The Geueral Assembly. THIRD DAY-SATURDAY- At the introductory prayer-meeting of the Gene ral Assembly this morning, Moderator Nelson Arad a letter which an insane man in the State Lunatic Asylum at Utica had written to the Assembly, under the impression that it had power to gain him his freedom from confinement. The impulse thus given was followed up with great interest. The Rev. B. B. Beckwith, of Gouverneur, N. Y., and Dr. Sprague, of Newark, N. J., made a few remarks upon the inestima ble value of reason, the latter saying that for half a century he had lived in constant, dread of hereditary insanity, now dispelled. When Dr. Spragne led in prayer there was hardly a dry eye in the house; and even much more intense emotion was excited by the remarks of the Rev. J. U. Gunther, of Newark, N. J. This gentleman, who speaks English with some difficulty,, made an appeal to his brethren for the German people among us, particularly immigrants. He related a touching incident, which drew tears from all ,eyes, of the zealous anxiety of a young Christian to learn the German tongue that he might heal;le to teach and help poor, defrauded, ignorant Germans_ whom he met in daily life. He appealed to his hearers, not only as members of the Assembly, but as Members of Synods and Presbyteries, and as pastors, to remember in their prayets his country men in the thousand trials peculiar to strangers in a strange land. REPORT ON RE-UNION The Assembly returned to judicial bitsiness at ten o'clock. After roll-call and minutes, was heard the long-expected report of the Committee of Con ference'en Re-union appointed by the last Assembly to' report at the present Assembly. The Committee was constituted as follows: The Rev. Drs. Thomas Brainerd, Chairman (since deceased,) William Adams, E. F. Hatfield, J. F. Stearns, P. H. Fowler, J. B. Shaw, H. L. Hitchcock, R. W. Patterson, H. A. Nelson; Elders—Hon. J. Allison, LL.D., Hon. H. W. Williams, Messrs. T. P. Handy, R. W. Steele, and W. H. Brown. The Committee appointed by the last General As sembly to confer with a similar Committee of the other Assembly on the desirableness and practica bility of reuniting the bodies which they severally represent, would respectfully report: That, in the discharge of the duties assigned then), the two Committees assembled in the city of New York,. Wednesday, 20th of February, 1867, and after organizing in their respective places of appointment, met in joint session for conference and prayer. Their meetings - continued to a late hour on Friday evening,' February 22d, when the Committees adjourned to meet again in the same city on the first day of bray. Rc-assembling at that time, they continued their conferences till Tuesday, 7th of May, when they finally adjourned. The circumstances in which the Committees.held their first meeting were so peculiar its' to demand a special mention, as they were fitted to produce an unusual sobriety. 'The Chairmen of both Committees, as originally constituted, were absent. One, Rev. Dr. Brainerd, had been translated to that world where all the dis tinctions , Of Christian discipleship, which exist onthe earth,, are lost in the harmony of Heaven. The other,'Rev. Dr. Krebs, was disabled by severe_illness from all participation in our conferences, waiting for that change to come which will unite him to the great: . company of Christian ministers in the King dom of God. All the meetings of the Committees were distin guished by a degree of courtesy and unanimity which Was more than common. Composed of men of de cided individuality, representing divers interests and sections, they have discussed every question--many of them of admitted delicacy and difficulty—with the utmost frankneSs, without one word or expression of any kind ever to be regretted by Christian brethren who felt the grave responsibilities of their position. The result of their conferences is contained in the folloWing document, adopted in joint Committee with remarkable unanimity : PROPOSED. TERMS OF REUNION BETWEEN THE TWO BRANCHES OF TH,E PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES OF AR-ERICA. The Joint Committee of the two General Assemblies of the Presbyterian Church, appointed for the purpose of conferring on the desirableness and practicability of uniting these two bodies, deeply impressed with the responsibility of the work assigned us, and having earnestly sought Divine guidance, and patiently de voted ourselves to the investigation of the questions inVolved, agree in presenting the followin,g for the consideration and, if they see fit, for the, adoption of the two General Assemblies : • Believing that the interests of the Redeemer's king dom would he promoted by healing our divisions; that practical union would greatly augment the efficiency of. the whole Church, for the accomplishment of its divinely appointed work; that the main causes pro ducing