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HISTORY
AND
ECCLESIASTICAL RELATIONS
OF THE
CHURCHES OF THE PRESBYTERIAL ORDER,
AT
AMOY, CHINA.
BY
REV. J.V.N. TALMAGE,
MISSIONARY OF THE PROT. REF. DUTCH CHURCH.
New York:
WYNKOOP, HALLENBECK & THOMAS, PRINTERS, 113 FULTON ST.
1863.
PREFACE.
_To the Ministers, Elders, and Members of the Reformed Dutch
Church_:
It is proper that I give some reasons for the publication
of this paper. The importance of the subject of the ecclesiastical
organization of the churches gathered in heathen lands, I conceive to
be a sufficient reason. Those who may differ in regard to the views
set forth in this paper, will not dispute the importance of the subject.
Instead of the questions involved having been settled by any of the
Presbyterian Denominations of this country (the Dutch Church
included among them), by experiments in India or any other
heathen land, very few of the churches gathered from the
heathen, by these various Denominations, have yet arrived at
a stage of development sufficient for practical application of
the experiment. (See foot-note, page 160.) There are, however,
a few mission churches, where the subject is now becoming
one of vast practical importance. The Church at Amoy stands out
prominent among these. With the continuance of the divine blessing
there will soon be many such. Hence the importance of the discussion,
and its importance _now_.
Many experiments have been made in reference to the
best way of conducting the work of missions. The Church
has improved by them, and has been compelled to _unlearn_
many things. We are continually returning towards the simple plan laid
down in God's Word. As the Church by experiment and by discussion has
thus been led to retrace some of her steps in the preliminary work of
missions, should she not be ready to take advantage of experiment and
discussion, in reference to the ecclesiastical organization of the mission
churches, and stand ready to retrace some of her steps in this second stage
of the work of missions, if need be, in order to conform more fully to
the doctrines of our Presbyterial church polity? I would use the
phrase _Scriptural church polity_, but I suppose it is the
universal belief of our Church, that Presbyterial polity is scriptural.
At any rate, it is the duty of the Church to examine the subject
carefully. She has nothing to fear from such examination.
She should fear to neglect it.
In addition to the importance of the subject in itself
considered, I have other reasons for discussing it at the
present time. There are mistaken impressions abroad in the
Church, concerning the views and course of your missionaries
at Amoy, which must be injurious to the cause of missions
in our Church. It would seem to be a plain duty to correct
these impressions. I will quote an extract from a letter, I
recently received, from an honored missionary of a sister
Church:
"I have heard much, and seen some notices in the papers
of the battle you fought on the floor of Synod, and would
like to hear your side of the subject from your own mouth,
as the question has also been a practical one with us. * *
* * * We have our own Presbytery, and manage our own business,
and insist on not having too much of what they call the new science
of Missionary management; a science which, I believe, has been
cultivated far too assiduously. It was this, more than anything else,
which kept me from going out under the A.B.C.F.M., and to Amoy.
* * * * * I hear, however, from some, that what you and the brethren
there had formed, was some sort of loose Congregational association.
If so, I must judge against you, for I believe in the _jure divino_
of Presbytery (or Classis if you choose so to call it), and I think you and
they should have been allowed to form a Presbytery there,
and manage all your own affairs, and that your Boards at
home should be content to consider themselves a committee
to raise and send on the funds. But it is hard for the D.
D's and big folk at home to come to that. They think they must manage
everything, or all will go wrong; while how little it is that they can
be brought to know or realize of the real nature of the work abroad; and
then it is the old battle of patronage over again. Those who give the
money must _govern_, and those who receive it must give up
their liberty, and be no longer Christ's freemen."
This is only a specimen, one of many, of the mistaken
impressions abroad in the Church concerning the views and
doings of your Missionaries. May we not, _must_ we not, correct
them? The letter also illustrates the evils resulting from allowing
mistaken impressions to remain in the Church uncorrected. There has long
been an impression in our Church that the A.B.C.F.M. interfered with the
ecclesiastical affairs of our missions. We have been informed that several
of our young men, before our Church separated from that Board, were
deterred thereby from devoting themselves to the foreign Missionary work.
The writer of the above letter, probably having more of the Missionary
spirit, was not willing, on that account, to give up the work, but was
led to offer himself to the Board of a sister Church. The
Mission at Amoy, and our Church, have thus been deprived
of the benefit of his labors by means of an erroneous impression.
When we learned the fact of such an impression existing in this country,
we endeavored to correct it. In our letter of 1856, to General Synod, we
called particular attention to the subject. Here is a part of one sentence:
"It seems to us a duty, and we take this opportunity to bear
testimony, that neither Dr. Anderson, nor the Prudential
Committee have ever, in any communication which we have received from them,
in any way, either by dictation, or by the expression of opinions,
interfered in the least with our ecclesiastical relations." We failed to
get that letter published, and I find the erroneous impression still
prevalent, working its mischief in the churches.
