE STi js^oisrir AND DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES OF THK |]ie:^katedan Cliutflj ^thwq ^{nmi\\m\. This Association deems it a duty, in view of the prevailing tendencies of the present day, to give forth the following Declaration of its Principles and bear its testimony against the several in- novations which are being introduced into the worship of the Church, not unfrequently ending in serious departures from the truth, in matters of doctrine, and which, we re ret to say, has largely resulted from the action of the cupreme court. I. We believe the Scriptures of Truth to be the only rule of faith and practice. II. That the Westminster Confession of Faith and Directory for public worship, is the best human interpretation of the Will of God, as contained in the Holy Scriptures. III. That the Church of Christ being a Divine In.stitution, and, therefore, perfect at its first organization, it is not possible to improve its laws or amend its constitution, and, therefore, bear our testimony again.st the following innovations as unwarranted by the Word of God, and a departure from Reformation principles. 1. We are opposed to the introduction or use of instrumental music in the service of praise as contrary to the teachings of these Standards, which, in the opening section of the 2ist chapter reads thus : " That the acreotable way of worshippmg the true God is instituted by himself, and so limited by His own revealed \..ii that He may not be worshipped according to the imaginations and devices of men or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representation, or any other way not pre- scribed in the Holy Scriptures," and in the maintenance of this safe principle, which has ever been dear to the heart of true-hearted Presbyterians ; we must continue our opposition thereto until shown scriptural authority for its introduction or use in the New Testament Church. 2. The use ofhymnsofprai.se of human composition, we consider an unwi.se innovation full of danger to purity of worship and doctrine, and quite unnecessary for the purposes of devotion, as we have,, in the inspired psalmody of the Church, material of praise far surpassing any human compo.si- tion, and suited to every want of the Christian. 3. The practice of .sitting during the offering of prayer we cannot but look upon with regret as manifesting a spirit of irreverence in this .solemn approach to the Most High, as paying less homage to the King of Kings, than we would to an earthly potentate, and, as unwarranted by the example of God's saints in all ages of the Church. 4. We also desire to bear testimony against the unscriptural means frequently employed for raising money for Church purposes, such as bazaars, church concerts, etc., as betraying a lack of Faith in the power of Divine truth, to elicit the free-will offerings of God's people, and as dishonouring to religion, being frequently but an excuse for worldly amusement. 5. Congregational choirs we consider an unwise innovation, tending, rather, to destroy congre- gational singing than improve the psalmody of the Church as a frequent source of trouble to church ■sessions and congregations, and as not unfrequently turning the holy service of Divine praise into an exhibition of musical skill. 6. We regard the Sabbath-School as being an important part of the Church, under the direct con- trol of the session, and where the youn:,'^ ought to be trained in the simple knowledge of scripture truths, and for properly engaging in the .services of the sanctuary. IV. We desire to put this our testimony on record, deeply impressed with a sense of danger to the purity of the Church arising from these in some cases apparently very unimportant innovations, but, which foreshadow more serious departures, and, warned by experience in the case of most of the heresies which have sprung up in the past, that the first step taken was, leaving the beaten track, and letting will-worship gain the ascendancy. " He that is faithful in little will be faithful also in much." And, finally, in order to the successful attainment of the purposes of the Association, we call upon the faithful of the land to aid and assist us by joining the ranks of our Association, by their prayers, by their counsel, or in any otiier way that circumstances may suggest, and, above all, pray that the God whom we serve may fill us with all wisdom and spiritual understanding, while we seek to address ourselves to the accomplishment of this great work. Signed on behalf of the Association, Donald Sutherland, Secretary. Toronto, M«y 3rd, 1881. JAMES BAIN. President.