division have either wholly passed away, or become in a great degree inoperative; and that two bodies , bearing the same name, adopting the same constitution, and claiming the same corporate rights, cannot be justified by any but the most imperative reasons in maintaining separate, and, in some re spects, rival organizations; and regarding it as both just 'and proper that a reunion should be effected by the two Churches, as independent bodies and on equal terms, we propose the following terms and recommen dations as suited to meet the demands of the case : . First. The reunion shall be effected on the doctrinal and ecclesiastical basis of our common standards. The Confession of Faith shall continue to be sincerely re ceived and adopted, "as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures;" waits fair; historical sense, as it is accepted by the two bodies, in opposition to Antinomianism and Fatalism, on the one hand, and to Arminianism and Pelagianism on the other, shall be regarded as the sense in which it is' received and adopted ; and "The Government and Discipline of the Presbyterian Church in the United States" shall continue to be approved as containing the principles and rules of our polity. Seem!. All the ministers and churches embraced in' the two bodies shall be admitted to the same standing in the united body which they may hold in their respective connections up to the consumma tion of the union ; and all the churches connected with the united body, not thoroughly Presbyterian in their organization, shall be advised to perfect their organization, as soon as is permitted by the highest interests to 'be consulted; no other such churches shall be received; and such persons alone shall be chosen Commissioners to the General Assembly as are eligible according to the Constitution of the Church. Third. The boundaries of the several Presbyteries and Synods shall be adjusted by the General Assem bly of the united Church. Fourth. The official records of the two branches of I.fra Church, for the period of separation, shall be preserved and held as making up the one history of the Church; and no rule or precedent, which does not stand approved by both the bodies, shall be of any authority until re-established in the united body. The corporate rights now held by the two General Assemblies, and• by their Boards and Com mittees, shall, as far as practicable, be consolidated and applied for their several objects as defined by law. Sixth. There shall be one set of Committees or Boards for Home and. Foreign Missions, and the other religious enterprises of the Church, which the churches shall be encouraged .to.,suStain though left free to cast their contributions into other chan n-As if they desire to do so. THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, MAY 30, 1867. Seventh. As soon as practicable, after the union shall be effected, the General Assembly shall recon struct and consolidate the several Permanent Com mittees and Boards which now belong to the two Assemblies; in such a, manner as to represent, as far as possible, with impartiality, the viewsand wishes of the two liodieaconstituting the united Church. Eighth. When it shall be ascertained that the re quisite number of Presbyteries of the two bodies have approved the terms of union, as hereinafter provided, for, the two General Assemblies shall each appoint a Committee of seven, none of them having an of relation to either the Board or the Commit tee of Publication, who shall constitute a Joint Com mittee, whose duty it shall be to ieVisethe catalogu is • of the existing publications of the two Churches, and to Make but-a list from them 'of such books and tracts as shall . be issued by the united Church, and any catalogue thus niade out. in order to its adoption, shall be approved by at least five niernbeis of each Committee. Ninth. If, at any time after the union has been effected. any of the Theological Seminaries, under the care and control of the General Assembly, shall desire to put themselves under Synodical control, they shall be permitted to do so at the re quest of their Board of Direction; and those Semi naries which are independent in their organization shall have the privilege of putting themselves under ecclesiastical control, to the end that, if practicable, a system of ecclesiastical supervision of such insti tutions may ultimately prevail through the entire united Church. Tenth. It shall be regarded as the duty at all our judicatories, ministers and, people in the united Church, to study the things whiat. make for peace, and to guard against all needless and offensive re ferences to the causes that have divided us, an • d, in • order to avoid the revival of past issues by the con tinuance of any usage, in either branch of the Church, that has grown out of our former conflicts. it is earnestly recommended to the lower judicatories