General John Steele was appointed Chairman, and John Duffield Secretary.

The meeting was opened with solemn prayer by Mr. James Stuart." William Smiley, one of the Commissioners appointed by the Congregation at the last meeting, to prosecute the Call for the Rev. Ezra Stiles Ely, before the Philadelphia Presbytery, made a report of their proceedings.

On motion, resolved, that a paper, containing eleven Decretals, passed by the Philadelphia Presbytery, at their last session, be read. On motion, resolved, that a copy of the Proceedings of the Philadelphia Presbytery, relative to their rejection of the Call to the Rev. Ezra Stiles Ely, be read.

The following Resolutions were then read, one by one, and unanimously adopted; 120 voters being present.

1. Whereas the Philadelphia Presbytery have decided, that the unanimous and properly certified Call of this Congregation, to the Rev. Ezra Stiles Ely, is irregular; and whereas, in our opinion, said decision is not warranted by the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church: therefore, resolved, that we approve of the act of our Commissioners, in appealing therefrom.

2. Whereas this Congregation did, on the 11th instant, unanimously elect, and vote a Call to the Rev. Ezra Stiles Ely, as Pastor of this church-Resolved, that the said Rev. Ezra Stiles Ely, the Pastor elect, be now invited and requested to administer gospel ordinances in this church, until the Appeal from the decision of Presbytery, in the case of the aforesaid Call, shall be finally determined; and that he be paid according to the compensation stipulated and offered in the Call: and that Ferguson M'Elwaine, James Stuart, and William Smiley, Elders of this church, and General John Steele, Jacob Mitchell, William Nassau, John R. M'Mullin, Samuel Carswell, and Paul Cox, Trustees of the same, be a Committee for this purpose, and they are hereby duly authorized and instructed, to carry this resolution into effect.

3. Resolved, that the board of Trustees of this church be, and they are hereby duly authorized and required, to pay the money stipulated aforesaid, that is to say, at the rate of $1800 a year, to the said Rev. Ezra Stiles Ely, for his ministerial services.

4. Resolved, that Ferguson M'Elwaine, James Stuart, and Wil liam Smiley, be a Committee, who are hereby authorized and required (in case of the Rev. Mr. Ely's acceptance of the invitation of the congregation) to inform such Supplies as may have been, or shall be otherwise appointed, that the circumstances of the congregation render it unnecessary for them to fulfil such appointments.

5. Resolved, that we, as a congregation, and as individual members of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, having received the Constitution and Form of Government of said Church, as hitherto published and acted upon, feel ourselves voluntarily bound to be governed by, and to support, the same; and that it is also our duty to oppose and reject any innovation of, or decretals tending to vitiate, or set aside the same, or to obscure its obvious sense and meaning: and whereas the Philadelphia Presbytery in session, on

H

the 21st instant, did adopt certain Resolutions or Articles, which, in our opinion, are of this description; we do hereby protest against the same, and do cordially approve of the conduct of our brethren, the Commissioners, in protesting and appealing from the same; as well against the Decretals aforesaid, as the rejection of our Call.

6. Resolved, that General John Steele, William Nassau, Samuel Carswell, George Pearson, John Workman, William M'Corkle, John W. Scott and Jolin Steel, be Commissioners from this Congregation, in connexion with the Commissioners having charge of our Call to the Rev. E. S. Ely, to prosecute all appeals which they may judge expedient, for the purpose of vindicating the rights and promoting the peace of the congregation, and also to request the Trustees to call meetings of said congregation, whenever they may deem it necessary; and in general to do all and singular, those things which they may think proper in the premises, for the interest and prosperity of the church.

On motion, resolved, that the sum of five hundred dollars be paid to the Rev. E. S. Ely, for ministerial duties performed'in this church, agreeably to the invitation of the congregation, by a resolution adopted at their meeting on the 7th of June last. And the Trustees of the church are hereby instructed to earry this resolution into effect.

Not long after these proceedings of the Congregation, Mr. Ely returned from the city of Washington, and on finding that a regular Call had been made, concluded that he might, without dishonour, seek to satisfy his opponents. He wrote, for this purpose, the following pacific overture; which was read in the meeting of Elders on the same day of its date.

A LETTER FROM MR. ELY TO THE ELDERS OF THE CHURCH IN PINE-STREET.

Philadelphia, Oct. 29th, 1813. To Mr. Ferguson M'Elwaine, and the other Elders of the Third Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia.

Christian Brethren,

I deeply regret the existence of dissention in any part of the Christian church, and will do any thing which is within my power, and which would not imply the abandonment of some fundamental principle, to banish it from the household of faith.

Being actuated by this disposition, permit me to state, that my heart does not possess one unkind feeling, in relation to any member of your body. I do not blame any one for not choosing me to be his minister, and I would hope that those of you who have supported my election, and those who have opposed it, have all been actuated by a conviction of duty.

Permit me also, to propose, for the sake of mutual peace and edification, that the Elders who are opposed to me, would, in the presence of an equal number of my friends, and in the Spirit of the Gospel, show what objections they have to me as a man, and a Christian Minister. If I have wronged any man, I will restore him seven-fold, and ask forgiveness for the injury.

Before any suitable tribunal, I am also ready to meet all the charges which can be brought against me; for, while I confess that I am a sinner against God, and depend entirely on the righteousness of Jesus Christ for justification; yet I know not of a single immoral action, which could be proved against me, since, in the fourteenth year of my age, I made profession of the Christian religion: neither do I know that any charge was ever seriously brought against me, which stated that I was either immoral or destitute of vital piety, by any professing Christian, before I was invited to preach in Philadelphia.

