Shall these men be received as candidates for the ministry?" The vote being taken, one of the three was received, and two rejected by a majority of one vote only. This circumstance much depressed the spirits of a number of the preachers, who were real friends to the revival, and likewise the congregations generally, who had so earnestly desired their licensure; but more especially the spirits of those two candidates were depressed. They were men in a matrimonial state, and could not consistently with those relative duties, by which they were bound to their families, go and acquire the knowledge of all those forms of literature required by the book of discipline. Fain would they have returned honie, and solaced themselves in the enjoyment of their domestic comforts, as private christians, if they could have done so, and kept a good conscience: but this they could not do; nor could they with clearness become members of any other christian society, where the ministerial door was not so straight and difficult, and consequently, where they might have been at liberty to exercise their popular talents with approbation. No: they were attached to all the essential doctrines, and likewise the discipline of the Presbyterian church. It was in this church they were early dedicated to God by their parents, and in this church they first felt the power of the gospel upon their hearts, and tasted the sweetness of that grace, which brings salvation to man. Therefore, in the communion of this church they earnestly desired to live and die.

By this time a number of others, who were generally esteemed eminent for gifts and piety, together with those who had already offered as candidates, became solemnly impressed to proclaim the word of life and salvation to sinners. But alas! the door of admittance seemed to be shut against them.

In this dark state of matters, both the ministers themselves, and likewise the candidates, who had already of fered, and others who were looking forward towards the ministry, together with all the societies in our bounds, be. gan now, in good earnest, to realize the necessity of crying mightily to that God, who has church Judicatures in his hands, as well as the hearts of individuals. In the mean time, candidates, and other eminent characters, who were assiduously endeavoring in one way or another to

promote the work of God, were encouraged by their fathers In the ministry to continue the exercise of their gifts in a way of public exhortation, which several of them did, laboring much till the next Presbytery; at which time, several petitions were presented with hundreds of signatures, praying the Presbytery to license and send to their relief certain denominated persons. The subject was again ta ken into consideration, after which the Presbytery that was personally acquainted with those men embraced in the petitions, knowing their piety, soundness in the faith, aptness to teach, &c. and taking into view the situation of the congregations, and the extraordinary demand for preaching, determined to hear trial sermons from three or four of them (at the then present session) to be considered as popular discourses: which accordingly were delivered, and sustained by a large majority of the Judicature. And after an examination on various subjects, touching the ministry, which was also sustained, they were "lincensed to preach the gospel within the bounds of the Transylvania Presbytery, or wherever else, God in his providence, might call them."

Certain members who had always been opposed to the measure, entered their protest against the proceedings of the majority. But the majority were not deterred thereby, from pursuing in their official capacity, that method, which they conscientiously believed best calculated to promote the Redeemer's kingdom in the world.

The Synod not long after this, divided the Transylvania Presbytery, and formed what was called the Cumberland Presbytery, the bounds of which included all the members that attended the preceding session of the Transylvania Presbytery. This act gave a decided majority in the new Presbytery to the promoters of the revival, and those who were friendly to the licensure of the aforemen. tioned young men; which majority, ever after continued and increased until the Presbytery were dissolved.

The licensing of these men, on the petition of the congregations, seemed to be a mean in God's hand of increas ing, instead of decreasing, the demand for supplies. They, (the preachers,) laboring both night and day. leaving their families for a considerable length of time, preaching the word, planting new societies, and watering those that were planted, would necessarily increase such demand, if

attended with divine influence. And, brethren, we need only appeal to many of you, to witness the success that evidently attended those men's labors. The feeling and experience of your own hearts are better evidences to you on that subject, than all the reasons that could be advanced. Though you may have ten thonsand instructers, yet you have not many fathers in Christ.

The Presbytery, in pursuing what they believed to be their duty, continued from time to time to license and ordain such men, both learned and unlearned, (what is meant by unlearned here, is not a want of common English education,) as they thought would be useful laborers in the vineyard of the Lord. And, if the old maxim be a good one, ("judge of causes by their effects,") the Presbytery will never have just cause to regret that they engaged in, and pursued such measures: for it is an incontestible fact judging by our Lord's rule, (By their fruit ye shall know them) that there are multitudes of both men and women who will have cause to rejoice eternally that ever they heard those men preach a crucified Christ.

The members who entered their protest, sent a petition to the next session of Synod, refering them to the protest, "which they thought should have operated as an appeal," in which, they complained of various irregularities in the Cumberland Presbytery with respect to the licensure and ordination of men to the ministry. The Synod at that time, did or said but little about the matter; but, at their succeeding session, they appointed a Commission of Synod to meet shortly afterwards in the bounds of the Cumberland Presbytery at Gasper river, and directed certain mem bers of the Commission to cite previously to that meeting, all our preachers, licentiates, candidates, and public exhorters, who generally met in obedience to the cita

tion.

