constitute a portion of that docu. ment. Your committee in taking a view of the number of members in, and extent of, the several presbyteries, were forcibly struck with the condition and boundaries of the Northern Presbytery. It is recollected, and will be found as a part of your minutes, that six years since, this presbytery sought and obtained leave to divide itself into three presbyteries at such time as might be deemed convenient. Since that period, its numbers have been increasing, and yet it is but one. Your committee, from conversing with each other on the subject, take the liberty of recommending to synod the following resolutions in this matter, and in reference to the formation of two subordinate sy. nods, under the inspection and order of the one general repre. sentative synod which now exists.

1. Resolved, That the Northern Presbytery be and it is hereby divided into four presbyteries, bounded and named according to the statements annexed.

2. Resolved, That these presbyteries, together with that of Philadelphia, be constituted into a subordinate synod, to be nominated the Northern R. P. S., and that the presbyteries W. and S. of the Alleghany mountains, do constitute the Subordinate Western R. P. S. All which is respectfully submitted.

G. MCMASTER, Chairman. G. MCMILLAR. Philadelphia, Aug. 9, 1831.

It is recommended with submis. sion to your order, that the presbyteries of the North, be designated and known by the names of

New York, Albany, The Mohawk, and Green Mountain.

And that the boundaries be as follows.

1. That New York Presbytery, include all south of a line running east and west through Kingston, Ulster County, New York.

2. That Albany Presbytery, embrace all north of the aforesaid line, and bound on the east by the Green Mountains, and west by the North River, with the exception of the city of Albany, and the towns of the county of Albany, lying immediately upon the North River, which said presbytery shall embrace.

3. That the Presbytery of the Mohawk, shall embrace all west of that of the Presbytery of Albany.

4. That the Presbytery of the Green Mountains, shall include all east of the ridge bearing that name: and that in the mean time, and until more ministerial aid shall be obtained east of the Green Mountains, the congrega. tion of Argyle be attached to the Presbytery of the Green Mountains.

PRESBYTERIAL Report.

The report of the Western Presbytery of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America, to their synod, to meet in Philadelphia, August 3, A. D. 1831.

The Western Presbytery report, that Christian intercourse and harmony continue to designate their proceedings. Their congrega. tions are six. Four of these have fixed pastors. Their vacancies are two one on Walnut-Hill Prairie, Illinois; another on Walnutridge, Indiana. The former of

these vacancies calls annually for supplies which we are unable to grant. They are urgent for supplies, from unsettled preachers, until they can obtain a pastor of their own. We trust, the synod will make an arrangement whereby we shall be enabled to attend to their just demand. The widely dispersed prayer meetings are numerous in our bounds. The appointment and maintenance of two ministers to travel through the western states, to preach the gospel, administer its ordinan. ces, exhibit the principles of the Reformation, form commencements, and organize congrega. tions, would, we think, be vitally important in the cause of truth and righteousness, and in the advancement of the best interests of Zion. The admirable system which reformers maintain needs only to be known in order to be espoused. The increase of church members in our several congre. gations, vacancies, and prayer meetings, has progressed since our last report. That the Redeemer's presence may fill your councilchamber, Himself preside in your assembly, guide you by his counsel, and sanction all your decisions, is the hope and prayer of yours, dear fathers and brethren in the Lord.

telligence to satisfy the anxiety of the community. Since that time we have had various accounts. On Wednesday morning we heard that he was better, and this gave us hopes of his recovery. It was but a short time afterwards, that we received certain intelligence, that the professor had breathed his last early in the morning. His funeral took place on Thursday afternoon, from his late residence in the city of New Brunswick, N. J.

The places which he so ably filled in the theological school of the Reformed Dutch Church, and in Rutgers college, will not be readily supplied. To his afflicted widow, and his fatherless children, his death is a severe and irreparable loss. The Father of the fatherless, and the Judge of the widow, says unto this desolate family, from his holy habitation, "I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you."

EXTRACT

FROM THE MINUTES
OF THE NORTHERN REFORMED

PRESBYTERY, ARGYLE, 1831,
SEPT. 10TH.

"Understanding that the Rev. Dr. Wilson, a member of this court, is engaged in compiling a history of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, in Great Britain and America, and being convinced that correct information respecting ecclesiastical proceedings, should be within the reach of every member of our church,

Therefore, Resolved:

That it be recommended, to the Rev. Dr. Willson, to finish and publish said history with all convenient speed."

