tion of this thing? You have heard of the hypothetical case in which a body, irresistible in its motion, meets an immovable body. Something, sir, is bound to give way. [Merriment.] The case before us is not precisely the same. It is a subordinate judicatory lifting up its voice in the presence of the highest court of the entire Church, declaring that, in violation of their ordination vows, and of the constitution of the Church, they will not render obedience to this Assembly. Now, sir, I take it, this is a plain case for us to act upon, and what I wish is, that in the disposal the bouse shall make of this matter, there shall be no diversion from this plain case to side issues. There may be other cases that may demand investigation-there may be other bodies that have acted in this way, and when the testimony shall come before us, let the cases be properly considered.

Moderator, we have in this case the deliberate and intentional defiance of the Presbytery of Louisville to the General Assembly. We have the evidence in the fact that they have sent as representatives, the head and front of this offending. We have it, sir, especially in the fact that they sent one representative, of whom, since he cannot reply to me, I will simply say that his presence here is the most marked affront to the diguity and the loyalty of this house that the Presbytery of Louisville was capable of perpetrating. [Hisses.]

hope there will be order in the house.

I desire

to offend no one, but I wisu to speak f eely. Sir, shall we be thrown aside from this plain case? A case that is made up to test the Assembly, and see whether they mean to command obedience. What matters it to us, sir, whether a trio of confederates may have met on a Lee shore somewhere in New York? Gentlemen will understand, perhaps, what I mean. What matters it that they met to devise means towards the dismemberment of the Church? "No weapon formed against zion shall prosper. What matters it that a particular session in Brooklyn moved to record, inadvertently or unwisely, some action on their minutes? Let the Presbytery of Nassau attend to that, and if not, let the Synod of New York take hold of it. What matters it that individuals here or there may have expressed, in writing or in speeches, public or private, their particular views on this subject? Why, sir, that is one thing. I have stood, myself, for twenty years, on grounds which I supposed entirely antagonistic to the position of this General Assembly. I have known this Assembly take action that I believe to be in the face of the word of God; but, sir, I did not set up defiance. I found my place, and I kept it, and did my duty with others.

Twenty years ago there was a solitary couple in this Assembly standing up to testify to what we thought to be the truth, and what the Church now, and the nation, and the world believe.

There is an ecclesiastical way and a Christian way of settling such controversy, and it is not necessary that you should appoint your committees to go and hunt up private journals or public speeches of individuals. Sir, when the National Government finds a State organized in armed resistance to its authority, does it send its scouts to search the portfolios of boarding school misses to ascertain what namby-pamby treason they may have written to their country cousins? I think not, sir In this case, sir, we have a plain and distinct defiance. The paper of my friend, Dr. McLean, takes the bull by the horns, and, I mean no disrespect, sir, when I say that while we have the bull by the horns we need not trouble ourselves about the bleating of the calves. [Laughter.] It is natural, sir, that they should sympathize in the anguish of their sire. [Renewed laugter.] We have a plain work before -us, sir. It is the settlement of this particular question between the Presbytery of Louisville and the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the United States.

There are other reasons, too, sir, not to speak in the spirit of taunting-there are many reasons why we might bear with particular brethren and even with particular churches, and sometimes with larger bodies, too, when in anything like an orderly way, they should express their utter disapproval of the proceedings of the Assembly. Why, sir, there are names on this

very Declaration and Testimony, of brethren that I shall love while my heart beats. There is the name of one there, sir, with whom, it I ever reach heaven, I hope to walk arm in arm before God's throne and sing,

"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound," as thirty-three years ago we sang it in our boyish days. I have no quarrel with such a man. He may entertain his views, and he may publish them in the Princeton Review, or in any paper he chooses, and if be confines himself to the legitimate work of opposing what he believes to be erroneous, this house will not interfere with his privilege; but if his Presbytery shall, after due deliberation, formally resolve upon open rebellion, and if they shall publish to the world that they will never obey nor execute in any manner the decrees of this General Assembly-dearly as I love him I would part with my right arm, Sir, before I would hesitate for a moment to part with him and let the Master settle it in the great day above.

Now, sir, there is a third aspect of this subject. I confess I felt for a moment a flash of admirationif that is permissable-when I saw the gallant and almost martial bearing of some gentlemen who presented themselves yesterday for decapitation. [Laughter.] I remember reading, when a boy, sir, the story of Damon and Pythias; and I remember how my young heart was interested in that tender and touching narrative. A thousand times, while I looked upon the pages of that little school book, I pictured to myself those two Greek brothers standing before the tyrant of Syracuse pleading: "Each that the other,

Might die for his brother."