But to return to the subject of the mistaken impressions
concerning the views of your Missionaries at Amoy. These impressions would
have been partly corrected in the Church, if the report of the proceedings
of Synod, in "The Christian Intelligencer," had been more correct on this
subject. That paper states, that, on Friday evening, "Rev. Mr.
Talmage then took the floor, and addressed the Synod for
nearly two hours," but does not give a single word or idea
uttered by him. It is careful to report the only _unkind words_
against the Missionaries uttered during that whole discussion,
which, with this single exception, was conducted in a spirit
of the utmost Christian kindness; but does not give a word
of the remarks made on the Friday evening previous, on that
very subject, in justification of their course.
It seems to be a duty, though painful, to speak particularly
on this subject. Look at the following language: "I know that we are told
that the _hybrid organization_ [i.e. the Classis, _a court of the
Church of Christ_, at Amoy] which now exists is every way sufficient and
satisfactory; that it is the fruit of Christian love, and that to disturb
it would be rending the body of Christ. Here one might ask, how it came
to exist at all, seeing that this Synod spoke so plainly, and
unambiguously, in 1857; and _I, for one, cordially concur in
the remark of the elder, Schieffelin, that the brethren there 'deserve
censure_.' We do not censure them, nor do we propose to do so; _but that
they deserve it is undeniable_. But the point is, how can our disapproval
of _the mongrel Classis_ mar the peace of the Amoy brethren?" This
language was used by the President of Synod, after asking whether the Synod
was ready for the question, "the question being about to be
put," when an attempt to answer it seemed altogether out
of place. In all the circumstances it seemed almost like the
charge of a judge to a jury. I do not say that there is any
improper spirit manifested, or opprobrious expressions employed
in this language, or that the President did wrong in waiting until the
discussion was over before he uttered it, or that the missionaries are not
deserving of such severe censure--of all these things let the Church
judge--but I do say that the spreading of such language and such charges
broadcast, before the Church and before the world, demands that
the missionaries be heard in self-defense, or, which is all they
ask, that they be allowed to state the facts and views which
guided them in their action.
Doubtless it was an oversight that such a one-sided report on
this subject appeared in The Christian Intelligencer. At least
it was not at all designed that injustice be done to the Missionaries,
but, unless they be allowed to speak for themselves, is not injustice done
them? It seemed to me that a very mistaken impression concerning the views
expressed by me, near the close of the session of Synod, was also conveyed
by the Report. This I attempted to correct by a note to the
editor, but even the right of correcting my own sentiments
and language was refused, my note garbled, and, as I thought,
my views again misrepresented. More than this, the _implied_
charge is published to the world that I am seeking to excite
"dissension among the churches," and "opposition to the
constituted authority of Synod."[1] It would therefore be
great dereliction of duty to return to my field of labor, allowing
my own views, and the views of my co-laborers, to be thus mistaken in the
Church, and such serious charges against our course unanswered. I am not
aware that any censorship of the press has been authorized by General
Synod. Surely if others are allowed to be heard for us we should be allowed
the right to be heard for ourselves. We were unable by writing from Amoy to
get our views before the Church. I must, therefore, while in this land,
endeavor to make them known.
[Footnote 1: If this language seem too strong or uncalled for, see Appendix
B, at the end.]
I have been advised by some to delay the publication of
this paper a few months, until we learn the effect of the decision
of the last Synod on the Mission at Amoy, and see what course the Church
there may feel compelled to adopt. I do not see the force of such advice.
Whatever may be the course of the Church there, the intrinsic merits of
the question will be unchanged thereby. Besides this, I cannot afford
such delay. I have been looking forward to as speedy return
as possible to that field of labor. Would it be right to
leave the whole subject to the eve of my departure, and thus
shut myself off from the possibility of defending or further
explaining my views, if such defense or explanation be called
for?
I have been asked, Why not bring this subject before the
Church through the columns of the _Christian Intelligencer_?
This question, after what has been said above, need not now
be answered. Doubtless the editor is responsible for what
appears in his columns. The only resource left the Mission
seems to be the one I have chosen.
I regret the necessity of discussing the subject, since the
action of the last Synod, but we could not discuss it previously
without running counter to the same advice which would now restrain us.
I do not at all suppose, however, that by the course I am taking I shall
become guilty of disobedience "to the authority of Synod." Neither should
it be the occasion of creating "dissensions in the churches."
The discussion of any important subject in a proper spirit is
neither opposed to the doctrines of the Sacred Scriptures, nor
to the doctrines of the Dutch Church, and I am willing to
leave it to those who may read the following pages to decide
whether there be in them any manifestation of an improper
spirit. We, and those who differ from us, are all seeking the
same end, i.e. the glory of God through the advancement of
his cause. All that I ask for myself and co-laborers is an
_impartial hearing_.
