AT A CONVENTION of minifters and elders delegated for the exprefs purpofe of removing certain difficulties which had arrifen in the reformed Dutch churches in America, and for eftablifbing an uniform difcipline throughout the fame, held at New-York in the month of October, 1771, the Rules of Church Government, made and decreed in the national fynod, held at Dordrecht 1618, and 1619, were recognized and exprefsly adopted as the. conftitution of the faid churches, as far as their local circumftances would render the fame practicable.

The Articles of union founded upon this adoption, and expreffing in general terms what is fpecified and more particularly applied to the local circumstances of the churches, in the following explanatory articles, were ratified and established. on the 18th, day of October, 1771,

And were figned,

JOHN H. LIVINGSTON, Præfes,
ISAAC RYSDYCK, Scriba,

EILARDUS WESTERLO, Scriba..

ARTICLES

EXPLANATORY

OF THE

GOVERNMENT and DISCIPLINE

OF THE

REFORMED DUTCH CHURCH,

IN THE

UNITED STATES

OF

AMERICA.

WHE

HEREAS the Rules of Church Goverument, commonly called the Church Orders, which were ratified in the National Synod held at Dordrecht in the years 1618, and 1619, and which exprefs the general principles of Ecclefiaf tical government adopted by all reformed churches; were, by the delegates from the United Netherlands, explained and more fully applied to their local circumstances, in certain acts, which were filed the Poft Acta Synodi Nationalis.

AND WHEREAS the reformed Dutch churches in America, who brought with them from Holland the difcipline eftablished in the National Synod of Dordrecht, have alfo, always appplied the fame, as far as their numbers, and fituation would permit; and in a general convention of delegates held at New-York, in the year of our Lord 1771, did declare their firm adherance to the Ecclefiaftical ordinances aforesaid, in the first article of their acts then ratified, in the words following, viz. "We abide fully by the

conftitution of the reformed church of "the Netherlands, as the fame is efta"blished in the National Synod held at "Dordrecht, Annis 1618, and 1619."

AND WHEREAS, it is judged proper to publish the government and difcipline of the reformed Dutch church in America, in the English language, and it is thereby become neceffary, not only to tranflate the Rules of Church Government of the National Synod of Dordrecht, but alfo to explain in what manner the faid rules are executed, confiftant with the local circumftances of faid church.

THEREFORE, the General Synod of the reformed Dutch church in America, held at New-York, in October 1792, have caufed the practice of their church to be comprised in the following ExARTICLES, agreeably to which, the Rules of Church Government of the faid National Synod of Dordrecht are applied and executed.

PLANATORY