REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CH. OF SCOTLAND.

THE SYNOD met in Glasgow, Scotland, May 7, 1866, and was opened by a sermon from the retiring Moderator, Rev. WILLIAM MCLACHLAN, from John xvii. 21: "That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." us, "The union of Presbyterian Churches was the subject of his discourse, and it occupied the attention of the Synod during its sessions.

Rev. JOHN KAY, of Castle Douglas, was elected Moderator. SUPPORT OF THE MINISTRY.-The committee submitted the proposition if the time has not arrived when $600 and a MANŞE be not the minimum. UNION. WILLIAM GOOLD, D.D., Chairman, reported on this subject, a clear and complete account of the efforts made in behalf of this object. STATISTICS.-The ministers are 41; churches, 44; communicants, 6535; Manses, 21; contributions, $7585.

ORIGINAL SECEDERS.

STATISTICS.-Ministers, 23; churches, 27.

THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF IRELAND.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY met in Belfast, Ireland, June 4, 1866, and was opened with a discourse by the retiring Modetor, DAVID WILSON, D.D., from John xv. 16: "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name he may give it you."

DAVID WILSON, D.D., of Munster Presbytery, was re-elected Moderator.

STATE OF RELIGION.-It was Resolved, That it be earnestly enjoined on our ministers that while they seek by prayer and by the ministry of the Word, in public and in private, to promote the spiritual improvement of their own people and of the outlaying population around, they also watch for suitable opportunities of preaching the gospel in any part of the country they can find people, whether these be many or few, who are willing to receive it.

Resolved, That the Assembly rejoices to hear that our elders in various districts of the Church are fulfilling the duties of their office with so much energy and efficiency; and it is hereby affectionately urged on elders in all our congregations to feed the flock of God which is among us, and to co-operate with their ministers in all the measures needed to uphold and extend the interests of truth, righteousness and peace, at home and abroad.

TEMPERANCE. It was Resolved, That at the conference on the state of religion, to be held during the Assembly, attention be directed to the evil influence on society of the present drinking customs.

2. That on the first Sabbath of August the ministers of Assembly be, and they hereby are, instructed to address their congregations on the intemperance of our times.

3. That more determined exertions be made on behalf of temperance, so that our Church, once first in this great cause, may not seem to fall behind in this moral reformation.

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION.-It was Resolved, That the Assembly renews its declaration of adherence to the principle of United National Education, as opposed to the denominational system, and expresses its unaltered conviction of the importance of maintaining that principle in the present condition of Ireland.

2. That, whereas, in the year 1833 the Synod of Ulster presented four propositions to the government and the commissioners, on the basis of which they were prepared to accept aid for their schools through the Board, of which propositions the following was the principal, namely: That "all children whose parents or guardians shall so direct shall daily read the Holy Scriptures during the period appointed, but that no compulsion whatever be employed to induce others to read, or to remain during the reading." Whereas, in 1840, a “a model application," embodying these propositions, was made for aid to the "Coreen" school, with a view to obtain an authoritative explanation of the commissioners' regulations; and, whereas, said commissioners, in their minutes, declared not only that "these propositions do not contain any thing inconsistent with the principles of the system of education committed to their charge," but that "the rules of the school for which aid was sought" in the model application were compatible" with those principles, and that they, "there, granted the desired salary and a stock of books;"

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Resolved, That this Assembly, by every means in its power, will protect and maintain the rights and privileges secured by the arrangement referred to. 3. That, whereas the Assembly has heard with surprise and alarm that a new rule has been adopted by the Commissioners of National Education, and proposed for the sanction of the government, which rule is understood to be to the following effect, namely: No pupil who is registered by its parents or guardians as a Protestant is to be permitted to remain in attendance during the time of religious instruction in case the teacher is a Roman Catholic; no Roman Catholic pupil is to be permitted to remain in attendance during the time of religious instruction, in case the teacher is not a Roman Catholie; and no pupil is to be permitted to remain in attendance during the time of any religious instruction to which its parents or guardians object. Whereas, This rule introduces a change of what has been the practice of the Board since its first establishment, violates the declaration of Lord Stanley, on behalf of the Government, soon after the establishment of the Board, as quoted in the eighth report of the commissioners, as well as the resolutions of the commissions themselves (see first report of the commis

sioners, page 8), interferes with the free exercise of the parent to direct what religious instruction his child shall receive, and invades the liberty of conscience; and, whereas, this Assembly firmly adheres to the principles of noncompulsion and non-exclusion embodied in the rules of the Board;

Resolved, That the Assembly earnestly calls upon the Government and Legislature to withhold their sanction from the proposed rule, and so to maintain parental right and authority.

4. That the Assembly now appoints a deputation to press this subject upon the attention of the Government and of members of Parliament, and that the committees be reappointed, with full power to act on behalf of the Church in all matters affecting elementary education.

