Delegates to Corresponding Bodies,

May, 1856 To paid Mileage to Commissioners,

$3456 08 May, 1856 By Balance from the old Account,

"Cash paid the Mileage Committee,

Rev. O. P. Hoyt, D.D.,

$35 00

Stated Clerk,

205 57

10 00

66 per centage from Ivison & Phinney,

100 00

G. F. Wiswell,

12 00

D. W. Poor,

11 00

This is to certify that we have examined the above account and vouchers, and find them correct.

IV. Miscellaneous.

I. EXPENSES OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

THE attention of the Presbyteries is called to the plan, proposed on p. 399, for the raising of an annual fund, to defray the traveling expenses of Commissioners, and the contingent expenses of the General Assembly.

II. ANNUAL MINUTES.

Price, as determined by the Assembly of 1854, forty cents, and no charge for postage. A copy will be sent, without charge, to the Stated Clerk of every Presbytery, and of every Synod; also to every Minister, whose address is known, and whose Presbytery has contributed to the Mileage Fund its full apportionment.

III. SYNODICAL REPORTS.

A Statistical Report is to be forwarded to the Assembly by the Stated Clerk of every Synod, in which are to be stated the number of Presbyteries, ministers, churches, licentiates and candidates within. their bounds, and how distributed; the changes which may have been made in the number or arrangement of their Presbyteries; the place and hour of their next Annual Meeting, and the names of the Moderator and Stated Clerk.

IV. PRESBYTERIAL REPORTS.

It is required of every Presbytery to prepare and forward to the General Assembly

1. A Statistical Report, according to the form exhibited on page 453 of the present Appendix, of which a printed blank will be furnished in due season, by order of the Assembly, to the Stated Clerk of every

Presbytery. This Report should, if possible, embrace all the changes in the Presbytery previous to the first day of April.

2. A Narrative of the State of Religion within the bounds of the Presbytery for the year ending April 1st. These Narratives should specify facts in regard to the particular churches, their state, trials, encouragements, and prospects; how many of them, and which, have enjoyed revivals of religion through the year; in which of them the Catechisms are taught, Sunday-schools and Bible-classes organized, the number of scholars in each, etc.; also the decease, if any, of the ministers of the Presbytery during the year. Also, as directed by the General Assembly of 1854, its various arrangements for Church Extension; stating the number of its ministers, and the particular manner in which they are employed; the number of its churches, and how they are supplied; the gross amount of funds collected in its bounds for Home Missions and Church Erection; the amount received by its churches from the American Home Missionary Society, or any similar institution; the number of houses of worship, with their probable value, and whether they are free from debt; the number of new churches organized and new houses of worship erected; what itinerant arrangements have been adopted for preaching the Gospel; what and how much agency has been employed; together with all such other facts and suggestions as will show, from year to year, what has been accomplished, and what may need to be undertaken, to bring all the churches to a proper degree of effort to promote the kingdom of Christ. As the Narratives are not to be publicly read, less care may be given to their style, and more to the detail of particulars, such as will aid the Committee of the Assembly, in preparing their Annual General Narrative of the State of the Church.

V. STATED CLERKS OF PRESBYTERIES.

Attention is requested to the following particulars: Let the Stated Clerk of every Presbytery take special care,

1. That the Commissioners to the Assembly are furnished with a Commission, according to the model prescribed in the Form of Government, chap. XXII., sec. ii.

2. That the Apportionment for the Mileage Fund of the Assembly be, in due season, distributed annually by the Presbytery among its churches, and the amount forwarded by the hands of one of the Commissioners, or by mail, to the Stated Clerk of the Assembly.

3. That the Presbyterial Reports, specified in the previous article, be duly prepared, authenticated, and forwarded. These Reports should be on separate papers, for the convenience of the Assembly in referring them to distinct Committees.

In preparing the Statistical Report, let the following rules be observed:

(1.) Carefully copy the blank form and order of columns, etc., on page 453.

(2.) Record ministers in the order of their ministerial age, with their Christian names in full, and their address in the adjoining column.

(3.) Place the name of every church opposite the name of its pastor or stated supply; or, if vacant, at the foot of the roll.

(4.) Place, after the name of every minister, an abbreviation, denoting his occupation; e. g.: P., for a Pastor; P. E., for a Pastor Elect; P. C., for a Pastor of a Congregational Church; C. P., for a Colleague Pastor; S. S., for a Stated Supply; H. M., for a Home Missionary; C. M., for a City Missionary; T. M., for a Tract Missionary; S. M., for a Synodical Missionary; P. M., for a Presbyterial Missionary; F. M., for a Foreign Missionary; Pres., for the President of a College; Prof., for a Professor in a College or Theological Seminary; Sec., for a Secretary of a benevolent institution; D. Sec., for a District Secretary; Ag., for an Agent of do.; Ch., for a Chaplain; Tea., for a Teacher; Ed., for an Editor; W. C., for a minister without charge; and Col., for a Colporteur.

(5.) Place after the name of every church the abbreviations, P., for one that has a Pastor; P. E., for one that has a Pastor Elect; S. S., for one that has a Stated Supply; or V. for one that is vacant.

(6.) If a church fails to report, let the "whole number" of communicants be given as reported to the Synod, or to the last Assembly, with an asterisk (*) in the column of communicants denoting the fact.

(7.) In the additions to the church, distinguish between those on examination and those on certificate; in the baptisms, between the adults and the infants; and be careful to observe the order of the columns in which these particulars are recorded.

(8.) In the report of "Funds" contributed observe the directions at the foot of the blank form on the next page,

453.

(9.) The names of the Licentiates are to be recorded immediately after the list of Ministers, in the same column; but of the Candidates, -including all who are studying for the ministry under the care of the respective churches of the Presbytery,-the number only is to be given.

(10.) Avoid erasures or interlineations, and make names and numbers distinctly legible.

&

(11.) ADD UP every column, and authenticate the Report with your signature.

(12.) Affix no extraneous matter, such as memoranda, explanations or orders for the delivery of the printed Minutes of the Assembly; let these be given on a separate sheet.

If any thing should prevent the forwarding of the Statistical Report in time for the Meeting of the General Assembly, let it be sent, as soon as possible, by mail, to the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, No. 103 West Thirty-Fourth street, New-York City.

FORM OF A PRESBYTERIAL REPORT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Date.