tery of Albany, to publish a Book of Hymns and Tunes, as requested by the Presbytery of Albany.

III. But, since this overture furnishes one of many indications that there is a growing desire, in all parts of the church, that our Psalmody should be enriched from the large stores of lyric poetry which have accumulated since our Hymn Book was compiled, we recommend that the Assembly appoint a committee to take this whole subject into consideration, and to report to the next Assembly what changes, if any, should be made in our present Book of Psalms and Hymns. Also, to consider the expediency of arranging portions of the Word of God in a form suitable for chanting in our congregations."

It appears from this report, that the Presbytery of Albany desired to publish a Book of Hymns and Tunes, under the sanction of the Board of Publication, with the approval of the Assembly. This would have given a quasi sanction by the Assembly. The report was adopted, and the declinature of the proposition was just. There is, however, a wide-spread impression that our Hymn Book needs revision. It is far inferior to several with which we are acquainted, and it might be greatly improved. We are among those who believe in progress being made in our church music, both in the poetry and the tunes used in our public worship. The Assembly appointed an able committee to act under the foregoing minute, and we trust they will take time and produce a Book worthy of the purpose for which it is needed.

The following are the names of the persons composing this committee: J. T. Backus, D. D., S. Irenæus Prime, D. D., H. A. Boardman, D. D., William Blackwood, D. D., N. C. Burt, D. D., E. P. Humphrey, D. D., Willis Lord, D. D., Geo. Potts, D.D., Charles W. Shields, D. D., William M. Paxton, D. D., Cyrus Dickson, D. D., C. Kennicott, Boston; David Keith, St. Louis; Charles N. Todd, Indianapolis; Robert Carter, New York.

RELATIVE AUTHORITY OF ELDERS AND TRUSTEES.

The Presbytery of Cincinnati requested the General Assembly to "define the respective rights of the trustees and session in their control of the edifice used for public worship, and to direct what steps should be taken in cases of disagreement or collision between them."

The Committee on Bills and Overtures presented the following report, which was adopted. The views here presented are so just and discriminating that we present the report entire. Where conflict of authority arises on this subject in any congregation, here will be found the true solution:

"Where a church edifice is held by trustees, the legal title is vested in them, and having the title, the custody and care of the church follows to them for the uses and purposes for which they hold the trust.

These uses and purposes are the worship of God and the employment of such other means of spiritual improvement as may be consistent with the Scriptures and the order of the church, to which may be added congregational meetings for business relating to the church or corporation. By the constitution the session is charged with the supervision of the spiritual interests of the congregation, and this includes the right to direct and control the use of the building for the purpose of worship, as required or established by the special usage of the particular church or the Directory for Worship. This being the principal purpose of the trust, the trustees are bound to respect the wishes and action of the session as to the use and occupation of the house of worship. The session is the organ or agent through whom the trustees are informed how and when the church building is to be occupied, and the trustees have no right to refuse compliance with the action of the session in this regard. These are general principles applicable to all cases, except perhaps in some localities where special statutory enactments by authority may confer other rights and prescribe other principles.

But there are other purposes for which the use of the church edifice is sometimes desired, which, though they partake of a religious or an intellectual character, do not fall within the class of objects which are properly described as belonging to the worship of that congregation. The house may not be used for such purposes without the consent of the trustees. As the function to determine what is a proper use of the house is vested in the session, the trustees have no legal right to grant the use of the house for purposes which the session disapprove, and as the strict rights of those who are represented by the session to the use of the house, are limited to the worship of that congregation, the trustees are under no obligation to grant it for any other purpose. When the trustees grant the use of the house to others, contrary to the expressed wishes of the session, and as they suppose to the prejudice of the cause of religion and of that church, the proper appeal is first to the persons composing the congregation to whom the trustees are responsible-secondly, to the presbytery for their advice, and finally to the legal tribunals."

BOARD OF CHURCH EXTENSION.

A brief abstract of the operations of this Board, as we learn from their published Annual Report, is as follows:

"The number of applications for aid put on file from April 1, 1862, to April 1, 1863, was seventy. These applications were from churches in the bounds of twenty-one synods, thir y-seven presbyteries, and fifteen States and Territories. These seventy churches ask for aid amounting in the aggregate to $24.954.40, averaging $356.49 each. Besides these new applications filed during the year, there were sixtyone previous applications calling for $24,991.75 undisposed of April 1, 1862. The Board, therefore, had before it, during the twelve months under review, one hundred and thirty-one applications calling for nearly $50,000. During the year, six applications asking for $8,625 were declined chiefly for want of funds, and thirty-seven applications request. ing aid to the amount of $13,691.75 were stricken from the file, because they had not furnished the requisite information in the two years allowed for that purpose. There remained on file and undisposed of for want of the usual information, April 1, 1863, applications from thirty-two churches calling for $12,750. During the year under review appropriations amounting to $10,308.40 were made to forty-six churches in the bounds of seventeen Synods, thirty-one presbyteries, and sixteen States and Territories. The average amount appropriated to each of these forty-six churches was $224.09. Appropriations amounting to $625 were, during the year, withdrawn from five churches. To one of these, however, a new appropriation was soon after made. localities of all these churches will be found in the report."

