In Scotland the leaders of the people caused them to err by changing the Terms of Communion in the year 1822, and the Testimony in 1837.  While these changes were made in the Covenanted Church’s organic law some of the most popular and influential ministers—­theological professors, were publicly transgressing our covenants by joining in affinity with divers confederacies for moral reform.  Doctor Andrew Symington, the most influential minister in the Synod did actually and publicly co-operate with the Evangelical Alliance; and in 1841 the same professor was among the foremost in projecting a plan for a “concert of prayer,” by diverse sorts of professors, those of the Established Church of Scotland being expressly mentioned.  No wonder the hesitating Covenanter ventured at least to express preferance for “more generally small meetings for prayer, to a large number of Christians of different names.”  This kind of amalgamation being contrary to Scripture was a breach also of the Solemn League, the sixth article of which was evidently designed by our fathers to prevent such social sins under the name of religion.  The Theological Seminary in Scotland, as a corrupt fountain, polluted all the streams, the ministers taking the lead in the defection, as is now manifested to the world.

All along our history in Scotland, Ireland and America, the sin of the antediluvians and of Israel after the flesh has been imitated by us—­joining with the known enemies of truth and righteousness, in the face of many fearful judgments for such breaches of solemn vows.

The ministers took the lead in joining and inducing others to join the Colonization Society, a scheme for the removal of colored freedmen from among the bondmen, that slavery might be more secure and more certainly perpetuated by removing the disturbing element; and all this under the guise of evangelizing Africa!  The General Synod which had unanimously patronized that scheme in 1828, discovering the deception, did in 1836, by a majority transfer its patronage to the rival cause of Abolition, thus continuing and persevering in the same transgression, from which they are not reclaimed to this day.

About the same time when we were ensnared in these unscriptural confederacies, occasional hearing naturally became developed in a sabbath-school, which for a short time was conducted jointly by three denominations in Pittsburgh—­Covenanters, Seceders and Associate Reformed, violating our covenanted unity and erecting an unauthorized agency for spiritual instruction.  The General Synod did, in 1840, abolish its own deligation form and the Subordinate Synods in violation of conventional law and Presbyterial order, and still continues to adhere to this two-fold breach of the brotherly covenant.  That body, carrying on defection, joined in military association as noticed above, during the late civil war between the Union and Confederate armies, framing an “oath of fidelity,” and thus profaning a divine ordinance by pledging themselves to enforce an atheistical constitution and execute the laws:  and some of them glory in their shame and boast of this flagrant and complicated breach of solemn vows to the contrary.