Middletown transcript., 1869-06-19
CONCURRENT DECLARATIONS


CONCURRENT DECLARATIONS
OfMe General assemblies of 1869.
AS there are matters pertaining to the
interests of the Church when it shall have
become reunited, which Will manifestly re-
quire adjustment on the coming together
of two bodies which have SO long acted
separately, and concerning some of which
matters it is highly desirable that there
should be previous good understanding.
the two Assemblies agree to adopt the fol-
lowing declarations, not as articles of COM
pact or covenant, but as in their Judgment
proper and equitable arrangements, to
wit:
/. All the ministers and churches em-
braced in the two bodies should be admit
ted to the same standing in the united
body, which they may have, held in their
respective connections, up to the consuma-
ton of the union.
2. Imperfectly organized churches arc
counselled and expected to become thor
oughly Presbyterian, as carly within the
period of five years as may be permitted
by the highest interests to be consulted
and no other such churches shall be here
after received.
3 The boundaries of the several Pres
bytcries and Snynods should be adjusted
by the General Assembly of the united
Church
4. The official records of the two BRAN
chcs of the Church for the period of sep
aration should be preserved and held as
making up the one history of the Church;
and no rule or precedent which does not
stand approved by both the bodies, should
be of any authority until re-established in
the united body, except so far as such
rule or precedent may affect the rights of
property founded thereon.
5. The corporate rights now held by
the two General Assemblies, and by their
Boards and Committees, should, as far as
practicable, be consolidated, and applied
for their several objects as defined by law
6. There should be one set of Commit
tees Or Boards for Home and Foreign Mis-
sions and the other religious enterprises of
the Church which the churches should
be encouraged to sustain, though free to
cast their contributions into other channels
if they desire to do so.
7. As soon as practicable after the union
shall have been effected, the General AS
sembly should reconstruct and consolidate
the several Permanent Committees and
Boards which now belong to the two As
semblies, so as to represent, as far as pos
sible with impartiality, the views and
wishes of the two bodies constituting the
united Church.
8. The publications of the Board of
Publication and of the Publication Com
mittee should continue to be issued as at
present, leaving it to the Board of Publi-
cation of the united Church to revise these
issues and perfect a catalogue for the uni
ted Church so as to exclude invidious re-
ferences to past controversies.
9. In order to a uniform system of &C.
clesiastical supervision, those Theological
Seminaries that are now under Assembly
control may, if their Boards of Direction
SO elect, be transferred to the watch and
care of one or more of the adjacent Synods;
and the other Seminaries are advised to
introduce, as far as may be, into their
Constitutions, the principle of Synodical or
Assembly supervision in which case they
shall be entitled to an official recognition
and appreciation on the part of the General
Assembly.
10. 1t should be regarded as the duty
of all our judicatories, ministers, and peo-
pie in the united Church, to study the
things which make for peace, and to guard
against all needless and offensive REFER
ences to the causes that have divided us
and in order to avoid the revival of past
issues by the continuance of any usage in
either branch of the Church, that has grown
out of former conflicts, it is earnestly re-
commended to the lower judicatories of
the Church that they conform their prac-
ticc in relation to all usages, as far as it is
consistent with their convictions of duty,
to the general customs of the Church prior
to the controversies that resulted in the
separation.
OF A DAY OF PRAYER.
That the councils of Infinite Wisdom
may guide our decisions, and the blessings
of the Great Head of the Church rest upon
the result of our efforts for reunion, it is
recommended to the churches
both branches of the Presby-
tcrian Church, that they observe the Sec
ond Sabbath in September, 1869, as day
of foryent and united prayer to Almighty
God, that he would grant unto us all q the
spirit of council and might the sn;r;t of