one Minister and one Elder to the place agreed upon at the rising of the preceding Classis." The 38th Explanatory article commenting on the above, expressly states that "Classes consist of all the Ministers, with each an Elder, and one Elder from each vacant congregation within a particular district. In this assembly an immediate representation of all the churches within those limits is formed, and a power for regulating the common measures for promoting religion, preventing error, and preserving peace within such districts is lodged." The insulated situation of the Churches on the Island, as well as their proximity to each other, renders their meeting and associating together in classis extremely natural and convenient. Providence seems to have fixed their natural bounds, and to have drawn a broad watery line between them and the Churches in the city. Besides, the whole number of delegates from the Churches on the Island, when assembled together, form at most but a Classis of ordinary size. Neither is there any prospect of increasing their number, otherwise than by the formation of new congregations within their own limits. The Classis of Long Island, therefore, can see no reason for the late act of Particular Synod, lessening their number, and cannot help but regard the cutting off the congregation of Bushwick, and transferring it across the intervening churches of Brooklyn and Williamsburgh to the South Classis of New-York, as a violation of the Constitution of the Church, and an injurious encroachment upon the bounds of Classis.

II. The second reason of appeal is, that the act of Synod, transferring the congregation of Bushwick, when viewed in connexion with circumstances, seems to cast a reflection, if not indirectly a censure on the proceedings of Classis. It is well known, that the application of the Consistory of Bushwick to the Particular Synod, arose from dissatisfaction with the act of Classis organizing the new congregation in the village of Williamsburgh, opposite the city of New-York. Consistory appealed from the decision of the Classis at the time, and arrangements were made on our part to meet the appeal in the higher courts of the Church. But the Consistory has since seen fit to abandon the cause which they commenced as appellants, and to manifest their dissatisfaction and to seek for redress in a different manner; in a manner which Classis regrets to find has only proved too successful. They have complained that our proceedings were irre

gular, unconstitutional, and oppressive-that our treatment was partial, unkind, and marked with a peculiar disregard to their welfare. With these complaints they presented their request of transfer to the Particular Synod; and the granting of this request on the part of Synod, without even a saving clause for the Classis, seems, by natural inference, to be yielding assent to the truth of the reasons which they assign for this application. If Consistory had carried up their appeal, Classis would have had an opportunity of showing that these complaints were groundless-that the measures adopted, were only those which reason and duty pointed out, and such as the nature of the case imperiously demanded. They could have shown that a large church had already been erected by the toil and expense of the people of Williamsburgh-that it was a growing village, consisting of more than one thousand inhabitants, with no other place of worship, except a small Methodist chapel : they could have shown that this people were determined to obtain a separate organization, either from us, or from some sister denomination, and that no other course was left, in order to preserve this new and promising church to our connexion, than that which, we trust in the fear of God, Classis has been led to adopt. We do, therefore, most decidedly disapprove of the decision of Particular Synod, implicating our proceedings, by yielding assent to the application of the Consistory of Bushwick.

III. Classis appeals from this decision, because its example will be injurious. It will be injurious to those whose application it grants; it will have a tendency to increase that spirit of insubordination, that disregard to peace and harmony, that they have already manifested, and make them far less disposed to submit to the constituted authorities of the Church than they were before. The conclusion in their minds will be natural, that if one. Classis does not yield to their views, or submit to their wishes, they can easily renounce its authority, separate to a second, a third, a fourth, and a fifth, as suasion or prejujudice may require. But had the Particular Synod, as the Classis humbly conceives, shielded as it was by the constitutional rules of the Church, and the inexpediency of the case, met the application of the Consistory of Bushwick with the spirit of Christian firmness, they would have rendered an essential service to the applicants themselves, and would, also, have furnished a wholesome precedent for the Church at large to follow.

