trict Synods has acted under the resolution above described, so that the Committee of fifteen is duly appointed. No notice of its organization, however, has been received, nor has your Committee known of any Chairman of that Committee through whom a conference with it could be secured.

Adopted by the Committee, and respectfully submitted.

E. T. CORWIN, Secretary.

H. D. GANSE, Chairman.

NOTE. The Synod's Committee of Conference appointed in 1873, consisted of the following: Ministers, H. D. Ganse, J. Elmendorf, A. B. Van Zandt, P. D. Van Cleef, E. S. Porter, E. T. Corwin, A. G. Vermilye, W. R. Gordon, R. Pieters, A. P. Van Gieson, R. W. Clark, W. Ormiston, W. J. R. Taylor, P. Peltz. Elders, R. H. Pruyn, F. T. Frelinghuysen, F. Hughson, W. J. Bacon, Jonathan Sturges, S. R. W. Heath. Two of the above, namely, Rev. R. Pieters, and Rev. R. W. Clark, D.D., have never sat with the Committee, nor in any way acted with it. They have sent however, courteous and adequate explanation of their absence.

At the conference with the Southern Committee there were present: Ministers, H. D. Ganse, J. Elmendorf, A. B. Van Zandt, P. D. Van Cleef, E. T. Corwin, A. G. Vermilye, W. R. Gordon, A. P. Van Gieson, W. Ormiston, W. J. R. Taylor, P. Peltz. Elders, F. Hughson, W. J. Bacon, Jonathan Sturges, S. R. W. Heath, (15). The approval of the joint report, (see above,) was unanimous in both Committees.

At the conference with the Northern Committee, fourteen members were present, whose names will appear in the following record of the vote on the joint report, (which report see in appendix.)

For the joint report.-Ministers, H. D. Ganse, J. Elmendorf, E. S. Porter, E. T. Corwin, A. P. Van Gieson, W. Ormiston, W. J. R. Taylor. Elders, W. J. Bacon, Jonathan Sturges, (9).

Against the joint report.-Ministers, A. B. Van Zandt, W. R. Gordon. Elders, F. T. Frelinghuyson, R. H. Pruyn, (4). Excused from voting.-Elder, S. R. W. Heath.

The Committee on Correspondence presented the following report which was accepted and adopted.

The Committee on Correspondence beg leave to report: That there have been referred to us the credentials of the various Corresponding Delegates who have appeared and addressed the Synod; also a letter from Rev. J. A. Williamson, Delegate from the United Presbyterian Church, saluting the Synod. Likewise the credentials of the Delegates of the Free Church of Scotland, accom. panied by a letter to the Synod, regretting their inability to attend our session.

None of these papers call for action on the part of the Synod, save the last, therefore,

Resolved, That the Stated Clerk forward a copy of the printed Minutes of this Synod to the Free Church of Scotland; and that he acknowledge by letter the receipt of correspondence and publications from that body; expressing regret also that this Synod could not be visited by the Delegates of the Free Church.

Reports have been received from the following Delegates to Corresponding bodies: From Rev. Wm. Reiley, appointed to the General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church; from Rev. C. S. Hageman, to the General Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church; from Rev. A. G. Vermilye, Delegate to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America; and from Rev. G. J. Van Neste, Delegate to the Canada Presbyterian Church. In the last named report we are informed of movements to unite the branches of the Presbyterian Church in that Dominion.

The Delegate from the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States (South), has presented the action of that Assembly in regard to the plan for closer relations between that Assembly and this Synod. On this subject we advise as follows, in the language adopted by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (South):

Resolved, That the aforesaid plan be, and the same is hereby adopted entire, (except as to the number of Delegates) by the Synod, as the basis of an "intimate co-operative alliance," such as is therein set forth; a union, not organic, but nevertheless a union real and practical; one which it is believed will, under the Divine blessing prove to be "comfortable and useful" to the two bodies that at length are happily brought into effective concert, and which, it is

hoped, will redound to the honor and glory of the Great Head of the Church, and in accordance therewith the General Synod will now appoint one minister and one elder, with alternates, as corresponding members, to meet said General Assembly at its next annual session.

Resolved, That in accordance with the provisions of the plan, the various questions touching the details of co-operation, are referred to our Boards of Education, Publication, Foreign Missions, and Domestic Missions, respectively, who shall report as soon as practicable to this Committee of Conference, hereby reappointed, and that the Committee shall consider and digest the information so obtained, with a view to continue the conference to such an end as shall be most to the glory of God, and the interests of both denominations.