of the Church, that they conform their practice in relation to all such usages, as far as consistent with their convictions of duty, to the general custom of: the Church prior to the controversies that resulted in the separation. Eleventh. The terms of the re-union shall be of . bind ing force if they shall be ratified by three-fOurths of the Presbyteries connected with each branch of the Church, within one year after they shall have been submitted to them for approval. Twelfth. = The terms of the re-union shall be 'pub lished by direction of the General Assemblies of 1867, for the deliberate examination of both branches of the Church, and the Joint Committees shall report to the General Assemblies of 1868 any modification of them they may deem desirable, in view of any new light that may have been received during the year. Thirteenth, It is recommended that the Hon. Daniel Haines and the Hon. Henry W. Green, LL.D., of New Jersey;. Daniel Lord, LL.D., .and Theodore W. Dwight, LL.D., of New York,: and the Bon. William Strong, and the lion. George Sharswood, LL.D., of Pennsylvania, be appointed by the gene ral Assemblies a Committee to investigate 'all ques tions of property, and of vested rights, as they may stand related to the matter of re-union; and this Committee shall report to .he Joint Committee as early as the Ist of Jantiary 1868. . . • Fourteenth. It is eviden t that in order to adapt our ecclesiastical system to the necessities and circumstan ces of the united Church, as a greatly enlarc , 6 ed.and widely extended body, spine changes in the Constitu tion will be required.. The Joint Committee, there fore, request the two General Assemblies to instruct them in regard to the preparation of an additional article on the subject, to be reported to the Assem blies of 18G8. Signed, ,by order of the Joint Committee. QUARLES C. BEATTY, Chairman. EDWIN F. HATFIELD,_ Secretary. - NEW YORK, May 7; 1867. Leaving their, report with the General Assemblies, and the ministers and churches of our denomina- tion throughout the laud, your Committee.cannot dis regard the Providential auspices under which their recommendations await decision. The, present is thought to be a favorable time, now that many questions of former controversy have lost their in terest, for adopting a magnanimous policy, suited to the necessities of our country and; the world. The Presbyterian Church has a history, of great renown. It has been intimately associated with civil and re 7 limious liberty in both hemispheres; Its republican and representative character, the purity of its cler gy, the simplicity of its order, the equity of its ad ministration, its sympathy with our institution& its ardent patriotism in all stages of our history, its flexible adaptation to our heterogeneous population, its liberal support of schools, colleges and semina, ries designed for general education and theological culture, its firm and steadfast faith in the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom, and this by means of revealed truth and the special 'effusions of the Holy Spirit, in distinction from all trust in human arts and devices, all unite to promise, if we are wise' and faithful, a future for the Presbyterian Church in these United States greater and better than all the past. Amid an the changes which have occurre_ around us, we are confident that nothing true and good will ever recede or decay 5 and it becomes all those who love the same faith, order and worship, abound ing in love and hope, to pray that God would "count them worthy of their calling, that they may fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in them, and they in Him, according to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ." Signed, by order of the Committee. WILLIAM ADAMS. Chairman NEW YORK, May 7, 1867 The motion, to refer the report on Re-union to a Special Committee was opposed by Mr. Trowbridge, on the crround that it was unnecessary; but upon the expression of feeling on _the part of several members, the Motion. ultimately :prevailed. Rev.W. C.Wisner, DX!. ' expressed profound grati tude to God that he had been spared to see this day. He was one of the feW now present who had been personally cognizant of the division in 1837-38, and had never loped to see it healed. But, unless his life should be speedily shortened, he had now hope. Rev. G. A. Lyon, D.D., said- that lie also had bOrne a part in.that old conflict, marks of which he carried yet; but he rejoiced to see the present pros pect, and hoped that when the Special Committee should report favorably, with perhaps some few modifications, on the report presented, by Dr. Adams, the churches would be ready to welcome this basis of reunion. The motion to commit was amended so that the Special Committee should report on Wednesday morning. This was carried by a small majority, and the original motion to