On motion of the Rev. W. H. Moore, it was

Resolved, That the Deputies from this Diocese to the General Convention be, and hereby are requested to call the attention of the General Convention to the propriety of such Amendment in the organization of the Board of Missions of the Protestant Episcopal Church as shall enlarge the number of members constituting the same, and thus more adequately represent all portions of the Church, and correspond to its increasing numbers.

The Secretary informed the House, that on his desk there was a Paper, on which the sum of one hundred dollars had been subscribed towards making up the deficiency, which, according to the Provisional Bishop's Address, threatened the Fund of the Missionary Committee of the Diocese, on the first day of October next; on condition that the whole sum required, ($1,500), he subscribed during the Session of this Convention.

On motion of the Rev. Dr. Vinton, it was

Ordered, That a member of the Convention be requested to sit at the Secretary's desk, and receive Special Contributions to supply the deficiency in the Missionary Fund of the Diocese.

The Rev. Dr. Vinton was asked, and consented so to do.

The Report of the Committee on the Diocesan Fund was presented and read.

Report

OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE DIOCESAN FUND.

The Committee on the proper appropriation of the money received into the "Diocesan Fund," respectfully recommend the adoption of the following Resolution :

Resolved, That there be paid to the Clergy attending the Conven

tion, who reside more than twenty miles from the place of meeting, and whose parishes have contributed to the Diocesan Fund, according to the Canon, seven cents per mile for every mile of the distance from their respective Parishes; and the remainder be appropriated to the printing of the Journal, and such other purposes as the Convention may direct.

R. U. MORGAN,

W. F. HALSEY,

CYRUS CURTISS,

CHAS. N. S. ROWLAND.

The Resolution contained in this Report was adopted.

The Rev. Dr. Vinton announced to the Convention that the threatened deficiency in the Missionary Fund of the Diocese was made up by the contributions of Members; that for this purpose the sum of Seventeen hundred dollars, being $200 more than would be needed, had been subscribed; and that part had been already paid in.

The House proceeded to consider the Report of the Committee on the Proposed Amendments to the Constitution of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States; whereupon the Resolutions contained therein were, on motion of the Rev. Dr. Hawks, adopted as follows, viz:

I. Resolved, That the alterations severally proposed to Articles II., V. and VI., of the Constitution of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, and sent to the Diocesan Conventions "for consideration," pursuant to the Xth Article of the Constitution and Canon 50 of 1832, are, in the opinion of the Convention of the Diocese of New-York, judicious alterations, and such as may be safely adopted.

II. Resolved, That the Secretary of this Convention be directed to furnish the Provisional Bishop of the Diocese with a certified copy of the foregoing Resolution, together with the request of the Convention, that he will, in such mode as he may deem most proper, bring it to the knowledge of the next General Convention.

The House then took a recess until seven o'clock this evening.

FRIDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 26th, SEVEN O'CLOCK, P. M.

The Convention re-assembled.

The Committee on the Incorporation of Churches reported, that the papers of Trinity Church, Claverack, Columbia county, applying for admission into union with this Convention, were now complete and in order.

On motion of the Secretary, it was

Resolved, That TRINITY CHURCH, CLAVERACK, COLUMBIA COUNTY, be admitted into union with this Convention.

The Convention proceeded to consider the Report of the Special Committee on "The Amendments to the Act for the Incorporation of Churches."

The Report was submitted in behalf of the Committee by the Hon. Murray Hoffman, in the shape of a new Section, in lieu of the first Section of the Act of 1813, and the first Section of the Act of 1819.

This reported Section was amended by the House, so as to read as follows, viz:

An Act to amend the Act, entitled "An Act to provide for the Incorporation of Religious Societies, passed April 5. 1813," and also to amend the Act, entitled "An Act to amend the Act, entitled An Act to Provide for the Incorporation of Religious Societies, passed March 5, 1819."

