Resolved, That the following be added to the Standing Rules of this Synod:

"All the sittings of the General Synod shall be concluded by regular adjournment and prayer."

ARTICLE II.

Standing Committees.

The following Committees were appointed:

On the Professorate.-Rev. John Ludlow, D. D., Peter Labagh, and Philip Duryea, and the Elders Abraham Van Vechten and Peter Sharpe.

On Synodical Minutes.-Rev. Cornelius C. Cuyler, D. D., Samuel Kissam, and William Crookshank, and the Elders Abraham Van Nest and John Drurye.

On Missions.—Rev. Thomas M. Strong, Samuel Van Vechten, and John I. Chrystie, and the Elders Peter D. Vroom, Jun. and Michael Schoonmaker.

On the State of Religion,-Rev. Robert Bronk, Maurice W. Dwight, and James B. Ten Eyck, and the Elders John V. B. Varick and Samuel Kuen.

On Overtures.-Rev. Peter I Van Pelt, Benjamin C. Taylor, and the Elders John Vreeland and Wilhelmus Schuneman.

On Accounts.-Rev. John F. Schermerhorn, Ira C. Boice, and John Liddle, and the Elders Samuel Phelps and John Hallenback. On Correspondence.-Rev. Wilhelmus Eltinge, Jacob D Fonda, and John L. Zabriskie, and the Elders Garrit P. Wyckoff and Teunis Van Bunschoten.

ARTICLE III.

Communications.

The following Report was received from the Committee to make a Selection of Hymns, to be added to the present standard Psalm and Hymn Book of the Church.

The Committee appointed at the last Session of the General Synod, "To select from different Collections now published, Hymns on a variety of subjects, to the amount of, say, one hundred," &c., respectfully report—

That they forward herewith to the Synod a list in alphabetical arrangement, with reference to their authors and the collections in which they may be found, of the hymns which they have agreed to recommend for adoption This list, as a printed circular, was forwarded to the ministers of our churches in March last. The committee have sought in their selection, to have respect to a diversity of subjects in connexion with the wants of our present collection, as well as the intrinsic merits of the hymns. The number to be selected was left by the resolution of Synod somewhat indefinite. On conversation with some brethren, the committee found a general opinion, that the additional hymns should be extended to at least one hundred and fifty. The subject of preparing a new index to the old collection was committed, at an early period, to the Rev. Mr. Ferris. His ill health, and his journeying and residence at the south, have prevented the attention he would otherwise have paid. The committee afterward deemed it best to defer this matter until after the meeting of General Synod, as a complete index cannot be formed before the decision is made on the additional hymns. The alphabetical arrangement of the psalms and hymns, combined according to their subjects, (as adopted in Winchell and Rippon's Watts',) would present some convenience and advantage; in such case there would of course be a reference at the heading of each psalm and hymn, referring to its place in the former collection, as also a tabular index prefixed, which would remove all difficulties in the use of the former books. It is left to the discretion of Synod whether this plan should be

adopted, or the present arrangement should be preferred, which would then consist of the Psalms and two books of Hymns. It is also suggested to the Synod, whether it would be expedient to publish the additional Hymns, if adopted, in a small supplementary volume, in order to accommodate those of our people who may be unable or unwilling to lay aside their old books used in worship.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

THOMAS DEWITT, Chairman. Whereupon the following resolutions were adopted by the Synod :Resolved, 1. That the additional hymns reported by the Committee appointed by General Synod in 1830, be accepted, ordered to be published as a second Book of Hymns, and authorized to be used by the Churches, in the same manner as the Psalms and Hymns now in use.

Resolved, 2. That all future editions of the Psalm Book shall contain the additional hymns, together with the canons of the Church, so soon as the Board of Direction of the Corporation shall be able to make the necessary arrangements with the publisher.

Resolved, 3. That a separate edition of the additional hymns be published.

Resolved, 4. That the Board of Direction of the Corporation be directed to take out separate copy-rights for each of the books, and authorize their publication; and that they superintend the publication of the first edition of each book.