Perhaps, in order to guard against any mistaken impression,
I ought to add that the relations between the Missionaries
and the Board of Foreign Missions of our Church, have always been of the
most pleasant character. Whatever have been their differences of opinion
on this most important subject, or on any other subject, they have not
caused, so far as I am aware, the least interruption of that warm Christian
friendship which has always existed, or been the occasion of
one unkind utterance in all their mutual correspondence.
Why not so? Cannot Christians reason with each other, even
on subjects of the highest moment, in such a spirit as not
only to avoid animosities, but even to increase personal friendship?
If this paper should prove the occasion of discussion in
our Church, let me express the hope that such discussion will
be carried on in such a spirit.
J.V.N. TALMAGE.
Bound Brook, N.J., October, 1863.
HISTORY
AND
ECCLESIASTICAL RELATIONS
OF
THE CHURCHES OF THE PRESBYTERIAL ORDER,
AT
AMOY, CHINA.
The first Protestant Missionaries at Amoy arrived there in the year
1842. They were Dr. Abeel of the American Reformed Dutch Church, and
Bishop Boone of the American Episcopal Church. After these there arrived
Missionaries of the London Missionary Society, of the American
Presbyterian Church, of the English Presbyterian Church, and others of
the American Reformed Dutch Church.
Bishop Boone soon left Amoy, and no others of his Church have since then
been stationed there. The American Presbyterian Mission was removed to
other parts of China. At the present time there are three Missions at
Amoy, viz.: the Missions of the American Reformed Dutch Church, of the
London Missionary Society, and of the English Presbyterian Church.
The Missionaries of the London Missionary Society are Independents or
Congregationalists, and have organized their churches after the
Congregational order. Thus their churches form a distinct Denomination,
and nothing further need be said of them in this paper.
The first Missionary of the English Presbyterian Church at Amoy was Dr.
Jas. Young. He arrived in May, 1850. At that time there were two
Missionaries connected with our (R.D.C.) Mission, viz.: Rev. E. Doty, on
the ground, and Rev. J.V.N. Talmage, absent on a visit to the United
States. There were then under our care six native church members. Five
of them had been baptized by our Missionaries at Amoy. The other had
been baptized in Siam, by a Congregationalist or Presbyterian Minister
of the A.B.C.F.M.
Dr. Young, being a physician, and not an ordained Minister, instead of
commencing an independent work, inasmuch as our doctrines and order of
church government did not essentially differ from those of his own
Church, very naturally became more especially associated with us in our
work. A school under the care of our Mission, of which Mr. Doty did not
feel able to continue the charge, was passed over to his care. He also
rendered medical assistance to the Missionaries, and to the Chinese,
both in Amoy, and by occasional tours in the country. In his labors he
was usually assisted by native Christians under our care.
The first ordained Missionary of the English Presbyterian Church, at
Amoy, was Rev. William C. Burns. He joined Dr. Young in July, 1851.
While he rendered considerable assistance to the brethren of the London
Missionary Society, being ready to preach the gospel at every
opportunity, providentially he became especially associated with us, and
with the native Christians under our care. A remarkable outpouring of
the Spirit of God had accompanied the labors of Rev. Mr. Burns, in his
native land. So the remarkable outpouring of that same Spirit in Amoy,
and vicinity, occurred sometime after his arrival, and much of this good
work was manifestly connected with his labors. The permanent work in the
country around Amoy commenced through his instrumentality, in connection
with native members of the church under our care. We desired him to
take the charge of that work, and gather a church at Peh-chui-ia, under
the care of the English Presbyterian Church. But, at his urgent request,
we took the pastoral oversight of the work in that region, administering
the sacraments to the native converts.
Rev. James Johnstone, of the same Mission, arrived in December, 1853. He
undertook the care of the church being gathered at Peh-chui-ia,
assuming, in behalf of the English Presbyterian Church, all the expenses
thereof, we continuing the pastoral oversight until such time as his
knowledge of the language should be sufficient to enable him to relieve
us.
In consequence of the ill-health of Dr. Young, he and Mr. Burns left
Amoy, in August, 1854. Mr. Johnstone, in consequence of ill-health, left
in May, 1855, before he was able to relieve us fully from the pastoral
care of the church at Peh-chui-ia.
Rev. Carstairs Douglas, of the same Mission, arrived at Amoy in July,
1855, and immediately entered on the work of Mr. Johnstone, we
continuing the pastoral oversight of the church at Peh-chui-ia, until
his knowledge of the language enabled him to assume it.
Before the brethren of the English Presbyterian Church were able to
assume pastoral responsibility, the work spread from Peh-chui-ia to
Chioh-be. It was thought best that we take the charge of that station.
