Sect. 7. A Presbytery has a right to decide in regard to the propriety of receiving a member, but but the Synod may censure their conduct, when they exercise their right improperly.

The committe appointed to examine the records of the Synod of Geneva reported; and the report being read, and amended, was adopted, and is as follows: viz.

That they have examined the same, and found them generally kept with care. That they contain a protest signed by a number of members of the Synod of Geneva, against a decision of the Synod, excluding the Presbytery of Geneva from voting on the question, whether their own records should be attested by the Moderator of the Synod as approved. Your committee were however of opinion that the decision of the Synod was consonant to the prevalent usage of the judicatures of the Presbyterian Church, as well as to the usage of other analagous bodies in similar cases; and that it ought therefore to be approvedBut though your committee were of this opinion, they doubted the correctness of the order given by the Synod to the Presbytery of Geneva; to recon sider their proceedings on the subject of the admis sion of the Rev. Shipley Wells, a constituent member of that Presbytery; which order though it be not appealed from, appears to have given rise to the protest in question.

The Synod of Geneva were, beyond doubt, in the opinion of your committee, competent to cen

sure the Presbytery of Geneva for admitting, hastily and on slight evidence into their body, an unworthy or even a suspicious character. But it is, in the opinion of your committee, equally clear, that the right of deciding on the fitness of admitting Mr. Wells a constituent member of the Presbytery of Geneva, belonged to the Presbytery itself; and that having admitted him, no matter how improvidently, that their decision was valid and final.

The individual admitted became a member in full standing: nor could the Presbytery, though it should reconsider, reverse its own decision, or in any way sever the member so admitted, from their body, except by a regular process.-1816. Vol. III. p. 235.

Sect. 8. The Assembly may order a new trial, when they do not sustain the judgment of a lower 3 court.

The Assembly judge that the charges, in the case of Mr. Bourne, were not fully substantiated; and that, if they had been, the sentence was too severe :

1817.

Therefore Resolved, that the sentence of the Presbytery of Lexington, deposing Mr. Bourne, be reversed, and it hereby is reversed; and that the Presbytery commence the trial anew.-Vol. III. p. 327.

The business left unfinished yesterday was re1817. sumed, viz. the consideration of an appeal of Mr. John Todd from a decision of the

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Synod of Kentucky, affirming a decision of the Presbytery of Transylvania, by which Mr. Todd was suspended from the gospel ministry. After considerable discussion, the following resolution was adopted: viz. The Assembly having heard the documents in this case, are of opinion that the way is not clear, at present, for the reversal of the sentence of suspension: but as it appears to the Assembly, that Mr. Todd's opinions have not been perfectly understood; and whereas there appears to have been some irregularity as to the nature of the testimony admitted on the trial before the Presbytery; therefore,

Resolved, That the Presbytery of Transylvania be directed to reconsider the case of Mr. Todd, to afford him another opportunity of explaining himself, and, if they should be satisfied, to restore him to his former standing.-Vol. III. p. 371,

CHAPTER IV.

OF BAPTIZED CHILDREN.

Sect. 1. A reference on the subject from the Synod of Virginia.

A REFERENCE from the Synod of Virginia was laid before the General Assembly in the following words: viz. "Through the committee of overtures was laid before the Synod the following question: How far, and in what sense, are persons who have been regularly baptized in infancy and have not partaken of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, subject to the discipline of the church ?"

WILLIAM HILL, Clerk of the Synod of Virginia.

September 27th, 1798.

After some discussion, it was Resolved, that the public standards of this church contain a sufficient answer to the question stated in the above reference. -1799. Vol. I. p. 195.

Sect. 2. A committee appointed to prepare a report in relation to baptized children, in 1811. Resolved, that Drs. Miller and Romeyn and

the Rev. James Richards, be a committee to prepare and report, to the next Assembly, a full and complete answer to the following overture from the Synod of Kentucky, which had been made to this Assembly: "What steps should the church take with baptized youth, not in communion, but arrived at the age of maturity, should such youth prove disorderly and contumacious.-Vol. III. p. 19.

Sect. 3. The report of the committee ordered to be printed, in 1812.

The committee appointed by the last Assembly to report to this Assembly on the subject of disciplining baptized children reported; and the report being read, was recommitted to the same committee for revision and publication: and it was resolved that the Assembly, without expressing any opinion, on the principles it contains, recommend it to the serious consideration of all the Presbyteries and ministers, that in due time a decision may be had on the important subjects, discussed in the report.

Resolved, That this minute be printed in the beginning of the pamphlet containing the report of the aforesaid committee.-Vol. III. p. 74.

Sect. 4. A committee appointed in 1814, to consider and report what should be done with the above report.

The subject of a report on the disciplining of baptized children, in relation to which the Assembly of the last year and the year before had taken order, was called up, and it appeared that several