them an eloquent, manly and resistless defense of his course and conduct. A few days afterward his church met, and passed resolutions approving his course, and condemning that of the Presbytery. The Presbytery, through their stated clerk, published a one-sided statement of their action. The Presbyterian Advocate-a paper that seldom, if ever, manifested either candor, fairness, or love of truth, if their opposites seemed to better serve its purpose-refused to publish either his reply, or the resolutions of the congregation. The congregation, however, had them published in an extra sheet at the office of the Liberty Advocate, in Cadiz. These papers we republish. Some of the members of that Presbytery have gone the way of all flesh, and have passed themselves the ordeal of a higher tribunal. Most of them yet live, and their unrepented acts make a part of their reputation, and the one under consideration ought not to be forgotten. [From the Presbyterian Advocate.] PRESBYTERY OF ST. CLAIRSVILLE -CASE OF THE REV. JOSEPH GORDON. The committee appointed by Presbytery to prepare a record of the proceedings of Presbytery in reference to Mr. Joseph Gordon, for publication, submit the following: Mr. Joseph Gordon, a licentiate under the care of the Presbytery of Coshocton, was, by virtue of a dismission from said Presbytery, received as a licentiate under the care of this Presbytery, at its meeting in June, 1846; and at the meeting of the Presbytery, Oct., 1846, there was a call laid on the table of Presbytery, for Mr. Gordon, by the church of New Athens, to become their pastor. The call was put into the hands of Mr. Gordon; and he having signified his acceptance thereof, Presbytery adjourned to meet at New Athens, on the 1st Tuesday of November next, with a view to ordain and install him as pastor of said church, provided the way was open. Presbytery having met at this time, pursuant to adjournment, heard the trial sermon of Mr. Gordon, from the text previously assigned him; and also examined him on the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew languages, the Natural and Moral Sciences, the Sacraments and Church Government; all of which examinations were sustained, as satisfactory parts of trial for ordination. At this stage of the proceedings, and when Presbytery were about to have a recess, it was intimated to Presbytery that there had been some letters written by Mr. Gordon, and published in the Liberty Advocate, in reference to the General Assembly of 1845; in which there were improper and unbecoming expressions made use of by him in reference to that body. Whereupon it was Resolved, That inasmuch as it had been represented to Presbytery that Mr. Gordon, the candidate for ordination, has written letters, published in the Liberty Advocate, in which there are expressions and sentiments which are slanderous to the Presbyterian church; therefore Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to examine such letters, and converse with Mr. Gordon on the subject, ascertain whether a retraction of such expressions be necessary, and how far Mr. Gordon is willing to retract; and report to Presbytery as soon as possible. The Rev. Dr. Rea, Rev. James Kerr, and Mr. Thos. J. Holliday were appointed that committee. Presbytery having again met, it was moved that the report of the committee of the preceding evening be adopted. The report is as follows: The committee appointed to examine certain letters written by Mr. Gordon, and to converse with him on the subject, report, That having examined one of the letters, acknowledged by Mr. Gordon to have been written by him, they found that the following language, in reference to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian church, that met at Cincinnati in 1845, occurs, viz.: "To blast these fond anticipations, came the blasphemous (the word is not too strong) report of the reverend Committee." Again: "A report which, in connection with the subsequent action of the Assembly, trampled on the right of free discussion, and manifested a reckless determination, on the part of the majority, to earn the title of 'brotherhood of thieves,' and 'wear it as a feather in their cap.' Again: "And yet these holy men say that Christ and his inspired followers did not condemn the system." "Great God of truth! how long Shall such a priesthood barter truth away! Again: "The time and circumstances in which the General Assembly of our church have taken this impious stand." The above are the principal expressions to which the Committee directed the attention of Mr. Gordon; and after much conversation with him on the subject, presented to him the fol lowing plain and simple questions; to which he himself appended the negative answers, viz.: 1. Are you willing to acknowledge that the language used in your letter to the Mt. Pleasant Convention is too strong? Answer." I am willing to say that I impugned no man's motives; but that the language is not too strong, if applied to me, should I with my views, do the same thing." 