often helps to deprive us of the very men we would most wish to secure. If you will apply the constitutional tests with more honest rigidity, you will have both a better class of young ministers, and more of them.

It rests with the Presbyteries to apply this remedy. If they will continue to perform this Presbyterial function remissly, it is vain for all other agencies in our Church to attempt the elevation of the grade of acquirement and diligence. Your theological faculties are not Presbyteries. It is not proper that they should arrogate the functions of those Church courts. They may elevate the grade of acquirement and industry required for obtaining their testimonials. It will not accomplish the object; the young man whom they reject may return to flout them with a license obtained in spite of their rejection; and it may be argued with some show of plausibility that it is not right that they should apply such a standard rigidly, even if it were not useless. It may be said their rejection may forestall and prejudice the claims of the unfortunate applicant before his Presbytery; and thus while the Book of Government gives the licensing power to the Presbytery alone, it may be virtually exercised by a junto of three or four professors. Whether this plea is just or not, it is clear that the teachers of theology cannot apply the remedy without the concurrence of the Presbyteries..

Mr. Moderator, I have occupied more of your time than I proposed, and I close with an apology for doing so.

Rev. Dr. Prime said:

Mr. Moderator, from the tone and the tendency of much that has been said in the course of this discussion, I must respectfully but very decidedly dissent. Unless something is said to arrest it, an impression will go forth from this house calculated to depress the ministry in public esteem, and deter young men from seeking that blessed work. As a minister of the Lord Jesus, I protest against many of the sentiments that I have heard this morning in this discussion.

It has been intimated that the ministers of our day are not an ablebodied set of men, and that they are short-lived. The tables of our Life Insurance Companies, compiled with the greatest care, and from the largest range of inquiry, place the clerical profession at the head, or nearly at the head, of all the classes into which the human family is divided; proving incontestably that they are not as a body the puny, weakly, decaying people that some of us are; but taken as a class they are longerlived than any other. The ministerial work is not unfavourable to health; its sacred pursuits, the peace of mind, the hopeful, trusting spirit it requires and begets, is friendly to health and long life. God wills it to be so, and it is so.

Again, it has been intimated that the ministry fails to secure the best talents, while our first-class young men are allured into other professions. I deny this as an asserted fact. Let the ministry, as it now is, be compared with any other profession, and I have no fear that it will suffer by the comparison. Put the pulpit of this city by the side of the bar of this city-the pulpit of this country by the bar of this country-extend the examination to England and Scotland, and the result shall be that for genius, learning, eloquence, all that goes to constitute true greatness in the profession, the pulpit is easily above every other, and in the estimation of the world itself. I have no fear of subjecting this remark to a practical test. I recall a case in point. In Virginia, a few years ago, a question

arose (about the taxation of the clergy, I believe), and the case was argued by one clergyman against the elite of the bar of the state, and as it was reported to me, he beat them all on their own ground, and was wrong besides. Sir, it is a slander on the ministry to say that the other professions get the best men. God calls to his peculiar service whom he pleases, and he does not take the poorest and leave the best to the service of the world.

And this leads me to notice another sentiment,-that the ministry fails to attract to itself the children of our most cultivated and refined families -the first families. Well, sir, it was always so; not with the ministry only, but with the Church itself. Not many noble, not many of the great, in this sense of the term, are called. But God calls the poor, the humble, the obscure. He calls them to this high calling, and they become noble and mighty; they become kings and priests before him; fathers, behind whom no man needs to go to trace his pedigree. Who cares to boast a nobler ancestry than the line of God's ministers? Whose blood is purer, more ennobled than this?

And why are we told that the ministry as it now is has no attractions? All the attractions it presents appeal to the heart that is renewed by grace divine. It ought to have attractions for no other. And to such a heart it has the highest that can be held out to allure and dazzle the most aspiring. Its dignity, its power, its usefulness, all that can absorb, and thrill, and excite the energies of a youthful soul yearning to be and to do all that his soul was formed for being and doing, even in this world; all, all are to be reached by the preaching of the word. There is no other field to be compared for an instant with it, for the exercise of every faculty that exalts man, and brings him into likeness and companionship with God. And then beyond, above, he sees the crown, the crown of glory that fadeth not. These are the attractions of the ministry; and is there aught else in the earth that can so fix and fire the soul that has been born of heaven? No, sir, let it not go out as the sentiment of this body, even by silent consent, that the ministry is not in all its aspects and relations the highest, noblest, and best of all callings that can employ the energies of a child of God.

