by which they were condemned, what they were condemned for; and in they were to be excluded from seats in the house, what they were to be excluded for?

Mr. Davidson. Moderator, I wish to make a point of order. I wish to inquire whether or not, under this discussion, the merits of the original resolution are to be discussed, whether or not the resolution offered by Dr. Boardman is the question before the house?

The Moderaior. I think, under the previous resolution for the appointment of this committee, a very wide range was allowed to the debate. From that precedent I think Dr. Boardman is in order. It is impossible for the Moderator, and I think difficult for the members of the Assembly, to point out a course of argument which a person shall take, or the illustrations he shall use,

Mr. Davidson made some further remark which was inaudible.

The Moderator. I cannot hear the remarks of the gentteman. I have already decided the point of order. I think no further debate is allowed.

A member in a distant part of the house also made a remark which was inaudible.

The Moderator. Allow me to say, although I have decided the point of order, that I think four or five gentlemen from St. Louis and other parts of Missouri, from Louisville and New York took a very wide range; Dr. Thomas was allowed to take the same, and I do not think Dr. Boardman is going beyond what was allowed them. I therefore think he is in order. It is only five minutes before we reach the order of the day.

A member. I move that the order of the day be suspended.

The motion was agreed to.

Dr. Boardman. Mr. Moderator, I think I can relieve the mind of the brother over the way, and any other brother who may be similarly exercised in respect to the pertinency of this line of argument to the resolution which I have presented to the Assembly. It is only a further confirmation of what I was just about referring to, namely, the extraordinary state of mind which has been indicated by the remark made fifty times over

if not on the floor, where there is but little opportunity to make it-off the floor, and which I have heard from men of extreme views, and from men not of extreme views-the resolution adp. ted by the house on Friday in respect to these Louisville brethren was a mere mere preliminary" procedure. 'Ob, a mere mere preliminary procedure." "Bide your time, brethren, you will have time to discuss this question.”

Now, sir, it is, to my mind, the most striking and significant demonstration that has occurred in this house. That the cloud that has been brought in upon us and overshadowed us-not like that cloud of refulgent light which illuminated the Mount of Transfiguration, but rather, sir, like one of those clouds of midnight blackness which come from yon Western horizon, and enfolds everything within its reach. A "preliminary proceeding," is it, breth ren?

Suppose, sir-the case is supposable--that a member should rise in his place on this floor, with a duly prepared paper, and should say: "Mr. Moderator, I am credibly informed there are members on the floor of this Assembly who for years have not given a particle of attention to their appropriate work as Christian ministers-brethren who have brought the tables of the money changers into the house of God; brethren whose walks are associated, far aud near, not with the highest spiritual functions of the ministry of reconciliation, but with questions of Wall street, and, sir, I deem it due to the purity of this house that before we can sit together they shall be excluded from the floor, and a committee appointed to investigate their claims to a seat. And now, sir, I move the previous question.”

Would that be a preliminary question?'' Would brethren upon whom the ax happened to fall, regard it as a preliminary proceeding!"

What better right have you or I here to-day than to a seat upon this floor? You deprive me, in wresting that right from me, of all opportunity of explanation-ofall opportunity of self-defense, and if I am arraign-d and censured, if I am about to be

cast out of the Church of my fathers-the Church upon whose bosom Ipillowed my head, upon whose bōsom I hope to rest, and upon whose bosom I hope to rest in my dying hours, and if there is a tear to be shed by anybody on my humble grave, I hope it may come from that honored mother.

down

Sir, this Church is dear to me, and all its rights are dear to me, and in striking these brethren they have struck at me and struck at you, sir, and every man on this floor, and every convenient method of defense. And, sir, rely upon it, it is not tha mode of procedure which is recognized in the house of God; it is not the method of dealing with the highest and most sacred rights of Christian men and Christian ministers which is prescribed in that Constitution; it is an utter invasion of all those rights. You not only find no precedent for it in the history of the Church, and no precedence for it in the history of Christian jurisprudence, Itake it.

