"The reverend ministers, delegates from the elders and messengers of this government, met at Saybrook, September 9th, 1708, having presented to this assembly a Confession of Faith, and Heads of Agreement, and regulations in the administration of church discipline, as unanimously agreed and consented to by the elders and churches in this government; this assembly doth declare their great approbation of such an happy agreement, and do ordain, that all the churches within this government, that are, or shall be, thus united in doctrine, worship, and discipline, be, and for the future shall be owned and acknowledged established by law; provided always, that nothing herein shall be intended or construed to hinder or prevent any society or church, that is or shall be allowed by the laws of this government, who soberly differ or dissent from the united churches hereby established, from exercising worship and discipline, in their own way, according to their consciences.

"A true copy, Test,

"ELEAZER KIMBERLY, Secretary." Though the council were unanimous in passing the platform of discipline, yet they were not all of one opinion. Some were for high consociational government, and in their sentiments nearly presbyterians; others were much more moderate and rather verging on independency; but exceedingly desirous of keeping the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, they exercised great christian condescension and amicableness towards each other.

As it was stipulated, that the heads of agreement should be observed through the colony, this was an important mean of reconciling numbers to the constitution, as these did not carry points so far as the articles of discipline. These did not make the judgments of councils decisive, in all cases, but only maintained, that particular churches ought to have a reverential regard to their judgment, and not to dissent from it without apparent grounds from the word of God. Neither did these give the elders a negative in councils over the churches; and in some other instances they gave more latitude than the articles of discipline. These therefore served to reconcile such elders and churches, as were not for a rigid consociational government, and to gain their consent. Somewhat different constructions were put upon the constitution. Those who were for a high consociational government, construed it rigidly according to the articles of discipline, and others by the heads of agreement; or, at least, they were for softening down the more rigid articles, by construing them agreeably to those heads of union.

Notwithstanding the Savoy confession was adopted, as the faith of the Connecticut churches, yet, by adopting the heads. of agreement, it was agreed, that with respect to soundness of judgment in matters of faith, it was sufficient, "That a church

acknowledge the scriptures to be the word of God, the perfect and only rule of faith and practice, and own either the doctrinal part of those commonly called the articles of the church of England, or the confession or catechisms, shorter or longer, compiled by the assembly at Westminster, or the confession agreed on at the Savoy, to be agreeable to the said rule."

The Saybrook platform, thus unanimously recommended by the elders and messengers of the churches, and adopted by the legislature, as the religious constitution of the colony, met with a general reception, though some of the churches were extremely opposed to it.1

The elders and messengers of the county of Hartford met in council, at Hartford, the next February, and formed into two distinct consociations and associations for the purposes expressed in the constitution. The ministers and churches of the other three counties afterwards formed themselves into consociations and associations. There were, therefore, soon after, five consociations and the same number of associations in the colony. The associations met annually, by a delegation of two elders from each association, in a general association. This has a general advisory superintendency over all the ministers and churches in the colony. Its advice has generally been acceptable to the ministers and churches, and cheerfully carried into execution. The meeting of the general association was anciently in September; but the time of meeting, after some years, was altered, and for more than sixty years has been on the third Tuesday in June.

The corporation of college having now obtained a confession of faith, adopted by the churches and legislature of the colony, adopted it for college, and the trustees and officers of the college, upon their introduction to office, were required to give their assent to it, and to the Westminster confession and catechisms.

But before this could be effected, Mr. Pierson, the president, was no more. He died on the 5th of March, 1707, to the unspeakable loss and affliction both of the college and the people of his charge. He had his education at Harvard college, where he was graduated, 1668. He appears first to have settled in the ministry at Newark in New-Jersey. Thence he came to Killingworth, and was installed in 1694. He had the character of a hard student, good scholar, and great divine. In his whole conduct, he was wise, steady, and amiable. He was greatly respected as a pastor, and he instructed and governed the college with general approbation.

I Though Messrs. Andrew, Pierpont, and Russell, were influential characters, yet it is observable, that the churches, in that county, sent no messengers to the synod; and the tradition is that the church and people of Norwich were so offended with their minister, Mr. John Woodward, for consenting to it, that they never would forgive him and be reconciled; but made such opposition to his ministry, that, by the advice of council, he resigned it and left the town.

Upon the death of rector Pierson, the Rev. Mr. Andrew was chosen rector pro tempore. The senior class were removed to Milford, to be under his immediate instruction, until the commencement. The other students were removed to Saybrook, and put under the care and instructions of two tutors. Mr. Andrew moderated at the commencements and gave general directions to the tutors. Mr. Buckingham also, who was one of the trustees, and resided at Saybrook, during his life, had a kind of direction and inspection over the college. In this state it continued, without any material alteration, until about the year 1715.

The ministers of Connecticut were exceedingly attentive to the morals and qualifications of those, whom they recommended to the improvement of the churches, or ordained to the pastoral office. The general association, September 12, 1712, at a meeting of theirs, at Fairfield, agreed upon the following rules, and recommended them to the consideration of the several associations for their approbation and concurrence.

