CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE ASSO

CIATE CHURCH FOR THE FIRST HALF CENTURY OF HER

EXISTENCE IN THIS COUNTRY.

BY JAMES P. MILLER,

Pastor of the Associate Presbyterian Congregation of Argyle, New-York.

ALBANY:

PRINTED BY HOFFMAN & WHITE.

MDCCCXXXIX.

Jashari Pees. Assoen. 17--22-1924

PREFACE.

In the present divided state of the religious community, it is important to all, that the rise, progress and present state of the different denominations, should be correctly understood. Without such a knowledge of particular denominations, we should be able to form but an inadequate idea of the state of religion in the country: Our knowledge of its general history would necessarily be defective-a loss not easily to be estimated.

But if the members of any society are unacquainted with the particular history of their own body, they are in a great measure disqualified for discharging their duties as members. Every parent in the whole nation of Israel was required to explain to his children, the meaning and design of every historical monument that was erected to perpetuate any of God's mercies wrought for that people. That parent in Israel, who could not do so, was incapable of performing his duty to his children, whose right it was to be instructed in the use and design of those things. Yea, he was incapable of discharging his duty to God, who required him thus to instruct his children.

But have we not good reason to apprehend, that there are many facts, the knowledge of which is necessary to a complete and correct history of the Associate Church in America, which are not now within the reach of all her members? Much less can those without her communion be supposed to be acquainted with her history. Indeed, any opinion which such may form of her distinguishing principles, either in doctrine or discipline, might be unjust towards her, and consequently injurious to themselves, and even to the community at large. As an illustration of this remark, the reader is referred to the attempt that was made a few years since, to give a sketch of the rise and progress of the Secession in Scotland, in the Biblical Repertory, one of the most respectable