It has, moreover, strengthened our courage by the development of im portant principles. It has shown that there is a responsive loyalty among us to the projects and behests of the Assembly; it has demonstrated the important fact that we are a thoroughly organized body, and that by our Presbyterian polity even so great a mass may be marshaled and wielded in the great work of Christian conquest. Nor can it be doubted that the experiment of this Memorial has permanently enlarged the scale of benevolence among us. Whatever may be said of the use which the churches have made of their gifts, the great and notable fact is that such vast amounts of money have been given at all for religious purposes, and given mainly with a sincere desire to accomplish the highest good. It is not a light thing that in this worldly age, and amid the business discouragements which have marked the year, and with the current expenditures of all the churches still continued, and with seven regular Boards to be maintained in full operation, so many extra millions of dollars should have been contributed for the permanent interests of Christ's kingdom. The fact itself is the best possible monument of reunion. The spectacle of such a movement is full of encouragement and hope.

And lest it should be said by any that these are not extra amounts, but that we have only recorded the average structural work of average years, the Committee have been at some pains to learn what has been done outside of the Memorial reckoning; and they find that by the common impulse, which even under protest could not wholly be resisted, more than two millions of dollars, not included in this report, have been raised during the Memorial Period for the same kinds of work. This is abundant proof that the five millions which it was resolved to raise may be set down as a clear gain, above all previous years of our history as a Church. The Committee are free to confess, that even their highest hopes have been more than realized in this respect. And when they contrast the discouragements that hung over their early efforts with the general response that has at length been given, they are impressed with the fact that the result is not due to skillful management, nor to faithful labors, nor to any human influence, but to the special power of the Spirit of God moving so many hearts in all parts of the land to a common effort.

It is due to some of the best men in the Church, who from the first have doubted the policy of such a movement, to say that they have, nevertheless, in other ways helped forward the cause of Christ in proportionate degrees. It is partly due to the special efforts of such that the Boards have been so well sustained. The Committee rejoice in their efforts, also, nay, and will rejoice, since every way God is glorified.

In viewing the labors of the year, the Committee take great pleasure in acknowledging the great assistance afforded them by the weekly religious press of the denomination. Perhaps never before has the power of the religious press in promoting great Church enterprises been so fully illus trated. To human view it is difficult to see how, without this valuable agency, the work of the Committee could have been accomplished. To the Evangelist, the Presbyterian, the Interior, the Observer, the Herald and Presbyter, the Banner, and the Occident, the thanks not only of the Committee, but of the whole Church, are due for their efficient aid. The Committee would also make grateful mention of the fact that furnished offices have been placed at their disposal during the year by Phelps, Dodge & Co., and that similar courtesies were tendered them by Brown Brothers & Co. and others in New York.

In presenting the actual statistics of the work, it should be premised that, owing to the tardiness of the returns from many churches, our Re

port is necessarily incomplete. Much work known to have been accomplished is too late for this presentation. Some of the returns alsɔ have been so indistinct that a satisfactory comparison of college reports with those of churches, with a view to avoiding repetition, has been wellnigh impossible. And, as the Committee have preferred to err on the safe side, they have in all cases of uncertainty ruled out college reports, though fully persuaded that by these means $200,000 are excluded from their footings. Owing to the same difficulty, no account has been made of the reports of special Memorial gifts returned by the Boards and by the Women's Societies. Large sums, also, gathered from individuals for churches in the West, have been excluded on account of uncertainty, though it is believed that many of them have not been reported by donors. It was the first intention of the Committee to report individual donors in some cases by name; but the difficulty of a proper discrimination has been found to be so great, that such names are simply entered on the Memorial Records, while to the public they are reported in the aggregate under a general miscellaneous head.

The classification of money received and reported thus far is as follows: For new Church Buildings, $3,236,475.61; Manses, $682,884.05; Repairs and Enlargement, $733,707.60; Payment of Debts, $1,083,478.72; Institutions of Learning, $1,405,548.66; Permanent Institutions in Foreign Lands, $93,509.96; Special Gifts to the Boards, $60,340.40; Hospitals, $48,665.35; Relief Fund and Sustentation, $41,150.46; Presbyterian Houses, $46,882.37; amounts not specified by the churches reporting them, $162,681.10; expenses of the Committee, $11,175.63. It is with profound gratitude to God that the Committee announce as the total amount reported up to 12 o'clock to-day, SEVEN MILLION, SIX HUNDRED

AND SEVEN THOUSAND, FOUR HUNDRED AND NINETY-NINE DOLLARS AND

NINETY-ONE CENTS ($7,607,499.91).