After the departure of Dr. Young, all the Missionaries of the English
Presbyterian Church, for several years, were unmarried men. Therefore,
they resolved to devote themselves more especially to work in the
country, leaving to our especial care the church in the city of Amoy,
and the one out-station at Chioh-be. Amoy was still necessarily their
place of residence. All their work at Amoy was in connection with the
church under our care. In the country we assisted them as we had
opportunity, and as occasion demanded. They did the same for us. In
fact, we and they have worked together as one Church, and almost as one
Mission, with the exception of keeping pecuniary matters distinct.
More recently the English Presbyterian Mission was reinforced by one
member with a family, and it seemed a proper time for them to commence
more direct work at Amoy. A very populous suburb (E-mng-kang) was
selected as a suitable and promising station. They assumed the immediate
care, and all the expense of it, employing, as at all the other
stations, indiscriminately, members of their own or of our churches as
helpers.
We are not afraid that our Church will ever blame us for working thus
harmoniously, and unitedly, with our English Presbyterian brethren, and
we feel confident that none of her Missionaries would consent to work on
any other principles. If there be any who, under similar circumstances,
would refuse thus to work, this would be sufficient evidence that they
had mistaken their calling. If any blame is to be attached to the course
the Missionaries have pursued, it is not that they have worked thus in
harmony and unison with the English Presbyterian brethren, but that they
have failed to keep the churches under their care ecclesiastically
distinct. Some do feel inclined to censure us for this. It must be,
however, because of some great misapprehension on their part. The Synod
has distinctly uttered a contrary sentiment, i.e. that the course of the
Missionaries is not censurable. We do not believe that our Church, when
she understands the true state of the case, will ever censure us on this
account. It would not be according to the spirit of her Master. He
prayed that His people might be one, but he never prayed for their
separation from each other. When separation is necessary, it is a
necessary _evil_. But more of this hereafter. Our Church might well have
censured us, if we had adopted lower principles as her representatives
in building up the Church of Christ in China.
The first organization of a church at Amoy under our care, by the
ordination of a Consistory, took place in 1856. The Missionaries of our
Board then on the ground were Doty and Talmage. Mr. Douglas was the only
Missionary of the English Presbyterian Church. (Mr. Joralmon, of our
Church, arrived between the time of the election and the ordination of
office-bearers.) When the time came for the organization of the Church,
we felt a solemn responsibility resting on us. We supposed it to be our
duty to organize the Church in China with reference simply to its own
welfare, and efficiency in the work of evangelizing the heathen around.
Believing (after due deliberation) that the order of our own Church in
America would best secure this end, of course we adopted it. We did not
suppose that we were sent out to build up the _American_ Dutch Church in
China, but a Church after the same order, a purely Chinese Church. How
much the growth and efficiency of our Church in this country has been
promoted by retaining (rather inserting) the term "_Dutch_" in her name,
I will not now attempt to discuss. I suppose the principal argument in
favor thereof is found in the fact that our Church, in the first
instance, was a colony from Holland. The Church in China is not a colony
from Holland, or America. We must not, therefore, entail on her the
double evil of both the terms "_American_" and "_Dutch_" or the single
evil of either of these terms. Your Missionaries will never consent to
be instrumental in causing such an evil.
We had already adopted the order and customs of our Church at home, so
far as they could be adopted in an unorganized Church. The English
Presbyterian brethren had adopted the same. They found that there were
no differences of any importance between us and them; the churches being
gathered under our care and under theirs--growing out of each other and
being essentially one--neither we nor they could see any sufficient
reason for organizing two distinct denominations. Especially had _we_ no
reason for such a course, inasmuch as they were willing even to conform
to our peculiarities. We most cordially invited Mr. Douglas to unite
with us in the organization of the Church, and he as cordially accepted
of the invitation.
In reference to this subject Mr. Douglas wrote to their Corresponding
Secretary as follows: "I need hardly say that this transaction does not
consist in members of one church joining another, nor in two churches
uniting, but it is an attempt to build up on the soil of China, with the
lively stones prepared by the great Master-builder, an ecclesiastical
body holding the grand doctrines enunciated at Westminster and Dort, and
the principles of Presbyterian polity embraced at the Reformation by the
purest churches on the continent and in Britain; it will also be a
beautiful point in the history of this infant Church that the
under-builders employed in shaping and arranging the stones, were
messengers of two different (though not differing,) churches in the two
great nations on either side of the Atlantic."
The course of Mr. Douglas met with the decided approval of their
Secretary, and, as he had reason then to believe, and has since fully
learned, with the approval of their Church.
