on our part briefly to lay down the law from the books of the Church. The case, for instance, of the original protest in 1861, in which you will find the seeds of nearly all the arguments that have heen brought against the action of the Church from that day to this; and which, as it has been most elaborately and with unprecedented ability discussed, in a series of articles by Dr. West in the Presbyteaian, I shall not attempt to analyze here, even if I were going into the case, which I am not. My judgment is, that by reading the sylabus that has been made, and having the paper before as accessible to the house, it is all sufficient for justice to both sides.

"I wish to make one slight explanation here, on the action of 1861, and my connection with it. I had made an explanation upon a protest against that action, which was drawn up with great ability, and which contained all the heresy and all the treason that has been preached in the Church on that subject, in its germ. I do not mean to say who are traitors. In regard to my brother who took such high dudgeon in regard to a plain truth, there are some other small matters of much more recent date, which I may take occasion to allude to hereafter. I understand that fighting means death, and therefore I never fight if I can help it, and I never give unnecessray offense, which everybody will tell you that has quarreled with me, and that

a few. [Laughter.] Dr. Humphrey and myself and two elders that are here present on this floor, agreed upon a report to the Synoc, which was adopted with an amendment, that the Synod did not approve of that act. Neither did I, and I gave my reasons for it in my report to Synod. The reason was this: I attempted to supply a defect in the act of 1862, which I drew up in the Assembly of 1862. My judgment is that the duty of loyalty is a relative duty, and the Government is as

much bound to protect the man of whom it requires loyalty, as the man is to be loyal to the Government whose protection he geeks. The act of 1861 indiscriminately laid upon the whole church, the duty of a day of prayer for the Government-a duty of patriotism, but a duty in the performance of which, every man in the seceded States was bound to lay down his life in obedience to the General Assembly. I knew it, and the Assembly might have known it. If they did not do this they were liable to have their property confiscated and their lives forfeited. Well, I thought it was a case which the Assembly ought to have remembered, and therefore, in drawing up the minutes of 1862, I endeavored to see to it that every man had distributed to him things new and old according to his proportion. As for loyalty, if there was any man in this world that was loyal, I reckon I ought to be counted in that category. God knows I have suffered out of the Church and in the Church, and to-day I have the indignity heaped upon me of being refused to make a personal explanation, for that was all I wanted But I was speaking in deference to that minute. I have been charged from that day to this with being disloyal, and two people have done it on this platform since I have been here. I had compassion on their ignorance and said nothing. When it was brought into this

house brother Humphrey moved to amend this language, which he said was contrary to reason and the Word of God, I was extremely anxious to preserve that Synod in peace, so that when we were done with war we might go and do our work, no matter which party triumphed I reckon I erred in that respect, for I stood where I ought not to have stood. I found I had finally to perish or fight somewhere; then as far as I could by myself, I commenced this fight which I see is being lost here to-day, and which, if lost. I shall hold this Assembly responsible to the country and God for its being lost--lost by the mismanagement of its friends, and by the betrayal of its cause by the Moderator. Now interrupt me if you like [andressing Dr. Anderson.]

Rev. Dr. Anderson. I do not intend that the dignity of this house shall be insulted.

Dr. Breckinridge. I beg pardon. I would as soon think of boxing the jaws of my venerable mother, after calling her back from the grave, as to insult this Assembly.

The Moderator pro tem. It is the province of the Chair to restrain any member from personal reflections.

Dr. Breckinridge. I have said the worst I intended to say.

Rev. Dr. Anderson. I am prepared for any revelations that may be made here or elsewhere.

Dr. Breckinridge. Well. sir, I think you are prepared for most anything, by what you have done heretofore.

The Moderator. The gentleman must not indulge in personal reflections.

