diate call by Christ, their infallibility, for the establishment of an episcopal ar their being witnesses of our Lord's re- a presbyterian form: the former model surrection, and their unlimited juris- of ecclesiastical polity was patronised diction over the whole world. These by the house of Stuart on account of the powers and privileges could not be con support which it gave to the prerogaveyed by imposition of hands to any suc- tives of the crown; the latter was the cessors, whether called presbyters or favourite of the majority of the people, bishops; but as rulers or office bearers perhaps not so much on account of its in particular churches, we have the superior claim to apostolical institution, Confession of the very chiefest apos- as because the laity are mixed with the tles,' Peter and John, that they were clergy in church judicatories, and the nothing more than presbyters, or pa- two orders, which under episcopacy are rish ministers. This being the case, the kept so distinct,incorporated,as it were, dispute which has been so warmly agi- into one body. In the Scottish church, tated concerning the validity of Presby every regulation of public worship, terian ordination may be soon decided; every act of discipline, and every ecfor if the ceremony of ordination be at clesiastical censure, which in other all essential, it is obvious that such a churches flows from the authority of a ceremony performed by presbyters must diocesan bishop, or from a convocation be valid, as there is no higher order of of the clergy, is the joint work of a ecclesiastics in the church by whom it certain number of clergymen and laycan be performed. Accordingly we men acting together with equal authori find, that Timothy himself, though said ty, and deciding every question by a pluto be a bishop, was ordained by the lay-rality of voices. The laymen who thus ing on of the hands of a presbytery. At that ordination, indeed. St. Paul presided, but he could preside only as primus in paribus; for we have seen that as permanent officers in the church of Christ, the apostles themselves were no more than presbyters. If the apostles' hands were imposed for any other purpose, it must have been to communicate those charismata, or miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit, which were then so frequent; but which no modern presbyter or bishop will pretend to give, unless his understanding be clouded by the grossest ignorance, or perverted by the mest frantic enthusiasin."

The members of the church of Scotland are strict Presbyterians. Their mode of ecclesiastical government was brought thither from Geneva by John Knox, the famous Scotch reformer, and who has been styled the apostle of

Scotland.

form an essential part of the ecclesias-
tical courts of Scotland are called ruling
elders, and hold the same office, as well
as the same name, with those brethren
(Acts xv.) who joined with the apostles
and elders at Jerusalem in determining
the important question concerning the
necessity of imposing upon the Gentile
converts the ritual observances of the
law of Moses. These lay-elders Paul
enjoined Timothy, (1 Tim. v. 17.) to ac-
count worthy of double honour, if they
should rule well, and discharge the du-
ties for which they were separated from
the multitude of their brethren. In the
church of Scotland everyparish has two
or three of those lay-eiders, who are
grave and serious persons chosen from
among the heads of families, of known
orthodoxy, and steady adherence to
the worship, discipline, and government
of the church. Being solemnly engaged
to use their utmost endeavours for the
suppression of vice and the cherishing
of piety and virtue, and to exercise dis-
cipline faithfully and diligently, the mi-
nister, in the presence of the congrega-
tion, sets them apart to their office by
solemn prayer; and concludes the ce-
remony, which is sometimes called or-
dination, with exhorting both elders and

Their doctrines are Calvinistic, as
may be seen in the confession of faith,
and the larger and shorter catechisms;
though it is supposed that the clergy,
when composing instructions, either for
their respective parishes, or the public
at large, are no more fettered by the
Confession, than the clergy of the church
of Eng and are by the thirty-nine arti-people to their respective duties.
cles. Many in both communities, it
seems, take a more extensive latitude
than their formulas allow them.

As to the church government among the Scotch Presbyterians, no one is ig norant, that, from the first dawn of the reformation among us till the era of the revolution, there was a perpetual strug gle between the court and the people,

The kirk session, which is the lowest ecclesiastical judicatory, consists of the minister and those elders of the congregation. The minister is ex officio mo derator, but has no negative voice over the decision of the session; nor, indeed, has he a right to vote at all, unless when the voice of the elders are equal and opposites He may, indeed, enter his

protest against their sentence, if he nods there are in the church of Scotthink it improper, and appeal to the land fifteen, which are composed of the judgment of the presbytery; but this members of the several presbyteries privilege belongs equally to every elder, || within the respective provinces which as well as to every person who may be- give names to the synods. lieve himself aggrieved by the pro ceedings of the session. The deacons, whose proper office it is to take care of the poor, may be present in every session, and offer their counsel on all questions that come before it; but, except in what relates to the distribution of alms, they have no decisive vote with the minister and elders.