Mr. Crozier-Nothing can exceed the importance of this work, when we consider the millions through all the earth needing the Gospel. But he would speak specially of the need of sympathy on the part of the Presbytery towards their candidates. He had himself, as a candidate, felt the need of it. There is the greatest necessity that the Presbyteries should watch most faithfully and fraternally over their young men-inquiring into their wants, their difficulties, and their religious experience. This necessity is imperative, if we would bring into the ministry a body of thoroughly faithful and efficient men.

Rev. Mr. Benedict was sure that all here must have been feasted. He had feasted himself. He therefore only rose to ask that the question should be taken.

Rev. P. Harrison thought that the statements referred to by Rev. Dr. Prime might seem like an imputation against either the ministry or the Legislature of Virginia. The truth was that there was no reference at all in that case to laying a tax upon the ministry. It had reference to an attempt to make a union between Church and State. Mr. Harrison detailed at length the history of the case. He objected also to the state

ments made, implying that the sons of the rich were unfitted for the ministry. It was not true. What is there in education and refinement to unfit a man for the ministry? If we send forth such a principle, we shall help to debar from the ministry many who might otherwise enter it. The fact is, that the more refined a man is, the better. Such men are drawn to the labour of the ministry by principle, and not driven to it by necessity. Let us draw no line which shall exclude the sons of any class from this noble work.

Dr. Junkin rose to make an explanation. He did not wish to have a sentiment put into his mouth which he did not utter. He would content himself with a simple disavowal. God forbid that he should be understood as deprecating refinement and elevation of social position as elements of qualifications in our candidates for the ministry. Would to God we had more who possess them! What he meant to say, and did say, was, that as things are, and in the present state of religion in. our country, it is not reasonably to be expected that a sufficient supply can be drawn from the more elevated social circles; and that we do not want those who, in body and in intellect, have been rendered effete by luxury. He disavowed altogether the man of straw which his brother from Virginia had been so eloquently whipping.

Dr. Prime accepted thankfully the explanation of the fact alluded to in respect to the controversy in Virginia. At the same time it must be seen that it only confirmed his position, that the ministry was too much for the lawyers.

Dr. Hewitt-God is no respecter of persons. He calls from the rich and the poor, as he pleases; and if any one is called from either class, he must say, "By the grace of God, I am what I am—not of flesh or blood, or of the will of man; but of God."

The Moderator would say on this subject a word, for it was dear to his heart. He had spent some of his best years in its service. He wished merely to suggest a change in the day of prayer for colleges. It occurs now at a season so inclement that their meetings are very sparse.

Judge Porter of Pennsylvania remarked that the impression had been made that prejudice existed against this Board. For his part, he could speak for his own section. He knew of no such prejudice. The Board was cordially welcomed by the people.

Rev. Dr. Thornwell wished only to indicate two principles embodied in the resolutions, for which he could not conscientiously vote:-1. That the Board extends its influence over institutions of learning. From this view he must entirely dissent. It was purely an eleemosynary institution for the education of a ministry. It had no part in these collegiate institutions. 2. The second principle was this: that education belongs exclusively to the Church. This also he must dissent from. It belongs to the parent, to the Church, and to the State. This was no place to discuss the subject. He would, therefore, only express his dissent. As the Scotch Presbyterians say in their Presbyteries, he had exonerated his conscience, and would stop there.

The Rev. P. Harrison also dissented from a part of the Report.

The Rev. A. Phillips, from Ogdensburg Presbytery, was in favour of` the views of the Report. He believed that the Church ought to take the child step by step from its earliest years. This very thing promised to be the salvation of our land. Where else can the work be done?

The

State schools are casting out the Bible. He hoped that the principles of the Board would prevail everywhere. He wished we had $100,000 for parochial schools instead of $5000. He thanked God that he had given the Church one man with so deep an interest in this matter. long be spared to fulfil this noble work!

May he The several resolutions were then separately, and then as a whole, read and finally adopted.

On reading the fifth resolution, it was moved that this resolution be struck out.

The Rev. Mr. James Williamson deprecated a negative vote on this resolution. If rejected, the principle would not stop here, but would run through all our Boards, and put down all the schools at our foreign mission stations.

The notion was put and lost.

A motion for ayes and noes was made and refused.

A motion to divide the resolution was lost.

The question was then taken on the resolution and carried.

On the sixth resolution, for the appointment of a day of prayer for schools and colleges, a motion was made to change the day. It was remarked that many could not come together on this day at that season of the year.