We also sent a communication to our Church, addressing it to General
Synod. We directed it to the care of one of our prominent ministers, for
a long time Secretary of the Board, with the request that it be laid
before the Church, using language as follows: "You will, doubtless,
receive this paper some months before the time for the next meeting of
that Body [General Synod]. We would suggest therefore, that the paper be
published, that the members of the next General Synod may have the
matter before them, and be the better prepared to make such disposition
of it as the subject may demand. We feel that the subject is one of very
grave importance," &c.
Our communication was laid before the Board of Foreign Missions. They
designated it a _Memorial_, and decided that they had no right to
publish it. Of course we had no means of publishing it ourselves. It was
laid before Synod among other papers of the Board. The action of Synod
on the subject was as follows (Minutes of Synod, 1857, pp. 225-227):
"Among the papers submitted to the Synod is an elaborate document from
the brethren at Amoy, giving the history of their work there, of its
gradual progress, of their intimate connection with Missionaries from
other bodies, of the formation of the Church now existing there, and
expressing their views as to the propriety and feasibility of forming a
Classis at that station. In reply to so much of this paper as respects
the establishment of individual churches, we must say that while we
appreciate the peculiar circumstances of our brethren, and sympathize
with their perplexities, yet it has always been considered a matter of
course that ministers, receiving their commission through our Church,
and sent forth under the auspices of our Board, would, when they formed
converts from the heathen into an ecclesiastical body, mould the
organization into a form approaching as nearly as possible that of the
Reformed Dutch Churches in our own land. Seeing that the converted
heathen, when associated together, must have some form of government,
and seeing that our form is, in our view, entirely consistent with, if
not required by, the Scriptures, we expect it will in all cases be
adopted by our Missionaries, subject, of course, to such modifications
as the peculiar circumstances may for the time render necessary. The
converts at Amoy, as at Arcot and elsewhere, are to be regarded as 'an
integral part' of our Church, and as such are entitled to all the rights
and privileges which we possess.
"And so in regard to the formation of a Classis. The Church at home will
undoubtedly expect the brethren to associate themselves into a regular
ecclesiastical organization, just as soon as enough materials are
obtained to warrant such measure with the hope that it will be
permanent. We do not desire churches to be prematurely formed in order
to get materials for a Classis, nor any other exercise of violent haste.
But we equally deprecate unnecessary delay, believing that a regular
organization will be alike useful to our brethren themselves, and to
those who, under them, are training for the first office-bearers in the
Christian Church on heathen ground. As to the difficulties suggested in
the memorial, respecting the different Particular Synods to which the
brethren belong, and the delays of carrying out a system of appellate
jurisdiction covering America and China, it is enough to say:--(1) That
the Presbyterian Church (O.S.) finds no insuperable difficulties in
carrying into operation her system which comprehends Presbyteries and
Synods in India as well as here; and (2) That whatever hindrances may at
any time arise, this body will, in humble reliance upon the divine aid
and blessing, undertake to meet and remove them as far as possible. The
Church at home assumes the entire responsibility of this matter, and
only asks the brethren abroad to carry out the policy, held steadily in
view from the first moment when our Missions began.
"The following resolutions are recommended:
"_Resolved_, 1. That the Synod view with great pleasure the formation of
churches among the converts from heathenism, organized according to the
established usages of our branch of Zion.
"2. That the brethren at Amoy be directed to apply to the Particular
Synod of Albany to organize them into a Classis so soon as they shall
have formed churches enough to render the permanency of such an
organization reasonably certain."
It should be noticed that, in the foregoing Report, which was adopted by
Synod, the most important question--the vital question--of our
communication, i.e. the _unity_ of the churches under the care of the
English Presbyterian Missionaries and of us, is entirely ignored; and
consequently, without the fact being stated, we were directed to divide
those churches, and form a part of them into a distinct Denomination.
If the English Presbyterian Church had disapproved of the course of
their Missionaries in uniting with us in organizing the native churches
with our peculiarities, we think even that would have been strange. It
would have appeared to us as though they were sacrificing some of the
essentials of Presbyterianism for the sake of non-essentials, for, in
our organization, they found all that they hold essential in doctrine,
order, and customs. Suppose the position of the two Missions had been
reversed, they had been first on the ground, and when we arrived we
found the Church being planted and beginning to grow up after their
order. If we had found in the Church thus growing up _all_ that we hold
essential and important, even though it had some little peculiarities
which were theirs and not ours, ought not our Church to have permitted
us to work with them, as they have been permitted to work with us? If
such be not the true Christian spirit, than we frankly confess that we
know not, and despair of ever learning from the Word of God, what the
Christian spirit is on such a subject. But whether such disapproval on
the part of the English Presbyterian Church would have been strange or
not, it would not have been so strange as was the decision of our
Church, that the churches organized by the English Presbyterian brethren
and by us--all one in fact, growing out of each other, and all adopting
our order, should not be organically one. Hence, when we learned from
our Board the decision of Synod, we felt (correctly or incorrectly) that
there must be some misapprehension. Surely our Church cannot have
correct views of our position, and our course of proceeding. Hence, we
returned answer to the Board as follows:--(Letter dated December 23,
1857.)