2d. Are you willing to acknowledge that the language was inappropriate, as used, to that reverend body? Answer."I would say as above, that I apply the language to the act, not the men. 3d. Are you willing to pledge yourself that you will refrain in future from using such language to your brethren? Answer." I would again distinguish between the men and the act. Toward the action I hold the same language. Against my brethren I will in future use no abusive or slanderous language whatever." After some discussion on the adoption of the foregoing report, the following question was presented to Mr. Gordon, and answered by him in open Presbytery, viz.: "Is Mr. Gordon willing to say that he regrets having written the letter in question?" Answer." I do not regret writing the letter, but I regret the construction that is put upon it." Whereupon the foregoing report was adopted by yeas and nays-yeas, 10; nays, 4; excused, 1. And hence all further proceedings in reference to his ordination were suspended. BENJAMIN MITCHELL, Stated Clerk. CADIZ, OHIO, April 22, 1849. MR. GORDON-Dear Sir: I am sorry to have to perform, as Clerk of the Presbytery, the duty which you will perceive is enjoined in the following extracts from the minutes: Extract from the Minutes of the Presbytery of St. Clairsville, met at Morristown, April 21, 1847. "A communication was received from the congregation of New Athens, requesting that the action of the previous meeting of Presbytery in reference to Mr. Joseph Gordon be reconsidered, and that he be ordained as their pastor; and also a letter from Mr. Gordon himself on the subject. "A motion was made and recorded that the request of the congregation be granted, which motion was lost by a unani mous vote. "A motion was then made and recorded that Mr. Gordon be deprived of his license. After some discussion, it was moved that the subject be postponed till next meeting of Presbytery. This motion was lost. At this stage of the business the subject was committed to Messrs. Rae and Kerr to bring in a minute for the adoption of Presbytery. Presbytery had a recess till 7 o'clock. "After recess, the committee appointed to bring in a minute for the adoption of Presbytery, in the case of Mr. Gordon, presented the following, viz.: "The committee appointed to bring in a minute for the adoption of Presbytery, in the case of Mr. Gordon, present the following, viz.: "WHEREAS, The congregation of New Athens have presented a request that Presbytery should reconsider their action at last meeting in reference to the ordination of Mr. Gordon, and that he be ordained and installed as their pastor, accompanied with a letter from Mr. Gordon himself on the subject; and, whereas, Presbytery has now refused to grant the request of the congregation of New Athens; and, whereas, the letter of Mr. Gordon contains no manifestation of a disposition to retract any of his offensive expressions used in reference to the General Assembly, but rather a reiteration and defense of said expressions. Whereas, he has published in the Liberty Advocate, since the last meeting of Presbytery, a lengthened defense of said expressions, and thus continued to reiterate instead of retracting the accusations against the highest judicatory of our church, for which Presbytery arrested his ordination at its last meeting; and, whereas, a licentiate is a probationer for the work of the ministry, and Presbytery have now twice decided that they can not introduce him into the full work of the gospel ministry, Mr. Gordon's term of probation ought now to cease. Therefore, "Resolved, That Mr. Joseph Gordon be and he hereby is deprived of his license to preach the gospel, and that his name be stricken from our roll of licentiates. "Resolved, further, That the letter of Mr. Gordon, published in the Liberty Advocate, of Dec. 23, 1846, and his letter at the same time to the Presbytery, be kept on file. "The report was accepted, and then the following resolution was presented and unanimously adopted. viz.: "Resolved, That the previous report be postponed for the present, and that when Presbytery adjourns it adjourns to meet at Wheeling Valley on the second Tuesday of May at 11 o'clock, and that a copy of the records of this meeting in his case be sent to Mr. Gordon, and that he be cited to attend that meeting, and informed that in case he does not then answer satisfactorily the questions previously put to him, that then the preceding report will be adopted. "By order of Presbytery. "JAMES KERR, Clerk." [For the Liberty Advocate.] MR. HANNA: The following communication was prepared for the Presbyterian Advocate; but, (after publishing the report to which it refers) the editor refused to insert this; I, therefore, ask the use of your columns to lay it before the public. J. G. [For the Presbyterian Advocate.] MR. EDITOR: As the Presbytery of St. Clairsville have given publicity, through your columns, to their proceeding in reference to myself, at their late meeting in New Athens, I hope you will permit me to present to the public, through the same medium, my reasons for dissenting from that decision. Public acts of public men are public property. The humblest individual has a perfect right to call in question the justness of any decision of men in the highest stations; and when statements are published touching the standing of an individual as a Christian minister, he ought in fairness to have the opportunity of vindicating himself. The history of my connection with St. Clairsville Presbytery is briefly this: Last June they received me as a licentiate from another Presbytery, and appointed me to preach to the congregation of New Athens till their fall meeting, which was all the time the congregation then asked for intending to present a call for my pastoral labors at that time. A call was presented and put in my hands at the October meeting of the Presbytery, and after my acceptance of it, they proceeded to assign me a subject for an ordination sermon, and "adjourned to meet in New Athens on the first Tuesday of November, to ordain and install me pastor of this church, 'if the way was clear.'" At the time appointed, the Presbytery met, proceeded to hear the sermon, and attended to nearly all the examinations, which were all unanimously sustained as parts of trial. But at this point the proceedings were arrested, by a motion "to appoint a committee to examine certain |