Dr. Breckinridge. Well, sir, I want to go on with what little voice I have left. I am a very bad subject to be browbeaten. I am done, and will now take back as much as possible. I only desire to say that is the history of that act of 1861 in connection with me. Now you will find these papers bearing clear back to the act of 1861. Therefore, on that I have nothing further to say. So far as this case is concerned, as I understand it, it is now in a posture that it cannot be issued. It has been put into the hands of a court which has been sworn. It is not in the possession of the house as a legislaIt has tive body. been made the special order, and with.

go

on

was directed to be proceeded I suggested to the Moderator that we had better with our business. He said it was the habit to do so. Then somebody brought up this other case which had no right to supersede this case. This case had been delivered to the court, the court had been sworn, and there was another presiding officer, and yet the other business was proceeded with, and when I got up, merely to make a personal explanation, I was told I could take no part in the case in that condition of it. I did not recognize it to be before the tribunal in that form. I think clearly and manifestly it was not, and what astonished me, when I rose to say this much, I was ordered to sit down; and what surprised me still more was, that the brother before me should jump up and help the Moderator with a point of order.

Dr. Breckinridge continued at some length in vindication of his course, and at the conclusion of his remarks, the Assembly adjourned.

The Assembly met at the usual hour.

The minutes of yesterday were read.

Rev. Dr. West moved to amend the minutes so as 10 make it appear that under the decision of the House, as to who the original parties were of the judicial case from Kentucky, Dr. Breckinridge declined to plead

Rev. Dr. Nevins moved an amendment to the amendment. He happened to remember the very words with which Dr. Breckinridge closed' his speech, which were that on account of the form in which this matter was presented before the Assembly bis self-respect would not permit him to argue the merits of the case. He (Dr. N.) moved to insert that he declined to argue the case on account of the form in which it was presented before the Assembly.

Rev. Dr. West desired that this house should not assume the responsibility of driving Dr. Breckinridge from the case, as the minutes would seem to imply.

Mr. Swallow moved that the amendments be laid upon the table. The motion was lost.

Mr Swallow then said he hoped the motion to ameud would not prevail. He thought if they assigned all the reasons given by Dr. Breckenridge why he did not prosecute the case, they would have to assigo e ght or ten which were given in the course of his speech.

During the remarks of Mr. Swallow a demand was made for the question, whereupon a member arose, and said he hoped the speaker would not be interrupted, as be was talking as good sense as any other gentleman.

Mr. Swallow resumed his remarks, saying there were certain gentlemen who took it upon themselves to be the teachers of the Assembly-that he had said all that he desired to say, and he was perfectly willing those gentlemen who were so fond of teaching the Assembly, should go on and instruct them to the end.

Dr. McLean desired to know if it was in order to refer the matter to a committee. He moved to refer the matter to prepare a minute.

Mr. Day thought the clerk was able to keep the minutes properly, and he thought the minute in the case was proper. It did not attempt to assign all the reasons, and the reasons could not be assigned without a reference to the whole speech. It would not be fair to cmit one reason and insert others, and it was not proper, he thought, to give all the reasons that Dr. Breckinridge gave. The old gentleman was in some respects under excitement, and they might well pardon him; but he said things which the speaker thought were censurable, and if compelled to do so he should be obliged to vote to that effect.

A motion was made for the previous question, which was agreed to.

The question then being on approving the minutes as read, a vote was taken and the minutes approved.

The following report of the Committee on the Narrative was adopted:

Fathers and Brethren: Your Committee on the Narrative of the state of religion in the 、hurch, made the following report:

We have received narratives of religion, more or less full -some far too extended and diffuse, others much too meagre and unsatisfactory. From 90 of the 130 Presbyteries connected with the General Assembly, including one of the Presbyteries in China, the Presbytery of California, within whose bounds are many thousand Chinese, and the synod of northern India; and, having examined them, feel that the Church has most abundant reason to thank God and take courage. Nowhere does the word of the Lord seem to be going backward, and in many places it is evidently oing forward gloriously.

