teachers needed; such teachers to be recommended by the Presbyteries in which they are, and commissioned by the Board. It is expected that the funds for such schools will be raised by ladies mainly.-Adopted 1877, p. 513.

c. The Woman's Executive Committee of Home Missions.

We call the attention of the Assembly to the fact that, according to their advice, a "Woman's Executive Committee of Home Missions of the Presbyterian Church" has been formed, having its office and treasurer in New York.-1879, p. 594.

[See Report Board of Home Missions, 1879, pp. 678, 679; 1881, p. 531.] d. Relations of the Boards of Home and Foreign Missions to the Work in the Indian Territory, and among the Chinese in the United States. The Special Committee appointed on the Relations of the Boards of Home and Foreign Missions to the work in the Indian Territory and among the Chinese in the United States (Minutes 1884, p. 94), made its report, which was adopted and is as follows:

The subject of the relations of the Boards of Home and Foreign Missions to the work in the Indian Territory and among the Chinese in the United States, was referred by the General Assembly of 1884 to the two Boards, and by them to a Special Committee. This Committee, which was composed of three members of each Board, met in conference with the secretaries, and then in private session, and reached the following conclusions:

It was evident to the Committee that the general policy of our Church has regarded pagan or heathen tribes, and the representatives of such nations resident in the United States, as the especial charge of the Board of Foreign Missions. This Board, originally organized for such work at home and abroad, has the experience and the methods which are peculiarly adapted to the evangelization of an idolatrous people. For many years the work has been efficiently prosecuted, until now its success is manifest in a public sentiment which is demanding citizenship for the Indians and education for the Chinese. The Indians are rapidly coming to an appreciation of the necessity and the privilege of Christian modes of life. In villages and towns they are beginning to welcome the missionary and teacher, who will instruct them in the English language. The time cannot be distant when these tribes will all cease to be regarded as aliens or foreigners. Already in certain instances this desirable result has been reached. Located within the bounds of Presbyteries, they have churches and schools, and are practically under the supervision of the judicatories of our Church. They no longer make an appeal as pagan or heathen populations, but naturally look to the Board of Home Missions for counsel and aid. In view of these circumstances, which are gratefully recognized as an evidence of God's blessing upon the labors of the past, the Committee agreed to recommend that

Where work is done by the Board of Foreign Missions among the Indians on the fixed basis of the tribes and in their own language, no change be made; but that all other work among the Indians, where only the English language is employed, be under the care of the Board of Home Missions, and that local details be under the direction of the Presbyteries, thus carrying out, so far as possible, the declared wishes of the General Assembly as to giving the Indians the privileges of citizenship. With a recognition of the general policy already stated, it was not deemed wise to disturb the present arrangements respecting the evangeli

zation of the Chinese in the United States. They must still be addressed as a pagan or heathen people, who have never exhibited a desire to settle among us. Coming largely from the vicinity of Canton, and using the Cantonese dialect, they can be advantageously reached by the Board of Foreign Missions, which has missionaries and agencies in China. They are chiefly resident beyond the Rocky Mountains, where the San Francisco mission, looking directly out upon Asia, exerts a wide influence. the towns and cities of the East they are accessible to Christian effort, which may be exerted by churches or individuals. Therefore, with reference to their interests, the Committee decided upon the adoption of the following minute:

In

The general work among the Chinese in the United States shall continue under the direction of the Board of Foreign Missions, with the expectation that local churches will care for the representatives of this race who may be within their bounds, as a part of their parish work. All of which is respectfully submitted.

Approved by the Board of Home Missions at its meeting held March 24, 1885. O. E. BOYD, Recording Secretary. Approved by the Board of Foreign Missions at its meeting held April 6, 1885. F. F. ELLINWOOD, Recording Secretary.

-1885, pp. 595-597.

IV. THE BOARD OF PUBLICATION.

[See Digest, pp. 433-441.]

10. Relations of the Missionary and Publishing Departments.

a. The report of the Special Committee on the Missionary Department of the Board of Publication was then taken up and adopted. The report is as follows:

The Committee appointed by the General Assembly of 1881 to consider and report to the next General Assembly what changes and measures, if any, are needed in order to increase the work and efficiency of the Missionary Department of the Board of Publication, would respectfully submit the following report:

[See report in full, Minutes 1882, pp. 73-80. and adopted is as follows:-M.]

