presbyteries, provincial synods, and general assemblies, during all the days of your life?

5. Do you promise to submit yourself willingly and humbly, in the spirit of meekness, unto the admonitions of the brethren of this presbytery, and to be subject to them and all other presbyteries, and superior judicatories of this church, where God in his providence shall cast your lot; and that according to your power you shall maintain the unity and peace of this church against error and schism, notwithstanding of whatever trouble or persecution may arise, and that you shall follow no divisive courses from the present established doctrine, worship, discipline, and government of this church?

6. Are not zeal for the honor of God, love to Jesus Christ, and desire of saving souls your great motives and chief inducements to enter into the function of the holy ministry, and not worldly designs and interest ?

7. Have you used any undue methods, either by yourself or others in procuring this call?

8. Do you engage, in the strength and grace of Jesus Christ our Lord and Master, to rule well your own family, to live a holy and circumspect life, and faithfully, diligently, and cheerfully, to discharge all the parts of the ministerial work, to the edification of the body of Christ?

9. Do you accept of, and close with the call to be pastor of this parish, and promise through grace to perform all the duties of a faith

ful minister of the gospel among this people?

Having obtained from the presentee, by his answers to these questions, the requisite declarations, promises, and engagements, the presiding minister invests him, "with the full character of a minister of the gospel, conveying to him, by prayer, and the imposition of the hands of the presbytery, all the powers implied in that character." He then, in name of the presbytery, receives and admits the newly ordained minister to be minister of the vacant parish; and after giving him the right hand of fellowship, in which he is followed by all the members present, he returns to the pulpit, and earnestly and affectionately exhorts, first, the newly ordained minister to watch over the flock committed to his care; and secondly, the people to be respectful to their pastor, and careful to profit by his instructions. Public worship being concluded, the proceedings of the presbytery at the ordination are entered in the minutes; the name of the newly ordained minister is added to the roll; and, the heritors and elders of the parish having been requested to attend, inquiries are made into the state of the session, the state of the church, the state of the manse, the amount of the stipend, whether there is a decreet of locality for it, the salary of the schoolmaster, and the mode in which the poor are provided for. The meeting of presbytery is then concluded, as it began, with prayer.

EXTRACT

From Minutes of Synod, Sess. XV. Phil. 1831.

The Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church met, pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with a sermon from 1 Cor. xii. 28. "And God hath set some in the church-first apostles, se. condarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues." By the Rev. Dr. Black. After worship, and the constitution of synod, on motion adjourned till to-morrow, at 9 o'clock, a. M. Moderator concluded by prayer.

Thursday. Aug. 4, 1831.

Synod met agreeably to adjournment, and was called to order by the moderator. The court then proceeded to ascertain the members of the present synod, when there appeared, duly certified from the Northern Presbytery, Rev. Dr. McLeod, Dr. McMaster, Dr. Wilson, Rev. Robert Gibson, Rev. Wm. L. Roberts, Rev. John N. McLeod, Rev. Melancton B. Williams, Rev. Moses Roney, mi

nisters.

Messrs. Robert Beattie, John Lawson, Wm. Cunningham, Jas. Nelson, John Ewart, Jas. Hays, ruling elders.

From the Philadelphia Presbytery.

Rev. Dr. Wylie, Rev. John Gib. son, Rev. Saml. W. Crawford, and Rev. John H. Symmes, ministers.

Messrs. Thomas Me Adam, Wil

wood, and Rev. George Scott, ministers.

Messrs. Nathan Johnston, Robert Brown, and Gabriel Adams, ruling elders.

From the Ohio Presbytery. Rev. Gavin McMillan, Rev. Charles B. McKee, ministers. Mr. James Miller, ruling elder. From the Western Presbytery. Rev. John Kell, minister. No ruling elder.

Rev. Saml. N. Crawford was

chosen moderator, and Dr. Black was continued as clerk of synod, and Rev. John N. McLeod was chosen assistant clerk.

