sanctioned with your own highly respectable authority: and still more earnestly must I sue for indulgence from those who belong to that party of religionists in England, to which some of my observations refer. I can only say, that the subject is deeply interesting to me as a friend of religion, truth, and virtue, and to have employed any disguise, or admitted any reservation, would have been unworthy of me as a man, a Christian, a dissenter, and a presbyterian. I am, Sir, Yours faithfully, ་ JAMES YATES. ON Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, May 25, 26, and 27, the ministers and representatives of Congregations who have seceded from the Synod of Ulster, assembled in the Meeting-house of the First Presbyterian Congregation of Belfast. There were Templepatrick Presbytery." Rev. Alex. Montgomery, Glenarm. Rev. Thos. Alexander, Cairn-Castle. Robt. Campbell, Templepatrick. Nathaniel Alexander, Crumlin. Elders were also present from these respective Societies.* The audience on the various days was numerous and attentive. Two sermons were preached on the occasion; that on the first day, by the Rev. H. Montgomery, from Psalm L. 1-6, and that on the second day, by the Rev. J. Mitchell, from Matt. xviii. 9, 10. Both discourses are to be printed. The Rev. William Porter was unanimously elected Moderator. On taking the chair, Mr. P. said: Most of us, my Christian brethren and friends, have long been in the habit of witnessing the convention of Synods and Presbyteries. Such assemblies are things of frequent occurrence, and are seldom calculated to excite great intenseness of interest. The present meeting, however, is one of no ordinary character. It is marked by circumstances of a peculiar nature, and which * These Congregations are, of course, unconnected with the Presbytery of Antrim, which was formed in 1726, and which consists of the First and Second Congregations of Belfast, Downpatrick, Newtownards, Larne, Antrim, Ballyclare, and Holywood. the compliment; he knows well the feeling and motives by which it has been prompted he knows that it is to be attributed not to any meritorious services in his power to plead, but, purely and exclusively, to that fraternal partiality, on the part of the donors, which has followed him all his life long a consideration which increases his gratitude, whilst it represses his self-estimation. Wel have been accustomed to hear Moderators, when taking the chair, inculcate on their constituents the observance of order and ded corum the avoidance of personal reflections and intemperate recriminations, and the propriety of exercising mildness and for-s bearance in the discussions likely to ensue. On none of these points shall you hear a single syllable from me. To address such admonitions to the Remonstrant Synod of Ulster, would be a waste of words-a useless occupation of time,Why recommend cordiality, and sympathy, and mutual condescension, to men who may be said, like the primitive Christians, to have all things inocommon'-whose hopes, fears, and aims, and wishes, are one who are con contending same cause, assailed by the same adversaries, maligned by the same calumnies, and exposed to the same difficulties and trials. Differences of opinion will, no doubt, take place amongst us; but these differences will be discussed with the temper of Christians, and the urbanity of gentlemen, On looking back to the scenes through which we have lately passed, we might be justified in adopting, with a few verbal alterations, the self-congratulatory language of David-we might say, and with truth, that we have hastened our escape from the windy storm and the tempest; for we found violence and strife in the city rottenness was in the midst thereof reproaches and revilings departed not from her streets." Still using the words of the royal Psalmist, we might add, "They were not enemies who reproached as for that we could have borne, but they were our equals and acquaintances men with whom we once took sweet counsel, and walked in company to the house of God. But now, we have come out from amongst them now, we hope to be at rest.bo All here are brethren; and, so long as we live, let there he peace amongst us. In the world, some of us may, for a time, have tribulation; but let us be of good cheer. Joining hand in hand, and heart with heart, let us put our traits in the Lord, and he will enable us to overcome the world. of mislo In the course of the meeting, the following Resolutions, after having been introduced by various individuals witho observations, were adopted suor 3.That all exercise of Church power, er, which attaches rewards to the profession of one class of doctrines, and penalties to that of any other, is contrary to the Holy Scriptures, and directly calculated to undermine that sincerity, without which no profession of faith or form of worship, can be acceptable unto God. doldw 4 That the imposition of human Tests and Confessions of 1679 Faith, and the vain efforts of of men to produce an unattainable uniformity of belief, have not only tended to encourage hypocrisy, but also to restrict the sacred right of private judgment to lessen the authority of the Scriptures to create unrighteous divisions amongst Christians to sanction the most barbarous persecutions to trench upon the natural and civil rights of men—to place undue power in the hands of the few-to throw a shield over the time server to expose the honest to injuries and persecutionsto perpetuate errors in almost all Churches-and to prevent that free inquiry and discussion which are essential to the extension of religious knowledge, ens 95. That the overtures of the General Synod of Ulster, passed in the year 1828, impose submission to human interpretations of the Word of God, in a form more objectionable than has ever been attempted in any Church; by subjecting Ministers to de-. position, at any time, however acceptable and useful to their own " peoples and by submitting Students and Licentiates to the absolute control of a Secret Committee, of whose principal proceedings wo records cure kept, and who must necessarily be liable to act under the influence of personal partiality or prejudices selfish in terest, or local connexionses gribenorq sdt ai of beTroler esibod 83 16.03 That those overtures not only