great pains had been bestowed on it. Considerable expense having been incurred by various impressions from the press of what was to be brought under consideration, there was permission given to a committee, with a view to retribution, to dispose of a copy-right of these Hymns for one year. NN.

There was but one canon passed. It altered the former canon, requiring one year for the admission of a candidate to holy orders; extending the term to three years; unless, in the diocese to which he belongs, the bishop, with the advice and the consent of the clerical members of the standing committee, shall deem it expedient to ordain him. after the expiration of a shorter term, not less than one year. The bishops transmitted two other canons; bnt they were referred to a committee on the canons, who were to be in existence during the recess; in order to make an arrangement of the whole body of the canons; with such improvements as they may devise; to be submitted to the next convention. One of these canons restricted application for orders, to the bishop in whose diocese he had been admitted a candidate; unless, in pursuance of letters dimissory from such bishop. The other, was for "the determining of the rights and the duties of the presbyters and deacons of this Church, in respect to residence and accountability." 00.

In the House of Clerical and Lay Deputies, two days were spent in discussing the project of a clerical deputy from South-Carolina, for the forming of a society, the object of which should be, the printing of books calculated to promote the cause of religion, and of the Episcopal Church in particular. The society was to be entitled"for the Promoting of Christian Knowledge.", The operation was to be begun with seventy-two thousand dollars, to be raised by the subscriptions of the members; to be repaid to them in books, and the capital to be finally extended to one hundred thousand dollars. A great majority of the members considered the scheme as not coming within the sphere of congregational business, and it was accordingly rejected: but of these there was a proportion, who were otherwise persuaded of its utility. PP.

There was made a satisfactory report of the state of the Theological Seminary. It was drawn at considerable length, by a joint committee of the two houses. In the course of the session, there was a settlement of the proportions of the different states to trusteeships.

There was also a report, considered as satisfactory, of the proceedings of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society.

There was the continuation of a committee, with a view to the future establishment of a college for general science, under the authority of the convention; and to report on the interests of this Church in seminaries now existing.

A committee was appointed, for the ascertaining of any errors which there may be, in the editions of the Bible.

There was drawn up and adopted, as usual, a view of the state of the Church, by a committee appointed for the purpose; and grounded on documents from the conventions of the several states.

It was referred to the Church in the different states, to consider of and to adopt an amendment to the second clause of the eighth article of the constitution, so as to place the thirty-nine articles of religion on the same footing with the liturgy, in respect to any alterations which may be proposed.

A pastoral letter to the members of the Church having been submitted to the House of Bishops, and approved of by them, was sent to the House of Clerical and Lay Deputies, and there read.

In consequence of a report from á joint committee of the two houses, it was determined, that the next meeting shall be in the city of Philadelphia, on the first Wednesday of August, 1829.

The session was closed by prayer and a psalm, with a short address by the presiding bishop.

The next session of the General Convention began on Wednesday, the 12th of August, 1829, and ended on Thursday, the 20th day of the same month. The bishops present at the opening of the session, were Bishop White, of Pennsylvania; Bishop Hobart, of New-York; Bishop Griswold, of the Eastern Diocese; Bishop Moore, of Virginia; Bishop Croes, of New-Jersey; Bishop Brownell, of Connecticut; Bishop Ravenscroft, of North-Carolina; and Bishop Onderdonk, assistant bishop of Pennsylvania, who had been elected and consecrated during the recess.

The convention was opened with a sermon by Bishop Brownell, from Galatians iv. 18, by divine service, and by the administering of the holy communion.

The Rev. William E. Wyatt, D. D. of Maryland, was chosen president; and the Rev. Benjamin T. Önderdonk, D. D. of New-York, secretary of the House of Clerical and

Lay Deputies. The Rev. Bird Wilson, D. D. of Pennsylvania, was chosen secretary of the House of Bishops.

The Church having become organized in the state of Kentucky, it was admitted into the union; as was also the Church in the state of Tennessee. This Church had been organized, although with a fault in one of its canons, which was strongly recommended to be corrected. From information received, this was confidently expected to be the result. QQ.

There was the adoption of the alterations proposed by the last General Convention, requiring, in regard to any alterations in the thirty-nine articles, that they shall be presented at one General Convention, with the view of being carried into effect by the next, after intermediate submission to the churches in the several states; in like manner as is provided for in regard to alterations in the Book of Common Prayer. The alterations of this book, proposed by the last General Convention, were not acted on by the present, having been found unacceptable to the major number of the diocesan conventions. RR.