After speaking of our hearty approval of the course of our Church in
separating from the A.B.C.F.M., though as individuals we took our leave
of that Board with feelings of sadness, we remarked:
"It seems proper to us also, on the present occasion, to allude to a
subject deeply affecting the interests of the little Church which God
has graciously gathered by our instrumentality from among this people.
This Church is now small, but we trust that, with a continuance of the
Divine blessing, the 'little one' will soon 'become a thousand,' and the
'small one a strong nation.' 'The Lord will hasten it in his time.' We
love this Church, and cannot but watch over her interests with jealous
care. Besides this, the Great Shepherd has made us under-shepherds, and
commanded us to watch over the interests of this flock. We gave a brief
history of our work, and an account of the present condition and
peculiar circumstances of the churches here under our care, and stated
at considerable length our views in reference to the future
ecclesiastical relations of these churches, in a paper prepared for the
information of our Church at home, and addressed to General Synod. The
facts thus communicated ought to be known by the Church. It seems to us
very unfortunate that that paper was not published according to our
suggestion. It stated facts of grave importance. If we could have had a
representative in General Synod, the previous publication of our paper
might have been unnecessary. But, without such a representative, it was
hardly possible that the subject, by a single reading of so long a
document, could be brought before the minds of all the members of Synod
with sufficient clearness.... Therefore it is not strange that some of
the important points in the paper should have been entirely overlooked,
and also that certain grave misconceptions should have got abroad in the
Church concerning the views expressed by us.
"So far as we can judge from the report of the proceedings of Synod, as
given in The Christian Intelligencer, one of the most important
considerations--perhaps altogether the most important mentioned--why the
Church, gathered by us here, should not be an _integral part_ of the
Church in America, was entirely overlooked. That consideration relates
to the _unity of Christ's Church_. Our Saviour prays: 'Holy Father, keep
through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be
one as we are one.' 'That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me,
and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe
that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given
them, that they may be one, even as we are one.' Will our Church require of
us, will she _desire_ that those here who are altogether _one_--one in
doctrine, one in their views of Church order, and one in mutual love--be
violently separated into two Denominations? We cannot believe it.
Suppose the case of two Churches originally distinct. By coming into
close contact, and becoming better acquainted with each other, they find
that they hold to the same doctrinal standards, and they explain them in
the same manner; they have the same form of Church government, and their
officers are chosen, and set apart in the same way; they have the same
order of worship, and of administering the sacraments; all their
customs, civil, social, and religious, are precisely alike, and they
love each other dearly; should not such churches unite and form but one
Denomination? Yet, such a supposition does not, and cannot, even after
you allow all the likeness and unity between the two churches it is
possible to conceive of, represent the circumstances of the churches
gathered by us, and by our Scotch brethren of the English Presbyterian
Church. Our [theirs and ours] Churches originally were one, and still
are one; and the question is not whether those churches shall be united,
but, shall they be separated? Possibly (not probably) the question will
be asked, why were these churches allowed originally to become one? We
answer, _God made them so_, and that without any plan or forethought on
our part, and now we thank him for his blessing that he has made them
one, and that he has blessed them because they are one.
"That misconceptions have got abroad in our Church concerning our
views, we have abundant evidence from various private letters. They were
written with the most kindly feelings towards us, but evidently under
the impression that we find difficulty in organizing our churches
according to the order of the Dutch Church. We have never found any
difficulty of this kind. It is true that when we were called to the
solemn duty of _commencing_ a church organization in an empire
containing one-third of the inhabitants of the globe, we gave the
subject of church polity a more careful investigation than we had ever
before given it. The result of this investigation was a cordial (and, as
we think, intelligent) approval of the order and forms of our own
Church. We have commenced our organization according to the order of the
Dutch Church, and we expect to proceed, as fast as the providence and
grace of God lead the way, after the same order; and we use the forms of
our own Church. Our Presbyterian brethren unite with us in these things.
"But it is not strange that such misconceptions should be spread in the
Church. They are the necessary result of publishing certain remarks made
in Synod concerning our paper, without publishing the paper itself.