The action recommended

1. That the General Assembly instruct the Board of Publication to maintain a separation as complete as practicable between the Publishing and the Colportage Departments in their business affairs; so that the relation between the two, in this respect, shall be the same as between the Publishing Department and any other purchaser-the terms of sale to the Colportage Department to be as favorable as those offered to any other purchaser.

2. The Publishing Department is to employ all legitimate agencies which shall promote the sale of its publications, and not be required to assume, in whole or in part, the support of any office or agency which it does not feel justified in assuming because of its commercial value. It is to keep in view the important object of furnishing its publications at the lowest possible cost; and all advantages which it may possess, by virtue of the capital placed at its disposal, are to bear fruit chiefly in the lower price and consequent wider diffusion of its publications.

3. The Board shall present to the General Assembly a yearly statement

of the expenses of the Publishing Department, and also a statement of its profits, in such a manner that it shall be made to appear, (1) whether any reduction in the price of its publications is practicable, and (2) what sum this department may yield, year by year, for Sabbath-school work and colportage, or other missionary purposes.

4. That the work of colportage, including the selection and appointment of colporteurs, shall be under the exclusive supervision of the corresponding secretary and the appropriate committee of the Board, who shall be allowed adequate clerical aid. No colporteur, however, shall be sent to labor within the bounds of any Presbytery, unless first recommended by the Presbytery or its appropriate committee.

5. In pursuance of this policy of giving greater unity of management to the work of colportage, the office of Superintendent of Missionary Work shall be abolished, and its duties transferred to the Corresponding Secretary. District superintendents also are not to be maintained by the Board, except where it judges that they are called for on business grounds; in which cases they are to be sustained by the Publishing Department.

6. The funds necessary for the maintenance of the Missionary Department are to be sought, as now, directly from the churches, as a benevolent gift. From these funds the Board shall provide for the entire salary of the Secretary of Sabbath-school Work, and so much of the salary of the Corresponding Secretary as is not provided for by an express arrangement of the Publishing Department, with their expenses; also for the salaries of the colporteurs, the grants of books, etc., which it shall allow; and for the other expenses of the Missionary Department.

7. That, in the instructions of the Missionary Department to the colporteurs, the main emphasis is to be laid upon the work of religious visitation, and the Sabbath-school work expected from them among the spiritually destitute; and that the selling of books, while still continued, so far as it can be usefully done, is to be in all cases subordinated to these more directly benevolent and religious labors.

8. That the Board be directed to invite correspondence through its Missionary Department with our pastors, and especially with our missionaries, to secure voluntary help in the wider diffusion of our literature; and that, in pursuance of this policy, it be directed to make grants of books and other publications with all possible liberality whenever satisfied that those making application for such grants will use them wisely for the benefit of the religiously destitute and will report to the Board the manner in which they are used.-1882, pp. 77, 78.

12. The Sabbath-school Work of the Board.

[See Digest, pp. 440, 441, 1871, p. 524; 1872, p. 20; Directory for Worship, chap. i., sec. vi.]

a. Resolved, That the Board of Publication shall continue as at present, with a collection from the churches for its missionary work.

The department having this work in charge shall be separately constituted, and shall keep a distinct account with the Board. It shall be its duty to disseminate the publications of the Board by donations to ministers and to needy churches, and by sale through its appointees, who shall be called the missionaries of the Board of Publication, and who shall be appointed, subject to the approval, and shall be under the control, of the Presbyteries.

It shall also supervise the whole Sabbath-school work of the Church, in connection with the Presbyteries; and it shall aim to lift this important

agency of Christian evangelization into the prominence and efficiency which it deserves, and which the great needs of our own country have so largely called for at the present time.

And, furthermore, in addition to the amount appropriated by the Board from the collections made by the churches, it shall receive and apply donations specifically designated for the Sabbath-school work.-1874, p. 31; 1876, p. 38; 1877, p. 526.

b. First. That the pastors, Sessions, and people of our several congregations be affectionately and earnestly urged to appreciate the value of the Christian literature supplied by this Board, to procure for their families and Sabbath-schools a supply of the same, and to contribute more liberally to its missionary and colportage funds, so that its publications may be more widely distributed, and the indigent be gratuitously supplied.