The People of the State of New-York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

31. The first section of the Act passed April 5, 1813, entitled "An Act to provide for the Incorporation of Religious Societies," is hereby amended so as to read as follows:

Be it enacted by the People of the State of New-York, represented in Senate and Assembly, That it shall be lawful for the male persons of full age, belonging to any church, congregation, or religious society, in which divine worship shall be celebrated according to the rites of the Protestant Episcopal Church in this State, and not already incorporated, to meet for the purpose of incorporating themselves, and of electing, by a majority of votes, two churchwardens, and not more than eight, nor less than four, vestrymen, and to determine on what day of the week, commonly called Easter-Week, the said offices of churchwarden and vestrymen shall annually thereafter cease and their successors in office be chosen.

Of such first election, notice shall be given in the time of morning service on two Sundays previous thereto, by the Rector; or if there be none, by any other Minister officiating in such church or congregation.

The Rector, or if there be none, or he be necessarily absent, then one of the Churchwardens or Vestrymen, or any other person called to the chair, shall preside at such first election, and, together with two other persons, shall make a certificate, under their hands and seals, of the Churchwardens and Vestrymen so elected; of the day of EasterWeek so fixed on for the annual election of their successors, and of the name or title by which such Church or congregation shall be known in law; which certificate, being duly acknowledged or proved before one of the Judges of the Supreme Court, or a Judge of the County Court, or of the Court of Common Pleas, of the county where such church or place of worship of such congregation shall be situated, or a person authorised to take the acknowledgment of deeds, shall be recorded by the clerk of such county, in a book to be by him provided for such purpose.

The Churchwardens and Vestrymen so elected, and their successors in office, of themselves, (but if there be a Rector, then together with the Rector of such church or congregation,) shall form a vestry, and be the Trustees of such church or congregation; and such Trustees and their successors shall thereupon, by virtue of this act, be a body corporate by the name or title expressed in such certificate.

In every year after such first election, on the day in Easter-Week so to be fixed for that purpose, all the male persons of full age of such church or congregation, who shall have belonged to such church or congregation for the last twelve months preceding such election, and who shall have been baptised in the Episcopal Church, or shall have been received therein, either by the rite of confirmation, or by receiving the holy communion, or by purchasing or hiring, and having paid for, a pew or seat in such church, or by some joint act of the

parties and of the Rector, whereby they shall have attached themselves to the Protestant Episcopal Church, may vote for and elect two Churchwardens, and not more than eight or less than four Vestrymen, who shall themselves be entitled to vote; and whenever any vacancy shall happen before the stated annual election, by death or otherwise, of the Board so constituted, the said Trustees shall have power to supply such vacancy.

Such first election, and also the stated annual election, shall be holden immediately after morning or evening service; and at all such elections, the Rector, or if there be none, or he be absent, one of the churchwardens, or if no warden be present, a vestryman shall preside and receive the votes of the electors, and be the returning officer, and shall enter the proceedings in the book of the minutes of the vestry, and sign his name thereto, and offer the same to as many electors present as he shall think fit, to be by them also signed and certified. The churchwardens and vestrymen to be chosen at any of the said elections, shall hold their offices until the expiration of the year for which they shall be chosen, and until others be chosen in their stead; and shall have power to call and induct a Rector to such church or congregation as often as there shall be a vacancy therein.

No board or meeting of the Trustees shall be held, unless at least three days notice thereof shall be given in writing, under the hand of the Rector or one of the churchwardens; and no such Board shall be competent to transact any business, unless the Rector, if there be one, and at least one of the churchwardens, and a majority of the vestrymen, be present.

Provided, however, that if the Rector be absent from the State, and shall have been so absent for over three calendar months, by and with the assent of the vestry, taken upon a vote and duly recorded, the Board shall be competent to transact all business, if there be present one churchwarden and three vestrymen, except that no measure shall be taken for effecting a sale or disposition of the real property; nor may any sale or disposition of the capital or principal of the personal estate of such corporation be made; nor any act done which shall impair or affect the rights of such Rector or his legal relation with such vestry or congregation, unless upon the written consent of such Rector, first filed with the clerk, and recorded on the minutes.

At all meetings the Rector, if he be present, shall preside. If he be absent, as aforesaid, or if there be no Rector, then the churchwarden, the senior present, shall preside.

All questions arising at any such meetings shall be determined by a majority of the votes of the members present; and, in case of an equal division, the person presiding shall have a casting vote.