The whole examination was conducted with care and fidelity, and the Board come before the Synod with the cheerful expression of their increasing confidence in the excellency, as well as soundness of the course of instruction that has been so wisely established, and so successfully illustrated in our Theological Seminary. After due deliberation, the following persons, members of the Senior Class, were judged to be entitled to the Professoral certificate, to wit:-John H. Bevier, David Cushing, Oscar H. Gregory, and John Manley. The Board, deeply impressed with the connexion between the efficient support of our Theological and Literary Institutions, and the prosperity of the Reformed Dutch Church, have earnestly recommended to the Professors of our Theological School, to devote their vacations to visiting the Churches, with the view of producing an increased excitement in favor of our institutions at New Brunswick, and of the great interests of our Church generally. Of the parental regard which the General Synod will ever extend over our school of the prophets, the Board entertain and cherish the most sanguine expectations. Of the continued support of the great Head of the Church, they cannot but be assured by what he has already done. He cannot thus far have brought us, have caused us thus strongly to rest on him, to abandon us at last. They therefore call upon the Synod and upon themselves to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in this work of the Lord. New Brunswick, April 6th, 1831. J. BRODHEAD, President. WM. MCMURRAY, Stated Clerk. A communication was received from the executor of the last will and testament of the Rev. Alexander Gunn, D. D. and referred to the Committee on the Professorate. A report was received from the Committee to adjust the unsettled accounts of the Rev. Staats Van Santvoord, which was referred to the Committee on the Professorate. A letter was received from the Rev. James V. C. Romeyn, tendering the resignation of his seat as a member of the Board of Superintendents-Whereupon, it was Resolved, that his resignation be ac cepted. A memorial signed by sundry individuals on the subject of certain doctrines, customs, and usages of the Church was received, and referred to the Committee on Overtures. A communication was received from the candidate, Mr. James E. Quaw, relative to his missionary labors and compensation-and referred to the Rev. William Crookshank and John Beattie, and the Elder, Peter Sharpe. (See Article XVIII.) A communication was received from the Classis of Ulster, recommending M. Youngblood, as a suitable person to receive aid from the Van Benschoten fund, which was referred to the Committee on the Professorate. ARTICLE IV. Board of Corporation. The following Report of the Board of Direction of the Corporation, accompanied with the Treasurer's Report and the Annual Digest, was received, and referred to the Committee on the Professorate. To the General Synod of the Reforined Dutch Church, the Board of Direction respectfully submit their annual Report, as follows:On reviewing the Minutes of General Synod at their last Session, the Board found the following articles submitted to them for their consideration, viz. 1. A recommendation to purchase for the use of General Synod, a house and lot of ground in New Brunswick, lately occupied by John N. Simpson, provided it could be had for any sum not exceeding two thousand three hundred dollars, and provided they deemed the purchase of said property a safe and good investment.-See Minutes, page 284. 2. An authority to the Board of Direction, to employ an agent or agents, to sell the Memoir of Dr. Livingston in the various parts of the Church; and, to meet the difficulties of the family of the deceased author, to advance six hundred dollars, to be replaced by the sale.See page 286. 3. An authority to the Board of Direction to appoint an agent or agents to solicit subscriptions and collect funds, if they should deem it necessary. See page 291. All of which have been duly attended to by the Board, and on which they respectfully report. in their order, viz.— 1. In relation to the purchase of the house and lot in New Brunswick, for the use of General Synod ; the Board could have purchased the same at a price a little less than that limited by the Synod, but a difficulty arose from want of funds to make the purchase. Neither of the thirteen committees of the several Classes, appointed by Synod to solicit subscriptions in aid of the purchase of the building, have, as this Board believe, taken any measures to collect the moneys required, at least they have made no report to this Board, and the Board are informed that the premises have since been sold. 2. In relation to the Memoirs of Dr. Livingston, the Board of Direction find in the Minutes of General Synod of June, 1829, page 154, the Report of a Committee on that subject; from which it appears that the late Dr. Gunn was requested to publish an edition of fifteen hundred copies of the Memoir, and that the Committee awarded to him as a compensation for his labor in preparing and publishing the work, seventy-five per cent. of the profits arising from the publication; that Dr. Gunn communicated to said Committee his entire satisfaction with the compensation awarded him; and moreover proposed, that if it should please the Synod to appropriate their part of the profits to increase the library of the Theological Institution, he would consider it his duty to pay over to any person authorized to receive it, one third, instead of one fourth of the profits of the work, whatever might be the amount of them, for that important object—to which General Synod acceded, and resolved that the said Committee, in connexion with the Theological Professors, be authorized to apply. such portion of profits as might be at their disposal, to the increase of the Theological Library.