recent divisions were scarcely healed; it recognizes the widespread belief that the utterances of Dr. McGiffert are inconsistent with the teachings of Scripture as interpreted by the Presbyterian Church and by evangelical Christendom; and it notes the painful anxiety which is being felt concerning the effect of these utterances on the life and work of the Church.

"Therefore, without pronouncing judgment upon the teachings of this book, or upon the views of its author, the Assembly directs the Presbytery of New York, of which Dr. McGiffert is a member, to confer with Dr. McGiffert for the relief of the Church, either by a satisfactory explanation or otherwise, and to take such further action as the peace and purity of the Church may require."

The third minority report, signed by Dr. Francis Brown, colleague of Dr. McGiffert, was as follows:

"The Assembly is confident that no one acquainted with the history of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America can doubt its condemnation of the false and pernicious teaching charged against the book in question by the Presbytery of Pittsburg, involving such matters as the irreverent handling of the New Testament; 'the setting aside of its authority as a divine rule of faith and practice;' the 'denial of fundamental doctrines of Evangelical Christendom ;' the 'treating with open contempt the obligations by which the author and all other Presbyterian ministers have bound themselves,' and the like.

"But the Church just now needs peace-the union of all its forces, the co-operation of all its members, the spirit of brotherhood and mutual confidence-that it may address itself with intense zeal and no waste of energy to its great, pressing and practical work of saving the souls of men.

"The Assembly, therefore, without pronouncing upon the question as to how far the terms employed by the Presbytery of Pittsburg are, or are not, justified by the actual teachings of the book referred to, deems it wise that no further action be taken."

These reports were presented on Wednesday afternoon, and an hour was taken for the consideration of them on Friday. As the time of the Assembly was drawing to a close, this consideration was limited to Friday afternoon, and the Assembly having heard the speeches in support of the three reports, engaged in a very brief debate and then adopted the majority report, amended in its last paragraph by Dr. John Dixon of New Jersey, as follows:

"The Assembly, therefore, in a spirit of kindness, no less than in devotion to the truth, counsels Dr. McGiffert to reconsider the questionable views set forth in his book, and if he cannot conform his views to the standards of our Church, then peaceably to withdraw from the Presbyterian ministry."

One of the most interesting features of the Assembly was the celebration of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of the Westminster Standards. The whole of Thursday was given to this celebration and twelve addresses were delivered, four at each session, and sustaining to one another a close relation. These addresses were of a very high order and were listened to with profound interest by the General Assembly. They are to be published in a volume and will form a worthy recognition of the anniversary.

VII. THE FIRST ATTEMPT AT CHURCH UNION IN AMERICA.

"Calvinism is divisive," it is said. We do not accept this charge as true. Calvinists are not more guilty of this than other Christian denominations, for there are divisions also among Methodists and Lutherans in this country. That a Calvinist is generally tenacious of what he believes to be true, is a truism. Better indeed a schism for right than a union

with wrong. It has been the glory of Calvinism that its motto has been, "there must be no compromise with evil.” We believe, however, that the tendency of Calvinism is not toward division, but toward union. Division is not in the essential nature of Calvinism. Its cause lies not in Calvinism itself but in the circumstances that have surrounded some of the branches of that far-reaching family. The famous words of Calvin may be taken as its keynote. In writing to Archbishop Cranmer, in 1552, about church union, he says: "The body of Christ is torn asunder, because the members are separated. So far as I am concerned, if I can be of any use, I will readily pass over ten seas to effect the object in view." In fulfilment of these irenic words of Calvin, it is interesting to note that the first attempt at union of denomination in the new world was made by Calvin's followers, namely, a union of the Dutch and German Reformed with the Scotch Presbyterians in 1744. It is true, the attempt was ineffectual. But it presents an interesting phase of Reformed and Presbyterian Church History. It was one of the most important religious movements of the last century; and although abortive, it is a helpful study in Church unity, of whose science we learn more by failures than by successes.

In his American Presbyterianism, page 284, Rev. Dr. Briggs speaks of this attempted union thus: "Divine Providence, in 1744, afforded the American (Presbyterian) Synod a magnifi

cent opportunity for combining the entire Presbyterian and Reformed strength in the colonies into one grand organization." Dr. Briggs' description of this movement is based on Presbyterian sources. We have just found the original correspondence between the Presbyterians of America and the Reformed of Holland about this subject, which throws much additional light on it. Our Presbyterian friends may not know how long this subject was under consideration by the Reformed Church of the Netherlands, who discussed it for twelve years, 1741-53. Nor do they know how near it came to being an actuality. The history of it is as follows:

I. THE FIRST EFFORT (1743-47).

The union of the Reformed of America with the Presbyterians came up in the Church of Holland earlier than it has been supposed. It appeared in connection especially with the German Reformed Churches of Pennsylvania, whom the Reformed Church of the Netherlands (owing to the poverty of the Reformed Church of Germany) had promised to foster. It was first suggested by the Holland deputies (who had charge of the Pennsylvania affairs) three years before it was generally supposed to be. As early as 1741, the deputies wrote to Rev. Mr. Dorsius, pastor of the Dutch Reformed Church in Bucks County, Pa., and to Rev. Mr. Frelinghuysen, pastor of the Dutch Reformed Church on the Raritan, N. J., about it, but they do not seem to have received any reply. When Rev. Mr. Dorsius visited Holland in 1743, the deputies very earnestly asked him what the Presbyterian Coetus (Synod) was, and whether the Dutch and German congregations could not be united with it, and thus the Holland Church be relieved from the care of them. They gave him two letters to take with him when he went back to America. One was to the German Reformed congregations in Pennsylvania, urging them to unite with the Presbyterians; the other was to the Presbyterian Synod of Philadelphia. Dorsius soon after his return in January, 1744, went to Philadelphia and laid the second letter

before the two Presbyterian ministers there. He translated the letter into English and brought it before the Presbyterian Synod in 1744, who took the following action, May 25, 1744: "The Rev. Mr. Dorsius, pastor of the Dutch Reformed Church in Bucks County, laid a letter before us from the deputies of North and South Holland, wherein they desire of the Synod an account of the High and Low Dutch Churches in this province and also of the Churches belonging to the Presbyterian Synod of Philadelphia, and whether the Dutch Churches may not be joined in communion with said Synod; or if this can not be, that they form themselves into a regular body and government among themselves. In pursuance of which letter, the Synod agree that letters be wrote to the deputies of these Synods in Holland in Latin and to the Scotch ministers of Rotterdam, giving them an account of the Churches here and declaring their willingness to join with the Calvinistic Dutch Churches here to assist each other as far as possible in promoting the common interests of religion among us, and signifying the present great want of ministers among the High and Low Dutch, with desire that they help in educating men for the work of the ministry." To carry this out the Presbyterian Synod appointed a committee to correspond with the deputies of the Church of Holland, consisting of the president of the Synod, Rev. Mr. McHenry, and Rev. Messrs. Andrews, Cross, and Evans, Jr. Mr. McHenry wrote, June 14, 1744. In his letter he reciprocates the kindly feeling of the Dutch toward the Presbyterians. He speaks of the respect that the Presbyterians had for the German Reformed, who hold to Calvin's doctrine. He says there are a great number of German Reformed in the colony with only one or two ministers to serve them, and that through neglect they are in danger of being led astray by adventurers or the sects, especially by the Moravians, who are multiplying. He declared that the Presbyterians were favorable to union, but if that could not be brought about, he trusts that the Church of Holland would aid them in their high school, by which ministers could be educated for the