Sir, did this General Assembly in 1837, when the minute was already prepared by the hand of that revered and illustrious man, Dr. Baxter, of Virginia, (for he wrote it in my house,) a minute which was to lay the foundation for the excluding of those four Syneds-sir, did the General Assembly introduce that minute, or the committee who presented it, and say, "Moderator, I move the previcus question?" And did the General Assembly sustain the previous question? And did the members from these four Synods get up and go out of the house, or were they allowed the amplest latitude of debate? When the General Assembly dissolved the three Presbyteries of Philadelphia which gave them so much trouble for many years, did they begin, sir, by excluding the members of those Presbyteries from the house, or did they give them plenary opportunity to say what reason they had why they should not be dissolved?

Sir, do you suppose there is a court sitting in that poble edifice over the way-[pointing towards the Court House]-an edifice which would embelish any city in any land-do you suppose there is a court sitting there this morning that would dare to try the veriest outlaw that this miserable jail-the only miserable thing is St. Louis, I believe-that would dare to try the veriest outlaw in this miserable jail for the pettiest offense-for stealing a pocket-handkerchief, if you will, except the man were tried at the bar, and he or his counsel had opportunity to say why he should not go to the penitentiary.

Sir, there is at this time in the jail of Philadelphia a monster-you will have heard of him-a man whose name will go down to posterity as the prince of assassins-a man, who in cold blood deliberately murdered a whole family of eight persons -the father, the mother, the sister, the hired boy, the child, infant upon its mother's breast-this fiend incarnate, a walking devil, if there be one. And, sir, he was tried the other day, and he is now waiting the gallows. But what did they do? Why, sir, they brought him into the court room, and even with the universal conviction on the mind of that community that this man was a monster-not worthy to live even with the full assurance that the mob would ambush the man on its way to gather aroune the gates of the public square, through which he must pass; that, if it were possible, by strategy and force, to rescue him, they would hang him to the first lamp post. Sir, that Court of Common Pleas would no more have dared to try that wretch without having arraigned him at the bar before them than they would have dared, sir, to have tried you or me-not a bit. Sir, if it required the whole military force of Philadelphia to escort that man safely to the court room and back to his prison, the military force of the city would have been called out to do it.

I tell you, sir, you are traversing here one of the fundamental principles-I will not say of jurisprudence, but of American liberty, and of all liberty. [Applause in the galleries.] I tell you there is no safety from any

The Moderator. It was suggested the other day, very properly by a member of this body, which I seconded, that there should be no demonstration of applause or disapprobation on either side in the discussion of this exciting question. As I said the other day, I hope our kind friends who honor us

Sir, you have delegated these men with a power of speech--with a mighty influence which they never could have exercised--a power which they never could have attained here, had you surrendered this platform to them exclusively for a week to

con

The sentiment has gone over this communityamong the men that have been faithful Union men during the war-that have poured out their money like water, and that have stood by the old flag with an inflexible fidelity-and among the men whose sympathies have been supposed to be in the other direction-the sentiment has gone forth through this community that you are proceeding beyond the principles of enlightened Christian liberty, or of a government of law or a constitution of treedom, and upon the principles of despotism; and the reputation of the Church is cerned in it. We cannot afford that sort of thing; we cannot afford to have it pleaded by politicians who may have their schemes to accom plish and their purposes to achieve; we cannot afford to have the action of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church cited as a venerableprecedent as giving sanction to these foul and oppressive measures. No, sir, we must adhere to the great doctrine of human rights, to the principles of our constitution and this great American Republic. I do not refer merely to our respected friends, our fellow citizens, I may say, for the time being, to the comparatively limited assembly which can crowd itself within these doors. We are on trial before the American people, and before all the churches of all lands, before the whole civilized world. And I tell you, sir, that if this action goes forth unmodified, unecalled, unredressed, by what you are yet to do, it will turn out with you as it turned out in that memorable conflict between Rome and Carthage. "One more such VICtory will prove your defeat and overthrow.” do you imagine-is any member of this house só simple as to imagine that these men have been silenced? No, Moderator, there is a silence that speaks louder than seven thunders; there is a sublime allusion to that sort of silence in the opening of the nineteenth psalm, when the Psalmist, lifting up his eyes to the starry heavens, and referring to their perfect symphony, says-for you will omit, as you know very well, brethren, the words that have been interpolated by the translator-‘There is no speech, nor language." "Their voice is not heard.” "There is no specch, nor language," Their voice is not heard."

