A popular history of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America . gly, as the number of the churches in-creased and were scattered in the land, new presbyterieswere organized, and as the members desired still moreintercourse with one another, since they met only withbrethren of their respective presbyteries, they formed asynod which should bear a similar relationship to thepresbyteries as that of the latter to the churches. Thesynod was also constituted in the same ratio as the pres-bytery—each minister was accompanied by an elder fromthe church or churches of which he was pastor;
A popular history of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America . gly, as the number of the churches in-creased and were scattered in the land, new presbyterieswere organized, and as the members desired still moreintercourse with one another, since they met only withbrethren of their respective presbyteries, they formed asynod which should bear a similar relationship to thepresbyteries as that of the latter to the churches. Thesynod was also constituted in the same ratio as the pres-bytery—each minister was accompanied by an elder fromthe church or churches of which he was pastor; in thismanner were the rights of the members of the church rec-ognized and respected. All the ministers belonging tothe synod were required to meet in session once in eachyear. This mode of government prevailed for aboutseventy years; that is, from 1717 to 1788, when the Gen-eral Assembly was organized—^the latter being a repre-sentative body, but drawing its delegates not from thesynods but directly from the presbyteries, they beingnearer the people or church Rev. John McMillan, D. D.(133, 233, 258, 282,324.) THE FORMATION OF THE SYNOD. 109 For a number of years after the formation of the firstsynod, the increase of the churches was great, and theywere much extended along the Atlantic slope, south ofConnecticut, while the number of the presbyteries alsomcreased in proportion. It was found that, owing to thedistances and diiificulties of travel, a great many minis-ters and elders were imable to attend regularly all themeetings of the synod. To obviate this inconvenience itwas decided (1724) to make the synod a sort of repre-sentative body—that was done by the presbyteries send-ing half their number of members in alternate years. Itwas also arranged that every third year there should bea full attendance of all the members. The Test and Schism Acts.—^After the formation of thesynod the progress of the church was much more rapid;numbers of Presbyterians migrated
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