in deciding on any similar cases that may arise, the Assembly therefore declare, 1. That in vacant congregations, which are fully organized, the Session of each Congregation are to determine, under their responsibility to the higher judicatures, when the congregation are prepared to elect a Pastor, as directed in the Form of Government of this Church.-Chap. XIV. Sect. 1. 2. That it is the duty of the Session, when a congregation is vacant, to use their best endeavours to promote the settlement of a pastor in the same, in the speediest manner possible, consistently with the peace, order, and edification of the congregation; and it is the privilege of the people, or any portion of them, to complain to the Presbytery, when they think that the session, after being suitably requested, neglect or refuse to convene the congregation to elect a Pastor. 3. That it belongs to the Presbyteries to take cognizance of the proceedings of Sessions and Congregations in the important concern of settling Pastors; and to adopt the most effectual measures on the one hand to prevent all undue delay by the Session or the People, and on the other to prevent all precipitancy in the settlement of any minister, or the adoption of any system of proceedings in the congregation inconsistent with the real and permanent edification of the people. 4. That by the due and discreet observance of these principles by all concerned, it will be found that so far from the Session of a congregation having it in their power to deprive a majority of the congregation of their right to make an election of a Pastor, when sought in an orderly and christian manner, or to keep a congregation unsettled for an indefinite length of time, the rights of the people will be most effectually secured, and their precious and unalienable privelege of choosing their own pastor will be exercised by them in the shortest period which their own real benefit will permit. 5. That the conviction of this Assembly, that the foregoing obvious and constitutional principles had not been duly adhered to in the case before them, that the Congregation had not proceeded with a suitable respect to the Session, and the Presbytery did not adopt the most suitable measure, when they advised and directed the session to convene the congregation in twenty days ;—has led the Assembly to sustain this appeal, as the measure most constitutional, best calculated on the whole to do justice to all the parties concerned, and to point the way to the most speedy settlement of the unhappy differences and disorders which have so long existed in the particular congregation immediately concerned.-Vol. III. p. 153, 154. Sect. 8. Judicial sentences of sister churches to be respected. The business left unfinished on Saturday was resumed, viz. The Appeal of the Presbytery of Onondaga from a decision of the Synod of Geneva, relative to the restoration of the Rev. John Shepherd to the Gospel Ministry, who had been deposed by the Association of Fairfield, Connecticut. Af ter a considerable discussion of the subject, the following resolutions were adopted: viz. Resolved, 1st. That the decision of the Synod of Geneva, relative to the restoration of the Rev John Shepherd to the office of the Gospel Ministry, so far as it censures the restoration of said Shepherd, who was deposed by a judicatory of the Church of Christ, in fellowship with us, be, and hereby is, confirmed; because it did not appear from the records of the Presbytery of Onondaga, that the said restoration took place, in consequence of any confession of the alleged crime for which the said Shepherd was deposed; or of any profession of penitence for it; or of any conference with the Judicatory which deposed him. 2. That the Appeal of the Presbytery of Onondaga, so far as it relates to the rescinding of their vote to restore the Rev. John Shepherd, be, and hereby is, sustained, on the second reason of appeal, and upon that alone; because the Assembly judge, that a minister of the gospel, when once restored by presbyterial authority, cannot be deprived of his office, except it be by a new process and conviction.-1818. Vol. III. p. 416. Sect. 9. A complaint from one Presbytery against another, should be laid before the Synod to which the latter Presbytery belong. See Vol. III. p. 413. Sect. 10. A cause may be withdrawn by consent of parties and all proceedings on it stayed. See Vol. III. p. 155. PART XIII. OF MISCELLANEOUS MATTER. CHAPTER I. OF TESTIMONY IN FAVOUR OF CERTAIN Sect. 1. Testimony of the late Synod of New York and Philadelphia against intolerance. IT having been represented to the Synod, that the Presbyterian Church suffers greatly in the opinion of other denominations, from an apprehension that they hold intolerant principles, the Synod do solemnly and publickly declare, that they ever have, and still do, renounce and abhor the principles of intolerance; and we do believe that every peaceable member of civil society ought to Ff be protected in the full and free exercise of his religion.-Page 356.-1783. Sect. 2. The opinion of the Synod in regard to slavery and its abolition, in 1787.* The Synod, taking into consideration the overture concerning slavery transmitted by the committee of overtures, came to the following judgment: The Synod of New York and Philadelphia do highly approve of the general principles in favour of universal liberty that prevail in America, and the interest which many of the states have taken in promoting the abolition of slavery. Yet in as much as men introduced from a servile state to a participation of all the privileges of civil society, without a proper education and without previous habits of industry, may be, in many respects, dangerous to the community; therefore they earnestly recommend it to all the members belonging to their communion, to give those persons who are at present held in servitude such good education as to prepare them for the better enjoyment of freedom and they moreover, recommend that masters, wherever they find servants disposed to make a just improvement of the privilege, would give them a peculium, or grant them sufficient time and sufficient means of procuring their own liberty at a moderate rate; that thereby they may be brought into society with those habits of industry that may render them useful citizens: and, finally, they recommend it to all their people to use the most prudent measures, con * Published by order of the Assembly in 1793. |