124 MINUTES OF THE SYNOD. SESSION X.—1823'. Pittsburgh, August 5, 1823. The Synod ot‘ the Reformed Presbyterian Church met. agreeably to adjournment, and by request of the Modera¬ tor, was constituted by the Rev. Dr. M’Leod. By appoint¬ ment of last Synod, this meeting was to hare been opened With a sermon on regeneration, by Mr. John Gibson, but by a vote of Synod, the sermon was postponed till 7 o’clock, this evening. The Synod then proceeded to ascertain the members of the present Synod, when it appeared there were present from the Northern Presbytery, the Rev. Dr. M’LEOD, and soon after appeared, Messrs. JAS. R. WILLSON, JAMES MIL¬ LIGAN, and SAMUEL M. WILLSON, Ministers; no ruling eh dors. From the Presbytery of Philadelphia, Rev. Dr. WY¬ LIE, Messrs. ROBEIIT LUSK, and JOHN GIBSON, Ministers, Messrs. ROBERT ORR, and JOHN STEELE, Ruling Elders. From (he Presbytery of Pittsburgh, Rev. WILLIAM GIBSON, JOHN BLACK, MATTHEW WILLIAMS, JOHN CANNON, JONA¬ THAN GILL, and ROBERT GIBSON, Ministers, Messrs. WIL¬ LIAM GORMLY, JOSEPH DOUTHITT, ROBERT BROWN, DAVID LOVE, EBENEZER GILL, and JAMES COOK, Ruling Elders. ~ ' / From the Western Presbytery, Rev. SAMUEL WYLIE; no \ ruling elders. From the Southern Presbytery, no members 7htU~- 1Y\ (is yet appeared.^ . n/ ^ The rules were called for and read. , /w W1The present Moderator and clerk continued. jjr ^pjjeoj stated, that Mr. Samuel W. Crawford was /ordained by the Northern Presbytery, on the 15th of May, / 1823, and he introduced him to the Synod as a member of the Northern Presbytery. The Synod invite Mr. Craw- ')U.%>. /o-to- /<r ^ 3 * (_ crT^tfya r L£ * X y Oc i.-*2 » r CiCc^L. ) *7 (JZ~C J.J XX-C X • J, /»• ~l-0~'t£jL>J^e>-T^ .- — fg&CcCe,izL~ cz 11 , )t i. 'UP'OLC. J-zrv^. ^ /3^+XOMX. Jrt,ntX V_ 7 - Jl^zjcXZ, &M 6r^urfrJL 3P~fCyX.cz-yiL£jZ-jb-/t7lA^ (.Z}'Lo~-<i-^---Cj , 0. /3. KsijC 7 ^ .(/flr^c^L^ CQvt /2_^- fy%&~cL(rV<—, ficJZtCJrZr. : •$* tccXL— ffCC<Cr C o- c An * dX^lC- \L /CL (XCCCCLA-IA- /v O^tiZ- . 3 c-fzzz. fTL^-O. C-/<^ Olzz+t^^, IXfCCkCLUA. ^fXf>~. Xpi2 n tt di V 3<<y if fi ^CUCIJC 0<^ 3f (trizciz f&LlC-Xci^' , KJCl t o.*? i. f? (> ty fc— o(XctiU_ 3~j3icZt--*S*- • ^ ^zilfcuz 2(/(7lCCcucc<L- JXzjyL*- ACn {Xu. (r\ f./C', TCL^^WJ CZC , XXL O^oXty f /3rZTZCry^ LLzC/Ly C- C , ^CJ(-^L. (&Xt ■n-t^&r' /L( (cL /-(Jc~o-zCja^, L { ~~£~ uCCz yn C/t zt~ j. &yX*- ->- if , ^)tZ-nnuJL C-C- - fai czU C. iS*i’T-c Cjfyji- i—i*. *s/?t_t a z/~fc t-y 7/<^7xw - _ Xc7tt/C , MINUTES OF THE SYNOD. 125 ford to a seat. He took his seat accordingly. Mr. Rob¬ ert Gibson, who had been introduced to Synod at their last meeting, by the report of the Presbytery of Pitts¬ burgh, as an ordained minister, was now personally in¬ troduced and invited to a seat in Synod. He took his seat accordingly. Mr. Gavin M’Millan, who had been ordained May 7<h, 1823, to the pastoral charge of a congregation in Beech Woods, Preble county, Ohio, was introduced to Synod, in¬ vited to take a seat as a member of court, and took his seat accordingly. On motion, the court adjourned till 3 o’clock, P. M. 3 o’clock, Eoilem die et loco. The Synod met, and were called to order by the Moder¬ ator. Same members ut supra. On motion, Mr. Samuel W. Crawford was appointed as¬ sistant clerk. The court proceeded to the nomination of committees. The committee for unfinished business, Rev. Messrs. Black and Crawford. For Presbyterial Reports, Rev. Messrs. Milligan and S. Wylie. For the Seminary, Messrs. James R. Willson and Wil¬ liam Gibson. For the signs of the times, Messrs. Lusk and Robert Gibson. For cases of discipline, Drs. M’Leod and Wylie. For foreign correspondence, Drs. M’Leod and Wylie. The minutes of last Synod were called for and read. The unfinished business was referred to the committee on unfinished business. Papers were called for : two from Lincoln county, West Tennessee, were presented and read. They were sails up- 11 £26 MINUTES OE THE SYNOD. on Rev. Robert Lusk. They were referred to a select com mittee consisting of Messrs. Black, Gill, and S. Wylie, to which committee, on motion, Rev. Gavin M’Millan was added. On motion. Dr. Wylie was added to the committee on the Theological Seminary. Receiving Presbyterial reports was made the order of the day for to-morrow. The Synod agree, that there shall be a recess of this court till ” o’clock this evening. At 7 o’clock, the Rev. John Gibson, according to former appointment, delivered a discourse from John iii. 5 Jesus answered and said unto him, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be burn