Dr. Hatfield then stated the contents of a letter from Rev. Frederick Monod, with regard to the union of the Evangelical Churches of France, from which it appeared that the time of meeting had been changed to October 25th, 1866; a new and important step had been taken towards the separation between the Evangelistic and the liberal parties in the established Protestant Churches, The meetings had lost their pastoral and Christian character, and had changed into exciting and unprofitable discussions. They had pronounced their own dissolution by a vote of 162 to 50, after which a new conference was immediately organized. The letter, after reference to natiohal affairs, closed with the following sentiment:

"God grant to you all, beginning with the President and Congress, the wisdom which is first pure, then peaceful, justice to all, charity o all, and malice to none, as your glorious Lincoln did."

Dr. Hatfield then read the report of Dr. Nelson, delegate to the General Assembly now in session in the Second Presbyterian Church, as follows:

ST. LOUIS, May 22, 1866.

To the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, sitting in the First Presbyterian Church, St. Louis:

BELOVED BRETHREN: I have the honor and pleasure to report that I have presented to the General Assembly sitting in the Second Church the commission with which I was honored by our General Assembly of last year, to convey to that body the fraternal salutations of our own.

I was received by the Moderator of that body, Rev. Dr. Stanton, with a degree of fraternal kindness quite remarkable, both personally and officially. I was abundantly satisfied by the reception accorded to me, and I am sure that the published report of Dr. Stanton's address will abundantly satisfy all my constituents.

I need not speak of the delightful meeting of the two Assemblies, on a subsequent evening, to the members of this Assembly who were present, but may be permitted most thankfully to say that it seemed to me that the clock of Presbyterian history then struck, ringing in a new era of peace and love. Most respectfully, H. A. NELSON.

Dr. Hatfield next read a letter, received after the last session of the General Assembly, accompanying a communication from the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland, and also the communication, as follows:

To the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, N. S.

DEAR CHRISTIAN BRETHREN: We take advantage of the meeting of our General Assembly at present convened, to greet you cordially in the name of the Lord. We feel constrained to do so in consequence of the singularly momentous character of recent events in your country, and of their mighty influence on your respective churches. It may be premature to say much, as the echoes of war have scarce yet died away, and the future may be, in other ways, as eventful as these four years of conflict; but, without snticipating Providence, we have a plain Christian duty to discharge, in consequence of what falls already within the province of history,

"God has assuredly been speaking to your country by terrible things in righteousness. The plowshare of war has gone deep into the soul of your people. You have been long familiar with scenes of bloodshed, such as the world never saw before, and we pray God, if consistent with his holy will, it may never wit

ness again. But, even in this respect, good has come out of evil; for the agony and ruin of war have opened up to you many new fields of Christian philanthropy. We refer in particular to the work of your 'Christian Commission,' with its rich provision for the temporal and spiritual wants of your soldiers and sailors; and we hope that all churches shall profit by this noble exhibition of Christian love in a singularly arduous and self sacrificing sphere of labor.

"We have special pleasure in referring to the sympathy lately awakened on behalf of America among all classes in Britain, by the assassination of your great and good President; and we adore the Most High, who has thus turned one of the blackest crimes of our age into a means of softening down asperities of feeling, of correcting grave misunderstandings, of fusing the hearts of nations in love, above all, of calling forth in full measure the prayers of Christ's people on this side of the Atlantic on behalf of your sorely-stricken land. We rejoice that your country is to have rest from war, and that the restoration of peace is to be followed by the abolition of slavery. No words could better express our views than those of your lamented President, written in April, 1864: 'I claim not to have to have controlled events, but confess plainly that events have controlled me. Now, at the end of three years' struggle, the nation's condition is not what either party, or any man devised or expected. God alone can claim it. Whither it is tending seems plain. If God now wills the removal of a great wrong, and wills also that we of the North, as well as you of the South, shall pay fairly for our complicity in that wrong, impartial history will find therein new causes to attest and revere the justice and goodness of God.' The divergence of sentiment and action formerly existing between you and us as to this question thus ceases, and we give the glory to Him, who is righteous in all His ways and holy in all His works. As there is really nothing now to prevent a complete and cordial understanding between the British and the American Churches, we take the earliest possible opportunity of giving utterance to this'conviction and desire of our hearts. Our prayers shall rise with yours to the throne of grace in asking for your rulers and your people all heavenly wisdom in dealing with one of the weightiest social problems ever presented to any country for solution. We shall watch with the liveliest interest the future history of the negro race within your borders; and you have our best wishes for the success of every scheme bearing on their temporal or spiritual welfare. We are by no means forgetful of our former share of National guilt as to negro slavery, and it would ill become us to judge you harshly or unadvisedly. But, it is right and proper that we should encourage you by our British experience-for the abolition of slavery in our West India Islands removed a great stumbling block out of our path--it led to a marked quickening of the public conscience-it gave our country a far higher Christian place among the nations, and it enabled all the churches to proclaim with fullness and sincerity the gospel of salvation through Him, who came to undo the heavy burdens and to break every yoke. We have no doubt that your churches will be ready to follow where Providence now points the way.