[Laughter.] I thought of this yesterday, and I thought of many other things.

"The Highland gill was in my cheek." I thought of the Mouut of Transfiguration. where James and John met with Moses and Elias, and I thought how beautiful the sight would be to see "Saint James' and 'Saint John' grasping in the hand of fraternal affection the dignified Prophet Samuel." I could not help a certain sympathy in the magnanimity that voluntarily offered itself to the guillotine for his brother, or at least with his brother. And yet, alas sir, age has accomplished for me that which was once given, I think, as a piece of advice to a young ministerit has torn away the plumage from the wings of my imagination and placed them in the tail of my judgment. Laughter.] When I saw those brethren stepping forth from the galleries, and stretching forth their necks to the ax, I recalled Paul's "earnest expectation"-I believe the Greek word is apokaradokia --and it means a stretching forth of the neck. But, then, Paul was a stretching forth of the neck tó Heaven, while this is a stretching forth of the neck to a punishment which the Church is not ready to inflct. Let gentlemen bide their time. It will. come, possibly. Moderator, the age of martyrdom has passed, I fear, forever. I know, sir, how readily, under the enthusiasm of youth, men are ready to face martyrdom, and I could not but feel as these gentlemen presented themselves that there was something of that old enthusiasm yet, not to say fanaticism, for the crown of martyrdom that affected some men in the early ages. But, then, sir, consider the difference; martyrdom used to mean the sharp ax of Saint Paul; it used to mean the cross of Peter, with his head downward; it used to mean the the boiling cauldron of St. John; it used to mean the arrows of St. Sebastian; it used to mean the gridiron of St. Anthony-I think it was, although I' must confess very slight acquaintance with these» saints. Like the Master, my association has been rather with publicans and sinners. [Laughter.] But, sir, what does this modern martyrdom mean? It means-applause in the galleries. It means palatial mansion on Brooklyn Heights. It means a trip to Europe. It means the smiles of an "innumerable company of angels' waving their cambric handkerchiefs. [Great merriment and sensation ] Sir, when I want wine, give me the blood of the grape, and not your cider champagne. When the age of martyrdom comes, let it be martyrdom that means something and costs something-a martyr

a

dom that empties a man's church and does not fill it-a martyrdom that drives a man from his pulpit and does not invite sympathizers.

I remember hearing, years ago, the eloquent Tom Corwin addressing an assemblage on a question relating to physiology or geography, whatever it was, connected with his experience, in Butler county, Ohio. This county was the tenth legion of Democracy, and Warren county held about the same position in the old Whig lines; and he mentioned as a curious fact that had been discovered by long experience, that whenever a young lawyer came to settle in Warren county, he was sure to become a Whig; while if he settled in Butler county, he was sure to fall into the Democratic ranks. He attributed it entirely, sir, to the effects of climate and atmosphere [merriment). Now, sir, our martyrdom takes that shape, and I confess myself indisposed to add to the list of such martyrs as these. If they wish to commit suicide, if they wish to execute the "happy dispatch," there are precedents enough. If they wish to go out of the Church, there is a way to get out, and we say in all kindness, that we don't mean to drive you out if we can help it. If God in his grace will show us how we can maintain his testimony unfalteringly, and yet bear with disorderly and echismatical brethren, we will walk in that way; and we will bide our own time for such action as we may deem proper. But we respectfully say to these brethren, Wait till the General Assembly calls upon you to answer for your action.

But there is one more aspect to this subject, sir. Possibly I ought not to speak of the motives of any man, but we cannot help assigning one motive or another to men in their actions. It may have been in the rapid springing up and utterances of these several brethren in Missouri, and in Kentucky, and in St. Louis, and in Louisville, and in New Yorkit may have been that there was some intention to show this Assembly that if we are disposed to enter on that kind of work there was a great deal of it to do.

