conduct the schools on the free principle, in order to compete with other associations occupying a part of these fields, who charged no tuition. About twelve hundred dollars were received from this source, however, all of which was expended in paying salaries and making repairs on school-buildings. Perhaps next year more can be derived from tuition. We know that many are able to pay, and would, if all associations would consent to the arrangement. The Normal School to which reference was had in our last report has not yet been formally organized. The chief reason for this is to be found in the fact that scarcely any funds were contributed for that purpose. A liberal brother in the Church offered to purchase land and give the Church the free use of it, if we could obtain funds to provide necessary buildings and support teachers. This was announced through the papers of the church, but as yet no response has been given. However, Rev. J. G. McKee has been conducting a normal department in his school at Nashville during the year, and we hoped that ere long the Church will enable us to enter more fully on this work, so essential to the education of the freedmen. We believe this to be the best way of educating this people, and that the sooner men and women of their own color are prepared to go forth as teachers, the better for their wellbeing as citizens of the nation. Therefore, we desire that this General Assembly will earnestly urge upon the congregations the great importance of the normal school work, and ask liberal contributions for its support.

In the early part of winter a colored congregation of sixteen members was organized by Brother McKee at Nashville, Tenn. Twelve more have since been added, and prior to each communion Brother McKee places all desiring membership in the church in a class of catechumens, and for weeks drills them in the principles of the Church, and their duties as professors of religion. And so far as known these people are living consistently, and bid fair to be intelligent and useful members of the Church. We also hope to see congregations organized in Knoxville, Tenn., and Vicksburg, Miss. At these points the colored population is numerous and permanent, and if suitable ministerial missionaries can be obtained, we believe many of these people will brought to unite with our Church. We ask, therefore, the perimission of the Assembly to concentrate our whole force during the coming year at Nashville, Knoxville and Vicksburg. We have no buildings of any kind at Memphis, and there seems to be no prospect of ever being able to erect a congregation there. At Davis' Bend all the plantations, except those belonging to the two Davises, have been returned by the Government to their rebel owners, so that there will be, after the close of this school year but little prospect of operating efficiently at that place. We think it better, therefore, to concentrate, with a view to permanency in this good work.

SCHOOL-HOUSES AND HOMES.-Owing to the rapid growth our schools in Nashville, and the uncertain tenure by which we could hold buildings furnished by the Freedmen's Bureau, we found it necessary to provide a house of our own. Accordingly, a Government building was purchased and the lot on which it stood was leased. Thus far, it has cost the Board about five hundred dollars, and at least three hundred dollars more will be required to make it comfortable for our teachers. The building at Knoxville has not been completed, but will be during the summer. We found that we could get along without the expense of building last year, owing to the fact that our teachers were well accommodated with a large church, free of rent. This has recently been taken from them, hence the necessity of completing our building at once. The colored people themselves, and individual congregations of the Church, have contributed some seven or eight hundred dollars

for this object, and it is believed it will be completed without drawing upon. the Board.

Our house at Vicksburg having been erected on a lot which has been restored to the possession of its owner, it became necessary to provide another site for the building. Accordingly at public auction the Rev. J. I. Frazier purchased two lots for $1150, on which it is proposed to erect the schoolhouse and a home for our teachers. The school-house, at least, will be ready for occupancy when the schools open in the fall. In view of the fact that we can no longer expect that our teachers will be supplied with lodginghouses by the Freedmen's Bureau, and that rents in those Southern cities are extremely high, it becomes a matter of prime importance to our success that we should provide our teachers with a plain and comfortable home of their own. As they are already so provided at Nashville, it will be only necessary to secure homes at Knoxville and Vicksburg. With four or five thousand dollars, and perhaps much less, we can make our teachers comfortable in this respect. If these homes are not provided, the Board will have to pay much larger salaries than in the past. We, therefore, believe that as a matter of both convenience and economy this matter should be attended to at once. Other associations have provided homes for their teachers, and why should not we?

