Presbyterial order be scriptural, all these churches at Amoy, growing out of each other, are bound to associate together, ecclesiastically.  It is their duty to submit to each other.  They would also be bound to submit to the Church of the same order in England and America, and every other country throughout the world, if it were possible and convenient.  But such relation is not convenient, or possible.  Therefore, we must choose that which is possible and most convenient.  It is possible, and it is convenient, that they associate together.  It is not possible that they all be subject to the Church in England, and, at the same time, to the Church in America.  It is not convenient that they all be subject to either of these Churches.  We do not think it is convenient that one-half of them be subject to either of these Churches.  Besides the sin, or evil, of schism, they never can be properly represented in the higher ecclesiastical bodies of either of these Churches.  They never can have an Elder present (I speak now of their connection with the Church in America, for this is the subject before us).  They never can have a full representation of ministers.  Only very seldom can they have even one minister present.  He usually will only be one who is ill, and consequently not a proper representative.  The native element, i.e., the chief element of the Church can never be represented at all.  The representation, at the best, will only be a representation of your Missionaries, not at all of the Chinese Church.  Therefore, we assert that such a union would not be real, not even apparent, only nominal.  In striving after it, we are pursuing a chimera, destroying a substance for the sake of a shadow.

But it is offered as an objection to our views, that the Presbyterian Church (O.S.) has Presbyteries and Synods in India and China.  Yes, they have three Presbyteries and a Synod in India, and have had for twenty years.  But even yet there is not so much of a native element in their whole Synod as there is already in the little Church in the region of Amoy.  As an ecclesiastical body, it is not Indian in its characteristics—­it is American.  So with all their Presbyteries in Siam and China, with the exception, perhaps, of the Presbytery at Ningpo.  They are American Presbyteries, not native in their character.[2]

[Footnote 2:  The following statistics are from the Minutes of General Assembly, 1863.

Synod of Northern India—­Was organized in 1841.  Is composed of three Presbyteries.  Now has 19 ministers (only one of these is a native pastor); 9 churches; 246 communicants. (How many of these are natives not reported.)

Presbytery of Canton—­Has 4 ministers; no native pastor; 1 church; 12 communicants. (How many of these are natives not reported.) Presbytery of Ningpo—­Has 8 ministers; no native pastor; 2 churches; 111 native members.