While recognizing many precious principles embodied in the Dorvock bond, we cannot give it our approbation as an adequate renovation of our National Covenant and Solemn League, because it not only omits but obviously excludes the Form of Presbyterial Church Government and the Directory for Public Worship, and seems to substitute for these the Testimony which is incompatible with that of 1761; although the two documents above named were received by our General Assembly of Scotland as “part of the uniformity” to which we are bound in the Solemn League.  And besides, all their symbols of faith mentioned in the Dervock transaction as subordinate, are owned only as “Doctrinal Standards,” thus leaving at loose ends individual and social Christian practice.  This document is therefore a defective, evasive, and consequently inadequate renovation of our Covenants.

The sound principles comprised in the Pittsburgh bond are still more palpably rendered nugatory by contradictions, manifold evasions and ambiguous phrases; such as “accepted manuals, our fathers’ covenants,” etc.; while the solemn pledge to “maintain Christian friendship with pious men of every name, and to feel and act as one with all in every land who pursue this grand end “—­an undefined end—­would overthrow, if this were possible, the whole scriptural fabric of our Presbyterial Covenanted Reformation.  Treachery and perfidy, not to say perjury, are bound up in the Pittsburgh bond, especially in pledging themselves to the performance of civil duties “not forbidden in the law of God.”  Some of the native fruits of this transaction, tending still more to corrupt themselves and others are the continual practice of occasional hearing, exchange of pulpits and correspondence by delegation.

This body has placed itself under the authority of the Pennsylvania Legislature, having petitioned for and obtained an act of incorporation, and having voluntarily submitted to the Erastian civil jurisdiction of the state of Pennsylvania and of the United States.  The civil Charter expressly institutes and appoints its trustees to be regulated and limited in the exercise of the functions of their respective offices by the constitutions of Pennsylvania and of the nation.  Their bond prepared the way for this more gross and practical surrender of all that is distinctive in our covenanted position.  And finally, so far as we know all parties in the three lands claiming to be Reformed Presbyterians, have for years renounced those provisions of our Directory which require the lines to be read in public praise to God, and the banns to be proclaimed before marriage.

The nations throughout Christendom, continue in league with Antichrist and give their strength to the beast.  They still refuse to profess and defend the true religion in doctrine, worship, government and discipline, contrary to the example of the kingdoms of Scotland, England and Ireland in the seventeenth century.  Some of them have waged wars of conquest, under pretence of opening a way for the spread of the gospel; and disregarding international law, have violated solemn treaties among themselves, and all of them practically disregard divine authority; habitually profaning the Christian Sabbath, by carrying the mail, by commercial traffic, and parties of pleasure on land and water.