Miller, Samuel, Jr. Report of the Presbyterian Church Case: The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, At the suggestion of James Todd and others, vs. Ashbel Green and others. Philadelphia: William S. Martien, 1839. First Edition. [7605]
Full sheep, edges worn but with no cracks, 6 x 9 1/4 inches, old white call numbers on spine crossed over in black. Several bookplates, stamped "withdrawn." Ink name & withdrawn stamps on tp. Ink name stamps on the closed page edges; same on Preface page. 596 pp., light foxing, tight. Lending slip at back. Good. Leather bound.
We have seen several different conclusions regarding the analysis of this volume; the best we can figure is below.
The division of the Presbyterian Church into Old and New School parties resulted in a distribution of properties that were incorporated entities with Trustees and thus liable to trial and judgement in civil court. The Old School side cut off several Presbyteries and denied their Trustees a seat in the General Assembly. The New School side represented by James Todd and others won the case and although a new trial was ordered it was never held. Much is made of the Plan of Union with the Congregational Churches (1801) and included in the amended constitution (1821), which the court considered to be a precedent accepted by the General Assembly at the time, but rejected by the Old Schoolers in 1837. The two sides continued as separate denominations, each claiming constitutional validity, until reunited in 1869.
