shall and Stone, in Kentucky. David Purviance, whose name will appear further on in this history, was a candidate for the ministry, and was in sympathy with the then new theology and the new theologians.

Charges were preferred against McNemar in the Presbytery, and he was cited for trial. He was condemned for preaching doctrines contrary to the Confession of Faith. The case came before the Synod. Marshall, Dunlavy, Stone, and Thompson understood that McNemar's was a test case, and that if he were condemned for heresy they also were under a ban. When it was seen that the decision would be against them, and before the judgment of the court was announced, the five accused brethren withdrew to a garden, where, in prayer, they sought divine direction. Having prayed, they drew up a protest against the proceedings of the Synod in McNemar's case, a declaration of independence, and a withdrawal from the jurisdiction of this tribunal, but not from the Presbyterian Church.

The public reading of this document created a sensation. A committee was at once appointed to confer with the protesting brethren, and induce them, if possible, to reconsider their decision. This committee was prompt and faithful in the discharge of its duty, but was compelled to report to the Synod that the accused brethren remained firm.. An aged gentleman named Rice-David Rice-familiarly and lovingly known as "Father Rice," was the most important member of this committee. He maintained, in his interviews with the young brethren, that every departure from Calvinism was a step toward atheism! The steps named by him were: from Calvinism to Arminianism, from Arminianism to Pelagianism, from Pelagianism to deism, from deism to atheism!

Since the effort of the committee to reclaim the erring brethren was unsuccessful, they were, according to the

ORGANIZATION OF THE SPRINGFIELD PRESBYTERY. 25

forms of law recognized in the Presbyterian denomination, adjudged guilty of departing from the standards in their public teaching, and were therefore suspended from the ministry.

A result of the position of these brethren and the action. of Synod was contention in the churches and division.

The decision of the Synod still more turned the minds of Messrs. Marshall, Dunlavy, McNemar, Stone, and Thompson against all human authoritative creeds. They blamed their creed for the strife in their beloved church, and for the consequent division, but not yet had the suspended ministers a serious thought of leaving the fellowship of the Presbyterian denomination.

Immediately, therefore, after their withdrawal from Synod, they organized the Springfield Presbytery. A letter was addressed by the excommunicated ministers to their congregations, in which they informed them of what had transpired-the prayers in the garden, the protest, the declaration of independence, the withdrawal, the excom munication-promising soon to give a full account of their conception of the gospel, and reasons for their conduct. This promise was in due time redeemed. Their objections to the Confession of Faith were given at length. They assailed all authoritative creeds formed by fallible men. They declared their abandonment of all such creeds as tests of Christian fellowship. They affirmed their devotion to the Bible alone as containing a sufficient, and the only infallible, standard of faith and rule of life. They maintained that it alone was "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness," and that by the Bible and the Bible alone "the man of God may be perfect, and thoroughly furnished unto all good works." This volume bore the title, "The Apology of Springfield Presbytery.'

The conduct of the deposed brethren was not such as to calm the troubled waters. Pamphlets were published against them; pulpits engaged in the controversy; almost of necessity there was more or less of misunderstanding, misrepresentation, and consequent injustice and ill-feeling. To claim that the suspended ministers and their adherents were in no respect to blame would be to claim for them more wisdom and forbearance and self-control than belongs to our frail human nature. By the zeal of friends and enemies alike the views of the condemned ministers spread rapidly.

Under the name of the "Springfield Presbytery” the five men mentioned above went forward preaching and organizing churches. During this time also David Purviance, spoken of already as a candidate for the ministry, united with this Presbytery. After about a year they saw, or thought they saw, that the name and organization of the "Springfield Presbytery" was not in harmony with their publicly expressed devotion to the Bible alone as a sufficient standard of faith and guide of life. The thought came into their minds that the name "Christian" was given to the disciples of Christ by divine authority. Converts to the new views were rapidly made. Churches were organized, and preachers multiplied. But the consciences. of these good men could not long remain in such a state of tension. Their words and deeds alike must harmonize with their convictions of truth and duty.

Consequently, at the next annual meeting of the newly organized Presbytery, held in the month of June, in the year 1804, it was determined by the organizers and other members to bring the existence of the body to an end. This they did with entire unanimity by the adoption of a singular paper entitled "The Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery."

THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT.

27

This document, drawn in the form of a will, and signed by the deposed ministers, was followed by a statement. called

"THE WITNESSES' ADDRESS.

"We, the above-named witnesses of 'The Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery,' knowing that there will be many conjectures respecting the causes which have occasioned the dissolution of that body, think proper to testify that from its first existence it was knit together in love, lived in peace and concord, and died a voluntary and happy death.

"Their reasons for dissolving that body were the following: With deep concern they viewed the divisions and party spirit among professed Christians, principally owing to the adoption of human creeds and forms of government. While they were united under the name of a Presbytery they endeavored to cultivate a spirit of love and unity with all Christians; but found it extremely difficult to suppress the idea that they themselves were a party separate from others. This difficulty increased in proportion to their success in the ministry. Jealousies were excited in the minds of other denominations, and a temptation was laid before those who were connected with the various parties to view them in the same light. At their last meeting they undertook to prepare for the press a piece entitled 'Observations on Church Government,' in which the world will see the beautiful simplicity of the Christian church government stripped of all human inventions and lordly traditions.

"As they proceeded in the investigation of that subject, they soon found that there was neither precept nor example in the New Testament for such confederacies as modern church sessions, presbyteries, synods, general assemblies,

etc. Hence they concluded that while they continued in the connection in which they then stood they were off the foundation of the apostles and prophets, of which Christ himself is the chief corner-stone. However just, there

fore, their views of church government might have been, they would have gone out under the name and sanction of a self-constituted body. Therefore, from a principle of love to Christians of every name, the precious cause of Jesus, and dying sinners who are kept from the Lord by the existence of sects and parties in the church, they have consented to retire from the din and fury of conflicting parties-sink out of the view of fleshly minds, and die the death. They believe their death will be a great gain to the world. But though dead, as above, and stripped of their mortal frame, which only served to keep them too near the confines of Egyptian bondage, they yet live and speak in the land of gospel liberty; they blow the trumpet of jubilee, and willingly devote themselves to the help of the Lord against the mighty. They will aid the brethren by their counsel when required, assist in ordaining elders or pastors, seek the divine blessing, unite with all Christians, commune together, and strengthen each other's hands in the work of the Lord.

"We design, by the grace of God, to continue in the exercise of those functions which belong to us as ministers of the gospel, confidently trusting in the Lord that he will be with us. We candidly acknowledge that in some things we may err through human infirmity; but he will correct our wanderings, and preserve his church. Let all Christians join with us in crying to God day and night to remove the obstacles which stand in the way of his work, and give him no rest till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. We heartily unite with our Christian brethren of every name in thanksgiving to God for the display of his