The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-02-26

IL,
At the time of the Reformation more than
one-half OF the-wealth OF the Kingdom was
In the Roman Catholic Church.
abolished and Professionalism established, the
revenues OF the Papal Church was, with some
exceptions, turned over to the Presbyterian
Church,
SETTLEMENT OF VACANT
CHURCHES.
Each congregation had its patron, that is
an individual who had acquired the right OF
appointing the pastor. This patronage law.
always offensive to the Scotch, still 1t re-
mains. Patronage is relic of the dark days
of popery. The right of patronage, that is,
the right TO present n fit person to Il vacant
church benefce, was originally acquired In
the foll3wing ways. according to Stroinius:
81. When one makes q gift of ground on
which to build a church.
"2. When one might build church with
consent Of the bishop.
"3. When one might bes:ow upon church,
siderable maintalnance. That Is, an cndow-
ment. house. or land made patron.
81. One may be n patron by n gift derived
from the Pope.
IS. BY an immemorial custom of present,
Ing"
In Scotland the right of patronage was
property. 1t could be bought and sold, and
otherwise treated as property in general.
The First Book OF Discipline vested the
choice Of a pastor In the people.
The Second Book Of Discipline vested the
choice of pastor In the eldership but gave
the people the privilege of objectlng. Still
the consent OF the patron had to be obtained
or 1t would be settlement without bene
flee. The patronage law was abolished in
1849, revived during the time of Charles the
Second, and again abolished in 1890, and
again revived in 1Il9.
For some years after l712 the evils of patron
age were not felt. Ministers at first neglected
to accept of presentations when they did moi
get the call OF the people. But things soon
changed. Ministers are but men, and some
times they show that they are very carnal
one man, and the people would elect another
properly called violent intrusions became
common. Minister'S were ordained and in
them preach. Not unfrequently an armed
body Of soldiers, clad in all the panopy OF
war, were required TO protect q ommittee
while going through the awful farce OF sef
purpose than that he might get the pay
These violent lntrusIons were generally Of:
fected by n committee appointed by the Gen
eral Assembly.
determined that the law Of patronage should
be in force. To accomplish this it was neces
sary to permit no dissents from or protests
against any Of their acts regarding the set
In 1871 an overture was sent down to the
Presbyteries, the avowed object of which was
to establish uniformity In the mode OF set
tling vacant churches, the real object how
wholly out Of the hands Of the people and
place 1t In the hands OF Protestant heritors
magistrates, town councils and the elders
There were in the Church of Scotland at tho
time siXty-seven prcsbyterlcs. Forty-nine re-
ported. Thirty-one were decidedly opposed
10 the overture, twelve favored 1t with certain
amendments. Only six out Of the forty-nine
reporting were in favor OF It,. Notwithstand
ing the overture was lost the Assembly if
the face Of the vote passed II into law ir
17i2. 1t was the passage of this lnw that LED
to the organization OF the Associate Presby
terry.
OUR FATHERS WERE NOT SECEDERs-THE1
WIRE THRUST OUT OF THE CHURCH.
The right OF protesting against anything
Which tie General Assembly might do in The
matter OF settling vacant churches being de
MED, ReY. Ebenezcr Erskine, being the re
tiring moderator of the Synod Of Perth and
Stirling pre- rched sermon 1T the meeting o.
the synod on the 10th Of October, 1872. Tht
sermon was founded on Psalm cXvil: o.
"The stone which the builders refused Il
made the head of the corner" For this ser
mon he.was censured by the Synod Of PERTH
sembly. Against the rebuke he protested
Rcvs William Wilson. Alexander Moncrief
and James Fisher adhered to his protests
These four brethren were turned over by the
General Assembly to their commission to bt
dealt with as they saw fit. The commission
did deal with them, and on the 10th Of No
vember, l733, dissolved their pastoral rela
tions and declared them no longer minister
OF the Church OF Scotland. They did no
Secedc. They were not Seceders. They were
thrust out OF the Church which they loved
honorcd and respected, because they woult
not silently suffer the people of God to b
made the miserable slaves of hcrltors, magis
tratcs and town councils.
ORGANIZATION OF TIE FIRST ASSOCIATE RE
FORMED pREsBYTERY.
On the 5th of December. 1913, they met a
CARNEY Bridge, near Knross,-spent tn
day I'm prayer and solemn dcliberation, an
the next day ut two o'clock organized the As
SOciatc Prcsbytery, Rev. EbeneZer Erskiu
lending in the constituting prayer. Sue
briefly Is the origin OF the Associate Presbyte
For four years the members of the Assoc
ate Prcsbytery acted very prudently. The
were permitted TO retain possession Of thei
houses Of worship and the members OF thei
congregation adhered TO them with unwavel
ing fidelity. In 17i0 the doors of thei
churches were closed by order OF the Gener;
Assembly and civil authorities. They preacl
ed in the open air until houses OF worshi
were built.
L
paihy and hearty approval of large numbe
of the people. They received petitions froi
many sections Of Scotland, from Ireland, an
America for the dSpcnSatiOn Of the means {
grace almost aS soon as the Prcsbytcry was o.
ganiZcd.
MINISTERS MULTIPLIED, BUSINESS INcREAs
ED, AND a SYNOD WAS ORGANIZED.
The number OF Associate Ministers multi
piled rapidly and the business of the churc
increased. For the convenience of the mem
hers of the pIcShytery and also to eXpedit
the transaction of business, 1t was resolved Ii
l74i 10 divide the Prcsbytcry into three Pres
byterieS and organize Il Synod. There wer
At that time in connection with the Assoclnt
church twcnty.SiX ordained ministers. Th
number OF congregations was, including til
vacancies. nearly fifty.
Unfortunately, the Associate Synod ha
scarcely begun It's organic existence when
question was sprung upon 1t, which, after bi1
ter debates, resulted in rupture. The que:
tion was Il certain Burgess oath which read
follows: "Here, ] protest before God, an
your LordshipS, that l profess, ana alloy
with my heart, the true religion present.
prOtcssed within this realm, and authorize
by the laws thereof: shall abide thercat, an
defend the same To my lifes end; denOuncin
the Roman religion called paplstry; IN
controversy turned on the Interpretation Civ
en- TO the words "true religion presently pre-
feSsed in this realm" One part OF the Syno
lintcrprcted it to mean the church of Scotlan
with all the corruption on account OF whic
they hnd been thrust out. The other part ii
sisted that the words meant the church G
Scotland without its corruplions. The con
troversy grew warm. Those who had bee
loving brethren became aienated, and on III
OH of April, I'll, the Associate Synod was u
yided, One party was afterwards known @
the General Associate, or Antiburgher Synot
and the other as the Associate or Burghe
Synod. After being separated for Il period
more than seveniy-lhrec years, during muc
of which time they lived not as brethren
they were on the Sth of September, 1920, unite
into one ecclesiastical body with the nam
TIE UNITED ASSOCIATE SYNOD OF THE 81
CESSIoN CHURCH.
1t was o remarkable providence that the III
ION wnS CON Sn1nmated In RriSlO Street ChurCl