established precedents and usages. In cases which appear to be new and difficult, it is recommended to the lower judicatories to refer their difficulties to the higher, for direction; and to the higher, as well as to the lower to proceed with peculiar deliberation, and always agreeable to the word of God, and the ordinances and Constitution of the Reformed Dutch Church. Respecting these Explanatory Articles, the General Synod declare, that they contain the principal outlines of the practice of their Church; agreeably to which the ecclesiastical ordinances of the National Synod, held at Dordrecht, in the years 1618, and 1619, and which were solemnly and formally recognised and adopted, at the convention, held at New-York, in the year 1771, are proceeded upon, and executed. And the General Synod further declare, that these articles are to be considered as subjected to such additional explanations and alterations as shall be found necessary to throw light upon any article of the Church Orders of the Synod of Dordrecht aforesaid, or be judged proper to remove any doubts or difficulties. With this express provision, however, that no alterations, or explanations shall ever be made, but by previous recommendations from the General Synod to the respective Classes, and the consent of a majority of the same to such proposed alterations, or explanations, together with the final determination and resolution of the General Synod for the time being. The preceding Explanatory Articles were ratified in the General Synod, held at New-York, the 10th day of October, 1792, and were signed, SOLOMON FRÆLIGH, Præses, EXTRACT FROM THE MINUTES OF GENERAL SYNOD, JUNE, 1815. "RESOLVED, That the Rev. Stephen N. Rowan, Selah S. Woodhull, and Doctor Philip Milledoler, be, and they are hereby appointed a committee, to contract with a printer to publish, under their inspection, a new edition of the Constitution and Explanatory Articles of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church, with an Appendix, containing the Acts and Proceedings of the General Synod amending or altering any of the Rules of Church Government, as well as all additional Rules and Orders now in force." APPENDIX, CONTAINING RULES AND ORDERS OF MINUTES OF GENERAL SYNOD. THE General Synod resolved, That for the future their minutes shall be kept in the English language; and that such minutes be considered as original and authentic. [Passed in the session of General Synod, 1794.1 LIST OF LEMMATA FOR REGULATING THE PROCEEDINGS OF GENERAL SYNOD. FORMATION OF SYNOD. Article 1. Opening of the Synod. 2. Members Present. 3. Moderators. 4. Advisory Members. 5. Reading of Minutes. ACTS OF SYNOD. Article 1. Orders and Rules. 2. Standing Committees. 3. Communications. 4. Correspondence. 5. Synodical Reports on the State of the Churches. |