USA > Ohio > The plan of union: or a history of the Presbyterian and Congregational churches of the Western Reserve; with biographical sketches of the early missionaries > Part 13
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As stated above, the Synod of Pittsburg granted the peti_ tion to divide the Hartford Presbytery, and appointed a meet- ing at Euclid, on the second Tuesday of November, 1814. The members of Hartford Presbytery set off to constitute the new Presbytery, were Rev. Messrs. Joseph Badger, Giles H. Cowles, and Thomas Barr. Mr. Badger was appointed to preach at the opening of the first meeting, and preside until a moderator should be chosen.
From the records of that meeting, the following is extracted :
EUCLID, November 8, 1814.
Presbytery of Grand River met according to appointment of Synod and was opened with prayer by the Moderator.
Present: Rev. JOSEPH BADGER, Moderator.
Rev. GILES H. COWLES,
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REV. THOMAS BARR,
ELDER J. REUBLE, from the church in Euclid,
DEACON M. COOK, from the church in Burton.
REV. Messrs. Simeon Woodruff and William Hanford being present, were invited to sit as corresponding members.
Rev. J. Badger was chosen Moderator, and Rev. G. H. Cowles Scribe.
Mr.Cowles being in a feeble state of health, requested an Assistant Scribe, which was granted, and Mr. Hanford was appointed.
Presbytery proceeded to discuss and adopt the following regulations and by-laws :
ARTICLES FOR REGULATION OF GRAND RIVER PRESBYTERY.
ART. 1. The Presbytery shall meet statedly on the first Tuesday of February and on the fourth Tuesday of August.
2. A Moderator, Scribe, Register and Standing Committee shall be chosen annually by ballot, who shall hold their offices until others are chosen to supply their places.
3. The moderator may, on the application of one minister or of one church, call a special meeting of the Presbytery, and on the applica- tion of two ministers, it shall be his duty to call such meeting, speci- fying in his letters of notification the particular business for which the meeting is called, and no business but what is thus specified shall be finally decided at said meeting; and when such special meeting is called, on the application of any church or individual, that church or individual shall be at the trouble of communicating the notification to the several members and churches of the Presbytery ; and this notifi- cation shall be given to each minister and church at least ten days before the time appointed for such meeting.
4. All licensing of candidates, ordinations, installations and dismis- sions of ministers in churches belonging to this body, shall be by this Presbytery.
5. The standing committee shall consist of five ministers, whose
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duty it shall be to examine the credentials of ministers and licentiates who apply for the approbation of this Presbytery during its recess ; and on receiving satisfaction respecting their qualification to preach the Gospel, shall, by certificate, recommend them to the churches ; which recommendation shall extend to the next meeting of Pres- bytery.
6. No church belonging to this body shall give a call for settlement to any candidate, until he shall have been approved by this Presby- tery, or by one or more of their standing committee.
7. Every church belonging to this Presbytery, shall be represented at the meetings of the Presbytery.
8. Individual churches or members belonging to this Presbytery, may adopt either the Congregational or Presbyterian mode of govern- ment and discipline.
9. When those churches which adopt the Congregational mode of government and discipline, have decided on any case and either party is aggrieved, appeal may be made to the Presbytery, and their deci- sion shall be final.
(In 1817 this article was amended as follows : ) - When those churches which adopt the Congregational mode of government and discipline, have decided on any case, and either party is 'aggrieved, appeal may be made to Presbytery, whose authority extends only to the churches and not to individual members. But no further appeals shall be allowed.
10. When any minister proposes to join this Presbytery, it shall be the duty of the Presbytery to satisfy themselves with regard to his religious sentiments and conduct, and admit or reject as they shall deem expedient; the Presbytery shall also satisfy themselves with respect to the religious sentiments and Christian practice of every church before its admission into this body.
11. At each meeting, the Presbytery shall attend to any case of importance that may be proposed by members wanting light thereon. It shall also be the duty of each minister and delegate, at the annual
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meeting in February, to give an account of the state of religion within the respective churches which they represent; particularly with re- gard to revivals of religion, religious instruction of children, observ- ance of the Sabbath, and attendance on public worship. There shall also be at each stated meeting one exercise, which shall be subject to the friendly remarks of the Presbytery, for the particular benefit of the speaker, who, with his second, shall be appointed at the meeting next preceding that at which he is to preach. Also, at each stated meeting, there shall be one or more theological questions or passages of Scripture proposed for discussion at the ensuing meeting.
