Ministerial members absent-J. C. K. Milligan, D. McAllister, J. B. Williams, J. C. Taylor, A. W. Johnston, N. R. Johnston, D. Metheny, Henry Easson, A. McFarland, J. M. Armour, James Love, R. Hutcheson, R. Johnson, J. Neill, A. C. Todd, S. M. Stevenson, J. A. Thompson.

Of the members absent at the last meeting, J. R. Thompson, D. C. Faris, J. W. Shaw, A. Stevenson, R. J. Sharpe, R. M. C. Thompson, and D. H. Coulter, gave reasons which were sustained. It was noted that A. McFarland, J. Neill and R. Johnson are still absent in consequence of long-continued and probably hopeless illness.

The Rev. J. R. Thompson was chosen Moderator for the ensuing year; the Rev. T. P. Stevenson was continued Clerk, and the Rev. J. W. Sproull, Assistant Clerk.

The Revs. A. J. McFarland, J. M. Faris and E. G. Elsey, with elders McCandless and Paisley, were appointed a Committee on Unfinished Business.

It was agreed that the hours of meeting be from 9 o'clock in the morning to 12 noon, and from 2 to 5 P. M.

Presbyteries received permission to hold meetings during the session of Synod, and also to present calls to any of the licentiates under the care of Synod.

The Revs. A. M. Milligan and Prof. D. B. Willson, with elder Jas. Milroy, were appointed a Committee on Devotional Exercises.

It was ordered that a Committee on National Reform be added to the list of Standing Committees, the Permanent Committee on National Reform to be discharged after its report to this meeting of Synod.

Sharon Church, Iowa, was chosen as the place for the next meeting /of Synod.

A motion to abolish the Travelling Fund, with an amendment to abolish the pro rata feature of the fund, was, after discussion, referred to a special committee, consisting of Rev. D. S. Faris and elder James Wiggins.

After prayer by the Rev. S. O. Wylie, Synod took a recess to 3 o'clock.

AFTERNOON SESSION.

The court came to order at 3 o'clock. The Revs. J. Galbraith, John Wallace, T. M. Elder and H. P. McClurkin appeared and took their

seats.

The moderator appointed the following Standing Committees: Presbyterial Reports-Revs. Crowe, Trumbull, Graham; elders McGibbon and J. R. Wilson.

Discipline-Revs. Sloane, James Kennedy, J. C. Boyd; elders Neely and Lamont.

Signs of the Times-Revs. A. Stevenson, S. O. Wylie, French; elders W. Kennedy and T. Young.

Theological Seminary and Board of Education-Revs. W. P. Johnston, Somerville, D. J. Shaw; elders Gilchrist and S. A. Sterrett.

Foreign Correspondence-Revs. Lynd, R. J. George and Boggs; elders Hargrave and Robinson.

Temperance-Revs. Bayles, Martin, R. C. Wylie; elders Law and

Bovard.

Travelling Fund-Revs. McFall, P. P. Boyd, T. A. Sproull; elders D. Boyd and J. McCartney.

Finance-Revs. Gregg, J. S. T. Milligan, W. F. George; elders McAfee and Kirkpatrick.

Missions-Revs. R. B. Cannon, J. M. Beattie, Coulter; elders Wiggins and Hunter.

National Reform-Revs. A. M. Milligan, W. McFarland, Robb; elders A. W. Cavin and W. Magee.