At the close of the reading of the Report, the whole Assembly arose spontaneously and sang the Doxology,

"Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,"

after which, by invitation of the Moderator, the Rev. John Hall, D. D., gave thanks to God for his great goodness.

The Report was then accepted, and referred to a special committee of fifteen to suggest suitable action thereon.-1871, pp. 513-519.

[For the Report of the above Committee see Minutes 1871, pp. 552-555.]

Final Report of the Memorial Fund Committee.

The order of the day, viz., the Report of the Committee on the Memorial Fund, was presented and approved, as follows:

The Memorial Fund Committee, having, by order of the last General Assembly, been continued for another year, beg leave to report, that they continued to admit contributions, as directed, till August 1, 1871, after which preparations were made for the publication of a report of all contributions from all churches, arranged by Presbyteries and Synods. That report was published early in October last, and a copy was sent to each church contributing to the fund. The contributions were given in two classes only, and the gift of individuals, not embraced in church contributions, were presented in the aggregate. With this tabular report, a brief documentary history of the inception, prosecution, and completion of the work was given, and the whole was published in neat form, by De Witt C. Lent & Co., 451 Broome street, New York, from whom extra copies may

still be obtained, at 75 cents and $1 per copy, according to the style of binding.

The Committee has not dared to expect that no errors would be found in a work which embraces nearly $8,000,000, reported hurriedly, and in many cases very imperfectly, and the greater part within a few weeks. But it has been agreeably surprised that so few errors have been pointed out, and those, for the most part, such as rose from defective reporting. In order to secure greater accuracy, the manuscripts were offered for public inspection at the last Assembly, and Commissioners from the various Presbyteries were invited to aid the Committee in making corrections.

The entire amount reported as subscribed, up to August 1, 1871, was $7,833,983.85. As there has always been some difference of sentiment, in regard to the range of objects which should have been regarded as properly Memorial objects, it may be well to observe, that the aggregate was sufficiently large to admit of many restrictions, and yet leave at least the $5,000,000, which the Church set out to raise. Deducting all special gifts to the Boards, and all that was expended in the payment of church debts, there will remain $6,662,269.54. Striking out $500,000, as probably spent in repairs, we still have $6,162,269.54.

With even the strictest construction, therefore, more than the amount originally intended has been fairly raised.

The number of certificates issued has been 36,000. They have been made out for those only for whom they have been requested, and all names of those receiving them, so far as given to the Committee, have been recorded in the books of registry of certificates, constituting three volumes. There has in many cases been considerable delay, partly due to the lateness of the applications for certificates, and partly to the fact that the engraved copies could not be supplied with sufficient rapidity to meet the demand. The labor of filling out so large a number of certificates, and sending them to their proper destination, has been so great, that for some months several persons were employed, wholly or in part, in the work. One clerk was retained for this purpose until January 1st of the present year. The disbursements, which have been made of money actually received into the treasury in New York, are given in a tabular statement. Many of these were directed to specified objects by the donors; in other cases, the Committee have been compelled to select, from a large number of applicants, those which seemed to them to have the highest claim.

The Treasurer's account, which is also appended, has been audited up to date, and the small balance of $485.87 remaining in the treasury, after defraying all expenses, has, by a vote of the Committee, been passed over to the Treasurer of the Board of Foreign Missions, for permanent structures on a foreign field.

It is recommended that the records of the Committee, including registers of names, letter-books, etc., together with copies of the published report, be made over to the Presbyterian Historical Society, in Philadelphia.

Copies of the report have been sent to the libraries of the various Colleges and Theological Seminaries connected with the Church.

Having thus completed the work assigned to it by the General Assembly, the Committee would respectfully ask to be discharged. The memorial effort now belongs to the past, while other and greater interests challenge the attention of our beloved Church.

The Committee on the Memorial Fund were, at their own request, dis charged.-1872, p. 16.

CHAPTER II.

OF THE CHURCH.

I. JESUS CHRIST, who is now exalted far above all principality and power, hath erected in this world, a kingdom, which is his church. II. The universal church consists of all those persons, in every nation, together with their children, who make profession of the holy religion of Christ, and of submission to his laws.

III. As this immense multitude cannot meet together, in one place, to hold communion, or to worship God, it is reasonable, and warranted by Scripture example, that they should be divided into many particular churches.