12. Every Church, at the annual meeting in February, shall exhibit the records of their annual proceedings to this Presbytery, for exam- ination.
13. Every meeting of the Presbytery, shall be opened and closed with prayer.
14. At every meeting of Presbytery, at least half an hour shall be set apart for social prayer and praise.
15. These regulations shall be read at each annual meeting.
16. Licentiates belonging to the Presbytery shall be answerable to the Presbytery for their preaching and moral conduct.
17. When a licentiate belonging to this Presbytery wishes to itin- erate without the bounds of this Presbytery, he shall apply for per- mission to the Presbytery, or in its recess to the standing committee ; and when permission shall be given, it shall specify the time of ab- sence, and be signed by the moderator, or by two of the standing committee, who shall communicate the same to the Register, to be re- corded.
18. When such licentiate shall itinerate within the limits of any other Presbytery, or within those of an association, he shall be di- rected to exhibit his credentials to them, or to the standing committee, in order to receive a letter of recommendation to the churches within their limits.
19. Where a licentiate belonging to this Presbytery, wishes to put
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himself under the care of another Presbytery, or of an association, he shall apply for a dismission from this body, and for a recommend- ation to such particular Presbytery or association.
20. All additions to, or alterations of, these regulations, shall be proposed at a stated meeting at least four months before such addi- tions or alterations are adopted ; and they shall not be adopted with- out the concurrence of two-thirds of the members present.
The following resolution was adopted :
" Resolved, That delegates from churches, who wish to unite with this Presbytery, be requested to bring the Confession of Faith of said churches to the next stated meeting."
Churches and ministers were only admitted when their creed and practice appeared to be sound.
Rev. S. Woodruff was examined and admitted to member- ship at this meeting of Presbytery. We shall see an encour- aging growth as we trace the history of this infant body.
BURTON, Feb. 14th, 1815.
The Committee appointed by the last Presbytery to draft a Confes- sion of Faith, reported. The Confession which they reported, after being amended, was adopted by the Presbytery.
CONFESSION OF FAITH FOR THE USE OF THE CHURCHES BELONGING TO THIS PRESBYTERY.
1. You believe in one God, the Creator, Preserver and Governor of the Universe; that he is a Being of infinite wisdom, power, justice, holiness and truth, the self-existent, independent, goodness and un- changeable fountain of all good.
2. You believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God; that they contain a complete and harmonious system of divine truth, and are the only rule of religious faith and practice.
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3. You believe that there are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost; that these three are in essence one, and in all divine attributes equal.
4. You believe that God governs all things according to his eternal and infinitely wise purpose, so as to render them conducive to his own glory and the greatest good of the universe ; and in such a manner as not to diminish his hatred of sin, the liberty of man, or the import- ance of the use of means.
5. You believe that God at first created man in his own moral im- age, consisting in righteousness and true holiness ; that being left to the freedom of his own will, he fell from that holy and happy state, by sinning against God ; that since the fall of Adam, all mankind come into the world destitute of holiness.
6. You believe that in reference to the fall of man, God did from eternity appoint his only and well beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to make atonement for sin, and thus provide for the consistent be- stowment of pardon on all those that repent and believe the Gospel ; you believe that as all men in their natural condition reject Christ, God, therefore, did from eternity choose some of the human race to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth; and that all those whom he has thus chosen, he will renew and sanc- tify in this life, and keep them by his power through faith unto sal- vation.
7. You believe that Christians are justified freely by grace through faith in Christ; and that though they are thus freely justified, still the Law of God as a rule of duty, remains in full force, and they are under obligation perfectly to obey it.
8. You believe that personal holiness is a certain effect of the re- newing operations of the Holy Spirit, and affords the consciences of believers the only scriptural evidence of their justification and title to a heavenly inheritance.
