IV. Meetings of the Association.

1. Generally the associations hold two stated meetings in each year, one of the two being coincident with the annual meeting of the consociation. The association of New Haven West, meets three times annually.

2. Special meetings are called by letters missive from the moderator of the last meeting, at the desire of any two members. In case of the death or disability of the moderator, any two members may issue letters convoking a special meeting. In the association of New London county a special meeting is called, in case of the death or disability of the moderator, by the last preceding moderator.

3. The letters which call a special meeting, state the business for which the meeting is convened; and in accordance with a principle of natural justice, it is commonly understood that no business is to be taken up at a special meeting, other than that of which the letters missive have given due notice.

V. The examination and recommendation of candidates for the Ministry.

1. Each association has its own rules in respect to the time which a candidate must have devoted to the study of theology before examination; but generally, in compliance with a re

commendation of the general association, the candidate for examination must have spent at least two years in theological studies, and must have a competent knowledge of the arts and sciences.

2. The certificate of approbation, or license to preach, confers on the candidate no ecclesiastical rank or authority. He is not a minister, but only a candidate for the ministry, approved by the associated pastors, and permitted to preach for the trial of his gifts. His certificate of approbation may therefore be revoked whenever the association shall see cause.

3. The certificate of approbation is ordinarily given only for the term of four years, at the end of which period, it may be renewed at the request of the candidate.'

4. A candidate presenting himself to a council, or any other ecclesiastical body, for ordination, does not need a formal dismission from the association which gave him license to preach. His ordination, terminates his connection with that association; and he is to enter into new relations, not as a candidate, but as a minister.

* In the Presbyterian church, a license to preach is given by a presbytery; and all ordinations are also performed by presbyteries. The licentiate is "under the care" of the presbytery by which he was licensed, and cannot be ordained by another presbytery, without being first, by a special dismission and recommendation, released from his former relation, and placed "under the care" of that other presbytery. In the congregational communion, no man begins to preach without being first examined and approved by an association of ministers; and in imitation of presbyterian usage, the approba

VI. Proceedings against a Minister charged with scandal or heresy.

1. An offending brother in the association, is to be first dealt with privately accordingly to the rules of Christ in Matt. XVIII. 15, 16.

2. When the accused brother is a pastor of a consociated church, the association is to inquire whether the charge is of such a nature, in respect to the matter alledged, and of so much probability in respect to the grounds on which it rests, as to require a trial; and then, if they see cause, they are to direct to the calling of a council of the consociated churches, where such offenders may be duly proceeded against. (Sayb. Art. XIII.)

3. When the accused brother is pastor of a church not consociated, the association, having found upon inquiry sufficient cause to proceed against him, may bring the matter to the church of which he is pastor; and that church may call to its aid, as in the case of the ordination of its pastor, a select council of neighboring churches.

tion is called a license, and the candidate is called a licentiate. But the association by which candidates are licensed, is not the body by which ministers are ordained; and therefore an association knows nothing about dismissing a licentiate in order to his ordination. The license is itself a sufficient dismission and recommendation to any ordaining body to whom it may be presented, and is valid for the term of four years from its date, unless otherwise limited in express terms.

Presbyterians have sometimes been perplexed in conse quence of not understanding this distinction.

4. When the accused brother is not a pastor of any church, and is not by some special rule amenable to the consociation, or when being pastor of a church not consociated, that church refuses to submit the charges against him to a proper council, the association may proceed to investigate the truth of the charges, and if they find him guilty of any scandal or heresy for which he ought to be deposed from the ministry, they may expel him from their fellowship, and declare him to be no longer in communion with them, as a minister of Christ.

5. When a minister of the Gospel, residing or performing the work of the ministry among our churches, but not connected with the association as a member, is charged with scandal or heresy, it is the duty of the association to examine the matter as in the case of one of their own members, and (if they find just occasion,) to present the matter to the proper ecclesiastical authority, with which the accused is directly connected. But if it be not known, that the individual is connected with any ecclesiastical body competent to try the case,- -or if he be connected with an ecclesiastical body too distant to act seasonably and intelligently upon the matters alledged, or if the ecclesiastical body with which he is connected, refuse to do what is required by the laws of Christ, the purity of the ministry, and the safety of the churches,then the association may proceed to investigate the charges, and finding him guilty of any scan

dal or heresy for which he ought to be deposed from the ministry, may declare him to be out of this fellowship, and may warn the churches against him as a deceiver.

PART FOURTH.

OF THE GENERAL ASSOCIATION.

1. Its Constitution and Order of Proceedings.

1. THE general association consists of delegates from the several particular associations of Connecticut, (Sayb. Art. XV.) and of delegates from the congregational bodies in other states with which the general association is in fraternal correspondence. It also receives delegates from each of the two bodies entitled

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church," who partake in the deliberations of the general association, but give no vote.

2. The general association for each year, meets at the place appointed by the general association of the preceding year, on the third Tuesday in June, at 11 o'clock, ante meridiem.

3. The objects for which the general assocition meets are, to learn the general state of re