laft year. The fynod of Virginia, in like manner reported, that they fent out two miffionaries, in the course of last year; but have not received their journals; and can give no account of their progress or fuccefs that a miffionary of the former year, had been employed for twelve months in miffionary labours, and made a very fatisfactory report to the fynod in Sept. laft.

The fynod of the Carolinas, in like manner, failed to make a written report; but the members prefent informed the Affembly, that the faid fynod, at their feffions in October laft, appointed seven miffionaries to itinerate within their bounds, and parts adjacent, the prefent year; one of whom was to spend some time in missionary labours among the Catawby Indians.

The Affembly called on the Presbyteries to make the annual reports, required to be made by them, on the miffionary business.

On inquiry, it appeared, that the Presbyteries, in general, conceiving that the whole missionary business, had been devolved on the standing committee of miffions, had given to that body fuch information on the fubject, as would otherwise have been tranfmitted to this Affembly. The Affembly accepted the apology of the Presbyteries, and approved their conduct in making their communications in manner aforefaid; and the Affembly directed the Presbyteries, in future, to report on this fubject to the committee of miffions only; and to make their reports fo early, as to enable the said committee to avail themselves of the information, and present the same to the Gen. Affembly, from year to year.

The standing committee of miffions appeared before the Affembly, and made a report, in part, ftating; that the committee have fent a circular letter to each Presbytery belonging to the General Affembly; excepting those of the fynods, who conduct the miffionary bufinefs in their separate capacity; in which letter they folicit information, refpecting perfons proper to be employed as miffionaries; the most promifing places for their employment, and other fubjects connected with the bufinefs.-That they have opened a correspondence with fundry miffionary focieties, both in Europe and in America, for the purpose of receiving and communicating useful information, on the miffionary bufinefs.*That in purfuance of authority given them.

* In their circular letter, addreffed to certain miffionary focieties in Europe, the committee give an hiftorical account of all, or most of the miffionary focieties, in this country; their origin, local fituation, progrefs and fuccefs. They dwell with particular pleasure and copioufnefs, on the miffionary efforts of the General Affembly; their feeble beginnings, and prefent ftrength: and they cautioufly point to their glorious effects, which eternity only can fully unfold. Those who would have their pious curiofity further gratified, are referred to the miffionary fermon, preached before thie Affembly, and a vast concourse of citizens, by the Rev. Henry Kollock; purfuant to the request and appointment of the committee of miflions. The appendix to this fermon, will be particu larly interefting to the friends of religion and of humanity. It may be had of the bookfellers in Philadelphia; and will be fent, for fale, to the feveral Prefbyteries; and the profits applied toward increasing the triumphs of the cross.

by the last Affembly, they have liquidated certain accounts, and directed the trustees to grant warrants for the payment of certain fums* of money, amounting in the whole to 98 Dols. 70 Cts.-That they have read the report of certain miffionaries, employed by the last Affembly, viz. thofe of Meffrs. Jedediah Chapman, Lindfley, Richards, McGraw and Chavis: and the committee presented to the Assembly, an abstract of said reports.—that they have adjusted the accounts of the millionaries whose reports have been received; and a detailed account of the fum due to each, was read. The committee close the prefent report, by submitting to the confideration of the houfe, fome principles refpecting the miffionaries, who may hereafter be fent out by the Assembly.

On a review of the above, the Assembly Refolved.

ift. That written instructions shall be given to the missionaries, who shall be sent out from time to time: that the said instructions be given in the name of the committee of miffions; stating, however, that they have been approved by the General Assembly.

2d. That the committee fhall have power, on any emergency, to iffue new inftructions to the miffionaries, fuited to the occafion.

3d. That the Affembly approve of the orders given by the committee of miffions, for the payment of 98 dollars 70 cents to fundry perfons, for fervices rendered to the Gen. Affembly; and that they be authorized to liquidate the accounts of the miffionaries of last year; and give to them, or their reprefentatives refpectively, draughts on the corporation, for the fums that shall appear to be due.