Well, sir, if it was intended to frighten this Assembly from its propriety, I beg leave to remind these gentlemen that they have been asleep these last five years. What, sir! when we met in that Assembly in Philadelphia, when half the nation stood in arms against us; when our friends, and sons and brothers were standing armed in the tented field to meet the enemy, and the heart of the nation was suspended in anguish at the first blood; if, then, when all was uncertainty; when foreign na/tions besitated to decide where they should throw their sympathies; when the Throne of Grace was besought by myriads of voices on opposite sides; if, then, in the presence of such foes as this Assembly encountered, opening God's word, it could plant its foot upon the declarations, "be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake," and "obey your rulers and submit yourselves to the powers that be,'' if the Assembly, under such circumstances, sir, could adopt this action, they are not likely now to be frightened from their propriety into an abandonment of the principles the nation has sustained, and Heaven has ratified? Have these genrlemen forgotten, sir, that we have poured ous three thousand millions of dollars, a sum heretofore in this land undreamed of. Why, I remember hearing very patriotic citizens in their brief talks on this subject, declare that if the war went on for a time it might possibly cost us the enormous sum of five hundred millions of dollars! Do these gentlemen forget that we have poured out three thousand millions of dollars, and all that is nothing, but a drop in the ocean, compared with the three hundred thousand of our best and bravest--our brothers and our sons that offered themselves upon the altar of liberty to maintain the principle of loyalty which this General Asssembly has approved? Do they suppose, sir, that when we have met the hydra with his hundred heads, and those hundred heads lie bleeding around us, we are to be to be frightened from our propriety by the wriggling of his dying tail. [Sensation.] No, Sir! No, Sir! If that be the motive, the i fluence is lost upon this Assembly. With the Moderator, sir, in his opening sermon, we are prepared to stand firmly upon God's word. We will

bear patiently. We will not prevent discussion. It has been discussed, as I bave said, for five years; yet the heart of the Church is ready to receive discussion upon the subject; not that we think it needs light, but that we are not willing to gag those who think they may communicate information. Now, sir, when this discussion comes, let it come unincumbered with side issues. Let it be the simple, naked question, whether this Assembly shall command, or the Presbytery of Louisville shall command. Let us settle the principle in that case, and having settled the principle, we can make our application as we may see it is necessary. Moderator, I have done. My whole object in these remarks has been to show the course of action that will open the way. in my judgment, to a simple and full discussion of the whole subject and the settlement of the principle; and, therefore, that we may come to the original question, I now move, sir, the previous question.

Dr. Boardman. The gentleman began and closed with reference to the importance of free debate, and winds up bis eloquent and earnest pleading by a motion for the previous question.

Dr. Thomas. I have expressed my views. My object in moying the previous question is to have a free debate.

The Moderator. The posture of affairs is understood, I think.

At the request of several members, the Moderator then stated the effect of the previous question.

Rev. Mr. McKnight. Do I understand the Moderator to decide, if the call for the previous question be sustained, that when the question comes on the main question it will not first be taken on the two

amenoments.

The Moderator. Yes, sir,

Rev. Mr. McKnight contended that the Moderator erred in his decision.

The Moderator stated that, with all due respect lo the gentleman, he understood the matter. The gentleman had been a member of Congress, but he should bear in mind that the rulings of that body were different from the rulings of this Assembly in regard to this particular matter.

The Rev. Mr. Ferguson moved that the ayes and noes be called on this motion for the previous question. He wished it to go to the world who it is that votes this gag-law upon us.

The call for the ayes and noes was subsequently withdrawn, but renewed by another member, The question was put, and one-third of the members failing to vote, the motion for the ayes and noes on the previous question was lost.

The vote was then taken on the question: Shall the main question be now put?

The motion was agreed to.

The Moderator. The question 18 now on the adoption of the paper offered by Dr. McLean, for the appointment of a committee.

The question was put, and the paper was adopted. The regular order of business was then called for, which was the formal reception of the Rev. Dr. Nelson as a representative from the New School General Assembly.

Dr. Nelson then came forward and was introduced by the Moderator, and spoke as follows:

REMARKS OF DR. NELSON.

Mr. Moderator and Brethren of this General Assembly: I am commissioned by the General ASsembly which sat in Brooklyn a year ago, and whose successor is sitting at present in the First Presbyterian Church in this city. to bring to you and this body the fraternal salutations of that Assembly, and of the church which it has the honor to represent.

