correct judgment anent the matters referred; and as the time allowed us would be insufficient for a careful and critical examination of the different versions; it was, therefore, Resolved, 1. That the memorialist may feel assured that the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church will not pursue any course in regard to a new version of the Psalms, that would in any way infringe on his copyright or the copyright of any other author without the consent of the party concerned, and an equitable and satisfactory compensation. Resolved, 2. That a select committee be appointed to confer with Abner Jones on matters contained in his memorial, and report to the next General Assembly. No. V.-On the Memorials from the session of the Church of Washington, Iowa, and from elders and other members of the Church of Crawfordsville, Iowa, and from W. B. Caruthers, of Keokuk Presbytery; the Judicial Committee report: The memorialists who present the first and second papers request the Assembly to give a deliverance concerning an association called the "Union League," and ask this body to answer the following question: "Is it, or is it not, a violation of the fifteenth article of our Declaration and Testimony to become members of the Union, or Union Loyal League, a secret oathbound Society?" The memorialist who presents the third paper, gives a sketch of the action of the Keokuk Presbytery on the subject above referred to. As your Committee have not the necessary evidence before them, they are not prepared to express a judgment on the question whether the practice of the Union League is contrary to the rule of this Church in regard to secret societies. It was, therefore, Resolved, That the fifteenth article of our Declaration and Testimony which relates to secret societies, is sufficiently explicit and comprehensive, and that the application of its principles belongs primarily to the Church Sessions and Presbyteries. Board of Home Missions. THE Fifth Annual Report is as follows: During the year one hundred and ten ministers have labored in connection with this Board in thirty-four Presbyteries, and for periods from three to twelve months. The Report of the Treasurer is as follows: Balance on hand at beginning of the year, $1,759 62; Contributions during the year, $16,604 21; Total, $18,363 33; Payments, $15,772 33; Balance on hand, $2,591 50. THE OFFICERS OF THE BOARD ARE AS FOLLOWS: R. D. HARPER, D.D., Corresponding Secretary, Xenia, Ohio. Board of Foreign Missions. THE Fifth Annual Report is as follows: In presenting their Fifth Annual Report the Board feel that in many respects the past year has been a memorable one in the history of our Foreign Missionary operations. James Prestly, D.D., and the Corresponding Secretary, J. B. Dales, D.D., who were reported to the last Assembly as absent from the country, returned early in the year, having visited and made careful observations of the several missions of the Board in Egypt, Syria, and Italy. Their statements respecting the condition, workings, and prospects of these fields of labor, have been gratifying, and the Board have renewed confidence in commending them to the sympathies, the prayers, and the continued contributions of the churches. The Board has under its care the following missions and laborers:SYRIA.-Rev. John Crawford and wife, and six helpers at Damascus and six stations. CHINA.-Rev. John C. Nevin and wife, at one station. INDIA. Rev. A. Gordon and wife, Rev. E. H. Stevenson and wife, Rev. J. S. Barr and wife, Miss Elizabeth Gordon, and Rev. E. P. Swift and wife and G. W. Scott and wife, with several helpers at two stations, Sealkote and Gujtanwala. EGYPT.-Rev. J. Barnett, D.D., Rev. G. Lansing and wife, Rev. John Hogg and wife, Rev. S. C. Ewing and wife, Rev. A. Watson and wife, Misses S. B. Dales, M. J. McKown, and S. Hart, together with seven helpers in Alexandria, twenty-one in Cairo, and several others up the Nile. ITALY.-Rev. W. G. Morehead. The Report of the Treasurer is as follows: Balance on hand at beginning of the year, $4,891 97; Contributions, $32,988 40; Total, $37,880 37; Payments, $34,312 92; Balance, $3,567 45. THE OFFICERS OF THE BOARD ARE AS FOLLOWS: J. B. DALES, D.D., Corresponding Secretary, 1628 Filbert St., Phila., Pa. T. B. RICH, Esq., Treasurer, 190 Elizabeth Street, New York, N. Y. Board of Education. THE Fourth Annual Report is as follows: During the year aid has been granted to fifteen students, as follows:Eight literary and seven Theological. These are distributed among the following Presbyteries: Argyle, one; Butler, three; Delaware, one; Keokuk, one; Michigan, two; Monmouth, two; Philadelphia, two; Sidney, one; Southern Indiana, one; and Xenia, one. The report of the Treasurer is as follows: Balance on hand at beginning of the year, $210 94; Contributions, $1,220 21; Total, $1,431 15; Payments, $1,443 95; Leaving the Board in debt, $12 80. The wants and claims