The Rev. William Henry a delegate from the Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Ireland, to this synod, appeared, and was introduced by the Rev. Doctor McLeod. His commission from the Irish synod, was presented, read and approved, and he was cordially welcomed and invited to a seat in court. With this invitation he complied, a nd took his seat accordingly.

The Rev. Messrs. William Gibson and James Milligan, being present, were invited to take seats in synod, as consultation members; they took seats accordingly. The Rev. Alexander Clarke, a missionary from the Irish synod, to Amherst, in Nova Scotia, being present, was invited to a seat as an honorary member. He took a seat accordingly.

ry Sterling, ruling elders.

From the Presbytery of Pittsburgh. Rev. Dr. Black, Rev. Samuel M. Willson, Rev. James BlackVOL. I. Oст. 1831.

29

delphia Presbytery. On motion, they were committed to a commit. tee, consisting of Dr. McLeod, Rev. Mr. Henry, and Rev. John Kell, to report in the afternoon. The court then adjourned till half past three o'clock, P. M.

Eodem die et loco, half past 3 o'clock.

The court met, and were called to order by the moderator.

The committee appointed in the case of the delegation of the Philadelphia Presbytery, presented the following report :

The committee have taken the subject referred to them under consideration; and respectfully submit to synod the following re. port. It appears from the letter of the constitution, "that each presbytery shall have the right of sending two ministers, and as many ruling elders," and therefore it follows, that presbyteries, which in fact consist of two ministers only, which has often been the case, may of right send four members to synod, two ministers and two elders; it also appears "that the ratio of increase of the number of delegates be, ' until further order,' taken on the subject, two ministers and as many ruling elders, for every three ministers of which the presbytery consists."

It is hereby obvious, that two ministers may of right appoint themselves, in certain cases, and that the ratio of increase is as two to three. Some may alledge that the three respects the increase over two; and others affirm that the number three respects the ac. tual members in the inferior court. The practice hitherto, in some of the presbyteries has been, to give the most liberal construction; but the letter seems adverse to this;

yet as the synod have heretofore set the precedent of admitting delegates in the proportion of what is in fact the largest number, your committee recommend that construction in the present case. seems hard that two should appoint two, and that six should appoint four; but that five should be restricted to two only.

It

The committee accordingly believe, that it corresponds with the spirit and the letter to take order, that in all times to come the representation should be, two of two: three of four; four of five; eight of ten; and so on, until twelve of twenty.

Seeing, however, the practice of the constitution has sanctioned a certain construction of the letter, the committee recommend as most agreeable to Christian comity, that no individual approved by any presbytery as a delegate to synod, be, at present, excluded from his privilege on this floor. A motion for amendment was made as follows: "Still we recommend, that three clerical and three lay delegates from the Philadelphia Presbytery be considered as entitled to sit in synod during its present sessions." This amendment was lost. Whereupon the ayes and noes being called for, there appeared in favor of the amendment 12; against it 14.

On motion, the report was then

1. The minutes of the former sederunt were read and approved. 2. The committee on unfinish. ed business reported.

3. On motion, the committee of bills was amended, so that one member out of each presbytery is to compose that committee.

Dr. M'Master then resigned as a member of that committee in favor of Mr. Cunningham, they being both belonging to the same presbytery. His resignation was accepted.

4. Mr. Williams also resigned as a member of the committee on the signs of the times. His re. signation was accepted, and the Rev. John Gibson was put in his place.

5. It was moved and seconded, that the consideration of the unfinished business be postponed. This motion was lost.

6. On motion, the publication of the Directory, and the Book of Discipline, was referred to the committee on discipline.

7. The argumentative part of testimony, was referred to a special committee of three members, to report thereon, as soon as possible. This committee consists of Rev. John Gibson, Dr. Willson, and Gavin McMillan.

8. The committee on the civil relations, were called on for their report. They were not in readi.

ness.