ވ

Sir,

But is it not heard? Do we not know what the music of the spheres is? When you go out on One of these splendid moonlight nights, litt up your eyes to the canopy above-do you not hear music as sweet as that which flowed over the plains of Bethlehem?

I tell you, sir, that the silence of these men who sat along here but the other day, clothed with their sacred right-that the silence-the enforced silence of these men, is a voice which will make itself heard throughout the whole land.

Sir, you cannot suppress it. You might as well attempt to cairn this magnidcent river that pours its mighty torrent down to the Ocean-you might as well attempt to impose chains on the blessed atmosphere of God which is diffused over the whole earth. Why, sir, God has not left the weak powerless. In many a condition of affairs-in many a relation in life, is it

Let them do their worst, sir, they could not have done for themselves what you have done for them, by sending them forth branded men without the opportunity of making a defense. It has gone over this community, and if the people your are staying with do not delicately hint to you, it will be be cause their courtesy forbids it.

God has put that feeling in the human bosom-He has lodged it there in the deepest recesses of human in nature-He has incorporated it, I might say, almost every human heart-that sense of sympathy with the wronged, of compassion for the feeble. Why, Moderator, there is every day an example which might occur. Suppose you see a group of boys, and there is a quarrel among them, and half a dozen of them have taken one poor scamp and tied his hands behind him, thrust a gag in his mouth, and are attempting to beat and to pummel him-what would you say? Suppose they told you he is the greatest little rascal in the street; he has done all manner of wicked things, and is likely to do just as many more-what would you say, sir¿ You would feel like shaking them, and if you had your official gavel in your hand, Mr. Moderator, if the little wretches did not desist, Christian man that you are, and averse to controversy as you are, I almost fear you would strike the little scamps themselves upon the head, as I know you have hit a good many others on the head. [Merriment.

Now, I tell you, sir, that is what you would havə done. You have pnt these mea in a position where every fair minded man who looks at these matters, in any other atmosphere than one which is beclouded as this is-one who looks at these things from a point where these conflicting and surging tides of prejudice and passion and remembered wrong, or anticipated evil, are not met in mighty mighty conflict-you have put these men in a position where the heart of every man, and I am sure of every woman, (who in other circumstances than these) will go forth in sympathy.

A

I do not want to be in this position. I do not fear the tongues of these men; but I do fear the results of treating with injustice and oppression; I dread their silence. I tell you they have a right to be heard; and I tell you they have a right to be -heard on what these honored brethern call, this "preliminary proceeding." My conscience! preliminary proceedining which unseats them. Rev. Mr. Crozier, Moderator, I would like to ask the gentleman if he has read the discipline? Dr. Boardman. Certainly; I am glad to read anything from the book, and I wish the Assembly would study it more.

Rev. Mr. Crozier. I would just like to point to the Church Discipline, ch. 4, sec. 18.

As cases may arise in which many days or even weeks may intervene before it is practicable to commence process against an accused church member, the session may, in such cases, and ought, if they think the edification of the church requires it, to prevent the accused from approaching the Lord's table until the charge against him can be examined.”

And also to chapter 5, section 11:

"When a member of a church judicatory is under process, it shall be discretionary with the judicatory whether his privileges of deliberating and voting, as a member, in other matters, shall be suspended until the process is finally issued, or not.” Dr. Boardman. I should like to inquire if these brethren are under process.

