IV. Miscellaneous.

I. EXPENSES OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

THE attention of the Presbyteries is called to the Plan, proposed by the Assembly of 1857, for the raising of an annual Fund, to defray the traveling expenses of Commissioners, and the contingent expenses of the General Assembly.

"The Committee on the Polity of the Church, to whom was referred the consideration of a permanent system of Mileage, presented the following report, which was adopted:

"The Constitution affirms that, in order, as far as possible, to procure a respectable and full delegation to all our judicatories, it is proper that the expenses of ministers and elders, in their attendance on these judicatories, be defrayed by the bodies which they respectively represent.'

"The following recommendations are therefore submitted:

"That each Presbytery be earnestly requested to contribute annually their full proportion toward the expenses of our General Assemblies.

"That this proportion be determined by the number of communicants connected with the Presbytery.

"That the rate per capita for the next Assembly be five (5) cents for each communicant.

"That each Presbytery be at liberty to apportion their quota among their churches as they shall deem best.

That the Standing Committee on Mileage, annually appointed, estimate and report the probable amount that will be needed to defray the necessary traveling expenses of the Commissioners, and the contingent expenses, of the next succeeding Assembly, together with the rate that will be adequate. 'That, on or before the fourth day of the sessions of each Assembly, the amount thus contributed be paid to the Committee on Mileage, and a bill be presented, by each Commissioner, of his necessary traveling expenses and mileage.

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"That these bills, having been duly audited by the Mileage Committee, be paid as fully as the funds will permit, after appropriating an amount sufficient to defray the contingent expenses of the Assembly.

"That each minister and vacant church, connected with those Presby; teries who have contributed their full quota to this fund, be entitled to a copy of the Annual Minutes.

That, in order to avail themselves of the privileges of this plan, the Presbyteries must contribute and forward to the Assembly their full proportion of this fund as thus determined."

This Plan was adopted after much and careful deliberation. It calls for an annual contribution, from each of our Presbyteries, to the amount, for the Assembly of 1867, of six cents for each of their communicants as reported in the printed Minutes of the last Assembly. Although but partially com

plied with, the wisdom of the Plan has been fully attested. During the past eight years, the contingent expenses have been fully paid, and an average of eighty-four per cent of the necessary traveling expenses of the Commissioners of the Presbyteries complying with the Plan. Such a result has never before been attained by us, or other General Assemblies. If the Presbyteries will but faithfully comply with the Plan, all the expenses will be fully met. In order to this,

1. Let the Commissioners be instructed to look only to the Assembly, for the payment of their necessary traveling expenses.

2. Let the amount required be apportioned in due season among the churches of the Presbytery, according to their relative ability.

3. Let the Stated Clerk of the Presbytery be charged with the duty of collecting these apportionments, and forwarding the amount in good time to the Assembly.

4. Let the Commissioners of the Presbytery be instructed to pay to the Assembly the full apportionment thus obtained by the Stated Clerk; and to make good any deficiency in the amount, with the assurance of being reimbursed by the Presbytery on their return.

The adoption of such a course will, it is thought, secure a sum amply sufficient to meet all the contingent expenses of the Assembly, and all the necessary traveling expenses of all the Commissioners. It lays but a light burden on the feebler Presbyteries, and cannot prove grievous to the stronger. It is exceedingly desirable that the burden should not be laid on a part only. It is not just that the stronger Presbyteries should decline to bear their full proportion of the burden, whatever it may be.

In case it is found impracticable on the part of any Presbytery to comply with the Plan, a contribution is to be made, to the Contingent Fund of the Assembly, of an amount not less than seventy-five cents for each ministerial member of the Presbytery, according to the Minutes of 1863. (See Minutes of 1865, p. 461. See, also, Minutes of 1866, p. 275.)

The estimate of return expenses must be by the cheapest route of travel, advantage being taken of reduction of fare when practicable. The Mileage Committee are to judge of the correctness of the bills rendered.

II. ANNUAL MINUTES.

The price, as determined by the Assembly of 1864, is sixty cents, postage not included. A copy will be sent, without charge, to the Stated Clerk of every Presbytery, and of every Synod; also, to every Minister, and the Session of every vacant church, whose address is known, and whose Presbytery has contributed to the Mileage Fund its full apportionment, or to the Contingent Fund not less than seventy-five cents for each of its Ministers; also, by order of the Assembly of 1863, to each of our Foreign Missionaries. Presbyteries that desire their copies sent by mail are to give express directions to that effect, and forward the postage, at the rate of six cents per copy.

III. SYNODICAL REPORTS.

A Statistical Report is to be forwarded to the Assembly by the Stated Clerk of every Synod, in which are to be stated the number of Presbyteries, ministers, churches, licentiates and candidates within their bounds, and how distributed; the changes which may have been made in the number or arrangement of their Presbyteries; the names of the Stated Clerks of the

Presbyteries; the place and hour of the next Annual Meeting; and the names of the Moderator and Stated Clerk of the Synod. Such a Report

is necessary in order to the correctness of the Tabular Report of the Synods, printed in the Appendix to the Minutes.

IV. PRESBYTERIAL REPORTS.

It is required of every Presbytery to prepare and forward to the General Assembly

1. A Statistical Report, according to the form exhibited on page 337, of the present Appendix; of which a printed blank will be furnished in due season, by order of the Assembly, to the Stated Clerk of every Presbytery. This report should, if possible, embrace all the changes in the Presbytery previous to the first day of April.

