PRESBYTERIANISM 813 in numbers as well as enterprise ; and in 1758, when the two bodies reunited to form the synod of New York and Philadelphia, the New Side outnumbered the Old Side, in ministers and churches, in the proportion of about three to one. The united body steadily increased, sending some of its strongest men on missions to Virginia and the Carolinas. But its prog- ress was arrested by the revolutionary war, during which the synod sometimes found it difficult or impracticable to meet, and the churches, often deprived of the labors of their pastors, who were fugitives or in the camp as chaplains, suffered a decline. In the course of a few years after the war new presbyte- ries were organized in western Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the Carolinas, and new church- es were gathered west of the Alleghanies. In 1785 steps were taken for revising the stan- dards of the church and organizing a general assembly. A committee, consisting of Drs. Witherspoon, Rodgers, Robert Smith, Patrick Allison, Samuel Stanhope Smith, John Wood- hull, Robert Cooper, James Latta, George Duf- field, and Matthew Wilson, was appointed to "take into consideration the constitution of the church of Scotland and other Protestant churches," and to form a complete system for the organization of the Presbyterian church in the United States. In May, 1788, the synod completed the revision and arrangement of the public standards. The new arrangement con- sisted in dividing the old synod into four synods, namely, the synods of New York and New Jersey, of Philadelphia, of Virginia, and of the Carolinas, and constituting over these, as a bond of union, a general assembly, of essentially the same type with the general as- sembly of the church of Scotland. The West- minster confession of faith was adopted, with three slight alterations, and the larger and shorter catechisms, with but a single alteration, while the form of government and discipline of the Scottish church was slightly modified, to accord with our civil government and cir- cumstances. No change has since been made, except that the form of government has been twice revised, one of the most important alter- ations having been an increase in the number of ministers requisite to send a delegate to the general assembly. Toward the close of the last century an extensive and powerful revival prevailed in Kentucky. A lack of ministers led many to favor the application of pious but uneducated men as candidates. Opposition to the project was strengthened by errors which had sprung up in connection with the revival. The severe measures of the synod, sustained by the action of the assembly, precipitated a se- cession, which became the germ of the Cum- berland Presbyterian church, which in 1875 reported in connection with its general as- sembly 25 synods, 110 presbyteries, 2,250 con- gregations, 1,250 ministers, and 100,000 com- municants. (See CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERI- ANS.) In 1822, the synod of the Associate 682 VOL. XHI. 52 Reformed church having been brought, under
- he lead of Dr. John M. Mason, to favor union
with the Presbyterian church, that union took )lace; but a very considerable minority re-
- used to acquiesce in the measure, and retained
a separate existence. During the 15 years that followed, the growth of the church was un- precedentedly rapid. New churches and pres- byteries were multiplied in the middle and western states. Already measures had been adopted (1812) which resulted in establishing Princeton seminary, Union seminary in Vir- ginia, and, though unendowed, the Southern and Western, at Marysville, Tenn. Auburn followed in 1816; the Western at Allegheny and Lane at Cincinnati in 1826-'7 ; Columbia, S. 0., and Danville, Ky., in 1828 ; and Union at New York in 1836. The accessions from New England, at the time in full theological sympathy with the Presbyterian church, were provided for by the "Plan of Union" agreed to by the general association of Connecticut and the general assembly in 1801. It aimed to secure the rights and the harmonious coopera- tion of two denominations, entering the same field. For nearly a quarter of a century no fault was found with it; but it led to the representation in presbytery and general as- sembly of committeemen from Congregational churches, and these were found to favor vol- untary missionary societies, not under the as- sembly's control. Of these societies, that for home missions, within a few years after its organization in 1826, had several hundred mis- sionaries under its patronage. Most of these were from New England, and many of them were alike opposed to church boards and in sympathy with " New Haven theology." Par- ties were thus formed in the church, and the agitation on the subject of slavery, springing up at that time, tended to increase the aliena- tion. The crisis came in 1837. The plan of union, through which, it was charged, the evils of the church had been introduced, was de- clared unconstitutional and void, and the four synods which had been organized under it were declared to be outside the Presbyterian church. Among these were many churches originally and soundly Presbyterian ; and, in- dignant at an act of the assembly which they believed subversive of the constitution of the church, the New School resolved to maintain their rights. By preconcerted arrangement, at the assembly of 1838 they effected an organ- ization for themselves and then adjourned to another place. As they withdrew, the Old School members who remained perfected their organization, and thus there were at once an Old and a New School assembly, bearing the same name and claiming the same rights. Litigation ensued, but no decision changed the relations of parties or the tenure of property save in sc few instances. The New School was numeri- cally the smaller body, and moreover was en- cumbered alike by its Congregational allies and its southern adherents. In the course of a few