Agreeably to an appointment made by the standing committee of miffions, the Rev. Henry Kollock, of the Prefbytery of New-York, delivered laft evening, in the fecond Prefbyterian church in this city, a mifionary fermon, from John iii. 30. He must increase.

Resolved, That the faid committee be directed to prefent the thanks of this Affembly to Mr. Kollock for his fermon; and to requeft a copy thereof for publication.

Resolved, That the committee fuperintend the printing of a fufficient number of copies of the faid fermon, together with fuch an appen dix as they fhall judge proper; to the intent that they may be circu Jated and fold, and the profits applied to miffionary purposes.

Agreeably to the order of the day, the Affembly proceeded to a free converfation on the general state of religion within their bounds. In order that the general refult may be collected, and laid before the Affembly.

Resolved, That Mr. Miller, Mr. Alexander and Mr. Welsh, be a committee, to take notes of the information as it fhall be given to the Affembly; to collect the fame into a general and connected report, and lay it before the Affembly, as foon as may be convenient.

The members of the Affembly being called upon in the order of the roll, communicated fuch information, on the general state of religion, as their local circumstances enabled them to give and fome

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interesting details were given by the delegates from the General Affociation of Connecticut, respecting the state of religion in that state, and the vicinity thereof.

The committee appointed to collect and prefent to the Affembly, the fubftance and general refult of the information obtained by the Affembly, respecting the general state of religion within their limits, reported.

The report being read and confidered, was adopted, and is as follows:

The committee appointed to draw up a statement, as the result of the free converfation on the state of religion, beg leave to present the following

The Affembly heard, at more than ufual length, and with more than common fatisfaction, the accounts received from their members, of the ftate of religion, within the bounds of the Prefbyterian church. Since an inquiry of this nature has become a part of the annual bufinefs of the Affembly, it may be confidently afferted that no refult was ever prefented to our body; fo favourable, and fo gratifying to the friends of truth and piety.

There is fcarcely a Presbytery under the care of the Affembly, from which fome pleafing intelligence has not been announced; and from fome of them communications have been made; which fo illuftriously display the triumphs of evangelic truth, and the power of fovereign grace, as cannot but fill with joy the hearts of all who love to hear of the profperity of the Redeemer's kingdom.

In most of the northern and eaftern Prefbyteries, revivals of religion, of a more or less general nature have taken place. In these revivals, the work of divine grace has proceeded, with a few exceptions, in the usual way. Sinners have been convinced and converted by the fill fmall voice of the Holy Spirit, and have been brought out of darkness into marvellous light, and from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God, without any remarkable bodily agitations, or extraordinary affections. In this calm, and ordinary manner many hundreds have been added to the church, in the courfe of the last year; and multitudes of those who had before joined themselves to the Lord, have experienced times of refreshing and confolation from his presence.

In many of the fouthern and western Prefbyteries, revivals more extenfive, and of a more extraordinary nature have taken place. While many, within the bounds of those Presbyteries, have been, as is hoped, effectually called, without any exercises other than those which have generally attended the progrefs of vital piety; there have been multitudes of inftances, in which great bodily agitations, and other circumftances, out of the ufual courfe of religious exercise, have attended the work. As thefe extraordinary appearances have been before announced by the Affembly, and as the knowledge of them is generally diffused throughout the American churches, it is not judg

ed neceffary to enter into minute details on the subject. The Affembly would only obferve, that although they forbear to express any opinion, as to the origin and nature of fome of thofe circumstances, which have attended the fouthern and western revivals; and which have attracted fo much of the attention of the religious world; yet they are constrained to acknowledge with thankfulness, that the last year, while it prefented a continuance, and great extention of this extraordinary work, furnished alfo increafing evidence, that it is indeed the work of God, for which the friends of piety are bound to praise his holy name.