The highest authority in the church of Scotland is the general assembly, which consists of a certain number of ministers and ruling elders delegated from each presbytery, and of commissioners from the universities and royal boroughs. A presbytery in which there are fewer than twelve parishes sends to the general assembly two ministers The next judicatory is the presbytery, and one ruling elder; if it contain be which consist of all the pastors within a tween twelve and eighteen ministers, it certain district, and one ruling elder sends three of these, and one ruling elfrom each parish, commissioned by his der: if it contain between eighteen and brethren to represent, in conjunction twenty-four ministers, it sends four miwith the minister, the session of that nisters, and two ruling elders; and of parish. The presbytery treats of such twenty-four ministers, when it contains matters as concern the particular so many, it sends five, with two ruling churches within its limits; as the ex- elders. Every royal borough sends one amination, admission, ordination, and ruling elder, and Edinburgh two, whose censuring of ministers; the licensing of election must be attested by the kirk probationers, rebuking the gross or con- sessions of their respective boroughs. tumacious sinners, the directing the sen- Every university sends onecommissioner tence of excommunication, the deciding from its own body. The commissioners upon references and appeals from kirk are chosen annually six weeks before sessions, resolving cases of conscience, the meeting of the assembly; and the explaining difficulties in doctrine or dis- ruling elders are often men of the first cipline; and censuring, according to the eminence in the kingdom for rank and word of God, any heresy or erronecus talents. In this assembly, which meets doctrine which hath either been publicly once a year, the king presides by his or privately maintained within the commissioner, who is always a noblebounds of its jurisdiction. Some of them man, but he has no voice in their delihave frankly acknowledged that they berations. The order of their proceed. cannot altogether approve of that partings is regular, though sometimes the of her constitution which gives an equal number of members creates a confusion vote, in questions of heresy, to an illite- which the moderator, who is chosen rate mechanic and his enlightened pas-from among the ministers to be, as it tor. We are persuaded (say they) that were, the speaker of the house, has not it has been the source of much trouble sufficient authority to prevent. Appeals to many a pious clergymen, who from are brought from all the other ecclethe laudable desire of explaining the siastical Courts in Scotland to the geneScriptures, and declaring to his flock ral assembly; and in questions purely all the counsel of God, has employed a religious, no appeal lies from its detervariety of expressions of the same im- minations. See Hall's View of a Gosport to illustrate those articles of faith,pel Church; Enc. Brit. art. Presbytewhich may be obscurely expressed in the established standards. The fact, however, is, that in presbyters the only prerogatives which thepastors have over the ruling elders are, the power of ordination by imposition of hands, and the privilege of having the moderator chosen from their body.

rians; Brown's Vindication of the Presbyterian Form of Church Government; Scotch Confession and Directory. For the other side of the question, and against Presbyterian church govern ment, see articlesBROWNISTS, CHURCH CONGREGATIONAL, EPISCOPAY, and

|INDEPENDENTS.

PRESBYTERIANS,CUMBERLAND, this is a body of Presbyterians who principally reside in the states of Kentucky and Tennessee, and in the adjacent ter

From the judgment of the presbytery there lies an appeal to the provincial synod, which ordinarily meets twice in the year, and exercises over the presbyteries within the province a jurisdic-ritories. tion similar to that which is vested in They constituted a presbytery sepaeach presbytery over the several kirk rate from the Kentucky synod and gesessions within its bounds. Of these sy. Ineral presbyterian church, on the 10th

of February, 1810. The causes that

led to this are as follow:

About the year 1799 or 1800, God revived religion in a remarkable manner in the western country, through the instrumentality of some presbyterian preachers; consequently, many new Congregations were soon formed and organized. But to continue to supply them all, by the then licensed and ordained ministers was impracticable.

presbytery was divided, and the former, Cumberland presbytery, constituted, in which there were always a decided majority in favour of licensing men to preach the Gospel (when need required, and God called) who were "apt to teach," and sound in the faith, though they might not possess a liberal educa tion. Therefore, from time to time they licensed, (some of whom they or dained,) men of that description. This measure was still opposed by that part of the presbytery who were unfriendly to the revival. The synod took the mat

own body to meet in the bounds of the Cumberland presbytery, and directed the members thereof, with all their licenciates, candidates, and exhorters, to meet; which summons the greater part of them obeyed. After the commission and the accused had met, the former exhibited many charges against the latter; principally taken from the minutes of the presbytery and public fame: all of which were chiefly comprised in the two following to wit:-1st, Licensing men to preach who had not been examined on the languages. 2d, That those men who were licensed, both learned and less learned, had been only required to adopt the confession of faith partially, that is, as far as they believed it to agree with God's word.

