4. No aggrieved party in a consociated church has a right in any case to call an ex parte council, for the redress of grievances; no church is required to comply with such a call, or to attend to the advice of such a council;—our ecclesiastical confederation having provided a more excellent way.

PART THIRD.

OF PARTICULAR ASSOCIATIONS.

I. Membership in the Association.

1. THE teaching elders of the churches in each county or district become an association by their own consent and covenant. (Sayb. Art. XII.) He who consents to become a teaching elder in a consociated church, consents to become a member of the association, but does not become actually a member, till the associated pastors, upon their satisfaction of his fitness, consent, either formally or informally, to receive him.

2. Ordained ministers of the gospel, having no pastoral relation to a church, but exercising their ministry within the bounds of an association, either as teachers in a theological school, or as supplying a congregation statedly with the ministration of the word, ought to be in connection with the association of the district

within which they reside, and become such by mutual consent.

3. A minister dismissed from his pastoral charge, and still exercising his ministry occasionally, does not cease to be a member of the association, but is under their fraternal inspection in all that concerns his ministerial character, and may sit in their meetings to aid with his advice and vote.

4. A minister ordained to the work of an evangelist whether as a missionary to foreign parts, or to labor among the destitute at home, ought to be connected with some association till such time, as it shall be convenient for him to be united with some other body.

II. Duties of the Association.

The duties of the associated pastors in each county or division of a county, are,

1. To consult the duties of their office, and common interest of the churches, [Sayb. Art. XII.] by carefully inquiring, at least twice in each year, into the state of religion in their respective charges:

2. To send three delegates each year to the general association, and by the hands of those delegates an authentic report of the state of religion in that district:

3. To act upon such matters as may be referred to them by the general association:

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4. To consider and resolve questions and cases of importance which shall be offered by any among themselves or others: (Sayb. Art. XII.)

5. To examine candidates for the ministry, and by a certificate of approbation, (commonly called a license) to recommend to the churches such as they find to be duly qualified: (Sayb. Art. XII.)

6. To recommend to bereaved churches, on their application for advice, such persons as may be fit to be called and settled in the work of the Gospel ministry among them: (Sayb. Art. XIV.)

7. To take notice of any among themselves that may be accused of scandal or heresy unto them, or of scandal or heresy cognizable by them; to examine the matter carefully; and, if they find just occasion, to direct to the calling of the council of the consociated churches of the district, that such offenders may be duly proceeded against before the council. (Art. XIII.)

III. Officers of the Association.

1. A moderator and a scribe are chosen at the opening of each meeting.

2. Each association has its register who records in a book, the minutes put into his hands by the scribe of each meeting.

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