commit was carried unani mously. The Moderator appointed the following gentlemen as the Special Committee to consider and report on the joint report presented by Dr. Adams: Ministers—Rev. C-Hawley, D.D., G. A. Lyon, D. D., W. C. Wisner, D.D., J. A. Carnahan, D.D., L. M. Glover, D.D. Elders—Messrs. J. C. Farr, Fisher Howe, D. W Capenj D. W. Ingersoll. CHURCH ERECTION Rev. Dr. F. F. Ellinwood then read the report of the Committee on Church Erection: The Trustees of the fund had received up to the present time up wards of $26,000. Applications for, aid had been received from forty-seven churches, asking,. in the aggregate, for the sum of $46.100. Of this number forty-two were assisted, and the total amount expen ded by these appropriations was $20.750, making an average of $494 to each church assisted. The • amount of aid which will be asked for, from this fund, during the coming year, will not fall far short of $100,009. One of the greatest difficulties to be overcome in the prosecution of the cauSe.of OhurCh Erection is its similarity to other benevolent enter prises connected with the denomination. Another difficulty is found in not being able to properly unify the work. The value of the permanent fund could not be too highly estimated. The Board expressed the hope that the Synodical Committees on Church Erection would co-operate with then. Their encouraging assis tance would also be of great value to the cause. But the Board believed that in no way could the work be more rapidly pr om ted 'than by the Willing :co, operation Of the ministers of all' the' chureVes. ' A sermon in all the churches simultaneouSly with the general collection was advised by the Committee. The folloWing Treasurer's report shows the finan cial condition of the Coinmittee: CONDITION Or THE CHURCH ERECTION PERMANENT FUND MAY 1,1567. Amount of loans to churches, secured by bonds and mortgages ' 52.3,820' Amount of donations to churches, secured by bonds and mortgages 19 , 264 05 Amount of permanent investments secured by bonds slid mortgages on improved real property within the State of New York (worth double the amotintY • 76,200 00 Amount of call loans ' . • • '4,500,00 Cash in' Bank 1,926 26 , , ; ; , , $*5,711 06 CHURCH EMOTION SUPPLEMENTARY, FUND IN ACCOUNT WITH JASSE W, BENEDICT, TREASURER, FROM MAY 1, 1866, re MAY 1, 1867. By unbind of contributions fron! churches ' $18,306 13 u. " individuals 457 65 ' received . from the permaneuefund, being inter eat from churches 1,346 37 received from the permanent fund, being tereet frouvinvestments 4,188 85 Total ' • '524,298 00 To donations to churches $7,600 00 To expensel; of permanent and supplementary ' funds 4,685 31 Bybalance to new account.. ......... .... . ... .. . ... 12,012 69 . ----$24.298 00 The account of the fund ,of the,' Treasurer showed a balance in the Treasury of $1,926 36. Rev. C. P. Bush 1. of Rochester I then presented the— FIRST AN.'4V . IIAL REPpRT: pr THE PERMANENT .COMMITTEE ON SABBATH-SCHOOLS The Permanent Committee of the. General Assem bly, on, gabbath-sehoOls,.,in making, this their first Annual - RePort, are not permitted to speak much of work already accomplished, bufiather of plans and purposes for the future. ' The Coinmittee held its first meeting on the 18th of December, of which very imperfect .potice had been given, and only five Tmeinbers were present. Little was done at that time except to organize by the appointment of a Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer. The next Meeting' was held February sth, under more favorable anspiceS, With ten mein bers present, who spent a considerable part' of" two daysan patient inquiry and discussion 'in regard to the subject in hand. Another Meeting was held on the 20th of April, with nine ! members present. At the first, meetings, it, may also he added, different portions of the Sabbath-school work were assigned to subordidate committees for more extended and careful investigation. In this manner the Committee' have tried faithfully to' 'discharge the duties laid upon them. , Manifestly, the design of the appointment of this Committee was to promote greater wisdom and effi ciency*, in qur Sabbatb.