formed Synod. Fifty-eight was the number of persons of that congregation who were qualified to vote for trustees according to the charter of incorporation. Twenty-two, or not above twenty-four, of these took possession of the meeting house for themselves, excluding the rest. Mr. Marshall, who had been minister of that church nigh twenty years, was among the excluded. No determination being yet made by the Supreme Court, where the cause now lies, the party who have joined themselves to the Associate Reformed Synod, have held it since by no other right than what violent possession gave them; and this they have done with the approbation of the ministers of that Synod. These, pleased with the forward zeal of their new friends, readily consented to preach one after another in the pulpit from which Mr. Marshall was excluded, by no determination of any court, civil or ecclesiastical, but merely by the violence of a mob; and this they did, though they had a meeting house and a minister of their own denomination in Philadelphia, and though all their adherents in that city would make but one smali congregation.

It is scarcely possible that these ministers can persuade themselves that they have acted in this matter according to the divine rule, Doing to others as they would that others should do unto them. They would judge it hard measure to be expelled from the churches they now occupy by a part, and by the lesser part, of their people; and that on account of their adherence to these principles which they solemnly professed at their ordination, and in the maintainance of which their people at the same time engaged to stand by them. They would reckon ministers acting towards them as they have done towards Mr. Marshall and his congregation, guilty of something very like an avowed transgression of the tenth comandment; and say, that they coveted an evil covetousness. It would surely have been as like the meekness and patience of Christians, and as consistent with the professions of love and tenderness towards those of other denominations made by the Associate Reformed Synod, to have waited till it was determined by the courts of justice to whom the property of that place of worship should belong, and if judgment was given in their favor, they might then have entered it with more credit.

To color their procedure with some appearance of equity, it is now asserted, that Mr. Marshall and Mr. Clarkson were deposed from the ministry of the gospel, on the 14th of June, 1782. This is said to have been done by those who at that

time left the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania, preferring the profession, the fellowship, and the designation of that party who have since been distinguished by the name of the Associate Reformed Synod. The paper to which they refer is quoted by the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania, in a Narrative published by them; and it certainly speaks as if they had deposed these men from the ministry. It was ordered to be read in the congregation of Oxford, at that time vacant; whether shame, remorse, or policy was the cause, it is certain what respected Mr. Marshall and Mr. Clarkson was passed by in the reading of it there. The Associate Presbytery have said, that this was a "deposing of these men from the ministry of the gospel, only not according to the form of the Christian process observed in most of the Reformed churches." Surely not according to that which the Associate Reformed Synod have agreed to observe, in the case of such as may object to any article or articles of the Westminster Confession of Faith, the most interesting not excepted. There is just reason to conclude that men of that description have been treated by them with more tenderness.

Ministers deposed by a Presbytery at whose bar they never appeared, whose constitution and principles they never acknowledged, by whom they were never called in any form to answer for themselves, from whom they never had the least intimation of the censure inflicted on them, and that only two days after the pretended ground of offence had been given, by these ministers refusing to go along with others in deserting the profession, which both they and the brethren against them, had till that time jointly made, is a riddle which shall be left to those whose business it is to expound it.

The difficulty of this riddle is increased by what the Associate Reformed Synod say in the fifth article of their Constitution, viz: "That the abuse of ecclesiastical censures may be effectually prevented, the following general rule of discipline is unanimously adopted, viz: That notorious violations. of the law of God in practice, and such errors in principle as unhinge the Christian profession, shall be the only scandals for which the sentence of deposition and excommunication shall be passed." Is it so, then, that while this Constitution was printed for consideration, they deposed two ministers against whom no such errors or violations of the law of God were alleged by them? Or is it among them, as in some apostatizing churches, that these who endeavor to bear witness to the truth are counted the greatest offenders?

In May 1785, the Associate Reformed Synod ordered an

affectionate letter, (as they call it,) to be written to the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania. If their conduct before and since that time be considered, it will be manifest that their affection to that Presbytery was very weak. So far as their power could reach, it has felt the effects of their anger. That letter being received was considered at a meeting of the Associate Presbytery, at which were present William Marshall, moderator, James Clarkson and Thomas Beveridge, ministers; Robert Aitken from Philadelphia, and Alexander Moor from Muddy Creek, ruling elders. An answer was unanimously agreed upon, and both are now published, that whoever will may hear the one side and the other, and judge on which there is most consistency and truth.

It is not hereby intended to cast any blame on the writer of that letter, as if he designed to deceive his old connections. So far as is known he has taken no part in these violent measures by which Mr. Marshall and his congregation were compelled: o seek another place of public worship.

As to what Mr. Logan says about the sad effects of division, we readily acknowledge, that the divided state of the church at this time is lamentable; but this evil will never be removed by one going after another into a backsliding course. When those who were once united in the truth, go out of the straight path, they turn aside every man to his own way; the more apostacy causing still the more division, till all unite again in a wretched indifference about the matters of God. If the Presbyterian churches in Britain and America had with one consent listened to our Lord's admonition, "Hold fast that which thou hast," a most desirable peace and unity would have remained among them to this day.