"As the General Assembly of the Free Church

of Scotland, we have every cause to reciprocate sentiments of brotherly kindness and charity towards members of the same Presbyterian family with ourselves. We must all feel the necessity for closer fellowship between churches that have a common language, a common ancestry, a common faith. Presbyterianism would thereby become vastly more influential for good. It would bulk more largely in the eye of Christendom and every section of our ecclesiastical commonwealth would get enlargement of heart by partaking of the heritage of truth and grace common to all. We beg to add that the greatest advantage would follow from the occasional visits of accredited deputies from your churches to us, and from us to you. We have much to learn from your varied schemes of Christian usefulness in dealing with a state of society so different from ours; and we know from the testimony of Dr. Duff and many others, that in the field of heathenism there are no missionaries of more truly apostolic spirit than those sent forth by the churches of America. You on your part might also find it not unprofitable to study the working of Presbyterianism in Scotland, fragrant as our beloved country is with the memories of the martyrs, and earnestly contending, as it still does, for the faith once delivered to the Saints. We must not forget, however, that there are other churches beyond the circle of Presbyterianism, with which we desire to cultivate a spirit of concord, and from the field of whose experience we seek to gather like precious fruit. Let us provoke one another to love and to good works. Let us strive, as in the fire, to prevent at any subsequent time the possibility of estrangement between our respective nations. Let us pray that the same blessed spirit, poured down so largely on your land during the period of your revival, may become the living bond of unity and peace between us, And let us ever realize the solemn fact that, humanly speaking, the Christian interests of the world hang mainly on the efforts put forth by Christ's people in Great Britain and America.

"And now, dear brethren, we beseech the God of all grace to overrule these shakings of the nations for the up building of that kingdom which cannot be moved; and we affectionately commend you to Him who will give strength to His people, and who will bless His people with peace. For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things-to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

"Signed in name and by authority of the Free Church of Seotland, at Edinburg, the thirtieth day of May, in the year one thousand_eight hundred and ixty-five, by James Begg, D. D., Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland."

Dr. Hatfield. I have the honor to move that this communication be accepted, and that a response be prepared by a committee appointed by the Moderator, to be sent to the Free Church of Scotland, and that this communication be printed in the appendix to the minutes of this Assembly. Adopted.

Dr. Hatfield then read a communication from several members of the Free church of Scotland, introducing to American Christians Rev. Dr. McCosh, of Belfast, Ireland. Dr. Hatfield stated that James McCosh, L. L. D., was present, and called upon him to address the Assembly.

The Assembly rose to receive Dr. McCosh as he ascended the platform. His address was

