blications did not agitate the church, neither will this. That
man must be ignorant of human nature, who does not perceive a vast
difference between a controversy conducted in the newspapers of the
church, and one confined to independent pamphlets or volumes. In the
former case, the dispute is forced upon all who see the paper, and
reaches fifty times as many persons, amongst whom may be many who, from
prejudice, or want of sufficient intelligence, do not appreciate the
importance of the discussion; in the latter, it reaches only those who
desire to see it, and feel sufficient interest to purchase the volume.
Yet the Definite Platform, be it remembered, was not the cause but the
result of Symbolic agitation, continual, progressive, and aggressive, in
the several Old-School papers and periodicals, for eight or ten years
past. As it evinced a spirit of resistance, they of course pounced down
upon it, and labored hard for its destruction. But their continued
discussion has brought to light such high-toned and intolerant grounds
of opposition, that the church generally, we doubt not, will settle
down, in a just appreciation of the case.

The course pursued by the ministers of the General Synod, has always
been a liberal one. They have freely expressed their sentiments on these
disputed topics, and cheerfully conceded to others the same liberty.
This principle pervades the Constitution of the General Synod and of
her Seminary. Even within the last few weeks, the Directors of the
Seminary have listened to a vindication of the entire symbolic system,
in the Inaugural of their German Theological Professor, and resolved
to publish it, although it advocates some views rejected by the
majority of the Board, and by the other members of the Faculty. After
such a specimen of liberality, we may well hope that the propriety of
any of the other Professors advocating the doctrines, which have from
the beginning been taught in the institution, will be conceded by all.

For the information of those foreign brethren who have recently taken
part in our ministry, we deem it just to remark, that the term
_American_ was employed in reference to our church, many years before
the existence of the political party now designated by this name, and
is used by us, not in distinction from those born in foreign lands, but
to designate those peculiarities of doctrine, discipline, and worship,
which characterize the great mass of the churches of the Gener