Rev. Mr. Crozier. I think they are.

Dr. Boardman. Please read the chapter on pro cess for the benefit of the Assembly. Rev. Mr. Crozier. I just wished to call your attention to that, sir.

Dr. Boardman. Exactly; but if you are not dis

posed to read it to the Assembly, please to refer to it for your own illumination.

Rev. Mr. Crozier. Thank you, sir. [Merriment.]

Dr. Boardman. Why, sir, this is the most cheerful thing that has happened to-day. I am delighted to see that one member--I suppose the good brother was one of the two hundred who voted against the poor minority of fifty-I am glad to see this discussion has sent one of these two hundred brethren to the Book of Discipline. My only hope is that this is only a beginning, and that he and all the brethren, in concert, singly, or alone in the silence of their rooms, may take. this venerable book and sit down and read it through. There would be no difficulty if the brethren would read it. I think I will not say anything about this quotation; it is too bad,

Now, Moderator, I say that these brethren are just as much entitled to be heard as any member on chis floor is entitled to be heard, and if distinctions are to be made, they are more entitled to be heard before you finally dispose of this case, than any man is to be heard either for or against them. It may be a question of life and death with them and their Presbyteries. Sir, by this vote you have for a time disfranchised one of the largest Presbyteries of the Church. I see by the minutes that Presbytery has thirty-three churches. You put them out of the house aud entirely ignore them. We have a right to avail ourselves of the accumulated wisdom and experience, and Christian fidelity of every Commissioner appointed to this body, in passing upon every one of the questions which are or may be acted upon. Sir, questions may come up here which the presence or absence of these four men might decide-questions of fundamental importance concerning the policy of the Church; respecting the Theological Seminaries of the Church, and respecting the future interests of our blessed country. And so, therefore, you

wrong not only them, but you wrong us all. You wrong our Presbyteries and Churches by excluding them from their seats.

Dr. Thomas said to us that we have one of our Presbyteries before us. I take issue with him. We have not that Presbytery before us. Where is it? It is not before us. You have sent them out of that door. Now, sir, I see that the hour of adjournment is at hand, and I have not gone at all into the general merits of many of the principles and questions involved in this issue. I am thankful I have the opportunity of saying two or three words, and that no brother has seen fit, or claimed the right of thrusting in the previous question upon me. It might be done when I get through. Just do it as soon as you please.

But, sir, in conclusion, no man can look upon this scene without feeling that our Church is reaching a crisis. The Church is in deep waters and there are two policies that meet us. There is a fork in the road, brethren, and you must take one path or the other, and, under God, the whole future of our Church is bound up in the path which you take. On the one hand there is the path of severity and stern, unrelenting justice, and of holding every man accountable for every rash word he has uttered and for every rash sentiment he has written and for every disloyal-I refer to the Church-for every disloyal paragraph he has put forth in sermon or newspaper; you are to hold every man accountable for what has gone forth from him in the season of conflict and excitement which has swept like a hurricane over our land-which has filled it with graves and mourners; and you are to arrign every such man at your bar; you are to visit upon him the full penalty of your jurisprudence for every such offense. But if you do it, sir, your church is divided. The Episcopal Church is gathering up its scattered fragments to unite them once inore in blessed fraternity. The Methodist Church, North and South, are clasping their hands together over these lines of blood, and saying one to another we will not see it Let us be brethren Sir, it remains for this Assembly to decide what shall be the policy of our Church, not only for years to come-for a few years to come-but peradventure for a very long period to come.

You may take the other course, in the spirit of Him whose pardoning mercy we are all dependont

upon, whose forgiving love we daily pray for daily sins; you may go to these brethren and say, brethren you do wrong, you have fallen in with this torrent of public passion, you have violated the laws of the House of God; you have said things that are discourteous, that are disagreeable and that you ought not to have said, but we will not hold you to a rigorous account; we will bear with you as we have need to be borne with, and we will bear with you; if you will come back to our arms, here they

are.