The Affembly cannot believe that a difpenfation, by means of which, the ignorant are enlightened, the vicious reclaimed, the erroneous made to acknowledge and obey the truth as it is in Jefus, the haughty infidel humbled and brought to bow penitent and believing before the cross of Chrift, and the general afpect of fociety, changed from diffolutenefs and profanity, to fobriety, order, and comparative purity, can be any other, than a difpenfation of the grace of God. And as there appears to be growing evidence that these are the happy fruits of the above mentioned remarkable work, the Affembly cannot hesitate to recognize in it the fame divine power, which has, in every age, appeared in a greater or fmaller degree, to build up Zion, to confound the wisdom of this world, and to fhow, that when the great Head of the church will work, none can hinder him. It would be easy for the Affembly to felect fome very remarkable inftances of the triumphs of divine grace, which were exhibited before them in the course of the very interesting narratives presented in the free converfation:-Inftances of the moft malignant oppofers of vital piety being convinced and reconciled;-of some learned, active, and confpicuous infidels becoming the fignal monuments of that grace which once they defpifed;-and various circumftances which difplay the holy efficacy of the gofpel. But forbearing to enter into minute details on this fubject, they would only in general declare, that in the course of the last year, there is reafon to believe, that several thousands, within the bounds of the Presbyterian church, have been brought to embrace the gofpel of Chrift; and large acceffions of zeal and of strength, as well as of members, given to his people.

The Affembly were gratified to be informed, that even in those parts of our church where no remarkable revivals have occurred, the word and ordinances of the gospel, have been, in many places, more generally, and more ferioufly attended upon in the courfe of the laft year, than for fome time before; that infidelity is less bold and active than formerly; and that, on the whole, appearances have become more encouraging fince the last conversation in the Affembly on this fubject.

The Affembly confider it as worthy of particular attention, that most of the accounts of revivals cummunicated to them, stated, that

the inftitution of praying focieties, or feafons of special prayer to God for the out-pouring of the spirit, generally preceeded the remarkable difplays of divine grace, with which our land has been recently favoured. In most cases, preparatory to fignal effufions of the Holy Ghoft, the pious have been stirred up, to cry fervently and importunately, that God would appear to vindicate his own cause.--The Afsembly fee in this a confirmation of the word of God, and an ample encouragement of the prayers and hopes of the pious, for future and more extensive manifestations of divine power. And they trust that the churches under their care, while they fee cause of abundant thankfulness for this difpenfation, will alfo perceive, that it prefents new motives to zeal and fervour, in applications to that throne of grace, from which every good and perfect gift cometh.

The Affembly alfo obferved with great pleasure, that the desire for fpreading the gospel, among the deftitute inhabitants on our frontiers; among the blacks; and among the favage tribes, on our borders; has been rapidly increafing, during the last year, in various parts of our church. The Affembly take notice of this circumftance with the more fatisfaction, as it not only affords a pleafing prefage of the fpread of the gospel, but also furnishes agreeable evidence of the genuinenefs, and the benign tendency of that fpirit, which God has been pleased to pour out upon his people.

The Affembly confider the profpects of our church in the frontier fettlements, as more favourable than they have been, at the date of any former report. They are gratified to hear, from various quarters, that new churches are rapidly forming; increasing in the number of their members, and in their punctual attendance on the means of grace: that many of these churches have been, within a short period, fupplied with stated paftors; and that more miffionary labours are called for in the above mentioned fettlements, than any arrangements heretofore made can poffibly supply.

Information of a very pleafing nature, was alfo communicated to the Affembly, by the delegates from the General Affociation of Connecticut, of a work of divine grace in various parts of that ftate-efpecially in Yale college; in which important institution, many of the youth, have hopefully become pious. The probable influence of fuch an event, in fo refpectable a feminary of learning, on the church of Chrift generally, and particularly in the state of Connecticut, cannot but make a very pleafing impreffion on the friends of piety.

On the whole, the Affembly cannot but declare with joy, and with the most cordial congratulations to the churches under their care, that the state and profpect of vital religion in our country, are more favourable and encouraging, than at any period within the laft forty years. They fee indeed much to lament, in the infidelity, the vice, the profanenefs, the lukewarmnefs and formality, which till in many places abound: but they believe it would be ingratitude