The names and appendix to this

Dr. John M. Lowrie, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, chairman of the committee, to whom the report of this Board was referred, presented a report, embodying several resolutions, which we can not insert entire, but of which the following is the substance: The Annual Report is approved, and also the minutes of the Board, and the report is recommended to be published. The third resolution commends the economy with which the Board have conducted their work, "in view of the difficulties of the times." The fourth calls attention to the gratifying fact that very many churches, in all parts of the country, have relieved themselves of debt. This is spoken of as "remarkably simultaneous," and as calling for "gratitude

to God for his special favor," and in answer to prayer. The second resolution is so important that we embody it in full:

2. "We call attention to the facts that more than two-thirds of our churches are still entirely delinquent in contributing to the funds of this Board; that the small amounts given-less than ten churches reaching the sum of $100-indicate that the merits of the cause are too little laid before our people; and that the increased cost of building makes larger contributions more important than before. We recommend, therefore, that the presbyteries be directed to inquire at their fall meetings what churches have taken the collections enjoined by the Assembly for July, on behalf of the Board of Church Extension, and to urge a more general attention hereafter to the wants of this Board."

The report was sustained by remarks from Rev. Dr. Coe, Secretary of the Board, who was invited to address the Assembly; and also by the Rev. Messrs. Hayes, of Baltimore, Brown, of Georgetown, D. C., Judge Clark, of Detroit, and others. Judge Clark thanked the Assembly for what they had done through the Board for the churches in Michigan. "There was a large infusion of Old School Presbyterian sentiment in his State, through the work in part of this Board; and, although they discarded divisive action, they were in a better condition, by this agency, to advance and enlarge our bounds in that direction." After these addresses the report of the committee was adopted.

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

We find, in the Annual Report, the following interesting statement concerning the work of this Board for the year past, in aiding by its benevolent labors to increase the number of the ministry :

"The following table exhibits the operation of the Board of Education in the department of candidates for the ministry:

The number of new candidates, received during the year, has been

38

The number received from the beginning (in 1819),

3202

The whole number on the roll during the past year has been

313

The aggregate number of candidates during the year now closed is sixty-two below that of last year, but is almost up to the average aggregate of the past eleven years. For that period the average aggregate has been three hundred and ninety-eight, while for the year covered by the present report, the average has been three hundred and ninety and fivesixths. This is a result for which the Board feel that great gratitude is due to the Head of the Church."

Rev. Dr. Wines, of New York, presented the report upon this subject from the committee to whom had been referred the Annual Report of the Board. We present the first three resolutions of the committee's report entire :

"Resolved, 1. That the General Assembly recognize as matter of fervent gratitude to God, the fact that in the midst of civil war, and of the agitations, calamities, and financial pressure consequent thereupon, the Board of Education should not only have been able to meet promptly all current expenses, as they accrued, but also to liquidate a debt of more than $4,000, and to accumulate a balance altogether of $9,283.41, of which amount nearly one-half is to the credit of the Ministerial Education Fund; and the Assembly hereby records its approval of the diligence, zeal, and wisdom with which the Board and the Executive Committee have discharged the duties of their position.

Resolved, 2. That the General Assembly has noticed with a concern proportioned to its deep and far-reaching significance, the alarming decrease in the number of candidates offering for the gospel ministry, and exhort that earnest prayer be made of the church continually that the Lord of the harvest will multiply and send forth laborers into the harvest.

Resolved, 3. That the General Assembly concur with the Board in urging upon all ecclesiastical bodies having academical institutions under their control, that they use the most strenuous endeavors to elevate the standard of academic culture, and to make such culture broad, thorough, and every way worthy, both of the past history and of the future exigencies of the Presbyterian Church.”

Rev. Dr. Chester, Corresponding Secretary, addressed the Assembly at great length, reviewing the operations of the Board during the past year. He said, "the number of young men taken from their studies for the ministry, who had enlisted under the banner of their country, was larger than the members of the Assembly were aware." He referred to the "large number of ministers unemployed," and said, "if