From the reports, and from other sources, we learn that, notwithstanding the embarrassments and increased expenses consequent upon the high price of exchange, the Church has abandoned no work in heathen

lands for the want of either men or money, and that detachment of faithful men and women have constant ly been going forward to take the places of those who have fallen at their posts, or have been withdrawn because of failing bealth And there are encouraging indications throughout the heathen world that heather ism is being shaken, and will, ere long, be shaken to pieces and destroyed. What shall then follow we cannot say. There is, therefore, a loud call to the Church to send forward speedily more men to take advantage of tnese auspicious events for Jesus Christ. ·

Our frontier Presbyteries report progress. Not indeed such progress as we could wish, for but few of them report revivals, and all of them need much more money and many more men; but progress in the planting of new churches, in the strengthening of those already planted, and in the preaching of the Gospel in many new pioneer settlements in the wilderness

In the older States the older Presbyteries, with scarce ly an exception, speak of revivals; many of them of revivals of great power, in which, in the aggregate, thousands of precious souls have been converted to Christ. Of the ninety-one Presbyleries that have sent up narratives seventy-two report revivals, and some of them stale that nearly every one of their churches have shared in the blessed w rk Your committee believes tha6 outside of our great cities the revival of the past ecclesiastical year exceeds in universality and power that of 1857 and 1858. In the Presbytertes of Donegal, Clarion, Washington, New Brunswick, New Castle, West Jersey. Northumberland, Susquehannah, Red Stone, Chillicothe and St. Clairsvill the power of the Spirit has been manifested in an especial and extraordinary manner In these, and in some other Presbyteries, the additions to many of the Churches have already been from fifty up to more than a bundred persons, and in a number of them the good work is still going forward In these revivings our schools and colleges and our female seminaries have shared argely. Hundreds of young mnen and young women in them have been converted, and it is reported that many of these Christian young men have devoted themselves to the work of the gospel ministry; not a few of them, including in their consecration the purpose, God willing, of preaching the Gospel to the heathen. In this connection your committee would call attention to the fact that nearly all of these revivals-certainly nine-tenths of them-began with or originated in the week of prayer at the beginning of the year, or the day of prayer for schcols, colleges, etc, on the last i hursday of February.

It was feared by some that our disbanded and returned soldiers would bring with them to their homes and communities so many of the vices of the camp and the army as to make them the polluters of society and the scourges of the Church. But this fear, thank God! has not been realized to any considerable extent Some of the bad have, indeed, returned worse, and some of the good have become corrupted: but to counterbalance this, and far more than counterbalance it, hundreds. aye, thousands, who went into the army sinners, have returned from it Chrisțians, an others have since become Christians. and others, in their increase 1 manliness and a spirit of obedience, give better promise than before of becoming good soldiers of Jesus Christ.

The

Another evidence of the presence of the sprit of God in the Church we see in this going forth of the hearts of our people toward visible union with other bristians, especially with those of our own faith and name. There seems to be a growing and strengthening desire with our people to get n ar to and into closer communion with those of other branches of the Presbyterian Church who hold with us the form of sound words strong conviction of tens of thousands in the Church seems to be, that in the great fight in which we are engaged, and the greater fight before us with ritualism, rationalism, worldliness and ungod iness, those whose faith is the same, and whose Presbyterian banner is the same, should comb ne and ma é common cause for Jesus Christ. And the fact that we do not feel thus toward our afore time brethren in the South, who. “partly by ciscipline and part y by their own act, have been removed from us," is not to be interpreted otherwise than in accordance with this conclusion; for our hearts go out warmly toward them, and could we see them cordially abandoning their two darling delusions -(shall we not say sins?)-slavery and rebellion, we Would gladly welcome them back as brethren dearly beloved in the Lord,

Other grounds for encouragement and thankfulness we see in the facts that many of our churchss have paid

offold Church debts; that many have largely increased the salaries of their pastors: that many are entering .with increased zeal in the work of Sabbath school and Bible class instruction; that many are awaking to a duty of a stricter observance of the Sabbrth, and of a more determined resistance to the encroachments of profanity, intemperance, worldliness in professing Christians, and other crying evils of the times.

Of course there are discouragements; but these are patent to the eyes of all.

Upon the whole, in the judgment of your committee, the Church has reason to be devoutly grateful to the great Head of the Church. and to stir up herself to renewed consecration to Him, and to fresh energy and zeal in His blessed work.

So few, comparatively, of the Fresbyteries bave sent in reports on the subject of moneys, that your committee have nothing to say on the subject, save only as a most important matter to commend it to the consideration of the Church

FREDERICK A. BROWN, Chairmau.

