Committee of the Board of Education of the Reformed Dutch: Church, and referred to the Committee on the Professorate.

At a Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Education Board of the Reformed Dutch Church held May 31, 1830, the following resolution was introduced and unanimously carried :

Resolved, That the Rev. Dr. W. M'Murray, and the Rev. Dr. J. Brodhead, be a Committee on the part of the Executive Committee, to confer with the General Synod and the Board of Trustees of Rutgers College, and see if they will consent to fix the appropriation to beneficiaries at $100 per annum ; and, in such case, this committee will fix the maximum of appropriation, by amending the by-laws, as to read $100 instead of $90 per annum.

Extract from the Minutes.

ISAAC A. VAN HOOK, Recording Secretary.

The following preamble and resolutions were presented and adopted :

Whereas, the Sabbath School institution is becoming increasingly important, and is destined, in the Providence of God, materially to affect, if not entirely mould, the character of the Church; and whereas, it is highly desirable to make Sabbath Schools the nurseries of the Church; and secure to them such instruction as shall particularly tend to preserve sound doctrine: therefore,

Resolved, 1. That it be recommended to the several Ministers and Consistories in our Church, where it is not already the case, to take the school or schools, formed of teachers and scholars belonging to their churches and congregations, under their oversight and care.

2. That while this Synod do highly appreciate the value of " Bible Questions," yet it be recommended to the Consistories and Superintendents of Sabbath Schools in the Reformed Dutch Church, to introduce into their schools, where it is not already the case, the standard Catechisms of our Church, or such others as are approved by the Church; provided such use of Catechisms in Sabbath Schools

be not permitted to interfere with, or take the place of, the regular weekly catechetical instruction by the pastor.

3. That the attention of the ministers and literary laymen of this Church, be particularly called to the importance of preparing either in the form of original works, or of translations from the Dutch language, catechetical expositions of the Catechisms in use in our Church, or Scriptural helps for the benefit of Bible Classes and Sabbath Schools.

ARTICLE XIII.

Rutgers College.

The following Report of the Board of Superintendents of Rutgers College was received, and referred to the Committee on the Profes

sorate.

To the General Synod of the Reformed Dutch Church,

The Board of Superintendents of Rutgers College, respectfully beg leave to submit their annual report. In discharging this duty, they embrace this opportunity of congratulating the Synod upon the success which thus far has crowned the efforts of the friends and patrons of the Institution. The reasonable expectations which were formed of its utility and prosperity, have not, we trust, been disappointed; and its present condition bids us rejoice in hope of its future welfare. Surrounded as we are, in every part of our widely extended country, with literary institutions, many of them of established character and reputation, we can nevertheless claim for our College at least a respectable rank among her sisters. To the unwavering zeal, distinguished ability, and energy of its professors, we are indebted, under Providence, for the favorable view we are enabled to offer of its con

cerns.

The Faculty, in presenting their accustomed report to the Superintendents, have embraced several topics of great interest to the well being of the College; we beg leave, therefore, for the information of Synod, to transcribe the most of their report in detail, which is as follows, viz. :

"That the whole number of Students now in the Literary Institution is 62-viz. in the Senior Class, 26; in the Junior, 17; in the Sophomore, 6; and in the Freshman Class, 13. It having pleased God, since our last report, to lay his afflicting hand upon Professor Neilson, in a disease precluding such hope of recovery as to re-assume his professoral labors, he conceived it to be his duty to resign, and did resign accordingly. The Rev. Alexander M'Clelland, one of the Professors of Dickinson College, Carlisle, Penn., was, by the Board of Trustees, chosen in his place, and entered upon his official duties on the 17th September, 1829.

"The Board of Superintendents will remember, that information was given them in the last annual report, that a course of Lectures had been delivered the preceding winter, by Mr. John Finch, on the popular sciences of geology, mineralogy, and chemistry. The Board will also recollect, that the Lectures were sustained by individual subscription, and that the mode of raising money by such subscription, was found so exceptionable, that an appeal to General Synod was deemed necessary. The appeal was made, and, as appears from the Minutes of Synod, committees were appointed to collect moneys for this purpose. On inquiry, however, made last autumn, of the Treasurer of General Synod, it was found that none of these committees had reported In consequence, therefore, of deficiency of means, no Lectures on these branches of science were delivered during the last winter. We are constrained to press this matter upon the attention of the Board, and earnestly to urge, that more efficient measures may be taken for the coming year, to secure the same extent and kinds of instruction given in surrounding institutions.