TRANSFERS.-The Presbyteries in Southern Ohio and Indiana, who established and sustained the Mission at Nashville, did, in accordance with the recommendation of the last General Assembly, transfer their teachers and mission property, valued at $6000, to our care. There is, however, a debt of some $1200 on that property, which ought to be paid without delay. And we earnestly hope that funds will soon be put in our possession with which to liquidate the claim. The money is owing to brethren who cannot very well do without it. Will you not help us to speedily meet this obligation?

RECEIPTS, EXPENDITURES AND SALARIES PAID.-By reference to the last report of the treasurer, it will be seen that $6,003.85 were on hand. To May 21st, 1866, he has received $17,600. 10, making $23,603.95. He has paid out during the year for salaries and other expenses of the mission $20,096.62, leaving a balance on hand of $3,507.33. This will not pay the debt on the Nashville property and our liabilities to the teachers.

The following have been the rates of salary during the year: Each female $45, each male $55, and each ministerial superintendent $75 per month. We have not paid traveling expenses this year.

GRATITUDE.-The Board feel grateful for the liberal support they have received from individuals and congregations of the Church during the year. Also with pleasure we announce to the Assembly that through the personal agency of Isaac McGay, Esq., of New York, we have received from friends in Ireland the sum of ($810) eight hundred and ten dollars, and are assured that more will be contributed. For this liberality of brethren in Ireland and the kind offices of Mr. McGay in behalf of our work we feel very thankful. To the Second Church, Pittsburg, and the Second Church, Allegheny, we are indebted for contributions during the year amounting to over sixteen hundred dollars. A house and lot at Eastport, near Knoxville, worth $300, has been furnished gratuitously for school purposes by Mr. E. Brother which has been valuable to us. Also to Andrew Stewart, Esq., Charles Arbuthnot, Esq., J. P. Hanna, Esq., John Stewart, Esq., Major William Frew, Mrs. Sarah R. Hanna and Mrs. Sawyer, of Allegheny, Pa., we are indebted for large special contributions in our times of need. To the Ladies' Aid

Society near Bakerstown, Pa., who contributed a large amount of new-made clothing; to allt he different parts of the Church, who gave us second-hand goods with which to clothe the naked; and to all who have sympathized with us and with the cause we represent, and gave us means to prosecute it, we tender our thanks, and ask that in the future there be no abatement of zeal in this behalf. The American Bible Society donated a large box of Bibles and Testaments for the use of our mission, and James M. Ferguson, Esq., of Philadelphia, Pa., has sent one hundred copies of the Youth's Evangelist to each station for the use of our Sabbath-schools, for which he received no compensation from the Board. Rev. Joseph Warren, D.D., Superintendent of Education for Mississippi, has done many favors to us at Vicksburg. He is a true friend to our cause and teachers. But it is impossible for us to note all the acts of Christian generosity in behalf of our cause, and would therefore simply say to one and all, we thank you, in the name of the thousands who have been benefited.

SUPERINTENDENTS AND TEACHERS.-The following named persons have served under our direction, for longer and shorter periods, and, so far as known to the Board, were quite efficient in their labors. The Rev. John Lackey, too, though not under salary from the Board, was of great service to our mission at Davis' Bend.

Thus sixty-three persons have been in our employ during the year. What has been done by them in behalf of Christianity and humanity is best known to God; but from our knowledge of the results, we feel that the whole Church ought to be grateful, and resolve to give herself to this work with renewed earnestness. Hoping that you may all be endued with that Spirit from God which makes the soul free from the fetters of sin, and that each in his appropriate place will seek to confirm the bondman in that civil liberty which has lately come to him, and ever praying that all classes and colors among men may speedily be elevated, sanctified and ransomed from every evil influence and principle, we bid you "God speed" in all your works of faith and labors of love.

Allegheny Theological Seminary.

THIS seminary not making any report to the Assembly, I can only give the Faculty. It is located at Allegheny, Pa.

