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nate to a national Synod, composed of delegates from each Synod; to which also foreign churches of similar principles may send delegates. Such a Synod has not been held since that of Dordrecht, in the years 1618, 1619. By the fiftieth article of the rules of government, which that Synod adopted, it was directed that a general Synod should meet every three years; but not without the approbation of the supreme authority of the land. This article, however, has never been carried into effect, either because the magistracy have withheld consent, or the church has not requested it. The original manuscript of the acts of the Synod of Dort being put in the possession of the States General, they, as early as 1625, resolved, that that manuscript should every three years be inspected by delegates from their body, and from the provincial Synods jointly. In the year 1637, a new translation of the Bible, was undertaken by order of their High Mightinesses, and according to a resolution of the Synod of Dort, was finished. A printed copy, examined by the translators and the visitors, and corrected in the margin, was deposited for preservation in the State House, in Leyden. This copy is inspected at the same time with the acts of the Synod of Dort. The ceremony is as follows: Every third year, in the month of May, twenty-one ministers, deputed from the provincial Synods, repair to the Hague. The Walloon Synod also sends These two-and-twenty ministers being met in the Klooster Kerk, in the Hague, a prayer is offered up by one of the ministers of the place, who is generally a member of the assembly. After the credentials are read, a president and secretary are chosen, and the acts of the last meeting of this body, which is called the Catus of the Hague, are read. In the mean time the ministers have given

one.

notice of their arrival to the president of the assembly of the States General. A letter is also dispatched to the magistracy of Leyden, informing them of the arrival of the ministers at the Hague.

When formed, the Cœtus, with their president and secretary at their head, repair in procession, two by two, to the court. Being introduced to their High Mightinesses, the president delivers a suitable address, in which he recommends to the States, the churches at home and abroad, and requests the inspection of the Synodical acts. The president of their High Mightinesses in reply, praises the zeal of the clergy, and grants the request. After this they return to the church, and register the resolution of their High Mightinesses. The next day, at the appointed time, they repair again to the court, and are led into the Treves chamber, where they are welcomed by two delegates of their High Mightinesses. These place themselves at the upper end of a long table, in armed chairs: the president, secretary, and other ministers, seat themselves also, according to the rank of the provinces to which they belong. One of them offers up a prayer, wherein he thanks God for purifying the Church, through means of the Synod, and prays that the Acts of the same may be found inviolate now, as they were three years before. The chest fitted for the preservation of these Acts, and placed in the Treves chamber, is then opened with eight several keys. The Acts, which are neatly bound up in seventeen volumes, are taken out and shown first to the delegates of their High Mightinesses, and then to the ministers. After this inspection a prayer is again offered up, and the whole ceremony concludes with a dinner, of which the clergy partake together at their own expense. The day after this, the delegates of their High Mightinesscs,

and all the ministers, proceed in two government yachts to Leyden, where they go together to the tower. The magistracy, informed of their arrival, send a burgomaster, accompanied with a secretary or pensionary, to welcome them, and conduct them to the State House. The delegates of their High Mightinesses are received in the burgomaster's chamber, and the ministers in the common council chamber. In the last mentioned room, is shown to both the delegates and the ministers, with some of the magistracy of Leyden, the corrected translation of the Bible, the notes concerning the order and manner of said translation, and some acts of the translator's; all of which are kept there in a chest. The secretary of the city, and first Regent of the States College*, open the chest, each with a key. Before and after the inspection, a prayer and thanksgiving are offered up. The whole assembly, after this, are conducted to the tower, and there entertained handsomely, at the expense of their High Mightinesses. Whilst at dinner, a city messenger comes in, who knocks on a silver bason, and afterwards offers to the delegates of the states, in behalf of the city, eight canns of Rhenish wine, this being the remains of an old custom. In place of this gift, the two delegates take, out of respect to the city, each of them fifty guilders, which they however give to the city messengers, and other servants. After the dinner, they all return to the Hague, where the secretary of the Cœtus records, that the inspected articles are sound, uninjured by worms, moth, or mice. The delegates of the states having given an account of their doings, the ministers are thanked for their trouble, and shortly after return home.

A college at which students for the ministry or schools are educated.

(To be continued.)

FOR THE CHRISTIAN'S MAGAZINE.

GO

CHURCH OF GOD.

No. X.

BESIDE

Results.

ESIDE the conclusions which we have drawn from the general Constitution of the Church of God, relative to Christian communion, and the rights and duties mutually subsisting between the Church and her infant members, there is a

Third result relative to her officers; especially those who labour in the word and doctrine. It is this: They are PRIMARILY the property of the CHURCH CATHOLIC; and only in a SECONDARY and SUBORDINATE sense, the property of a particular congregation.

Throughout the christianized world, it has always been customary, in a greater or less degree, to remove ministers of the gospel from one pastoral charge to another, or to liberate them from pastoral ties altogether, that they might promote, in a different form, the interests of the Christian cause. For very obvious reasons, these removals happen most frequently to men of talents. Nor is there a single thing which creates more uneasiness and heart-burning. It is perfectly natural. For neither individuals nor societies are fond of parting with

what they consider a treasure. Able, faithful, discreet ministers, are a rare blessing; and it would say little for the understanding, and less for the religion, of any Church which should lightly relinquish it. We must further admit, that a wanton disruption of the pastoral ties is foolish, unwarrantable, and extensively pernicious.

Still the question of its propriety must be tried, not by examples of its abuse, nor by its unpopularity, but by the principles on which it is founded. This cannot be done, without examining the nature of the claim which a particular congregation has to her minister.

The pastoral connexion is commonly compared to a matrimonial connexion; which, being for life, the popular inference is, that the pastoral connexion also is for life.

This proves nothing, except the facility with which most people impose upon themselves by sounds and similes. A simile is no argument. And the simile of a man and his wife, to denote a pastor and his congregation, is peculiarly unhappy. If it is to prescribe the duration of their union, it must also regulate the discharge of their duties. Now, as married persons must confine their matrimonial intercourse to themselves, not allowing a participation in it to any other, this simile, working up the ministerial relation into a sort of pastoral matrimony, would render it absolutely unlawful in a minister to hold religious communion with any other people, and in his people to hold religious communion with any other minister. Nor, if a minister's just maintenance should grow inconvenient to a people's finances, or he should fall into disfavour, even without any charge of misconduct, would they think it sound reasoning to turn upon them with their own

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