IV. A particular church consists of a number of professing Christians, with their offspring, voluntarily associated together, for divine worship, and godly living, agreeably to the Holy Scriptures; and submitting to a certain form of government.*

1. Mode of Organization of New Churches.

The Committee to whom was recommitted the report of the last Assembly, on the organization of new churches, reported again, and their report was read and adopted, and is as follows, viz.:

That a particular Presbyterian church, so far as adults are concerned, is constituted and organized as such, by a number of individuals, professing to walk together as the disciples of Jesus Christ, on the principles of the Confession of Faith and Form of Government of the Presbyterian Church, and the election and ordination of one or more ruling elders, who, by the ordination service become the spiritual rulers of the persons voluntarily submitting themselves to their authority in the Lord.

a. This organization ought always to be made by application to the Presbytery, within the bounds of which the church to be organized is found, unless this be exceedingly inconvenient, in which case it may be done by a duly authorized missionary, or a neighboring minister of the gospel.

b. At the time appointed for the purpose, after prayer for divine direction and blessing, the presiding minister, or committee appointed by the Presbytery should first receive from those persons to be organized into the new church, if they have been communicants in other churches, letters of dismission and recommendation; and in the next place, examine and admit to a profession of faith, such persons as may offer themselves, and may be judged suitable to be received on examination. If any of these persons admitted to a profession on examination, have not been baptized, they should in this stage of the business be made the subjects of Christian baptism.

c. The individuals ascertained in the foregoing manner to be desirous and prepared to associate as a church of Christ, should now, by some public formal act, such as rising, joining hands, or subscribing a written state

* A larger type is used to indicate to the reader that the parts thus printed re from the FORM OF GOVERNMENT, BOOK OF DISCIPLINE, or DIRECTORY FOR WR

ment, agree and covenant to walk together in a church relation, according to the acknowledged doctrines and order of the Presbyterian Church.

d. The next step is to proceed to the election and ordination of ruling elders, in conformity with the directions given on this subject in the Form of Government of the Presbyterian Church.

Deacons are to be elected and ordained in like manner as in the case of ruling elders.

e. When a church has been organized in the manner already described, report of the same should be made, as soon as practicable, to the Presbytery within whose bounds it is located. And when a missionary, or other minister of the gospel, not especially appointed to the work by a Presbytery, has, in the manner above specified, organized a church, not within. the known bounds of any Presbytery, the church thus organized should as soon as practicable make known to some Presbytery, with which it may be most naturally and conveniently connected, the time and manner of its organization, and desire to be received under the care of said Presbytery.

In cases in which churches are to be formed within the known boundaries of any Presbytery, it is most desirable that persons wishing to be organized as a Presbyterian Church, should petition that Presbytery to receive them under its care for the purpose of organizing them in due form. f. There may be people in destitute portions of our land, who may be disposed to associate for the purpose of forming a Presbyterian congregation, when no minister of the gospel can be obtained to aid them. The forming of associations for such a purpose, in the circumstances contemplated, should be considered not only as lawful, but highly commendable. And such associations, when formed, should, as speedily as possible, take measures for obtaining the preaching of the gospel, and for becoming organized as regular churches.

g. Cases may also occur, in various places, in which a collection or association of people may desire the preaching of the gospel, and be willing, in whole or in part, to support it, and yet may not have suitable men among them to sustain the office of ruling elders.

Such people may and ought to obtain a preacher of the gospel to labor among them, and occasionally to administer ordinances, under the direction of some Presbytery, till they shall find themselves in circumstances to make a proper choice of ruling elders, and to have them regularly set apart to their office.-1831, pp. 326, 327.

α.

2. Who are the Constituent Members of a Church?

"A particular church consists of a number of professing Christians, with their offspring, voluntarily associated together for divine worship, and godly living, agreeably to the Holy Scriptures; and submitting to a certain form of government."-Form of Government, Ch. ii., Sec. iv.

b. "Children, born within the pale of the visible church, and dedicated to God in baptism, are under the inspection and government of the church."-Directory, Ch. ix., Sec. i.

c. "Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus. Christ, . . for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible church. ."-Confession, Ch. xxviii., Sec. i.

d. "Not only those that do actually profess faith in, and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one or both believing parents are to be baptized."--Ib., Ch. xxviii., Sec. iv.

3. Of Trustees and Charters.

a. It is not inconsistent with the Presbyterian plan of government, nor the institution of our Lord Jesus Christ, that Trustees, or a committee