"In consequence of the extraordinary efforts made and making in neighboring colleges, to increase the number of their students, and under the apprehension that leading and influential officers of our church might suppose that the revival of Rutgers College had put off the character of an experiment, and put on that of an absolute certainty, a circular letter (a copy of which is herewith presented) has been recently sent to all the Ministers of the Dutch Reformed Church. The Board will perceive from this letter, that every thing has been done that was in the power of the Faculty, to call the attention of the churches to our Institution, and to induce to prompt and

vigorous co-operation in its behalf.

We are assured that the Board

of Superintendents will second this effort, by presenting the whole subject to General Synod in the strong terms which its importance requires."

The Faculty would call the attention of the Board of Superintendents to the Beneficiaries put under their care by the Education Society of the Reformed Dutch Church. These Beneficiaries are now received without any compensation for their instruction. As the funds committed to the Education Society by the friends of our Church, are mainly intended for the support of the Institution at New Brunswick, would it not be desirable, and entirely meet the views of the donors, if the Education Society could be prevailed upon to pay at least one half the ordinary tuition fees, especially as funds are so much needed at present to widen the range of our literary instruction. We would also inquire whether any, and if any, what efficient means can be devised, for establishing or reviving Grammar Schools, that shall be friendly to this College. In connexion with this question, we would inform the Board, that there are three distinguished young men of the Senior Class, who will be ready to enter upon the business of instruction in classical literature immediately after commencement; and that if suitable encouragement should offer, that others might be induced to engage in the same employment.

• Some valuable donations in books for our Library, have been received during the past year, especially from Dr. John Clark, and Mr. James Bogert, Jun., both members of the Collegiate Dutch Church of New York. If the good example of these gentlemen should be followed by others, whose hearts are with us, we might soon, and without any very great effort, be furnished with important additions to our Library. Dr. Richie, of Scotland, has made a donation in money, for the purchase of theological books for the Library, which have, we believe, been purchased, and will soon be forwarded to New Brunswick.

We have been honored by the transmission of some valuable charts and other interesting public documents, sent on to us, by order of Congress, from Washington. A portrait of our venerable patron, Col. Rutgers, has been presented. It has been deposited in the Li

brary, until the place it is to occupy shall be designated by the Board. A valuable and useful philosophical curiosity, showing the structure of the human ear, has also been presented by Dr. Hosack.

'It was stated in our last report to the Board, that no small inconvenience had arisen for want of a committee duly authorised to order necessary repairs to the College edifice, and to defray unavoidable incidental expenses. We hope to be excused in presenting this subject once more to your notice. It is not necessary to do more than thus barely to present it. The Board will perceive its importance, and that the embarrassments growing out of it can only be removed by their representations to General Synod.

It has pleased God, during the past year, to give general health to the College. None of our Students have been removed by death. Some have recently left us for want of funds, and others through neglect of duty, or our numbers would have considerably exceeded that of the preceding year. We are happy to inform the Board, that the general conduct of the Students has been distinguished during the past year for attention to study, regular attendance on Lectures, respect to their moral character and instructors, and, we trust in a good number of instances, for their regard to the higher duties of religion. We are encouraged to hope and believe, that if God shall favor us with the hearty co-operation of the ministry of our Church, and shall continue to smile upon our efforts, that the Institution will, from year to year, be presented to the Church and to this community, under circumstances of improved and constantly growing usefulness and celebrity. We conclude this report, with offering up our devout acknowledgments to Almighty God, for all his unmerited kindness toward us during the past year, and with committing ourselves, with all the interest of the Institution under our care, into his faithful hands.'

In conclusion, the Board of Superintendents would call the particular attention of General Synod to the several matters specified in the report of the Faculty, and especially would they, with great solicitude, present the subject of having secured to the institution regular and efficient instruction in chemistry and the kindred branches of science. These several matters are of vital importance to the interests of the College, and require to be acted on with that promptitude