THE PROFESSORS IN THE SEMINARY ARE AS FOLLOWS:

JOHN T. PRESSLY, D.D., Didactic, Polemic and Pastoral Theology.
A. D. CLARKE, D.D., Biblical Literature and Criticism.

David R. KERR, D.D., Ecclesiastical History and Church Government.

Xenia Theological Seminary.

THIS seminary does not report to the Assembly. I can only give the Faculty. It is located at Xenia, Ohio.

THE PROFESSORS IN THE SEMINARY ARE AS FOLLOWS:

SAMUEL WILSON, D.D., Hebrew, Didactic and Polemic Theology,
THOMAS BEVERIDGE, D.D., Biblical Literature and Ecclesiastical History.
JOSEPH CLOKEY, D.D., Pastoral Theology and Sacred Rhetoric.

Monmouth Theological Seminary.

THIS seminary does not report to the Assembly. I can only give the Faculty. It is located at Monmouth, Illinois.

THE PROFESSORS IN THE SEMINARY ARE AS FOLLOWS:

ALEX. YOUNG, D.D., Theology, Didactic and Polemic, and Sacred Rhetoric.
A. M. BLACK, D.D., Biblical Literature and Sacred Hermeneutics.
JOHN SCOTT, D.D., Ecclesiastical History and Pastoral Theology.

MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTIONS, &c.

ON READING SERMONS.-On motion of Rev. Samuel Millen, seconded by Rev. S. M. Coon, the following was adopted:

WHEREAS, There is evidence to believe that the practice of reading sermons, instead of preaching the gospel, is to some extent prevalent in the United Presbyterian Church of North America; therefore

Resolved, That the Assembly expresses its decided disapprobation of this practice.

RECORD OF THE YEAR.-Licensures, 14; ordinations, 25; installations, 41; resignations, 32; students of theology received, 27; new churches organized, 10; ministers received from other churches, 7; ministers dismissed to other churches, 1.

MANSES; OR, COMFORTABLE HOMES FOR PRESBYTERIAN MINISTERS.On motion of Rev. John Van Eaton, seconded by James Brown, D.D., the following paper was adopted:

WHEREAS, The necessity that each congregation should have a MANSE is so apparent and so pressing in most cases; therefore

Resolved, That the Presbyteries under the care of this General Assembly be instructed to inquire of the churches under their care what they have done, or, what they propose doing, in behalf of this object, and that in order to awaken additional attention to the subject, the Presbyteries address a Pastoral Letter to their churches, urging upon the people the necessity of taking early and earnest action to erect MANSES, and thereby secure comfortable homes for their ministers.

Pending the adoption of the resolution, JOSEPH M. WILSON, of Philadelphia, Pa., was invited to address the Assembly on the subject. This he did by enforcing the necessity of making ample provision for ministers' families, so that each pastor should have a home. When this is done, then will all the benevolent operations of the Church flourish; then can ministers exercise by example as well as precept the grace of giving, which, owing to limited salaries and the lack of Manses, the great army of homeless ministers cannot do. In the State the citizen is entitled to all the comforts and privileges belonging to his station, and surely in the Church the minister is entitled to all the privileges belonging to his calling. A practical illustration of the Golden Rule, a wise and intelligent application of the Divine precept-whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to themwould inaugurate a new era in our beloved Presbyterian Church.

HISTORIES OF PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES.-Rev. J. Van Eaton offered the following preamble and resolution, which, being seconded by James Brown, D.D., was adopted:

WHEREAS, Joseph M. Wilson, of Philadelphia, Pa., is engaged in collecting information regarding the Histories of Presbyterian Churches, to be published in his Presbyterian Historical Almanac, and for this purpose has issued a Circular of Inquiry; therefore

Resolved, That the ministers and elders of the United Presbyterian Church be earnestly requested to co-operate with Mr. Wilson in his important labors on behalf of the whole Presbyterian Church.

By request of the Assembly, Mr. Wilson explained briefly his plan, in which replies to the following circular are required. The circular is printed, so that subscribers to the Almanac may understand the scope and importance of the enterprise: