Government and Discipline of the Presbyterian Church; and thus to perpetuate and extend the influence of true evangelical piety, and Gospel order.

It is to provide for the Church an adequate supply and succession of able and faithful ministers of the New Testament; workmen that need not to be ashamed, being qualified rightly to divide the word of truth.

It is to unite, in those who shall sustain the ministerial office, religion and literature; that piety of the heart which is the fruit only of the renewing and sanctifying grace of God, with solid learning: believing that religion without learning, or learning without religion, in the ministers of the Gospel, must ultimately prove injurious to the Church.

It is to afford more advantages than have hitherto been usually possessed by the ministers of religion in our country, to cultivate both piety and literature in their preparatory course; piety, by placing it in circumstances favourable to its growth, and by cherishing and regulating its ardour; literature, by affording favourable opportunities for its attainment, and by making its possession indispensable,

It is to provide for the Church, men who shall be able to defend her faith against infidels, and her doctrines against heretics.

It is to furnish our congregations with enlightened, humble, zealous, laborious pastors, who shall truly watch for the good of souls, and consider it as their highest honour and happiness to win them to the Saviour, and to build up their several charges in holiness and peace.

It is to promote harmony and unity of sentiment among the ministers of our Church, by educating a large body of them under the same teachers, and in the same course of study.

It is to lay the foundation of early and lasting friendships, productive of confidence and mutual assistance in after life among the ministers of religion; which experience shows to be conducive not only to personal happiness, but to the perfecting of inquiries, researches, and publications advantageous to religion.

It is to preserve the unity of our Church, by educating her ministers in an enlightened attachment, not only to the same doctrines, but to the same plan of government.

It is to bring to the service of the Church, genius and talent, when united with piety, however poor or obscure may be their possessor, by furnishing, as far as possible, the means of education and support, without expense to the student.

It is to found a nursery for missionaries to the heathen, and

to such as are destitute of the stated preaching of the Gospel; in which youth may receive that appropriate training which may lay a foundation for their ultimately becoming eminently qualified for missionary work..

It is, finally, to endeavour to raise up a succession of men, at once qualified for and thoroughly devoted to the work of the Gospel ministry; who, with various endowments, suiting them to different stations in the Church of Christ, may all possess a portion of the spirit of the primitive propagators of the Gospel; prepared to make every sacrifice, to endure every hardship, and to render every service which the promotion of pure and undefiled religion may require.

ARTICLE I.

Of the General Assembly.

Section 1. As this Institution derives its origin from the General Assembly, so that body is to be considered at all times as its patron, and the fountain of its powers. The Assembly shall, accordingly, ultimately sanction all its laws, direct its instructions, and appoint its principal officers.

Sect. 2. The General Assembly shall choose a Board of Directors, consisting of fourteen ministers, and six ruling elders, by whom the Seminary shall be inspected and conducted. This board of directors shall be chosen triennially, except that the General Assembly may, annually, when necessary, fill up the vacancies occasioned in the board by death, resignation, or incapacity to serve.

Sect. 3. All professors of the Seminary shall be appointed by the Assembly. But in cases of necessity, the board of directors may employ a suitable person to perform the duties of a professor, till a meeting of the Assembly shall take place.

Sect. 4. The General Assembly shall, at all times, have the power of adding to the Constitutional Articles of the Seminary, and of abrogating, altering, or amending them; but, in the exercise of this power, the contemplated additions, abrogations, alterations, or amendments, shall, in every case, be proposed at one Assembly, and not adopted till the Assembly of the subsequent year, except by an unanimous vote. ART. II.

Of the Board of Directors.

Section 1. The board of directors shall meet statedly, twice in each year; once in the spring, and once in the fall,

and oftener on their own adjournments, if they shall judge it expedient. A majority of the board shall be a quorum ; provided always, that of this majority, six, at least, be ministers of the Gospel.

Sect. 2. The board shall choose, out of their own number, a president and secretary. In the absence of the president, the senior member present shall preside.

Sect. 3. The president of the board, or in the event of his death, absence, or inability to act, the senior member for the time being, shall, at the request of any three members expressed to him in writing, call a special meeting of the board of directors by a circular letter addressed to each; in which letter, notice shall be given, not only of the place and time of meeting, but of the business intended to be transacted at the meeting notified; and this letter shall be sent at least twenty days before the time of said meeting.

Sect. 4. The secretary of the board shall keep accurate records of all the proceedings of the directors; and it shall be his duty to lay these records, or a faithful transcript of the same, before the General Assembly, annually, for the unrestrained inspection of all the members.

Sect. 5. Every meeting of the board of directors shall be opened and closed with prayer.

Sect. 6. The board of directors may make rules and regulations for the performance of the duties assigned them, or for the preservation of order, not inconsistent with the prescriptions of this plan, or the orders of the General Assembly.

Sect. 7. At the commencement of each stated spring meeting, the whole plan of the Seminary shall be distinctly read before the board of directors.

Sect. 8. The board shall direct the professors of the Seminary, in regard to the subjects and topics on which they are severally to give instructions to the pupils, so far as the same shall not be prescribed by this plan, or by the orders of the General Assembly.

Sect. 9. It shall be the duty of the board of directors to inaugurate the professors of the Seminary, and to direct what forms shall be used, and what services performed, on such occasions.

(To be continued.)

THE following Narrative, together with the reflections, we extract from the Miscellaneous Works of JAMES MEIKLE.

On board his Majesty's Ship P- -d, commanded by M. A. Esq. Dec. 1759.

MR. D. L. had been religiously educated, but had early been led astray, though not without convictions, which he too often stifled. He had been in the navy for some years, where his course of life was much of a piece with that of others.

In December, 1759, being a little indisposed, he staid much below, (for he was a midshipman,) and read a good deal in the "Gentleman Instructed." It was observed, too, that he chose to be much alone, which was impossible but when in bed; so that I have seen him scarce six hours up through the whole day. I asked him how he could sleep so long? He told me, that he slept not four hours out VOL. IV.-No. IX.

3 M

of the four and twenty. His countenance was sad, and something seemed to sit heavy on his soul. Two things I observed with joy: 1. He read frequently in the Scriptures; 2. He could speak, yea, be in a passion, without dropping an oath, which before was too habitual to him.

Some time passed on without any remarkable alteration; but on a certain Sabbath evening, he was so uneasy in his mind, that he could not keep from throwing his body from side to side, and groaning inwardly. I was going to speak to him, when he asked if he could get some drops for a sinking of spirits? But I knew the cause was what no medicine could remove. He went immediately to bed, so that we were prevented from conversation about his situation at that time, and it was some time before an opportunity occurred. One night, however, being alone, we introduced the subject, when he burst into tears, and told me, that he had suffered what no tongue could tell; and that he was at such a pass sometimes, that, had it not been for his immortal part, he could have thrown himself overboard. I reminded him of the freeness and fulness of

grace to repenting sinners; for he seemed rather to need comfort than conviction, and rather to verge on despair than presumption. He said he durst not despair of the mercy of God, but at times there was such a weight on his heart, that he could scarce support it, and that sometimes surely he was delirious. "O what I would give," says he, "for a quiet mind! and what is all the world to me without it?" I told him, that sin was bitter to all, either in a sincere and godly sorrow, or in that place where repentance comes too late; and that it was better to travail in the pangs of the new birth, than to live and die without one serious thought; and that though his condition was hard, yet it was hopeful.