We would observe here brethren, that although the ap pointment of the Commission was, we hope, well intended, yet we believe it was unhappily selected as to a part of it, from what appeared in the prosecution of their mission.

There was much noise about so many exhorters having been authorized by the Presbytery. The members thought with the apostle, that it was the duty and privilege of all christians to exhort in some manner; and the design they had in licensing such as made application was to give them more weight among the people, without the most distant prospect of licensing them to preach except those Whose talents might justify such an act

A number of that body however, both preachers and elders, were meek and friendly disposed men, who felt themselves as brethren, disposed to pursue the most pacific measures, according to their order from the stated Synod, to heal the breach, that threatened the church. But on

the contrary it is notorious, that another part of that body were men of different tempers; and it was an unfortunate circumstance that those men were the most forward influential members.

After the Commission had met, and also the accused who were then known as the majority of the Cumberland Presbytery, the Commission selected from the minutes, and other sources, a number of irregularities, as chargeable against the majority of the Fresbytery, all of which, however, were comprised in the two following particulars viz: 1st. The licensing unlearned men, or such as had not been examined on the learned languages, &c. 2dly. That those men, who were licensed, both learned and unlearned, were only required to adopt the Confession of Faith partially; that is as far as they believed it to agree with the word of God.

As to the first ground of complaint, the Presbytery not only plead the exception made in the discipline in extraordinary cases, but also the example of a number of the Presbyteries in different parts of the United States.*

Among the many instances of this kind that might be mentioned, are the following, viz. Mr. Beck who was received by the Presbytery in N. Carolina -M. Bloodworth, by Orange--Mr. Moore by Hanover- Mr. Marquis by Redstone, and Mr. Kemper and Abell by the Transylvania Presbytery. Likewise, in Pennsylvania many years ago, a poor illiterate man, a native of Wales, conceiving that he had an internal call to preach the gospel, made his case known to the Presbytery. But, because he was not sufficiently acquainted with the English language to undergo an examination on it, or in any other but his mother tongue, the Presbytery therefore, instead of treating him without notice, sent to Virginia for President Davis, who was also a native of Wales, to perform the necessary examination previous to licensure, who on his return to Virginia, declared that he never had assisted in bringing a man into the ministry with greater free om in his life.

In short, the majority of Cumberland Presbytery, were of opinion, that the compilers of the Confession of Faith and discipline of our church, never intended the rules there laid down for examination and trial of candidates for the ministry, to be considered an infallible standard by which the Holy Ghost must be limited, when he calls men to that sacred office. They had no doubt but that reverend body, at the same time that they laid down those prudential rules, believed that the great Head of the church could, and actually did, when he thought proper, bring men into the ministry without the aid of those literary qualifications: and if granted that he might in one instance, why not in more; yea, why not in many. Who will stmit the Holy one of Israel?

They moreover appealed to a higher authority, than either of the foregoing, which was the new TESTAMENT, and inquired if there was any precept or example in that, which condemned the practice of licensing what they (the Commission) called unlearned men to preach the gospel. It was likewise asked, if God could not as easily CALL a Presbyterian to preach, who had not a liberal education, as he could a Methodist or Baptist, a number of whom, are acknowledged to be respectable and useful ministers. of Jesus Christ.

As to the second point, the Synod had suggested that the candidates could have adopted the "Alkoran," in the same manner they adopted the Confession of Faith. This was acknowledged to be literally true, but not applicable in the case of the young men; for the Presbytery contended that the very act of the candidates receiving the Confession at all, was an evidence that they esteemed it above all HUMAN creeds; and the exception, or condition, in which they were indulged, was only designed to meet some consciencious scruples, in points not fundamental nor essential, particularly the idea of FATALITY, that seemed to some of them to be there taught under the high and mysterious doctrine of predestination.

The reasons offered by the Presbytery, on these points, did not appear satisfactory to the commission of Synod: therefore, much altercation took place, during which time, no doubt but Christ was wounded in the house of his friends, by some, perhaps, of both Judicatures. It is well recollected, at any rate, that the Presbytery during the debate, were often reminded by certain members of the Commission, that they stood at the Commissioners' BAR! Indeed, brethren, it appeared to us very evident, that some of the leading members of that body, assumed attitudes and an authority, which but illy comported with the character of ministers of the meek and lowly Jesus, sent on a pacific mission.

After much reasoning, as well as positive assertion on the subject, the Commission demanded of the Presbytery, to give up to them all those men whom they had licensed and ordained for re-examination. The Presbytery refused, suggesting the danger of the example, and also that such a demand was without precedent. They moreover declared, that they believed the discipline of the Presby