of the Board were earnestly commended, and that in the future more liberality would be manifested. THE OFFICERS OF THE BOARD ARE AS FOLLOWS: Rev. JOHN A. EADIE, Corresponding Secretary, Monmouth, Illinois. THOMAS JOHNSTON, Esq., Treasurer, Monmouth, Illinois. Board of Church Extension. THE Fourth Annual Report is as follows: : The applications which have been made for aid from young and feeble congregations during the past year, have been more numerous than in a similar period since the first organization of the Board. In some instances these applications have come from congregations recently organized, who are engaged in erecting houses of worship, while in other instances, the aid desired is to liquidate debts already contracted which are lying as a heavy burden upon congregations barely able to sustain themselves without this incumbrance. While it is gratifying to learn that infant congregations are rising up, and while older and stronger congregations should cheerfully extend a helping hand to their younger sisters, it would be well if some of our congregations would manifest more of a disposition to help themselves to the extent of their ability before they lean upon others. The last Assembly directed the congregations under our care to raise for our Fund an amount equal to five cents per member. The number of communicants reported last year is, 54,758. At the rate of five cents per member, the amount which we were authorized to expect would be $2,737 90. And will it be believed that according to the report of the Treasurer, the whole amount paid in during the year is only $875 40? Some Presbyteries have complied strictly with the order and have raised the full amount, and consequently on the part of others there must have been great neglect. And the result is, the Board have been able to give but little direct pecuniary aid to the numerous applicants. And as it was known generally, that the Board had but a small amount of funds at our disposal, the application in most instances has been for permission to employ an agent to make collections. And because we could do nothing better in helping the needy, the Board have very reluctantly yielded to such requests. The Report of the Treasurer is as follows: Balance on hand at beginning of year, $817 00; Contributions, $875 40; Total, $1,692 40; Payments, $1,150 96; Balance, $541 44. THE OFFICERS OF THE BOARD ARE AS FOLLOWS: ROBERT GRACEY, D.D., Corresponding Secretary, Arsenal, Pa. JAMES MCCANDLESS, Esq., Treasurer, 103 Wood St., Pittsburg, Pa. Board of Publication. THE Fifth Annual Report is as follows:- During the year, besides keeping a sufficient stock in our Depository for supplying Sabbath-school libraries and standard religious books, we have published since the last report 17,600 copies Shorter Catechism; 10,000 Brown's Child's Catechism; 10,000 Selections of Psalms for Sabbathschools; 500 Patterson on the Shorter Catechism; 500 James' Anxious Inquirer; 500 Willison's Sacramental Advices; 500 Solitude Sweetened: 250 Watson's Body of Divinity; 3000 The Bible against Slavery; 3000 Version of Fifteen Psalms; 100 Record Book of Sessions. We have also published 2,400 Bagster Polyglott Bible, with Psalms; 1,400 Polyglott New Testament, with Psalms; 3000 Testaments, 32mo., with Psalms; 13,500 Double Column Psalm Book; 6,000 Psalm Book, 48mo.; 1000 Psalm Book, 18mo. Total number of volumes published, 73,250. We have now to ask the attention of the Assembly to what is to us an unpleasant subject, especially as it is reported from year to year without producing any change for the better. We refer to the contributions of the church to this Board. A reference to the past year will be sufficient. The last Assembly recommended a contribution of $2,500, and we have received $1,246 53, that is, almost one-half. And so it has been each preceding year. It will be found on examination that about one-half the appropriation is the amount which we actually receive. We would like that the Assembly should make a rigid scrutiny into the cause of this state of things, that wherever the fault lies, the proper remedy may be applied. The great difficulty that we labor under is want of means. We have no Publication Fund worth speaking of-we can neither publish a variety nor can we adopt any general plan for the circulation of what we do publish throughout every part of the church. And yet it may be thought by some that here is the reason why we are not supported more heartily by some sections of the church; because they are receiving little if any benefit from our operations. We have but to say it will be time enough to hold us responsible for not supplying the whole church when we are furnished with the means to do so; but it does appear unreasonable to expect us to do a certain work when we have never yet had the means of doing that work. We can assure the Assembly and the church that we are publishing and circulating our