The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-10-12
COMMUNICATIONS.
Proposed synod of New England.

Proposed synod of New England.
 To the Editor Of tho JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 Those who imagine that Presbyterian
 ism is dying out are mistaken. It was
 one of the original elements of New
 England life and has never wholly
 lost it's hold. In 1886 the ship Eagle
 Wing" sailed with TAO passengers to
 found a Presbyterian colony at the
 mouth of the Merrimac. Storms drove
 them back to land; but the project was
 not forgotten. Parker and Moves, the
 religious leaders of the Newbury col-
 ony, were of the "Presbyterial Way"
 and left an influence that is still felt
 through the Merrimac valley from
 Newbulyport to Lakeport, by the 100000
 inhabitants of that remarkable valley.
 It is a matter of history however, that
 most of the early Presbyterian immi-
 grants were brought over as exiles and
 sold as slaves for a limited term of
 bondage. This fact also had it's influ-
 ence in causing their descendants to be
 ostracised and obliged to pay tribute
 to the regular established parishes.
 The First Presbyterian church of New
 buryport, organized in 1746, had to pay
 taxes for thirty years to the Congrega-
 tional church of Newbury. Their peti-
 tion to George IT., the original copy of
 which is in my possession, was not sent, because the colonial legislature on learn
 ing that it had been prepared, and
 unwilling to have royal interference in
 such matters, made haste to grant the
 desired release Freedom to worship
 God" a right so dear to the Pilgrim Fathers, was not granted to the dis senters," any more than to the Bap- lists and the Quakers, till after long struggle; and even to this day there is a feeling in many quarters that Pres byterians are unwelcome intruders on
 the soil of New England.
 Their case was made still more des- perate by their own dssensions over questions of Old and New School the ology, by which many of their number
 were driven to seek peace in other denominations. In the year 1S46 the
 First Presbyterian church of Newbury-
 port was the only one in Massachusetts
 that remained connected with Pres
 bytery. But since then there has been
 decided growth and prosperity until
 now there are forty-nine churches and seventy-seven ministers enrolled as
 Presby in New England, with a total membership of S,641 communi-
 cants, of whom 1920 joined the past year. As arranged at present this large body is an annex to the synod of New York, but it Is now proposed to form a new Synod of New England. This would include seven churches and fourteen ministers in Connecticut. who are now connected with the Presbytery of Westehester and forty-two churches and sixty-three ministers in the Presby- tery of Boston. If the plan is adopted the new Synod would probably contain four Presbyteries; one including church. es and ministers in the Connecticut val ley; a second, those in Boston and vi- cinity; third those in and around Providence; and the fourth those in Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire. This was the plan substantially in use before the division of the General As- sembly in 1S37 and it is thought there would be material benefits to be de- rived from it now. Among these may be mentioned a more compact and effi- cient grouping of the congregations and pastors for cooperation, more practi- cal methods of fellowship, increased facilities for the organization of new churches and the carrying on of evan- gelistic work, and also a decided econ omy in church expenses.
 There are now thrty-one Synods in the Presbyterian General Assembly twelve of which are smaller than the proposed Synod of New England would be. Of course this matter is at pres ent only offered for consideration, hay ing been brought before the Presby- | tery of Boston at it's recent Fall meet ing, and laid on the table till the regu- lar Spring meeting. If then favcra bly, regarded, and should it also meet with favor from the Connecticut churches. I it would go up as an overture to the General Assembly for such action as l might be thought best by that national and representative body.
 The foregoing facts are given simply for public information, and without ex-
 pressing decided opinion as to the ! wisdom of what is thus suggested. The
 writer, though loyal to his Presbyterian
 relations cannot forget his many and happy years with the Congregational ists; and his Fair Haven friends may
 be interested to know that, by the unan-
 nous vote of the Essex North Asso- citation, he belongs to that body, as
 well as to the Presbytery of Boston, and that he finds no inconvenience from this double allegiance. These are days when Christian unity is held to be con- sistent with denominational zeal.
 H. c. HONEY. Newburyport, Mass, October 10, 1895.