2. A Narrative of the State of Religion within the bounds of the Presbytery for the year ending April 1st. These Narratives should specify facts in regard to the particular churches, their state, trials, encouragements, and prospects; how many of them, and which, have enjoyed revivals of religion through the year; in which of them the Catechisms are taught, Sunday-schools and Bible-classes organized, the number of scholars in each, etc.; also the decease, if any, of the ministers of the Presbytery during the year. Also, its various arrangements for Church Extension; stating the number of its ministers, and the particular manner in which they are employed; the number of its churches, and how they are supplied; the gross amount of funds collected in its bounds for Home Missions and Church Erection; the amount received by its churches from the Presbyterian Committee of Home Missions, or any Home Missionary Society; the number of houses of worship, with their probable value, whether they are free from debt, and what has been done within the year to relieve them from debt; the number of new churches organized, and new houses of worship erected; what itinerant arrangements have been adopted for preaching the Gospel; what and how much agency has been employed: together with all such other facts and suggestions as will show, from year to year, what has been accomplished, and what may need to be undertaken, to bring all the churches to a proper degree of effort to promote the kingdom of Christ. As the Narratives are not to be publicly read, less care may be given to their style, and more to the detail of particulars, such as will aid the Committee of the Assembly, in preparing their Annual General Narrative of the State of the Church.

V. STATED CLERKS OF PRESBYTERIES.

Attention is requested to the following particulars: Let the Stated Clerk of every Presbytery take special care,

1. That the Commissioners to the Assembly are furnished, in due season, with a Commission, according to the model prescribed in the Form of Government, chap. XXII., sec. ii.

2. That its proportion of the Mileage Fund of the Assembly be, also, in due season, apportioned annually by the Presbytery among its churches and the amount collected and forwarded, by the hands of one of the Commissioners, or by mail to the Stated Clerk of the Assembly.

3. That the Presbyterial Reports, specified in the previous article, be duly prepared, authenticated, and forwarded. These Reports should be on separate papers, for the convenience of the Assembly in referring them to distinct Committees.

In preparing the Statistical Report, let the following rules be strictly observed:

(1.) Carefully copy the blank form and order of columns, etc., on page 337, if a blank has not been furnished.

(2.) Record Ministers in the order of their ministerial age, with their Christian names in full; and their address in the adjoining column.

(3.) Place the name of every Church opposite the name of its Pastor, or Stated Supply; never opposite the name of any other minister; if vacant, place it at the foot of the roll.

(4.) Place after the name of every minister, an Abbreviation, denoting his occupation; e. g.: P., for a Pastor; P. E., for a Pastor Elect; P. C., for a Pastor of a Congregational Church; C. P., for a Colleague Pastor; S. S., for a Stated Supply; H. M., for a Home Missionary; C. M., for a City Missionary; T. M., for a Tract Missionary; S. M., for a Synodical Missionary; S. S. M., for a Sunday-School Missionary; P. M., for a Presbyterial Missionary; F. M., for a Foreign Missionary; Pres., for the President of a College; Chan., for a Chancellor; Prof., for a Professor of a College or Theological Seminary; Sec., for a Secretary, and D. Sec., for a District Secretary, of a benevolent Institution; Ag., for an Agent of do.; Ch., for a Chaplain; Tea., for a Teacher; Ed., for an Editor; Ev., for an Evangelist; W. C., for a Minister without charge; Col., for a Colporteur; Com., for a Commissioner.

(5.) Place after the name of every church the abbreviations, P., for one that has a Pastor; P. E., for one that has a Pastor Elect; S. S., for one that has a Stated Supply; or V., for one that is Vacant.

(6.) If a church fails to report, let the "whole number" of communicants be given as reported to the Synod, or to the last Assembly, with an asterisk (*) in the column of communicants, denoting the fact.

(7.) In the additions to the Church, distinguish between those on examination and those on certificate; in the baptisms, between the adults and the infants; and be careful to observe the order of the columns in which these particulars are recorded.

(8.) In the report of "Funds" contributed, observe the directions at the foot of the blank form on the next page, 337; and omit the fractions of the dollar.

(9.) The names of the Licentiates are to be recorded immediately after the list of Ministers, in the same column; but of the candidates-including all who are studying for the ministry under the care of the respective churches of the Presbytery—the number only is to be given.

(10.) Avoid erasures or interlineations, make names and numbers distinctly legible, and punctuate properly.

(11.) ADD UP

the Report with your signature.

every column of figures, and Authenticate

(12.) Annex a Statement, with dates, of the licensures, ordinations, installations, dissolutions of pastoral relations, organizations of churches, changes in the names or number of churches, and the decease of licentiates and ministers, since the last annual report.

(13.) Affix no extraneous matter, such as memoranda, explanations, or orders for the delivery of the printed Minutes of the Assembly; let these be given on a separate sheet.

If any thing should prevent the forwarding of the Statistical Report in time for the meeting of the General Assembly, let it be sent, as soon as possible-not later than June 1st-by mail, to the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, No. 149 West Thirty-Fourth street, New-York City.

FORM OF A PRESBYTERIAL REPORT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.