A Historical Sketch of the Reformed Presbyterian Church General Synod

4 r i roRMi i) i * r i sb v r ’ uian church . centra l synod tlons. The writer has the highest respect for both sides In the controversy, and can only at this time lament the division, and hope that in God's’ own time we may eventually see eye to eye. (rood people often differ in their view of things, but these differ­ ences should not stand between us and separate us as brethren in Christ. Now hear Dr. McMaster on civil relations. The Doctor states as an alternative, what they must have intended. “Or rather,” says he, “does It not appear to have been the intention of Synod, under a testimony against whatever might be found amiss in the government, to leave the people in all they found moral, to hold civil and political communion with the States?” Examine, says the Doctor, the import of this document. This Synod, it says, in the name of its constituent members, and of the whole church, which they represent, de­ clare that they support, to the utmost, the independence of the United States, and the several States, against all foreign aggres­ sions, and domestic factions, etc. What is a State? It Is nei­ ther the soil nor the individuals', as such, that occupy the soil. IT IS THE BODY POLITIC; the community under their Consti­ tution and laws. It is the Constitution and constitutional laws, expiessed or understood, that binds the people into a commun­ ity, and thus forms a State. Abolish these bonds, and there is no body politic; no State. The sovereignty or independence of the several States is recognized in this deed of the church, and a soiemn pledge is given to support to the utmost, the several States in this independent sovereignty which they possess. This is much stronger and more explicit than the LEGAL oath of al­ legiance required. Again, he says, the UNITED STATES are recognized as dis­ tinct from the States. The States in union, present to the mind an otject distinct from that of the several States, under their own respective systems of order; and to the States, thus united, a., of right, independent of all foreign nations, the pledge of support to the utmost is tendered by this deed of our highest judicatory. What is it that constitutes the several States, the UNITED STATES? Is it not the Federal Constitution? The old thirteen States were first constituted UNITED STATES by their 1 epresentatives in the Congress of 1774, meeting in support of a common cause, against a common oppressor, and acting un­ der the well known principles of that common cause, for the general welfare.