"Rules agreed upon for the examination of candidates for the ministry.

"Agreed upon, that the person to be examined concerning his qualifications for the evangelical ministry, shall be dealt with, in his examinations, with all candor and gentleness.

"1. That he be able to give satisfaction, to the association examining him, of his skill in the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin tongues. "2. That he be able to give satisfaction, to the association examining him, of his skill in Logic and Philosophy.

"3. He shall be examined what authors, in divinity, he hath read; and also concerning the main grounds or principles of the christian religion; and shall therein offer just matter of satisfaction to the association examining him; and shall give his assent to the confession of faith publicly owned and declared to be the confession of the faith of the united churches of this colony.

66

'4. That if the life and conversation of the person to be examined be not well known to the association examining him, then said person shall offer sufficient evidence to said association of his sober and religious conversation.

"5. That the person to be examined shall publicly pray, and also preach, in the presence of the association examining him, from some text of scripture which shall be given him by said association, and at such time and place as they shall appoint, in order to prove his gifts for the ministerial work.

"Rules relating to the ordination of a person to the work of the ministry.

"Agreed, 1. In case of ordination, those who are to ordain ought to be satisfied, that the person to be ordained is apt to teach, and of his inclination to the work of the ministry.

"2. That they shall be satisfied with his prudence and fitness

'for the management of so great a trust, as that of the work of the ministry.

"3. The persons to ordain shall be satisfied, that his preaching and conversation be acceptable to the people over whom he is to be ordained.

'4. That he shall be able to explain such texts of scripture as shall be proposed to him.

5. That he shall be able to resolve such practical cases of conscience as shall be proposed to him.

"6. That he shall shew, to the satisfaction of the pastors to ordain him, his competent ability to refute dangerous errors, and defend the truth against gainsayers.

“7. That he shall give his consent to the church discipline of this colony as established by law; yet the pastors to ordain are not to be too severe and strict with him to be ordained, upon his sober dissent from some particulars in said discipline.”

Such has been the pious care of the venerable fathers of the churches in Connecticut, to preserve in them a learned, orthodox, experimental ministry. The associations have examined all candidates for the ministry and recommended them to the churches previously to their preaching in them. In their examinations, they have carefully enquired into their knowledge in divinity, their experimental acquaintance with religion, their ministerial gifts and qualifications, and have paid a special attention to their morals, and good character. Hence these churches have been distinguished and singularly happy in a learned, pious, laborious, and prudent ministry.

About this time a very valuable addition of books was made to the college library, at Saybrook. In 1713, Sir John Davie, of Groton, who had an estate descended to him in England, with the title of baronet, gave a good collection. The next year a much greater donation was made by the generosity and procurement of Jeremiah Dummer, Esq. of Boston. He was then in London, in the capacity of an agent for several of the New-England colonies. He sent over above 800 volumes. About 120 of them were procured at his own charge. The rest were from principal gentlemen in England, through his solicitation and influence. Particularly from Sir Isaac Newton, Sir Richard Blackmore, Sir Richard Steele, Doctors Burnet, Halley, Bentley, Kennet, Calamy, and Edwards; and from the Rev. Mr. Henry and Mr. Whiston. These severally gave a collection of their own works, and governor Yale put in about 40 volumes. The library now consisted of about nine hundred volumes.

From 1702 to 1713 inclusively, forty six young gentlemen were graduated, at Saybrook. Of these, thirty four became ministers of the gospel, and two were elected magistrates. Notwithstanding the infant state of the college, numbers of them, through their

native strength of genius and the instructions of those excellent tutors, Mr. John Hart and Mr. Phineas Fisk, became excellent scholars, and shone not only as distinguished lights in the churches, but made a figure in the republic of letters. Seven of them afterwards were fellows of the college, at New-Haven; and another of them was that excellent man, the Reverend Jonathan Dickinson, president of the college in New-Jersey.

The number of ordained ministers in the colony, this year, exclusive of those in the towns under the government of Massachusetts, was forty three. Upon the lowest computation there was as much as one ordained minister to every four hundred persons, or to every eighty families. It does not appear, that there was one bereaved church in the colony. Besides, there were a considerable number of candidates preaching in the new towns and parishes, in which churches were not yet formed. At or about this time, Mr. Thomas Towsey began to preach at Newtown, Mr. Joseph Meacham at Coventry, Mr. John Bliss at Hebron, and Mr. John Fisk at Killingly, at which places churches were soon after gathered and those gentlemen ordained. Several other candidates were preaching in other places.

A Catalogue of the ministers of Connecticut, from 1630, to 1713,

inclusively.

As the gathering, or forming of the churches, as far as can be found, was universally on the day of ordination, no column is made to certify the time of their formation; but wherever this mark t is set after the figures expressing the time of ordination, it gives notice that the church was formed at the same time.

1 Mr. Edwards was nearly sixty-four years in the ministry, and able to preach until he was about 84 years of age.