But, on the other hand, if this inauspicious act of Particular Synod is confirmed, Classis is clearly of the opinion, that it will have a tendency to widen the difference, and to perpetuate the unhappy state of feeling, which now exists between the neighboring congregations of Bushwick and Williamsburg; and that it will present to the rest of the churches on the Island a dangerous example, which, in cases of future difficulty, may be extremely injurious to their welfare. Classis is also convinced, that the example of this decision will be injurious to the beauty and harmony of the Church in general; because they are well aware, that any violations of the constitution and orders of the Church, only make way for still broader violations; one bad precedent is only pleaded as an example for another, and when these precedents become frequent, (as they certainly will if allowed to proceed,) the authority of our ecclesiastical courts will become entirely relaxed and useless. If the ecclesiastical relations of one, two, or three congregations can be changed at pleasure, or upon some fancied grievance, upon the same principle the relation of all the churches, throughout our whole connexion, may be immediately broken up, and our Classes become nothing more than mere voluntary associations. Every tie which now binds the Church in harmony together, and gives weight to her authority, will be completely severed; and every thing like order will soon come to an end. Therefore, let the higher courts pause while they can. Let them arrest the tide of irregularity, before irregularity shall have got beyond their control. Let not the example of previous violations be plead as an excuse for this, for it will only cause this to be plead as an excuse for others. The beauty of the Church has already been sufficiently marred by former irregularities of the same nature; and this deformity now in some places continues to appear conspicuous upon her surface. But rather let these violations be exhibited as beacons or marks of danger to be shunned, than under any circumstances to be held up as examples worthy of future imitation The classis of Long Island, therefore, hope and trust, that the decision of Particular Synod, transferring the congregation of Bushwick to the South Classis of New York, without assigning even a single reason, will not be confirmed.

IV. The fourth reason assigned for this appeal is, that the Consistory of Bushwick seems to have been rash and unadvised in making. this application to Particular Synod. They had not previously con

vened or consulted either the congregation or the great consistory. It seems to have been a business of their own, independent of the church and congregation whom they officially represent.

With these views, and for these reasons, Classis submit their appeal to the judgment and candor of the General Synod.

A true extract from the Minutes of the Classis of Long Island. P. P. ROUSE, Stated Clerk.

The Rev. Jacob Schoonmaker and John Beattie were accredited as Commissioners, on the part of the Classis of Long Island, to prosecute their appeal.

Resolved, That the Rev. Nicholas I. Marselus, James B. Hardenbergh, and Peter Labagh, be heard, as respondents, on behalf of the Particular Synod of New York.

The Synod proceeded in the consideration of the said appeal, in the following order :

1. The Appeal, and the reasons of appeal, were read.

2. The Appellants were heard by their Commissioners. 3. The Respondents were heard.

4. The Appellants were heard in reply.

The Synod proceeded to deliberate and decide, excluding from a vote such members as had voted in the case, either in Classis or Particular Synod.

The following motion was made and seconded :—

Resolved, That the Appeal be sustained.

The question being taken on this resolution, it was carried in the affirmative.

A motion was subsequently made to reconsider the above decision; which was lost. Whereupon it was

Resolved, That the Rev. William M.Murray, D. D., P. I. Van Pelt, J. Sickles, and the Elders A. Van Nest, and Everardus Warner, be a Committee, on the part of this Synod, to confer with the Classis of Long Island, and the Consistory of the Church at Bush

wich, with a view to make an amicable adjustment of the existing difficulties.

The Appeal of the Rev. Ava Neal, from the decision of the Particular Synod of New-York, confirming the decision of the Classis of Bergen in his case, was called up, and a communication was received from the President of the last ordinary meeting of the Particular Synod of New York, transmitting the reasons of appeal put into his hands by the Rev. Ava Neal.

A letter was received from Mr. Neal, requesting Synod to postpone the consideration of his appeal to the next General Synod, and assigning reasons for said request: whereupon it was

Resolved, That the consideration of the Appeal of the Rev. Ava Neal, agreeably to his request, be deferred to the next General Synod.