of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the k ingdom of God. After hearing the sermon, the court adjourned till to-morrow at 9 o’clock, A. M. Jlugust G, 1823, Eodern loco-. Pursuant to adjournment, the court met and came to or der. Same members ut supra. The minutes of the preceding meeting were read. The order of the day w as receiving Presbyterial reports. The Northern Presbytery presented their report, which was read and referred to the committee on Presbyterial re ports. The Philadelphia Presbytery reported in part. From certain circumstances, part of this report was given in ver¬ bally, and part in writing. This report announced the dis¬ junction of Rev. Robert Lusk from his charge in Conoco- eheague. Referred to the above committee. The Pittsburgh -and Western Presbyteries were called on for reports, but were not as yet prepared. The Synodical committee appointed for the rcorganiza tion of the Southern Presbytery, &c. were called oil to re- MINUTES OF THE SYNOD. 137 port, which tlicy did. This report stated the reorganiza¬ tion of the Southern Presbytery, May, 1822, &c. Refer¬ red to the committee on Presbvterial reports. On motion, Dr. M’Leod and Mr. Brown were added to the committee on Presbyterial reports. The committee on unfinished business were called to re port. They reported that they had made some progress, but were not fully prepared. On motion, Mr. Samuel M. Willson was added to the committee on the signs of the times. On motion, Mr. Cannon was added to the committee on, unfinished business. Adjourned till 3 o’clock, P. AL 3 o’clock, Eodem die et toco. The court met, and were called to order by the Moder¬ ator. Same members ut supra. The committee on unfinished business were called on to report. They presented a report which was taken up in order. It was inquired by Synod, if the fast and thanksgiving days enjoined at last meeting of Synod, had been observed in the congregations respectively. The answer was satis¬ factory. The committee appointed to report on the argumenta tive part of the Testimony, were called on. They signified that they would be in readiness to report to-morrow. Hear¬ ing their report was made the order of the day for to-mor¬ row afternooon. Inquiry was made at the clerk of the Synod, whether he had procured a book, as directed at a former meeting of Synod, and had the minutes of Synod engrossed therein: this had been done, and the book was presented to Synod Approved, 128 MINUTES OE THE SYNOD. The clerk was ordered to have the bill presented ts Synod for liquidation: with which he complied. The committee appointed to prepare a chapter on Adop¬ tion, with a view to its being inserted in the Testimony, were inquired at whether they had fulfilled their appoint¬ ment. They answered in the affirmative, and presented a draught thereof, which was read, and fifty copies there¬ of were ordered to be printed forthwith, and given to the members of court. The further consideration of which w as made the order of the day for to-morrow forenoon. A memorial was received from Robert Brown of Greens- burgh, respecting measures to be taken for the resuscita¬ tion of the Theological Seminary. Adjourned till 9 o'clock, A. M, to-morrow. August 7, 1823, Eodem loco Pursuant to adjournment, the court met, and were called to order by the Moderator. Same members ut antea. The minutes oflast sederunt were called for and read. The committee on I'resbyterial reports presented their report, which, with some amendments, was adopted as fol¬ lows— Your committee recommend the acceptance of the re¬ port of the Northern Presbytery. The newlv organized congregation of Patterson, being, however, geographically without their precincts, and yet more contiguous, in some respects, to New York connex¬ ions, we would recommend, for the present, its attachment, together with New Milford congregation, to the Northern Presbytery. Among the papers submitted to the committee, they find a call on the Rev. Robert Lusk, from the congregation of “Walnut Ridge, Indiana, and they recommend that the call be referred to the committee on the call from Elk, Ten¬ nessee. MINUTES OF THE SYNOD. 4S9 The statements made by your commission to the south, appear satisfactory, and we accordingly recommend the a- doption of their report, and their honourable discharge. The reports of the proceedings of the Southern Presby¬ tery, the Western Presbytery, and the Presbytery of Pitts¬ burgh, have not yet been made, and your committee, of course, have nothing further to add.