We know no better way to seek the peace of the church, than to endeavor steadfastness in the truth, which being received as it is in Jesus, is a bond of union among the members of his mystical body. We are heartily willing to bear with those who differ from us, so far as we can do it, without denying or slighting any part of that solemn profession we have made before God, angels and men It can be no pleasure to us to be accounted fools, and reproached as a people whose principles are diverse from all others, as a sect which it is not for the profit of the state to suffer. But we desire, through grace to commit our cause to him who judgeth righteously; who will arise and have mercy upon Sion, and who, for the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, will arise, and set him in safety from him who puffeth at him. PHILADELPHIA, May 28, 1787.

(K. p. 78. )

Mr. Foster's letter to the Rev. Mr. Henderson in Scotland.*

REV SIR, It is said of Zion few careth for her; this is but too applicable in our day; her ways mourn, and few of the sons she hath brought forth take her by the hand. All seek their own things. The poor sighers and mourners would faint if they did not believe to see the Lord's own goodness in the land of the living. It is their mercy that her King is in her; the government is on his shoulder and of its increase there shall be no end. He is the Saviour thereof in time of trouble. And though ministers and professors should altogether hold their peace, yet deliverance will come from another place. Sir, there is a sort of necessity upon me to write to you, hoping you will communicate it to the Synod or your Presbytery or any committee of Synod, that may be appointed to think on our distressed case, if any such can be obtained. I am from the North of Ireland, and have lived in North America about 21 years, the most of which time I have been within the bounds of the Associate Congregation of White Creek or New Perth, now called Salem, in the County of Albany, now called Washington County. Mr. Clark was minister most of the time here though not in an orderly settled way. At the time of the coalescence, (which was kept a secret from us) he was removed on account of some difficulty between him and the congregation. The members of the Presbytery at that time were the two Mr. Annans and Mr. Mason. This Mr. Robert Annan has a great fluency of words and a magisterial air. He said publicly : "What have we to do with the covenants? they had their authority from the British Parliaments. What have we to do with the British Parliament ?" And in order to remove our suspicions of his integrity, he held up his right arm saying; "I will suffer the loss of that arm before I will give up with one truth contained in that Bible," holding it up: (thus for a small swatch of the man.) Mr. Annan told us that the Presbytery had a worthy minister in view, who would suit our condition, whom we soon found to be the Rev. Mr. Proudfit, he was sent up and pleased the majority, who soon got his consent to labor amongst them. In a short time afterwards he came with his family and is as their minister, though not to this day installed amongst them. I think he answers the design of the leading party in the defection, as well as any

* This letter is without date, but was written in 1786 or 1787.

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they could send; he is a man of a smooth, peaceable cast, and I hope is a pious man, but, I am sure his piety is not improved to the interests of religion as it ought to be. It may with great propriety be said to such pious persons amongst them, as Mr. Archibald Alison says in the cloud of Witnesses, to the godly in his time: "I have a word to say to you that are godly. Alas you have wronged the cause, for which I fear you have lost the countenance of God and will not get it again in haste, ye have waxed fat and kicked-Ye have laid a confederacy with enemies, for a false peace, ye have been crying peace and union with the indulged, because they are godly men, I say before the Lord that ye and these godly men have most basely betrayed the Kirk of Scotland, &c."

Mr. Proudfit has been much more of a snare to our people than many such as Mr. Annan could have been, and has drawn some off their standing who had stood through many trials before. After he came, I wrote to Mr. Marshall to see if they were all going one way, and were dropping a Testimony altogether; he was pleased to send me a long and refreshing letter: although there were many mournful things in it, yet it was refreshing to find that he and his brother Mr. Clarkson, by the good hand of God upon them had been helped to make a stand. Mr. Marshall informed me, that a probationer had, last fall come from Scotland to their assistance, and an ordained minister had come that spring, and that if there were any number of people among us that would make regular application, they would endeavor to send us preaching. This made me lament the deplorable case of many congregations who had formerly been under the care of the Associate Presbytery, and who of course must be as ignorant of the state of matters as we were, being shut up to the false glosses and colorings of these backsliding brethren who had fallen from their profession. Some scattering families amongst us, a number in the Scots Patent, [Argyle] and a considerable number in Cambridge made application, and the Rev. Mr. Beveridge was sent who was a glad sight to us. I had three children dead without baptism, and I had three baptized by him. He has dispensed the sacrament of the supper twice in Cambridge, and I hope we shall have the same privilege this season, as it is purposed to be observed the first Sabbath of September, if the Lord will. Mr. Beveridge has labored above his strength, as he has none to assist him on sacramental occasions, and it is a great way between the places he has to supply. He is generally with us part of the summer and winter. I think if Presbytery had one that