You will permit me to say, sir, on my own behalf, that inasmucn as this is the first occasion on which I was ever honored with so responsible a duty, I feel much diffidence in respect to my own judgment of woat is precisely in order and proper to say. I am also so constantly occupied in happy union with my brother, the pastor on the church worshiping here, and chairman of your committee of arrangements in the exceedingly pleasant, and not light duties of making comfortable provision for the entertainment of the members of these bodies, and I am

with my brother so happy in the discharge of those duties that I think it quite possible, in shaping the marks which 1 will present now, I may inadvertently mix together things which would be most proper officially to say in the character in which I am commissioned, and some things of which my heart is very full connected with these other duties. But I cannot think it will be unpleasantly out of order for me to say that it is with sentiments or unusual satisfaction that I unite with the pastor and people of this Church, and the other Presbyterian pastors, and the people of this city, in welcoming to our city and to our homes these two General Assemblies, par nobile sororum, at this interesting time.

It is not my purpose, and I presume it will not be regarded as my duty, to make any reference to any portion of the history which has caused these two bodies to be two. I may, without impropriety, I am sure, indulge myself in expressing the satisfaction which I feel that we are now so nearly one that it is difficult for any of us to explain to people outside of us, or to our own communicants, the difference between us. In this respect, I imagine that we are a little like what was said on the platform of Yale Coliege, at an anniversary, by an eloquent speaker, who referred to two of her distinguished alumni, the Rev. Drs. Taylor and Tyler, who were present on the platform, stating that although they had fililed Connecticut and the whole land, with the noise of theological controversy, he would dery any mau to state the difference between them in terms that either of them would accept.

Π

I may congratulate these Assemblies, as I congratulate my fellow citizens and fellow-Christians of St. Louis, on the providential circumstances in which you are met, and I think I may, without impropriety, refer, in illustration of what I feel and the think in relations of these respect to two bodies, to the relations to which I can testify as existing between the congregations that customarily occupy the houses of worship in which these two bodies are now sitting. There was a time when it was different. Once I have seen this house crowded more than it is crowded now; I have seen the other crowded more than this is crowded now, within one week by the peo ple of these two congregations, and of the Congre gational Church with us, pouring out our tears to. gether amid the dark drapery which sought to express our grief at the Nation's great loss, and for which the Nation's heart is still so sore. We mingled thus here on such an occasion. It is these great griefs, it is this deep experience, it is the conscious sympathy in these great interests, and in these tremendous issues, which have melted down the mountains of division, and they have disappeared at the presence of the God of Hosts.

I take the attitude of these two congregations, and of their pastors-who, in this respect, may claim fairly to represent them-to be an adequate illustration of the present relations of these two great Churches. It cannot be wrong, I think, for me to advert to that great thing in the Providence of God which, more than all things else, has made this state of things possible;and as I ought to condense whatever I have to say here on this occasion, when time is so precious, it is all summed up and all told in these three words: "Slavery is dead."

I sat, sir, in the Convention representing the people of Missouri, not long ago, and listened with intense interest to the sixty ayes against only four noes, which made it forever unlawful for man to hold property in man in the State of Missouri, and I took great satisfaction in remembering that four of those ayes were spoken by four Elders of the Presbyterian church in the city of St. Louis, and I take satisfaction in the belief that it was the calm and steadfast and persistent testimony, which the Presbyterian church, from the beginning, when she was one, and recently while she was two bodies, has borne, which has resulted in delivering the nation from the enormity of that institution; and I do most devoutly believe that it is not the movement of politicians, that it is not the force of commerce, that it is not any secular force whatever, but that power which God has placed in the bosom of his testifying church, that has wrought this great deliverance; and I believe that when that time shall

come, that the last slave on earth shall leap from his broken fetters and toss his free arms out of their shattered manacles, his exulting shout will be "The Truth as it is written in the Bible has made me free."

It is under such circumstances as these that I have the pleasure of bringing to you the fraternal salutation of the sister Assembly. In behalf of that Assembly I may say that it was our great happiness during the whole fearful and bloody struggle through which our nation has passed to have found ourselves on every occasion of the assembling of the General Assembly entirely unanimous in our expressions of determination to stand by the faithful rulers of our land in maintaining the integrity of the Republic, and in carrying forward that fearful work of Jehovah which he entrusted to this nation in those fearful years. I know that to this Assembly the testimony of this absolute unanimity from the beginning to the end of the war, will be satisfactory, and I wish to be permitted to say that this state of unanimity has been reached-this state of things, which made this unanimity during so trying a time certain-was reached, not by any rash or tyrannical or questionable measures; not by the exercise of ecclesiàstical authority in thé excommunication of dissentient individuals or factious and dissentient minorities, but by the simple forces of calm, steadfast and fraternal testimony.

