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of congregations , have their rights * unquestionably secured to them under the existing regulations of the Widows ' Fund , * in the same manner precisely as the present Remonstrants . This is a legal right ; established , if we mistake not , by a special Act of Parliament ; and "which no votes or resolutions of the Synod of Ulster can take away . —It is obvious that new congregations , never having , as such , contributed to the capital
of the Widows' Fund , can have no legal or equitable right to a participation in its benefits . But if such congregations , when established by the Remonstrants or their successors , be excluded from the benefit of the Widows' Fund , common justice requires that the same principle be extended to new congregations formed under the Synod of Ulster . This point seems to have entirely escaped the notice of the Remonstrant Committee .
We think , had it "been urged , it might have removed the delicacy affected by the Synod about treating with others than those who signed certain papers , &c . The Remonstrants might , on the same principle , have refused to treat with any but those who actually were present and voted with the majority of the Synod at Cookstown and Lnrgan .
The concession made by the Synod respecting the Regiutn Donum , secures to the Remonstrants the fulfilment of the form required by the Government before allotting a portion of his Majesty ' s Bounty to any minister . Tins is the only
thing that can be of much importance . The Government has pledged itself not to interfere in any matters of doctrine , discipline , or jurisdiction which may arise ; and this pledge , given in 1803 , has never yet been violated , in the case of individual ministers . There is no reason to
suppose that the first Lord of the Treasury will step out of his office to enter the arena of theological controversy , at the bidding of the Synod of Ulster . Their representations will probably injure no one but themselves . If made too frequently and urged too pertinaciously , they may tempt the Government to exercise their
reserved power , of withdrawing altogether the grant of Royal Bounty—a consummation most devoutly to be wished for . Economy and policy would in that case go hand and hand : and the time is come wheu they both will make themselves attended to .
Our readers are aware that the congregations of the Synod are placed under the charge of fifteen Presbyteries . These are courts consisting of a minister and layman from each church . Superan-
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nuated ministers , who have been in charge o 1 any congregation belonging to the Presbytery , are also considered as members . One of the most respectable of these courts , the Presbytery of Armagh , held a special meeting at Banbridge , on Friday , September 18 . On this occasion , the following resolutions were carried by a considerable majority :
" 1 st . That the Synod of Ulster having refused , at its last meeting in Cookstowu , to repeal the unpresbyterial Overtures of 1828 , and return to the code of discipline unanimously adopted in 1825 , —we feel ourselves compelled , by a regard to Christian liberty , to withdraw from that body , and henceforth to decline its jurisdiction .
" 2 d . That we retire from the Synod , as a Presbytery , retaining the name and the records and the privileges of the Presbytery of Armagh . tc 3 d . That any of our brethren who may decide on separating themselves from the Presbytery of Armagh , shall at all times have the same access to our records , anterior to this date , as we ourselves .
" 4 th . That we , as a Presbytery , hold ourselves in readiness to co-operate with our brethren the Remonstrants , in the consideration and adoption of any further measures which circumstances may render necessary . " Signed , ( c Joseph Jenkins , Moderator , c < S . C . Nelson , Clerk , "Of the Armagh Presbytery . "
These Resolutions were carried at a meeting of the Armagh Presbytery , regularly summoned for the express purpose of taking into consideration the objectionable regulations of the Synod of Ulster . Nevertheless , a cry was raised by the dissenting members , or a part of them , that the court had been taken by
surprise , and a second special meeting was demanded for the purpose of reconsidering the matter . It is plain that such opposition would be pronounced vexatious by any society or body of men in Christendom . The majority of the Presbytery had a perfect right to act on the determination already pronounced after due and formal notice . But in order to
remove all ground , not of complaint , for none had reason to complain , but of misrepresentation , against which our Irish brethren seem to think they cannot be too cautiously on their guard , they resolved to comply with the wishes of the requisitionists . Accordingly , a second special meeting was held at the time and
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204 Intelligence . —Synod of Ulster .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1830, page 204, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2582/page/60/
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