judice as the one above stated, in this country, or such a representation of the subject as, in candour, ought to be made, would tend greatly to the preservation with their brethren of other denominations, of the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

In 1768, the Rev. Dr. Witherspoon having accepted the call of the Trustees of Princeton College to preside over that venerable institution, previously to his departure for America, visited the continent of Europe, for the purpose of forming an acquaintance with some of the distinguished men of Holland. When he arrived at Rotterdam, he wrote to Mr. Livingston, informing him of the object of the visit, and requesting the favour of being provided by him with suitable lodgings at Utrecht. The request was very cheerfully and promptly complied with; and the respectable family, which had engaged to accommodate the worthy stranger, received him with all politeness, and kindly entertained him without charge during his stay in the City.—The day after his coming there, Mr. Livingston went with him to the university, and introduced him to Professor Bonnet :-and having noticed this fact, it will be necessary for awhile to direct the attention of the reader to some measures which were then in contemplation for the benefit of the Dutch Church in America. Mr. Livingston, ardently desirous that something should be done as speedily as possible to

effect a reconciliation between the two great parties in the Church, (the Cœtus and Conferentie,) was disposed to consider the visit of Dr. Witherspoon, at the time, as an occurrence that might be used to advantage to further the attainment of that object, and, with this impression, did approve the general outlines of a plan which, it was thought would satisfactorily provide for the education of her ministry, under the auspices of that great and good man, when he should be settled at Princeton. It is at least supposed that such was the fact: the grounds upon which the supposition rests will presently be exhibited.

The interview between the Doctor and the Professor is represented to have been, in a high degree, interesting and gratifying to both. Their discourse with each other was in Latin, and before it ended, "Dr. Witherspoon expressed," says Mr. Livingston, "in the warmest terms, his cordial esteem and veneration for the Reformed Dutch Church, and declared his hope and expectation, that the two Churches of Holland and Scotland would, by their mutual efforts and influence, while they still remained two distinct denominations, without any public union or blending, powerfully defend the doctrines of grace, and successfully co-operate in promoting the best interests of the Gospel in America."

The establishment of a friendly correspondence and co-operation, was the only union then proposed; but, another of a more important character, was soon after suggested,-by whom, in the first instance, is not known,-and was seriously meditated, as will appear from the following letter of Dr. Witherspoon to Mr. Livingston, dated Paisley, May 12, 1768:

"Dear Sir,

"I was favoured with yours of the 27th, two days ago, and being just about to depart, have only time to thank you for the pains you have taken in the affair of the union, and wish it may prosper; though I think some circumstances may be added to what you propose, but shall say nothing of it till I hear further from you, as you seem to wish. I pray that you may be blessed in your studies, and honoured to be in due time an active and successful minister of Christ. Remember me kindly to Professor Bonnet, and my worthy landlady, who received me in so hospitable a manner.

"I am, dear Sir, yours, &c.

"JNO. WITHERSPOON."

To ensure success to any plan, which had for its object the accommodation of the existing differences, and the formation of independent classes, in the

Dutch Church in this country, it was necessary to consult the wishes of the ministers in Holland, by making some adequate provision in the plan, for the theological instruction of young men designing to enter the ministry. This provision was a favourite point with the transatlantic brethren, and in requiring it, they certainly evinced a very tender regard to the best interests of the Church; but the question was, what could be done to comply with their wishes in this respect. The Cœtus party, in pursuance of their plan of rendering themselves independent of the Classis of Amsterdam, had adopted measures for the erection of an "Academy" in New-Jersey, in which pious youth might be educated for the ministry, and had already indeed obtained a charter for the same, containing nothing, as Mr. Lott, the intelligent correspondent of Mr. Livingston, mentioned in the preceding chapter, observes in a letter dated September, 1767, "of Cœtus or Conferentie in it, being founded on the constitution of the Church of Holland, as established in the national Synod of Dort," and, therefore, likely to make it, as far as such an instrument could have influence, a popular institution.* But there was

* The letter, in which it is asserted that a charter had been granted for this literary institution, it will be observed, is dated Sep. 1767. But the charter of Queen's (now Rutgers College) which was originally established by the Cœtus party, is dated

no one competent or willing to undertake the discharge of a professor's duties in this academy; or,

March 20th, 1770. To account for the discrepance between the letter and the charter, as to the date of this instrument, it is presumed that only an institution of a secondary rate was at first contemplated, and that the difficulties hinted at in the two next sentences above, delaying the accomplishment of the enterprise, it was afterwards determined to make it a College, for which a new charter was granted, or the old one, with the necessary alterations and additions, new dated.

The following is a part of the preamble to the College Charter, which is extracted from an address delivered by the Rev. Dr. Milledoler, the worthy President of Rutgers College, at a late commencement, and will be seen to contain nothing that could have been justly deemed offensive or exceptionable.

"Whereas our loving subjects, being of the Protestant Reformed Religion, according to the constitution of the Reformed Churches in the United Provinces, and using the discipline of the said Churches, as approved and instituted by the National Synod of Dort, in the year 1618 and 1619, are, in this and the neighbouring provinces, very numerous, consisting of many Churches and religious assemblies, the Ministers and Elders of which having taken into serious consideration the manner in which the said Churches might be properly supplied with an able, learned, and well qualified ministry; and thinking it necessary, and being very desirous that a college might be erected for that purpose within this our province of New-Jersey, in which the learned languages, and other branches of useful knowledge may be taught, and degrees conferred; and especially,