9. You believe that all are under solemn obligations to repent and 15*
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believe, and that therefore every sinner is inexcusable for impenitence and unbelief.
10. You believe that the visible Church of Christ consists of visible saints who publicly profess their faith in him ; and that baptised chil- dren so belong to the church as to be under its care, instruction and government.
11. You believe in the divine appointment of the Christian Sabbath, and of the Sacraments of the New Testament, Baptism and the Lord's Supper, which Christians are under solemn obligations duly to ob- serve ; and that believing parents are bound to dedicate their chil- dren to God in Baptism, and to train them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
12. You believe that the soul is immortal, and that at the last day Christ will raise the dead and judge the world in righteousness; that. all the finally impenitent will go away into endless punishment, and the righteous be received to heaven to enjoy eternal felicity.
COVENANT FOR THE CHURCHES BELONGING TO GRAND RIVER PRESBYTERY.
You, viewing yourselves subjects of special divine grace, do now in the presence of God, angels and men, renounce the service of sin, and avouch the Lord Jehovah to be your God and eternal portion, the Lord Jesus Christ to be your only Saviour, and the Holy Ghost to be your Sanctifier and Comforter.
You promise to take God's holy Word for your directory, and by divine assistance to comply with all its injunctions. You solemnly engage duly to regard all the instituted ordinances of the Gospel. You promise daily to attend secret prayer; statedly to attend on the Lord's Supper ; to observe the first day of the week as the Christian Sabbath ; not to allow yourselves to be employed on that day in un- necessary worldly business or conversation, but to devote your time to the public and private exercises of religion, to the perusal of the Bible and such other books as are calculated to promote spiritual improve-
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ment. You, who are heads of families, promise daily to maintain fam- ily religion, by prayer and reading the Word of God; seasonably to dedicate your children to God in Baptism, to educate, govern and re- strain from vicious practices and company all under your care.
You severally promise to refrain from unnecessarily mingling in the society of the vicious and from vain conversation ; and finally to watch over your brethren in the church, and, if necessary, to reprove them with Christian meekness ; to submit yourselves to the watch and and discipline of this church, endeavoring in all things to promote its spiritual interest ; and to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called, so as to give no just occasion of offense to any.
Of course the above Confession and Covenant were only re- commended to the churches for their use ; but the recommend- ation was generally complied with, and hence these may be taken as a fair specimen of the earlier creeds and covenants of the churches on the Reserve.
ARTICLES FOR THE REGULATION OF CHURCHES BELONGING TO GRAND RIVER PRESBYTERY.
ART. 1. This Church adopt the regulations proposed by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America, and approved by the General Association of Connecticut, June 16, 1801, for the promo- tion of union and harmony among the churches in new settlements.
2. (For Congregational Churches.) This church shall have a stand- ing committee chosen from their members, consisting of not less than two and not more than seven, whose duty it shall be to take cogni- zance of the disorderly conduct of members, and to labor to promote the spiritual interests of the church.
3. All persons applying for admission to this church, either by let- ter or otherwise, shall be examined by the officers of the church, all the members of which shall consider it their duty to attend, and to ask such questions as they think necessary. If candidates give sat-
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isfactory evidence to the church of their Christian character, they shall in ordinary cases be publicly propounded two weeks before their admission.
4. This church consider it to be their duty not to admit members of distant churches residing in this vicinity to occasional communion, in ordinary cases, for a longer period than one year.
5. This church consider it the duty of male heads of families, and, when circumstances do not forbid, of those who are females, daily to read the Scriptures and pray in their families. They also recommend t to all heads of families, that singing praises to God be considered as a part of family worship.
6. This church consider it an important duty that heads of families instruct and govern their children, and all under their care, agreea- bly to the Word of God, endeavoring to restrain them from evil prac- tices and from vicious company ; and directing them by parental au- thority to attend catechetical lectures appointed by the pastor or church whenever circumstances will permit.
7. This church consider it their duty to pay special attention to their baptized children ; and that parents and others who are mem- bers of this church, having the more immediate care of such children, shall be accountable to the church for their religious instruction and government, so long as they continue members of their families for any evident neglect of religious instruction or government, shall be as liable to discipline as for any other offense whatever.