"In the Report of the Synod, Synod's Board, Board of Foreign Missions,
it is said: 'It would have been well if the memorial had been placed, in
a printed form, in the hands of the ministry. This they [the
Missionaries] suggested, but the Board felt it was purely a Synodical
matter--that they could not act in the case.' With all due respect, and
with the kindest feelings, we desire to make three remarks on this
subject. _First._ We do not understand the principle on which the Board
felt called upon to decide whether our letter should be published or
not. It was not addressed to the Board, nor sent to the care of the
Board. The opinion of members of the Board as _individuals_ might have
been asked, but we suppose that the Board in their official capacity
had nothing to do with the paper. _Secondly._ Inasmuch as the paper
emanated from us, if 'it would have been well' to have had it published,
our suggestion was a sufficient warrant for its publication. The
responsibility would have been ours. It had not yet become a Synodical
matter. Afterwards it would have been a legitimate question for the
Synod to decide whether they would entertain a paper coming before them
in such a manner. This question might well have been left to General
Synod. _Thirdly._ A short time previous to the writing of that paper,
unless our memory is greatly at fault, a communication was received from
the Arcot Mission (or Classis of Arcot), addressed to General Synod,
which was thus published, according to the request of the Arcot
brethren, and without the authority of Synod.
"Our position is a somewhat painful one. We desire to give offense to no
one, and we do not wish to appear before the Church as disputants. We
have no controversy with any. We have neither the time nor inclination
for controversy. We are 'doing a great work' and cannot 'come down.'
Yet, our duty to these Churches here, and to the Church at home, and to
our Master, demands of us imperatively, that we state fully and frankly
our views. We have the utmost confidence in our Church. We have proved
this by endeavoring to get our views fully known. And we feel grateful
for the spirit of kindness towards us manifested in the action of Synod,
and also in the letters received from fathers and brethren in the
ministry, notwithstanding their misconception of our views. But, we have
also learned, how easily our views may be mistaken. In our paper,
addressed to General Synod, when discussing the difficulties in the way
of the Synod's jurisdiction over churches so far removed in time,
distance, and circumstances, we remarked:--'Will written correspondence
supply the place of representation? It would place our Classis under
great disadvantages. There must usually be a delay of one or two years
on every subject on which there is need of a decision by either Synod.
If anything is not understood, or is misunderstood, in our
communications, there will be no one to explain for us. Difficulties of
this kind, from want of knowledge of the civil and social circumstances
of this people may frequently occur. Could we have representatives from
among us, they could usually be easily explained; but without this
representation, they can only be explained by a long correspondence,
which may cause years of delay.' The whole of this misunderstanding,
which has arisen out of our first communication, and the length of time
and the amount of correspondence which may yet be necessary, before we
can see 'eye to eye,' give a striking illustration of the force of these
remarks."
So far as the preamble and resolutions of the Synod of 1857 embody the
doctrines, and what we supposed to be the policy of our Church, we
heartily agreed with them. Of course we were pained to see that they
implied, that, in organizing a Church at Amoy, we had not proceeded
according to the order of our Church, or had found great difficulty in
doing so. This was altogether a mistake, and was already producing evil
results. We think there is another mistake in the preamble. It seems
small, but because of this fact, and of its plausibility, it has done
more, perhaps, than anything else in leading our Church into the false
position which she seems now to occupy. Therefore, we should examine it
with some care. It is the assumption, as a matter of course, that, "the
converts at Amoy" are "an _integral part_ of our Church," in this
country. What made them so? Is it because they were converted through
the instrumentality of the preaching of our Missionaries? This is a new
doctrine, that a convert as a matter of course belongs to the Church of
the preacher through whose instrumentality he has been led unto Christ.
Perhaps it was the doctrine of some of the Corinthians, when they said,
"I am of Paul, and I of Apollos," &c., but it was not the doctrine of
the Apostle who reproved them. Besides this, how shall we know which of
them were converted through our instrumentality? The English
Presbyterian brethren and ourselves have preached indiscriminately. Is
it because they were baptized by our Missionaries? But many of them were
baptized by the English Presbyterian brethren. They have baptized in our
churches, and we in theirs. If they be an _integral part_ of the Dutch
Church in America, they are also an integral part of the Presbyterian
Church in England. We, it is true, baptized a majority, say two-thirds.
Are they, then, two-thirds of an integral part in America, and one-third
of an integral part in England? No. The whole is a fallacy. Each
individual Church there is an integral part of the whole of them. All
together, they form an _integer_. They might by the act of our Church,
and _a correlative act on their own part_, become an integral part of
the Church in America? In a similar way they might become an integral
part of the Church in England. They are now an _integer_ of themselves.
To make one portion of them an integral part of the Church in this
country, and another portion an integral part of the Church in England,
is to be guilty of causing _a violent rupture_.
We felt that the consequences were so momentous, that, before we should
allow ourselves to be instrumental in thus (as we supposed) rending the
"Body of Christ" at Amoy, we should make another effort to get the facts
before the Church. As yet, we could not, if we would, carry out the
resolution of Synod, and organize a Classis in connection with the
Particular Synod of Albany, for, it was not till several years after,
only very recently, that we had materials "enough to render the
permanency of such an organization reasonably certain." Therefore we
wrote, as above, under date of December 23, 1857, and frequently wrote
on the subject, as occasion offered.