Remarks were made by Dr. Rice, Mr. Maltby, and others, resisting the change, on the ground that many other denominations adopted the same day. The influence of this evangelical union was too precious to be lost. The question on the motion to change the day was put and lost. The original resolution was then put and carried.

The Rev. Dr. Dickinson offered a resolution that a sermon on the subject of Ministerial Education be preached before the next Assembly, and that the Rev. Dr. Plumer be the preacher, and the Rev. Dr. Jones of Georgia, be his alternate.

The resolution was adopted.

BOARD OF PUBLICATION.

The order of the day was then taken up, and the Report of the Board of Publication was presented by the Corresponding Secretary, the Rev. William E. Schenck.

Abstract of the Eighteenth Annual Report of the Board of Publication.

The limits of the financial year of the Board have recently been changed, so that it will hereafter commence annually on the 1st of March, instead of the 1st of April. Owing to this change, the portion of time under review comprehends this year only eleven months.

The operations of the Board were presented under the three following heads. I. Production.

II. Distribution.

III. Sustentation.

:

I. Production.-The Publishing Agent reports that there have been issued 37 new works, viz. 16 new volumes, and 23 smaller publications. Of these new works there have been published 111,000 copies. The reprints of former publications have been 485,250 copies. Thus the total publications of the year have been 596,250 copies.

The total number of copies published since the organization of the Board, to March 1, 1856, has been 5,546,688.

There has been an increase in the number of copies of all kinds printed during the past year of 125,250 copies over the year preceding.

The largest work issued last year has been the "Assembly's Digest," by the Rev. Samuel J. Baird, a volume of 856 pages, which has received much commendation. The Board has also issued an edition of the "Life of Dr. A. Alexander," by Dr. J. W. Alexander. Several additions have also been made to the Board's list of German tracts.

Much attention has been given to the judicious increase of its Sabbath-school Library. An anxious desire is expressed for its enlargement, and suitable manuscripts are invited from ministers and laymen in every part of the Church.

Periodicals. Circulation of the Home and Foreign Record, 17,500 copies, being an increase within the year of 500 copies. Sabbath-School Visitor 43,000 copies, increase 2000 copies.

II. Distribution.-There are three distinct channels through which the publications of the Board reach the hands of the people.

1. Distribution by sales from the publishing-house to private individuals and booksellers. These have amounted during the eleven months now reported on, to 171,516 volumes, besides tracts, pamphlets, and periodicals. The value of these sales (including the Sabbath-School Visitor, but not the Record), has been $70,702 28.

2. Distribution by Colportage. In this department there has been great enlargement and encouragement during the past year.

The number of colporters commissioned within these eleven months has been 210, an increase of 37 over those of the preceding twelvemonth. These have been distributed throughout 28 States and Territories, as well as through all the British Provinces, from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to Lake Superior. They have also begun to occupy Oregon, California, Kansas, Nebraska, the Lake Superior mining region, and hitherto unoccupied portions of Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, and Florida.

These colporters have sold 125,700 volumes, an increase of 27,940 volumes sold. They have gratuitously distributed 13,913 volumes, an increase of 3133 volumes. They have also distributed gratuitously 1,046,964 pages of tracts. And they have visited 91,734 families, an increase of 12,642 families visited.

There is much evidence that the colporters have also increased in qualifications and efficiency during the past year, and that the Spirit of God has largely attended and blessed their labours.

3. Distribution by Donation of Executive Committee. This has amounted to 3269 volumes and 111,873 pages of tracts, which have been chiefly given to Sabbathschools, feeble churches, needy ministers, and to individuals for gratuitous distribution.

The total distributions of the eleven months have been as follows:

Total of volumes distributed,

besides tracts, pamphlets, and periodicals.

III.-Sustentation.-There has been so gratifying an increase in the receipts of the Board from every source this year, that for eleven months only they exceed those of the preceding twelve months. They have been as follows:

Total receipts from sales of books, tracts, and Sabbath

Total receipts of eleven months,

66

payments

66

school Visitor, .

Total receipts for Colportage,

Balance in Treasury of Board,

Balance of deficiency against Colportage Fund,

$88,596 20

86,039 03

70,702 28

14,497 28

17,033 96

2,852 67

Agencies. Not a single collecting agent has been commissioned during the past year. There is an evidently growing disposition on the part of pastors themselves to instruct and train their people in habits of benevolence, a tendency in which the Board greatly rejoices. During the past year the income of the Board has been derived from a larger number of Presbyteries and churches than ever before, although there has been no collecting agent in the field.