-s,chool work, and to bring that work into more direct and vital connection with our Church. To these ends it seems necessary, in the first place, to go into statistics, to find out how well suPPlieirthe churches already are with this Most:efficient auxiliary of ell good, how wide the wastes'still unsupplied, what d,efents.still remainin our present methods of man aging Sabbath-schools, and then. what enlargements and improvements can be suggested .and made prac ticable by this Committee. The minutes of the last ,General Assembly reveal the fact that only 998, out of. our 1528 churches, inak'dany report of menn bers of their Sabbath-schools; leaving 530 churches of whose is in this re spect we'have no returns. it. is true that ninny of these churches are very fdeble; and some a4most ex tinct; but it would seem as though the feeblest need not be without a Sabbath-sChool,..and ,no one need be so indolent as to make no report of its condition. But there is a marked , difference in this respect, even among chnrches'and Presbyteries equally strong and abla. To particularize, not invidiously, but only for illustration, and to stir up some pure minds by way of remembrance:—the large and strong Presbytery of Utica, with full reports in other respects, makes re turns of Sabbath-school members .from only Ibur out of its thirty-two ,churches, while the Presbytery of Newark has.returns from all but one.: The latter is manifestly more nearly as the Gene ral Assembly= would' have it, and the Committee think it exceedingly desirable to adopt some plan, if possible, for securing.more complete reports from our Sabbath-schools, and recommend that it be enjoined most emphatically upon the Presbyteries and Pres byterjal Committees, to make increased efforts to secure these returns;. • • The 098 Churches, from which reports Were re eeiVed, gave an aggregate membership . of 143,369, which' is an average of 144 to 'each church. But the average in the 530 churches, which have not reported, would doubtless be, much less, as it is generally the larger and more,prosperous churches that make re turns. If the average for these schools were put as high as- ninety-four, it, t't would give a , aggregate of 50,000, and then our entire Sabbath-school thernberi ship-would be a little less than 200,000. If this Committee shall be able to do the work 'assigned them, according to their present plans and hopes; we trust- that in less than ,five years that number will, at least, be doubled. In most of the Western churches, includinu those of Ohio, the number of Sabbath-'school ,scholars re, ported, ,exceeds the number of communicants in the churches, which is not the case in a single SYnod east Of Ohio f showing thatthe Sabbath-school often precedes the church, and forra time holds its superi ority-of numbers: .It may thus be used as a pioneer to the greater: blessing, the church itself, for the es tablishment- of which the Sabbath-school should generally be founded. One suggestion the Committee' desire to make at this point. There is great want of uniformity, it is believed, in making out Sabbath-school returns. We have a column in our statistics, in. the Minutes of the General Assembly, for " Sabbath-school mem bers." Does that embrace scholars alone 7 or schol ars and teachers? It is supposed that in some re pcirts of schools both are included, and in others only the scholars. The Committee recommend, that in the Minutes of the General ASsembly there be two colunins appropriated to the statistics of the Sab bath-schools, one for officers and teachers, and an other for scholars; and that all churches be earnest ly requested to make separate returns of these; so that it may be seen at a glance how many are giving and how many receiving such instruction. It is also believed that in many instances the re ports embrace only the membership of the Church schools, omitting the mission -schools. These should be included wherever, under the care of any of our churches, or a majority of whose teachers and offi cers are members of our churchas. Manifestly they should be reported somewhere, and who have so good a right to claim them as those who teach them? 11.-SABBATH SCHOOL LITERATURE This subject furnishes an important and available point for the immediate labors 'of the Committee. Interwoven as it is with every department of the work, it may properly claim a large share of atten tion, I.—lts lielations to the Work of Teaching The preparation of Sabbath-school ' , manuals, question books, illustrative works, may well enlist the best minds of the Church. To condense and popularize elaborate and expensive works of Bibli cal Geography, History and Antiquities, and espe cially to prepare appropriate question books,. is -a work as delicate and difficult as it is important. There is a growing need of question books, so framed as to stimulate inquiry; to guide the mind without hampering it; to seize upon the fundamental truths of a subject, and not merely lead to a superficial ac quaintance under the guise of an exhaustive minute ness. Question books often show too little appreciation of a child's difficulties in apprehending truth. The questions follow the mental processes of the writer, not of the child; are asked at points where the wri ter, and not the child, finds obscurity. Another point which demands special attention, is the preparation of suitable manuals for the simul taitfous, instruction of a school, enabling' the older and the younger classes alike to grasp at , once the same portion of Scripture truth. it:—Relations to the Children's Reading Two or three facts must