One of the Delegates from the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (North) has laid before us the action of that body in regard to the subject which our Delegate, under the instructions of the Synod, laid before the Assembly, viz: the action of the Central Presbytery of Philadelphia in regard to the membership and property of the Third Reformed Church in Philadelphia. The Delegate accompanied the document containing this action with some remarks in regard to the action of our Delegate, and further affirming the desire of the Assembly to deal justly in the premises. Our Delegate has presented a full report of his remarks before the Assembly, which has been referred to your Committee for consideration.

The Committee propose the following action :

Resolved, That the action of our Delegate to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the U. S. of America, in presenting the case of the Third Church of Philadelphia to the General Assembly itself, and not to any committee thereof, was strictly in accordance with his instructions, and meets the hearty approval of this Synod.

Resolved, That the Synod had hoped for a different expression from the Assembly, but the present aspect of the case does not permit the Synod to pursue the subject, which has always been distasteful to us, as involving controversy with brethren so dearly beloved.

Resolved, That we fully appreciate the disposition of the Assembly to treat our complaint with fairness, in so far as the Assembly rebukes the Presbytery, and exhorts the members of the Church constituted in part out of some of the members of the Third Reformed Church, to submit all questions of property to the civil tribunal "frankly and unreservedly, and by no means to imperil spiritual interests by protracted and strenuous litigation."

A letter has been received from a Committee of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, appointed to correspond with sister Churches holding by the Westminster Standards, with the view of bringing about an Ecumenical Council of such Churches to consider subjects of common interest to all, and especially to promote harmony of action in the mission fields at home and abroad." The Committee of the Assembly proposes to this Synod, which is regarded as "holding by the Westminster Standards," to appoint a Committee to correspond or confer with like Committees of other Presbyterian bodies, as to the time, place and manner of holding such council."

The following action is proposed to the Synod:

Resolved, That a Committee of five persons be appointed by the President of this Synod to represent the Synod in arranging the time, place, and manner of holding such council.

Your Committee has been instructed to submit a resolution with a view to opening a correspondence with the Reformed Episcopal Church in America; accordingly the following is proposed for the adoption of the Synod:

Resolved, That this Synod expresses cordial sympathy with the efforts of the Reformed Episcopal Church to establish and perpet uate pure and spiritual worship, and recognizes with pleasure the ministry and membership of that Church, as forming with ourselves, and all our brethren of Christ's household, a part of the true Church of God upon earth.

Resolved, That to express this feeling more strongly, the Synod will appoint at this session, a Delegate to convey to the Convention of the Reformed Episcopal Church our Christian salutations, and that our Delegate suggest the expediency of an annual correspondence by delegates between that Convention and this Synod.

Respectfully submitted,

PH. PELTZ, Chairman.

The following persons were appointed as the Commitee to represent the General Synod in arranging the time, place, and manner of holding an Ecumenical Council: Rev. Mancius S. Hutton, Rev. A. P. Van Gieson, Rev. Philip Peltz, and Elders William J. Bacon and John W. Ferdon.

Resolved, That this Synod continue its Committee of Conference, to confer in accordance with its present action with the Presbyterian Assembly (South), and the Reformed Church in the United States.

Resolved, That while this Synod has declined to continue conference with the General Assembly of the Northern Presbyterian Church on the basis of effecting an organic union, it directs its Committee of Conference, which it has now voted to continue, to confer with the Committee of the General Assembly, (North,) in regard to any co-operation with that Assembly, within the limits of the arrangement already made with the Southern Assembly.

DELEGATES TO CORRESPONDING BODIES.

The following were appointed:

To the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America :-Rev. M. S. Hutton, Primarius; Rev. A. P. Van Gieson, Secundus.

To the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States (South):-Rev. H. D. Ganse, and Elder, Jonathan Sturges Primarii; Rev. Edward P. Ingersoll, and Elder, S. R. W. Heath, Secundi.

To the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church.Rev. John H. Duryea, Primarius; Rev. J. Howard Suydam, Secundus.

To the General Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church:Rev. Isaac Riley, Primarius; Rev. Alfred H. Brush, Secundus. To the General Synod of the Reformed Episcopal Church:-Rev. Alex. R. Thompson. Primarius; Rev. John Gaston, Secundus.

To the Canada Presbyterian Church-Rev. William Ormiston, Primarius; Rev David Inglis, Secundus.

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To the General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church :Rev. John McC. Holmes, Primarius; Rev. Edward T. Corwin, Secundus.