8. This church consider the collecting of hay or grain on the Sab- bath, attending to any part of the business of making sugar, the vis- iting of friends except in cases of sickness, and the prosecution of journeys on that day, without special necessity, a violation of Chris- tian duty.
EXTRACTS FROM THE MINUTES OF GRAND RIVER PRESBYTERY.
A few pages of extracts from the minutes of the Presbytery, may serve to exhibit its practical workings, for a few years.
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The first report of the new Presbytery, to the General Assem- bly, was exhibited May 1815.
They reported that they consisted of seven members and had under their care eight congregations. The ministers were Messrs. Badger, Cowles, Barr, Seward, Coe, Woodruff and Hanford.
CHURCHES - Austinburg and Morgan, Euclid, Aurora, Hudson, Mantua, Nelson, Burton, and Rootstown. Mr. Coe preached at Ver- non, Hartford and Kinsman, and Mr. Woodruff at Talmadge, to churches not then connected with Presbytery. The membership of the churches at this time, connected with Presbytery, numbered 239; the baptisms for the year were 44 infants.
The next year, May, 1816, the Presbytery reported to the General Assembly : that they consisted of 9 members, and had under their care 15 congregations. The ministers added were Rev. Messrs. Leslie and Humphrey. Alvan Coe was taken under the care of Presbytery, as a candidate for the ministry. The added churches were Harpers- field, Talmadge, Vernon, Sharon, Painesville, Hamden, Greene and Johnston ; communicants, 395; baptisms, 4 adults, 91 infants. Dur- ing the year, the Presbytery had installed Rev. Mr. Hanford, at Hud- son, and Rev. Mr. Humphrey, at Burton.
June 11, 1816. In view of the great dearth both in temporal and spiritual things, the Presbytery appointed a day of fasting, humilia- tion and prayer.
At the same meeting, dissertations were read on the following ques- tions : - First, Is it sinful to attend balls ? Second, Ought professors of religion to be disciplined for attending balls? Third, Ought pro- fessors of religion to be disciplined for allowing their children to at- tend balls ? Presbytery decided the questions in the affirmative; the first two unanimously, and the last by a large majority.
The question, Is it the duty of a church to call to account commu- nicants, who absent themselves from the communion when able to at- tend ? was discussed and decided in the affirmative.
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At almost all the meetings of Presbytery, dissertations were read, by previous appointment, on topics of doctrinal or practical interest ; e. g., in addition to the above, the following questions were written upon : - What is the true ground of a sinner's obligation to repent ? In what relation do baptized ehildren stand to the church ? What was the covenant of which circumcision was the seal ? Can a Chris- tian consistently marry a person openly vicious ?
August 22, 1816. Resolved, That it be recommended to all the ministers and churches belonging to this body, to call their baptized children together for special instruction and prayer, at least as often as a lecture preparatory to the Lord's Supper shall be delivered.
February 12, 1817. Resolved, to take measures to form a Society for the education of indigent, pious, young men for the ministry, with- in the limits of this Presbytery, and that a committee be appointed to report on the subject. Rev. Messrs. Cowles and Pitkin and Deacon S. Mills, were appointed. The committee reported favorably, and a con- stitution drawn up by them was adopted.
May, 1817. The Presbytery report that they consist of nine mem- bers and twenty congregations, and one licentiate, Rev. A. Coe.
The new churches were, Williamsfield, Dover, Madison, Kingsville and Ashtabula, Brecksville and Braceville. Thirteen out of the 20 were reported vacant.
The membership now numbered 599; baptisms for the year, adults, 35 ; infants, 160.
Burton, June 10, 1817. Rev. Alvan Coe was ordained an evangel- ist. Mr. Coe was appointed to labor as a missionary west of the Cuyahoga.
September 24, 1817. Presbytery met and installed Rev. J. Treat as pastor of the church in Sharon.
July 6, 1818. Installed Rev. Amasa Loomis Pastor over the church in Painesville.
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FOURTH REPORT OF GRAND RIVER PRESBYTERY, TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY, MAY, 1818.