Mr. Lowin read the report of the Committee on Bills and Overtures.

Overture No. 14. Being a paper from the Presbyteries of Richland, Marion and Chicago, and the Rev. Messrs. T. D. Harris and L. J. Baird, D. D, relating to the general object of judicial cases.

The committee recommend,

1st, That the General Assembly appoint a committee of three ministers and three elders, to whom shall be intrusted the duty of preparing a new Book of Discipline, to be submitted to the General Assembly at such time as its careful and thorough preparation may require; the reports of former committees of the General Assembly on this subject to be placed in the hands of this committe for their consideration.

2d, That in the meantime, until this new Book of Discipline shall have received the approval of the Presbyteries, provision be made for the adjudication of ludicial cases by the General Assembly, by sending to the Presbyteries for their approval or otherwise the following overture, viz:

1. The General Assembly, on the nomination of its standing Judicial ‹ ommittee, may appoint from the members of the Assembly a judicial commission or judicial commissions as may be required to try during its sessions the judicial cases which may come before the Assembly; their proceedings and decisions to be subject to the approval of the Assembly.

2. These judicial commissione shall in their proceedings be governed by the constitutional provisions respecting judicial processes in so far as these may

apply the change in the method of trying judicial cases

beretofore in use which this Overture purposes, if adopted by a sufficient number of the Presbyters, shall govern the General Assembly of 1867 and its successors. Rev. Dr. Pratt thought there should be appended to the paper the reasons for it, put in clear and forcible light.

Dr. Humphrey offered the amendment that after the words sent down to the Presbyteries," the words for their advice," in order to show the Presbyteries that it is not sent down for their approval, so that by their approval it may become a part of the Constitution, but simply for their advice to the next Assembly.

Dr. Lowrie thought Dr. Humphrey's amendment ought rather to be in the form of a substitute, and bad better take that shape. This was intended merely as a provisional system, to be in force only until the new book of discipline is finished.

It

Dr. Humphrey was pained to differ from Dr. Lowrie, but considered that a provisional amendment to our system was something unnatural was to be remembered that there was before the Assembly the proposition for a permanent change in the system-the establishment of a Judicial Commission. He objected to any provisional changes. Dr. Lowrie would deter very much to Dr. Humphrey's views, but it was understood that the proposition of Dr. Craven last year, alluded to by him, has not been adopted by the Church, it having been voted down by a vote more than two to one. had no objection to sending it down for advice, but he thought it well to adopt it as a provisional measure until the book of discipline was completed.

He

The report of the Committee on the Overture was adopted.

Dr. Lowrie then read report of the Committee on Overture, No. 15, as follows:

Overture 15. Lake Presbytery to the General Assembly. Extract from the minutes, April, 1866:

Resolved, That this Presbytery do overture the next General Assembly requesting answers to the following questions, viz:

What is the duty of a church session in a case where a member of the Church has married and continues to live with a person who has been divorced from a husband or wife, on grounds other than of adultery or willful desertion.

A true extract. H. L. VANNESS, Stated Clerk. The Assembly cannot give any other auswer to this question than that contained in chapter XXIV, sec. VI, of the Confession of Faith, and chapter XIX, 9, 11. of the Gospel of Matthew. Nor does it think any further answer necessary.

Report adopted.

Dr. Lowrie then read report of Committee on Overture No. 16, as fullows:

Overture No. 16. At a meeting of the Committee of Church extension within the bounds of the Presoy ery of Potomac, held May 3, 1866, it was, on motion of Rev. A. A. E. ́ ́aylor, uvanimously

Resolved, That this committee overture the General Assembly to transfer the property at the Metropolitan Church in this city to the Presbytery of Potomac, to be by said Presbytery applied to the purposes of · hurch extension in this city. LOUIS R FOX, Secretary pro tem. The committee recommend that his matter be referred to a committee of three members, to report to the next General Assembly. Adopted.