What principally occupied the attention of this convention, was the presentation of the Rev. William Meade, D. D. of Virginia, to be assistant bishop of the Church in that state; under the proviso, that the election did not confer on him the right of succession to the diocesan Episcopacy. The evils resulting from such an economy were so manifest, that there was unanimity of opinion in opposition to it in both houses: even the deputies from the diocese in question not defending it; and expressing their confident persuasion, that the ground would be changed at the next meeting of the convention.

The only difference of opinion in the House of Clerical and Lay Deputies, during a discussion of several days, was on the point pressed by many of the members, that in the presentation for consecration, it should be made dependent on the condition of withdrawing the restriction which had occasioned the dissatisfaction. On the other hand, it was pleaded, that as the course taken in Virginia, however exceptionable, was not without precedent; as the occurrence of the like in future might be prevented by a canon; and as the deputies from the state concerned had come under instructions to move for some provision, relatively to the relation subsisting between a diocesan and his assistant; by which they seem to have pledged themselves to submit to the declared sense of the body now assembled; it would

be a reasonable dictate of moderation, to carry the proposed measure into effect. During some days, the defeat of it seemed almost certain; but towards the close of the controversy, the matter took a different turn; and the measure of presentation was carried, but not without the dissent of a very considerable minority. All the speakers against it were careful to make it known, that they had no grounds of personal dissatisfaction with Dr. Meade; for whose character they professed great respect.

When the presentation came to the House of Bishops, they determined on the consecration, and notified it to the House of Clerical and Lay Deputies. At the same timo, they declared their dissatisfaction with the non-succession scheme of the convention of Virginia; resolving, that they never would hereafter consecrate an assistant, not intended to be of course the successor; and recommending the same forbearance to their absent and to any future brethren. They also prepared a canon against any futuré occurrence of the present difficulty: which canon was sent to the other house, and passed by them. SS.

On the next day, being Wednesday, October 19th, the Rev. William Meade, D. D. was consecrated in St. James's Church, by the presiding bishop; six other bishops, to wit, Bishops Hobart, Griswold, Croes, Moore, Brownell, and Onderdonk, joining in the imposition of hands. The sermon was preached by the presiding bishop, from Revelations ii. 10.

At this convention, seven canons were passed.

The first was principally designed to provide for the reception of a minister from another denomination, without the delay exacted in other cases, by a provision additional to what existed in a former canon, (the fifth of 1820,) to the effect. It had been a matter of difference of opinion, whether it was exacted by the former provision, that the minister admitted should have undergone some specics of ordination. The present canon rendered this necessary.

The second canon extends the substance of the twentysixth of 1808, so as to enjoin inquiry into probable reports of such offences of the clergy as ought to subject them to ecclesiastical discipline.

The third, in addition to the eighth of 1820, provides, that on the deposition of a clergyman, because of his declaration that he will no longer officiate as a clergyman of the Episcopal Church, it shall be certified, if the fact be so, that his severance is not for any cause affecting his moral standing.

The fourth respects a minister's change of residence from one diocesc to another. It so far enlarges the sense of the thirty-first canon of 1808, as to provide, that in the case of his being under any charge in the diocese from which he removes, a certificate of his acquittal of the same shall be requisite to his admission to any other.

The fifth made the provision, which the crisis called for, declaring the succession and the duties of an assistant bishop.

The sixth abrogated the necessity, in the case of a foreigner, intending to officiate in a foreign language, to wait a year for ordination. This provision was accommodated to the case of the French church in the city of NewYork.

The seventh was additional to the thirty-third of 1808, providing more distinctly, for consent to a minister's offici ating within the parochial boundaries of any city, borough, village, town, or township, of which he is not a resident.

The presiding bishop presented to the convention certain documents relative to the Church of Denmark; which he had received through the medium of the kind offices of Peter Pederson, Esq. the minister plenipotentiary of his majesty the King of Denmark; containing considerable information, not generally possessed. These documents have been deposited, with others formerly presented, and in the possession of the Rev. Dr. Kemper; at whose instance those now given were procured by Mr. Pederson, during his late visit to his native country, from Dr. Munter, the present bishop of Copenhagen.

There was submitted to the convention the report of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society; of whose proceedings there was expressed very strong approbation, with an earnest recommendation of a more extensive patronage. Sundry alterations of the constitution, proposed by the society, were sanctioned by the convention.

The proceedings of the trustees of the Theological Seminary were submitted; and there was made a nomination of the requisite number of the trustees of the institution. The committee on the canons was continued.

It was recommended to the bishops, to consider of and report to the next General Convention, a plan for the Episcopal superintendence of the churches in the states destitute of bishops.

The House of Clerical and Lay Deputies signified their wish to the House of Bishops, that in their pastoral ad