The General Assembly [pp. 521-553]

Domestie Missions.
by drafts already drawn. The amount received for Church
Extension during the year has been $6,492 17-the whole of
which has been expended in finishing thirty-nine churches.
During the seven years of the existence of this scheme, 297
churches, making an average of 42 annually, have been aided
to completion. The affairs of the Board are in a condition of
rapidly increasing prosperity.
On motion, the Report of the Committee on the Board of
Missions was taken up, and the following resolutions were
adopted:
1. Resolved, That the Report be adopted, and published under
the direction of the Board.
2. Resolved, That in view of the vast field for Domestic Missions now opened in our country, and exhibited in detail in the
Report, that it be earnestly recommended to all of the churches
to make increased efforts to enlarge their contributions to that
Board; and that it be recommended to our pastors and stated
supplies to bring the facts presented in the Report of the Board
fully before the people of their charge, and, if possible, introduce among them some systematic form of maturing their contributions.
3. Resolved, That the direction of the Assembly in 1844
(Minutes, pp. 374 and 375) be renewed; that a special collection be'taken up in all the churches in aid of Church Extension,
and that the Assembly rejoices in the success which has thus far
attended this scheme, although the contributions have fallen far
short of the importance and necessity of the scheme, and our
own obligations to sustain it.
4. Resolved, That the results of the domestic missionary
work of the General Assembly for the last twenty-one years,
viz: the increase of our missionaries from 101 to 590; the
increase of our funds from $12,000 to $79,000; the organization of 943 new churches; the erection of 1484 houses of worship; the addition of over 40,000 souls to the missionary
churches, on profession of their faith; the constitution of a
number of new Presbyteries and Synods, and a great enlargement of our territorial boundaries, and also the results of the
past year, by the report, being most favourable-all furnish to
the Assembly an occasion for profound gratitude to the God of
VOL. XXIII.-NO. III. 57
1851.]
535