be kept in- mind here. (1.) The development of a large proportion of children, especially in the, cities, is precocious. They begin to read early, and read eagerly. (2.) The secular press, seeing this, is pouring into, the market a flood of children's literature, both in the form of books and magazines, much of which has no , defi nite moral tendency, and a• portion of which is ab solutely pernicious. (3). Our work, through our Sabbath-school libraries, is confined to one point—a religious literature for children. Other litetatare they may procure elsewhere, and its regulation be longs chiefly to other hands. Unfortunately the Sabbath-school in :this matter has fallen too much into the way of the world. Books which might be proper enough elsewhere, but which, , not being religious,• have no place in Sab bath-schoor collections, creep into them in Multi tudes. Books of dangerous tendency are not I:infre quently to be found there. .Books which tend to ea b courage a mere sensuous enjoyment of reading for. the sake of reading; which awaken interest merely by a rapid succession of highly colored incidents, are alarmingly common. Parents, even worldly parents, complain of the trash which their children bring home. One says he he finds a book interlar ded with street slang; another that he finds his child reading doctrines directly opposed to the Church's theology. Added to this is a vast mass which is evil'merely from its being pointless and insipid. The Committee recommend that measures, be taken to prepare, as soon as possible, a catalogue of ap proved books. They propose, in Connection with the Board of Publication, to institute a careful ex amination of. the prominent juvenile publications from all sources; to have brief notices prepared by competent persons, setting forth their subject, aim, mode of treatment, , and general tendency. These, appearing in our denominational journals, will serve to direct Library Cornmittees in their selections ;'.and the. titles, being classified as fast, as approyed, will soon furnish our schools witha large and constantly increasing catildgue of books bearing the endorse ment of the Church. In connection with this, subject, your Committee would suggest the important work here ,opened to our best minds, lay • and eleriaal; in `the - preparation of : Sabbath-school books. -Eveny good bonklor this purpose will yield the author as rich.asitiritual har vest as any' other effort of his ministry. iii.—Belation to Aga66.th-school Music Children are early reached and deeply impressed -by hymns; .and it is of the utmost importance that the impressions made at so early a perm& should be right, and that the words 'treasured in the memory should embody as much as possible of Scripture truth.. While there is much :to commend in the great improvement, or absolute revolution, made in the last few years in our Sabbath-SchoOl music, yet some-serious abuses have also arisen.. It is believed that a careful examination-would reveal the fact, to any candid mind that many of Sabbath-schOol hymns are pointless and vapid; others actually false in sentiment ; ; numbers more absolutely ludicrous; and some almost, if not qUite, blasphemous. Your Committee deem this matter worthy of the most serious attention. While they desire by no means to overlook the . great improvement.to which they have already referred, they call earnestly upon those who have the matter in charae, to stay the tide of nonsense, both in words and music, with which speculators are flooding our Sabbath-schools. They believe that the noble liymne of the Church can be sung with as much pleasure by our children, and with much more profit than the large majority. f those which make up the mass of Sabbath-school manuals• i and ' that, both as a means of Christian training to I the children, and as conducive to the great reform of congregational singing, these should form the basis of, our Sabbath-school music. Ir.—Relations to the Diffusing of Information The Cothinittee deem it important that every means should be• used for the diffusion of thought and for the interchange of sentimentconcerning this great, work. They urge, therefore, a free expression• of views through our denominational journals, and through pamphlets, books and other channels. They deem this subject worthy. the attention of the prin- Ces in Israel. The Committee hope in the progress of their Work, to Make arrangements with many of our leading periodicals regularly to devote a portion of their space to the interests of the. Sabbath sChool. ' 111.