the Plan of the Theological Seminary was amended in the following manner: viz.

There shall be two vacations in the Seminary, of six weeks continuance each, in every year, to commence at such times as the Board of Directors may deem most expedient.

The committee to which was referred the report of the Directors of the Theological Seminary, to ascertain the parts of it which require the attention of the Assembly, reported; and their report, being read and amended, was adopted, and is as follows: viz.

Resolved, 1st. That the Assembly have heard, with lively pleasure, of the exertions which have been made by associations of pious and benevolent females, for the support of such students in the Theological Seminary as needed pecuniary aid, and of the discreet and delicate manner in which this aid has been afforded: and the Assembly recommend the continuance and increase of those Associations, so ornamental to religion, and so highly important to the vital interests of this infant Institution.

2. That the Assembly recommend to the ministers and members of their communion the donation and collection of books for the Theological Seminary; remarking that the possession of an extensive library is of the utmost importance to the Seminary, and that many books most necessary to this library may be presented to it without any sensible inconvenience or expense to those who possess them.

3. That the sum of four thousand dollars be put at the disposal of the Directors of the Theological Seminary, for defraying the necessary expenses of the same, for the ensuing year, together with the unexpended balance of the appropriation of the last year amounting to $908 25.

4. That the Trustees of this Assembly be directed to receive and hold for the use of the Theological Seminary, the transfers which have been made, or shall be made, of property bequeathed to the Seminary.

5. That the Assembly earnestly recommend it not only to their agents, but to their ministers and members, to encourage, wherever they have influence, the patronage of this Seminary, by donations and by bequests; remembering that it is from this source, chiefly that the Institution must probably be indebted for its permanent funds and support.

The committee to which was referred the consideration of several resolutions contained in the report of the Directors of the Theological Seminary, reported the following resolutions, which were adopted: viz.

Resolved, 1. That it be, and it hereby is, earnestly recommended to the congregations in connexion with this Assembly, to countenance and promote the formation of societies in aid of the Theological Seminary ;—that such societies when formed report themselves to the Rev. John M'Dowell, of Elizabeth-town, New-Jersey, Secretary to the Board of Directors of the Seminary, and forward the monies collected by them to Mr. Isaac Snowden, of Philadelphia, Treasurer of the Trustees of the Assembly.

2. That districts be assigned to the agents appointed for the ensuing year to solicit contributions to the Seminary; that in the prosecution of this business, the agents who are ministers of the Gospel, taking the advice of the Pastors, among whose people they solicit, preach when convenient, on the sabbath previously to their making personal application for subscriptions;-that the Agents, if they have pastoral charges, provide supplies for their pulpits, during their attention to this business, at the expense of the General Assembly.

The committee appointed to prepare and report a plan for forming Societies to aid the funds of the Theological Seminary, reported, and their report being read and amended, was adopted, and is as follows: viz.

It is a fact well known, that the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of Ame

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rica, instituted sometime since a Theological Seminary, for the great and good purpose of securing to the Church of Christ a competent supply of learned and evangelical ministers. Their harvest truly is great, and greatly increasing, and the labourers few. The truth of this remark is established by the consideration, that four hundred organized congregations within their limits are not yet steadily supplied with gospel ordinances. Their missionary ground on the frontiers, as also among the Indians and Blacks, is very extensive. While God in his providence is inclining an unusual number of our pious young men to consecrate their lives and talents to the service of the Sanctuary, and the means of their classical education, by the exertions of the friends of Zion, are constantly encreasing, shall they be left unprepared for the great work of the Lord, for the want of proper theological instruction? Shall they long in vain for this holy employment? Shall so great a portion of our churches, and our frontier settlements be suffered to lie desolate and in ruins, when the means of qualifying them for this employment are obviously within our power?

It is conceived that no man who loves his country, or who loves our Lord Jesus Christ, and the souls of men, in sincerity, can want motives to induce him to lend his aid in accomplishing an object so immensely important.

With sanguine hopes of success, therefore, the General Assembly proffer their claims to the charity of those who feel an interest in the support of our invaluable civil and political Institutions. Every free government, constituted like ours, depends primarily and essentially, for its existence, on the moral principles and habits of the people. Where the word of life is not statedly preached, and the ordinances of the Gospel administered, the sabbath of the Lord will be profaned; and experience proves uniformly and unequivocally, that idleness, intemperance, gambling, and ungovernable licentiousness both in principles and conduct are the inevitable consequences. Will then the lovers of rational liberty, will the friends of our beloved country, refuse to contribute a pittance of the substance which God has entrusted to them, to so noble an object? to secure to themselves and to their children, and even to their children's chil

dren, the inestimable privileges which were purchased by the sufferings, and transmitted to them, by the wisdom and labours of their fathers. It is confidently believed that few will be found, who duly appreciate the worth of their own souls and of the souls of their fellow sinners, who will not cheerfully do something for Christ; something to advance the cause of his heritage, when they consider that it is He who loved them, and died to redeem them. Remember, brethren, that all which you possess is the Lord's; and if you devote a portion of what he has given you to his service, he can easily increase the remainder an hundred fold. The righteous giveth and spareth not. Remember also the divine promise, that he that giveth to the poor shall not lack; and that our Saviour himself hath declared, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." It is but little that is asked of you. Come then, beloved brethren, cast your mite into the treasury of the Lord; and the blessed effects of your charity, it is trusted, will be experienced by thousands when you and your children shall be sleeping in your graves.

The General Assembly earnestly recommend to the several congregations in their connexion the formation. of societies for the above purpose. And they solicit especially ministers and elders strenuously to exert themselves to form one such society within their own congregation. The Assembly cannot but flatter themselves that their recommendation will be generally regarded; and they are confident, should this be the fact, that ample means will be furnished for the accomplishment of their object.

They submit therefore the following plan, as the one most likely, in their opinion, to meet with success.

Article 1. This society shall be denominated-Society for aiding the Theological Seminary of the General Assembly.

2. Any person may become a member of this Society by subscribing and paying the sum of one dollar, and may continue a member by paying the same sum annually. And any person by paying at one time the sum of twenty dollars, may become a member for life.

3. The officers of the society shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer, and a committee of three persons; whose duty it shall be to solicit subscriptions to this institution, and to collect the subscriptions which shall not have been regularly paid into the treasury.

4. There shall be an annual meeting of the society; at which time the officers shall be chosen by ballot, for the year ensuing, and a clergyman appointed to preach a sermon to the society at their next annual meeting.

5. The treasurers of the several societies shall pay annually to the treasurer of the Presbytery within whose bounds they are, such sums as by them shall have been collected, to be by him transmitted to the treasurer of the trustees of the General Assembly.