82 Session X. — 1823. _____ .. _____ Pittsburgh, August 5, 1823. _____ The Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church met, agreeably to adjournment, and, by the request of the Moderator, was constituted by the Rev. Dr. Alex. McLeod. By appointment of last Synod this meeting was to have been opened with a sermon on “Regeneration” by the Rev. John Gibson, but by a vote of Synod the sermon was postponed until 7 o’clock this evening. A motion was then made for ad- journment, and negatived. The Synod then proceeded to ascertain the members of the present S ynod, when it appeared that there were present from the — —— Northern Presbytery. —— Ministers. Elders. Congregations. Alexander McLeod _ _ _ _ New York. James R. Willson _ _ _ _ Coldenham. Samuel M. Willson _ _ _ _ Galway & Broad Albin. James Milligan _ _ _ _ Ryegate. Samuel W. Crawford _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ —— Philadelphia Presbytery. —— Sam uel B. Wylie Robert Orr Philadelphia. John Gibson _ _ _ _ Baltimore. _ _ _ _ John Steele Conococheague. Robert Lusk _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ —— Pittsburgh Presbytery. —— John Black William Gormley Pittsb urgh. _ _ _ _ Cannonsburgh. William Gibson } David Love Monongahela. Robert Gibson James Cook Little Beaver. Matthew Williams Joseph Douthet Pine Creek, Union, etc. John Cannon Robert Brown Greensburgh. Jonathan Gill Ebenezer Gill Thompson’s Run, etc. Gavin McMillan _ _ _ _ Beech Woods 83 —— Western Presbytery. —— Samuel Wylie _ _ _ _ Bethel. —— Southern Presbytery. —— Hugh McMillan _ _ _ _ Rocky Creek. Rev. James R. Willson was appointed Moderator, and Rev. John Black continued Clerk. The propriety of admitting John Steele as a member of the Court was questioned by Rev. Robert Lusk. A certificate by the session of Conococheague was read, signed by John Thomson, Clerk. Rev. Robert Lusk questioned the document because it did not contain a protest against his appointment by the Moderator of session, and because it was not signed by the Moderator. The document, he said, was garbled and not valid. The protest was a part of the Minutes. It was moved that Rev. Robert Lusk present his protest to this Court. It was negatived. On motion the membership in this Court of John Steele, ruling elder, was sustained. The Rules were called for and read. The present Moderator and Clerk were continued. Rev. Dr. McLeod stated that Mr. Samuel W. Crawford was ordained by the Northern Presbytery, on the 15th of May, 1823, and he introduced him to Synod as a member of the Northern Presbytery. The Synod invite Mr. Crawford to a seat in Synod. He took his seat accordingly. The Rev. Robert Gibson, who had been introduced to Synod at their last meeting by the report of the Pittsburgh Presbytery as an or- dained m inister, was now personally introduced and invited to a seat in Synod. He took his seat accordingly. Mr. Gavin McMillan, who had been ordained May 7th. 1823, to the pastoral charge of the congregation of Beech Woods, Preble County, Ohio, was introduced to Synod, invited to take a seat as a member o f the Court, and took his seat accordingly. On motion the Court adjourned till 3 o’clock P.M. The Moderator concluded by prayer. 84 3 o’clock P.M., Eodem die et loco. The Court met and was called to order by the Moderator. Same members ut supra. On motion, Rev. Samuel W. Crawford was appointed Assistant Clerk. The Court proceeded to the nomination of Committees. 1. On Unfinished Business — Revs. Black and Crawford. 2. Presbyterial Reports — Revs. Milligan and S. Wylie. 3. Theological Seminary — Revs. J. R. Willson and Wm Gibson. 4. Signs of the Times — Revs. Lusk and R. Gibson. 5. Discipline — Revs. McLeod and S. B. Wylie. 6. Foreign Correspondence — Revs. McLeod and S. B. Wylie. 7. The minutes of the last Synod were called for and read. The unfin ished business was referred to the Committee on Unfinished Business. 8. Papers were called for. Two papers from Lincoln Co., Tenn. we re presented and read. They were calls upon the Rev. Robert Lusk. They were referred to a special Committee consist- ing of Revs. Black, Gill, and S. Wylie, to which Committee, on motion, Rev. Gavin McMillan was added. 9. Rev. Robert Lusk presented a petition praying for a dis- junction from his congregation in Conococheague. Referred to the Committee on Presbyterial Reports. 10. On motion, Dr. S. B. Wylie was added to the Committee on the Theological Seminary. 11. The receiving of Presbyterial Reports was made the order of the day for tomorrow. 12. Synod agree that there shall be a recess of this Court till 7 o’clock this evening. 