Would it not be for the peace of the Church in Pine-street, and is it not a Christian duty, to have objections, which subsist in the mind of any believer, removed, if possible? and may not each of the Elders be convinced, that I have acted conscientiously as well as him

self.

The Elders are invited by me to a Christian conference.

It is proper also to state, for your satisfaction, that while I am a member of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, I do not design to interfere with any Presbyterial appointments of Supplies; nor to contravene any constitutional decree, which the Presbytery of Philadelphia may pass.

Praying that the God of peace would grant to you, individually, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost,

I subscribe myself,

Your friend in the Lord,

EZRA STILES ELY.

After the reception of the foregoing candid and Christian letter, Mr. Haslett, Captain Wickes and Messrs. John and Robert M'Mullin, (being a majority of one in the Session) agreed upon the following insulting Resolution, which, on the 30th of October, Mr. Haslett's clerk handed to Mr. Ely.

"Resolved, that whereas the Presbytery of Philadelphia at their late session on the 22d instant, did, at the request of our Commissioner to that Rev. Body, appoint Supplies for the Third Presbyterian Church in this city, until the next meeting of Presbytery; and whereas, certain individuals of said church, nave resolved to invite

the Rev. Ezra Stiles Ely, a member of the Presbytery of New-York, to preach and administer gospel ordinances in this church, in violation of the order of Presbytery, who have appointed other Supplies for that purpose: Wherefore Resolved, that the Rev. Ezra Stiles Ely be duly notified, that Supplies are already provided for this church, and that he be requested not to preach within the bounds of said congregation.

"Resolved, that the Rev. Ezra Stiles Ely be furnished with a copy of the above minute."

"Extract from the records of the Session of the Third Presbyterian Church, Oct. 29th, 1813.

On the 31st of October Mr. Ely preached, in the morning, for the Rev. J. Brodhead in the Reformed Dutch Church, and in the afternoon for the Rev. Dr. Gray, in the Associate Reformed Church. The houses were unusually thronged, and the word of life came with augmented power. On the next day, November 1st, Mr. Ely went to NewYork; and from that city again addressed some Elders who have proved implacable. Here follows the

SECOND LETTER FROM MR. ELY TO MESSRS. WM. HASLETT, JOHN M'MULLIN, ROBERT M’MULLIN, AND BENJAMIŃ

WICKES, ELDERS.

New-York, Nov. 5th, 1813.

Gentlemen,

I have understood from Mr. James Stuart, that, in relation to my late pacific overture, you were pleased to intimate, that had it been made at some earlier date, it might have been effectual to produce a reconciliation. My reason for not having made it before, was my determination not to court a Call from any man. I made the communication, which I had long since determined to make, as soon as I thought delicacy would permit.

Gentlemen, with the spirit of meekness I now beseech you to reconsider the nature of my former letter. I would ask of you, as Elders in Christ's Church, is it ever too late to repair injuries, make Christian satisfaction, correct erroneous opinions, and eradicate unreasonable prejudices? I do assure you before the Judge of all hearts, that if you have opposed me because you thought me a lover of controversy or contention, or because you deemed me a proud and prayerless man, you have wronged me in your imaginations.

Again I do invite and even entreat you to a Christian conference. It may be for your happiness: as for myself, I fear no evil: I commit my way unto God, and my record is on high, that "I desire not yours but you."

May the Lord Jesus Christ, whom we call our Master, guide you in the paths of wisdom and peace.

EZRA STILES ELY.

In giving the history of passing events, it would be uncandid not to exhibit some of the anonymous letters which are favourable to the candidate, as well as some which are replete with venom. The reader will be gratified by the following elegant production, which bears all the marks of sincerity.

TO MR. ELY, AT NEW-YORK.

Philadelphia, Nov. 6th, 1813.

Most dear and honoured servant of a persecuted Master,

But few in these days of peace and tranquility in the Christian Church are privileged with so near a conformity to the blessed Saviour or his primitive disciples in the articles of suffering, as yourself. Whilst the many-headed monster of calumny has, time after time, insulted your character and wounded your feelings, in this mean and contemptible manner of letters without signature, permit one actuated by very different motives, to intrude on your attention in the

same way.

Your writings and preaching had made a very considerable impression on my mind, and excited strong desires after the blessing of permanently enjoying your public and private ministrations amongst us, previous to the great opposition which has since been made to you, by a few leading characters in our congregation. The very high opinion which I had entertained of their piety and discernment, for some time kept my mind in a most unhappy and unsettled state; fearing they might possibly have some good foundation for the steps they had taken. But a farther investigation of the subject has fully satisfied my own mind, that their proceedings have been cruel and unjustifiable: and so deeply has it interested my heart, in your behalf, that there is no exertion within the small compass of my power, that should not be made, either to vindicate your honour, or in any degree minister to your consolation. I rejoice in the belief that you have a Friend, Almighty, "whose heart is made of tenderness," and who actually does preserve your mind tranquil and composed, in the midst of this storm, which has (no doubt by his permission) unexpectedly gathered around you. You will have perceived by this time, that I am one of those disorderly people, who at present mourn under the ar bitrary decrees which forcibly deprive us of the pastoral care of one to whom our hearts have been so long directed. Had we been blessed with your ministerial labours, in the suitable and peaceful manner in which we should have been, we were prepared to love you; but, calumny, abuse, and insult, have riveted our hearts still more closely in the bonds of Christian love to him who for our sakes has thus suffered, But surely, my dear friend, these things are not the effects of chance. The Great Head of the Church has permitted it for some