subject Students, Licentiates, and Ministers, to possible Injustice, sand dangerous temptations, but likewise trench upon the most valuable privileges of the people, in the free election of their own Pastors;winasmuch as their choice is restricted to persons professing to hold opinionis approved by the Committee of Examinators, althoughi such o pinions may be directly opposed to the views of sacred truth entertained by the congregationrextenomsЯ sdt dtiw goitosanoo ri lefomiThat we consider those enactments asia violation of the fundamental principle of Protestantism, subversive of the fliberal laws and usages of our Church, and a direct breach of the solemn compact, under which those of us, who are ministers, entered the -Synod of Ulster.di of jetaimitace zuoizilaz enoirsv to 2002799 yd 9d58) That (having ineffectually endeavoured, for two years, oto obtain a repeal, or even a modification of those obnoxious regulations) we are now compelled, in obedience to the dictates of scon science in vindication ofsour own rights→→in support of the inaltenable privileges of Students, Licentiates, Ministers, and Congregations in defence of religious liberty, and to avoid being acecessary to the suppression of what many of us believe to be the Truth of God to separate ourselves from the Synod of Ulster, and to reinafn separated, until that Body shall have returned to the Scriptural principles and usages of Presbyterianisth. W 79 19. "That we now, in the name of the Great King and Head of the Church, and earnestly imploring the blessing of Almighty God, solemnly associate ourselves, under the designation of The -Remonstrant Synod of Ulsters a designation to which we consider ourselves justly entitledy as faithfully adhering to the original principles the solemnly enacted laws and the salutary customs of our Churcheom usïdtend yin to smen sdt ni bas,9.08m 1961 9191010 That we adopt the Code of Discipline, sanctioned by the General Synod of Ulster in 1825, as the law of Discipline in this Church and to show that we are not guided, inq pursuing [this course, by any view to promote the advancement of any set of doctrinal opinionsp to the exclusion of others, we hereby publicly and 'solemnly guarantee to the congregations which are under our care,band" to those which may hereafter form a portion of zour Church; the fall, free, and unrestricted exercise of their unquestionable right to elect, on alb cases of vacancy, ministers entertaining such views of Divine truth, as the congregations may themselves approvesentiw of ydtsqe deitloe ai „gnitiow to besteni 201104 That, to secure the exercise of this great privilege in its fullest extent, the Ministers Land Licentiates of the Church of Scotland, of the Synod of Ulster, the Synod of Munster, and the Presbytery of Antrim, together with the Ministers and Licentiates of any other Churches who may be sufficiently recommended to us by their character and talent, their education and their aptness to teach, shall be eligible to the vacant congregations under our carebs4907q İsqiɔring semiw to 991imeno”) 191097 8 to fortuos 12. That, in order to cultivated as far as lieth in us, a spirit of Christian liberality and good will, the ministers of the religious bodies referred to in the preceding Resolution, may, at all times, be invited to sit and deliberate with us in our Church Courts, and to join with us in the affectionate intercourse of ministerial services and Christian communion.?? moqu dɔasnt eziwadil tud The following important and excellent resolution was also adopted. That a subscription should be set on foot for the support of injured ministers to assist new congregations to form a fund for the endowment in due time of a Professor of Divinity in connection with the Remonstrant Synod andɗford the maintenance of Christian rights." Anda Mr. Porter was unanimously elected Clerk to the Remonstrant Synod. To Iqioning istusmisbat mmgloe edt to dosard to9rib e bun dondƆ o to 293sau bus awai 9d3A Public Dinner was given on the 10th of June at Derryboy, by persons of various religious sentiments, to the Ministers.composing the Remonstrant & Synod of Ulster, in testimony of the sympathy felt for the hardships and persecutions to which they have been exposed, and in approval of their manly and conscientious conduct.quDerryboy being distant from any large town, a tent was fitted up in a field, inside of which two tables ran the entire length, and the end table was occupied by the Chairman and the guests. About two hundred and ten individuals, Catholics and Episcopalians, Old Light and New Light, sat down to dinner. Dr. Gordon of Saintfield in the chair. b.Ons the health of the Rev. W. Porter, and the Remonstranta Synod of Ulster, being proposed and received with acclamations, Mr.s Passaid, Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, Irise for a double purpose. I rise to acknowledge the honour which has just now been i conferred on the Remonstrant Synod of Ulster, and also to express the gratitude of its ministers, for the kindness by which their convocation, on the present hospitable occasion, has been prompted. In my own name, and in the name of my brethren, most sincerely do I thank yous Believe me, Gentlemen, these are not words of mere form; they emanate from hearts, on which thankfulness (for this well-timed expression of your sympathy is engraved in characters thate will not soon beneffaced. You saw us labouring and suffering in a good cause; labouring in the cause of religious liberty, and suffering in the causes of religious truth. You saw us “ perplexed, and opersecuted, and troubled sondevery side,"band you generously resolved that we should not be forsaken. 9You saw us struggling for our lives, against the swellings of an angry sea, and instead of standing on the shore the cool spectators of our danger. instead of waiting, in selfish apathy, to witness the dubious result of our exertions, you dashed at once through the breakers, anxious to render all possible assistance. The bare manifestation of your solicitude to relieve us, has renovated our courage, and will give additionall vigour to our efforts. Some amongst us may be said to have weathered the storm; others are still exposed to its violence. Some of us have already sustained all the damages we |