to

The prayers of that Assembly are daily offered for God's grace to be bestowed abundantly upon you. In the midst of these trials through which you are passing, and of which we know something, the prayer of your brethren of the church is that God will keep all your hearts and minds; that he will save you from any action which ever you will regret; that that he will prompt you action be which every requires of you; and without presuming for myself, or those whom I represent, even to suggest any measures for you, we commend you to the guidance of that Divine spirit which evermore dwells with the servants of Christ, earnestly deliberating for the good of His cause, and the glory of His name; and we shall frequently pray, that without tyranny, without violation of any principle of our beloved constitution, without the violation of any command of the holy scriptures, and without shrinking from anything which these scriptures or your present circumstances require of you, God will give you full deliverance from all your troubles.

I know that the hearts of many brethren in both these bodies, and the hearts of thousands of brethren and sisters in the Churches which these bodies represent are full of the question, "Shall we ever be one again ?"

In this, sir, I am sure that I shall correctly represent the sentiment which prevails in the Church which I have the honor to represent here, by expressing my own personal sentiments. As yet I See not the clear light of God's Providence on that question. To me it appears plain that all things are removed which should prevent our entire union in spirit. It has been with me a solemn question, whether in the Providence of God, He in his holy wisdom saw that inevitably the Presbyterian Church in these United States, made of such stuff as Presbyterian churches in all lands and ages are wont to be made, would not be a greater (and, peradventure) a prouder power than is wisdom would intrust to the administration of fallible men. I reverently wait for His Providence to shed further light on that question. It did happen to me, sir-you will allow me to say-some six years ago on an occasion of considerable local interest in the Presbyterian Church, to observe that whether the Providence of God would ever direct that these two churches should organically be one again, I could not devine, but sure I was that the time would come when at least they would pursue their paths, and do their work of evangelization side by side, recog nizing each other fraternally as equals in all respects, and having no strife between them. It happened to me confidently to say, "That time will come. I felicitate myself on the opportunity, in such a presence as this, and feel a full sense of my official responsibility here, when I say, "Blessed be God, that time now is."

At the conclusion of Rev. Dr. Nelson's speech, the Moderator said:

REMARKS OF THE MODERATOR.

My Dear Brother: I welcome you, and this whole General Assemby, I am sure, welcomes you as the representative of that other Assembly-a branch of the same Presbyterian Church in these United States. In presenting your fraternal salutations to us, and expressing your congratulations in our behalf for what we are doing in endeavoring to advance the cause in which we are unitedly engaged--the cause of truth and the Gospel in the world-you have referred, and I regret that I cannot refer to it in the same eloquent and fervent words which you have used, to the union of sentiment, which is expressed before the Church and before the world, in regard to those great matters which have so agitated the hearts of this vast people during the years which we have recently passed through.

I can, I think, express the thought that we may felicitate ourselves as an Assembly and as a Church that we have made some progress in regard to those subjects out of which these troubles have grown. There was a time previous to the war when the Old School General Assembly was frequently referred to, and not without reason, as taking such a view of that one great subject which has lain at the foundation of these troubles, and to which you have alluded, as to give occasion to that pubiic sentiment existing North and South which resulted in the rising up of rebellion, and the bringing out of armed forces to put down that rebellion. I allude to the subject of slavery. There was an intense Conservatism, to express it by no worse term, existing in the Old School Presbyterian Church. Doubtless you recognize, as we are happy to recognize, that we have made great progress on this whole subject as a church, and as an Assembly during these more recent years; so that for several years past our Assemblies successively have expressed before the Church and the world what I believe to be the sentiments of the word of God upon that great matter and directly contrary to what had been entertained as being in accordance with the word of God in the Southern portion of our country. I rejoice in this fact, and I know a vast majority of this body rejoice with me. I am only sorry to say that the entire membership do not.

I believe we may now look on the people of this land, and realize the fact expressed in the beautiful and forcible words' of the great Peer of England, Lord Brougham, "that in this land no more shall the sun ever rise upon a master or set upon a slave.”

There was a time before the war, and only a short time before the war it was, when a distinguished individual who presented to the General Assembly a munificent donation to endow one of its Theological Semanaries, expressed his view-and I must say it was a view that was entertained very extensively throughout the country-that the two most reliable hoops to bind the Union together were the Democratic party and the Old School P Church.