-See pages 153 to 155. The Board of Direction, previous to the last meeting of General Synod, having understood that the expenses of printing and publishing said memoir were not all paid, which produced embarrassment to the widow and family of the author, recommended to Synod to take the matter into their consideration, and adopt such measures as their wisdom should dictate-whereupon Synod authorized the Board, as above mentioned, to employ an agent or agents to sell said Memoir, and to advance six hundred dollars to meet the difficulties of the family of the deceased author, to be replaced by the sale. The Board are of opinion that Synod were under the impression, that the sale of the remainder of the work would be amply sufficient to reimburse them for the money so to be advanced, and yet leave a profit to the parties-it is here perhaps necessary to state, that the printing and publishing of the work was exclusively under the control of the author and such agents as he saw fit to appoint. The Board on investigation, now find that the expenses of printing and publishing the work have all been paid from the proceeds of the sale; and that the widow of the author, (who is now also deceased,) has received since the said expenses have been paid, about the sum of eighty dollars that about three hundred copies only of the work, (of which about two hundred and forty are in boards,) remain unsold in this city, and about one hundred copies more are yet unsold or unaccounted for by the agents of the author, to whom they were delivered or sent, in the city and country, making in all about four hundred copies unsold or unaccounted for, chiefly bound in boards. For various reasons the Board have not advanced the said sum of six hundred dollars as authorized by General Synod-the chief reasons are, first, that they did not feel authorized to advance the money until all the unsold volumes were put in their possession, or a sufficient number to indemnify the Synod for the money to be advanced, which could not be done, as about one hundred copies are scattered abroad. Secondly, that if they could have been obtained the Board could not without great difficulty and inconvenience, undertake to employ agents to sell the same in various parts of the Church. And lastly, that had they attempted so to do, they are of opinion that the sum to have been advanced would never have been realized to Synod from the sale. Under all the circumstances of the case as above stated, the Board respectfully recommend to General Synod to relinquish to the repre sentatives of the author, all the right of General Synod to any part of the profits arising from said work, and authorize them to sell the same, and receive the moneys arising therefrom for their own use. 3. In pursuance of the authority given by General Synod to appoint an agent or agents to solicit subscriptions and obtain funds, the Board reappointed Mr. William Schuneman for those purposes, and the Board are gratified to state, that he has met with considerable success, having, as appears by his report of all his operations since the commencement of his agency, made in detail, received from the old outstanding subscriptions, (including the subscriptions obtained by Mr. Van Santvoord,) the sum of On new subscriptions obtained by him, And in donations also obtained by him, Total amount received by him in cash, Which, added to the above amount received in cash, Since which report, he states that he has also received on new and old subscriptions, Makes the total amount $1971 00 807 88 532 93 $3311 81 $2463 82 846 02 $3309 84 3311 81 $6621 65 190 10 $6811 75 The Report of Mr. Schuneman exhibits the moneys received by him, and from whom, with many other particulars; for the satisfaction of those who have paid the money, as also of Mr. Schuneman, the Board recommend, that so much of the said Report as they may think proper be published under their direction, in the Minutes of General Synod, with the Treasurer's accounts hereafter mentioned. As a very considerable amount of the old subscriptions, as well as those obtained by Mr. Van Santvoord, remain uncollected, which may be obtained if perseveringly attended to, and which will otherwise probably be lost, the Board respectfully request General Synod to authorize them to appoint an agent or agents, with such powers and duties as they may think most conducive to the prosperity of our Theological Seminary. The Board are under a deep impression, that if the General Synod would commit to them the sole power of raising funds for the Theological Seminary, in such manner as they should think most eligible, and would assist their exertions by a strong recommendation to the Churches to co-operate in the measure, a sum sufficient might be raised, in addition to the permanent fund already established, to answer all the necessities of our Theological College, as |