Committee on Records of Presbyteries-New York Presbytery: R. Reed, R. J. Sharpe, Isaiah Faris; elders T. D. Dunn, J. S. C. McNaughton. Philadelphia Presbytery: J. W. Shaw, R. M. C. Thompson, J. C. McFeeters; elders Harriman, J. Scott. Rochester Presbytery: D. S. Faris, M. A. Gault, D. Gregg; elders T. K. Semple, J. B. Parker. Pittsburgh Presbytery: W. W. McMillan, T. J. Allen, T. P. Robb; elders T. Walker, Hugh Harvey. Ohio Presbytery: R. D. Sproull, J. C. K. Faris, J. C. Smith; elders R. Patterson, D. McKnight. Lakes Presbytery: Joshua Kennedy, D. J. Shaw, Josiah Dodds; elders Caldwell, Thomas Orr. Illinois Presbytery: J. A. Black, S. R. Wallace, J. H. Boggs; elders W. McDonald, P. A. Mayne. Iowa Presbytery: S. Carlisle, D. C. Martin, J. F. Crozier; elders A. Miller, R. S. Edgar. Kansas Presbytery: N. M. Johnston, J. A. Spear, P. H. Wylie; elders J. Ewing, W. Cannon.

The Committee on Devotional Exercises reported as follows:

Report of Committee on Devotional Exercises.

Your committee would recommend that the last half hour of to-day's session, and of subsequent morning sessions, be spent in devotional exercises, and would suggest the following subjects for prayer and conference:

Wednesday-The aid of the Spirit of God in the church, and how to secure it. Elder J. Wiggins to preside.

Thursday-How to develop the efficiency of the membership of our congregations. Rev. C. D. Trumbull.

Friday-The youth of the church; their education, and how to win them. to Christ. Elder W. Neely.

Saturday-Personal piety. Rev. Joseph Beattie.

Monday-How to preach the Gospel so as to reach the hearts of men. Rev. James Kennedy.

Tuesday-National Religion. Rev. Dr. Sloane.

A. M. MILLIGAN,
D. B. WILLSON,

JAMES MILROY,

Committee.

The Revs. J. Lynd and D. C. Faris were appointed a committee to prepare a report of the proceedings of Synod for the public journals. Announcement was made of the death of two ministerial members of Synod, the Revs. William Milroy and James Wallace, since our last meeting. The Revs. T. Sproull and P. H. Wylie, with elder David Boyd, were appointed to prepare a minute in reference to Mr. Milroy, and the Revs. A. Stevenson and D. S. Faris, with elder William Kennedy, to prepare a minute concerning Mr. Wallace.

A committee consisting of Rev. D. S. Faris and Prof. D. B. Willson, with elder James Wiggins, was appointed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a publication agency, with reference especially to the psalms, catechisms and other books required in our own church. Papers were received and disposed of as follows:

No. 1. Report of the Syrian Mission. Read and referred to Committee on Presbyterial Reports.

No. 2. Letter from Synod in Ireland. Read and referred to Committee on Foreign Correspondence.

No. 3. Memorial from session of the 2d congregation, New York. Referred to a special committee consisting of Profs. J. R. W Sloane and T. Sproull, with Rev. H. P. McClurkin, and elders Kirkpatrick and Lamont.

Nos. 4 and 5, being memorials and petitions from the sessions of Coldenham and the 4th congregation, New York, were referred to the same committee.

No. 6. Letter and petition from Rev. J. Neill. The Synod expresses its deep and prayerful sympathy with Mr. Neill in his sore and long continued affliction. The request contained in his letter was referred to the Committee on Finance.

No. 7. Communication from Rev. Joseph Hamilton, was read and referred to the Committee on Discipline.

The Committee on Unfinished Business reported. Item 1 was laid on the table for the present.

Item 2, being the report of the Committee to Revise the Terms of Communion, was made the order of the day for to-morrow morning.

Elders John A. Forsythe, of North Union congregation, and John Stitt, of Muskingum and Tomika, whose certificates were not present, were, on motion, received as members of the court.

The Special Committee on the Travelling Fund reported a recommendation that the fund remain without change for the present year, and that a special committee be appointed to obtain the judgment of all the sessions in reference to the continuance of the present plan or the adoption of a new one, and report to the next meeting of Synod. Revs. J. McCracken and James Kennedy, with clder William Neely, said

committee.

After a half hour of devotional exercises Synod adjourned, with prayer by the Rev. A. M. Milligan, to meet to-morrow morning at 9 o'clock.

THURSDAY'S PROCEEDINGS.

May 24, 1877.

