The Synod, which is composed of all the ministers and one ruling elder from each congregation, meets annually on its own adjournment. Each Presbytery meets on its own adjournment, and as often as circumstances require. The Theological Seminary is located at Cannonsburg, Pa. It has two proffessorships-one of didactic theology and Hebrew, at present filled by James Martin, D. D.; the other of church history, pastoral theology and biblical literature, at present filled by Thomas Beveridge, D. D. At this institution there is but one term each year, which continues from the first Monday of November until the last of March. The students are required to attend four terms to complete their course of study. The professors give lectures on their respective subjects. The text book which is used in didactic theology is "JoHANNIS MARKII CHRISTIANÆ THEOLOGIE MEDULLA." DOCTRINE AND DISCIPLINE. The doctrine of the Confession of Faith concerning public, social, religious vowing or covenanting, as set forth in the xxii. chapter of the Confession of Faith, and as formerly practised by the churches of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Rcformed Church of Holland, is both held and practised by this church,-with this difference, that the civil part of the National Covenant of Scotland, and the Solemn League and Covenant of the kingdoms of Scotland, England, and Ireland, or any mingling of civil with religious affairs, have not been regarded by this church as belonging to the religious and ecclesiastical part of this duty. This church, both in doctrine and prac tice, has always adhered to the use of a literal poetic version of the inspired Book of Psalms in the praises of God, as that only appointed of God, and consequently the only proper one. As other bodies of professing Christians, both in Great Britain and this country, profess adherence to the standards and doctrines of the Westminster Assembly, the Associate Church also, from an early period of her existence in this country, has published a "Declaration and Testimony," more particularly setting forth, explaining, and defending some of the doctrines of the Westminster standards, and stating the prevailing errors against which this church considers herself called upon to testify. To this Declaration and Testimony she has prefixed a narrative, briefly setting forth some of the leading facts in her history, and the reasons of her main The Associate Presbyterian Church of North America, is a branch of the Church of Scotland; and holds the doctrines of the Reformation as set forth in the standards of the Westminster Assembly. Hence the Westminster Confession of Faith is her Confession of Faith; the Larger and Shorter Catechisms are her authorized systems of catechetical instruction. The Form of Presbyterial Church Government, and the Directory for public worship and for family worship, are received and acknowledged as of obligatory authority in this church. The xxiii, chap-taining a separate communion from other ter of the Confession of Faith, respecting the concern of the civil magistrate with the church, is received with some explanations, which are given in the Declaration and Testimony which this church has adopted and published. These explanations deny to the civil magistrate any authority in or control over the church, as respects either doctrine or discipline, by virtue of his office. The church is regarded as a free and independent society, to be governed and regulated according to the rules laid down in the Word of God, and responsible for the faithful discharge of her duty to Christ her only king and head. existing denominations of the present day. These books, which constitute the publicly authorized subordinate standards, together with her Book of Discipline, set forth all the distinctive principles and doctrines of this church. These books she calls her subordinate standards, because held in subordination to the Bible,—the supreme standard of the church of Christ. The following formula of questions, proposed to private members on their admission to fellowship in the church, will give a brief but pretty distinct view of the principles and religious practices of this church: 1. Do you believe the Scriptures of the 2. Do you profess your adherence to the Westminster Confession of Faith, Larger and Shorter Catechisms, Form of Presbyterial Church Government, and Directory for the worship of God, as these are received and witnessed for by us, in our Declaration and Testimony, for the doctrine and order of the church of Christ? 