The Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America.—This organization traces its ancestry to the Covenanters and claims to be a lineal descendant of the Kirk of Scotland. Its name has a twofold significance and is a resume of its history. It is called Reformed, to indicate that it was founded on the prin ciples of the Reformation, and Presbyterian because of its adoption of and long struggle to maintain that form of government. The first presbytery of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in America was organized in 1774. In 1782 the majority of this presbytery united with the Associate presbyteries and formed the Associate Reformed Church. A few refused to accept the union and maintained their organ ization in what was called °praying circles.° Ministers having been obtained from Scotland, in 17% the presbytery was again constituted. In 1809 the Synod of the Reformed Church was organized with three presbyteries, in Phila delphia; through the increase of churches and presbyteries a General Synod was in time organized. But in 1833 a division occurred by which it was separated into two branches, known respectively as the Synod of the Re formed Church and the General Synod of the Reformed Church. The distinctive features of the Reformed Church are, first, the kingly office of Christ in the sense that nations as well as individuals are his subjects and should acknowledge his authority. Hence Reformed Presbyterians °decline to hold office or to exer cise the right of suffrage in any government that does not clearly own Christ as king and his law as supreme.° Second, the exclusive use of the Psalms in praise. Third, opposition to secret and oath-bound societies. Fourth, communion restricted to church membership. The cause of the division of the Synod into two branches was a difference of opinion concern ing the application of these distinctive principles, one party demanding a rigid and the other a liberal interpretation.
The Synod maintained that voting under the Constitution of the United States involves im morality. The General Synod maintained that voting does not involve morality, a position that makes it so near like several other Amer ican denominations as to dim its individuality. The General Synod has 20 ministers, 17 con gregations and about 3,000 communicants. The Synod of the Reformed Church, representing the °Old Side? is the stronger of the two branches. It now has 8,481 communicants.
The Christian Reformed Church.— The organization of this Church took place in 1857. It is lineally descended from the Reformed Church of Holland. About the year 1847 a large number of Hollanders, connected with the Christian Reformed Church of the Netherlands, emigrated to America and settled in Michigan. For a short time they became associated with the Dutch Reformed Church, now the Reformed Church of America; but after a time withdrew on account of what they deemed laxity in doc trine and discipline, and formed an organiza tion of their own. Its membership is to be found mainly in the States of Michigan, Illinois, Iowa and New Jersey, with a few scattered congregations in New York, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota. It is rigidly Cal vinistic in its doctrines, accepting as its stand ard the articles of the Synod of Dort, and the Heidelberg Catechism. It is opposed to secret oath-bound societies and uses almost exclusively the Psalms in the service of praise. It uses also a liturgy in the administration of the sacraments and in the ordination of ministers and elders. Its theological school is in Grand Rapids, Mich. It numbers about 160 churches and 36,296 communicants. Its General Synod meets biennially at Grand Rapids, Mich. Its ministers officiate in the English, German, French, Bohemian and Hungarian languages.
The Welsh Calvinistic Methodist.— This branch of the Presbyterian body is derived from the Calvinistic Methodist Church of Wales. The first church of this denomination in the United States was organized in Remsen, N. Y., and three years later the first presbytery was constituted. On 22 Sept. 1869 the General As sembly was organized and held its sessions in Columbus, Ohio; and it has met triennially ever since. Its standards of doctrine are the same as those of the parent church in Wales. Its system of government is Presbyterian. The
Church exists among the Welsh in 13 States of the.republic, and in 1916 had 14,326 members.
The Associate Reformed Synod of the The origin of this synod dates back to the year 1821. It was the result of a seces sion from the Associated Reformed Church on account of differences concerning psalmody and communion questions. Its membership is con fined principally to the Southern States and numbers about 15,112. Its doctrinal symbols are the same as those of other Reformed churches.
There are also in the United States several organizations of Presbyterians known respec tively as The Associate Church of North Amer ica, The Reformed (Covenanted) and The Re formed in the United States and Canada. The number of their adherents is small, not exceed ing 2,000.
Presbyterian Churches in Pres byterianism in Canada is of Scottish origin, and in it are to be found representatives of every shade of Presbyterianism that has appeared in the British islands. Its early history is marked by divisions, which in course of time have been overcome. In 1831 the Synod of the Presby terian Church of Canada, in connection with the Church of Scotland, was organized. Meanwhile other Presbyterian ministers, chiefly of the As sociate Church of Scotland, organized them selves as the United Synod of Upper Canada. These two bodies were united in 1840. Pre vious to this union another church had been formed under the name of the United Presby terian Church of Canada. On 10 July 1844, 25 ministers, in connection with the Church of Scotland, who were in sympathy with the Free Church movement in Scotland, withdrew from the Synod and constituted themselves a separate body, under the name of the Presbyterian Church of Canada. For 17 years these three bodies maintained a separate existence; but in 1861 a union was effected between the United Presbyteries and the representatives of the Free Church, under the name of the Synod of the Canada Presbyterian Church. This synod en tered upon a prosperous career, and in 1870 the supreme court of this Church was for the first time constituted as a General Assembly. In 1866 a union was accomplished between the churches of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick; and in 1868 the synods of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, in connection with the Church of Scotland, formed one synod. A general union of all the churches took place in the year 1875, into which union, under the name of the Pres byterian Church of Canada, came the Presby terian Church in Canada, in connection with the Church of Scotland, the Canada Presbyterian Church, the Church of the Lower Provinces and the Church of the Maritime Provinces in connection with the Church of Scotland. This union was cordial, and it has been followed by marked progress and substantial prosperity. The united Church has 1,899 ministers, 1,675 congregations and 333,457 communicants. The total contributions for all purposes in 1916 amounted to $5,460,133. The home mission work is comprehensive, embracing such fields as evangelism, moral and social reforra, con gested city districts, church and rural life and church and industrial life. It is carrying on foreign missions. The 182 missionaries are en gaged in China, Korea and India. It has five theological seminaries. See PRESBYTERIANISM.
For the Churches of the United States: Hodge,
History of the Presbyterian Church in the U. S. A.' ; Gillett,
of the Presbyterian Church in the U. S. A.' ; Patton,