PROCEEDINGS, &c.

THE church in Wilton, for some years after its formation, which was in A. D. 1763, like many and perhaps most of the churches at that time in New England, had no distinct form of a confession of faith, to which the assent of candidates for admission was required. General professions of belief in the being and attributes of God, belief in Christ, and a belief and reception of the holy scriptures as a rule of faith and practice, were expressed publickly in a covenant to which candidates assented on admission.

The church, A. D. 1779, departed from this course so far as, among other regulations adopted at the same time, to prescribe, "that every candidate previous to his admission give his consent to a confession of faith, or exhibit one of his own, or a relation, satisfactory to the church." From its adoption to the present time, the church have uniformly admitted members in accordance with this rule, receiving, however, members from other churches upon proper testimonials of regular standing and dismission.

Pursuing this course, the church under divine blessing have been greatly prospered and apparently edified, and for more than forty years enjoyed unusual peace and harmony among its members. No dissatisfaction concerning the mode of admitting members was ever manifested to the church, until April, A. D. 1822. Some months previous, a spirit of discontent had been promo ted. An opinion was sedulously impressed upon the minds of some individuals, that the course pursued in admitting members was unauthorised and reprehensible.This was done without examining the particular regu lations of the church concerning the subject, or inquir ing of the pastor the reasons of his procedure in the admission of members. A knowledge of this uneasiness had then been confined to a small circle, consisting of a few church members and some others. Information coming to the pastor, that dissatisfaction was entertained, he laid the subject before the church in a meeting, at

which a full attendance of the members had been, in public notice, particularly requested. After a free discussion the church passed the following votes:

"Voted, that the usage of the church granting variations from the confession of faith as accepted by the church be continued."

"Voted, that when any persons, wish for admission to this church, and choose to make their declaration of faith with variations from the customary form, they shall, before they are propounded, leave in writing, such variations with the pastor of the church, or, if there be no pastor, with the deacons, for the inspection of members, and the said variations shall be read to the church at some church meeting previous to their admission."

These votes it appears were offensive to certain members; and a few of those who finally separated from the church neglected attending the communion service on the Sunday following. A memorial to the church was prepared remonstrating against the votes, and circulated to procure subscribers. It was presented to the church on Sunday the 4th day of August, and the church assigned the 6th day of the same month to take it into consideration.

The church having met at the time assigned, the memorial, which had been presented to the church, was read and was as follows:

MEMORIAL.

To the Pastor and Members of the Church of Christ in Wilton.

THE undersigned, a minority of the said church, tenderly and respectfully represent, that whereas soon after the ordination of the present pastor, it seemed good to the church to revise their constitution, and accordingly, by a vote of the church, June 22, 1803, a confession of faith and a covenant were accepted as the ground of their christian fellowship and communion; and whereas, for aught that appears, this revised constitution remained unaltered for a course of years, and no act of the church is known to have made or authorised any deviation from it; and whereas, by a vote of the church, April 22, 1822, it is implied, that deviations have been made by the church unknown to the undersigned,

and a usage of the church also unknown, (or which could have existed only at a period prior to the revised constitution of the church, in June, 1803, and consequently done away by the acts of the church at that time,) is pleaded as a reason for such deviations; and whereas, by this, and a vote also, April 25, 1822, a new rule is set up for the admission of members to the church, inconsistent with its constitution, as revised and settled June, 1803, and, in the opinion of the undersigned, subversive of the purity and harmony of the church; and whereas, these votes of April 25, 1822, were passed by the church without any such consideration as their importance required, and in opposition to the declared wishes of the minority, who were not then prepared to act on a subject of such vital interest to Zion; therefore, the undersigned represent, that they feel themselves called upon to remonstrate against the said votes of the church of April 25, 1822, as a weighty grievance, wounding to their consciences, and of sufficient magnitude to prevent their communion with the church. And the undersigned furthermore represent their earnest desire that the church would reconsider the said acts of April 25, 1822, and thus remove the distressing embarrassments, under which they (the undersigned) must otherwise remain.

That the undersigned may not be thought unreasonably scrupulous on this subject, they feel it incumbent on them to state more particularly the grounds of their dissatisfaction with said acts of the church.