The

Dr. Gurley stated that property to the amount o $20,000 had been acquired for the purpose of erecting a Metropolitan Church in the city of Washington. When the war cane on the subscriptions from the South amounted, as it was supposed, to a sum sufficient to erect the Church, and the first steps were taken in the erection of a lecture room. war came on, and of course the enterprise was arrested, and all the subscriptions which were expected from the South were lost. The property now laid there useless. There was a loud demand for church extension in the city of Washington. There were three new enterprises on foot; two of these enterprises were greatly in need of larger houses of worship, and what the Committee on Church Erection desire, is, that if it be possible, this money collected for the purpose of erecting a Metropolitan Church may be transferred to the Presbytery of the Potomac, and used for the work of church extension in Washington City. What was desired, was that a committee be appointea to inquire into the whole matter, and report as to the practicability of making such a transfer, and also as to its desirableness, in their estimation, when all the facts were set forth, He hoped the report of the committee would be adopted.

Dr. Smith, of Baltimore, stated that he had taken a great deal of time in soliciting the money that had been collected for this object, and was acquainted with the facts in the case, and hoped that the report of the committee would be adopted.

Dr. Anderson reminded the Assembly that it was touching a matter of great delicacy. The law demanded integrity on the part of trustees. He knew how the money was given, at least some of it, and he thought the Assembly had no right to appropriate that money, even for a better purpose than that for which it was given. The trustees were bound to confine themselves to the purposes for which the trust was created. He desired to call the attention of those who were appointed upon the proposed committee particularly to that point.

The committee's report and recommendation upon this overture was adopted.

Dr. Thomas read the report of the Standing Committee on Domestic Missions. The report was accepted and placed on the docket for consideration, and was as follows:

The committee to whom was referred the annual report of the Board of Domestic Miss ons, respectfully present to the General Assembly the result of their inquiries into the great interest intrusted to their consideration.

This sixty-fourth report suggests reflections and awakens emotions of a mingled character. On the one hand it occasions gratitude to God that He has given us such an agency for spreading the glorious Gospel throughout our country; that He has permitted it to reach the sixty-fourth year of its operations; that He has allowed us so large a measure of success in the prosecution or our work; and especially that He has graciously revived many of our mission churches.

The Board, its officers and missionaries seem to bave discharged their duty according to the standard of former years. To the 338 m ssionaries in commission in March, 1865, 201 co laborers have been added, making

Or $20,915 16 above the receipts of any former year. The facts afford matter of sincere thankfulness; yet, on the other hand, the aspect and results of our home missionary work, when compared with the ability of the Presbyterian Church, and with the singularly in viting and important field which Divine Providence has called her to occupy, cannot but occasion sorrow and humiliation. Tais sixty-fourth annual report exhibits the sad and shameful fact that our church collections for so noble a cause amount only to the paltry sum of $67,000; that is, to an average contribution of twenty-nine cents a member per annum. If we add the almost $11,000 received from individual donors, the average is still but thirty-four cents a year for each communicant. Of the 2,630 churches in our connection 1,208,or nearly one half, cont. ibuted nothing to this Board during the past year. ell may the report say,in view of such statistics that the resources of our denomination are as yet very imperfectly developed

Another surprising and painful fact is this: that of onr 800 Mission Churches or Stations-fewer than half, 379 -report the existence of sabbath-schools; and 45 of these Churches report that they have made no contributions to any of our Boards. We may add, in this connection, that the average increase of our Mission Churchis, notwithstanding reported revivals, is lamentably small. The aggregate additions or the last year were 3,932 communicants; 2,330 on profession, and 1,603 on certificate. Dividing these figures by the 539 home missionaries, we have an average of seven persons brought into the hurch by a year's labor of each missionar ry-four on profession, and three by transfer of membership.

i

This result, indeed, must be modified by another Etatement of like painful character, viz: that 143 of our missionaries, or considerably more than one-fourth of the whole number, send the Board no report whatever of their yearly labors Surely this is an evil which demands a ve y prompt and decisive remedy. The last Assembly directed special efforts to be made in behalf of freedmen, and to secure a footing among our seceded Southern Churches The Board may have done all that was in its power in accordance with this direction, but the result is far from satisfactory Thir teen Missionaries are reported as cor missioned during ths year to labor in the South; whether among freedmen, the white population, or both, this report does not enable us to say Nine of these are employed in North Carolina, Tennessee and Florida; two in Louisiana; two in Mississippi and Texas. Apparently, the only direct effort to reach our Southern Churches was made in Tennessee; but the attempt was a complete failure.