"upon this rock I will build my church." 3. The safety of the church, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

To illustrate this safety, shall my endeavors, in this discourse, be directed. I shall, however, premise some truths taught by Christ in the text and context, and exceedingly helpful to a full understanding of the church's safety. I. Premise some doctrines proposed in the passage of revelation before us.

This is designed as an explanation of the text-a defense of it from the misconstructions of enemies to truth-and as a mean of strengthening our faith in the security promised to Israel.

Propos. I. Christ wills that his disciples should make an explicit profession of their faith in him. self.

The whole of this conversation led them to make such a profession. He directly demands it in the question, "but whom do ye say that I am?" By a public profession of their faith, believers fulfill a law of their nature,-they express their sentiments. Out

of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. As with the heart man believeth unto righteous ness, so with the mouth confession is made unto eternal life. This has a salutary influence upon themselves. The reduction of their conceptions into language renders these more accurate, and has a tendency to confirm their faith. It is also beneficial to so. ciety. Expression is the vehicle of sentiment. By our public profession others are admonished to go and do likewise. A good confession, like a holy example,

has often done much good. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."*

It has, not unfrequently, been the means of inducing others to commence a serious investigation of religion. What is thy beloved more than another beloved,that thou dost so charge us ?t is an inquiry preparative to, whither is thy beloved gone, Ó thou fairest among women, whither is thy beloved turned aside that we may seek him with thee? Such a profession is, moreover, acceptable to our beloved Lord. O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rocks, in the secret places of the stairs; let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. Song ii. 14.

Propos. II. All saving information is derived from the special aid of the Divine Spirit.

Christ proposes this truth to his disciples. "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven." The doctrine of Christ is a supernatural revelation. The cordial reception of it is a supernatural gift. The efforts of unassisted reason would never have discovered the great mystery of godliness-not from creation, for the human mind is not able to trace any necessary connection between creation and the redemption of sinners-nor from the dispensations of Providence ; for although these are all subservient to the system of grace, the connection is too mysterious to

be ascertained by the mind, with out more than ordinary aid. Omniscience can, indeed, perceive a connection between all the operations of divine providence, and that ineffable display of the perfections of Jehovah's, which is made in the person of Jesus Christ; but it requires efficiencies of the Divine Spirit, perfectly distinct from those which confer the power of reasoning, in order to produce that adaptation to divine truth in the human soul, which is necessary to a saving reception of the system of grace, even after it is presented to the understanding in propositions which are intelligible to the natural man. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.* There is an essential difference between the rational assent which is given to doctrines, even when revealed, and that cordial approbation of the system of grace which the pious have given to divine truth. The natural man vieweth not the things of the Spirit of God-because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Cor. ii. 14. Propos. III. Faith is eminently employed in beholding the Head of the church carrying on all her concerns by a real exertion of his authority.

Jesus holds up this object to the view of his disciples, whose faith is now quickened by his conversation with them. "I will build the church." The disciples

* 1 Cor. ii. 9, 10.

had declared their belief in him as "the Christ, the Son of God"as the great God--the Word made flesh. This idea fills the whole soul-they, for a moment, forget the meanness of his appearance. But the eye is again arrested by the poverty, the weakness, of the church. The disciples are few, and feeble, and ignorant, and contemptible. They are ready to cry, "By whom shall Jacob arise, for he is small?” The words of Christ expel fear, and pour joy into the soul. At that moment they feel their importance in connection with him. There is a high value stamped upon their lives and their immortality. They rise above present appearances. The world is crucified unto them. They glory in the cross. The church is safe. Their hopes are secure. cles formerly insurmountable vanish from their view. art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel, a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, Grace, grace, unto it.*

Obsta.

Who

Propos. IV. The church largely participates in the stability which pervades the counsels and the works of Jehovah.

All his works praise the Lord. He hath firmly laid the foundations of earth; and he setteth fast the mountains.

But, things glorious are said of the city of God. "His founda. tion is in the holy mountains."t Christ's interest in her is the bond of her security. "I will build my church." He claims a property in her. He has unto her the relation of an architect, of a

*Zech. iv. 7. Ps. lxxxvii. 1.