weigh, first of all, in their private arrangements, the claims of the Lord of the harvest.

The Board by no means apprehend, that the Church Scholarship Society, or any similar institutions, can ever render more than a very partial assistance to the Church, for the supply of this continual necessity. It is highly important that it should be understood by the community that no more is undertaken by these institutions, than to afford a limited aid to a limited class of candidates; an aid, which, under the ordinary blessing of Providence, with economy on the part of the recipient, and a fair maintenance on the part of Parishes, may commonly, in a few years, be repaid. The Clergy are neither to be educated nor supported by charity. This Society extends to its beneficiaries, in the acquisition of their education, a kindness of the same nature with that which is often extended, by relatives or friends, to young men who are preparing themselves for other professions. The beneficiaries are as independent as other persons who contract such a debt with the design that it shall be faithfully reimbursed. When they are called to pastoral duties, they have a right to expect a compensation which will enable them, with some self-denial, to discharge their previous obligations, incurred in acquiring those very qualifications, which are now in exercise for the benefit of their parishioners. But it is evident, that the Christian community ought not for a moment to entertain the idea, that to an aid of this kind, the Church can ever be chiefly indebted for its Clergy. Religious parents must be prepared for exertions; education must, if possible, be cheapened; young men must hold themselves ready for labour; Parishes must afford an encouraging remuneration. All must be filled with the conviction of the dignity, the importance, the necessity of that office to which, in some manner, all must so much owe the means of grace, and the hope of glory. Then will the ministry be strengthened by large accessions; and then, too, will this Society be strong for its peculiar duty.

The Board cannot conclude, without adverting to a subject of some delicacy, but of great importance. It is required by the Constitution of the Society, that unless in some very extraordinary cases, unequivocal testimonials should be presented on behalf of the candidate; testimonials of his piety, promising talents and necessitous circumstances. Acting only as agents of the benificence of the Church, the Board must believe themselves bound to a degree of strictness in the execution of such a charge. They must, however, in the first instance, rely upon testimonials; and a beneficiary, once admitted, could not afterwards, without an appearance of harshness, be dismissed for want of talents sufficiently promising. It would be gratifiying to them, if, in this respect, it were possible that they should know the standard which would accord with the opinion of the Society. In the mean time, they cannot but beg that those Clergymen by whom any applicant may be recommended, would relieve them, as far as may be, from a painful responsibility, by the faithful and impartial exercise of their own judgment, concerning the qualifications, which, however separable from a Christian character, are yet almost indispensable to pastoral usefulness.

With humble praises to Almighty God for his goodness towards even so weak an instrument in the establishment of the kingdom of His dear Son, and with thanks to the steadfast supporters of that instrument, the Board would close their Report; soliciting also from the Giver of all good desires, a continuance of the same blessing from Himself, and the same favour from His people.

For the Board of Education,

GEORGE BURGESS, Secretary

Church Scholarship Society, in account with J. M. Goodwin, Treasurer. Dr.

1839.

July 6, To cash, loan to A. I. Warner,

$25,00

Aug. 26, To cash paid Rev. G. Burgess, borrowed of him,

100,00

By cash, of T. S. Judd, interest,

Church, Plymouth,

128,70

80,00

14,00

July 31, By cash, of Female beneficiary Society of St. Peter's

Aug. 1, By cash, for interest paid by Warner Hoyt, on his notes, By cash, endorsed on his note, being balance of cash remitted to pay interest,

Dec. 4, By cash received of St. John's Parish, Waterbury,

1840.

Jan. 8, By cash received of St. John's Parish, Waterbury,
March 13, By cash received of Christ Church, Hartford,

66

20, By cash received of St. James' Church, New London, 23, By cash received of Christ Church, Watertown, April, 13, By cash of A. Jackson, repaid,

May 26, By cash received of Christ Church, Hartford,

60,00

14,40

,30

10,00

66

June, By balance of old account,

June 8, By cash received of Christ Church, Middletown,

66

9, By cash received of St. John's Church, Bridgeport,
By cash received of St. Luke's Church, Glastenbury,
10, By cash received of Trinity Church, Branford,

By cash received of St. John's Church, Waterbury,
"By cash received of Church, Middlebury,

"By cash received of St. Stephen's Church, Ridgefield,

AS AMENDED IN CONVENTION, OCTOBER, 1836, AND JUNE, 1840.

ARTICLE I. The Protestant Episcopal Church in Connecticut, as a constituent part of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, acceeds to, recognizes, and adopts the General Constitution of that Church, and acknowledges its authority accordingly.

ART. 2. There shall be a Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in this Diocese, on the second Tuesday of June in each year, at such place as shall have been determined upon by the Bishop; and in case of vacancy in the Episcopate, by the Standing Committee.

ART. 3. Every Convention shall be opened with prayer, and the celebration of the Lord's Supper. And it shall be the duty of the Bishop, either to

deliver a charge, or sermon, or to appoint one of his Clergy to preach at the opening of each Convention;-and in case of a vacancy in the Episcopate, the Standing Committee shall appoint.

