To the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. Rev. Messrs. Nathaniel Bouton, primaries. Eden B. Foster, substitutes. Rev. Messrs. Pliny P. Day, To the (Triennial) General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. To the General Association of Massachusetts. Rev. Messrs. Bezaleel Smith, Jonathan Curtis, primaries ; Rev. Messrs. John C. Page, To the Congregational Union of Canada-East. Rev. David Perry, primary; Rev. R. F. Lawrence, substitute. To the Congregational Association of Michigan. Rev. John Woods, primary; Rev. Samuel Lee, substitute. Rev. Archibald Burgess, primary; Adjourned to meet at half past one. Met according to adjournment. Voted, That Messrs M. Kimball and Noyes be a committee of publication. Voted, That hereafter the delegates to the General Association from the several district associations, be expected and required to enter the statistics of the churches on the general schedule, and hand the same to the scribe, without reading; and that their written reports contain only such matters as are of general interest to the churches. The Association then gave place to the annual meeting of the New-Hampshire Bible Society; after which the regular meeting was resumed. The committee to present the pastoral letter this year failed of performing that duty, and their excuse was accepted. Voted, That the secretary be directed to provide and forward to the district associations, or the several pastors, schedules which shall correspond with the general schedule, to be filled up and forwarded from the several associations to the General Association. Voted, That the last clause in the fifteenth standing rule, requiring "the number of young men under twenty-five years of age, and the number who are preparing for the ministry in each church, to be reported in the schedule," be stricken out. Voted, That the reports of the state of religion in the churches end with the first Sabbath in July, instead of the 30th day of June. Rev. John Wilde was appointed preacher before the communion next year, and Rev. Stephen T. Allen substitute. Adjourned to 8 o'clock, to-morrow morning. Prayer by Rev. Mr. Rockwood. Thursday morning, Aug. 29. Met according to adjournment. Prayer by Rev. A. W. Burnham. The committee on the state of religion made a report, which was accepted and adopted. On motion of Mr. McEwen, Voted, That the letter on the subject of slavery, prepared the last year, to be sent to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian church, by the delegate from this body, not having been forwarded, as it is supposed, be furnished by the committee who prepared it, to the delegate for next year, to be presented to the General Assembly as expressive of the views now entertained on that subject by the General Association of New-Hampshire. Resolved, That the thanks of this Association be presented to the Rev. Messrs. Noyes and Bouton, and their people, for their generous and Christian hospitality. Also, to the choir for their acceptable services. Adjourned till after the public services in the afternoon. Rev. John K. Young preached, and the sacrament of the Lord's Supper was administered, the exercises of which were conducted by Rev. Dr. Merrill, of Vermont, and Rev. Prof. Sturtevant, of Illinois. Business of the Association was then resumed. Voted, That the foregoing be approved as the Minutes of the Association. After prayer, by Rev. Mr. Perry, the Association adjourned sine JOHN M. WHITON, Moderator. die. MOSES KIMBALL, Scribe. R. F. LAWRENCE, Assistant Scribe. APPENDIX. STANDING RULES OF THE ASSOCIATION. 1. This General Association shall meet on the 4th Tuesday of August annually; and be opened at 10 o'clock, A. M., by a concio ad clerum by a minister appointed by one of the district associations in rotation. 2. At the close of religious exercises, the preacher shall take the chair, and preside till a moderator is chosen by ballot. 3. A scribe and assistant scribe shall also be chosen by ballot. 4. The Association shall be composed of the secretary, the treasurer, the minister of the place of the meeting, and delegates from district associations, according to the following ratio of representation, viz. One from every association, two from every association of seven members, three from every association of thirteen members, and four from every association of twenty members. No minister shall be counted or represented in two associations, and no preacher shall be eligible to appointment as a delegate, who has not received ordination. 5. The secretary shall receive the certificates of the delegates, and report the names of those duly appointed, before the choice of a moderator. 6. The meeting shall be daily opened and closed with prayer. 7. The secretary shall previously prepare a docket of business, which may afterwards be enlarged by the committee of overtures, as occasion shall require. 8. A committee of three shall be early chosen by ballot, who shall nominate delegates to foreign bodies, and all committees to whom business or subjects shall be referred for them to report thereon, and also be a committee of overtures. The acceptance of their nominations shall confirm them as appointments. 9. No motion shall be discussed unless seconded. No member shall speak more than twice to the same motion, without liberty from the Association; nor shall the moderator, while in the chair, speak to the merits of a question. Any motion or resolution shall, at the request of the moderator, or any two members, be reduced to writing. 10. Seven members shall be a quorum. No member shall retire without leave of the moderator, or have leave of absence without vote of the Association. 11. It shall be the duty of the moderator to prevent desultory remarks. 12. At the opening of the morning session, the minutes of the preceding day shall be read; and the minutes of the last day at the close of the meeting. 13. The appointment of delegates to corresponding bodies shall be certified by the printed minutes, or by a certificate from the secretary. 14. The narratives of the state of religion in our churches and corresponding bodies shall be written, and brief, so that they can be given, in ordinary cases, on Tuesday afternoon. 15. The district associations shall annually present the schedules of their churches, ministers settled and unsettled, the number of their churches, &c. 16. A condensed narrative of the state of religion in each association shall be prepared, and reported by a committee. 17. The schedules and narratives of religion shall be lodged with the secretary, to be kept on file. 18. The publishing committee shall see that the minutes, as soon as printed, are sent to delegates to other bodies, and a copy sent by mail to every member of the district associations. 19. This Association shall, as far as practicable, meet alternately in the eastern and western sections of the state. 20. These rules shall be read at the opening of every annual meeting. The following modification of the exercises of the General Association was adopted at their meeting at Nashua, in 1843. In order that the General Association may most effectually accomplish the design of its original institution, it is recommended that more time be appropriated to devotional exercises than has been usual for several years past; and with a view to this, that in addition to morning prayer meetings, public religious services under the direction of the pastor of the place, be held every evening during the session; that the narratives on the state of religion be given in on Tuesday afternoon, accompanied, so far as time will allow, with brief exhortations and prayers: That Wednesday forenoon be occupied with hearing reports and addresses on leading benevolent objects, commencing with the N. H. Sunday School Union, to which the first half hour may be devoted; next, the anniversary of the N. H. Branch Education Society, to which one hour may be appropriated; and then, such other objects as the Association shall direct and time will allow-and finally, that a sermon, adapted to the occasion, and not to exceed thirty minutes, be preached before the communion service on Thursday afternoon, by some person who shall be appointed the year previous, by the General Association. REPORT ON THE WIDOWS' CHARITABLE FUND. To the General Association of New-Hampshire, at Concord, August, 1844. The Trustees of the Widows' Charity Fund held their Annual Meeting at the house of their President, Rev. Mr. Bouton, Concord, June 5, 1844, and elected Rev. N. Bouton, President ; Rev. A. Burnham, Secretary; Hon. F. N. Fisk, Treasurer; Messrs. N. Bouton and D. J. Noyes, Auditors; Messrs. Bouton, Burnham and Fisk, Prudential Committee. Voted, to confirm the doings of the Committee in admitting Mrs. Nichols and Mrs. Clary to the list of beneficiaries. After adjournment the Committee appropriated to Mrs. M. Pillsbury, 66 R. Hall, M. Dow, $20.00 20.00 20.00 20.00 $80.00 A. BURNHAM, Secretary. |