-INSTRUCTION IN TIIEOLOGICA.L SEMINARIES The last General Aseilibly passed over to the Permanent ComMittee- the consideration of two pro positions,: 1. The devising of a plan, to be presented •at this time, "by which the students of our Theological Seminaries may receive special instruction im the:re lations of the pastor to the Sabbath-school; in the best. modes of conductino• ' Sabbath-schools; and in the approved methods - of Sabbath-school work." The Assembly evidently regarded the Sabbath school, not as an institution separate from, and in dependent of, the Church, but as one phase of the Church-at4vork; the pastor sustaining the relation of Bishop over the whole, and on that account need ing to be " thoroughly furnished to all good works." Supplethentary to "Christian nurture" in the house holdi the Sabbath-school has come to be the chief agency of the Church in the Biblical training of her Children: In order rightly to direct this agency, the Christian pastor needs to be competent to instruct his Sabbath-school teachers in the best methods: of doing their work—he should be able to teach his teachers. To this end it seems little less than selgevident, that he should first be taught himself in regard to the same things, while in a course of preparation for the ministry.. And•as converts to 'righteousness are gathered mostly from the young, and as our Saviour himself has made it as much binding upon the Christian minister to feed the "lambs of the flock" as to feed the "sheep," it would seem as though our entire course of theology, in all its de partments, should be so taught as to qualify the pas tor for this part of his work, as much as for any other. • This may require some recasting of the methods of instruction in some, or all, of our Theological Seminaries; and itanay be desirable for a time,. to supplement their regular courses by lectures from those who have given special attention to this sub ject. Suchlectures have been given, with marked success, toi the studentSof. some of our 'theological Seminarie:s within the past year; and from corres pondence with some of their officers, it is believed that such a course will receive the cordial approval of all such institutions. The Committee recommend that this whole subject be commended most earnestly to the attention of Professors and Directors in our Theological Semina ries, with the respectful offer to those institutions of any aid which the Committee may be able to render; at the same time urging all our students for the minis try to embrace every favorable opportunity to quali fy themselves as well for the Sabbath-school work as any other department of ministerial labor. IV.-NOHMAL SCHOOLS The second proposition referred to this Committee was: "The devising of a plan for the establishment of Normal Schools for the instruction of Sabbath school teachers." The Sabbath-school, as an institution, is still young. Sabbath-school teaching. is not yet fully re duced to system, but much of it is still experimen tal and desultory. If, however, the study of the Bible is to advance in harmony with the educational progress of the age, and in correspondence with the demands of the Church,i Sabbath-school instruction must be reduced, to a science, and a knowledge of the ail, of teaching milk be broughtintaits service. In fact, that which is being done in the interest of secular education, in the establishment and support ofNormal Schools, should furnish the clue to 'what is , just as much needed for the Sabbath r school. The following plan of operations would do much, it is believed, to help forward,these interests: Ist. Let each pastor oro'anize the officers, teachers and older pupils of the school or schools connected with his church, into a Teacher's Training Class, to meet weekly ; to be conducted by.the pastor oz by some one else whom. he may approve; to study not so much the lesson for the ensuing Sabbath; as the principles and art of teaching; and the leader Should be qualified to give:instruction in regard to the best manner of preparina 6 a Sabbath-school lesson; in the varied methods of teaching; in the art of' ques tioning and of illustration, in the use of the black board or, slate, and of objects and pictures; also in the duties and privileges of the teacher, as Well in his relations to his class, as to the school and to the churph. Beside instruction in these and kindred'topics much may be accomplished' in` the study of 'Biblicai, Geography, Antiquities, History and Theology.: The class may also be called upon to give specimen les sons, to propose( and, solve practical questions con nected with Sabbath-schools;, and, in general, to make as thorough preparations as practicable , for efficient services in this, good cause. The Committee are aware that such a plan will seem nearly Or quite impracticable to many pastors, partly because it - will take , time to prepare for it, and because many will think that they have not the v lftis necessary to conduct such a class with profit.' 6 can only answer that the object aimed at is worthy, cif the effort, and the Committee have no doubt that proper exertion will generally be crowned with com plete success. 