3. Do you profess your resolution through grace to continue in the faith, according to the profession you now make of it, and to be subject to the order and discipline of the house of God; to be diligent in your attendance on public ordinances, teaching and sealing, according to your profession, on secret prayer, on family worship, as you may have opportunity, (to be used if the applicant be a head of a family,) in keeping up family worship daily, morning and evening, and to perform all other duties incumbent on you, according to this profession, in whatever station you may occupy in life; and that you will make conscience of promoting the knowledge of Christ, and his truths, as by other means, so more especially by a holy and spiritual conversation, consistent with your profession? Old and New Testament to be the Word | least a part of it, as follows-" Considerof God, and the only rule of faith and ing that patronage and presentation of practice? kirks is an evil and bondage, under which the Lord's people and the ministers of this land have long groaned; and that it hath no warrant in God's word, but is founded only on the common law, and is a custom popish, and brought into the kirk in time of ignorance and superstition; and that the same is contrary to the Second book of Discipline, in which, upon solid and good ground, it is reckoned among the abuses that are desired to be reformed, and [contrary] unto several acts of General Assemblies; and that it is prejudicial to the liberty of the people and planting of kirks, and unto the free calling and entry of ministers unto their charge: and the said estates being willing and desirous to promote and advance the reformation aforesaid, that everything in the house of God may be ordered according to his word and commandment, do therefore, from a sense of the former obligations, and upon the former grounds and reasons, discharge forever hereafter, all patronages and presentations of kirks, whether belonging to the king or any laic patron, presbyteries, or others within this kingdom, as being unlawful and unwarrantable by God's word, and contrary to the doctrine and liberties of this Kirk; and do therefore rescind, make void, and annul all gifts and rights granted thereanent, and all former acts made in Parliament, or in any infe The Associate Presbyterian Church in rior judicatory, in favor of any patron or North America, is a branch of the Church patrons whatsoever, so far as the same of Scotland. The brief space to which doth or may relate unto the presentation this sketch is necessarily limited, forbids of kirks;" making it a penal offence, unus to refer particularly to that eventful pc- der any pretext, to give or receive such riod in the history of the Church of Scot-presentation. And Presbyteries were proland, that intervenes between the years hibited from admitting to trials for ordina1638 and 1688. Yet the causes which tion any candidate upon any such presentaultimately led to the Secession of 1733, may be distinctly found in the history of that period. During that reforming period, the church complained of the law of patronage as an evil, and had obtained various acts against it, particularly an Act of Parliament passed at Edinburgh, March 9th, 1649, Charles I. and II. Parl. 2 Sess. Act 39, the patronage of kirks was abolished. That act had such an immediate connection with the origin of the Associate Church, that we may transcribe at HISTORY. tion. It may here be remarked, that this act was in full accordance with the doctrine of the Church of Scotland, from her first organization under the doctrines and principles of the Reformation from Popery. In the first Book of Discipline, drawn up by John Knox, we find the following rule: "No minister should be intruded on any particular kirk, without their consent." The same principle is asserted in the Second Book of Discipline, adopted in 1578, This principle | ing the long received principles of the church. and in force until 1640. is also repeatedly recognised in the Directory of the Westminster divines. The above act of Parliamemt continued in force in the Church of Scotland until the year 1712, or the 11th of Queen Anne, when the doctrine of patronage was again I revived by Act of Parliament, in the Church of Scotland, to the great grief of at least most good men in her. Many of these not only opposed the reviving of patronage to the last, in the General Assembly, but entered their solemn protest against it in the Assembly. The exercise of the right of patronage, at this time restored to the patrons, was for some time used with mildness, and the wishes of the congregations were generally consulted by the patrons. But men greedy of power and gain, were not long restrained by principles of moderation.* Cases soon arose, where the patrons altogether disregarded the wishes of the people; and church courts were soon found corrupt enough to sustain them in it. A flagrant case of this kind occurred in the parish of Kinross, in the bounds of the Presbytery of Dunfermline. Sir John Bruce the patron, gave the presentation to a Mr. Robert Stark, a very unpopular nominee, to whose ministry, the body of the people could not be induced to submit. This case, according to a late historian, was one of the most scandalous intrusions that ever was made in a Christian congregation.