several ecclesiastical connexions to uniformity in doctrine, worship, and order, according to the word of God.

ARTICLE II.

In order to bring about this desirable object on the basis of the proper unity of the visible church, it is mutually covenanted, that the ministers, members, and judicatories of these churches, treating each other with christian respect, shall always recognize the validity of each other's acts, and ordinances, consonant to the scriptures; and yet that any church judicatory belonging to either body, may examine persons or review cases of discipline, on points at present peculiar or distinctive to themselves.

ARTICLE III.

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, and the Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, shall severally appoint two Commissioners, with an alternate to each, to attend these judicatories respectively, who shall hold their offices till they are superseded by another choice; and these commissioners shall have the privilege of proposing measures important to the church of Christ; and of delivering their opinions on any question under discussion; but they shall have no vote in its decisions.

ARTICLE IV.

In order to carry this last article into effect, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church will at their sessions, in May, 1826, appoint commissioners who shall attend the succeeding meeting of the Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, provided the said Synod shall have concurred in the above plan of correspondence.

The above report was unanimously adopted, and the plan of correspondence agreed upon by the joint committees, was accordingly sanctioned by the Assembly.

The committee on Psalmody reported that they have had the important business of their appointment under serious consideration; and have arranged such plans of operation as they humbly hope may be efficient to the great object in view. They think they shall have the indulgence of the Assembly, under a recollection of the magnitude of the labour, if they defer a particular report until the meeting in May next.

The committee were continued. A communication from Mr. Harvey Chapin was read, and committed to the judicial committee. The committee appointed by a former Assembly on the subject involved in the appeal of Donald M'Crimmon, did not report.

Resolved, That this committee be discharged, and that this subject be committed to Dr. Neill, Dr. Herron, Mr. Fisher, Dr. Chester, and

B.

Dr. Axtell, with instructions that they report during the sessions of the present Assembly.

The business of the Western Theological Seminary was made the order of the day for Tuesday morning next.

The receiving of the report of the Board of Directors of the Theological Seminary at Princeton, was made the order of the day for Tuesday afternoon.

Mr. Armstrong had leave of absence until Monday morning.

The Presbyteries were called upon to report on the alteration proposed by the last Assembly, to be made in the 2nd section of the 12th chapter of the Form of Government. These reports were received and committed to Dr. Ely to report the result.

The permanent clerk informed the Assembly, that there had been put into his hands an appeal from a decision of the Presbytery of Bath, by Mr. Charles Yale; two appeals from the Synod of New Jersey by the Rev. Josiah B. Andrews; and an appeal from the Synod of New York, by Mr. Pope Bushnell. The above appeals were referred to the judicial committee.

Resolved, That the Act of the Assembly of 1820, in relation to the appointment of a printer and agent of the Assembly, be rescinded, and that the management of printing for the Assembly, and distributing its minutes, be referred to the Stated Clerk.

Adjourned till to-morrow morning at 9 o'clock. Concluded with prayer.

May 20, 9 o'clock, A. M. The Assembly met, and was constituted with prayer. The minutes of the last session were read.

Rev. William Moderwell, of the Presbytery of Hopewell, Rev. James Sabine of the Presbytery of Londonderry, and Rev. Ashbel G. Fairchild, of the Presbytery of Redstone, appeared in the Assembly, and their commissions being read, took their seats as members.

The committee of overtures reported, that they had overtured an application from the Synod of the Western Reserve for permission to conduct their own missionary operations. The Assembly took up this overture, and resolved, that the request of the Synod be and it hereby is granted; and said Synod is directed to report its missionary labours annually to the Board of Missions.

The Assembly proceeded agreeably to the order of the day, to receive the Synodical and Presbyterial Reports, which were handed to the committee appointed on this business.

Resolved, That it be the order of the day for Wednesday morning next, to receive the Reports of the committees on the Synodical Records.

Dr. Blythe, Dr. Laurie, and Dr. Janeway, were appointed a committee on the subject of the American Colonization Society.

A nomination was made of persons to be chosen delegates to the several ecclesiastical bodies connected with the Assembly.

Mr. Lord had leave of absence from the remaining sessions of the

Assembly. Mr. Maxwell was appointed in his place on the judicial committee.

Dr. Ely, to whom was referred the reports of Presbyteries on the alteration in the Constitution of chap. 12, sect. 2, proposed by the last Assembly, reported, that written reports prove 48 Presbyteries, and oral reports 9 Presbyteries, to have consented to said amendment; making 57 that are in favour of its adoption. Seven Presbyteries have decided against the amendment, and 21 have made no reports on the subject. Whence it appears that said amendment is adopted by a constitutional majority of the Presbyteries under the care of this Assembly.

This report was adopted, and it is hereby declared that chap. 12, sect. 2, of the Form of Government, is constitutionally amended, so as to read as follows, viz.

The General Assembly shall consist of an equal delegation of bishops and elders, from each Presbytery, in the following proportion, viz. Each Presbytery consisting of not more than twelve ministers, shall send one minister and one elder; each Presbytery consisting of more than twelve ministers, and not more than twenty-four, shall send two ministers and two elders; and in the like proportion for every twelve ministers in any Presbytery. And these delegates so appointed, shall be styled Commissioners to the General Assembly. The committee of overtures reported an overture, No. 2, which was referred to the Board of Missions.

The committee appointed to make arrangements for the prayer meeting on Wednesday evening, made a report, which was accepted and adopted.

The Stated Clerk reported, that he had collected in bundles, as complete sets of the minutes of the General Assembly as it is possible now to obtain; and has connected with each set a bound copy of the Digest, which he proposes, with the leave of the Assembly, to sell to any of the ministers and elders of the Presbyterian Church for the sum of one dollar, which shall be paid into the missionary fund of the Assembly.

