r any minister who is
connected with the General Synod to preach in their meeting-houses. Be
it therefore known to all whom it may concern that there was no such a
resolution adopted; although, there was a petition handed in,
subscribed by three congregations in Tennessee, in which they stated
that they had adopted a resolution among themselves not to suffer a
minister belonging to the General Synod to preach in their
meeting-houses, and also petitioned the Synod to admonish all the
congregations to concur with their resolution. But the Synod sanctioned
their resolution only in part, in so far as not to be connected with the
General Synod; yet the Synod do not arrogate to themselves any authority
to prescribe to any congregation, whom they shall suffer to preach in
their meeting-houses. All congregations in this respect are independent
of the Synod." (R. 1825, 11; 1821, 7.) The Report of 1832 declared:
"This body arrogates to itself no power to make laws and rules for the
congregations, because it is against their rights and liberties, as well
as also against the Fourth Article of our constitution." Indeed, such
was their care not to exceed their authority that, _e.g._, Synod,
superscrupulously, refrained even from making a declaration how to
further the instruction of the young, but contented itself with merely
advising "the diverse church councils and congregations to make such
rules and arrangements how they might most fittingly and conveniently
(wie es fuer sie am schicklichsten und bequemsten sei) instruct their
young." (B. 1832, 9.) According to the Fourth Article of the
constitution it was the business of Synod "to detect and expose false
doctrines and false teachers." But the "Remarks" appended to this
article are careful to explain: "That it shall be the duty of this body
to detect erroneous doctrines and false teachers does by no means
suppose that the same does not also devolve upon individual churches and
ministers, for this body does not claim it as their prerogative. But it
is believed that this duty may be performed more advantageously by a
synod." (R. 1853, 25; B. 1828, 19.) Even the right of examining and
ordaining ministers was not denied to the congregation. The draft of the
constitution published 1827 declared: "The business of this body shall
be . . . to examine (_if requested_) candidates for the ministry who may
be called by congregations, and, if they be found qualified, to
consecrate them with th