Second. That the Assembly recognize with peculiar gratification and approval the missionary and Sabbath-school work of the Board, and recommend to all our Presbyteries, Sessions and people, and especially to our Sabbath-school laborers, to co-operate with the Board in this branch of its work, and, with a spirit loyal to our own denomination, to prefer the publications and missionaries of our own to those of other organizations. And the editors of our publications are urged to continue to make them as lively and attractive as those issued by other houses.

Third. That the Assembly approve of the appointment of Rev. James A. Worden as superintendent of Sabbath-school work, and anticipate much benefit from the judicious performance of the functions of that office.

Fourth. That it be earnestly requested of the Sabbath-schools of our Church to contribute at least once every year to the Sabbath-school Missionary Department of this Board.

Fifth. That the Assembly solemnly remind the churches in our connection that church discipline, in the scriptural sense, includes not only the reformation of offenders and the removal of scandals, but also the prevention of offences by the proper instruction and training of the children of the Church in knowledge and godliness; and that to this end it is the duty of the pastor and Sessions to take authoritative supervision of the instruction of youth, so far as to see to it that the baptized children of the Church are properly educated in the family and the Sabbath-school-so that the Sabbath-school exercises shall be considered a part of church work, and the children be more distinctly recognized and treated as belonging to the congregation of the Lord; and, with a view to this, it is recommended that in all of our Sabbath-schools superintendents be chosen or appointed subject to the approval of the church Session. That the pastor and Session visit, encourage, and if need be work in, the Sabbathschool, and that, in congregations where the Shorter Catechism is neglected, it be introduced and used with due prominence.

Sixth. That it is recommended that each Presbytery appoint a committee or a Presbyterial superintendent, whose duty it shall be to oversee and encourage, as far as may be, the Sabbath-schools in the bounds of the Presbytery, and especially to take order for collecting and transmitting to the general superintendent the statistics of each school; and, with a view to this part of the work, the general superintendent is requested to furnish blank statistical tables.-1878, pp. 25, 26.

c. Normal Class Instruction.

4. That we hereby renew the deliverance of former Assemblies, in asserting the right and duty of Sessions to exercise authoritative supervision of the Sabbath-school work of their congregations.

5. That it is recommended that each Presbytery appoint a Sundayschool Committee, which shall collect and tabulate at the spring meeting of the same, and transmit to the General Superintendent of Sunday-school work statistics of each school; and this committee shall also supervise and direct its general Sunday-school work within the bounds of the Presbytery. Also that the Superintendent be directed to furnish blanks for the use of Sunday-school statistics.

6. That every Sunday-school be earnestly requested to contribute liberally to the Missionary Department of this Board, to aid its Sabbathschool mission work.

7. That the Assembly approve the action of the Board in preparing a three-years' course of Normal Class Instruction, and the lists of subjects announced for the first year to the Assembly at its annual Sabbath-school meeting, last evening, and earnestly recommend the formation of normal classes wherever practicable.-1879, p. 558; 1881, p. 555.

d. Secretary of the Sabbath-school Work.

That he (Rev. James A. Worden) be appointed by the General Assembly "Secretary of the Sabbath-school Work of the Board," and that his salary be derived from the same sources as that of the other secretaries.— 1880, p. 27.

e. Standing Committee of the Board on Sabbath-school Work.

That the Board be directed to appoint, from their own number, a Standing Committee of seven, to advise and consult with the Secretary of Sabbath-school Work.-1881, p. 555.

f. Bible Correspondence School.

The General Assembly approves the proposed organization of the Board, through its Secretary, of the Bible Correspondence School, in the interest of the better training of teachers.-1883, p. 616.

13. Blanks Printed by the Board to be Approved by the Proper Authority, and so Endorsed.

Overture from the Presbytery of New Brunswick respecting blanks for reports of the work of the Assembly.

Answer. That the Board of Publication is directed, in printing blanks, to submit them to the approval of that officer of the Church who is specially responsible for the same, and, in particular, that the blanks for congregational and presbyterial statistics be approved by the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly. The Board is also directed to print upon the blanks, in fine type, the authority approving the publication.—Âdopted 1885, p. 625.

V. THE TRUSTEES OF THE CHURCH ERECTION FUND.

[See Digest, pp 442 and 448.]

VI. THE BOARD OF MINISTERIAL RELIEF.

[See Digest, pp. 448-451.]

3. The Board Constituted.

The Board of Ministerial Relief shall consist of twelve members, the secretary and treasurer being added as members, ex officio; five members to constitute a quorum.