2. _The Reformed Churches in Pennsylvania._ The _Dutch Reformed_ congregations at Bensalem and Neshaminy in Bucks County and at Whitemarsh, Montgomery County, were the earliest Reformed Churches in Pennsylvania, and antedate all the German Lutheran congregations except that at New Hanover. These Churches were organized in 1710 by Domine Paulus Van Vlecq, and in each of them a senior and a senior elder and deacon were elected to serve for two years. The senior went out of office annually, and the junior became senior, while the newly-elected officer became the junior. The mode of election is not entirely clear. The record simply says at Bensalem: "The Church Council, both Elders and Deacons, of Sammeny and Bensalem, were installed (_bevestight_) by Dom. Van Vlecq May 21, 1710," the day after that given for the organization. They may have been elected the previous day. At White Marsh the record says: "The church at Wytmess was organized June 4, 1710, the same day the Church Council there was installed." The record of the Dutch Reformed Church at Six Mile Run, near New Brunswick, N. J., organized November 15, 1710, says: "The Church Council was elected Nov. 15, and after having been announced three times, was installed." At the next election it is said: "Anno 1711, Oct. 23, the Church Council was elected, and after having been three times announced without objection made, they were installed Oct. 24," on which date also the treasurer presented his account. There must have been several services on those two days, at each of which the names of those elected were published. It does not appear in what manner the choice was made. They may have been selected by those in office, and when no objection was made after publication, the consent of the congregation was supposed to be given, or they may have been chosen by vote of the congregation. I am assured by Dr. Talbot W. Chambers, of the Collegiate Church in New York, that both of these modes are and have long been usual in the Reformed Churches, and that in the old mother congregation at New York, now enlarged to be the Collegiate Church, the former mode of selection has been used ever since its establishment. These officers were named Elders (_Ouderlinge_) and Deacons (_Diaconen_), who, with the Pastor, formed the Church Council (_Kerckenraet_). They were not chosen for life, but in this country, as in Holland, for a fixed term, usually two years. This organization of the Dutch Reformed congregations in this country agrees, entirely with that of the Reformed Church in Holland, as described by Benthem in his "_Hollaendische Kirchen und Schul Staat,_" except that in Holland the pastors and elders alone form the Church Council; but there the deacons are also admitted to it in feeble congregations where the number of elders was small. Another feature of the organization of the Dutch Reformed Churches is that, in important cases, all who have ever held the office of elder or deacon are called