VIII. Cent Societies. The receipts from these during the past year have been from the Female Cent Society of the Collegiate Churches in New York only, for the Permanent Fund, $63. IX. Minutes of General Synod. There has been received for Minutes during the past year, $181 45 And paid for Paper and Printing Minutes, 119 30 X. Contingent Fund. Since the last report there has been received on account of this Fund, $195 61 This Fund is a debtor to General Synod exceeding $1000. In concluding this Report the Board feel themselves constrained to express their unfeigned gratitude to Almighty God, for the general health bestowed upon them. Some interruptions have indeed occurred, but not such as to impede the progress of our duties. If our humble labours have added an item to the prosperity of Zion, it corresponds with our ardent prayers. New York, June 2, 1828. HENRY RUTGERS, President. CORNELIUS HEYER, Directors. ISAAC YOUNG, Treasurer. Resolved, That so much of the above report and documents as refer to the Mission to Holland, be referred to the Committee on Correspondence, and that the remainder of the report and documents be referred to the Committee on the Professorate. Resolved, That the Rev. J. Brodhead, D. D, W. Eltinge, and Elder John Clark be a committee to report to Synod a nomination of twice the number of persons who constitute the Board of Directors under the charter. The Committee reported accordingly, and the Synod proceeded to ballot for a President, three Directors, and a Treasurer of the Corporation when Mr. Henry Rutgers was chosen President, Messrs. Isaac L. Kipp, Cornelius Heyer, and Rev. William M.Murray, D. D. Directors, and Mr. Isaac Young, Treasurer. : Mr. Jacob R. Hardenbergh having submitted to individuals of the Board of Direction, certain claims to a very considerable amount, which he has against General Synod for monies paid by him for repairs of Rutgers' College, as per an acknowledgement of Peter Spader, dated 21st May, 1828, that he had received of Mr. Hardenbergh at different times, the sum of $1035,25, which has been expended by him as one of the Committee of Repairs of the College, and credited in his account rendered 8th June, 1826: and also, the sum of $626,40, paid by him to Mr. L. Carman, for a balance due him from General Synod, dated 2d August, 1826, Resolved, That it be referred to the Board of Direction, to inquire into and state the accounts of Mr. Jacob R. Hardenbergh with the General Synod, in relation to monies paid by him for repairs, &c. to Rutgers' College, and what monies or balance, if any, is due to him, and that they report thereon, at the next stated meeting of General Synod. ARTICLE V. Correspondence. The Rev. Elias W. Crane, and Mr. Ananias Platt, a ruling Elder of the Presbyterian Church, appeared in Synod, and having produced testimonials of their appointment by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, took their seats as corresponding members of the Synod. The Rev. Messrs. John H. Smaltz and James R. Reily, of the German Reformed Church appeared, presented several copies of the minutes of the last session of the German Synod, and took their seats as corresponding members of Synod. Resolved, That the Rev. William M'Murray, D. D. and the Elder Isaac L. Kip be delegates primarii, and James M. Matthews D. D. and the Elder Dr. John Clark, be delegates secundi, to attend the next meeting of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. Resolved, That the Rev. C. C. Cuyler and Jacob I. Shultz be delegates primarii and Gilbert R. Livingston and John Ludlow, D. D. be delegates secundi, to attend the Synod of the German Reformed Church. The following report was received from one of the members appointed by this Synod to attend the last meeting of the German Reformed Synod. The undersigned. your corresponding delegate to the Reformed German Synod, begs leave to report to General Synod, that according to appointment, he attended the meeting of the Reformed German Synod at Yorktown, in Pennsylvania in October last was courteously welcomed and affectionately received by said body, and attended to the duties of their appointment. WILHELMUS ELTINGE. The Committee on correspondence reported, and their report was adopted, and is as follows ;— The Committee on Correspondence report, That a correspondence between the Reformed Dutch Church in Holland and in the United States of America has been maintained from the time that the Churches in this country were organized, by the establishment of regular ecclesiastical Judicatories. That through the commotions, which in the Providence of God took place in the land of our forefathers, this correspondence was interrupted. On the part of this Synod, the suspension of the correspondence was a subject of deep regret to the Synod; and they continued until the year 1819, to transmit the usual communications; but receiving nothing in return, it has been entirely dropped. In consequence of the re-establishment of order both in church and state in Holland, from recent information there is encouragement to hope that the correspondence may be renewed. We all feel an interest and a strong desire for such renewal. The former correspondence having been carried on between the Particular Synod of New York and the Synod of North Holland, through the medium of the Classis of Amsterdam, a General Synod constituted of delegates appointed by the Particular Synods, and meeting annually at the Hague, forming a body similar to the General Synod in America :--the Committee recommend the adoption of the following resolution, viz. Resolved. That a copy of the minutes of this session of the General Synod be transmitted to the General Synod of the Reformed Dutch Church in the Netherlands, addressed to the President thereof, and directed to the care of some known minister or other person, in whom confidence may be reposed for its safe delivery. 2. Resolved, That the Rev. J. V C. Romeyn and Gerardus Kuypers, D. D. be a committee to draft a kindly letter to the General Synod of the Reformed Dutch Church in the Netherlands, to be signed by the President of this Synod, and transmitted in the same manner, expressive of the wishes of this Synod to revive the correspondence, and inviting their co-operation. J. V. C. ROMEYN, Chairman. Resolved, That the agency to Holland be discontinued. Resolved, That the Stated Clerk furnish annually to General Synod of the German Reformed Church, twelve copies of the minutes of this body, for their use. The following report was received from one of the delegates appointed to attend the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church : The undersigned begs leave respectfully to report to the General Synod, That having been notified by the primarius Clerical delegate, to attend the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church at their late sessions, he did attend accordingly, and was duly recognized as your representative. The subject referred to the Assembly by your reverend body, in relation to one of their presbyteries licensing a young gentleman who was formerly a student at your Theological Seminary, was considered; but as I have not been furnished with a copy of their proceedings in the case, I presume some other mode has been adopted to transmit to Synod the result of their doings. I have in my possession twenty-five copies of the "Assembly's Digest," which the General Assembly have made a donation to the Theological College; by the first favourable conveyance, I will send them to New Brunswick. G. R. LIVINGSTON. ARTICLE VI. Synodical Reports of the State of the Churches. In pursuance of a previous resolution, the Synod spent the evening of the sixth day of the session as a season of special prayer, when the report of the Committee on the State of Religion was read. The Committee on the State of Religion brought in their report, which being amended was adopted, and is as follows: The Committee on the State of Religion beg leave to present the following statement, derived from a careful consideration of the information with which they have been furnished. Your Committee view with heart-felt satisfaction, manifest evidences of the increasing prosperity of that section of the church of Jesus Christ to which we particularly belong. A strong attachment is clearly perceived on the part of ministers and people, to our canons, confession of faith, catechisms, and the grand principles of our church government. consider correctness of religious sentiment not indeed as the whole of religion, but as a very important and essential part; and we must believe it to be both a duty and a privilege, to hold fast the form of sound words delivered to us by our forefathers, and derived from the holy scriptures. As a denomination, we are certainly acquiring gradually and continually more strength and respectability. Our literary and theological institutions are gaining the confidence of the civil and religious community; the funds necessary for their support are increasing; weak congregations are built up, through the care and assistance of our Missionary Society, so as to be enabled to support the ministry of the Gospel themselves; and new congregations are organized, and houses of worship reared up in connexion with our reformed Zion. A strong impulse seems to have been communicated to our affairs, which is rendered more and more operative. A general conviction prevails among ministers and people, that something more must be done both for our church in particular, and the church of Christ in |