the gospel are grievously perverted. Let our brethren remember, that there are little foxes which spoil the vines; lesser errors prepare the way for greater. If we admit those holding the former into our fellowship, they will draw those holding the latter after them. And let then remember also, that a mere slighting the truth is commonly followed with a denying of it.

We never had any connection with the Associate Reformed Synod; but some brethren now members of it were once connected with us, in maintaining a testimony against the errors of the present time. After having trodden it under foot in the manner they have done, we have little hope of their ever appearing under any such banner again, unless a very remarkable change in their views should take place. It is often hard to keep the right way; but harder to find it when we have once gone out of it.

If the testimony these brethren maintained while in connection with us, was not sufficiently pointed against the errors and delusions prevailing in this country, it was an ill way to mend the matter to cast it wholly aside. Their duty was to have stated it more fully and plainly in vindication of the truth, and in opposition to those who are at this present time, and in this place of the world, either contemning or denying it. This we have according to the measure of light and ability the Lord hath given us, attempted to accomplish.

The Declaration and Testimony we have published is severely reprobated by some leading members of the Associate Reformed Synod. It is therefore manifest, in joining ourselves to that society, we behooved to fall from the profession we have made; and this we can not do, till we are, from the word of God, convinced that it is wrong. Let these breth ren give their judgment of our Declaration and Testimony as freely as we have done of their Constitution; and then it will appear whether or not there is such an agreement between us, as may be a foundation for our happy union. It will not suffice to allege, as some of these brethren do, that we are too contemptible to be noticed by them. Contemptible as we are in their eyes, they have noticed us so far as to order one of their number to write us. And if they design to recover us from what they judge the errors of our way, they must condescend yet a little farther: they must point out these errors to us.

As to the form of a solemn covenant which the committee of the Associate Reformed Synod is to prepare, we can say little about it, till we see it. Only we observe that no mention is made of renewing our solemn covenant engagements. This we reckon necessary, as a testimony of the unity and steadfastness of the church, shewing that it is the same now that it was in the days of our fathers, and that we, as members of it, hold fast what through the mercy of the Lord, we have attained, and walk in the footsteps of the flock. Many imperfections may cleave to the church even in times of reformation. We do not insist on an approbation of every thing respecting the manner of covenanting used by our ancestors. No one can justly charge us with the fault often charged upon them, viz. the confounding civil and religious matters. Their peculiar circumstances plead for them; and if these do not excuse, they do, at least, lessen the fault of any mismanagement chargeable upon them. It is our duty carefully to avoid these things which might be blameable in their conduct; but it is our duty also, steadfastly to adhere to the Lord's cause in which they labored and suffered, some of them even unto death.

The address made to us by Mr. Logan, is, we doubt not, well intended. But as it conveys to us only the mind of that brother, not of the society to which he belongs, we shall not spend time in making many remarks upon it. One thing we can not help observing is, that he speaks another language than the minute transmitted to us does. It represents to us the Associate Reformed Synod as acting upon the Constitution, and building upon the foundation there laid. He tells us, that if the plan proposed in the minute be well executed, the Constitution will of course be superseded.

We can not lay much weight upon the suppositions made by Mr. Logan: if such and such measures be well executed, he thinks we might be all happily united. But it will be soon enough to propose an union, when a foundation shall be laid for it in the Associate Reformed Synod's confession of the truth and engagement of themselves to stand in its defence. What the notes they now propose to add, as an illustration of the Confession of Faith, may be, we can not tell. We have reason to fear, that these may tend rather to weaken the Confession, and to darken the truths contained it, than otherwise. Our fears are grounded upon this, that we apprehend the brethren of that Synod have been wavering and going backward for some time past. The Articles of the Union were framed to supersede that particular testimony which we and some of these brethren once maintained against the defections of this age: these Articles were superseded by the constitution: now we are told, at least by Mr. Logan,

that notes on the confession are to supersede it: and who knows but some other scheme will by and by supersede these notes also.

We do not know, but this may be the last communication of the kind we may have with the Associate Reformed Synod. We entreat them, especially such of them as were once in connection with us, that as they regard the glory of God, as they would be found faithful in his house, and as they would promote the edification of his church, to beware of going down the stream of defection which flows so rapidly in our time. Opposing the testimony maintained by us, they may go farther and farther off the ground on which they once stood and may go into what they had no thought of when they set out in the course they now follow.

Let them rest assured, that, for our part, we are ready to join them, whenever we see any satisfying evidences of their returning to what we judge to be their duty. There is no connection between us, and our brethren in Scotland, which can hinder our union with those in this land who are friends to the Reformation principles we profess.

We entreat the brethren of the Associate Reformed Synod to consider what we have said in this letter, as proceeding from a regard to the truth, to the welfare of the church, and to the commandment of him who says, "That which ye have

hold fast till I come."

The Rev. Mr. Mason will communicate this our letter, and we desire him to rest assured, that though we be not of the same mind with him in all things, we do still esteem him, and pray that the spirit of truth may be given to guide him and us into all truth.

Subscribed by order of Presbytery,

WILLIAM MARSHALL, Modr.

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 4. 1785.

(J. p 74.)

A State of some Facts, relative to the Controversy now subsisting, concerning the Scots Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia.

The confusions which have happened in the Scots Presbyterian church, or Associate Congregation of Philadelphia, are no secret The place of worship belonging to it was seized upon, on the 10th of June last year, by some members of that congregation, who wished to transfer it to the Associate Reformed 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