the Presbyterians had concurred with them on this point, and not urged their intolerant system, and insisted on revolutionizing England and establishing Presbyterianism in its most rigid form there as well as in Scotland, republicanism would have predominated, and monarchy, with that licentious hypocrite Charles II at its head, never would have been introduced again. A spirit of tolerance on the one hand, and an uncompromising exclusiveness on the other, were the most striking traits of difference between Independence, or Congregationalism, on the one hand, and rigid Scotch Presbyterianism on the other.

To this day, when Congregationalism is spoken of by many, it is with the belief that all church affairs and government are transacted by the brotherhood, or members of the church in general, and that there is no kind of intercourse or connecting link among them. But this is far from being the case, Professor Hodge himself being judge; for he says repeatedly they were, in their forms, more Presbyterian than Congregational. A Presbyterian Minister, as Mather says, could get along with a congregation under this kind of government without much difficulty, as has been done in hundreds of instances in former days.

Professor Hodge acknowledges that the Congregationalists of New England were becoming more and more favorable to Presbyterian principles formerly than of late. What has produced this change? They saw and felt a necessity of a more energetic system than mere Congregationalism would afford; and if it had not been for the grasping at authority, and the illiberal and exclusive policy which they saw in the Presbyterian church, there is reason to believe that, by this time, or at least in process of time, the two denominations would have been melted into one, or would have so compromised their differences as to have improved both systems. But Presbyterians have defeated this desirable event, as they did in England before, in the year 1660, by overstraining the matter, and attempting to bring back the old Scotch system, in all its rigidity and intolerance, into the American churches. I am perfectly aware of the risk I am running in making these remarks; but I am not to be frightened, if the charge of being no Presbyterian, or of being a Congregationalist, should be made against me, while I have Professor Hodge, with the imprimatur of Princeton, testifying to the excellence of the New England Platforms of Government, as containing all the essential elements of the Presbyterian system, and that very good Presbyterian Puritans united in forming those systems, and lived contentedly and usefully under them. But why it is that Congregationalism was so good a thing formerly, and so full of deadly poison now, I confess I am unable to see. Sed tempora mutantur, et nos mutamur cum illis. The system is the same-the change in us.

CHAPTER II.

Doctor Dana's letter respecting Presbyterians in New England-Relative to the colonies, or settlements, formed by the Puritans out of the bounds of New England, and in those regions within which the first Congregations and Ministers of the Presby-tery, at its formation, were located-Influence of the Puritans in Virginia-The first settlements on the Delaware river and bay, and the peninsula lying south-The first settlements in Maryland-Doctor Hawk's account of the same-The Union formed between Presbyterians and Congregationalists in London, in 1699 or 1690, by which Union, Makemie and others, were sent as Missionaries to the American Colonies -The manner in which the Reformation was introduced in Scotland, and the genius and character of the Scotch system-The rise, character, &c. of American Presbyte-rianism contrasted with the strict Scotch plan-The location of the first Presbyterian Ministers with their Congregations-Letters from the Letter Book: 1. To New England Ministers about New Haven-2. To Sir Edmund Harrison-3. To Presbytery of Dublin-4. To Synod of Glasgow-5. To Rev. John Boyle, to be laid before the Presbytery of Dublin-6. Letter of Mr. Andrews to Mr. Prince-Remarks upon the said letter.

Before, however, I proceed to examine into the correctness of Professor Hodge's statements respecting the settlements formed by New Englanders in other parts, I shall take this opportunity of giving extracts from a letter which I received from my venerable friend Doctor Dana, of Newburyport, Massachusetts, dated February 10th, 1838, in answer to one I sent to him requesting information on several queries which I proposed to him. After other preliminary remarks, he proceeds: "I will begin, if you please, with the second of your queries, viz: Were not attempts made to introduce Presbyterianism in those bounds (of New England) upon an extensive scale, especially about the time of the Assembly of Westminster Divines, during the Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell? If so, by whom was this attempt made, and how was it disposed of?" In reply, he gives simply the extracts already published from Cotton Mather's Magnalia and Holmes's Annals, as being entirely satisfactory. He then proceeds: "Your first query is, When were the first Presbyterian Ministers introduced and settled within the bounds of the New England States-who were those Ministers, and where located?' Among the first Presbyterian Ministers who came to New England, perhaps the first of all, was the Rev. John Moorhead, of Boston, who was born in Ireland in 1703, and received his education at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He arrived at Boston about the year 1727, in company with a number of Presbyterian families

from the north of Ireland, whose ancestors had emigrated to that country from Scotland, and who, from that circumstance, were denominated Scotch Irish. About the same time other ministers and people came from Ireland, and planted themselves in several parts of New England. Mr. Robert Abercrombie, with a number of families, settled at Pelham, Hampshire county, Massachusetts. Some years before this, Mr. James McGregore, with a considerable congregation, commenced the settlement of Londonderry, New Hampshire. I am not furnished with facts or documents which enable me to give a more particular and ample reply to this inquiry."

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'Query 3d. Were there not some individual ministers and churches who used this form of government, but stood connected with none others at certain periods? If so, who and where were they?"

"Answer. Here, too, my reply must be very general. That there were Presbyterian ministers and churches remaining for years unconnected with any Presbytery, is evident from what has already been stated, if it be compared with the answer to the fifth query. Indeed, the first Presbyterian church in Newburyport, of which I was formerly Pastor, was formed without the aid of any Presbytery, and continued for several years unconnected with any."

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Query 4th. Were there not some churches in or about Boston, or elsewhere, which used a kind of mixed government, having both Ruling Elders and Deacons? If so, how long did this last, and how and when laid aside?"