The suggestion of the last Assembly to substitute the term Home for Domestic, in the title of the Board, seems to have been overlooked or neglected.

This brief survey of the defects connected with our system of Home Missions recalls an inquiry presented in the report itself-Cannot we attempt some enlarged movement?" (p 21.)

The Assembly of 1865, in considering overtures "asking the removal of the Board of Domestic Missions and the Board of Education to points further West," re commended that final action be postponed until the next meeting of the General Assembly." (minutes, p. 550] In the opinion of your committee, the time jor an enlarged movement" has faliy come, and we respectfully suggest whether a removal of the Board, not to the West, but towards the center of our vast National domain, may not afford a favorable opportunity for such a movement.

The old geographic classification and nomenclature of States, still adopted in the report of our Boaro, which looks from a Philadelphia standpoint, is unnatural and unmeaning. Recent events, and especially the abolition of slavery, have removed former distinctions, The sectional distribution of States. as Northern and Southern, should be obliterated. Our people should be taught to contemplate our vast Empire as one; to be regarded geographically, only in its grand, natural features. The territorial center of these United States is near Topeka, Kansas Why should Ohio, which is a thousand miles east of that center, be styled a Western State? True, it lies west of Pennsylvania, but it also lies east of the eight great States of Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, tah, Nevada and California.

Considered in its natural outline, our country comprises three grand groups of States-the Pacific, the Atlantic, and the Central or Valley States. Anticipating some territorial division soon to be made, and overlooking the temporary difference of States and Terr.tories, we have eight Pacific States, sixteen Atlantic, and twenty-four Central-forty-eight in all

The eight Pacific States have one million square miles and half a million of population; the Atlàntic States have half a million of square miles and firteen and a half millions of population; and the twentyfour Central States have one and a half millions of square miles and fifteen and a quarter millions of population.

:

In general terms, the twenty-four Central States include one half our territory; a most one half of our population, and more than three fifths of our home missionaries.

The sixteen Atlantic States have one-sixth of our National territory; almost one-half of our population, and over three-tenths of our missionary force.

The eight Pacific tates have one-third our territory; one sixtieth of our population, with one-fortieth of our home missionaries. Sixty five years ago (say two generations) these Central States did not contain halt a million of white inhabitants. NOW their population exreeds fifteen million. Thirty years since Illinois had 100,000 people; now she numbers 1,700,000. The four States of Illinois, Wisconsin, iowa and Min nesota have risen in the last thirty years from 200,000 to 3,250,000. We have now 40,000,000 of people in the United States. Within the lifetime of the younger members of this Assembly we shall have 100,000,000, of whom, according to past statistics. 10,000,000 will be men of color. And the vast majority of the white popuiation. at least, will occupy these central states. vast and rapidly growing population speaks one language; is everywhere accessible; obeys, and shali obey, our Government, which protects and fosters religious worship and Christiau Tabor. In the midst of such a nation Christ has placed his Church-our Presbyterian element no insignificant part of it-blessed with ample wealth and the highest facities ior cooperative Christian work; is He not gathering here in a fair field from all lands and of all religions a mighty mass of souls to try his Church, whether she will prove worthy of her sublime commission?

This

ontrast, now, with such a territory, and with such statistics of present and future population, an agency on the Atlantic seaboard raising less than $80,000 from 230 000 living Presbyterians, and ask whether we ought not to attempt an "enlarged movement!""

It is needless to present to such a body as this the many other considerations, derived from the kindred lavors of sister churches, the vast and threatening tide of foreign emigration, the wide diffusion of Romanism, and like aistinctive errors, the prevalence of infidelity, &c., which present themselves to every intelligent mind as reasons for a great invigoration of our missionary operations.