Well, sir, I have spent almost my entire ministry in the Southern States. I know the sentiments of these brethren, and for many of them I have the most devout and sincere affection.

Some of my most endeared friends do there now abide; and I have all that yearning over their fanaticism, and folly, and wickedness, which any man ought to cherish and ought to express; yet I believe It is the judgment of the Church at large--almost the entire Church at large-that their cause was an unjustifiable one, and the nation has so pronounced

in the providence of God, and the word of God sustains both. Now, sir, while we recognize, and you recognize, that we have made some process in these matters, I congratulate you, sir, and wish you to congratulate the Assembly of which you are the representative, that you stand as a compact body on this subject.

But it is a matter of record, as you must have witnessed by the discussion here this morning, and by the discussions of previous days, that we do not stand unitedly together. We are racked and torn by internal dissensions. It is not improper for me to refer to it, for it is notorious.

I congratulate you that you stand as a compact body. We recognize also that you have made progress in some things upon which we greatly differed at the time of our division. There was then great opposition on the part of those who were embraced in the Synods to the organization of the various agencies of the Church under ecclesiastical boards. Many of your leading men advocated voluntary associations. The progress which you have made, and in which we rejoice, is that during these more recent years you have come, as I think you will allow me to say without offense, substantially to our ground. The Congregational element has been almost entirely purged from your body-and I refer to the Congregational Church with no feeling of disrespect. You now stand as regards these external matters as better Presbyterians, allow me to say, than was the case at the time this division occurred. Therefore, sir, I can respond most heartily, and I think the vast majority of this Assembly can respond also to the sentiment, that we are drawing nearer together than we have been during this generation, or since this division occurred; and I may express on my behalf, and I trust on behalf of a large majority of this Assembiy, that we hope the time is not distant when we shall not only be, as I am confident we now are, one in spirit, but one by organic law; and that then these two branches of the great Presbyterian family may stand forth in one solid phalanx against error and corruption.

You have intimated, and undoubtedly it is true, that in the providence of God it is not yet quite clear as to the time and the manner in which this organic union may be brought about. Many have supposed that, from the simple fact that the two Assemblies met in the same city, (the meeting being determined without concert between them,) that the time had come when there should be an organic union; and they have expected that that organic union might now be formed. I hope, before we adjourn, allow me to say, and if it shall meet the views of the body you represent, I hope you, before you adjourn, we may initiate measures (perhaps beginning here, and being responded to by you,) looking to a close fellowship in all our relations, and ultimately, as soon as the providence of God may open the way, to an organic union. And now, as the time for adjournment has passed, I will close my remarks. believe I have expressed the sentiments of a vast majority of this Assembly, to show you that we heartily sympathize with you in all your efforts to promote the cause of Christ, and we congratulate you on all the success you have attained.

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I

After the conclusion of the remarks of the Moderator, Dr. Boardman obtained the floor, and claimed the right to it for next Monday morning.

After prayer by the Rev. Dr. Smith, of Baltimore, the Assembly adjourned till nine o'clock on Monday morning next.

The Assembly met at nine o'clock, and after the devotional exercises the Moderator announced the following as the committee under the resolution offered by Dr. McLean in regard to the Louisville Presbytery: Ministers, Rev. Dr. McLean, Rev. Dr. Thomas, Rev. Mr. Hines and Rev. Mr. Waller. Elders, Samuel Galloway, H. K. Clark and Judge Davidson.

The report of the Committee on Synodical Records was made the order of the day for twelve o'clock.

The report of the Committee on Church Extension was taken up, and Rev. Mr. Colwell, of Minnesota, made an earnest appeal in behalf of more energetic action among the Churches for the contribution of funds to the Board, whereby churches may be established in desolate sections of the country. The report of the committee was then adopted. An invitation was received from Chas. R. Gooding, Recording Secretary of the Mercantile Library Association, extending the privileges of the Library to the me.nbers of the Assembly.

On motion of Rev. Dr. Patterson the receipt of the invitation was acknowledged, and a vote of thanks returned.

An invitation was also received from the Directors of the Iron Mountain railroad, extending the privileges of the road for an excursion to Pilot Knob.

The invitation was taken under advisement by a committee, appointed to confer with a committee of the New School Assembly, with reference to fixing a time for the excursion.

Rev. Dr. Safford presented a report from the Board of Publication, of which the following is a brief synopsis.

Total copies of new publications.
Re-prints of former publications during

the year..

