PERSONAL AND FINANCIAL STATISTICS OF THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA.-REPORTED 1863.

THE GENERAL SYNOD

OF THE

REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,

THE GENERAL SYNOD OF THE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA met in the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Cedarville, Ohio, on Wednesday, May 20, 1863, at 7 o'clock, P. M. JOHN DOUGLASS, D.D., the acting Moderator, opened the sessions with a discourse from Psalm 1xxii. 17: "His name shall endure for ever."

After the discourse the Synod was constituted with prayer and the following were

Members of the Fortieth Session of the General Synod.

SAMUEL WYLIE CRAWFORD, D.D., of Philadelphia Presbytery, was elected Moderator. JOHN NEIL MCLEOD, D.D., was continued as Stated Clerk, and Rev. J. F. HILL Assistant Clerk.

Rev. JOHN MCMASTER, Chairman of Committee on Presbyterial Reports, made the following report:

That on examining the documents submitted to them great diversity exists, owing to the want of regularity in making correct returns of the state of the churches under the care of each Presbytery, the following resolution is hereby submitted to remedy this evil in future:

Resolved, That Synod enjoin upon the respective Presbyteries to secure annually, from the several congregations under their care, a sessional report, and that such reports or the substance of them be reported to the Synod.

From the reports of the Northern and Pittsburgh Presbyteries, it ap pears that Messrs. Wyatt and Stewart are still in the service of their country as chaplains of the army. Rev. John McMillan has retired from the chaplaincy and resumed the pastoral care of his congregation. Rev. J. A. Crawford is about to enter upon the labors of post chaplain in one of the military hospitals.

The Presbytery of Philadelphia reports the death of Rev. Dr. J. R. Campbell and Rev. Matthew McBride as follows:

Rev. JAMES R. CAMPBELL, D.D., of Landour, Northern India, died September 18, 1862. It was in a congregation under the care of this Presbytery that his ecclesiastical connection with the Reformed Presbyterian Church commenced, it was under our care he prosecuted his theological studies, to us he first intimated his desire to go forth as a missionary to the heathen, and from us he received his licensure and his admonition.

After he left our shores his associations with our ministers and people were of the most intimate and friendly character, and when he re-visited this country in 1847-8, it was among us he selected the place for his temporary sojourn. His return to India in 1848, did not diminish our friendship, but while life lasted he appeared to look to us with the warmest affection. Such feeling on his part, we cannot but reciprocate, and we desire to put upon our records this brief and very imperfect testimonial of our esteem and love.

From the whole tenor of his life, as well as his triumphant death, we feel assured that our departed brother was indeed a child of God. With an entire consecration he early gave himself unto the Lord, and while the work was novel, and in our church at least unprecedented, he offered himself as a Foreign Missionary. The influence of sanctifying grace was seen in directing and controlling his warm and natural affections, subordinating them to the service of God his Saviour. His labors were unremitting and unsparing, and he was able by rigid system, and unceas ing industry to redeem the time so as to perform an amount of labor which is quite remarkable. His success was great, though he was extremely cautious of fostering hopes or exciting expectations, or making any representations which were not perfectly correct. A good conscience regulated a sanguine temperament, and a prudent disposition kept a warm heart from error. As a church we owe to him inexpressible gratitude as the agent of awakening and sustaining among us an interest in the great work of Foreign Missions, and we consider the whole Christian family his debtors so far as his influence reached them. His death is a loss indeed to the station at Saharanpur, and to the missionary cause in India; and it is a loss to the church at home. To him, however, it is gain. Absent from the body he is present with the Lord-he rests from his labors, and his works do follow him.

"Servant of God, well done—

Rest from thy Lord's employ,
The battle fought, the victory won,
Enter thy Master's joy."

Rev. MATTHEW MCBRIDE was born in Philadelphia, April 27, 1830. His parentage was of the Scotch-Irish stock, which has furnished such valuable materials for the ministry, and the membership of the church of Christ. Brought up under a religious influence, at the age of fifteen, he gave evidence of genuine conversion, and was admitted a member of the Ninth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, of which his parents were then members. After a short time he acceded to the First Reformed Presbyterian Church, with which his family had become connected. He

* A Memoir of Dr. CAMPBELL is published in The Presbyterian Historical Almanac for 1863,

was engaged at an early age as a Sabbath-school teacher, and was very active in sustaining prayer-meetings for the benefit of the irreligious. Having devoted himself to the work of the ministry, he pursued his literary course in the University of Pennsylvania. and graduated with honors in 1851. He then became a student in the Theological Seminary of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, securing the approbation of the Superintendents and Professors for his diligence, punctuality, and great success in all departments of instruction. Having been licensed by the Philadelphia Presbytery, May 1, 1855, he traveled extensively among our congregations, and at length accepted a pastoral settlement in Mount Vernon, Iowa, which he retained till 1861. Impaired health compelling him to demit his charge, to the regret of a warmly attached congregation, he returned to Philadelphia and became editor and proprietor of the Banner of the Covenant, which he conducted with great acceptance to the church until his death, May 13, 1863. His faith was firm to the last moment, and he was able to give assurances of unfaltering confidence in his Saviour. Possessing superior natural talent, which had been well cultivated by assiduous study, with a gentle genial disposition, a Christian of indubitable piety, a minister of salvation, instant in season and out of season in his labors to instruct and comfort the people of God, and to turn sinners from the error of their ways, it was Christ to him to live, and it was gain to him to die.