Sirs, on Saturday last I was driving out through the suburbs of this city. It is a beautiful spread of country that reaches far and wide, and as you go out over the crest of the hill, a scene of surpassing beauty and tranquility presents itself. On Saturday last I was driving out with a gentleman of this city, a man loyal to his heart's core, a man whose name is never mentioned in St. Louis by any man, of whatever party, or profession or occupation, but with honor and reverence. He said to me what is the reason that the soldiers-the men who did the fighting-not the holiday soldiers, but the men who did the fighting-are ready to exercise forbearance and forgiveness and peace, while the ministers seem to be in favor of war. Sir, said I, you have propounded a problem to me which I cannot solve. I know the fact, for I have had personal experience of it. And here again in one of these, hospitals during the war. [I see your hour has expired. and I wili not trespass. Just give me one minute or two, and I think I can release you.] In one of these hospitals were two soldiers. They were very badly wounded. Those ministeriug spirits-those blessed Christian women were in the hospital visiting them. I think it was in the strawberry season, and under the direction of the physician of the establishment one of them was required to go about and mark the couches with chalk, and all the men who could have any strawberries and were in that condition that the frult would injure them. had their couches marked. Well, there were two poor fellows lying side by side. One bed was marked, and the other was not. A lady came along presently, "Well," said she to one of them, "this poor fellow would like some strawberries, I suppose?'' She was bearing them with her. 'No, the Doctor says they will hurt him; he can't llve; he is going to die soon. The Doctor says strawberries will only hasten his death, and he can't have them.", She handed the basket of strawberries to his fellow. She had got but a little way off, however, and what do you think she saw? Why, she saw the man with the strawberries, a Union soldier, getting himself out of his couch, and with his crutch he was limping his way over to his fellow's bed, and there he stood resting on his crutch and putting the strawberries into his comrade's mouth. "Why, '' said she, "you are Union men. I suppose, both of you?", "No, madam,' said he; "day before yesterday this man and I fought against each other, but we are brothers now." "We are brothers now." O, brethren, can't you

see that? We have fought these men, and we will fight them in time of war. We are here in a State that honors the name of Thomas Jefferson, but you ministers do not honor it much. You never go to Thomas Jefferson for your ethics, I am sure, or to that immortal document-that which came from his pen, and which is an heir-loom in every Americar habitation, and which every American boy com mits to memory substantially, and which is recited every year in your National Legislature. In tha immortal document which came from bis peo, he said, referring to Great Britain and to the King of England and to his people, we must regard them as we regard all other nations, as enemies in war in peace, friends." Why, brethren, is it wa is it peace? Shall they who not only profess to sit at the feet of the meek and lowly Savior; shail they whose professed voice and whos hereditary function it is to preach the gospel o peace, to preach forgiveness and forbearance, and universal charity-shall we set our hands to the atrocious doctrine that any class or condition of me in any land shall be regarded by us enemies no only in war, but even in peace? God forbid! Goi forbid!

or

I have performed a painful and reluctant duty, Mr. Moderator. If it is the last word I ever say for this beloved and cherished Church, I rejoice to have had the opportunity of making an ample plea for the cause of truth and righteousness, and or the charity of our ever blessed Redeemer.

Mr. Gallaway of Ohio. As the hour of adjournment has arrived, I take this opportunity, merely, to claim the floor at the next session.

Rev. Dr. Gurley, from the Judicial Committee, reported that the committee had agreed for a joint trial in the case of Dr. Breckinridge and others

against the Synod of Kentucky, and also on the complaint of Dr. Breckenridge against the Presbytery of Louisville, in the case of J. P. McMillen.

Same committee also reported on the complaint of Rev. J. S. Niccolls and others against the Synod of Missouri, asking that the action of that Synod may be declared null and void.

