In 1802 the following articles of union and correspondence were ratified between the General Association and the General Convention of Vermont : "ARTICLE 1. Each body shall send one or two delegates or commissioners to meet and sit with the other at the stated sessions of the body. ARTICLE 2. The delegate or delegates from each body, severally, shall have the privilege of entering into the discussions and deliberations of the body as freely and equally as their own members. ARTICLE 3. That the union and intercourse may be full and complete between the said bodies, the commissioner or commissioners from each, respectively, shall not only sit and deliberate, but act and vote.” Similar terms of correspondence were entered into with the General Association of Massachusetts in 1809, except that two delegates were to be annually appointed by each body; with the General Association of New Hampshire in 1810; with the Evangelical Consociation of Rhode Island in 1821, and with the General Conference of Maine about 1828. The General Association of the State of New York was admitted into union with us on the same terms of correspondence as the Ecclesiastical bodies in New England in 1835. Beside these connections, a correspondence has been carried on by letter since 1833, between the General Association and the Congregational Union of England and Wales. Occasionally a delegate, designated by a committee of the General Association, has set in the annual meeting of that body. Letters also have passed between the General Association and the pastors and ministers of the Canton de Vaud in Switzerland. NOTE E, p. 38. Alterations in some of the articles have occasionally been thought of by one district association and another, or by the General Association itself, as may be seen by turning to Note B; but on referring them to the district associations at large for further consideration, they have not been adopted. The general voice has been for retaining the Platform as prepared in 1708. This has been judged a safer and better course than to attempt alterations, even if some passages are not the most happily worded. The Association of Litchfield County, at a meeting on the last Tuesday of May, 1757, voted: "Whereas the Rev. General Association, in their meeting, June, 1756, recommended it to the particular associations of this Colony to manifest their concurrence with the Saybrook Confession of Faith, this association having taken it into consideration, do hereby declare their unanimous assent and consent to the Articles of the Christian Religion in said Confession, so far as they are contained in the Assembly of Divines' Shorter Catechism; and as to the Platform of Discipline, we think it not expedient that any alteration be made in the public impression, but that every consociation be at liberty to vary in such things as to them appear exceptionable." "The reason of our expressing ourselves as above concerning the Confession of Faith, is, because some expressions therein appear to us exceptionable, which we are willing to send in to the next General Association, if desired." It will be noticed that the things deemed exceptionable in the Confession, are expressions and not senti ments; and concerning the Platform, the principal variation which the consociation in that county had adopted, respects the 4th Article, and is found in the following rule:-"In all acts of this consociation, nothing shall be allowed as a vote of this body but where there is a major part of the ministers, and also a major part of the messengers agreed." The consociation of New Haven West, in the Preamble to their present constitution say, "that serious objections have been entertained by the churches against the Saybrook Platform on account of the power given to the pastors in their churches and in the consociation, although in other respects that rule of discipline was in general cordially approved." The fourth article has been specially faulted, though the principle of voting in councils there laid down, is said in the article itself to have been the common practice of our churches before. But there is some doubt whether the reason of the principle is well understood. The construction of the article by the convention of New Haven County in 1709, in which some of the compilers were present, is given elsewhere. There is a tradition, also, "that this article was intended to prevent the overpowering influence of the churches, as it was customary for them in those days, to send to consociations a number of delegates."* The custom was an unhappy one, very liable to abuse, and to become the occasion of dissatisfaction and mischief.t *Rev. Dr. John Elliott's Sermon on Consociation, p. 18. NOTE F. p. 49. Hartford was designated as the place where the first meeting should be held for the purpose of organization. The delegates met there accordingly on the 18th of May, 1709. Where the meeting was held in 1710 is not certainly known the presumption is, it was held in New Haven. It was in New London in 1711, in Fairfield 1712, Wethersfield 1713, Milford 1714, Norwich 1715, and Stratford 1717. Where it was in 1716, 1718, 1719, 1720 and 1721, we are unable to state. The sessions from 1721 until 1735 are given in the Historical Account. The place of meeting in the last mentioned year has not been ascertained. Since then the sessions have been as follows: *G. A. was appointed there, but there is no record of a meeting. |