THIRD DAY.

The

Thursday, 25 June. The Association met according to adjournment. The roll was called, and prayer was offered by the Moderator. Minutes of the preceding day were then read.

The Committee on Accounts made a report which was adopted. Lewis Sabin, D. D., reported his attendance as delegate to the General Association of Iowa.

DELEGATES TO CORRESPONDING BODIES FOR 1863-4.

The Report of the Committee on Nomination of Delegates to Corresponding Bodies was adopted as follows:

To the General Conference of Maine:

Primaries-George N. Anthony, Kinsley Twining.
Substitutes-Josiah Brewer, William A. Mandell.

To the General Association of New Hampshire:
Primaries-Henry L. Edwards, Albert K. Teele.
Substitutes-Edward W. Noble, Martin S. Howard.

To the General Convention of Vermont:
Primaries-John Pike, William S. Coggin.
Substitutes-Alonzo B. Rich, Daniel L. Furber.

To the Evangelical Consociation of Rhode Island :
Primaries-Enoch Sanford, Thomas T. Waterman.
Substitutes-Charles Brooks, Jotham B. Sewall.

To the General Associations of Connecticut and Oregon:
Primaries-Emerson Davis, D. D., William H. Bessom.
Substitutes-Aaron M. Colton, Samuel H. Tolman.

To the General Association of New York:

Primaries-Joseph R. Munsell, Timothy Stowe.
Substitutes-Martin Tupper, Timothy G. Brainerd.

To the General Conferences of Ohio and California:
Primaries-John H. Bisbee, Charles E. Reed.
Substitutes-Henry B. Blake, Amos H. Coolidge.

To the General Associations of Illinois and Indiana:
Primaries-Abijah P. Marvin, Luther H. Sheldon.
Substitutes-Caleb E. Fisher, E. G. Thurber.

To the General Association of Michigan :

Primaries-Charles Hammond, Thomas A. Hall.
Substitutes-Ezekiel Russell, D. D., James P. Terry.

To the Presbyterian and Congregational Convention of Wisconsin and Nebraska.

Primaries-Charles C. Beaman, Elihu P. Marvin.
Substitutes-Sereno D. Clark, Stephen R. Dennen.

To the General Association of Iowa:

Primaries-Charles Smith, Samuel Hunt.
Substitutes-John Tatlock, Jr., Charles M. Tyler.

To the General Associations of Minnesota and Kansas.
Primaries-Aaron Foster, Edmund K. Alden.
Substitutes-Theron G. Colton, Erastus Maltby.

To the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church:
Primaries-Mortimer Blake, Henry M. Parsons.
Substitutes-James B. R. Walker, James P. Kimball.

To the Congregational Union of England, Wales and Canada.
Primaries-Ebenezer Cutler, William A. Stearns, D. D.
Substitutes-Andrew J. Willard, Samuel J. Austin.

CONCERT OF PRAYER FOR THE NATION.

The following preamble and resolutions were adopted:

Whereas, a large number of our Churches observe a season of prayer for our Army and Country once a month;

Resolved, That it be recommended to all the Pastors of the Churches, for the sake of Concert, to set apart the fourth Sabbath Evening of each month for this purpose.

PASTORAL LETTER.

The Pastoral Letter was read by Joshua T. Tucker, and approved. The proposed amendment to Rule VI, was read the second time, and after discussion, was rejected by the Association.

STATE OF THE COUNTRY.

The Committee on the State of the Country reported the following minute, which was adopted, and ordered to be sent by the Moderator to the President of the United States, and entered on the minutes of the meeting.

The General Association of Massachusetts, convened for the third time during the pendency of the war, which for more than two years has convulsed the land, find in its protracted continuance no ground of discouragement, but rather a new incentive to patriotism, and a new occasion for the devout recognitions of the over ruling presence of God in national affairs.

The Association gratefully recognize the truly Christian sentiments of the President, agreeing with him that the present civil war "is inflicted upon us for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our National reformation as a whole People." With such feelings in the high places of influence and authority extending, as they do, throughout our Churches, and in some good measure, throughout the land, and aided by the recollection of God's dealings with us in the past, we gather the confident hope that as we humble ourselves before him, He will lift us up, removing the rod of his chastisement, and bestowing upon us a prosperity and greatness which we have never known before.