DOMESTIC MISSIONS.-The annual report shows that during the year the appointments were, with few exceptions, fulfilled. One licentiate, J. W. Melvin, under the care of Ohio Presbytery, died. Revs. D. C. Cooper and G. R. McMillan spent some months in Minnesota, dispensing the word and ordinances at Glendale and Madison Lake, but owing to this Indian massacre were prevented from reaching Mankato, and they found it necessary for their personal safety to withdraw from their field of labor. The brethren there finding it difficult to obtain supplies have applied to our brethren of the United Presbyterian Church, and asked to be transferred to that body, which request was granted.

The Board would recommend that a missionary be sent to labor among the Freedmen of the southern portion of our country. The recommendation was adopted, and John Douglass, D.D., J. A. Crawford, D.D., and Rev. John McMillan, were appointed to explore the field in the East, and Revs. M. Harshaw and N. K. Crow, explore the field in the South and West.

THE TREASURER reports a balance on hand at beginning of year, $292 92. Receipts during the year, $900 30. Total, $1,193 22. Payments, $1,033 65. Balance on hand, $159 57.

THE OFFICERS OF THE BOARD ARE AS FOLLOWS:

GAVIN R. MCMILLAN, D.D., Secretary, Xenia, Ohio.
JAMES C. MCMILLAN, Esq., Treasurer, Xenia, Ohio.

FOREIGN MISSIONS.-The death of Dr. Campbell is an inexpressible loss. He was the founder of our mission to Saharanpur, and for more than a quarter of a century its most efficient laborer.

The death of Dr. Campbell has rendered requisite a new arrangement of the missionary force. In consequence, Mr. Calderwood has been stationed at Saharanpur, where he is to take charge of the Orphan Institution; Mrs. Campbell with her daughter, Miss Mary Anna, now an assistant female missionary, and two others of her children, also remaining there. From Mrs. C's remarkable energy of character, her interest in the mission work, as well as her long experience and peculiar adaptation for usefulness, we have reason to anticipate that she will prove a very valuable helper in any department of labor to which she may be

assigned. The Executive Committee, in view of the fact that her honored husband had labored so long and so faithfully in the service of his Master, and that with the abnegation of personal interest which always distinguished him, he had failed to make any provision for the support of those members of his family who might survive him, felt it to be right to continue to Mrs. C― the salary paid to her husband, until General Synod should act in the case. We submit the subject, therefore, at this time, to your earnest consideration, and we take occasion to suggest that it might be well to adopt the plan of our Scottish brethren, and insure the lives of our foreign missionaries, so that those who have sacrificed so much for the sake of the gospel, will not leave their families to suffer when they themselves are removed from their field of labor on earth, to their reward in heaven.

We regret to state that the health of our respected brother, Rev. Joseph Caldwell, has become so much impaired, that there is reason to fear he may not be able to perform full missionary service. This calamity increases the need there is for sending out additional laborers, and we hope will have its due effect. With so much preliminary and preparatory work already done, we would indeed deprecate the sacrifice of the results of the toil of so many years. The seed has been indeed scattered; in many places the fields appear white with the harvest, and shall the time when the sickle should be thrust in and the ripened sheaves be gathered into the garner be allowed to pass without our sending forth laborers to reap the harvest? Yet, we regret to say that we have no one at present ready or willing to go. Mr. R. White, formerly accepted as a candidate for this work, has intimated that, on prayerful consideration, he has felt it his duty to remain at home. Mr. David Dixon, a young man of excellent religious character, and good talents, who has offered himself to the work. is but commencing his literary studies. We trust that General Synod will take such action in the case as will, by the over-ruling direction of the Great Head of Zion, result in obtaining several efficient missionaries.

THE TREASURER reports the receipts of the year, (including a balance on hand of $1,180 28,) have been $8,831 40; and the expenditures $6,128 65. Leaving a balance in Treasury, at this date, of $2,702 75.

THE OFFICERS OF THE BOARD ARE AS FOLLOWS:

T. W. J. WYLIE, Corresponding Secretary, Philadelphia, Pa.
GEORGE H. STUART, Esq., Treasurer, Philadelphia, Pa.

THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY.-The committee on the Seminary report: That they regard the subject one of vital importance to the welfare of our church; and yet, after having been in successful operation two sessions, the Seminary is again in a languishing condition. In consequence of the non-attendance of students the Seminary has not been in operation during the past year. Shall this state of things continue? Shall our young men who are looking forward to the ministry be left to obtain their theological education in the seminaries of other churches, or shall we have them educated and trained in our own Seminary? In order to have this subject brought fully before our General Synod, we would recommend the appointment of a third Professor to fill the chair of Hebrew, Greek, and Practical Theology.

That the sum of $174 31, offered to the Seminary by the Board of Education, be accepted and appropriated to assist students attending the Seminary.

That the Presbyteries report the number of students under their care, and that they make provision for their assistance as far as may be necessary, and that the Board of Trustees provide suitable lodgings for them