attention to the subject; and it appeared that the following Presbyteries, in addition to those mentioned last year, had attended to it, viz. Albany, Hudson, Carlisle, Miami, Concord, Transylvania, and West Lexington.

Dr. Janeway stated that he had procured the binding of one hundred copies of the third volume of the printed Extracts, and would have had as many of the second volume bound, but he found a deficiency of the Extracts of several years; therefore

Resolved, That the several Presbyteries be requested, and they hereby are requested, to forward to the Stated Clerk, as soon as practicable, all the spare copies in their possession, of the printed Extracts of the year 1804, in order that the aforesaid number of copies of the second volume may be bound.*

Resolved, That each of the Synods, and of the Presbyteries under the care of the Assembly, be furnished with a copy of the third volume of the printed Extracts; and Mr. Thomas Bradford, jun. was appointed to receive the copies, and make a distribution of them accordingly.

Dr. Janeway informed the Assembly that the Rev. Colin McIver had made an Index to the third volume of the printed Extracts.

Resolved, That the thanks of this Assembly be presented to Mr. M'Iver, for making this valuable and useful addition to the book.

The committee appointed to report to the Assembly the result of the inquiry made of the Presbyteries, relative to the recommendation of the last Assembly, on the subject of the Address and Plan of the Board of Missions, reported, and their report being read, was adopted, and is as follows, viz.

That from the inquiry it appeared that the Presbyteries had in general paid a laudable attention to the sub

*Copies for the years 1795, 6, and 7, are much wanted also, and earnestly requested.

B

ject; and the Assembly hope that they will persevere in the important business, till it is completed.

The following overture was submitted to the Assembly, and being amended, was adopted, viz.

Resolved, That Drs. Janeway, Neill, and Ely, be appointed, and they are hereby appointed, a Committee to extract from the records of the General Assembly, and of the late Synod of New York and Philadelphia, all such matters as may appear to be of permanent authority and interest (including a short account of the manner in which missions have been conducted, and their success,) that the same may be published for the information of ministers and people in our churches; and that they report the same to the next Assembly.

Resolved, That said Committee be authorised, and they are hereby authorised, to employ a person to transcribe any part of the records, that may be necessary for the above work.

Resolved, That the Board of Missions be requested to present the thanks of this Assembly to the Rev. John Chester for the Missionary Sermon, which by their appointment he preached last evening.

The following resolution was submitted, and after some discussion, was adopted, viz.

Resolved, as the order of proceeding in the pending case, that Mr. Bourne be first heard in support of his appeal-that the Presbytery of Lexington then be heard in reply-and that when the parties are fully heard (Mr. Bourne being last heard) they withdraw, and the Assembly proceed to discuss and decide on the subject.

The religious exercises appointed for last evening were attended to, and the audience was large, attentive, and solemn.

The connected narrative of the state of religion was brought into the Assembly, and after several alterations had been suggested, it was committed to the same committee to be printed, and is as follows, viz.

"The history of the Church of God contains a record of adverse, as well as prosperous events. Her members being sanctified only in part, at no time fully display that purity of conversation and conduct, which becometh their profession, and too often afford cause of triumph to the adversaries on account of their carelessness or failures in duty. In the periods of her highest elevation, there is just reason to lament that there are many things to be found within her borders which are against her.Of these she is bound to take particular notice, as well as of the evidences of her Lord's presence and blessing. Thus doing she is not only reminded "that she has not already attained, or is not already perfect," but also constrained "to follow after, if that she may apprehend that for which also she is apprehended of Christ."

"The General Assembly conscious of their duty in this respect, and trusting to the divine blessing for success in its performance, desire to give to that part of the Church committed to their superintendence, a faithful narrative of the causes of sorrow during the past year, as well as those of rejoicing. They begin with the former, which may be summed up under the following heads:

"1. Erroneous principles on the subject of revealed religion.—If there is a religion revealed by God, it is as important to have correct views of its principles to perform the duties which it enjoins in the various relations of life, as it is to have correct views of morality that our lives may be moral. Error in principle, invariably pro duces error in practice. To be ever learning and never coming to the knowledge of the truth, is characteristic of none but those who assume for the human understanding, the prerogative of sitting in judgment upon the inspired truth of God, either condemning the whole as an imposition, or undertaking to correct its alledged mistakes by abridging and falsifying its contents. Of the former class, we rejoice that their number and influence are diminished. Not many years past they triumphed, to the regret and anguish of the followers of Christ.With brazen front, infidelity threatened the annihilation of the Church, and the ruin of her Lord's authority. But the Church not merely survives its attacks-she has

increased in numbers and in grace, whilst her adversaries are compelled, though unwillingly, to pay homage to the paramount claims of her God and Saviour, who is King of kings and Lord of lords. Few are to be found, who respect themselves, openly opposing the truth of God as contained in the Scriptures. There are however some, within our bounds, who, whilst they profess to honour the authority of the Bible, with unhallowed hands would cut out of its pages those passages which command us to honour the Son as we honour the Father, and rob the trembling sinner of the only hope of acceptance with God which his soul can cherish. The well beloved and only begotten Son of God they reduce to the level of frail humanity, and his work of redemption to the mere fact of furnishing us a perfect example of conversation and conduct. By denying his character as a covenant surety to bear our sins and carry our sorrows, they lower his example as a righteous and holy man below that which his apostles and primitive followers afford us. And so far as we have had the opportunity of judging from facts, which have fallen under our observation, their principles have introduced among all who have embraced them, so great a conformity in their practice to the world which lieth in wickedness, as to render it impossible to discriminate them from the children of that world.

"In connection with these Anti-Trinitarians, for we reject the name which they have assumed of Unitarians, holding the unity of God as strictly as they do, are the Universalists, or the supporters of the doctrine of Universal salvation. It is a tribute however which we owe to truth, to say that whilst the Anti-Trinitarians, for the sake of consistency are compelled to maintain the ultimate and eternal salvation of all, the Universalists believe in the doctrine of the Trinity and the atonement of the Lord Jesus. They however, by assuring all that they will be in the end for ever happy, provide for the gratification of present desires and continuance in sin, whilst they live.

"As these errors in principle do exist in some portions of our Church, though we have good reason to be

lieve that they are not increasing, the Assembly trust that they will be opposed and their ruinous tendency unfolded, with fidelity and success.

"2. Sinful Practices. Of these the principal ones reported, are Intemperance and Profanation of the Lord's Day. To us it is a matter not only of regret, but of humiliation, that there should remain cause of complaint and sorrow, on account of their prevalence. The first is manifestly so ruinous to the health of the body and the participation of temporal advantages, and the last so fearfully destructive of every religious restraint and feeling, as to call for prompt condemnation from the men of the world, as well as the professors of the truth as it is in Jesus. The Lord's Day, viewed in a political light entirely, affords so many benefits calculated for the promotion of present enjoyment in all the relations of life, as to claim for it, the veneration and homage of sound statesmen. But to men professing respect for the truth of God, it presents claims of higher authority, and we want no stronger evidence of their actual irreligion, than the fact of their profaning that day. As for those who indulge in intemperate habits; we affectionately remind them of their families, as well as themselves, and warn them of the wrath to come. They deliberately prepare themselves for disgrace, as well as disease; unfit themselves for the duties and enjoyments of the life which now is; and must look for the indignation of God through eternal ages in the life which is to come. "Who

hath wo? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath bablings? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine : they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yea thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick, they have beaten me and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again." The Assem

mast.