GENERAL CHRONICLE.

The number of delegates to the Synod to which each church shall be entitled, is fixed as follows:

One delegate for every thirty members enrolled on the register of the church; two delegates for any number from thirty to one hundred; three for from one to two hundred; for every two hundred members four delegates. When a church has the right of sending several delegates, one half at most of those chosen shall be pastors or ministers of the gospel. A church which has a right to several delegates shall not take from its own bosom more than one half of its delegation.

A church which is entitled to but one delegate, must choose him from its own body.

OF THE SYNOD.-ARTICLE VII.

The Synod shall consist of all the delegates of the churches. Their power shall expire at the end of the session for which they were chosen.

All decisions shall be made by an absolute majority of the members present, but in the exceptions named in Art. 10, § 6, and in Art. 13.

The presence of two-thirds of the delegates of the Synod shall be necessary to any deliberation.

The Synod shall meet regularly every

HINDOO IDOLATRY.

BRAHMA.

THE following account of this well-known Hindoo god, together with the engraving on our first page, representing the form under which he receives the homage of his deluded worshippers, is taken from the indoo Pantheon, lately published at Madras. It is equally astonishing and melancholy to reflect that there are multitudes of our fellow-creatures who degrade themselves by bowing the knee to an object so ridiculous and revolting, and whose reputed character, so far as it is imitated, can only operate by stimulating the lowest passions, and engendering the grossest immorality. Let us be earnest in prayer and diligent in labour that the time may come when the prince of this world, aided by the power of custom and the fear of persecution, shall no longer lead our Indian subjects thus captive at his will, but when He whose right it is to reign shall bring them, from the shrines of Brahma and every false god, to worship at his feet and crown Him Lord of all:—

"The Hindoo Mythology teaches that Brahma, Vishnoo, and Siva, derived their existence from the one Brumhu. The Pundits do not admit these to be creatures, but contend that they are emanations from, or parts of, the one Brumhu.

"Brahma first produced the waters; then the earth; next, from his own mind, he caused a number of sages and four females to be born. After creating these sages, who were of course Brahmins, Brahma caused a Kshutriyu to spring from his arms, a Voishyu from his thighs, and a Shoodra from his feet. In this order, according to the Pooranas, the whole creation arose. The Hindoo Shastres, however, contain different accounts of the creation.

"Brahma is represented as a man with four faces, of a gold colour; dressed in white garments; riding on a goose. In one hand he holds a stick, and in the other a kumunduloo or alms dish (page 657). He is called the grandfather of gods and men. He is not much regarded in the reigning superstition, nor does any one adopt him as his guardian deity.

"The Brahmins, in their morning and evening worship, repeat an incantation containing a description of the image of Brahma; at noon they perform an act of worship in honour of this god, presenting to him sometimes a single flower; at the time of a burnt-offering, clarified butter is presented to Brahma. In the month of Maghu, at the full moon, an earthen image of this god is worshipped, with that of Siva on his right hand, and that of Vishnoo on his left. This festival lasts only one day, and the three gods are the next day thrown into the river. This worship is accompanied with songs, dances, and music, as at all other festivals; but the worship of Brahma is most frequently celebrated by a number of young men of the baser sort, who defray the expenses by a subscription. Bloody sacrifices are never offered.

"Brahma, notwithstanding the venerable name of grandfather, seems to be as impure as any of the Hindoo gods; and it is said that he lost one of his heads in a quarrel with Siva. He is also charged with stealing several calves from the herd which Krishna was feeding. Assuming the appearance of a religious mendicant, he appeared many times on the earth for different purposes. Stories to this effect are to be found in several of the Pooranas.

"The Muhabharat contains the following description of the heaven of Brahma :This heaven is 800 miles long, 400 broad, and 40 high. Naruda, when attempting to describe this heaven, declared himself utterly incompetent to the task; in fact, he could not do it in two hundred years: it contained in a superior degree all that was in the other heavens; and whatever existed in the creation of Brahma on earth, from the smallest insect to the largest animal, was to be found there.".

LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

REPORT OF SELECT COMMITTEE.

AT a QUARTERLY MEETING of the Town and COUNTRY DIRECTORS, held April 17th 1849, it was

RESOLVED,

1. That, while thankful to the providence of God for having sustained the LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY during more than fifty years of honour and usefulness, this Meeting nevertheless deems it desirable to inquire, whether any modification of its constitution or mode of its administration be practicable, which may promote the stronger attachment of its Constituents, or increase its efficacy. 2. That a Committee, consisting of a Representative, either Minister or Layman, from each of the County Auxiliaries, and from seven of the Auxiliaries in London and its Vicinity, be appointed to carry into effect the preceding Resolution and that they be summoned to meet at the Mission-House, on the Tuesday preceding the Quarterly Meeting of Town and Country Directors in October next; to which Meeting they shall present their Report.

In accordance with the foregoing Resolutions, the following Gentlemen assembled at the Mission-House on the 16th October, as Members of the said Committee:

ALEXANDER, Rev. JOHN, Norwich.

BARRETT, Rev. W. G., Royston.
BUCHAN, H., Esq., Southampton.
BULL, Rev. T. P., Newport Pagnell.
BURDER, Rev. JOHN, Bristol.
BURKITT, E., Esq., London.
CAMPBELL, Rev. Dr., London.
CHAMBERLAIN, Rev. R., Swanage.
ELLIOTT, WILLIAM, Esq., Birming
ham.

FLETCHER, Rev. R., Manchester.

GOULTY, Rev. J. N., Brighton.

HARRIS, Rev. W., Wallingford.

HAYDEN, Rev. J., High Wycombe.

HURNDALL, Rev. W. A., Bishops Stortford.

JUKES, Rev. E., Blackburn.

KAY, Rev. J., Coggeshall.

MIALL, Rev. J. G., Bradford.
MOORE, J., Esq., London.
MORISON, Rev. Dr., London.
RAFFLES, Rev. Dr., Liverpool.
ROWLAND, Rev. J., Henley.
RUSSELL, Rev. D., Glasgow.
SIMMS, W. H., Esq., London,
SMITH, Rev. GEORGE, London.
SMITH, EUSEBIUS, Esq., London.
STRATTEN, Rev. T., Hull.
SWAN, Rev. W., Edinburgh.
THOMSON, Rev. G., Hackney.
THOMSON, Rev. P., Chatham.
WALLIS, Rev. W., Sudbury.

JOSEPH EAST, Esq., Chairman of the Board, the Rev. A. TIDMAN, and Rev. E. PROUT, attended the Committee by request of the Directors, to furnish any information which might be required.

The Rev. Dr. RAFFLES was unanimously elected Chairman.

The deliberations of the Committee were continued during the 16th and 17th instant, and occupied more than ten hours each day.

The subjects successively brought under the consideration of the Committee by the Rev. J. G, Miall, of Bradford, on whose motion it was convened, were the following:

1. The careful investigation, whether it would be, on a large consideration, an advantage or a disadvantage to the Society to maintain its Fundamental Law.