† The Presbytery positively refused to take any steps towards Mr. Stark's ordination. The Synod of Fife, to which the Presbytery of Dunfermline belonged, with the aid of the Assembly, resolved, however, to settle him at all hazards. This case came before the General Assembly in May, 1732, and it, together with similar cases, which were now becoming more frequent, led to the adoption of an act at that meeting of the Assembly, "anent planting vacant churches," in which the doctrine of patronage was recognised, and such settlements as that of Kinross were approved. This act gave great offence to many godly people, and was regarded as violat * Struther's History of Scotland, vol. i. p. 599. Frazer's Life of Ralph Erskine, p. 190. In October following, Mr. Ebenezer Erskine, minister at Stirling, in a sermon preached at the opening of the Synod of Perth and Stirling, condemned with freedom and plainness of speech some of the prevailing sins of that time, and particularly the act of the Assembly of May preceding, "Anent the settlement of vacant churches, &c.," referring to the Kinross and other cases. The Synod took offence at the freedom with which Mr. Erskine attacked the act and decisions of the Assembly, and im mediately took measures to censure him for the sentiments uttered in the sermon. This was the beginning of a series of proceedings which led to the secession and organization of the Associate Presbytery of Scotland, which event took place on the 17th of November, 1733. The reader will at once see the connection between the secession and the proceedings of the church on the subject of patronage. The seceding brethren who formed the Associate Presbytery maintained, that in condemning patronage and the decisions of the judicatories sanctioning the settlement of ministers in congre. gations against the consent of the people, they were only acting in conformity with the acknowledged principles of the church. They accordingly bore a very decided testimony against patronage. In a similar manner the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania expressed their sentiments on this subject. "The revival of patronage was one of the evils which resulted to the church from merging the Parliament of Scotland into that of England, in 1707. "The members of the British Parliament, being generally of the communion of the Episcopal church of England, and one class of them dignitaries in it, was not to be expected they would act the part of friends to the Presbyterian interest. Accordingly, in the year 1711, [1712, ?] when a party who entertained a deadly hatred against the English dissenters, and against the Church of Scotland, prevailed, the Parliament grievously injured both, and took from the people belonging to the latter, the liberty of choosing their own pas tors; restoring to some men of rank, or to the crown, certain rights, which they claimed from the laws and customs of popish times, to provide for vacant congregations such ministers as they thought fit." There were, it is true, other causes of grievance at the same time that patronage was restored; but this was the most prominent, and the one which led to the secession and organization of the Associate Presbytery of Scotland, and that led to the organization of the Associate Church of North America. It may here be observed, that the main question at issue then, was precisely the same in all its important bearings, with the one which has issued in the great secession of 1843. One other circumstance it may be necessary to state, in order to trace the origin of the Associate Church in this country to its proper source. In the year 1744, the Associate Presbytery of Scotland having greatly increased, it was judged necessary, for the sake of convenience, to constitute a Synod. But in the next year a controversy arose in the Synod, which issued in its disruption. The oath to be sworn by such as were admitted burghers, or freemen of towns in Scotland, had, in some places, this clause: "Here I protest before God and your lordships, that I profess and allow with all my heart, the true religion presently professed within this realm, and authorized by the laws thereof, that I shall abide thereat, and defend the same to my life's end, renouncing the Roman religion called Papistry." The controversy turned on the point, whether it was consistent and lawful for dissenters, or those who had withdrawn from the national church, to swear this oath, knowing that it was the profession of religion in the national church that was intended by the government imposing the oath. Different sides of this question were advocated in Synod, and the disputes ran so high that, in 1747, the body divided, and each party claimed the name of the "Associate Synod." But the public soon affixed distinguishing epithets to each of the parties. Those who Narrative, p. 28, 6th edition, W. S. Young, Philadelphia, 1839. opposed the lawfulness and consistency of swearing the oath, were called Anti-burghers, and the advocates of the oath Burghers. It was with the former of these that the Associate Presbytery in this country was connected, The latter never had an organization in this country. THE INTRODUCTION OF THE ASSOCIATE CHURCH INTO NORTH AMERICA. At an early period of the secession, individuals approving of the principles of the secession emigrated to this country, both from Scotland and Ireland. These not finding here any denomination of professing Christians fully concurring with them in their views of religious faith and duty, and wishing still to retain the principles of the Church of Scotland in their primitive purity, they petitioned the Anti-burgher Associate Synod of Scotland, to send over some ministers of the gospel to their assistance. In compliance with this petition, Messrs. Alexander Gellatly and Andrew Arnot were sent over. The former with a view of permanently remaining in the country, the latter for a period of two years. They did not, however, reach the province of Pennsylvania, the particular place of their destination, until the year 1754. These brethren were authorized by the Synod to organize