9. The consideration of the Home Missionary Society, was called for. Referred to the committee on presbyterial reports.

10. The committee on the manner of ordaining ruling elders and deacons, were called upon to report. Not in readiness.

11. Resolved, That Messrs.

Henry, Clarke, and the editor of the Magazine, be requested to make such communications to this synod, as they might have in their power, in relation to the state and interests of the church. Agreed that Monday morning be appropriated to hearing their reports.

12. Resolved, That after this day the synod shall hold one session only per diem, from nine o'clock, A. M. till two in the after. noon, Resolved, That the forenoon of to-morrow be devoted by the members of this court to prayer and, religious conversation. Adjourned till four o'clock, P. M.

Eodem die et loco, 4 o' ciock P. M. Synod met, &c. Same mem. bers ut supra. 1. A letter was received from the Associate Synod of North America. Referred to the committee on bills.

2. The committee on the theo

logical seminary presented a re. port which was read and accepted. On motion, it was referred to the standing committee on the theological seminary. On mo. tion, this resolution was reconsidered, and together with a paper presented by Mr. Robert Orr, was recommitted to the same

committee for revision.

3. The committee appointed at last meeting of synod, to reply to the Associate Reformed Synod of New York, presented a draught of their reply to that synod, which was accepted, and the committee was directed to transmit it as soon as convenient.*

4. Presbyterial reports were called for. The Presbytery of Pittsburgh presented their report, which was read, accepted, and referred to the committee of presbyterial reports. The Presbytery

Copy not on file.

of Ohio presented their report. Read, accepted, and referred.* The synod then agreed to have a recess of twenty minutes. The recess being ended, the synod was again called to order.

1. The committee on bills were called on to report. They reported in part, viz. on a petition from Cincinnati, requesting that a member be sent from the Presbytery of Philadelphia, to visit that congregation. The committee recommend this paper to the dispo. sal of synod. On motion, its consideration was postponed.

2. Dr. McMaster was, on mo.

court have a recess indefinitely. A considerable time was then employed in devotional exercises.

Eodum loco, Aug. 8, 1831.

Synod met, and was called to order by the moderator. Same members, ut antea.

1. After calling the roll, the minutes of the last sederunt were read and approved.

2. The Northern Presbytery presented their report, which was read, and after an amendment, accepted, and referred to the com. mittee on presbyterial reports.

3. The Western Presbytery

committee on bills.

3. A communication from Rev. Robert Wallace, in relation to some difficulties respecting the boundaries of his congregation. Whereupon the following decision was declared by synod. The synod decide, that the people heretofore under the pastoral

care of Mr. Wallace, though

within the bounds of the Ohio Presbytery, be continued in their

present relation, until disjoined by the Presbytery of Pittsburgh.

4. A motion was made, to re. fer to a special committee, so much of that report, as respects the ordination sine titulo, of two ministers, and the establishment of a board of missions. This motion was lost, and the report was then referred to the committee on presbyterial reports.

The court adjourned till nine o'clock, A. M. to-morrow.

Saturday, Aug. 6th, 1831.

Synod met, and was opened by prayer. Same members, ut

antea.

On motion, Resolved, That the

read, accepted, and referred.

4. As introductory to the order of the day, a letter from the Irish Reformed Synod was read. It had been intended to be laid before our last meeting, but arrived too late. It was ordered to lie on the table.*

5. The Rev. Mr. Henry, the

delegate from the Irish Synod,

was then invited to make his communications to this synod. He thought it better that Dr. Mc. Leod should precede him, as Mr. Henry had left Ireland, since the

Doctor's return. This was agreed to, and Dr. McLeod proceeded in a clear and satisfactory manner, to give a statement of his obser. vations on the British and Irish churches, with a detail of their proceedings, while he visited the British isles. He then presented a paper containing the remarks of the Irish committee on the draft of the covenant, to the Scottish committee, together with their answer, referring to the informa. tion about to be given by the de. legate from the Irish Synod.