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.