Synod came to order at 9 o'clock, and was constituted with prayer by the moderator. Members all present except Allen, Boggs, McGibbon and Neely, who soon appeared. The Revs. H. H. George, J. McCracken, J. L. McCartney and M. Wilkin appeared and took their

seats.

The minutes of yesterday's session were read and approved.

The Rev. T. Sproull tendered his resignation as stated clerk of Synod, and the Rev. S. O. Wylie was appointed in his place.

Leave of absence was granted to elder John R. Renfrew, on account of sickness.

Paper No. 8, being Report of the Treasurer of the Board of Foreign Missions, was referred to the Committee on Finance.

No. 9. Report of Treasurer of the Southern Mission, was referred to the same committee.

No. 10. Report of Treasurer of Domestic Mission. Referred to the same committee.

No. 11. Report of the Treasurer of Synod's Board of Trustees. Referred to the same committee.

No. 12. Report of the Board of Trustees. Same reference.

No. 13. Report of the Treasurer of the Board of Education. Same reference.

No. 11. Letter from the Rev. N. R. Johnston. Read and referred to the Committee on Missions.

The credentials of the Rev. A. D. Clark, D. D., delegate to this Synod from the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church, were presented, and the order of the day was suspended that he might at once address the court. After a reply by the moderator in fitting terms, it was

Resolved, That this Synod has listened with deep pleasure to the address of the delegate from the United Presbyterian Church; that we reciprocate cordially the sentiments of fraternal regard which he has conveyed to us; that we rejoice in the fellowship which these two churches have in various parts of the Lord's work, and that we earnestly pray for the blessing of the Spirit on the ministry, the General Assembly now in session, and the whole body of the church which he represents.

The credentials of the Rev. Samuel Young, delegate to this Synod

from the General Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, were presented, and the hearing of his address was made the order of the day for Saturday morning at 10 o'clock.

The second item in the report of the Committee on Unfinished Business, being the report of the Committee on Revision of the Terms of Communion, was taken up. While this was under consideration the hour for business expired, and after a half hour spent in devotional exercises, Synod took a recess, after prayer, until 2 o'clock.

AFTERNOON SESSION.

Synod resumed its session at the appointed hour. Members all present except Joseph Beattie, William Cannon, H. McCandless, McClelland, A. M. Milligan, Paisley and Sterrett, who soon appeared.

The subject under consideration at the hour of recess was resumed, and it was resolved that the Revs. T. Sproull, James Kennedy, J. R. W. Sloane, J. W. Shaw and D. B. Willson, with elders William Neely and James Wiggins, be appointed to prepare for the consideration of Synod a statement of the fourth term of communion embodying the covenant of 1871, and to report on Monday morning.

The Report of the Board of Foreign Missions was read and referred to the Committee on Missions. The chairman of the Board tendered anew his resignation of that position, and it was referred to the ComImittee on Missions."

The Central Board of Missions reported, and the report was referred to the Committee on Missions.

Papers Nos. 15, 16 and 17, being memorials from the congregations of 2d Philadelphia, Central Allegheny and Wilkinsburg, were referred to the special committee to which papers 3, 4 and 5 were referred on yesterday.

The Committee on Foreign Correspondence was directed to ask information as to the grounds of the recent action of the Synod in Ireland on the jury question, and to inform them that the practice of the church in America is uniformly in accordance with the standing law of the church on this subject.

Presbyteries were directed to report to-morrow morning at 16 o'clock.

Leave of absence was granted to elder A. Miller until Monday morning.

Synod adjourned with prayer by the Rev. R. M. Somerville.

FRIDAY'S PROCEEDINGS.

MORNING SESSION.

May 25, 1877. The Synod met at 9 o'clock, and was constituted with prayer by the moderator. All the members were present except Graham, McAnlis and McCracken, who soon appeared, and elder Thomas Walker, who, it was announced, had been suddenly recalled, by urgent business, to his home. The Revs. S. Bowden and J. R. Hill, not heretofore present, appeared and took their seats.