The committee recommend that the complaint be sustained, the action of the Synod reversed and the Synod censured.

The Assembly then adjourned to 9 o'clock Tuesday morning.

The Assembly met at the usual hour, and after devotional exercises, and the reading of the minutes, the Committee appointed to arrange for an excursion on the Iron Mountain Railroad, presented their report, and Saturday next was the day agreed upon.

The presentation of Synodical Records was next in order.

Rev. Dr. Gurley and Lincoln Clark were deputed to represent this Assembly to the First Assembly now in session in this city.

Rev. Dr. Lowrie, from the Committee of Bills and Overtures, presented Overture No. 1, concerning papers relating to the forming of the Presbytery of Shantung, at Tungehow, China, January 29, 1866, by the Rev. Messrs. Charles R. Mill, of the Presbytery of Shanghai; Calvin W. Mateer, of the Presbytery of Marion, and Hunter Corbett, of the Presbytery of Clarion-the said Presbytery to be connected with the Synod of New York.

The Committee find that these brethren followed the order prescribed by the General Assembly of 1848, concerning the forming of Presbyteries in our foreign missionary fields abroad, and recommend that the Presbytery of Shantung be recognized as duly organized, and its name be entered on the roll of the General Assembly. Adopted.

Overture No. 2-A memorial from the Presbytery of Canton, asking the General Assembly to adopt regulations making the Presbytery the last court of appeal in certain cases which will occur in the Foreign Missionary Presbyteries, where there is no local Synod; referring to the difficulty of such Presbyteries being represented in the meetings of the General Assembly, and requesting leave to transmit transcripts of their minutes to the Assembly,

The committee regard the first of these subjects as worthy of continued consideration, but recommend that the Assembly take no action concerning it at present, and also recommend that the Assembly approve of the Missionary Presbyteries sending commissioners to its meetings, as providential circumstances permit, as well as of their sending transcripts of their minutes to the Assembly, and in general recommend that the act of the General Assembly of 1845, concerning Presbyteries in India, be extended to all foreign missionary Presbyteries, Adopted.

Overture No. 3-From the Presbytery of Philadelphia, asking the Assembly to provide a form for the organization of new churches, and also an additional form for the solemnizntion of marriage. The committee recommend the following answer: First, that the action of the Assembly of 1834, p. 177, on the subject of organizing churches, is deemed sufficient, and the memorialists are referred to that action as round in Baird's Digest, pp. 54, 55. Secopd-No further action is deemed necessary on the second point in this overture. Adopted. Overture No. 4-Being a request of the Presbytery of Passaic to restore the geographical arrangement of Synods and Presbyteries in the printing of the minutes. The committee recommend that no change be made.

Adopted.

Overture No. 5-From the Presbytery of Leavenworth asking the General Assembly to place the church of Denver City, Colorado Territory, now reporting to that Presbytery, together with the other churches of that Territory, under the supervision and control of some Presbytery which they in their wisdom think may best promote the interests of the Master in that wide and interesting field.

The committee find that there are but two ministers belonging to our Church within the Territory of Colorado, and although the organization of a Presbytery there is desirable as soon as practicable, yet at present it seems impossible and the committee would, therefore, recommend that this Assembly take no action upon the subject. Adopted.

Rev. Mr. Farquhar offered a resolution, that the churches be directed not to report under the head of "congregational" any money received for congregational purposes, which is the interest of permanent funds, belonging to churches, nor any appropriations from the Board of Domestic Missions. Also that the Stated Clerks be directed to report as candidates all young men who are studying for the ministry under their care.

The resolution was placed on the docket

Rev. Dr. Loomis presented the following report from the Committee on the Board of Foreign Missions:

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN MISSIONS. The Committee on the Board of Foreign Missions respectfully report to the General Assembly that they have carefully examined the annual report of this Board, which contains a brief but clear statement of the condition of the missions under its care, together with the report of the Treasurer. We recommend its approval and publication as a document worthy to be studied by all the members of our Church.