Although our views were not made public (the Board judging that they had
no right, or that it would not be for the good of the Church, and the
interests of the Mission, to publish them), still we continued to
prosecute our labors, in connection with the English Presbyterian
brethren, receiving and giving mutual assistance. We were encouraged
thus to continue our work: 1. Because of letters we received from home,
some of them written by individuals who were able advocates of the
decision of the Synod of 1857. They told us that it could not be
otherwise than that a separation must come between us and the brethren
of the English Presbyterian Church, but they would not have us
inaugurate that separation. 2. (and more important) Because a marvelous
blessing from on high was attending our labors. 3. (and most important)
Because we knew this harmonious and mutual assistance to be entirely in
accordance with the spirit of the Gospel.
In process of time a Church was organized at Chioh-be by the appointment
of elders and deacons, then at Peh-chui-ia, then at Mapeng, and then the
Church at Amoy was divided into two distinct organizations. Thus we had
five organized churches, all of our order--the elders and deacons chosen
and set apart according to our Forms, and all our Forms in use so far as
there was yet occasion for them. Two of these churches were under the
especial care of the English Presbyterians, and pecuniarily the work
was sustained by funds collected in England and Scotland. The other
three were under our especial care. The pecuniary expenses, beyond what
the native churches could themselves raise, were borne by our Church at
home.
One of the essential principles of our Church polity is, that individual
Churches are not independent of each other. They are members one of
another. They are to be subject to each other. They are individual parts
of a whole. Each part should be subject to the whole. Hence the
necessity of higher judicatories. Thus we felt that these five churches
had a right to an ecclesiastical organization, by which they might enjoy
this essential principle of Presbyterianism. [I trust we shall hear no
more of the charge that the Missionaries at Amoy are Congregationalists.]
But we were afraid to give this organization to the native churches, lest
we should give offense at home. We knew that we were misunderstood, and as
yet could see no way to make the Church acquainted with our position and
our views. If the Master should plainly call us to go forward, of course
we must obey, and leave the results with Him.
These churches, having grown out of each other, were essentially one,
and were as closely united together as it was possible for them to be,
without a formal organization. The first formal meeting of all these
churches was held at Chioh-be (a church under _our_ care), in 1861. No
ecclesiastical power was assumed. The next similar meeting was held in
April, 1862, in the churches at Amoy. This was still more formal. It was
composed of all the Missionaries of our own and of the English
Presbyterian Church, and of one representative Elder from each of the
five organized churches. This body may be called an incipient Classis.
The only ecclesiastical power exercised, however, was connected with
church discipline. Heretofore each individual Church, in connection with
the Missionaries, had exercised the power of discipline, even to
excommunication. Now certain cases of excommunication were referred by
individual Consistories to, and acted on by, this body. Is it necessary
to defend such acts? We felt that if each individual church could
exercise such power, and the principles of our Presbyterianism be
scriptural, then could a body, composed of the representatives of these
churches, together with the Missionaries, with safety exercise such
power. It was approaching as nearly as possible to the practice of our
Church at home. We expected soon to be called to the performance of
ecclesiastical acts more momentous. Already had two of the churches
chosen two of the native members, who were now engaged in careful study,
that in due time they might be set apart to the office of the Ministry
of the Word, and ordained pastors of the churches respectively choosing
them. But for reasons given above we would not go forward faster than we
were plainly led by the hand of Providence. Therefore, while the
Missionaries, in presence of this assembly, examined these
pastors-elect, in reference to their qualifications for the office of
Pastor, the body, as such, took no part in the examination.
This incipient Classis met next in the autumn of the same year at
Peh-chui-ia, a church under the care of the English Presbyterian
brethren. At this meeting it became a real Classis, not fully developed
as a Classis in a mature Church, but possessing the constituent elements
and performing the functions of a Classis. Not only were there cases of
discipline to act on, but a distinct application was made by one of the
churches, that a pastor be ordained, and placed over them. The body
decided, not only that they had the right, but that the plain call of
the Great Head of the Church made it their duty to go forward in this
matter. Preliminary steps were taken, other meetings of Classis were
appointed and held, candidates were examined, calls presented and
approved, until early in the present year the First and Second Churches
at Amoy had each a native pastor ordained and installed over them. By
the authority of this Classis, in the early part of this year, a third
church was organized at Amoy according to our order. It is in the suburb
called E-mng-kang, and is under the especial care of the English
Presbyterian brethren, as mentioned in a previous part of this paper. So
now there are six organized churches, all of the same order, and some
others almost ready to be organized. If the Missionaries at Amoy have
been guilty of any great mistake, it has been in this matter of forming
such a Classis, and proceeding to the ordination and installation of
native pastors, and the organization of new churches. Therefore, this
subject demands a careful examination.