One of its radical principles. The church session.

of a church. One of the "radical principles of Presbyterian church government is:-That the several different congregations of believers, taken collectively, constitute one church of Christ, called emphatically-the Church."* This principle is the ground work of all our difference of government and discipline.

Acting upon this principle each Presbyterian congregation is governed, not by the united brethren thereof, but by-" The Church Session;" that is, by the pastor and ruling elders of the congregation, who are "charged with maintaining the spiritual government of the congregation. For which purpose, they have power to inquire into the knowledge and Christian conduct of the members of the church; to call before them offenders and witnesses, being members of their own congregation, and to introduce other witnesses, where it may be necessary to bring the process to issue, and when they can be procured to attend ; to receive members into the church; to admonish and rebuke, to suspend, or exclude from the sacraments those who are found to deserve censure; to concert the best measures for promoting the spiritual interests of the congregation; and to appoint delegates to the higher judicatories of the church."+

Thus it appears, that "The Church Session" is, virtually, the church. Some three or four men are invested with authority to control and manage all the affairs of the congregation. And these men are permanent officers; independent of the congregation, and after their election, not

* See "Form of Gov. of Presb. Chh. in U. S." p. 397. 18mo. 1821.

t Plan of Gov. Chap. 10. § 6,

Presbytery. Synod. General Assembly.

subject at all, to the controlling voice of the brethren. They can be removed from office only by death, or regular trial for misdemeanors. I speak particularly, of the ruling elders; who are considered as the representatives of the congregation. The pastor, if obnoxious, may, undoubtedly be induced to remove by other means; but not without the concurrence of the presbytery. The government of each congregation is, then, to all intents and purposes, aristocratical.

From the decisions of this court an appeal may be made to a higher, called “the Presbytery." This is composed "of all the ministers, and one ruling elder, from each congregation within a certain district," larger or smaller, according to circumstances.

The presbytery has, substantially, the same power over all the congregations within its limits, that the church session has over a single congregation.

From the decisions of this second judicatory, an appeal may be made to a third; called the Synod." This is composed of the ministers and elders of at least three presbyteries. This court exercises a controlling influence and authority over all the presbyteries, church sessions, and congregations within its bounds.

From this body an appeal may be carried up to the "GENERAL ASSEMBLY;" which is the highest judicatory of the Presbyterian church. This is the end of controversy or, perhaps I should say—the reservoir, into which all obstinate controversy finally runs; to be disposed of as it best may be.

This body is thus constituted: Every presbytery is entitled to send one minister and one ruling elder; and, if the presbytery embraces more than nine ministers, it may

Is this form Scriptural? Other denominations classed.

send two ministers, and an equal number of ruling elders; and so on; one minister and one elder for every nine miņisters in any presbytery.

The General Assembly has the same authority over the whole church that each of the inferior judicatories has over the particular portion assigned to its care. It is the bond of union among all the congregations. It is the general assembly of the Presbyterian church in the United States -the Presbyterian church itself.

No one will deny that this system of church government is orderly and methodical; that its movements are systematic and regular: but the question at issue is where is the scriptural model and authority for all this? I go not into the specification of objections to this system-I will not dwell upon the recent developments of the workings of this consolidated system of church government; but, with the Scriptures in his hands, I put it to any unbiassed mind to decide, which is the more scriptural form of church government, the Presbyterian or the Congregational. It is deemed unnecessary to go into any further comparison of different forms of church order and discipline. All other denominations are believed to recognize more or less of the general principles of government which have been already enumerated and may be classed under one or other of these great denominations, as the peculiarities of one or the other predominate. The Calvinist Baptists are thorough Congregationalists in their government. Indeed, they are one with us, so far as the principles of church polity are concerned. The Freewill Baptists, recognize a form of government, and order, substantially Congregational. Government is vested primarily in the

Concluding remarks upon this head.

churches, which are usually composed of such believers as can meet together for worship."*

The Protestant Methodists, or Reformed Methodists have introduced into their government the representative principle; allowing the laity an equal voice with the clergy in their church judicatories. They do not recognize the order of bishops, as distinct from that of elders; but, in most other particulars, symbolize with the Protestant Episcopal church, in their government.

"The Christian Connection," maintain the strict independence of the churches. So do the Unitarians.

Believing Congregationalism to be entirely scriptural, we are constrained to regard this form of church order and discipline as more correct and scriptural than any other, in just that proportion in which any other varies, in essential points, from this. And, in the maintenance of this opinion of our favorite model, we do not regard ourselves as guilty of any arrogance in relation to other systems of church government; for, consistently with our principles we can do no less than to esteem our own, above all others. We maintain that the Scriptures are a sufficient guide to all that is essential to the good order and correct discipline of a church of Christ. We have carefully examined the Scriptures to ascertain what this order and discipline should be; and have arrived at conclusions, which these pages partially, at least, detail. If in our deductions we have not erred, then, in our conclusion we are correct, that of all the systems of church government, Congregationalism is the most scriptural. And this we

* Elder Beede, in Relig. Encyclopedia.

Congregationalism encourages self-government.

conceive to be one of the advantages-and not a trifling one, either-which this system possesses over every other.

2. Another advantage of Congregationalism is, that it encourages self-government beyond that of any other system. Next to the duty of knowing oneself, is that of governing oneself. In proportion as you abridge men of the privilege of governing themselves, in just that degree, you encourage the doctrine that men are incapable of self-government; and consequently, discourage all efforts to exercise this inalienable, and all-important right. Now the Congregational system of church government, beyond all others, encourages every man to exercise this important birth-right. It teaches him, that Christ has intrusted the management of his kingdom upon earth to the hands of his people; with only certain general rules, as landmarks for their guidance. He who has learned from the Scriptures that Christ has committed such interests to his people, will not be slow to perceive, that if men are judged competent to manage affairs which pertain to their eternal interests, there is a gross inconsistency in denying them the right to manage the affairs of state, which pertain only to the present life. The direct tendency of this system of church government, then, is to a democratical form of state government.

The early English Congregationalists, seem to have had no design upon the state, when they asserted their rights as Christians; indeed, they expressly professed their cordial attachment to the monarchical and all but despotic government under which they lived. And this was true of the Brownists, even-the pioneers of our denomination— who were rigid separatists from the Episcopal church, and often violent in their denunciations against those who up