From it we learn that our Church sustains missions in nine different countries and at forty-six stations; that we have employed seventy-five ordained missionaries, nine of whom are natives, together with eight native licentiate preachers. We have seventeen lay laborers from this country and seventy-four female assistants; one hundred and forty native teachers, with other native helpers; four hundred and twenty-seven scholars are taught in boarding schools, and six thousand four hunoied and th rty-three in day schools. The mission churches have a membership or one thousand one hundred and ninety-three, of which about one hundred and seyenty six have been added during the year. Three deaths of missionaries have occurred during the year. The number of missionaries now employed is three more than were reported a year ago.

:

From the report it appears that the receipts of the Board from contributions and from legacies is less by more than $46,000 than the receipts from the same sources last year. The total receipts of the Board are $207,526 65; the expenditures $210,376 9, leaving a bal the Treasury of$2,849 93. The whole number of churches contributing is 1.380 against 1,500 last year, being a falling off of 120 in the contributing churches.

an cea

The whole number of churches in our communion is 2.629; of these 1,249 appear as having done nothing during the past year towards sending the Gospel to the heathen.

We find that all the missions reported last year have been sustained, but with the exception of a few ut stations no new ground has been occupied. While the missionaries in nearly all these fields are calling, as they long have been, for ministers and teachers to be sent to their assistance, as well as to enter into other and needy fields, and in some of the missions new buildings are greatly needed, but which cannot be furnished until the Church increases its contributions.

During the time in which our Board has been in operation the Bible has been translated into many languages and a great amount and variety of religious books have been printed, and thus the way has been prepared for the more rapid diffusion of religious truth In the future than in the past if the men were ready to take these scriptures and religious publications and preach and distribute them amongst the people for whom they were designed.

In all this we find reason both for thankfulness and for sorrow; thankfullness that as a Church we have been able to hold the ground previously acquired, but great grief that our people have not by largely inCreased contributions enabled the Board both to enlarge its operations in the older missions, and to establish new stations in districts and countries which are accessible, and where they have long desired, as servants of the Church, to plant the standard of the Cross.

In view of these facts, and in view, further, of the claims of the heathen upon us and the command of our Lord to preach His gospel to every creature, we recommend the following action, viz:

Resolved, That this Assembly gratefully recognize the continued prosperity which the Great Head of the Church has vouchsafed to the work of this Board during the past year, which favor has been especially manifested in the goodly number of converts gathered into the mission churches and in the increase of native ministers and assistants.

2. That the members of the Board of Foreign Missions, and especially its Executive Committee, are deserving the thanks of this Assembly for the wisdom, zeal and untiring perseverance with which they have from the beginning conducted its affairs. and particularly during the past years of trial and perplexity.

3 That in view of the lands yet to be evangelized, the many hundreds of millions of people yet in darkness; also in view of the low state of the missionary spirit in our churches, the small number of candidates for the foreign field, and the immediate necessity for a great army of native assistants. we will cry mightily unto God till he revives pure religion in our hearts and amongst our people, and till he so bless the Word preached amongst the Gentiles as to give us our desire in raising up very many from amongst the heathen who shall soon be qualified to preach the Gospel to their countrymen. Nevertheless the Assembly does not mean by this to be understood to say that the Church at home may sit still until such converts are brought into the Church and educajed for the ministry; it believes rather that no good reason can be shown for so unequal a division of the ministerial force as exists at present-2,484 ministers remaining here amongst a population of only five or six millions, nearly all of whom already know what they should do to be saved, while we give 83 ministers, 17 of whom are natives, to the many hundreds of millions who have never yet heard of Jesus and his salvation. The Assembly therefore recommends all its young ministers, as well as candidates for the ministry to give a new hearing to the calls which are coming in for laborers for this wide spread harvest field.

