The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1839-05-23

~ into The eonslllntlonalIiy Of The act
Of exeision.
I The sentence Of sxeision. rs II has
been called. was nothing else Than an
ordinance Of dissolution. n bore lhal the
Synods in question. having been formed
sndattaehed 10 he body ofihe Presbyleri-
an Church under. and IN execution n.
The plan of union ..be. and are hereby
declared To be. our of The ecclesiastical
connection IL The Presbyterian Church
in The United States OF America; and
that they are not in form or In fact. an
integral portion Of said church," Now
II will moi be said that il The dissolved
Synods had no other basis Than the plan
Of union. they did not necessarily TALL -
long with il. and is not pretended that
the Assembly was incompetent 10 repeal
the union prosreeiively, but II il conien.
ded that the repeal could not impair
rights Of membership which had grown
up under il. On the Other hand. IL 10
commended that the plan OF union was
unconstitutional and void from The br-
ginning. because II was not submitted 10
the presbyteries for their sanction; and
that no right Of membership could spring
from il. But viewed. mol 40 conssitu-
tional regulation which implies perma-
nency nj duration. but az temporary ex-
pedieut, il acquired the force OF Law
without the ratification Of those bodies.
! II was evidently not intended 10 be per-
manent, snd il consequently was cons,i-
iulionally enacted and conslilutionally
repealed by an ordinary act Of legisla-
.ion; and those Synods which had their
root in il. could not be expected 10
survive il. There never was . design
: 10 attempt an amalgama,ion Of ecclesi-
asiical principles which are a. immisei-
BILE as water and oil; much less 20 ef-
feet commixture Of them only Al par,i-
: cular geographical points. Such an A.
tempt would have compromised prin-
ciple at The very root Of Presbylerial
government, which requires that The Of
ficers OF the church be set apart By spe-
D cial ordination for the work. Now The
=. character Of the plan is palpable not only
] in lis lille and provisions. but In The
minute Of its introduction into the AZ
sembly. We find in the proceedings of
/ 1901, page $50. that a committee was
( raised "lo consider and digest plan Of
: government forsihe churches in The neic
4 settlements agreeably 10 The proposal Of
i the General Association of Connecticut"
y and that The plan adopted in conform.
n ,y to It's report, is called = Plan OF
|. Union for The new settlements" The
= ayowed object Of il was 10 prevent alien.
lie ation-in other words, The utilization OF
10 Presbyterians in other churches. By suf-
" fering those who were yet too few and
l., too poor for the maintenance of min
" lister, temporarily 10 call 10 their assis-
l. lance The members of sect who differed
} from them in principles, no, OF faith. but
Is OF ecclesiastical government. 10 that
/. end, Presbyterian ministers we're suffer-
81 ed 10 preach TO Congregational church,
lie es. while Presbyterian churches were
= suffered to settle Congregational minis
r. tiers: and mixed congregations were al.
a. lowed TO settle a Presbyterian or Con-
is grega,ional minister al their election,
e. but under plan Of government and dis
Of cipline adapted to the Inconsistencies
ID Surely this was no. Intended TO ou,last
lie the inability OF the respective sec.s to
III provide separately for themselves, or 10
lie perpetuate the innovations on Presbyte-
ID rial government which il was calculated
" to produce. II was obviously mission
;. ary arrangement from the first: and they
n. who built up Psesbyleries and Synods
a. on the basis of il. had no reason 70 ex-
y psct ,hs. their structures would survive
.. il. or that Congrega.ionalist might, by
5. force of il, gain foothold in the Preshy-
rs terian Church, despite Of Presbvierial
sr discipline. They embraced il VITA all
y its defeasihle properties plainly put be-
b. fore them; and The power which conssi-
sr ,uied il might fairly repeal il, and dis
Il. solve the bodies tia, had grown out OF
lie il, whenever the good OF The Church
should seem 10 require il.
? Could the Synods however be lissoly.
al ell BY legislative act I ! know not how
lie they could have been legisimalely dissolv-
is ell by any other! The Assembly Il 4
lie homogeneous body uniting in itself. with
rs out separation Of parts. The legislative.
i, executive. and Judicial functions OF The
n government; and its acts are referable
). 10 the one or The other of them. accord
Il. ing 10 The capacity in which ii SAT when
Mt they were performed. New had the ex.
n scinded Synods been cut of by Q Judi.
Iy cial sentence without hearing or notice,
lie the act would have been contrary 10 The
he cardinal principles Of natural Justice, and
l. consequently void. Bot though ii wa.
s. at FIRST resolved 10 proceed iudicially, The
be measure was abandoned. probably be.
10 cause il came 10 be perceived that the
ill Synods had committed no offence.
e- A glance Al the plan OF union is e.
III nough to convince rs ths. The disorder