ART. 4. The Bishop shall preside in Convention; but in case of absence or of vacancy in the Episcopate, the Convention shall elect a President pro tem.

ART. 5. The Bishop shall have power to call a special Convention when he may judge it conducive to the good of the Church; or when applied to for that purpose by the Standing Committee, or five Presbyters. And in case of vacancy in the Episcopate, the Standing Committee shall have power to call a special Convention.

ART. 6. The Convention shall be composed of both Clergymen and Laymen. Every officiating minister of this Church, regularly appointed to the charge of a congregation, in union with this Convention; ministers employed as missionaries, under the appointment of the ecclesiastical authority; clerical instructors of youth in any seminary of learning in this Diocese, constituted by civil or ecclesiastical authority; and ministers whose age and infirmities prevent from exercising the clerical functions; shall be members of this Convention. Each Parish in this Diocese which shall have been received into union with the Convention, shall be entitled to a representation in Convention, by one delegate: and if it shall consist of more than fifty families, by two; to be chosen by the Parish. And if any Parish be composed of two or more congregations, having a corresponding number of Church edifices, such Parish shall be entitled to a representation from each of such congregations, as from so many distinct Parishes. But before any delegate shall take his seat, he shall produce a certificate of his appointment, signed by the Wardens, or Parish Clerk. And one third of the members of the Clerical order, and twenty members of the Lay order, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; but a smaller number may adjourn.

ART. 7. The Clergy and Laity in the Convention shall deliberate in one body; and on every question a majority of votes of those present shall decide: but if upon any question it be required by five members, the two orders shall vote thereon separately, and a concurrence of a majority of each order shall be necessary to give validity to any measure.

ART. 8. A Secretary shall be chosen by ballot, immediately upon the opening of the Annual Convention, from the Clerical members thereof. It shall be his duty to take minutes of their proceedings, to preserve their journals and records, to attest the public acts of the body, and faithfully deliver into the hands of his successor, all books and proceedings relative to the concerns of the Church, which may be in his possession. And it shall also be his duty to notify, through the channel of such public prints as may be designated by the ecclesiastical authority, the time and place appointed for the meeting of the succeeding, or special Convention.

ART. 9. The Standing Committee shall be elected at the Annual Convention; and shall be composed of five Clerical members, who shall be Rectors of Parishes, or instructors in some seminary instituted by the ecclesiastical or civil authority of this Diocese; and in case of any vacancy occurring in said Committee, by death, removal, or resignation, the remaining members shall have power to supply said vacancy, until the next annual Convention. At their first meeting, which shall always be on the day of their election, they shall appoint from their own body a President and a Secretary, who shall keep a journal of the proceedings, subject to the inspection of the Convention. Any three of the Committee, (the whole having been summoned by the President,) shall be a quorum, except for such purposes, as agreeably to their own rules, or the canons of the General Convention, may require a larger number.

ART. 10. The Secretary and Standing Committee of this Convention shall continue in office until their successors shall have been appointed.

ART. 11. A Treasurer shall be appointed by the Convention, to continue in office during their pleasure; and it shall be his duty to receive and manage all funds which may at any time belong to the Convention; and to lay before the Convention an annual statement of all such funds.

ART. 12. When the Episcopate of this Diocese shall become vacant by death or otherwise, the Standing Committee shall call a special Convention, within three months from the time when such vacancy shall happen, at Hartford or New Haven. And the time and place shall be notified in three or more respectable newspapers in this Diocese, at least four weeks previous to said meeting; when the Convention may proceed to an election, or adjourn to such time and place as may be deemed expedient.

ART. 13. The election of a Bishop of this Diocese shall be in the following manner:-The two orders shall separate, and the order of the Clergy shall choose by ballot, some fit and qualified Presbyter for that office; and thereupon such choice shall be communicated to the order of Lay Delegates; and if, on ballot, the person so chosen is approved by the Lay order, he shall be declared to be duly elected. In the above mentioned election, a majority of each order shall determine a choice; provided, that two thirds of all the Clergy entitled to vote be present; otherwise, two thirds of the votes of each order present shall be necessary to determine a choice.

ART. 14. Each order in Convention shall appoint delegates to the General Convention by ballot; and the delegates thus appointed, and confirmed by the concurrent vote of both orders in Convention, shall continue in office three years, or the time that may intervene between the stated meetings of the General Convention. And in case any delegate so appointed shall decline such appointment, it shall be his duty to inform the Bishop, or in case of vacancy in the Episcopate, the President of the Standing Committee, at least two months before the meeting of the General Convention; and the Bishop, or the Standing Committee, if the Episcopate be vacant, may appoint a substitute for any delegate so declining.

ART. 15. No Clergyman shall be suspended, or receive any public censure from the Bishop or Standing Committee of this Diocese, without having been adjudged thereto, in the way to be provided for by canon.

ART. 16. This Constitution shall not be subject to alteration in any article except at an annual meeting of the Convention, by vote of two thirds of the members present; nor unless such alteration shall have been proposed and approved at the annual meeting previous to its adoption, and published at large in the journals of the Convention.