marked with deep feeling and earnestness, and was listened to with profound attention and respect, and greeted with frequent applause. He explained that he did not come officially as a delegate from any church, but, wearied with his writing and his classes, having visited repeatedly the Continent, and not feeling inclined there again, he felt a longing to spend his vacation in visiting some new country, that he might have a glimpse of the future that is before the world. He had taken part with this great nation in its great struggle. In his little field of influence, both as an author and speaker, he had declared his attachment to the cause, and had never for a moment doubted of our success. He was anxious to see the country engaged in the great work of reconstruction. Such were the motives which induced him to come to this country; but when it became known among his friends that he was about to proceed to the United States, he received communication after communication, asking that he might accomplish another end. The Evangelical Alliance had a meeting for the special purpose, and enjoined upon him to say to American Christians how much it was desired, on account of that Alliance, that the American and British churches should be brought into a more thorough understanding and unity. His friends forwarded to him the letter which had been read. He bad been received by the two bodies that have met in this place in a way altogether disproportionate to his position as an individual, but nevertheless accepted it all because he knew it proceeded from genuine and loving hearts, and because he regarded it as a declaration of respectful feeling towards the British churches. He would take care to repeat this to the British Churches, and he knew. the general body of tnem will receive it with joy. Declared that America and Great Britain were bound together by strong bands-were one in race, one in liberty, and one in the love of education, and especially and above all, one in believing in one God and one Savior; that the Presbyterians in both countries were one in faith, discipline, and polity generally. He referred to the troubles of the Church in Scotland, and to some facts in his own history, illustrating what the Churches in Great Britain had had to contend with, and passed to the present condition of the Churches. The Free Church of Scotland, though not a numerous body, bad contributed the year ending May 1st, 1865, the sum of £350,000 for the support of the gospel; had set going a general sustaining fund for poor congregations, a benevolence instituted by Dr. Chalmers, which had been carried on with great vigor and liberality, and to which the church contributed in 1865, £180,000, and for 22 years ending May, 1865, the total sum of £6,000,000. The Free Church of Scotland had been instrumental in bringing about a state of things that looked to the union of all the churches of like faith and government not only in the United Kingdom, but in the Colonies, and the speaker took the opportunity to say that the British churches were most anxious to be in some way officially connected with the Presbyterian bodies in this country, by having delegates reciprocally accredited to the General Assemblies who might have a voice and a vote on the more important questions of general interest to the church.

for

Dr. Hatfield moved that the suggestion of Dr.

McCosh be referred to the committee about to be appointed, to answer the letter received from the Free Church of Scotland, Carried. The Moderator announced that action upon the report of the Committee on Church Erections was in order.

Russell Scarrett, Esq., moved to reconsider the action of the Assembly whereby it voted to accept the report of the committee, and to go into its consideration article by article, and stated that he did so for the purpose of moving the adoption of the following plan:

1. To repeal, as to the guidance and control of the future operations of the committee, all present laws or instructions of the Assembly.

2. That this committee be the channel through which our denomination may do its work of church erection as fully and finally as it does its home missionary work through its Home Missionary committee.

3. That this committee may freely loan and donate its funds for the erection of churches according to its ability, and the need of the churches, making its own rules, only limited as follows:

First. It shall execute its duties, both in respect to its present and future funds, in conformity with the spirit of its trust and the obligations of its charter.

Second. It shall not reduce the fund by donations to a less amount than $100,000,

Third. It shall not loan or donate to any one church an aggregate sum of more than $3,000

Fourth. That it shall not charge interest on loans until from and after the maturity of the debt.

Fifth. That loans shall not be for a longer term than five years, reasonably secured on real estate.

4. That this Assembly appoint a Secretary, or agent, who shall be to this work what Dr. Kendall is to the Home Missionary work.

Dr. Humphrey, chairman of the Committee on Church Erection, rose to explain how it happened that the report of the committee appeared in the Democrat this morning, though the Assembly had recconsidered its vote to publish it. He said he found on consultation with the reporter of the Democrat, the reporter was unwilling to pledge himself that it should appear in the paper of Tuesday morning, unless the report of the remainder of the proceedings were omitted, but nevertheless thought that it might be done, though he was unwilling to take the responsibility of saying so; that he (Dr. H.) immediately took the papers and went to the office of the Demscrat, and while he was gone the resolution to reconsider was passed.

The result was that the report in full, and a condensed form of the plan wsa published in the morning papers, notwithstanding the decision of the Assembly. Dr. H. further stated that any change in the existing plan would require a two-thirds vote. in number about 150.

After prayer, the Assembly adjonrned until afternoon.

tion or rejection of the report of the Committee on Church Erections.

Mr. Scarritt addressed the Assembly at length in regard to the management of the fund, claiming that the existing plan looked more to the continuance and reservation of the fund than to the building of churches, and illustrating the need of a change in the plan of administering the fund by reference to the congregation of Webster Grove. Was opposed to the adoption of the report of the Committee because it wouldn't build the churches.

Dr. Humphrey stated that the Committee in framing the report and recommendation, was in full sympathy with the last speaker in the desire to make the utmost amount of money available for the erection of churches, and claimed that those who were in the cities could understand the state of the case as well as those in the country, for they were continually receiving applications for assistance which press upon them the necessity which he has urged to-day, and it certainly is their desire to relieve the people from these incessant calls, though they would be willing that they should give more than they have been accustomed to give in a desultory way. It had been the desire of the committee throughout to propose and bring forward to the Assembly such a plan as would secure the largest possible amount for the churches, and on such terms as would be most favorable to them. He stated that the plan placed no restriction upon the trustees in loaning any amount whatever to any Church, if they considered in their judgments as business men that the Church could afford to give good security for the money. He explained at length the difficulties that arose from churches contracting loans, both as it regarded the churches hemselves and the fund.