5. That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded to his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, with a request that he will fix a time at which he will receive a deputation appointed by the General Assembly on the subject to which they refer.

SISTER CHURCHES.-Deputations were received from the evangelical Churches of the Continent, and from the Free Church of Scotland. Rev. Dr. Porter, Chairman of the Committee on Correspondence with foreign Churches, read the following letter:

To the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the United States of America: DEAR BRETHREN:-The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland have heard, with deep thankfulness to God, that the war which has so long raged in your country has been brought to a close; and they have instructed us to convey to you their heartfelt congratulations.

During the continuance of that war our Church never ceased to sympathize with the sufferings of her brethren in America, and to pray that God would speedily stay the ravages of the sword, and that he would also, in his infinite wisdom, at length overrule all for his own glory and for the ultimate welfare of your country. Our General Assembly were glad to welcome among them, at their recent meeting, deputies from some of the Churches in the United States, and to learn from them-what they had previously heard from other sources-that the success of the Northern armies had resulted in the complete overthrow of slavery. We thank God for this. We trust that its overthrow is final, and that never again shall such a system gain a footing in any Christian land.

Dear brethren, we know that there is a great and a very difficult work before the evangelical Churches of the United States-the work of instructing and guiding the emancipated negro race. We have heard with deep gratitude how nobly that work has been begun. From our hearts we bid you God-speed. You have our warmest sympathies, and our prayers shall be offered up in your behalf. In so far, too, as it may be needed, and as we may be able to afford it, we shall esteem it alike a duty and a privilege to give you material aid.

Permit us, dear brethren, in conclusion, to congratulate you on the peace which is happily established in the United States, and on the bright future which, we believe, is now opened up before your Churches and your country. That the God of peace may reign in your midst, and that the great Head of the Church may bless and prosper all your efforts to foster brotherly love, and to advance, both at home and abroad, the glorious gospel kingdom, is, and will ever be, the desire and prayer of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. We are, dear brethren, yours in the Lord,

BELFAST, Ireland, April, 1866.

DAVID WILSON, D.D., Moderator,
ROBERT PARK, A.M., Clerk.

The committee farther report that having had their attention turned to the great importance of cultivating closer connection with the various branches of the Presbyterian Churches in the United States, and believing that it would tend to advance the interests of evangelical truth and to promote national harmony and brotherly love, if the Presbyterian Churches in Britain and America could make arrangements for an occasional interchange of deputations, the committee respectfully recommend this venerable court to give them authority, should they be able to procure the necessary funds, to appoint a deputation to represent this Church at the meetings of the Assemblies of the Presbyterian Churches of the United States to be held in 1867. It was Resolved, That the authority requested by the committee be granted, and that they appoint, should they see cause, a deputation to represent this Church at the meetings in 1867 of the Assemblies of the Presbyterian Churches in the United States of America.

In connection with this report there was introduced to the Assembly George H. Stuart, Esq., of Philadelphia, President of the Christian Commission of the United States of America, who made most interesting and affecting statements respecting the late war in, and present condition of, the United States, and especially detailed many of the proceedings of that Commission, of which he is the president. Whereupon the following resolution was moved, seconded and unanimously adopted:

Resolved, That the General Assembly welcome its distinguished friend, George H. Stuart, Esq., of Philadelphia, to his native land, and delights to recognize in him the representative of their common Christianity, requests its Moderator to convey to him its hearty thanks for his deeply interesting and affecting address, and desires him to convey its affectionate greetings to its brethren in America, and express to them the desire of this Church for closer fellowship and intercommunion with its brethren in that great land. That this General Assembly rejoices in the termination of the bloody struggle on American soil, and gives thanks to God that the result of the conflict has been the abolition of slavery throughout the United States. That the Assembly has heard, with grateful admiration and with gratitude to the God of all grace, of the workings and labors of the Christian Commission, of its unwearied zeal and acts of holy love, by which it mitigated the horrors of war, and proved an instrument in the hand of God for bringing the tidings of salvation to thousands of the wounded and dying; and is thankful to the Lord that he has privileged it to hear of its proceedings from a dear brother whose wisdom and energy guided that important move

ment.

THE STATISTICS are-Ministers 599; licentiates, 59; churches, 556; members, 126,207; elders, 2145; deacons, 92; manses, 235; contributions, $404,440.

REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF IRELAND.

THE SYNOD met as usual. churches, 42.

The Ministers number 35:

THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND. Ministers, 6; churches, 9.

EASTERN SYNOD OF THE REF. PRES. CH. IN IRELAND. Ministers, 10; churches, 11.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN ENGLAND.

Ministers, 115; churches, 121.

UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN ENGLAND. Ministers, 88; churches, 89.

THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND IN ENGLAND.

Ministers, 19; churches, 20.