that this Society is doing more by its missionaries in the slaveholding States, than is done by all other agencies together, to bring the Gospel front to front with slavery. And we call earnestly on those who are now burdening this Society with suspicion, and paining the hearts of good men with unfounded apprehensions, to cease from their work, and join with us in the prayer and the trust that it may fill nobly up, in the future, the career of fidelity on which it has entered, and that it may be anointed of God, "to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound."

Resolved, Therefore, that this General Association do cordially approve of the A. H. M. Society, and commend it to our churches as an organization from which it is safe and blessed to receive, and to which it is more blessed to give.

And whereas insinuations and charges of wrong have becn made against this Society in its relations to slavery, too vague in their character, and too general and sweeping in their aim, to admit of refutation, therefore

Resolved, That we will frown upon all such accusations, unless their authors and abettors will make specific allegations, and hold themselves responsible for the same.

WISCONSIN.

[For the Statistics of this State, thanks are specially due to Rev. Z. M. Humphrey, Pastor of the Presbyterian Church, Racine, and Stated Clerk of the General Convention of Wisconsin; who promptly and kindly furnished the Union with a History of Presbyterian and Congregational Churches in Wisconsin," published in 1851, and with corrected statistics of the Congregational Churches as far as the limited time would allow; from which the following items are collected. ]

The history of the rise and progress of religious institutions in this State is without a parallel, in respect to their early establishment and their rapid advancement. Fifteen years ago this country was occupied by the wild red man and the wild prey which he followed in the chase. In 1836, one minister entered this field and commenced his labors, and one church was organized during that year. In 1839, there were three ministers and five or six churches. From that time there has been a constant accession of ministers and a rapid increase of churches from year to year. There are now (1851,) one hundred ministers and one hundred and twenty-five churches. An ecclesiastical organization has been established, consisting of a General Convention and four District Conventions, which happily unite these churches and ministers in one body; and over forty houses of public worship have been erected.

But these statistics and general statements by no means show what has been accomplished. An amount of moral influence has been exerted by these ministers and churches on the forming

character of this young and growing State, which no arithmetic can compute and no mere figures express. The Gospel has been preached not only to congregations connected with these churches, but to multitudes in other places, and in the scattered settlements of the country. Sabbath schools have been extensively established, and multitudes of children and youth have thus been brought up under religious instruction. The Temperance cause has been aided and borne forward in its achievements. The Bible has been widely circulated. Tracts and religious books have been scattered over the State. The observance of the Sabbath has been promoted; the cause of ed ucation has been advanced; common schools have been encouraged; select schools and academies have been established and sustained, and a college has been founded and put in successful operation; and revivals of religion have been enjoyed among the churches from year to year, which have resulted in the hopeful conversion of nearly three thousand souls.

These happy results are to be traced in a great measure to the influence and efforts of the AMERICAN HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY. The carly occupancy of the field by that Society, its efficient aid and continued fostering care, have placed the cause of religion in its present advantageous position in the State. Nearly all the churches were either organized by the missionaries of that Society, or have been aided in the support of their ministers by its funds. Several ministers who are now sustained by their own people, are occupying ground prepared to their hands by the missionaries of the A. H. M. S., and building on foundations laid by them.

It will be a matter of interest to those who are not acquainted with the practical working of the Convention, to know what are its powers, and the relations which it sustains to the churches connected with it.

The great principle involved in this arrangement is contained in the first article of the Constitution, which is fundamental and unalterable, as follows:

"Churches belonging to this Convention may adopt either

the Presbyterian or Congregational mode of government, and shall each be represented at the meetings of the Convention by one delegate."

In the organization of a church, the form of government is decided by the vote of the majority of the members; the minority yield their preferences, and coincide with the form of government thus adopted. There is no mixture of the two modes of government in the same church. Each church is either Presbyterian or Congregational, and transacts its business according to the established rules and usages of other churches of the same order; recognizing the right of the majority to decide in matters of this kind.

To the Presbyterian churches, the Convention sustains the same relation as a Presbytery, and has the same jurisdiction over them. To the Congregational churches it stands in the same relation as an Association with lay delegation, or rather a Consociation. It has no jurisdiction over the churches, unless by their action cases are referred to Convention for decision.

There is a provision in the Constitution which requires the records of the churches to be reviewed; but this rule does not give the Convention any control in a judicial sense. It is designed, so far as Congregational churches are concerned, to afford opportunity for advice and suggestion in regard to the manner of keeping records, and to enable Convention to discover any essential disorders or departure from sound doctrine, in which case they have the right to withdraw fellowship from the church, and thus dissolve the connection.

Twelve years have now passed since the organization of the Convention; its meetings have been harmonious and profitable, and often seasons of deep interest and spiritual refreshing.