Total number of publications....

Total number of copies of books and tracts issued by the Board since its organization.

A

91,500 466,900

558,400

.12,707,788

In addition to the above there have been printed during the year-of the

805,000 129,300 3,500

Sabbath School Visitor.. Home and Foreign Record Annual Report of the Board.. Report on the Disabled Ministers Fund... 2,500 Dr. Safford, from the committee to whom the report of the Board of Publication was referred, recommended, among other things, that it should be the aim of the Board to reach the children of the street by sprightly publications, and that as soon as the Board can find it financially prudent, to publish the Sabbath School Visitor twice a month instead of once a month, and that the right-arm of the Board in the system of colportage be more directly referred to the churches for a more liberal support.

The report was adopted.

Rev. Mr. Cook, of Pennsylvania, spoke upon the subject of the report. He thought there might be a plan adopted by which the books of the society could be brought more within their reach than they now are He had been laboring in the Western Reserve of the Presbyterian Church for three years, and he had not been able to secure any books from the Board without sending all the way to Philadelphia, and there paying a catalogue price for the books, and the expressage on the books; and then if he wanted to sell them, he must sell them at catalogue price and be out of pocket himself for expressage. was too severe a tax on a man who received only four hundred and fifty dollars a year; and he thought that some plan might be adopted by which the books could be put within their reach, either by the establishment of a depository within the bounds of each Presbytery or otherwise,

This

Rev. Mr. Schenck said that he was satisfied they could meet the real difficulty. The real difficulty

was not in the Board, but it was in the brother's Presbytery. They were ready to appoint a colporteur in every Presbytery, wherever the Presbytery might recommend a suitable man. If they would recommend some man of suitable business qualifications to carry their books from church to church and from house to house, the Board were -were ready to put him to work and to sustain him. If the Presbytery could not find such a man then the Board was ready to appoint some good minister and give him a supply of books as a colporteur, and give him such a remuneration for selling the books that it may be a pleasant addition to the moderate stipend which he gets from his people.

The Moderator then appointed Rev. Dr. Hickock, Dr. Kane and Dr. Wells as a committee in reference to the excursion on the Iron Mountain Railroad.

The Moderator. I have a communication from a convention of ruling elders and ministers, who met in this city on Tuesday evening last, with a request that it should be read before the General Assembly. The paper was then read as follows:

To the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America :

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The memorial of the undersigned ministers and ruling Elders of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, respectfolly sheweth: Your memorialists, the most part of whom are Commissioners, duly appointed to this General Assembly, met in convention on the 15th of May, inst St. Louis, in accordance with the recommenda tions of about three hundred ministers and elders of this church, inviting a Convention of Commissioners, and other ministers and elders, specified in the call as Persons who instead of reviling the five preceding Assemblies, would obey them; for: the purpose of prayer, and conference, in view of the approaching meeting of this Assembly; and, in the exercise of their reasonable right to assemble as members of a free, Christian commonwealth, and in seeking Divine guidance, and mutual enlightenment and support, to ascertain, to repre sent and to propose to the General Assembly, as God should enable them, and with all due reverence, the things which, in our judgment, are needful to the Church, touching its present duties, dangers and necessities.

It is believed that this Assembly will not be free from attempts hostile to some, if not all, of the precious Testimonies the Church has borve for the trust of God and the duty of His children, during the frightful years of sinful insurrection through which we have been led, and to the provisions enacted by the General Assembly for the unity and integrity and peace of the Church, consequeat upon the schisms and defections in the very bosom of the Church.

We need only to cast our eyes over the controversies raging even now in the Church to understand how wide-spread and how diversified are the evils which threaten her, and how fatal are the principles upon which a counter revolution in hér tate and action is demanded, and how eager and fierce is the spirit of reaction against her solemn, deliberate and reiterated Testimonies, especially uttered by the preceding five Assemblies, and how veneniently they have been reviled and defied and set at naught.

We believe that the present troubles threatening anarchy and confusion in the Church, and further defection and schism, and are little else than the sinful continuation and working in a religious form of the criminal spirit and designs of the insurrection in temporal affairs; and we are persuaded that neither the country nor Church can have peace or security, until the religious poison is healed or purged out.

In both respect, both of the State and the Church, it is better immeasurably to heal, it it be possible. If that may not be, it is immeasurably better to keep the Church pure and restore it to peace, let it cost what it may.