Presbytery consist of twelve members and twenty-five congrega- tions. Ministers added last year, Rev. Messrs. Pitkin, Treat, and A . Coe. Churches added, Bristol and Bloomfield, Streetsborough, Stowe and Harrisville, and Number 5, 14th Range. Members, 652.
August 18, 1818. Voted to request the Synod of Pittsburgh to annex to this Presbytery the townships Nos. 3 and 4, in the several Ranges in the county of Trumbull, which are now included within the limits of the Hartford Presbytery.
The Presbytery frequently acknowledges the receipt of small sums of money from the "Female Charitable "Societies " in Euclid, Aurora, and other places, for educational and mission- ary purposes.
August 19, 1818. Voted to request the Synod of Pittsburg to set off that part of Grand River Presbytery which lies west of the east line of Portage and Cuyahoga counties into a new Presbytery.
The Presbytery of Portage was constituted, in accordance with the above request, by an act of the Synod of Pittsburg, October 7, 1818. The first meeting was held at Hudson, December 8, 1818. The constitution and regulations of this Presbytery, and the Confession of Faith and Covenant recom- mended to the churches connected with it, do not differ mate- rially from those of the Grand River Presbytery, and therefore need not be here inserted.
At their first meeting, the Portage Presbytery formed a Do- mestic Missionary Society for their own bounds, which was instrumental in the settlement of several ministers within the
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limits of the Presbytery (the Presbytery at this time extend- ing to the west line of the Reserve).
An Education Society was also formed at the first meeting of the Presbytery, which was instrumental in aiding several . young men in their preparation for the ministry, of whom President Sturtevant, of Illinois College, is one.
PRESBYTERY OF HURON.
The Huron Presbytery was organized upon a basis similar to that of the others, in 1823. The following extracts are taken from the Constitution of this Presbytery :
ART. 4. The licensing of candidates, the ordination and installation of ministers over, and dismissing them from, churches belonging to this body, shall be by the Presbytery.
5. The standing committee shall consist of not less than two, nor more than six ministers, whose duty it shall be to examine the cre- dentials of ministers and licentiates who shall apply for the approba- tion of this Presbytery during its recess ; and on receiving satisfac- tion respecting their qualifications to preach the Gospel, they shall recommend them to the churches, which recommendation shall extend to the next stated meeting of the Presbytery. It shall be the duty of the standing committee to give permission to candidates wishing to itinerate beyond the bounds of the Presbytery, &c.
6. Licentiates under the care of this Presbytery shall be amenable to it for their preaching and moral conduct.
10. When any minister proposes to join this Presbytery, it shall be the duty of the Presbytery, to satisfy themselves respecting his reli- gious sentiments and conduct, and admit or reject, as they shall deem expedient. The Presbytery shall also satisfy themselves respecting the religious sentiments and Christian practice of any church, before admitting it into this body.
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11. Ministers belonging to this body, when called upon to organize a church, shall deem it their duty to instruct those who are wishing to be organized into a church, respecting the regulations of this body, and the importance of churches being connected with some ecclesias- tical body ; and when churches shall be formed by such ministers within the limits of this Presbytery, such churches shall be consid- ered as under the care of this body.
12. Individual ministers or churches belonging to this Presbytery, may adopt either the Congregational mode of government and disci pline, or the Presbyterian.
13. When those churches which adopt the Congregational mode of government and discipline, have decided a case, and either party is aggrieved, appeal may be made to the Presbytery, whose authority extends only to the churches and not to the individual members ; but the appeal may not be carried to the General Assembly or Synod.
14. This Presbytery shall be the standing council of the churches under their care, to whom all cases of difficulty, in which counsel or advice is desired, shall be referred ; unless permission be obtained from the Presbytery to call a select council.
15. In all cases of trial, the evidence on both sides shall be fairly taken and recorded by the judicatory, and in cases of appeal this ev- idence shall be presented to the superior judicatory as the ground of decision.
16. No church belonging to this body shall give a call for settle- ment to any candidate or minister, until he shall have been approved by the Presbytery, or two of the standing committee. Nor shall the Presbytery ordain a candidate until he shall have put himself under their care ; nor install a minister until he shall have joined this body.
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