A venerable father in the ministry who came from a distance, discovering the necessity for supplies, proposed to the preachers who were engaged inter, and appointed a commission of their promoting the revival to choose from amongst the laity some men (whose talents, gifts, piety, &c. would justify such a step,) and encourage them to prepare for the work of the ministry: though they might not have a classical education. This proposition was readily acceded to, and several persons were spoken to on the subject, and encouraged to improve their talent by exhortation, and to prepare written discourses to exhibit to the next Tyransylvania presbytery, as specimens of their abilities to sermonize, &c. with which they accordingly complied. The discourses were read to the aged member who first recommended the measure, and tolerably well approved. They were not now received as candidates for the ministry, but were directed to pre- As to the first ground of complaint, pare other discourses to read to the next the presbytery not only plead the expresbytery, where the debate became ception in the discipline, in "extraordivery animated, whether they should be nary cases," but also the example of a admitted as candidates for the holy minumber of the presbyteries in different nistry; when finally a majority of one parts of the United States. They vote decided, one of them only should moreover, appealed to a higher aube received at that time The next thority than either of the foregoing, presbytery, however, decided by a large which was the New Testament, and majority in favour of the proposed plan; inquired if there be any precept or exand accordingly, after hearing popular ample in that Book which condemns trials, &c proceeded to license three the practice of licensing what they (the men, to wit:-Alexander Anderson, commission) called unlearned men. It Finis Ewing, and Samuel King,to preach was also asked, if God could not as easily the Gospel as probationers. These call a Presbyterian not classically learnmen, although two of them had no ed, to preach the Gospel, as he could knowledge of the dead languages; yet such of any other denomination? from their discourses, extempore, as With respect to doctrines; the presbywell as written, and from the petitions tery believed their candidates had deof hundreds of serious Christians, pray-parted from no essential doctrine taught ing that they might be licensed; the in the confession of faith; and therefore presbytery thought they could not be ought to have been indulged in their out of their duty in promoting them to conscientious scruples about tenets not the work of the ministry; in which essential or important. This reasoning, opinion they were afterwards fully con- however, was not satisfactory to the firmed. Some members of this presby commission, who demanded all the tery, however, as well as the preceding, young men to be given up to them for wereopposed to the measure, who enter- re-examination. The presbytery reed their protest, and wrote to the synod, fused; viewing the demand unprecewho, at first, paid but little attention to dented, and directly making dangerous it. About this time the Transylvania encroachments on the liberties and pri

All candidates for the ministry who may hereafter be licensed by this presbytery, and all licenciates or probationers who may hereafter be ordained by this presbytery, shall be required before such licensure and ordination, to

vileges of presbyteries, who, according || tery, known by the name of the Cumto the discipline, were sole judges of the berland Presbytery, on the following faith and qualifications of their own conditions :” candidates for the ministry. The young men then being summoned to submit, and refusing, the commission proceeded solemnly to prohibit them all, learned and less learned, from preaching or administering any more as Presbyterians; and summoned the majority of the pres-receive and adopt the confession and disbytery to appear at their next synod, to cipline of the presbyterian church, exanswer for not surrendering their young cept the idea of fatality that seems to brethren, and to be examined them- be taught under the mysterious doctrine selves on doctrines. The presbytery of predestination. thought it a very extraordinary step in It is to be understood, however, that deed, for a commission of synod to si- such as can adopt the confession withlence, or prohibit, a number of re-out such exception, shall not be respectable and useful ministers of Jesus,||quired to make any. Moreover, all liwithout process or trial, men, whose cenciates, before they are set apart to moral characters were unexceptionable, the whole work of the ministry, (orand who had never been called before dained) shall be required to undergo an their own presbytery to answer any examination on English Grammar, Gecharge; and men, who were never con-ography, Astronomy, natural and mo victed of either heresy, immorality, or ral Philosophy, and Church History.† contumacy, before any judicature what- The presbytery may also require an exsoever. The presbytery being con-amination on all or any part of the scious that the commission had acted illegally, determined to petition the general assembly. In the mean time they formed themselves into a council; in tending, with their young brethren, to promote religion as well as they could in that capacity; refraining from presbyterial acts, until they could learn the decision of the assembly; the first decision of which appeared favourable. This encouraged the council to expect the assembly would eventually redress their grievances. They therefore wait ed and petitioned, until they were convinced by an act, or decision of the assembly, that the synod were justified in their unconstitutiona! and unprecedent ed conduct toward the young preachers: which, (after another fruitless applica. tion to the synod and Transylvania | presbytery) determined three of the remaining ordained ministers to constitute a separate presbytery; which was done in the following manner:

"In Dickson County, Tennessee State, at the Rev. S. M'Adow's this 4th day of February, 1810:"

"We, Samuel M'Adow, Finis Ewing, and Samuel King, regularly ordained ministers in the Presbyterian church, against whom no charge either of im morality or heresy has ever been exhibited, before any church judicatures; having waited in vain more than four years; in the mean time petitioning the General Assembly for a redress of grievances, and a restoration of our vio lated rights, have, and do hereby agree and determine, to constitute a Presby ·

above branches of literature before licensure, if they deem it expedient.