publications fully up to all the means which we possess for these purposes. The Report of the Treasurer is as follows: Balance on hand at beginning of year, $672 98; Receipts, $20,157 98; Total, $20,830 96; Payments, $19,995 95; Balance, $835 01. THE OFFICERS OF THE BOARD ARE AS FOLLOWS: JAMES PRESTLEY, D.D., Corresp. Secretary, 76 Third St., Pittsburg, Pa. JAS. RODGERS, D.D., Superintend. of Depository, 76 Third St., Pittsburg, Pa JAMES MCCANDLESS, Esq., Treasurer, 103 Wood Street, Pittsburg, Pa. Missions to the Freedmen. THE First Annual Report is as follows: As directed by the last Assembly this Board was organized in the Second United Presbyterian Church, Allegheny City, July 4, 1863. The following officers were appointed for the year: Rev. G. C. Vincent, President, Rev. C. A. Dickey, Secretary, Rev. John B. Clark, Corresponding Secretary, and John Dean, Treasurer. There have been four regular and three special meetings held during the year. When the Board was first organized, there were no funds under its control; and desiring to send teachers into the needy field as soon as possible, and as some months might elapse before our congregations would forward their contributions for this work, it was thought wise to issue a brief circular, and employ two collecting agents to secure some funds. Accordingly, the Revs. S. Coon and E. Small were employed-the former continuing in this service for about six weeks, and the latter for about three monthsand we are glad to record that the people have responded to all our calls for aid more liberally than we expected, and have enabled us to place in the field a large number of laborers. The past year has been to some extent one of experiment. The work was new, the embarrassments to its prosecution many, and the kind of teachers that should be employed was not well understood. But we went forward hoping to profit by experience, and trusting that the God of the oppressed would bless our humble endeavors to Christianize and elevate the delivered captives, and the results have been very encouraging. We are persuaded that there is no other field now open to the Church in which so much can be done at so little cost. In employing teachers the Board has adopted the plan of organizing them into corps, believing that this would facilitate the comfort of the missionaries and the best interests of their work. With each corps a minister has been sent, whose chief work has been to superintend the religious interests of the Mission. With him there has been associated one or more male members, to aid in the general management of the work. The same general plan has also been followed by the Presbyteries who have engaged in this enterprise. The following persons have been employed as missionaries and teachers during the year. The first corps was appointed August, 1863, and entered upon their work at Goodrich's Landing, Louisiana, in November: Rev. Thomas Calahan, Superintendent. Resigned March 1, 1864. Mr. John Lackey, Assistant. Miss Henrietta Lee, Teacher; Miss Mary A. Smith, Teacher; Miss Agnes E. Fraser, Teacher; Miss Lizzie M. Findley, Teacher; Miss Aggie E. Hammond, Teacher, resigned April 1, 1863. The second corps was formed of persons sent by the Presbytery of Muskingum and by the Rev. J. R. Slentz and others, of Venango County, Pa. They entered upon their work in the City of Vicksburg, Mississippi, about the same date as named for the first corps. Rev. J. H. Buchanan, Superintendent. Resigned April 1, 1864. A. B. McCandless, M. D. Remained with the Mission three months. Mrs. Buchanan, ditto; Miss M. A. Lorimer, ditto; Miss J. C. Milligan, ditto; Mr. D. H. McFate, ditto; Miss H. J. Ricketts, yet in service; Miss Bella Brown, ditto. The three persons last named were supported in part by the Rev. J. R. Slentz and others, to whom the Board feel grateful and much indebted. The third corps was sent out from the bounds of the Synod of Iowa, (excepting Miss J. Hudelson, from the Presbytery of Indiana,) and was located in the City of Vicksburg, Mississippi, at the same time with the second corps. Rev. S. F. Vanatta, Superintendent; Mr. J. H. McConnell, Assistant; Mrs. Vanatta, killed by guerillas, _on_transport, between Vicksburg and Natchez; Mrs. McConnell; Miss J. Hudelson. Miss Hammond labored with this corps while she remained in the field. The fourth corps was organized at Allegheny City, and early in January, 1864, started on their mission. Soon after their arrival at Vicksburg, this corps was located at Davis Bend, with head-quarters in the mansion of Jeff Davis. But it has been divided into two parts, one remaining on the Jeff Davis plantation, the other is on an adjoining plantation. Mr. James Darling, Superintendent; Rev. John M. Donaldson; Miss Ella R. McCullough; Miss Margaret Andrews; Miss Mary J. Wallace; Miss Mary M. Irwin; Miss Mattie McLane. Moses Johnston, a colored man, was sent with this corps, and was profit |