gation will not be placed on the estimate, until it has been certified that they have been again fulfilled during the preceding year. 66 3d.-In case of a subsequent non-fulfilment of the conditions, within the period of ten years, the congregation will not be placed on the estimate, until it has been certified that they have been again fulfilled during the two preceding years. And, 66 4thly.-In any case where such non-fulfilment shall have lasted more than two consecutive years, the congregation will not be replaced on the estimate, until it has been certified that the conditions have been again fulfilled, during the three preceding years. "IV.-EXCEPTIONS. "Ist.-Those congregations whose Ministers, or the assistants and successors of whose Ministers, were appointed prior to the 1st of January, 1839, and have been duly approved of by the Government, will be exempted from the peremptory fulfilment of the conditions, during the incumbencies of the existing Ministers. "During such period of exemption, however, the annual certificate for each congregation must show, for the satisfaction of Government, whether the several conditions have been fulfilled or not, and the actual amount of income received by the Minister, during the preceding year. But, upon the death or removal of each of such Ministers, the congregation will not be placed on the estimate for the ensuing year, unless it appear, that the conditions shall have been fulfilled during the preceding year. "2d. In case of the death, or removal of any Minister, the endowment will not be suspended on that ground, unless the vacancy shall have exceeded twelve months. "3d.—It is to be clearly understood, that the above rules are not to be subject to any further exceptions, and that no application for a new endowment, or for a continuance of the old endowment, of any congregation, can be entertained by the Government, except it appear, that, in such case, the several required conditions shall have been fulfilled. Synod of 66 FORM OF ANNUAL CERTIFICATE. Presbytery of Congregation of. Name of Minister*. "We, being respectively the Moderator and Clerk of the above Presbytery, do hereby, and on its behalf, solemnly declare and certify, for the year ending 31st of March, 1840, "1. That the above congregation has had a regular Church or Meeting-house of its own, in which it has worshipped throughout the said year. 66 "2. That the above congregation has had, throughout the said year, an ordained Minister (who was appointed on the day of 18 .) 3d.—That, throughout the said year, the congregation has * In case of a vacancy, state the date when it occurred, and its cause. consisted of resident Presbyterian families, or resident Presbyterian individuals, being bond fide constituents of the congregation. "4th. That the Minister has, throughout the said year, boná fide received a congregational income, composed as follows, viz.— Amount contributed by the resident Presbyterian families or individuals, constituents of the congregation, Aid given by the Synod, Contribution from any other source, stating them :: Annual value of any Manse or Minister's House, Signed} £ S. d. * Total Income, £ "N.B.-Printed forms of Certificates will be supplied to each Presbytery." Whether there be a vacancy or not, it will be necessary to show, as above, that the required amount of congregational income has been paid.” SYNOD OF MUNSTER. We observe, by a paragraph in the Dublin Evening Post, that the Synod of Munster held its annual meeting in Clonmel, on the 1st and 2nd days of July. Owing to the death of Dr. ARMSTRONG, it was necessary to appoint a Clerk to the Synod: which occasioned a debate of some hours, at the close of which, the Rev. WILLIAM HUNTER of Bandon was elected to the vacant office. We have not received any particulars of the other proceedings of this respected Association. "GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND." The General Synod of Ulster, and the Presbyterian Secession Synod of Ireland, have at length formally and definitively united together in one Body, to be called "the Presbyterian Church in Ireland:" and the principal court of which is to be dignified with the title of "the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.” In recording this union, we think it needful to protest against the title which has been adopted, as implying an unwarrantable assumption, on the part of those who have taken it, that they are the only Presbyterians in this country: and that the Covenanters, Remonstrants, Presbytery of Antrim, and Synod of Munster, have no claim to that appellation. To some persons, unacquainted with our local affairs, the name which has been assumed will be deceptive: leading them to imagine, that the whole Body of Irish Presbyterians are represented in the newly-formed Assembly. In em ploying it, therefore, as we shall probably have occasion to do, we shall not be held to concede the justice of the claim implied in it: although we may not think it necessary on every occasion, to renew this our protest and dissent. The terms of union are briefly the following: the two Clerks of the old Synods to be joint Clerks of the United Body: the two Professors of Theology to take charge jointly of that branch of instruction: Dr. Davison to be sole Professor of Biblical Criticism: Dr. Reid of Church History: and Mr. R. Wilson, of Moral Philosophy, with a salary of £150 a-year. In congregational affairs, all registered seatholders, being communicants, to be entitled to vote: a majority of two-thirds to be required in case of the election of a minister: no account to be taken of the stipend paid by voters: ministers, licentiates, and ruling elders, to profess belief in the Westminster Confession and Catechisms, as founded on, and agreeable to the Word of God; to acknowledge the Confession as the Confession of their faith: and to promise that they will, "through divine grace, firmly and constantly adhere to the doctrine taught in the Confession, &c. and teach and defend it to the utmost of their power against all errors." They are also to declare their approbation of Presbyterian Church Government, and of the practice of public religious covenanting, &c. &c. A new arrangement of Presbyteries has been settled, according to local convenience; and a Committee has been appointed to prepare a Book of Discipline for the United Church. The first meeting of the United Body passed off harmoniously. In the separate meeting of the Synod of Ulster, held before the union was finally ratified, Dr. Cooke got into a towering passion at something which fell from his dear brother Dr. Brown; and flung himself out of the house, declaring his intention never to come back. However, the Synod sent a deputation next morning to request his attendance, and the good doctor kindly complied. MANCHESTEr college, YORK.