Dr. Clarke opposed the plan as recommended by the Committee. He claimed that this $100,000 should, in the shortest possible time, be put into the form of churches, and not continued in the form of a fund; that the churches of the East would respond to all calls when once this amount was exhausted; that of the $5,000 proposed to be expended each year, Missouri would receive two and a half per cent, and asked what kind of a provision that was for church erection in this great State? Proposed that the whole amount should be loaned out to churches in average sums of $1,000 for ten years, which would build at least eighty ohurches within the next year, and, as the yearly installments became due and were paid, would build eight churches each year thereafter.

Judge Williams, of Pittsburg, advocated the adoption of the report, which he stated had been drawn up in accordance with the legal opinions as reported by the Permanent Com

mittee.

The discussion was further continued by Messrs. Hebard, Tyndall and Foot, when the hour of adjournment arrived.

Mr. Starr, at the request of R. R. Kellogg, gave the following notice in regard to the excursion on Thursday:

The depot of the Iron Mountain railroad is on Plum street and Main about half a mile below the termination of Olive Street. Persons who desire to go must be present at the depot by 6.30 in the morning. The street cars do not

generally run so early as that in the morning and they will have to start earlier on foot from the north and west parts of the city.

All persons must be punctual as the cars will start at the minute specified.

There are no accomodations except a well of water at the mountain, and a spring at Pilot Knob. All persons must bring their own provisions, as the company does nothing but furnish transportation. It is hoped that the train will reach the city on its return by 6 o'clock in the evening. The committee have sent special invitations to such of the hosts as can be conveyed in the train.

After prayer by the Moderator the Assembly adjourned.

[The following report, read in Monday's session of the New School Presbyterian Assembly, but crowded out of yesterday's issue, is published to-day by special request.]

The standing committee to whom was referred the Second Annual Report of the Executive Committee of the Ministerial Relief Fund, respectfully report:

That they have had the same under careful consideration, and find in it much cause for gratitude to Almighty God for the success which has already crowned our efforts in this matter, and much also for serious thought in view of that which remains to be done.

The report of the Executive Committee shows that the General Assembly did not move one moment too soon to provide for the wants of her disabled ministers and their families-we now wonder that it was a subject neglected so long-and shows also how ready the Church as are to respond to this just appeal when once it is brought before them. It is no small thing that, with so little effort, the contributions to this cause should have doubled in the past year.

And yet it is manifest that we have but just made a reasonable beginning in the work thus committed to our hands. There must be many clergymen and families of deceased ministers in want, whose cases are not yet reached. Many

cannot yet know that such relief is provided for their need, or how to obtain it; and many of the Churches manifestly do not seem to know that such a fund has been projected, and needs their generous contributions, for only 180 out of the 1,479 Churches connected with this Assembly have remembered this cause in the past year.

Your Committee are confident that if all our Churches could have heard the reading of the report of the Executive Committee, as it was presented to this body, or could look in upon some of the families of dear and honored ministers of the gospel whose wants were presented, there woald hardly be a church in all our connection which would fail to remember this cause by a generous contribution.

Your Committee are sure that this subject is not yet before our Churches as it should be, and has not that consideration which its great importance demands.

To express the sense of the Assembly on this subject, your Committee propose the following resolutions:

Resolved, That the ministers of our Churches be requested, at an early day, to preach upon the subject of the Ministerial Relief Fund, calling the attention of their people to these peculiar wants, for which this fund aims to provide.

Resolved, That it be considered the duty of every Church to take an annual collection for this cause.

Resolved, That the attention of the Tresbyteries be again called to this subject, and that they be earnestly requested each year to appoint one of their own number specially to look after this matter, and to see, if possible, that collections be taken in all the Churches within their bounds.

Resolved, That the Executive Committee be instructed to publish their annual report, or an abstract thereof, in the religious newspapers, for the information of the Churches.

All which is respectfully submitted,

In behalf of the Committee

CHAS. P. BUSH, Chairman.