13. At 7 o’clock the Rev. John Gibson, according to former appointment, delivered a discourse from John 3 : 5, “Jesus an swered and said unto him, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” After hearing the sermon, the Court adjourned till tomorrow at 9 o’clock A.M. Moderator concluded by prayer. 85 Aug. 6, 1823. Eodem loco. Pursuant to adjournment the Court met and came to order. Same members ut antea. 1. The minutes of the preceding meeting were read. The order of the day was the receiving of Presbyterial Reports. 2. The Northern Presbytery reported. The report was read and referred to the Committee on Presbyterial Reports. 3. The Philadelphia Presbytery reported in part. For certain circumstances a part was given verbally and part in writing. The report announced the disjunction of Rev. Robert Lusk from his charge in Conococheague. The part in writing was referred to the Committee on Presbyterial Reports. 4. The Pittsburgh and Western Presbyteries were called on for report s, but they were not yet prepared. 5. The Synodical Committee appointed for the re-or- ganization of the Southern Presbytery, was called on to report, which they did. This report stated the reorganization of the Southern Presbytery, May, 1822. Referred to Committee on Presbyterial Reports. 6. On motion, Rev. A. McLeod and elder Robert Brown were added to the Committee on Presbyterial Reports. 7. A paper complaining of grievances by occasional hearing becoming so prevalent, was received from Bethel congregation, Ill. The paper was referred to the Committee on Discipline. 8. The Committee on Unfinished Business was called on to report. They reported that they had made some progress, but were not fully prepared to report. 9. On motion, Rev. Samuel M. Willson was added to the Committee on the Signs of the Times. 10. On motion, Rev. John Cannon was added to the Com- mittee on Unfinished Business. 11. The Committee on Unfinished Business was called on to report what they had prepared. They reported that inquiry be made respecting cor- respondence with our sister judicatories in Britain and Ireland. Dr. McLeod reported that he had not had an opportunity of meeting with his colleague Dr. Wylie, but that he had addressed a letter himself to each of the judicatories, copies of which he could not present. This was deemed sat- isfactory. Adjourned till 3 o’clock P.M. 86 3 o’clock P.M. Eodem die et loco. The Court met and were called to order by the Moderator. Same members ut supra. 1. The Committee on Unfinished Business was called on to report. They presented a report which was taken up in order. Inquiry was made if the Clerk had complied with the injunction to write to Mr. James Willson of Illinois. Answered in affirmative. 2. 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 satisfactory. 3. The Committee appointed to report on the Argumentative Part of the Testimony were called upon. They signified their readi- ness to report tomorrow. The hearing of their report was made the order of the day for tomorrow afternoon. 4. Inquiry was made of the several ministers if their congre- gations had complied with the order of Synod for raising money to defray the expenses of members of Synod from certain distances. The result is as follows: — Ryegate congregation sent forward, _ _ $14.00 Coldenham " " _ _ 13.80 Galway " " _ _ 8.50 New York " " _ _ 80.00 Philadelphia " " _ _ 44.67 Baltimore " " _ _ 25.00 Conococheague " —— (not attended to). Pittsburgh " " _ _ 37.70 Greensburgh " " _ _ 14.50 Thompson’s Run " " (not attended to). Cannonsburgh " —— (promised) 10.00 Pine Creek " " 10.00 Little Beaver " —— (promised) 25.00 Beech Woods " —— (not attended to). Kaskaskia (Bethel) " " 7.00 South Carolina, Brick Mee ting Hous e C ongregation, 40.00 5. Inquiry was made at the C lerk of Synod wh et h e r he had pro- cured a Book, as directed at a former meeting of Synod, and had the Minutes of Synod engrossed therein. This had been done, 87 and the Book was presented to Synod. Approved. The Clerk was or- dered to have the bill presented to Synod and liquidated, with which he complied. 6. The Committee appointed to prepare a Chapter on Adoption, with a view to its being inserted in the Testimony, were inquired at whether they had fulfilled their appointment. They answered in the affirmative, and presented a draft thereof, which was read, and fifty copies thereof were ordered to be printed forthwith and given to the members of the Court. The further consideration of which was made the order of the day for tomorrow forenoon.