Doctrines. It has been already ob· served, that the Presbyterian confession is their confession, " except the idea of fatality." But as some may think this too indefinite, it may be proper here to state explicitly all the essential doctrines or tenets they hold.

1st, That Adam was made upright, pure and free; that he was necessarily under the moral law, which binds all intelligences; and having transgressed it, he was consequently, with all his posterity, exposed to eternal punishment and misery.

2d, That Christ the second Adam represented just as many as the first, consequently made an atonement for all, " which will be testified in due time." But that the benefit of that atonement will be only received by the true believer.

3d, That all Adam's family are to tally depraved, "conceived in sin; going astray from the womb, and all children of wrath;" therefore must "be born again," justified and sanctified, or they never can enter into the kingdom of God.

4th, That justification is by faith alone as the INSTRUMENT; by the merits of

The reception of the disciple is to be understood in conformity to the branches of literature required by this body.

It will not be understood that examination on Theology, experimental religion, and a call to the ministry, will be omitted,

Christ's active and passive obedience, of God's word, on the extent of the as the meritorious cause; and by the atonement and operations of the Spirit; operation of God's Spirit as the effi.or to contradict the sincerity of God's cient, or active cause.

5th, That as the sinner is justified on the account of Christ's righteousness being imputed or accounted to him; on the same account he will be enabled to go on from one degree of grace to another, in a progressive life of sanctification, until he is fit to be gathered into the garner of God, who will certainly take to glory every man who has been really justified: that is, he, Christ, has become wisdom, (light to convince,) righteousness, (to justify) sanctification, (to cleanse) and redemption, (to glori fy,) to every truly regenerated soul.

expostulations with sinners, and make his oath to have no meaning, when he swears he has no pleasure in their death; or to resolve the whole character of the Deity into his sovereignty, without a due regard to all other of his adorable attributes. Finally, they think those doctrines ought to be thought and spoken of in a consistency with God's moral government, which always has for its object the happiness of his intelligent creatures, when it consists with his justice and the honour of the divine throne.

Discipline. Their discipline is Presbyterian. Their congregations are go 6th, That there are three persons in verned by church sessions, presbyteone God, coequal, essential, and eter ries, and they now have appointed to nal; or the Father, Word, and Holy constitute a synod to be called the CumGhost: that the mediator is very Godberland Synod. They are tenacious of and very man; two distinct natures in the presbyterial form of church goone person; therefore while the hu-vernment; because they believe it to be manity obeys and suffers, there is infi- equitable, just, and scriptural; and be nite worth or merit given to that obe-cause it tends to cherish in their minds, dience and suffering, by the union of the and the minds of their congregations, a divinity. love of civil, as well as religious liberThey dissent from the Confession-ty; its being so congenial to the repub in, 1st, That there are no eternal repro- ||lican form of government established in bates. 2d, That Christ died not for a these United States; which stands hart only, but for all mankind.-3d, equally aloof from monarchy and anar. That all infants, dying in infancy are chy. saved through Christ, and sanctification On the subject of their deviation from of the Spirit-4th, That theSpirit of God theoldrule with respect to literaryquali operates on the world, or as co-exten-fication for the ministry, they would not sively asChrist has made the atonement,be understood as undervaluing that prein such a manner as to leave all men inexcusable.

cious handmaid to the useful work of a Gospel minister. They have in two As to the doctrines of predestination publications called "a circular letter," and election, they think, (with many and "a reply" given abundant evidence eminent and modest divines who have of their anxiety to acquire and promote written on the subject,) they are mys- useful knowledge; by recommending terious, and they are not well pleased the study of the Greek scriptures, and with the application that rigid Calvin-by their exertion to procure a circulating ists, or Arminians make of them. They library of theological, historical, and scithink the truth, or that, as well as manyentific books, which they are increasing other points in divinity, lies between the opposite extremes. They are confident however, that those doctrines should not, on the one hand be so construed as to make any thing the creature has done, or can do, at all meritorious in his salvation; or to lay any ground to say "well done I," or to take the least degree of the honour of our justification and perseverance from God's unmerited grace, and Christ's pure righteous. ness. On the other hand, they are equally confident these doctrines should not be so construed as to make God the author of sin, directly or indirectly; either of Adam's sin, or any subsequent sin of his fallen race; or to contradict the express and repeated declarations

from time to time. Notwithstanding they are persuaded that God has and does call many to preach the Gospel, who have no knowledge of the original languages, and who have been and are eminently useful in their profession. They have therefore dispensed with that condition. as not being absolutely necessary; yet they recommend it, when it can conveniently be acquired. From pursuing this course they have, as might be expected, some learned and some less learned preachers of the everlasting Gospel: tlie latter of whom ap pear in many instances, to be as usefu! in promoting the word of God as the former.

Progress. Since they first constituted