Romeyn, John B. A Sermon, delivered at the opening of The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, May, 1811. New-York: Published by Whiting & Watson, at their Theological and Classical Book-Store, no. 96, Broadway. J. Seymour, Print., 1811. First Edition. [12246]
Self-wraps, untrimmed edges, 9 x 5 3/4 inches, 50 pages, center vertical crease, a few pencil marks in the margins. Good. Pamphlet.
The text is Ephesians 4:3, "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
The sermon contains a plea for unity around sound doctrine; the usefulness of creeds; an acknowledgement that believers in the United States come from different European church backgrounds; a pronouncement that Presbyterians must hold to their scriptural beliefs about church government, as distinguished from the Episcopalian and Congregational forms.
One of his conclusions is that the Reformed Dutch, Associate Reformed, Associate, and Reformed Presbyterians ought to unite in a real visible union based upon their common Westminster Confession and presbyterian form of government. That the Reformed Dutch has differences in creeds is a difference "only in words, and in a few trifling ceremonies." p. 40. He then states that those churches "who reject the principles of faith and government, which we consider fundamental, we can have no Ecclesiastical connexion, nor Christian fellowship." p. 40.
John Brodhead Romeyn, D. D. (1777-1825); born at Marbletown, New York; graduated with high honor at Columbia College, New York City, in 1795; licensed to preach by the Classis of Albany in 1798, at the age of 21. He took the call to become pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church in Rhinebeck, N. Y., in 1799. In 1804 he became pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Albany, and in 1808 of the Cedar Street Church of New York City. The College of New Jersey bestowed upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity in his 32nd year of age. He labored in the ministry with great success at Cedar Street until his death. He was a trustee of Princeton College from 1809 forward, and in 1810 was the Moderator of the General Assembly. “The greater part of his printed works are comprised in two volumes of Sermons, published in 1816, and shortly after republished in Scotland.” – Sprague, Annals of the American Pulpit.
