The General Assembly [pp. 521-553]

General Assembly.
to be confined to professed candidates for the ministry or even
to those who make a profession of personal religion. The Board
are to be allowed to appropriate sums specially contributed for
that purpose to the education " of promising young men of
moral character." This is an enlargement of the sphere of
operation of the Board, and will remove an objection which has
often been urged against its plans. The seventh resolution
wisely provides that the money contributed for candidates,
schools, colleges, &c., should be kept distinct from each other,
and that where no special direction is indicated, the funds are
to be appropriated to the education of candidates for the min istry.
It is thought by many that giving the appropriations of
the Board the title of scholarships will serve to remove an
impression, which, to a certain extent, in some places at least,
is said to rest on the minds of candidates and their friends, that
there is something derogatory in the present form and mode
of assistance. We do not ourselves see any ground for this
impression, and we do not think that it exists to any great
extent. But we rejoice in any change which may tend to
remove a painful impression. The conviction, however, is gradually extending itself among the churches and their candidates, that there is nothing more derogatory to a young man
being educated by the Church for the ministry, than there is
in his being educated by the State for the army.
. ~~~~~~.
BOARD OF PUBLICATION.
The Rev. Dr. Leyburn presented the annual report of the
Board of Publication, whose increasing popularity and usefulness is giving it a strong hold on the interests and affections of
the Church. From nearly the entire Calvinistic family, and
from Christians of almost every name, the publications have
received the strongest approbation. The mechanical execution
of the books and tracts has been greatly improved. The
receipts for the support of colportage and gratuitous distribution exceed by fifty per cent. those of last year; the sales have
increased in an almost equal ratio. For the fiscal year ending
April 1st, 1849, they were $29,000; the year ending April 1st,
546
[JULY