come when he who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him as a shepherd doth his flock.

Clerical pride, under the specious name of great concern for souls that were perishing, was perhaps the great cause of the separation. "Not a novice, lest, being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil," is a direction full of meaning, and will apply to church courts and bodies of men as well as to individuals. While we are not to yield implicit obedience to any body of men, and while we are not to receive without examination any doctrines, however long they may have been considered as according with Scripture, yet we ought to be very cautious of allowing the impulse of the moment, or the impulse of the day, to set us in direct opposition to authority which has at least given some evidence that it is the authority of heaven, and of rejecting doctrines, as unscriptural, which have been often examined, and often adopted by men who were undoubtedly, to a very great extent, under the teaching of the Holy Ghost.

No. 2.

THE CHRISTIAN-OR NEW LIGHT, OR SOCINIAN CHURCH OF KENTUCKY.

To give an appropriate name to any class of men, whether religion or politics is concerned, is frequently

a difficult task. It is plain, that every distinct class must have a name to distinguish it from all others; but as both friends and foes claim and exercise the privilege of giving the name, and as all human societies frequently change both their opinions and character, very opposite names may, at the same time, be given to the same class; and a name which may at one time be very appropriate and expressive, may, under other circumstances, be ill applied, and even unintelligible.

The people of whom we propose to give a short sketch in the following article, had their origin at the second meeting of the Synod of Kentucky, which was in Sept. 1803. They have been known in the language of the day under various names. They have assumed to themselves the exclusive name of "The Christian Church." They have usually been called "New Lights, or Stoneites," &c. &c. and if they are known at all in the future history of the church, they will be denominated Pelagian, or Socinian Heretics. Such an historian as Milner will at least thus name them.

At the above mentioned meeting of Synod, two members of Synod were charged with having been active in disseminating doctrines contrary to the publicly received doctrines of the Presbyterian church. And though scarcely any individual doubted the fact, yet there was a great deal of difficulty in bringing the accused to a legal trial: And after all the legal difficulties connected with the form in which the matter was to be tried had been settled, the accused brethren, and three others, handed in their protest and declinature.

A great variety of means, both judicial and extra-judicial, were used during the sessions of Synod to bring these brethren to a sense of their duty. But all attempts failing, the Synod, after due deliberation, solemnly suspended them from all the functions of the ho ly ministry, until sorrow and repentance for their schismatical dispositions should be manifested. Their congregations were also, as usual in such cases, declared vacant, and commissioners were appointed to publish the sentence of suspension in these congregations, and to exhort the people to unity and peace.

The time which elapsed between the meeting of Synod in Sept. 1803, and the meeting in Oct. 1804, was a serious and important period. The suspended brethren possessing considerable popular powers, and aided by an enthusiasm in religion, considerably above the ordinary feeling, pushed their triumphs over orthodoxy and good order, through the whole territories of Synod. Scarcely a congregation escaped unhurt-and many were altogether annihilated. And from the pamphlets and tracts which were issued by the party this year, there is con siderable evidence that they considered their triumphs to be complete and universal. A small tract, issued by them in June, concludes thus:

"We hereby inform you, that we have made an ap pointment for a general meeting of christians at Bethel, seven miles below Lexington, on Thursday before the second sabbath of October next. The design of this meeting is, to celebrate the feast of love, and unite in prayer to God for the outpouring of his Spirit. The place of meeting was chosen as a centre for the states

of Ohio, Kentucky and Tenessee, that all who are engaged in the common cause of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, may unite and swell the solemn cry, Thy kingdom come. Even so come, Lord Jesus. Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all. Amen.

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"P. S. We will meet prepared to encamp on the ground, and continue for several days."

The meeting here called was held a few days before the meeting of Synod, and though by no means so numerous as was expected, was sufficiently numerous to alarm the heart of an Ecclesiastic who has little or.nothing but the favour or the frown of the multitude to direct his conduct. Four of the separating brethren attended the meeting of Synod, and all that could have possibly been done, both in public and private, judicially and extra-judicially, was done in order to heal the breach. A committee appointed by the General Assembly met with Synod, and acted as a kind of mediator between Synod and the separating brethren. Before any discussion took place, it was unanimously agreed by all parties concerned, to spend some time in solemn prayer to Almighty God, for his gracious countenance and aid in the case-and Messrs. Marques, a member of the General Assembly committee, and M-, one of the separating brethren, were called upon to lead the devotion. All attempts, however, to a reconcilement proved abortive. When the business was directly and formally entered upon, the separating brethren were found to take as high ground as ever they had assumed. The sum of all that they said was, The Synod must

come to our terms, we cannot come to theirs. We have, since we were licensed and ordained by the authority of the Presbyterian church, changed our views of divine truth, and Synod must change their views, if they wish. to count us among their members.

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The judicial intercourse with the brethren may be considered to have ceased with the meeting of Synod of 1804. Whatever attempts may have been made by individuals, it does not appear that the Synod ever after made any attempts to bring them to a sense of their duty. In the meeting of 1808, the business was once more brought up, and the following motion introduced, which, after due deliberation, was adopted; viz. Whereas, R- MBarton W. Stone, Richard Mc Nemar, John Dunlavy, and J pended by this Synod for declining the jurisdiction of the Confession of Faith of our church, and have continued ever since to enlarge their schism, to multiply their erroneous opinions, to scandalize the Presbyterian church, and to oppose a number of the essential articles of our holy religion-and whereas the church has already used every effort in her power to reclaim them, and as our form of government directs that ministers acting in such a manner be deposed and cut off from the church-Therefore, Resolved, that the above men tioned R- M Barton W. Stone, &c. &c. &c. be DEPOSED, in the name of Christ, and by the authority committed to us, they are hereby DEPOSED from all the functions of the gospel ministry, and cut off from our communition.

These brethren being separated from the Synod, they