New-York tribune., 1876-05-18
1776-THE CHURCHES-1876.
Tup PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

scuoor CONTROVERsY-REUNION- ON-SOCIETIES OF
TIE CHURCH-THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
The General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church will meet to-day in the Brooklyn Tabernacle.
Nearly 600 delegates win be present The most i'm
portan topics which will discussed during the session
are the relations OF tho Northern and Southern bodies
and the reduction Of the number OF representatives
che influence Of the Reformation In Germany was
early Great Britain Tyndales Translation of tho
Now Testament was widely circulated in England IN
.526 and in the next year Patrick Hamilton began to
preach the doctrines OF religious reform in Scotland
Tho introduction OF Professionalism was met with
opposition and persecution IN both countries
AaDilton was burned at the stake after
,roachlng only two years. and his successor, George
Sishart, with tho same fate in 1916, after llko
brief career private friend of Wshart took
up the work Of this martyr, and John Knox became
powerful preacher Of religious reform both in England
and Scotland. Spending time in Geneva with
Calvin, Knox studied and accepted his systems OF
theology and church poty, and impressed them upon
the Reformation in Scotland In 1860 the Catholic
supremacy was overthrow Scotland by the action OF
the free Parliament and Calvinstic Professionalism was
established as the State religion The rofouners hold
their first General Assembly the Same year. and adopted
"a Confession of Faith and Book OF Discipline
In England tho Purans who included both Presbyte-
rans and Independents increased greatly notwitsand-
ing the bitter prosecutions wagcd against them They
were generally Cayinists, and large proportion Oh
them favored PreSby yteianism Presbytery nad been
OF century that date the Presbyterian became the
Established Church of England. In 1642 Parliament
convoked General Assembly, which met at Westminster
IL was composed of Presbyterans, independents ana
Churchmen A Confession of Faith, embodymg the Cal
vinstic system OF theology and Directory OF Worship
settng forth the Presbyterian scheme Of church govern
nent were adopted and In lG49 Parliament approved
them. The Presbyterian thus became the National
Church. but its aseendency was of short duration Ihe
Anglican Church re6Sablshed in lC6l. The rcsto-
ration of Charles H. brought trouble again to the Puri
tans and il is said that by the Act of Uniformity about
1000 PRESBYTERIAN ministers elected from the
onurches Some Of these believed 10 have come to
to America.
The Presbyterian system not permanently estab-
Ushed in Scotland until 1000. 1t had been set mp in
1860 was approved by the Parliament Of 1867 and AT
tanned its complete development IN 1878; but modified
form OF epscopacy was imposed the Kirk. When the
attempt made in 1855 TO have the Anglican prayer
book substituted for the liturgy OF Knox, the General
Assembly resisted it, adopted the Westminster Comics
sion and poty, and made Solemn League and Covenant
to support and defend Presbyteransm, which was ac-
cordingly maintained until 1860. Then began
the long struggle against Episcopacy which
ended in the victory OF the Presbytorians IN
1890 The latter, however, suffered severely
in the contest it made capital crime to preach III
Presbyterian conventCle. 1t during this period
that large emigration tooplace TO the northern dis
trct OF Ireland and to America The Scotch soon formed
strong Presbyterian body in Ulster, and from this
source more any other drawn the material OF
which the Presbyterian Church in America was built up
There we're Presbyterians in the American colonies in
the first the 18th century. Among the PuranS
who came to New England and oonformed 10 the Con-
creCaonal system were many PresbyteranS. Later in
the century Puritlns from both England and New-En-
gland set tied on Long Island and in NewJcsey ana ID
the year 1900 there 10 10 churches which thoy
had formed in these colonies ana Whlch @Dsequehu!
became Presbyterian.
The Puritans we're therefore the earliest Presbyerans
in America The troubles, both civil and ecclesiastical
IN Scotland caused large emigration, as has been
already said Parties of these Scotch eXiles came to
America in the half of the seventeenth century ana
formed communities III Marylanl, Virginia, South Caro-
lima and New-Jersey. With tho erd of the prosecutions
in Scotland the scotch immigration fell on and then came
an influx Of Presbyeraus from Ireland The Scotch set
tiers in III ter had first enjoyed aud oleraon
but their prosperity checked by rapae os and
unjust landlords and their ecclesiastical condition made
uncomfortable The Laggan Presbytery (irsh) In 1854
complained of "persecutions aud general poverty ana
of difficulties in conducting public worship; ana ma
jorty Of its members resolved 10 emSrate TO America
This stream of immigration beginning at the close Of the
sevepeenth century became very large and continued
many years growing toward the middle of the century
to 1900 yearly.
EARLY CHURCHES IN AMERICA
There IA some uncertainty to where and when the
first Presbyterian Church in this country was organized
The honor has claimed for the church AT jamaica
on Long Island anl volume has been written to give
the history Of this organization aud to support the claim
made for it, The first church building lor this society
was erected i'm 1868 and II it then Pfesby
instead Of Congregational Church, IT must be consd-
cred as the oldest Presbyterian faith ana pohy III
America The historian Gillette regards this 80 highly
probable" but t IS to observed tnat this church did
not join Presbyery until l7l2, six years or more
after il was organized
Il Is believed that the Scotch settlements in Virginia
had church organizations carly 1880. In 1854 the
Rev Francis Mackenzie arrived in Maryland, and served
the congregation at Snow Hill. He did not coninc his
Iabors however 80 this small settlement but Travelled
through Maryland, crossed into Virginia. and went as
far even as South Carolina preaching and gathering
congregations. Mr.. Mackenzie was native OF Ireland.
He was educated Scotland licensed by the PGes6ytery
OF Laggan in 1884, and sent missionary to America
in answer appeals for ministers. Ho was abe aclYe
and zeaios AID is hOnOred with the title OF Rather OF
the Presbyterian Church ia this country. Almost his
first business WAS to procure ministerial help lie first
apped N6W-EuGand, but was unsuccessful ana went
himself England, returning IN 1903 VIII Two ulbS
fers John Hampton and George hscnish 80
Iu that in 1906 the Presbytcry q Phadelphla
yas formed hc first in America 1t consisted of seven
roiSisyersNfrancis M.cEcu,ic John Hampton, George
Mscnish Samuel Davis. JohR Wilson. Jededah Andrews
and Nathaniel Taylor. All we're natives o eliheT scot
land or Ireland except Andrews, who was from New
England Andrews gathered the first CONGREGATION N
Philadelphia in 1898. d was one oil tne most hhuenua
members of the Prcsbytecy. The congregations were
go widely separated thai the ministers had m'cn time
rant work 90 do. In some Of tEe colonies tey were hl
aTed somewhat by the civil and ecclesiastical aunorl-
ties VINO opposed TO The spread OF PTes
bnt the church pFOspered notwithstanding. la lIlO
there were ministers, and tho PreSbitc reporter one
congregation in Virgin q, four in Maryland hVo ~ Ienh
sylvana, aud two IN NewJcIscS. SasGe @ doiodv liz @
was made places OF York and there were s,I
eral congregations Which were not e1nifc'T & %di n @ Va.
Presbytery, particularly IN SOuth Carolina lheIe "ciO'
besides. in the laHnasc o letter wil,teh as at une
quests could nol Oe oonIied with. In l7l6 the Phila
delphia PTesbl tcTy divided, and tie IL ministers
we're distributed among four Preslytcries as ohO"s
PblodeIpia ak Newt Slle six; Snow Hll three. and
Long Island twc Sn9w Hi vas soon e seu WIN vi a% ~