But the question is raised, Why must the seat of the Board be removed to effect that invigoration? We an swer that if one chief agency can supervise and control the Home Missionary work, it would seem rational that its center of operations should be near the center of the wide region upon which it must operate: that the influence of such an agency may be felt alike in every part of the field. The immediate directors, especially the principal executive, must be brought into personal and vital contact with all subordinate instrumentalities The Secretary should have personal and constant intercourse, at least with all the provincial centers of support and co-operation. This indispensable influence can never be exerted while the seat of directors is placed in a remote corner of the land.

It may be said, indeed, whatever be the territorial position of the Board,it is all-important that it occupy the money-center of the Church. Now, it is true that the five Synods of Albany, Baltimore, New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia contributed to our home missions last year almost $15,000, or two-thirds of the whole amount from church collections, while the remaining twenty Synods gave less than $24,000. Bot let it be considered that of the $45,000 from the five astern Synods nearly $15,000, or one-third of the sum, came from four churches in the city of New York. If the money argument is conclusive, then this Board should center in New York City. The proper answer is this: First, that our country and church are one; the aim of cur Church is to fill our country with the institutions of a pure Christianity, a pure Presbyterianism Whatever means may most efficiently promote that end should command the resources and energies of our entire body. The center of population is the most natural location of the power which is to reach that population; and that center, at present, lies between Jones. ville and Columbus, Onio. The money, come from where it may, will be most abundantly bestowed upon whatever agency is found to be the most efficient. Besides, as & regard for the interests of civil liberty locates the seat of our National

Government away from the monetary center of the country, so should a wise concern for the welfare of ecclesiastical liberty dissever the power of wealth from the direction of Church affairs

Your committee are further persuaded that the conduct of the work now entrusted to the Freedmen's Committee properly belongs to the Board of Missions. The colored element is but one constituent of our hete.• rogeneous population. We see no more reason for dealing with it through an independent organization than for a similar course toward the foreign elements among us. We have no Irish Board, no German Roard; why have a Board for colored Americans ? Divine Providence has identified them with us. They will soon compose, as has been said, one-tenth of our people. We can best secure their sympathies by treating them as we treat other men.

Your committee, thereiore, recommend:

1. That the Freedmen's Committee be dissolved, and its work transferred to the Board of Home Missions

2. That the seat of the Board of Home Missions beremoved to Cincinnati, as soon after the rising of the Assembly as it can be done without prejudice to vested interests in hiladelphia or elsewhere

3. That the Board, at its first meeting in Cincinnati, be directed to revise our whole system of Home Missions, and devise and adopt such measures as shall redouble the efficiency of our operations.

4 That a committee be appointed by the Assembly to secure a new charter for our Board of Missions from the Legislature of Ohio.

5. We recommend, that during the coming year all the Churches under the care of the General Assembly endeavor to raise for this Board a sum amounting to at least fiffy cents for each member; and we most earnestly recommend that each pastor and stated supply shall not only see that an opportunity is afforded every member of his Church to contribute, but that he also urge upon every member the duty of bearing his part. Dr. Thomas. I beg leave now respectfully to renew a motion that was made yesterday, that the unfinished business of yesterday

Moderator. It is not open yet, sir. I did not know what you were about to propose Are there any other reports from standing committees?

The records of the Synod of Pittsburg were recommended to be approved. Recommendation adopted.

The records of the Synod of Cincinnati were recommended to be approved with certain excep. tions. Adopted.

The Committee on Devotional Exercises recommended that Rev. F. P. Brown be appointed to preach this Tuesday evening at eight o'clock.

Rev. Mr. Shiland moved that the Assembly sit this evening and every evening until the business was completed; it was necessary the Assembly should finish its business and adjourn this week, “if possible.

Dr. Thomas. I hope we shall not sit this evening. We are not bound to kill ourselves, and we shall arrive at surer conclusions if we take time. The Church has sent us here and given us time enough to do our work, and let us take the time.

Mr. Herron offered a substitute for the motion of Mr. Shiland which was accepted, and was as follows:

Resolved, That the Assembly reconsider the vote by which the time for closing the afternoon session was fixed at 5% o'clock, and that 6% o'clock be fixed as the hour for afternoon adjournment.

