750 KEFORMED CHURCHES. 



REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 



opened in May, 1879, with one missionary, and 

 his wife as an assistant. 



The most important event in the history of 

 this Church during 1879 was the preparation 

 of a declaration of faith designed as a full and 

 final settlement of all differences hitherto ex- 

 isting within its borders. The commission 

 which had been appointed for this purpose 

 (see "Annual Cyclopaedia " for 1878, page 720) 

 met at Pittsburgh in November, 1879, and 

 adopted as a basis of harmony a declaration 

 the essential points of which are as follows: 



The Reformed Church in the United States unites 

 in the confession of her adherence to the doctrines of 

 the Holy Scriptures, as set forth in the Heidelberg 

 Catechism, taking the same in its historical (or origi- 

 nal) sense ; and declares that any departure from the 

 Bame is unauthorized by the Church ; and renewedly 

 directs all her ministers, editors, and teachers of the- 

 ology " faithfully to preach and defend the same." 

 This action is not to be so construed as to forbid or 

 interfere with that [degree of] freedom in scriptural 

 and theological investigation which has always been 

 enjoyed in the Eeformed Church. 



They agreed further upon the following 

 articles : 



I. We recognize in Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for 

 fallen man the foundation and source of our whole sal- 

 vation. 



II. We hold that the Christian life is begotten in us 

 by the Word of God, which is ever living and carries 

 in itself the power to quicken faith and love in the 

 heart, through the Holy Ghost. 



III. We do not regard the visible Church as com- 

 mensurate and identical with the invisible Church, 

 according to the Roman theory, nor do we think that 

 in this world the invisible Cnurch can be separated 

 from the visible, according to the theory of pietism 

 and false spiritualism ; but, while we do not identify 

 them, we do not in our views separate them. 



IV. We hold that in the use of the holy sacraments 

 the grace signified by the outward signs is imparted 

 to those who truly believe ; but that those who come 

 to these holy sacraments without faith receive only 

 the outward elements unto condemnation. 



V. We have come to a clear apprehension of the fact 

 that the Christian life is something broader and deeper 

 than its manifestations in conscious experience. 



VI. We hold the doctrine of justification through 

 true faith in Jcfeus Christ, according to which only 

 the satisfaction, holiness, and righteousness of Christ 

 is our righteousness before God, and that we can not 

 receive and apply the same to ourselves hi any other 

 way than by faith, only. 



VII. We hold the doctrine of the ministerial office 

 according to which the ministers of the Church are 

 not lords of faith, but servants, messengers, heralds, 

 watchmen of Christ, co-workers with God, preach- 

 ers of the Word, and stewards of the mysteries of 

 God. 



VIII. We hold the doctrine of the universal priest- 

 hood of believers, over against all Romanizing tenden- 

 cies to priestly power ; while we also assert the proper 

 recognition of the ministerial office in the Church of 

 Christ. 



IX. We affirm our confidence in the truth of Prot- 

 estantism, over against the errors of Rome on the one 

 hand, and against the errors of rationalism and infi- 

 delity on the other. 



X. All philosophical and theological speculations 

 [in the Church] should be held in humble submis- 

 sion to the Word of God, which with its heavenly 

 light should illumine and guide the operations and 

 researches of reason. 



The commission also resolved to recommend 

 to the next General Synod to take steps for the 



appointment of a committee representative of 

 all the Synods and tendencies in the Church, 

 whose duty it shall be to prepare an order of 

 worship, while, until this shall be regularly 

 adopted, the use of the existing liturgies shall 

 be permitted. It also recommended that the 

 Synod adopt at the proper time measures for 

 the revision of the constitution and the com- 

 pletion of the ecclesiastical system. 



III. REFORMED CHURCH OF FRANCE. An 

 unofficial Synod of the Reformed Church of 

 France was held in Paris from November 25th 

 to December 5th, for the purpose of consider- 

 ing the condition of the Church, and of organiz- 

 ing the orthodox party as a free confederation 

 within the Church recognized by the state. 

 M. J. Pedezert was chosen Moderator. Two 

 parties appeared in the assembly. One, led by 

 M. Bersier, favored a course of conciliation to- 

 ward the Liberals, and proposed that the Synod 

 hasten and facilitate the convocation of a Gen- 

 eral Synod, and labor to induce the churches 

 in general to demand it. The other party fa- 

 vored the organization of a regular unofficial 

 Synod without regard to the Liberal party, but 

 without surrendering the hope of securing an 

 official Synod. The latter course was resolved 

 upon, and resolutions were adopted "that, in 

 two years, unless the Reformed Church of 

 Franco has been placed under its regular syno- 

 dal regime, a new unofficial Synod be called "; 

 and " that the permanent commission shall con- 

 voke a new session of the present Synod before 

 the lapse of two years, if it shall judge that cir- 

 cumstances render it necessary." Regulations 

 were adopted for the formation of particular 

 unofficial Synods in the several conscriptions, 

 and for the choice of delegates to the General 

 Synod. Adhesion to the Confession of 187?( 

 was made an indispensable condition of partici- 

 pation in these acts ; but unofficial minorities 

 of churches which have separated from official 

 churches because of their rationalism, and their 

 pastors, as well as official orthodox churches 

 and their pastors, were recognized as constitu- 

 ents of the Synods. The consideration of pro- 

 positions in reference to measures for bringing 

 on the operation of the regular synodal regime 

 was deferred, and the local unofficial Synods 

 were requested at their next sessions to take the 

 subject into consideration and transmit their 

 wishes to the permanent commission, to be 

 communicated by it to the next Synod. A per- 

 manent commission of nine members was ap- 

 pointed, and charged with the duty of execut- 

 ing the decisions of the General Synod, and of 

 convoking its next meeting. 



REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 

 The following report of the statistics of this 

 Church was presented to the General Council 

 at its meeting in May and June, 1879 : Number 

 of parishes reporting, 70 ; connected with the 

 same, 10,459 persons; Sunday-school scholars, 

 8,025; Sunday-school teachers, 787 ; baptisms, 

 609; confirmations, 399; received otherwise 

 than by confirmation, 935 ; total increase, 



