The following appeal from a decision of the Particular Synod of New-York was received from the Classis of NewYork, viz:

To the General Synod of the Reformed Dutch Church, to meet

in Albany on the first Wednesday of June, 1819.

The Classis of New-York do hereby appeal from a decision of the Particular Synod of New-York, which is in the words following, viz: "Whereas it does appear to this Synod, that the pastoral connexion between the Rev. Stephen N. Rowan and his Congregation cannot be any longer maintained, consistently with the interest of Religion and the Church, it is hereby resolved, That said connexion ought to be dissolved; and the

Classis of New-York are hereby directed to take measures to effect such dissolution in a regular and constitutional manner,” From this decision the Classis appeal, and because of the following reason

The General Synod, in 1809, passed the following act: "Resolved, That the resolution passed in General Synod of 1806, dissolving the connexion between Ministers and their Congregations, on the principle of expediency, though one of the parties be averse to such dissolution, be repealed; because unconstitutional, and of an evil tendency; calculated to foster strife in Congregations, to encourage worldly-minded professors, to excite animosities in a Church against Ministers, and repugnant to the practice of the Reformed Dutch Church in all ages."

By this act, the Classis deem themselves prohibited from dissolving the pastoral connexion between the Rev. S. N. Rowan and his Congregation, which they trust will appear from the following statements:

1. No other reason for the dissolution than that of expediency was ever laid before Classis in such way, that, in their judgment, they could act upon it; and no other reason is mentioned by Particular Synod in their resolution, directing the dissolution of the connexion. This will appear from the minutes of Particular Synod and of Classis.

2. The Classis have never had before them the consent of more than one party to the dissolution; but, on the contrary, one of the parties, viz. the Rev. Stephen N. Rowan, has uniformly, before Classis, expressed and urged his aversion and opposition to the measure. This will appear from the minutes of Classis, and the documents referred to therein, all which were submitted to Particular Synod.

The Classis add,

3. Not only has the Rev. Stephen N. Rowan thus expressed before Classis his aversion and opposition to the measure, but, as far as it appears from documents laid before Classis, a ma

jority of members in the Church at Greenwich are earnestly desirous that Mr. Rowan should continue as their Pastor.

As the Classis deem the above recited decision of Particular Synod to be contrary to the above recited act of General Synod, said Classis do now, and hereby, lay their appeal before the General Synod; and request, that the Rev. Dr. Philip Milledoler and the Rev. James M. Mathews be heard as their Commissioners for the prosecution of the same, or the Rev. Dr. Alexander Gunn and the Rev. John Knox, to act in the place of the above named Commissioners, in case they should not be present.

A true extract from the Minutes of the Classis of New-
York.

PASCHAL N. STRONG, Stated Clerk.

New-York, 19th May, 1819.

Resolved, That this Synod do now proceed to consider the said appeal; and that the Rev. Dr. Alexander Gunn and James M. Mathews, two of the Commissioners appointed by the Classis of New-York, be accredited, and heard upon the said appeal.

The Synod then proceeded to hear the said Commissioners, in favour of the appeal of the Classis, and to hear the only member of the Particular Synod of New-York at their last meeting, who was a member of the General Synod, in support of the decision of the Particular Synod; also to hear all the papers which were produced in relation to the case. Synod then resolved, that all those members of the Classis of New-York, and of the Particular Synod of New-York, who have already voted on the subject under consideration, be excluded from the privilege of voting on it now.

It was then moved and seconded, that Synod adopt the following resolution, viz. :

Resolved, That the appeal of the Classis of New-York, now before this Synod, be not sustained; and the question being taken on this resolution, it was decided in the negative. The votes were as follows:

Yeas-Staats Van Santvoord, Peter S. Wynkoop, Andrew N. Kittle, Jacob Sickles, Stephen Ostrander, Ralph A. Westervelt, Solomon Fræligh, Peter A. Overbagh, Henry V. Wyckoff, Sebe Brinkerhoff, Cornelius Van Vliet, Philip Pitcher, Evert Van Allen, Frederick Berenger, Jacob L. Veelie, Jonathan Meyer, and Cornelius A. Blauvelt, 17.

Nays-Samuel A. Van Vranken, Walter Monteith, John Beattie, Jacob Brodhead, Thomas De Witt, Samuel Kissam, Jesse Fonda, James Murphy, Nicholas I. Marselus, Albert Amerman, Isaiah Y. Johnston, John L. Zabriskie, James D. Demarest, John F. Schermerhorn, Jeremiah Johnson, Joseph Van Winkle, Ares Vanderbilt, Maus Schermerhorn, David Burhans, Andries Witbeck, Garrit I. Lansing, Isaac Heyer, James Schureman, and Adam Dickerson, 24.

Synod then resolved, that the appeal of the Classis of NewYork, from the decision of the Particular Synod of New-York, be sustained, and that the proceedings of the Particular Synod, in the premises, be reversed.

A memorial was received from the Consistory of the Church of Greenwich addressed to this Synod, praying this Synod to receive and consider another memorial addressed to the Particular Synod of New-York, but which, in consequence of that body having failed to form a quorum at the time at which they were called to meet, could not be laid before that body. The said memorial contained a prayer that the subjects of the appeal of the Consistory, as recorded in the minutes of the Particular Synod of New-York at their last stated meeting, should be considered and decided on.

Resolved, That this Synod will grant the prayer of the said memorial, and proceed to consider and decide on the said appeal. Resolved, that Messrs. Peter H. Wendover and Abraham Labagh, be accredited as Commissioners from the Consistory of the Church of Greenwich to this Synod. The Rev. James M. Mathews, and Dr. Alexander Gunn, were accredited as Commissioners from the Classis of New-York.

Synod heard all these Commissioners in the premises, and attended to all the documents they produced, and to the minutes of the Classis of New-York in the case. It was then Resolved, that the parties in this case be excluded from deliberating and