An amendment to this substitute was made, that the morning session commence at half past eight instead of nine.

The amendment was objected to for the reason that it would interfere with the elders' prayer meeting which commenced at eight o'clock and continued until nine.

A member thought if they attempied to cheat God out of His part of the proceedings of this Assembly they would fail of His blessing; that if one half of the time of the Assembly was spent in prayer to Almighty God for his guidance, it would but take half as long to do the work as it does now.

Dr. Boardman. I should not have opened my lips on this question if a remark had not been made upon the alleged or assumed necessity of the Assembly adjourning the present week. I hope this Assembly will adjourn when its work is done, and not before. We are here not to look after the interests of our own pastoral charges specifically, much less to attend to any private or personal, or domestic matters. We are here to care for the interests of the whole Presbytery Church, confided under

God to our care and administration, and this is no ordinary session of the General Assembly. The consequences of our deliberations and measures here will reach far and wide, and I regret exceedingly to notice indications of impatience on the part of any member of the Assembly, when it must be perfectly apparent to every member who knows anything about i1, that we have ouly this day reached the very threshold of the great questions upon which we are to pass. We have been engrossed-I take no part of the responsibility of that state of things upon myself-we have been engrossed with preliminary matters, with questions of method and order. We have had but one speech as yet, sir on the merits of the great questions which in several distinct forms are proposed to be submitted to us for the interests of the Presbyterian Church for all time to come, to be passed upon by this General Assembly, and what are our personal affairs, our domestic claims, the interests of our particular congregations, when put into the scales against the mighty issues which are devolved upon this General Assembly.

The lines have fallen to us in pleasant places. I could imagine our being so situated as to afford one great motive for a prompt and early adjournment, but in our present circumstances, enjoying the great-may I not say-the unprecedented hospitality of this community-for I have seen nothing like itthere is everything in our external circumstances to conspire to the paramount obligations we owe to Christ and His Church, to sit here until our business is done; until these great principles have been thoroughly discussed and settled, for in no way can they be satisfactorily reviewed hereafter.

Rev. J. Addison Henry remarked that Dr. Boardman's advice to day was a little different from that given by him to Mr. Galloway yesterday, when he told him that we could part with his company just as soon as he could leave us; and that given to him, when he, the speaker, in conversation with Dr. B., said that he wished the Assembly would hurry through with its business, as he wished to take a little trip-for Dr. B. then said he could part with him as soon as he saw fit to leave, and he had replied that though anxious to go, he should remain until the business of the Assembly was completed, though he might be induced to go if Dr. B. himself would leave: asserted that he should not leave the Assembly if it continued in session until the 4th of July; it might do some of the Assembly a great good to celebrate the 4th in this city. He did not see how any of the Assembly could go home to their constituents leaving the business of the Assembly incomplete.

Rev. Mr. Ferguson hoped the Assembly would continue here, without change in the times of meeting, and in a calm, dispassionate, and Christian manner, attend to the business before it.

The Assembly then voted to meet half an hour earlier in the morning, and to extend the afternoon session one hour.

The Moderator announced that Dr. Brown would preach in the evening.

Dr. Thomas. I move a postponement of the unfinished business of yesterday in order to take up the consideration of the Committee's report upon the case of the Presbytery of Louisville. My intention is to bring the house to an an early decision upon what I consider the vital question of the Assembly. We had been conside"ing that report, and its consideration was arrested, because of the wish of the larger part of the house. to hear an appellant connected with the case which had just been before us, supposing that the discussion of that case would throw some light on the report. It is very obvious to this house, from the proceedings of yesterday, that we are not to look for light from that quarter, and therefore I hope this house will resolve to take up the main question-that question, which, when decided settles all these questions, and the whole principles upon which these matters are to be settled. I hope the house will postpone this interjected matter, and take up the main question.

The motion of Dr. Thomas prevailed.

The Moderator stated that Dr. Wm. Breckinridge was entitled to the floor, his speech having been interrupted by the hour of adjournment.