I. In the opinion of the undersigned, these acts are grounded upon a wrong assumption. It is assumed that the church has had a usage of admitting members to the communion with a confession of faith different from that which has been accepted by the church.

Now the only confession accepted by the church, is that of June, 1803, when the present constitution was carefully revised and settled. Before that time, and by a vote of January 19, 1779, it appears that candidates were received "by giving their consent to a confession of faith, or exhibiting one of their own, or a relation satisfactory to the church." But this and other regulations growing out of the original constitution of the church, were superseded by the acts of 1803. If then, by the 66 usage of the church" is meant a usage previous to 1803, and which grew out of the vote of Jan. 19, 1779, the

undersigned conceive, that the church has mistaken its constitution, because this constitution necessarily does away all previous regulations.

It was designed, in fact, to remedy the deficiencies of these regulations. To reproduce them, therefore, and act upon them under the present constitution of the church, is a manifest inconsistency.

But if by "the usage of the church," is meant a usage existing since the date of the present constitution, the error, in the opinion of the undersigned, is more material; for they are ignorant of any acts of the church, by which such a usage has been recommended or sanctioned. They have indeed recently seen a confession of faith, purporting to be "a creed varied at the request of individuals," and they feel no ordinary solicitude, lest, as they have sometimes been led to fear, and express their fears, members have been admitted on other grounds than those which are recognized and settled in the constitution of this church. But of this "varied creed," they have known nothing certainly, except from inquir ies, since the votes of April 25, 1822, and now they find it not on the records of the church, nor any accountof it as having been prepared by direction of the church, or approved and adopted by them. They are not aware that the church have ever in any wise altered the constitution of 1803, nor that they have, before the votes of April 1822, admitted a principle, which is virtually subversive of that constitution.

II. In the opinion of the undersigned, the said acts of the church are of dangerous aspect to the interests of pure religion.

They set up a rule, which has a tendency to violate the unity and peace of the church, and to impair its moral influence. It is clear to the undersigned, that every visible church of Christ should be careful to maintain that simplicity and unity, which are described as characteristic of the real church, or body of true believers; endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. "There is one body and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism." "For by one spirit are we all baptised into one body, and have been all made to drink into one spirit." Now concerning the hope of the christian vocation, concerning the Lord, the faith, the spiritual baptism of christian believers, the church in Wilton have

fairly expressed their views, in their received constitution. To admit, therefore, variations from this constitution, which is done by the acts in question, variations wholly undefined, and limited by no rule but the views and intentions of the parties making them, is manifestly to endanger the unity and harmony of the church, and of the gospel, as their understanding of it has been expressed. It is possibly to introduce, not "one faith," but many, and those contrary and opposite one to another, thus severing one of the most important bonds of christian fellowship. It is possibly to bring together individuals of a different spirit, thus promoting jealousies, divisions, and dissentions, where they are specially to be depreca ted, in the church of God. This consequence, indeed, might not often result from the said acts. The undersigned would hope, that but few, if any, would, after deliberation, avail themselves of a liberty, which a little knowledge of mankind, and of existing differences and controversies on religious subjects, must show to be injurious to the peace of any christian fraternity. Yet the consequence is natural and obvious; and examples are not wanting of its actual occurrence, to the harm and dishonor of true religion.

Moreover, the influence of the church is impaired by such a regulation. Most certainly it is impaired, when its unity and peace are disturbed, and discord and contention prevail where only the fruits of charity and benevolence were to have been expected. But admitting that the church walk together without agreement; admitting their consciences are not wounded by various and essential differences of opinion and feeling on the subjects of religion; then it would seem, they give occasion to others to question their integrity and sincerity, or the truth and importance of the gospel.

The inference is obvious, either that men do not believe, what nevertheless they profess to regard as true and essential, when they consent to those who disbelieve and deny such essential truths, or else that what they profess to believe is false, or of no importance. In either case, the influence of the gospel and of the church is weakened. The thoughtless and profane take advantage of these inconsistencies, to excuse their own iniquities, or reproach the religion of Christ; and the serious inquirer is perplexed and confounded, by what seem to him the utter uncertainties of revelation. Truth, fixed and immutable