ing ministry in things immediately connected with their holy vocation, are the most probable means of attaining the proposed end; have been cherished by the Christian church with much affection from the earliest ages; and have been remarkably owned of God, for the preservation of her purity and glory-And, Whereas, the Lord has been graciously pleased to incline the hearts of Christians, both at home and abroad, to assist the Associate Reformed Church in the design of establishing such a seminary: Therefore,

The Ministers and Elders in general Synod convened, do hereby Direct and Ordain,

That their seminary be forthwith established in the city of New-York, for the sole purpose of preparing for the work of the ministry such young men as, having passed through a previous course of liberal education, shall resolve to consecrate themselves to the service of God, in the gospel of his Son.

And the Synod further direct, That the course of instruction in said seminary be conducted by a professor in theology, to be chosen, by their ballot at all times hereafter, and to hold his office and emoluments until removed by a vote of two-thirds of the General Synod: which vote shall not pass till a meeting subsequent to that at which it shall have been proposed; provided, that this shall not be construed to impair the power of the Synod, on any charge of gross error or immorality, to suspend a professor from the exercise of his functions, till judgment be definitively given.

And the Synod further direct, That the outlines of instruction in the seminary be as follows: viz.

1. The scriptures themselves shall be the great subject of study.

2. The period of study in the seminary shall be four years; and the session shall continue for seven months successively; that is to say, from the first Monday of November till the first Monday of June.

3. These four years shall be divided into two equal parts; and the course of study shall proceed as follows:

Every student shall begin and close the day with exercises of secret devotion; uniting to prayer the reading of a portion of God's word; and using as a help some book of impressive practical religion. In these exercises he is to read the scriptures, not as a critic, but as a Christian; as a saved sinner, who knows no other way of peace but that which belongs to him in common with the least of God's redeemed; and who lives by faith, for daily counsel and strength, and

consolation, upon that Saviour whom he is afterwards to preach to others.

Such a portion of every day, (the Lord's day excepted,) shall be devoted to the study of the scriptures in the origi nal tongues, and of that literature which facilitates this study, as by a faithful improvement of time, may enable the student, at the expiration of his course, to read the originals with tolerable ease.

The holy scriptures in our common version shall be read in such daily portions, as shall finish the whole during the first period of two years: and to render the reading thereof more profitable, the professor of theology shall direct the student to succinct treatises on scriptural subjects, as they occur; and shall carefully examine him on these subjects.

Having completed this first reading of the scriptures, the student shall commence a second course of the same nature; dividing it in such a manner as to finish it at the expiration of his last year. He shall now consult the originals, step by step, as he goes along; and have his course of biblical reading extending under the direction of the professor.

With his third year the student shall commence the study of systematic theology: and as a basis for it, he shall commit to memory, during the previous two years, the whole text of the Confession of Faith and larger Catechism. He shall read, on each topic, such proper books as may be digested within the time allotted, and may give him an acquaintance with the substance of the system.

The professor shall also lecture upon the primary topics of the system, following the general order of the Confession of Faith. That his students may enjoy the benefit of his whole course of lectures, he must not fail to complete it within two years. And, on the other hand, that this time may be sufficient, his lectures are to be concise and dense, accommodated to the principle, that his work is not so much to furnish his pupils with thoughts, as to set them upon a proper train of thinking for themselves.

In the fourth year of the course, the professor shall also deliver critical lectures; which are to embrace, not merely the philology of the context, but also its connexion, scope, and argument. No authority is to be admitted in these lectures but that of the originals; the student shall have them before him, and turn to the parallel texts cited by the professor. These texts are to be few, and well selected.

Every student shall prepare in his third year, two of those discourses commonly called lectures, and two popular ser

mons; and in his fourth year, three of each; neither to exceed half an hour when deliberately spoken. All the scriptural proofs, cited by a student in any exercise of his fourth year, must be referrible to the originals.

Hours of study must be so distributed as to leave a suitable portion to miscellaneous reading; such as history, morality, belles lettres, &c. and to healthful bodily exercise.

And the Synod further direct-1. That every student, on his admission, bind himself, in a written obligation, to strict obedience, to diligence, to peace, and not to propagate directly or indirectly any opinion or tenet whatever, contrary to the known faith of the Associate Reformed Church.

2. That students, who do not depend in any measure for their temporal support, upon the provision made or to be made for such as may be in indigent circumstances, shall pay into the hands of the professor, for the benefit of the seminary, the annual sum of 24 dollars.

