before; and even with the addition of these, it was, not long afterwards, found too small to accommodate the worshippers.

Under these circumstances, an enlargement of the building was thought adviseable. Accordingly, in the year 1748, it was enlarged, nearly a a third, to the size at which it remained until the beginning of the year 1810, when it was taken down, to make way for the present edifice. Mr. Whitefield visited New-York repeatedly in the course of his long stay in America, from 1744 to 1748; and his preaching there, as well as elsewhere, was eminently popular and successful. It must always be reckoned among the signal honours, and great advantages of the Presbyterian church in New-York, that it enjoyed so large a portion of the American labours, of that extraordinary servant of Jesus Christ.

The congregation still continuing to increase, and the labours of the pulpit and of the parish being considered as too great for an individual, it was thought proper to call a colleague for Mr. Pemberton. The attention of the people was soon directed toward the Rev. Alexander Cumming, a member of the Presbytery of New-Bruns

wick, and a young gentleman of eminent talents and piety*. On paying them a visit, he preached so much to their acceptance, that they gave him a unanimous call to be one of their pastors. He accepted the call, and was installed collegiate pastor of their church, in the month of October, in the year 1750. Mr. Cumming was a man of a remarkably clear and discriminating mind; a close student; and an instructive, excellent preacher. He had a singularly happy faculty of disentangling and exhibiting the most abstruse and intricate subjects; and was peculiarly acceptable to the more discerning classes of his hearers.

But no happiness is complete, no tranquillity

The Rev. Alexander Cumming, the son of Mr. Robert Cumming, from Montrose, in Scotland, was born at Freehold, New-Jersey, in the year 1726. He received his academical education partly at Freehold, and partly under the direction of his uncle, the Rev. Samuel Blair, at Fogg's Manor, in Pennsylvania. He studied theology in his native place, under the care of the Rev. William Tennent. He was licensed to preach the gospel, by the Presbytery of New-Brunswick, in 1746 or 1747; and in a short time afterwards was ordained to the work of the ministry, and installed pastor of the church in the city of New-Brunswick, where he resided several years before his removal to New-York.

permanent, in this world. Though the congregation had been, for some time, greatly prospered; and though its members had every reason to rejoice in the character of their ministers, and in the goodness and grace of their God; yet a root of bitterness soon began to spring up, which interrupted their comfort, and finally produced the most unhappy fruits.

A large and respectable portion of the congregation consisted of emigrants from Scotland and the north of Ireland. These were universally attached to the order and discipline of the church of Scotland, and lamented every departure from that model. Another and highly influential portion, having emigrated either from South-Britain, or from New-England, rather leaned to the more lax plan of church order which prevailed in their respective countries. As Mr. Pemberton, their old pastor, had received his education in NewEngland, and probably felt an attachment to the religious habits of his early life, there is reason to suppose that his inclinations and his influence coincided with the wishes of the latter. And as Mr. Cumming, though educated a Presbyterian, settled, not long after, in a congregational church, it is more than likely that he had no insuperable

objections to the congregational form of government. However this may be, it is certain that, for some time prior to the year 1750, the Presbyterian plan had not been strictly adhered to, in the church of New-York. There were deacons, but no ruling elders. Such of the trustees as were communicants, together with the deacons, acted as a sort of committee for assisting the minister in the exercise of discipline. In short, in conducting the internal affairs of the church, under the name of Presbyterianism, the Congregational system was really adopted and maintained.

This circumstance gave great dissatisfaction to the friends of genuine, consistent Presbyterianism. It grieved them, not merely as a departure from their ancient habits; but also as less adapted to edification, than a different course. They also complained of the conduct of the trustees. They alleged that that body, chosen by the people to manage the temporalities of the church, had officiously and improperly interfered in its spiritual concerns. And, as the most effectual method of obviating all these difficulties, they urged, the election and ordination of a bench of ruling elders, who should judicially conduct the discipline of the church, and leave the other

classes of officers to act, each in their appropriate sphere. The opposing party, however, were by no means disposed to acquiesce in this plan. Things proceeded in their former course; and the uneasiness continued without abatement.

After a short time, this uneasiness received important addition from a new source. In 1752, there was an attempt made to introduce into the church a new version of the book of Psalms. Until this time, Rouse's, or, as it is commonly called, the "old Scotch version," had been in constant use in public worship. The greater part of those who had been accustomed to this version, wished still to retain it. Those who wished for a change, were not agreed among themselves. A few leading individuals of this party, were desirous of adopting the version of Tate and Brady; but a great majority were very decisive and zealous in their preference of Dr. Watts' imitation. In this controversy the trustees took the lead, and were far from being so judicious and tender in their mode of conducting it, as many supposed they ought to have been. Indeed there appears to have been a degree of animosity and violence on all sides, which could by no means be justified. The party in favour of Dr. Watts' psalms at length prevailed, and they were introduced.