separation or national distinctions, to form distinct
organizations. It is better, or necessary, that the Churches in Holland,
and America, and South Africa, be ecclesiastically distinct. We do not
call this an evil, for all the advantages of ecclesiastical courts and
control are better thus secured. But suppose a case. There are, say,
thirty Dutch churches in the city of New York. Now, suppose there were
no others of the same order throughout this whole land: instead of
allowing these churches to remain one organic whole--forming Classes and
Synods, as the growth and convenience may allow and direct--it is
proposed to take one-half of these churches, form them into a distinct
organization, thus depriving them of ecclesiastical relations to the
other half, and attach them to an ecclesiastical body in China--a nation
of different customs and different language. How should we designate
such an act? The first part would be schism, and the last part would be
folly. The only difference between such a procedure and that required of
us is, that the churches at Amoy have been gathered partly by our
instrumentality, and are dependent partly on us for instruction. If our
Presbyterial order be scriptural, all these churches at Amoy, growing
out of each other, are bound to associate together, ecclesiastically. It
is their duty to submit to each other. They would also be bound to
submit to the Church of the same order in England and America, and every
other country throughout the world, if it were possible and convenient.
But such relation is not convenient, or possible. Therefore, we must
choose that which is possible and most convenient. It is possible, and
it is convenient, that they associate together. It is not possible that
they all be subject to the Church in England, and, at the same time, to
the Church in America. It is not convenient that they all be subject to
either of these Churches. We do not think it is convenient that one-half
of them be subject to either of these Churches. Besides the sin, or
evil, of schism, they never can be properly represented in the higher
ecclesiastical bodies of either of these Churches. They never can have
an Elder present (I speak now of their connection with the Church in
America, for this is the subject before us). They never can have a full
representation of ministers. Only very seldom can they have even one
minister present. He usually will only be one who is ill, and
consequently not a p