3. That students of other denominations be admitted into the seminary upon the same terms as are exacted from those of the Associate Reformed Church; and on condition of their paying into the hands of the professor of theology, for the use of the seminary, the annual sum of 32 dollars.

4. That no person shall be admitted as a student, without producing satisfactory proof of the following particulars :That he has received a liberal education; or has an ade quate acquaintance with those branches of literature which usually enter into such an education:

That he is in full communion with the Christian Church: That his habitual deportment is exemplary and prudent: And, that his natural talents are such as, by an ordinary blessing upon their cultivation, may render him an able mi nister of the New Testament.

Presbyterial, certificates, clear and explicit to the above purport, shall always be satisfactory.

5. That in so far as relates to the enjoyment of sacramental privileges, all students shall be considered as subject to the discipline of that congregation with which they statedly worship.

And the Synod further direct, That the care of the seminary be intrusted to five ministers of the Associate Reform, ed Church, to be called superintendents of the seminary; who shall be chosen by the ballot, and hold their office du ring the pleasure of the General Synod.

The said superintendents, or a major part of them, shall have full power and authority,

To direct the application of the plan of study delineated in this act:

To regulate the library, and order the purchase of such books as may be necessary for it:

To regulate the discipline of the seminary:

To judge of the progress of the students, so as to determine without appeal, and at any stage of the course, whether a student can proceed with profit to himself, and to the Church of God; or whether, and how far, he should be remitted to his former studies; and for this end to appoint such tests of proficiency as they shall deem proper:

To make, generally, all by-laws for carrying into effect the design for which the seminary is instituted; provided, that they be not contrary to the constitution of the Associate Reformed Church, nor to any act of the General Synod.

It shall be the duty of the said superintendents to visit the seminary annually, on the Wednesday immediately preceding the last Wednesday of May-to consult with the professor on points not immediately involving his personal responsibility to keep exact records of their proceedings and to report to the General Synod, at the meeting next ensuing their said visitation, the state of the seminary, their own transactions, and such other things as they may judge necessary.

The decisions and regulations of the superintendents shall have full force and virtue, unless repealed by them. selves, or by the General Synod: provided always, that contumacy on the part of a student toward any of the said decisions or regulations, during a visitation by the superintendents, shall be punished with immediate expulsion from the seminary; and that the offender shall not be restored but in virtue of exemplary penitence, and by an act of the General Synod.

If a vacancy shall happen by death, resignation, or otherwise, in the board of superintendents, they shall have power to fill said vacancy till the next meeting of General Synod ; and shall then present to the Synod the names of two persons for each vacancy; and of these two the Synod shall choose one by ballot, to supply the vacancy for which the nominations shall be presented respectively.

If any of the superintendents shall be absent from two annual visitations successively, without assigning any satisfactory reason therefor, such absence shall be considered as a resignation, and his seat vacated accordingly.

The superintendents shall elect their own officers.

They shall have power to draw upon the treasurer of the Synod for the amount of their expenses contracted by their annual visitation to the seminary, and the duties therewith connected; and the treasurer shall without delay pay said

amount.

And the Synod further direct, That every Presbytery, as they shall have opportunity during the recess of the seminary, take cognizance of the improvement and conduct of their students; but that no Presbytery shall remove a student from the seminary, without the special leave of the superintendents; which leave, if his removal be solicited with the view of licensing him to preach, shall not be granted, unless the superintendents shall judge him qualified; nor shall any Presbytery take a student upon trials for license, without a certificate from the superintendents bearing their judgment that he is suitably qualified.

. And the Synod further direct, That no student shall receive a certificate, as aforesaid, from the superintendents, unless, in addition to the essential requisite of a Christian walk while at the seminary, he be able, as a part of his lite rary qualifications, to translate into correct English the Pen tateuch and Psalter from the Hebrew, and the New Testament from the Greek, ad aperturam libri.

And the Synod further direct, That so much of the expense necessary for the maintenance of students in the communion of the Associate Reformed Church, as shall exceed· the sum which they may be able to pay, and shall not be provided for in any other manner, be defrayed out of the revenue appropriated to the seminary.

And the Synod direct and ordain, That no alteration shall be made in the plan of education established by this act, until it shall have been proposed at a stated meeting of the General Synod, and passed by a vote of two-thirds of the members, at a subsequent stated meeting.

(To be continued.)

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The following extract is taken from the Minutes of the General Synod of the Reformed Dutch church, for the year 1809. How far they have brought their plan into practice among their congregations, we are unable to say. But we sincerely hope that it will not be a business of mere theory with them; and that they will yet