The Association tender to the President the renewed assurance of their confidence in his integrity and patriotism, their sympathy with him in the arduous duties and trials of office, their unhesitating and unqualified support of his administration, and their unceasing and earnest prayers that he may be endued from above with all needful wisdom and strength. And we would urge the members of our Churches and congregations to an unfaltering support of the powers that be, the cultivation of patriotic sentiments, continued cheerful self-sacrifice, the stern discountenance of all sympathy with the spirit of rebellion, and constant and fervent prayer to God for his forgiveness and favor.

To the officers and soldiers who have gone out from this Commonwealth, nobly bearing the privations and hazards of the Camp and of the field, and to those associated with them from all parts of the land, we tender our thanks for their patriotic self-devotion, for the many lessons which they have given for our inspiration, and for the high toned morality which they have so largely maintained amid manifold temptations. We assure them that in all our Churches, and by tens of thousands of household altars, they are constantly held in grateful memory and esteem, and commended to the protection and "Grace of the Father Almighty."

COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATION.

Increase N. Tarbox, Isaac P. Langworthy and Asa Bullard, were appointed a Committee on Publication.

COMMITTEE ON THE UNION OF THE GENERAL ASSOCIATION AND THE GENERAL CONFERENCE.

Christopher Cushing, Nahum Gale, D. D., Samuel G. Buckingham, John Pike and John O. Means, were appointed a Committee on the union of the General Association and the General Conference:

APPOINTMENTS FOR THE MEETING OF 1864.

The report of the Committee on Appointments for the next year was adopted, as follows:

Place of Meeting-Springfield, First Church.

Preacher on Home Missions-Benjamin F. Hosford, of Haverhill. Substitute Ariel E. P. Perkins, of Ware.

Pastoral Letter-To be prepared by Alfred Emerson, James M. Bell, Edward P. Smith.

Associational Preacher-To be appointed by Old Colony Association. Schedule of Questions-James T. McCollom, Daniel T. Fiske, Thomas Dogget.

Steadman W. Hanks briefly addressed the meeting in behalf of the American Seamen's Friend Society.

Asa Bullard presented the claims of the Massachusetts Sabbath School Society.

After a short recess Letters of Salutation were read from

The Congregational Union of Canada, and

The Presbyterian and Congregational Convention of Wisconsin. Elihu Loomis reported by letter his attendance upon the General Association of New Hampshire.

DISCUSSION.

The following questions were introduced for discussion :

(1.) "What is the true province of the Ministry as to politico-moral questions?

(2.) "What are the proper terms of membership in the local Church?" (3.) "What is the true idea of Unity in the Church General?"

Brief addresses were made by Emerson Davis, D. D., John O. Means, Francis Horton, Abel G. Duncan, Henry M. Parsons, James H. Merrill, Josiah Brewer, Richard Knight, James A. Roberts, and Joshua L. Maynard.

At the request of the Moderator, Francis Bartlett, of Ohio, led the audience in prayer for the Slave.

NARRATIVE.

The Narrative of the State of Religion was read by Daniel L. Furber, and adopted.

TEMPERANCE RESOLUTION.

The following Resolution on Temperance was adopted:

Resolved, That in view of the increasing tendency to disregard the laws of God, and of the Commonwealth, in relation to the sale of intoxicating liquors, there is reason for alarm, and that we deem it the duty of the Pastors of the Churches to reassert the principles upon which the Temperance reform of earlier times was so successfully effected.

Adjourned to quarter past one, P. M.

Thursday, P. M. The Association met at quarter past one for public worship. The Scriptures were read, and prayer was offered by George Ritchie, of Nova Scotia. Lewis Sabin, D. D., preached the Associational Sermon, from John xvii, 2: "As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him."

The Lord's Supper was administered by Myron N. Morris, and Albert Barnes.

VOTE OF THANKS.

It was unanimously

Resolved, That the thanks of this Association are due, and are most heartily tendered to the Congregational Society, and to the people of North Middleboro', for their generous, and genial hospitalities; to the choir for their aid in our services; and to the Pastor of the Church for his assiduous and earnest efforts to promote the interests of this meeting; also to the Directors of the Old Colony and Fall River Railroad, for their liberality in furnishing free tickets to the members of the Association on their return.

Parting words were spoken by the Moderator, and responded to by the Pastor of the Church.

Israel W. Putnam, D. D., led the meeting in prayer.

The Minutes were read and approved, and with a benediction by the Moderator, the Association adjourned, sine die.

JOSEPH B. CLARK, Scribe.

ABIJAH P. MARVIN, Moderator.

DAVID A. STRONG, Assistant Scribe.

A true Copy of the Minutes,

Attest: Jos. B. CLARK, Scribe.