adhere to this two-fold breach of the brotherly covenant. That body,
carrying on defection, joined in military association as noticed above,
during the late civil war between the Union and Confederate armies,
framing an "oath of fidelity," and thus profaning a divine ordinance by
pledging themselves to enforce an atheistical constitution and execute
the laws: and some of them glory in their shame and boast of this
flagrant and complicated breach of solemn vows to the contrary.

While recognizing many precious principles embodied in the Dorvock bond,
we cannot give it our approbation as an adequate renovation of our
National Covenant and Solemn League, because it not only omits but
obviously excludes the Form of Presbyterial Church Government and the
Directory for Public Worship, and seems to substitute for these the
Testimony which is incompatible with that of 1761; although the two
documents above named were received by our General Assembly of Scotland
as "part of the uniformity" to which we are bound in the Solemn League.
And besides, all their symbols of faith mentioned in the Dervock
transaction as subordinate, are owned only as "_Doctrinal_ Standards,"
thus leaving at loose ends individual and social Christian _practice_.
This document is therefore a defective, evasive, and consequently
inadequate renovation of our Covenants.

The sound principles comprised in the Pittsburgh bond are still more
palpably rendered nugatory by contradictions, manifold evasions and
ambiguous phrases; such as "accepted manuals, our fathers' covenants,"
etc.; while the solemn pledge to "maintain Christian friendship with
pious men of every name, and to feel and act as one with all in every
land who pursue this grand end "--an _undefined_ end--would overthrow,
if this were possible, the whole scriptural fabric of our Presbyterial
Covenanted Reformation. Treachery and perfidy, not to say perjury, are
bound up in the Pittsburgh bond, especially in pledging themselves to
the performance of civil duties "not forbidden in the law of God." Some
of the native fruits of this transaction, tending still more to corrupt
themselves and others are the continual practice of occasional hearing,
exchange of pulpits and correspondence by delegation.

This body has placed itself under the authority of the Pennsylvania
Legislature, having petitioned for and obtained an act of incorporation,
and having voluntarily submitted to the Erastian civil jurisdict