— TESTIMONIAL TO REV. CHARLES WELLBELOVED. On Thursday, the 26th of Juue, the gentlemen who have been educated at the above Seminary, assembled at York, for the purpose of presenting Mr. WELLBELOVED, (who, for 37 years, has been principal and theological tutor of the College,) with a Testimonial of their respect for his zeal, learning, and fidelity, as a Teacher; and of their regard for his numerous amiable qualities in private life. This gratifying occurrence took place, at the close of the last Annual Examinations which will be held in the College, previously to its contemplated return to Manchester; and immediately after the ordinary dinner of the trustees and other friends of the Institution.-On this occasion, ROBERT PHILIPS, Esq. of Heybridge, Staffordshire, was in the chair; and the VicePresident's chair was occupied by OFFLEY SHORE, Esq. of Norton Hall, Sheffield. The gift, consisting of a splendid Silver Salver (value £100) and a Purse containing 200 Sovereigns, was presented by MARK PHILIPS, Esq. M. P. for Manchester, on the part of the lay students educated at the College, and by the REV. J. G. ROBBERDS of Manchester, on the part of the divines. The compliment was acknowledged by Mr. WELLBELOVED in beautiful and affecting terms. There were about 70 York students present. Some of them came from the most distant parts of England; and the Irish alumni of the College were represented by Rev. CLASSON PORTER, Larne; Rev. J. NIXON PORTER, Carrickfergus; and Rev. THOMAS HINCKS, Cork. Several appropriate toasts were given from the chair; and amongst others, one expressing the sympathy of the company in the exertions of "the friends of liberty of conscience in Ireland," which was responded to by Rev. CLASSON PORTER, of Larne. The following is a copy of the Inscription on the Plate:- PER XXXVII ANNOS LITERARVM SACRARVM DISCIPLINAS TRADENTI IN DISCIPVLORVM • CONFORMANDIS REGENDISQVE MORIBVS GRAVITATEM COMITATE TEMPERANTI IN OMNIVITÆ RATIONE SANCTO SIMPLICI BENEVOLO'STRENVO EXIMIA FIDE RELIGIONE DILIGENTIA ADMINISTRATVM EXÆRE CONLATO DONVM DEDERVNT PII GRATIVENERABVNDI COLL MANCVN ALVMNI VII' KALIVL'ANNO MDCCCXXXX SUNDAY SCHOOL OF THE FIRST CONGREGATION, NEWRY. At a Meeting of the Committee and Teachers of the Sundayschool in connexion with the First Presbyterian Congregation, Newry, held on Sunday, 19th July, 1840, a vote of thanks was proposed and unanimously passed to the Rev. C. J. M'ALESTER of Holywood, for the very interesting and instructive lecture delivered by that gentleman to the Teachers and Scholars connected with the school, on the previous Sunday. ENGLISH PRESBYTERIAN ASSOCIATION. The annual meeting of the English Presbyterian Association was held at Dr. Williams's Library, Red-cross Street, London, on Thursday, the 18th June,-- James Esdaile, Esq. Treasurer, in the Chair. The Committee reported that the House of Lords had not yet pronounced judgment upon the Appeal in the Lady Hewley-trust cause, the Judges having been prevented by important judicial business from considering and delivering their opinions upon the Questions which had been referred to them by the Peers. The Wolverhampton cause was stated to be still awaiting the judgment of the Lord Chancellor, which had been postponed until the de cisions on the Hewley case were ascertained. The Committee informed the meeting, that they had published, in an 8vo volume, a full and accurate Report of the whole of the Proceedings in the Hewley Appeal before the House of Lords, which had been extensively circulated. Though the suspension of the decision in these two causes seemed to have had the effect of preventing, for a time at least, new acts of hostility, on the part of the Calvinistic Relators, against Presbyterian trusts and endowments in England, the Committee announced that new proceedings had been instituted in Ireland, by some equally consistent friends of the voluntary principle, with the view of wresting from the Presbyterians of that country certain endowments which they had inherited from their ancestors. But the Committee added that they had not received official information as to the facts of this case, so as to be able to lay them before the meeting in detail. Reference having been made to the declarations of several noble peers in the House of Lords, in relation to religious parties in Canada, in which the members of the Church of Scotland were declared to be the only Presbyterians who could be there recog nized by the Government, it was resolved unanimously,—“That this meeting is desirous of expressing its earnest hope, that in the measures to be adopted by Parliament, for the future government of Canada, the fullest regard may be had to the principles of religious liberty and equality; and of protesting against any attempts to place the Presbyterians of that extensive colony under the dominion of the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland."-The thanks of the Association were voted to the President, George W. Wood, Esq. M.P.; to the Treasurer, James Esdaile, Esq.; and the Secretary, Dr. Rees, all of whom were re-appointed to fill the same offices for the ensuing vear,-and the following gentlemen were chosen to form the new Committee, viz. Rev. Robert Aspland; Sydney Aspland, Esq.; C. Bischoff, Esq.; W. Cotton, Esq.; Rev. D. Davison; John Fisher, Esq; Rev. Joseph Hunter; Rev. Thomas Madge; Rev. B. Mardon; S. Pett, Esq; H. C. Robinson, Esq; S. Sangster, Esq.; Rev. E. Tagart; R. Taylor, Esq.; T. P. Warren, Esq. OBITUARY. DIED,-On Saturday, the 11th of July, 1840, aged 72, Miss ANN M'KEDY, of York-street, Belfast: a truly benevolent and pious Christian lady: deeply and deservedly regretted by all who knew her. TO CORRESPONDENTS. MR. HAUGHTON's Third Letter on Temperance,-P. on Philosophy and Scripture,-the conclusion of the papers on the Creation and Fall of Man,-Gatherings from the German,-and some other favours, have been received: and shall appear in the next number of the Bible Christian.-We solicit the continued kindness of our valued correspondents. |