congregations, and to constitute themselves into a Presbytery, which they accordingly did in November, 1754, under the name of the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania. Notwithstanding the various difficulties which they had to encounter in their first labors, these brethren had the satisfaction of seeing the ordinary evidence of success attending their labors; in a short time there were urgent applica tions for their labors from different parts of Pennsylvania, from Delaware, New York, Virginia, and North Carolina. Mr. Arnot returned at the expiration of his appointment, and Mr. Gellatly was removed by death in 1761; but the Presbytery continued to increase by the arrival of missionaries from Scotland, until the intercourse between the two countries was interrupted by the breaking out of the revolutionary war. By this time the number of ministers had increased to thirteen; and the applications to the Presbytery for supply of preaching and the dispensation of the sacraments increased in a still greater degree. At this period it was judged necessary to divide the Presbytery. Those ministers settled in New York, with the congregations in that State and cast of it, were set off into a new Presbytery, which was called the Presbytery of New York. The others remained under the old designation, the Presbytery of Pennsylvania, and had the care of such congregations as were located in Pennsylvania and southward of it. This division of the Presbytery took place on the 20th of May, 1776. There were at this time also in the Province of Pennsylvania three ministers belonging to another body of dissenters from the Church of Scotland, called "Reformed Presbyterians." An attempt was shortly after this made to form a union between these brethren and the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania. After some twenty meetings of unsuccessful efforts, when the affair had been apparently dropped by both parties, it was unexpectedly brought on at a meeting of the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania, when the members were not all present, by the efforts of one of the members of the Presbytery of New York, and in violation of a former express agreement of the Presbytery, and carried by the casting vote of the moderator. The part of the Presbytery who at the time opposed the union, wished the matter delayed until the judgment of the Synod in Scotland could be obtained on it; but the others declared themselves no longer in connection with the Synod in Scotland, and proceeded to pass censures on their brethren who did not fall in with the union. This event took place on the 13th of June, 1782. The united body denominated themselves the Associate Reformed Synod, from a combination of the names of the two bodies from which the parties came. This union, instead of making two bodies into one, as was its professed design, divided two into three; for those of the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania who refused to join the union, believing the terms of it inconsistent with truth and of schismatical tendency, continued their former organization. Their course was approved by the Synod in Scotland; the Reformed Presbyterian Synod disapproved of what their members had done, and sent in other ministers to supply their place. So that the two original bodies continued to exist, and the new one also. The Presbytery of Pennsylvania was almost extinguished by this union. At the meeting of the Presbytery at which the above transaction took place, besides the moderator, there were present five ministers and five ruling elders: three ministers and two ruling elders voted in favor of the union, and two ministers and three ruling elders against it. So that but two ministers were left in the Presbytery of Pennsylvania at the time, for the absent ministerial members at first fell in with the union; and for a time these two ministers, Wm. Marshall, of Philadelphia, and James Clarkson, of York county, Pennsylvania, with their elders, composed the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania. The Associate Presbytery of New York had joined the union previously. The Synod of Scotland, however, as soon as practicable, sent over others to their assistance, and in a few years most of those who at first had joined the union, abandoned it, and returned to the Presbytery of Pennsylvania, so that in a short time her affairs began again to revive. Nothing however worthy of special notice occurred in the Presbytery from this period until the formation of the Synod in 1801. During this period a number of ministers arrived from Scotland, and some were educated in this country. The first institution for the purpose of educating students in theology by this body, was established in 1793, under the care of the Rev. John Anderson, D. D., of Beaver county, Pennsylvania, who continued to serve as sole professor of theology until 1818, when he resigned on account of old age. From the appointment of Dr. Anderson, in 1793, until the formation of the Synod, in 1801, six young men had been licensed to preach the Gospel. Before noticing the formation of the Synod, it is necessary to give an account of the organization of the Presbytery of Kentucky. The Presbytery of Pennsylvania, being wholly unable to meet the applications for preaching which were sent |