Whereupon it was resolved, That the Assembly approve of the conduct of the Stated Clerk, and grant him the leave desired.

Adjourned till 9 o'clock on Monday morning. Concluded with prayer.

May 22, 9 o'clock, A. M. The Assembly met and was constituted with prayer. The minutes of the last session were read.

Dr. George Pomeroy, a ruling elder from the Presbytery of Otsego, and Mr. Moody Hall, a ruling elder from the Presbytery of Union, appeared in the Assembly, and their commissions being read, took their seats as members.

It being the order of the day, an election was held for delegates to attend the several ecclesiastical bodies connected with the Assembly. The ballots were taken and committed to Mr. Judd, Mr. Miles, and Mr. Coe, to count them, and report the result to the Assembly.

The judicial committee made a report in the case of Mr. Pope Bushnell, which was laid on the table.

Mr. J. W. Cuningham and Mr. Callender, had leave of absence after to-morrow morning.

It being the order of the day, the Assembly proceeded to receive communications on the state of religion; and having made considerable progress in this business, the Assembly adjourned till 4 o'clock this afternoon. Concluded with prayer.

Four o'clock, P. M. The Assembly met and was constituted with prayer. The minutes of the last session were read.

The Assembly resumed and finished receiving reports on the state of religion.

Adjourned till 9 o'clock to-morrow morning. Concluded with prayer.

May 23, 9 o'clock, A. M. The Assembly met and was constituted with prayer. The minutes of the last session were read.

Mr. Buchanan resigned his seat to Mr. Amos Slaymaker, the principal mentioned in their commission.

Mr. Green obtained leave to resign his seat to Mr. Joseph Burbeck, the alternate mentioned in their commission.

Resolved, That the Board of Missions be requested to present the thanks of the Assembly to the Rev. Joseph M'Elroy, for his missionary sermon delivered last evening, by the appointment of the Board.

The committee appointed to count the votes for delegates to the several ecclesiastical bodies connected with the Assembly, reported, and the following persons were declared duly elected, viz.

The Rev. James Blythe, D. D. the Rev. Henry Reid, and the Rev. Samuel Fisher, to attend the next meeting of the General Association of Connecticut:

The Rev. James Blythe, D. D. and the Rev. Henry Reid, to attend the next meeting of the General Association of Massachusetts, and the Rev. Samuel Fisher, alternate to either of them who may fail:

The Rev. John Johnston, to attend the next meeting of the General Association of New Hampshire, and of the General Convention of Vermont; and the Rev. William R. Dewitt, his alternate:

The Rev. Thomas M'Auley, D. D. and Mr. Eleazer Lord, ruling elder, to attend the next meeting of the General Synod of the Reformed Dutch Church; and the Rev. Stephen N. Rowan, D. D., and Mr. Benjamin Strong, ruling elder, their alternates:

The Rev. William Neill, D. D. and the Rev James P. Wilson, D. D. to attend the next meeting of the German Reformed Synod, and the Rev. Reuben Post, alternate to either of them who may fail: And the Rev. Ashbel Green, D. D. and the Rev. Stephen N. Rowan, D. D. to attend the next meeting of the Synod of the Re

formed Presbyterian Church, and the Rev. George C. Potts, and the Rev. Nathan S. S. Beman, their alternates.

Agreeably to the order of the day, the business of the Western Theological Seminary was taken up. A report from the Board and their minutes were read. The report of the Board recommended, by a vote of eight to five, that Alleghany Town, opposite the city of Pittsburgh, should be the site of the Western Theological Seminary. The following motion was then made and seconded:-Resolved, That the Western Theological Seminary be and it hereby is located at Alleghany Town.

This motion was discussed at considerable length.

A letter was received and read from the Female Tract Society of Philadelphia, presenting to the Assembly 4000 religious tracts, to be given to the missionaries of the Assembly, for distribution in destitute parts of the country.

Resolved, That the thanks of the Assembly be presented to the Philadelphia Female Tract Society for their generous donation; and that the Tracts be entrusted to the Stated Clerk, for distribution among the missionaries, agreeably to the intention of the donors.

Adjourned till this afternoon at 4 o'clock. Concluded with prayer.

Four o'clock, P. M. The Assembly met and was constituted with prayer. The minutes of the last session were read.

Rev. Absalom Peters, from the Presbytery of Troy, and Dr. Wyllis F. Clarke, a ruling elder from the Presbytery of Bath, appeared in the Assembly, and their commissions being read, took their seats as members.

Dr. Chester had leave of absence from the remaining sessions of the Assembly, after this afternoon.

Agreeably to the order of the day, the Board of Directors of the Theological Seminary at Princeton, made their annual report, which was read, and committed to Mr. M'Elroy, Mr. Hoge, Mr. Junkin, Mr. McIntosh, and Mr. Curry.

The Assembly resumed the consideration of the motion relative to the site of the Western Theological Seminary. The subject was again discussed at considerable length.

A nomination was made to fill the vacancies in the Board of Di rectors of the Theological Seminary at Princeton.

Adjourned till 9 o'clock to-morrow morning. Concluded with prayer.

May 24, 9 o'clock, A. M. The Assembly met and was constituted with prayer. The minutes of the last session were read.

Dr. Rowan obtained leave to resign his seat to Rev. Robert M'Cartee, the alternate mentioned in their commission. Mr. Joseph C. Hornblower, a ruling elder from the Presbytery of Newark, appeared in the Assembly, and his commission being read, took his seat as a member.

Mr. Bascom had leave of absence from the remaining sessions of the Assembly.