a native Classis before the test can be
pronounced at all satisfactory. (3) No consideration is had for the
feelings, wishes or opinions of the native churches. The inalienable
rights of the native churches, their relation to each other, their absolute
unity-things of the utmost consequence-are not at all regarded, are
entirely ignored."

In reply to the advantages claimed to flow from the plan advocated by
General Synod, Mr. Talmage says:

"1. The most important advantage is, or is supposed to be, that there will
thus be higher courts of jurisdiction to which appeals may be made, and by
which orthodoxy and good order may be the better secured to the Church at
Amoy.

"Such advantages, if they can be thus secured, we would by no means
underrate. There sometimes are cases of appeal for which we need the
highest court practicable-the collective wisdom of the Church, so far as it
can be obtained; and the preservation of orthodoxy and good order is of the
first importance. Now, let us see whether the plan proposed will secure
these advantages. Let us suppose that one of the brethren feels himself
aggrieved by the decision of the Classis of Amoy and appeals to the
Particular Synod of Albany, and thence to General Synod. He will not be
denied the right to such appeal. But, in order that the appeal may be
properly prosecuted and disposed of, the appellant and the representative
of Classis should be present in these higher courts. Can this be secured?
Is the waste of time, of a year or more, nothing? And where shall the
thousands of dollars of necessary expense come from? Now, suppose this
appellant to be a Chinese brother. He, also, has rights; but how, on this
plan, can he possibly obtain them? Suppose that the money be raised for
him and he is permitted to stand on the floor of Synod. He cannot speak,
read, or write a word of English. Not a member of Synod can speak, read,
or write a word of his language, except it be the brother prosecuting him.
I ask, is it possible for him thus to obtain justice? But, waiving all
these disadvantages, the only point on which there is the least probability
that an appeal of a Chinese brother would come up before the higher courts,
are points on which these higher courts would not be qualified to decide.
They would doubtless grow out of the peculiar customs and laws of the
Chinese, points on which the missionary, after he has been on the ground a
dozen years, often feels unwilling to decide