"Answer. As to Boston, I know but of one Presbyterian church which has existed there, and that, I believe, during its existence was purely and strictly Presbyterian. It has long since become extinct. I recollect, indeed, at this moment, that about eleven or twelve years since there was an attempt to establish a Presbyterian church there; but the attempt was nearly abortive, and the church, after having maintained a sort of dying life for a very few years, expired. As to the Presbyterian churches at large, in former days, of New England, I am inclined to think that, so long as they retained the name, they generally preserved the forms of Presbyterianism. When those forms were given up, they professedly went over to. Congregationalism. It is true that the church in Newburyport, of which I have spoken, commenced on the plan of choosing its Elders annually. It was received under the care of the Presbytery with the understanding that it should retain this peculiarity, and it has retained it to this day.

"Query 5th. When were Presbyteries, or associations of Presbyterian Ministers, first formed within those bounds? How many such were there, and what became of them, or what is their present situation?"

"Answer. The first Presbytery in New England was constituted in Lon donderry, New Hampshire, April 16th, 1745, by the Rev. John Moorhead

of Boston, the Rev. David McGregore of Londonderry, and the Rev. Robert Abercrombie of Pelham, with an Elder from each of their respective churches. After three years, was added the church of Newburyport, whose Pastor was the Rev. Jonathan Parsons. The Presbytery, either at the time of its formation or some years afterwards, took the appellation of the Boston Presbytery. Its numbers increased gradually, but not rapidly, until the year 1770. It embraced twelve Ministers and as many Congregations. The plan now began to be seriously contemplated of forming a Synod, and, as in several subsequent years additions continued to be made, this plan was carried into effect at a meeting held, at Saybrook, New Hampshire, May 31, 1775. The distribution of Ministers and Churches was as follows: Mr. Parsons of Newburyport, Doctor Whitaker of Salem, Mr. Puley of Saybrook, Mr. McLean of Bristol, (Maine,) and the congregation in Boston, of which Mr. Moorhead had been the Pastor, together with Mr. Balch, and the vacancies within their bounds, were formed into the Presbytery of Salem. Mr. McGregore of Londonderry, Mr. Mitchell of Pembroke, Mr. Williams of Windham, Mr. Strickland of Oakham, with the congregations of Peterborough, and other vacancies appertaining, were constituted the Presbytery of Londonderry. Mr. Heuston of Bedford, and Mr. Baldwin of Kingston, with the vacant congregations of Blandford, Pelhamı, and Colraine, and Messrs. Hutchinson, Merritt, Gilmore, and Patrick, were constituted the Presbytery of Palmer. The three Presbyteries, thus organized, were formed into the Synod of New England, which held its first meeting at Londonderry September 4th, 1775. It continued to hold its meetings, usually at the same place, for four or five years."

"Some years previous to this, another Presbytery was formed, under circumstances somewhat peculiar, by Mr. Murray, once a Minister in Philadelphia, but now settled at Booth bay, in Maine, in connexion with a few other Ministers. But this Presbytery never connected itself with the Synod of New England; it was styled the Presbytery of the Eastward.

"Nor did the experiment of a Synod issue as favorably as had been anticipated. It was attended with few accessions to the Presbyterian cause. For this various reasons might be assigned: The wide dispersion of the Ministers and Churches did not favor their comfortable and frequent communion; the great mass of New England people were strongly attached to the principles of Congregationalism, and of course little disposed to a change. In addition to this, the churches and sections of churches which sought the new connexion were frequently influenced by a wish to avoid the pecuniary support of Congregational Ministers, rather than a genuine attachment to the Presbyterian cause; nor can it be denied, that the Ministers who applied to Presbyteries for reception, and were received with lit

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tle scrutiny, were sometimes men of doubtful or tarnished characters. In a few years only from its formation, serious difficulties and divisions arose in the Synod itself; and, its members being materially reduced, it was agreed it should be dissolved, and its members formed into a single Presbytery, styled the Presbytery of Salem; this took place in the year 1782. The new Presbytery soon languished, and, after having met in a few instances in Massachusetts proper, transferred its meetings to Maine, which was the residence of most of the Ministers and churches. The Ministers were, for various causes, ere long dismissed, and the churches either became extinct or assumed the Congregational form.

"About the year 1789 negotiations were commenced between the Presbytery of the Eastward and the Associate Presbytery of New York, having for their object the union of the two bodies. After various difficulties and delays, the object was accomplished in October, 1793, and the newly formed body took the name of the Presbytery of Londonderry. This Presbytery, in the year 1809, formed a regular connexion with the Synod of Albany, For several years, both before and after this event, it flourished and increased. In the year 1826 it applied to the Synod for a division, and, in consequence, the Synod detached the portion of the Presbytery belonging to Massachusetts, consisting of twelve Ministers and five churches, and formed them into the Presbytery of Newburyport.

"The Presbytery of Londonderry is still in a flourishing state; most of its churches were Presbyterian in their origin, and retain, in good measure, their early principles and habits. It is otherwise with the Presbytery of Newburyport; most of the few churches which compose it were originally Congregational, and, as they adopted Presbyterianism under the influence of circumstances, they have been reduced by circumstances to revert to their original form. The only church now remaining is in Newburyport." Query 6th. Were there not such Presbyteries, or Associations, as were of a mixed character, part of whose Ministers were Presbyterian and part Congregational and did not their government and mode of transacting business sometimes partake of a mixed character?"

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"Answer. In the Presbyteries of Londonderry and Newburyport, we have been in the habit of receiving Congregational Ministers who have wished to join us. But these brethren have brought nothing of their Congregationalism into the Presbytery; they govern their respective churches upon Congregational principles, but in all the transactions of our Presbyterial meetings they are as good Presbyterians as any of us. So, likewise, those of us who were Presbyterians from the first, when called by Congregational churches to make part of their councils for ordination, or for other purposes, quietly proceed upon Congregational principles."