April, 1828, at the city of Albany. The regular annual meeting of the Synod, was to take place on the first Wednesday in June-only six weeks afterwards. But this time could not be lost. The case was one of great urgency. A heretic, of most malignant character, it was apprehended, would, in the interim, make most cruel havoc among the poor sheep of the flock, and "dragoon the church into Hopkinsianism," unless the General Synod should give a speedy sanction to the proceedings of the Board. The offence, too, of the Columbia Presbytery was so rank, that the least delay in bringing them to condign punishment, would have looked like winking at their crime. If these were not the reasons of this extra call

of the Synod, what were those reasons? The proposed Sabbath School Union of the Dutch Church, was indeed annexed to the other case, as one of the subjects of deliberation, at the approaching Synod. But that matter could scarcely have been the occasion of so much haste, as the New-York Union could not well have devoured the children in that short time. Or was there another reason for this extra call? Was it believed that the members of the then present Synod could be counted on as more "honest men and true," than those of the approaching Synod might be, their names not being as yet known? This is a question not for the writer, but for those to answer who made the call.

Whatever might have been the object in the call of that Synod, and whatever may have been the expectations of the Board, in regard to the proceedings to be had there, it was to that Synod that Mr. Van Dyck and his friends had the right to look for that justice which was denied him by the Board. There were men in that Synod who were capable of discerning the violation of all law and justice, by the Board of Superintendants, in their proceedings against Mr. Van Dyck, at their second meeting; and of duly weighing the bearing of their proceedings at the first meeting, upon the rights of conscience, and the true interests of the Theological School, and the Church at large. Yet, under the circumstances of the case, it was perhaps too much to expect from that Synod, among whom were found a goodly number, and

that too of the most influential members of that very Board, whose conduct was to be approved or disapproved. The power of that Board is too great for the safety of the church. Great pains had been taken prior to the meeting of the Synod, that, when assembled, their acts should indicate a middle course, so as to save, as far as possible, the feelings of the members of the Board, who had done manifest wrong and injustice; and, at the same time, to make some atonement for the insult offered to the community, in their outrageous proceedings. This scheme was carried into effect. The Synod passed three resolutions, (see Appendix) in the first of which they approve of the course pursued by the Board, in withholding the professoral certificate from Mr. Van Dyck, until his doubts should be removed, or the Synod should have the opportunity to pass finally upon his case. In their second resolution, they refer it to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, to determine whether the licensure of Mr. Van Dyck by the Presbytery of Columbia, was in accordance with the articles of correspondence between the two churches. And in their third resolution, they declare that the Board, at their second meeting, had assumed powers not belonging to them, and for which they express their decided disapprobation.

It is much to be regretted, that so venerable a body, as the General Synod of the Reformed Dutch Church, should have approved of the proceedings of the Board at their first meeting; and it is more to be lamented, that they did not say a word of the violence and injustice of their acts at the second meeting, and contented themselves with declaring the want of authority. The writer of this pamphlet regrets the first, not only as it has thrown on him the task of exposing to the public the true character of the proceedings of the oard at the meeting in July, but also because the highest ecclesiastical judicatory of his church is thus made in measure partaker in the errors of the Board, and which errors he deems and expects to prove, are in their tendency, subversive of right, and in their operation, will be extremely prejudicial to the vital interests of the church. It is not my object to say much in regard to the Synod, nor to treat them with disrespect. Yet I

F

cannot, from courtesy to that or any human tribunal, consent to surrender the exercise of my reason to their decrees. The question of right and wrong, in this matter, depends on the sense of the holy scriptures of God; and if the Board have, in their acts, violated the principles contained in the only infallible standard of truth, it is as competent for me to prove it after, as it was before, any decision of the Synod was pronounced.

Immediately after the adjournment of the Synod, a mutilated account of their proceedings was published in the NewYork Observer, furnished by a member of the Synod; in which the vote of censure upon the Board was wholly suppressed. This member of the Synod was also a member of the Board, and had given his attendance at both the first and second meeting.

The General Assembly convened at Philadelphia, in the month of May, and on the matter referred to them by the the Synod of the Dutch church, declared, that the Presbytery of Columbia, in granting to Mr. Van Dyck a license to preach the gospel, had not violated any of the articles of correspondence between the two churches. The annual meeting of the General Synod of the Dutch church was to commence on the first Wednesday in June, then next. It was expected, that the decision of the General Assembly would have been officially communicated to the Synod. Therefore, it was deemed needful, that the members of that body should be instructed how to act in the business. This duty, of course, devolved on the editor of the Magazine, as the organ or speaking trumpet of the Dutch church, always acquainted with the sentiments and views of that church. After remarking that the extra synod, notwithstanding their condemnation of the circular, had not left an opening for the heretical Mr. Van Dyck to enter the Dutch church, he instructs the ensuing Synod not to open the flood-gates of error, and be dragooned into Hopkinsianism, by any concession to that dangerous Presbyterian licentiate. The Synod are further directed, in that magazine, "to cut asunder the unprofitable and danger"ous correspondence" between the two churches, so as to

do away the facility of offenders escaping from the discipline. of our church, getting a license from some Presbytery, and then returning back unanointed and unannealed, with all the errors of eastern theology clustering on them, &c. &c. (See Magazine for June, 1828.) The obedience of the General Synod to these mandates was not put to the test, inasmuch as the General Assembly did not make any official communication to the General Synod, in relation to the matter referred to them. And thus this business must needs be left in "statu quo" for another year, unless its extreme urgency should bring together another extra Synod, on the call of Dr. Brownlee and others.

SECTION V.

Mr. Van Dyck's punishment.—His crime, indulgence in speculations, which led him to doubt the standards.—Consideration of this charge.-Definition of the term speculation.-Second crime, his refusal to yield the right, which every man, and especially students have, to examine the Bible for themselves.Example of Luther, the apostles, and Christ.

"For this they met,

Assembled, counselled, meditated, planned,
Devised in open and secret; and for this
Enacted creeds of wondrous texture, creeds
The Bible never own'd-

(and waving now the sword

Of persecution fierce, tempered in hell)

Forced on the conscience of inferior men."

WE have thus given the history of this young man, who had the misfortune of incurring the displeasure of the Professor of didactic theology, for not surrendering his reason to his teaching, and his conscience to his keeping: we have seen him pursued by the Professor into the Board of Superintendants we have seen that body exercising inquisitorial power, and attempting to coerce him into a subscription to doctrines, which he assured them he could not find in the Bible. We have seen them insist on his compliance as the condition of his licensure, and sentencing him to confinement in the theological hall "until his mind should be made correct." We have seen the same Board in their rage, when they found him indisposed to submit to farther coercion, do their utmost to degrade him in the eyes of the Christian community, branding him as a heretic, issuing circulars denouncing him as a disorderly, unchristian, and dangerous licentiate; and doing all in their power, after he had received from another denomination that license which among his own he was not permitted to receive, to prevent his usefulness or his comfort any where. They have effectually succeeded in blasting his prospects of a