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forthwith despatched in their name. The Consistory promptly complied with his wishes, and in the following October, the convention was held at New-York.

The minutes of the body are headed "Acts of the Reverend Assembly of Ministers and Elders of the Reformed Low Dutch Churches in the Provinces of New- York and New-Jersey, convened in the city of New-York, on the 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th days of Oct. 1771, at the friendly request of the Rev. Consistory of New-York, for the purpose of procuring peace and unity to said Churches." And the first Article, which relates to the arrival and introduction of the members, is in part in these words: "The Rev. Brethren having arrived and being convened, were solemnly welcomed by the Rev. John H. Livingston, S.S. T. D., and Minister in New-York. After the delivery of an appropriate sermon by the Rev. Mr. De Ronde, who had been appointed by the Consistory to preach at the opening of the Assembly, the President was chosen, and the choice is thus recorded. The Rev. Dr. John H. Livingston, minister in New-York as present Proeses of the conciliating Consistory of New-York, and with the knowledge and approbation of his Rev. Colleagues, was chosen President."

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The assembly then appointed a committee, consisting of two ministers and two elders of the Rev. Coetus — two ministers and two elders of the Rev. Conferentie — and two ministers and two elders from the neutral churches of New-York and Albany, to prepare a formula of Union; and when the committee met to attend to this business, the Doctor disclosed the plan* which had been digested and

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*As the Doctor himself was, without doubt, the author of this plan, or of the greater part of it, and as its adoption had an important influence over the state of the Church — an influence that renders that adoption one of the most memorable and propitious events recorded in her history — the reader will probably be gratified to see the whole of it.

Preliminaries "Whereas, certain misconceptions concerning the bond of union between the Churches in this country and those in Holland, have been the unhappy causes of the past troubles: In order, therefore, to prevent these in future, and in consequence of the advice and direction of the reverend Classis of Amsterdam, in their last letter to us, we unite ourselves in one body, and we agree with each other to regulate our church government, and union with the mother Church in Holland, in the following manner: —

ARTICLE I.
Adherence to the Constitution of the Church. We adhere, in all things, to the Constitution of the Netherland