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incapable of taking the pastoral charge of the church; not because his intellectual acquirements were insufficient; none of these considerations influenced them in voting against him, and, I am truly happy here to insert, for the information of the reader, and in justice to Mr. Cornish, that some who voted with the minority said to me personally, that nothing existed with them against him, either morally, socially, or religiously; that they respected him as a Christian and a gentleman; and their only reason for voting as they did, was, they preferred Mr. Jeremiah Gloucester, he being a son of their beloved and deceased pastor. However, to resume our narrative, the call was presented to Presbytery on the 15th October, 1822, sitting at Doylestown. Presbytery finding a warm opposition by a large minority:—
Resolved, That a committee of three ministers and two elders be appointed to visit the church, and inquire into the state of the congregation, and observe a season of fasting and prayer with them, and report at next meeting of Presbytery.
Revs. Boyd, Paterson, and Biggs, and Elders Messrs. Stewart and McMullin, were appointed. This committee attended to the instructions received from Presbytery, with what success the subsequent action of Presbytery will explain, for at a session held by the Presbytery, in the Second Church, on Nov. 28, 1822, the above committee made a report, that leave be granted to prose- cute the call for Mr. Cornish before the Presbytery of New York, of which he was a member. This was acceded to by Presbytery, but during the session a minority report was received, and as it appeared to the Presbytery that there was not sufficient unanimity in the call of Mr. Cornish to render his ministry useful among the people, a committee was appointed to advise with and