4. That this Assembly regards the whole Church as a missionary society whose main work is to spread the knowledge of salvation; that individual Christians are not merely to enjoy religion themselves, but to be actively engaged in efforts to lead others to Christ; also, that this Assembly recognizes the right as vested in Presbyteries to select and appoint to the foreign as well as to the domestic missionary work any and all such of their number as they believe to be fitted for and to be needed in the foreign field, and that the persons so designated and called may not refuse to obey, unless God by His providence clearly shows that His will is that they remain at home, and that until we come up to this standard we cannot be satisfied that with entire sincerity we can ask, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?"

5. That the falling off in the contributions to this Board during the past year, the present indebtedness of the Board, and the fact that so large a portion of the Church has given nothing at all, while the ability to contribute has been greater owing to the return of peace and general prosperity to the land, an the discontinuance of those calls for the gifts of the people which were so numerous during the war, are cause for deep humility and for searching of heart; therefore the General Assembly commends this subject to the prayerful consideration of the churches, and reminds them again of her oft-repeated injunctions that each church shall take up annual collections for the Boards; and

where there is a failure to comply with this injunction, Presbyteries are directed to inquire into the cause of such delinquency.

6. That we hold in tender regard those brethren and sisters who, instead of us, have left home ard kindred and are now lanoring and suffering in unhealthy climes that they may win souls to Christ; and in order that they may be free from anxiety about the future, provision for the support and education of their children, we call the attention of the churches to the statement in the annual report of the Board, that the fund for the children of missionaries shou'd be largely increased;" and in order that all our members may be brought into closer sympathy with our missionary brethren we urge upon all ministers and church offcers the duty of spreading missionary intelligence, maintaining monthly concerts of prayer formissions, accompanying such prayers with contributions for the cause for which they have been praying.

By the report of the Board it appears that an election should be held to fill the vacancies occurring in the Board of Missions. The following names are recommended for the class whose term of office expires in 1866:

Ministers-Revand K. Rogers, D. D., in place of Geo. W Janvier, D. D., deceased.

Henry R. Wilson. D. D, in place of Robert C. Grundy, D. D., deceased, and Elder Stephen Lockwood, in place of C. C. Lathrop, deceased. In class of 1869:

Elder David Hotchkiss, in place of Ebenezer Platt, deceased.

Among the papers submitted to this committee was a copy of the records of the annual meeting of the Board of Foreign Mis ions, in which we find à resolution which was designed for this General Assembly, a copy of which we here present, hoping that the Assembly will entertain it. It is as follows, viz:

On motion of Rev. J. C. Rankin, it was resolved that, inasmuch as a large increase in the funds is demanded for the necessary operations of the Board of Foreign Missions for the ensuing year, it be recommended to the General Assembly to solicit the churches to increase donations to this Board by a sum not less than fifty thousand dollars.

In addition to the foregoing, there were referred to your committee certain overtures from Northern India. No. 1 being an overture respecting the provision to be made for the support of the widows of missionaries, No. 2, an overture touching the subject of inadequate provision for the support and education of the Children of foreign missionaries; and No. 3, an overture touching the sustentation and enlargement of the missionary work in india. Respecting these overtures, we recommend that, inasmuch as the Board of Foreign Missions has long had these subjects under consideration, and has already made partial provision to meet the wants specified in overtures one and two, and inasmuch as overture No. 3 refers to matters which belong peculiarly to the Board of Foreign Misslons, therefore the General Assembly refer all these papers to said Roard, with instructions to give them that attention which, in their judgment, the cases may require

As a part of their report, the committee further recommend that the evening of this day be set apart by the Assembly with a view to the fuller consideration of the interests of this Board.

A. W. LOOMIS, Ch’mn of Com. Whereas, By the Redeemer's last command to His disciples He has laid the Church under obligation to carry the gospel to every creature; and

Whereas, The difficulties in the way of obedience to that command are so many and so great and the laborers so few as to imperiously demand that every agency adapted to the accomplishment of this work should be employed; and