Minutes of last session read and approved. The unfinished business of yesterday was taken up.

Rev. W. A. Niles spoke in support of the Church Erection Committee's report. He deprecated any slighting allusions to the Church Erection Fund, as if it had not cost sacrifices and great labor, and was not the result of large benevolence; and deprecated very much the position that some have taken, that it was better this fund were drowned in the depths of the sea. This fund had done too much for the Presbyterian Church-was a noble fund in its origin, and had been nobly administered, whatever may be said about it, because it had been administered strictly on the principles on which it had been established. He referred to the history of this fund, the disposition of the donors of the fund towards the Western Churches; to his own experience with regard to its early workings and to the good it had done; to the fact that all the Church Erection Funds in the land are but the result of this present fund, which was secured at great sacrifice, and had aided so many churches. He asked that this fund of $100,000 should not be regarded as a small thing; could not see why a Church should object to a permanent fund; claimed that circumstances had changed, and it was desirable that there should be a great deal more money expended by the Presbyterian Church for building sanctuaries.

The speaker next adverted to the objections which come up year by year to the administrations of this fund; that the great objection was to the loaning system; that loaning had the effect of estranging the Churches; the dunning letters of the Secretary became so distasteful that he failed to get answers to them, and had to resort to writing to the postmasters as to the existence of the churches assisted and their conditions. Another objection was to the smallness of the amount either as a donation or a loan.

There were three distinct propositions before the Committee. The first proposition gave the whole fund away. It was said that Daniel Lord had given it as his opinion that the money could be given away; other lawyers said you could not give it away, that the trustees could not give it away upon the order of the General Assembly without rendering themselves liable as such trustees, and it was understood that if such course were attempted, there would be applications in the courts for injunctions, and consequently that plan was laid aside as impracticable. The next plan presented was the enlarged old plan the recommendation of the Board of Trustees and of the standing committee of last year-but this plan was a system of loans. and the cry from all sides was don't touch it at all. The Committee were urged to make a radical change in the plan. Other denominations were giving money to build churches, and to maintain its position this Church must do so too. The loaning system had proved a failure, and the next proposition, the one adopted by the Committee, was to give. And giving, to give how much? All the law would allow." It was thought

4

that the increase of the fund was not a part of the fund, and that the increase could legally be given.

Dr. Humphrey interrupted the speaker to say that the amount of money uncollected already, it was thought, wonld not be legally construed as a part of the fund, but subject to gift.

A member rose to ask information. I wish to ask if in the old plan the entire fund may not be loaned to the churches in sums of $500? and is not that Committee competent, according to their understanding of the term donation, to give the whole sum to the churches in sums of $200 ?

Moderator. If I understand the questions, I answer the first in the affirmative, an the second in the negative.

Mr. Niles, continued to say that if the Church would go to work earnestly in the matter they could raise a sufficiently large sum of money in addition to the proceeds of the fund to accomplish the desired ends. If the secretary of the trustees have an opportunity to present his claims before the Churches, $40,000, $50,000 or $60,000, could annually be raised for this obect.

Here John A. Foot moved that a vote be taken upon this report of the committee at half past 11 o'clock, and by an amendement to the motion speeches were limited to five minutes. Carried.

Rev. P. S. Van Nest offered a resolution as a substitute to the motion before the Assembly, to the effect that this Assembly enjoins upon the presbyteries under its care or within its jurisdiction, that at their first meetings,respectively, after this injunction shall reach them, they shall take action upon the question, shall the General Assembly make application to the Legislature of the State of New York for the repeal of the charter in such a manner that the fund can be donated to the feeble Churches belonging to it; that the General Assembly at this session appoint a committee whose duty it shall be to make such application to the Legislature of New York after three fourths of the presbyteries shall, have voted affirmatively upon the proposition and that said committee report action to the next General Assembly.

Hon. J. Allison stated that the resolution was wholly impracticable; that neither the General Assembly, nor the Presbyterian, nor the State of New York, through its Legislature, have a right to touch that fund in the manner proposed, for any such action would be impairing the integrity of a trust.

Mr. Benedict explained that the trust was created by the resolutions of this Assembly, passed in 1863, and that the Assembly having accepted the trust by those resolutions, no power on earth could alter it; that the difficulty was not in altering the charter or altering the plan, but in impairing the obligation of the trust which imposed the necessity of retaining this as a permanent fund; that the difficulties experienced by the churches who had sought and received