2. It is recommended that the Committee,on,Sab bath:schools appointed by each - Presbytery, be di rected to make earnest effort to secure . the holding of at. least one Sabbath-school Teacher's Institute, each year, within the bounds of its presbytery. The Institute should' be 'held 'for two or more days, in charge of some suitable conductor, for instructions in the best method of. Sabbath:school; teaching. Detailed plans for such Institutes can be furnished to these Presbyterial Committees whenever desired. In conclusion, the Committee, are aware that, this is but the outline of a plan of operations„ which time' and experience might require us to Modify more or less, and which they certainly would enable us greatly to, improve. But the Committee think it equally evident that in order to fulfil the duties thus marked out for them, they need a Cc4rrespanding Sec retary; _43,ne• who shall not only give his whole time to the subject, but one who shall, bring to the office fullness of capacity; of knowledge and experience in all matters pertaining. to Sabbath-schodls; one who shall at once command the attention and respect of the Church and of the community at large; one who can edit our portion of The Presinitericm ; who can, when occasion requires, discuss the. various topics connected with. the Sabbath-school work more generally through the press; who can give lectures, make addresses, hold Institutes, and in every way practicable set forward the interests aimed at by the appointment of this Committee. The need of such a Secretary has so deeply im pressed the Committee, as they have tried in their successive meetings to turn the subject over, in all its bearings, that they feel warranted not only in recommending, but strenuously urging, that authori ty be given them by this . Assembly to. make such an appointment, as Soon as the right man' can be found for the place. The-Committee are willing to d o what they can in any event, but without a Secretaty they can accomplish but a tithe of that which seenis entirely practicable with such a leader. To , you Committee it seems as though we might as well be without a Secretary of Home Missions, or of Educa' cation, or of Church Erection, as without a Secre tary of Sabbath:schools. . But the practical question has already forced itself, we are aware, upon the minds of the Assembly: How Shall such a Secretary - be supported? We might first answer just as we support the Secretaries of the other Cominittes by the contributions of the churches. But some w i ll say We have so many col lections already that we cannot entertain another. We answer: It is not . another. We are already taking collections for Sabbath-school purposes. Why may. We not use, at least, a portion of these in this way? If, however, we can get the secretary, we do not fear for his support nor for the means with which he may give greater dignity, efficiency and breadth to our Sabbath-school operations. It only remains. to say, that in theclassification of the Committee made by lot, at their second meet ing, the following persons Were to serve three years, viz: Revs. W. E. Knox,D.D.. William A. Niles, Charles E. Knox, Ralph ells, Esq, and Edwin T. The following for two years, viz: Revs. James B. Shaw, D.D., Grosvenor W. Heacock, D.D.., Charles Hawley, D.D., George W. Paisons, Esq., and Tru man P. Handy, Esq. The following for one year, whose places it will be necessary for this General Assembly to fill, viz: Revs. Samuel M. Campbell, D.D., Charles P. Bush, Marvin R. Vincent, Josiah P. Bailey, Esq., .and Samel Field, Esq. All of which is respectfally submitted. CHARLES P. Busn, Secretary. JAMES B. SHAW, Chairman. The hour of adjournment (noon) having already passed, the Report of the DevotionalCommutee was presented and adopted. • Ott Monday evening, as in place of Home Mission Meeting; the Rev. Dr. Mall, Delegate from the Pres. Church of Ireland, was to preach before.the Assem bly in Dr. Shaw's Church; the Home Mission Meeting was transferred to Wednesday 'evening. FOUR= DAT-MONDAY MORNING. The animus of the prayer-meeting at half= past eight this morning was a remembrance of various churches, towns and colleges, for which prayers were asked' by- various Commissioners. The. &V. Dr. W. C. Wisner, of Lockport, spoke of the work of, grace in progress in his church, and the especial zeal with which his Elders are relieving him from a share of his labors. He hoped that a great- work was to be done in that church, and desired prayer in the Assembly for it., Dr. Cuyler, of Brooklyn, felt that if Presbyterian polity was justly followed up, our Elders generally would take, hold of Church duties more fa.i!hfully and steadily. They'owe it to the Church, tp them, selves .and.their- pastor; qind he was gletd- tothear such a good report of the Elders of whom Dr. Wis ner spoke. He attended a Church in this city yes-
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