Resolved, 5. That the Committee on Psalmody be continued, and that they be requested to complete the work to which they were assigned at the last session of the General Synod.

The following report was received from the Committee appointed to confer with the Consistory of the Church of Bushwick, and the Classis of Long Island, and endeavour to make an amicable adjustment of the existing difficulties between them :

To the General Synod of the Reformed Dutch Church in Session at Albany, June 1, 1831.

The undersigned, as chairman of the Committee appointed at the last meeting of General Synod, "to confer with the Classis of Long Island, and the Consistory of the Church at Bushwick, with a view to make an amicable adjustment of the existing difficulties," begs leave to state,

That, shortly after the close of the session of Synod, he, in company with a member of the committee residing in the city of New York, visited several members of the Consistory of the Church at Bushwick, and that he also conferred with some of the members of the Classis of Long Island, with a view to make arrangements for a meeting of the Committee, in pursuance of the object of their appointment.

But that, before the arrangements for the meeting of the Committee could be effected, the undersigned was informed that a meeting of the Classis of Long Island had been held, at the call of the Consistory of the Church of Bushwick, at which meeting the utmost good feeling and harmony prevailed-and concluding that the object contemplated by Synod in the appointment of the Committee of reconciliation was already effected without their interference, he deemed it altogether unnecessary to convene them. And although the Consistory have since renewed their application to the Particular Synod of New York, to be transferred to the South Classis of New Yorkwhich application at the recent meeting of the Synod has been granted yet in the mean time, as far as known to the undersigned, the Consistory have maintained entire subordination to the authority of the Classis.

All which is respectfully submitted.

WM. McMURRAY.

New York, May 24, 1831.

The following Report of the Board of Superintendents of the Theological Seminary, was received and referred to the Committee on the Professorate:

To the General Synod, the Board of Superintendents of the Theological College beg leave respectfully to present the following Report:

Agreeably to the direction of the General Synod, the Board met in the College Hall in the city of New Brunswick, N. J. on the 5th April, 1831.

The Board was constituted by the election of the following officers:

Rev. Jacob Brodhead, D. D. President.
William McMurray, D. D. Stated Clerk.
Abraham Mesler, Secretary.

The Reports of the Professors fully satisfied the Board as to the exemplary conduct and the diligence of the students in the prosecution of their high and important studies.

The following is a list of the names of the Theological Students in the three classes given by the Professors:

Senior Class.-John H. Bevier, David Cushing, Oscar H. Gregory, John Manly, and Cornelius C. Van Arsdalen.

Middle Class.-John C. Baldwin, John V. Robbins, Robert O. Currie, Garret I. Garretson, Leonard Rogers, Garret I. Schenck, Richard L. Schoonmaker, Benjamin Swartz, John C. Van Lieuw, and Alexander H. Warner.

Junior Class.-Benjamin Basler, William Brush, Matthias Lusk, Richard C. Ludlow, Enoch Van Aken, and Jacob Van Arsdalen.

Robert O. Currie, of the Senior Class, in consequence of his appointment to the office of Rector of the Grammar-school of Rutgers College, and his acceptance of the same, has been dismissed at his own request, to take charge of said school, and Cornelius C. Van Arsdalen, of the same class, has also been at his own request dismissed from the Seminary.

"It has pleased God, in the course of his adorable providence, to lay his afflicting hand during the past year, on some of the most hopeful young men. John V. Robbins and Benjamin Swartz, of the Middle Class, and Richard C. Ludlow, of the Junior Class, have been obliged, by severe bodily indisposition, to suspend their studies, and to retire from New Brunswick. The latest account received of the health of the two former, is extremely unfavorable. That on Mr. Ludlow's case is more flattering, yet connected with doubts, whether from the nature of his complaint, he will ever be able to resume his Theological studies." (Professor Milledoler's Report.)

The members of the Senior Class were examined on the whole course of studies of the Theological College.

The Middle and Junior Classes were examined as to their attainments in those branches in which they had been instructed during the past year.

The members of the Senior Class were separately interrogated on the subject of their personal experience in religion, and also as to their motives for desiring to enter the sacred ministry.