Held at Hamilton, Ohio, May 22d. 1844. The General Synod of the Associate Reformed Church met in Hamilton according to adjournment and was opened with a sermon by the last Moderator, Rev. Alex. Sharpe, from 1 Tim. 3, 15. "That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." At half past 2 o'clock P. M., Synod was constituted with prayer. The following ministers and Elders presented certificates that they had been appointed delegates to this General Synod by their respective Presbyteries. Presbytery of Illinois. Rev. Joseph Thompson, Mr. J. A. Foster. Presbytery of Michigan. Mr. Thomas Thompson. Rev. Wilson Blain, * These persons were not present at the making out of the roll. †† These were not present during the sittings of the Synod. Rev. James Prestley was appointed Clerk of Synod pro tem. The reading of the Minutes of last General Synod was dispensed with. Rev. D. Macdill D. D., resigned his seat in favor of his alternate Rev. John Reynolds. Rev. David Kerr and Rev. Wm. T. Findley were nominated for moderator and on balloting Mr Kerr was chosen and took the chair. A paper containing the resignation of the office of stated clerk from Rev. Wm. Wallace was read. On motion his resignation was accepted. Rev. James Prestly was appointed stated clerk of General Synod. Reports from Presbyteries were called for and read. REPORT OF THE PRESBYTERY OF CHILLICOTHE. To the General Synod of the Associate Reformed Church of the West to meet at Hamilton, Ohio, on the 4th Wednesday of May, 1844, the Presbytery of Chillicothe, REPORT That since the last meeting of the General Synod, no transactions worthy of particular notice having taken place in Presbytery, nor are any changes known to have transpired of which it is important that Gen. Synod should be informed. Nothing more than the ordi- nary business of Presbytery has called for its action during the year; and this, under the favor of Providence, we have been able to transact with pleasing harmony. Through the kindness of the church's Head, the lives and health of our members have been spared; and we have been permitted to prosecute, without interruption, our labors in the Master's Vineyard. And it is hoped that these labors have not been altogether in vain. Our congregations continue generally harmonious; and, so far as we can judge, encouragingly prosperous. Accessions, in some instances considerably cheering, are made to our churches from time to time; and attention to word and ordinances, amongst our people, is still good. The state of religion within our limits is not known to have changed very greatly since our last reports. If any change has taken place however, we hope it has been rather of a favorable, than of an unfavorable character. It is hoped that the fruits and evidences of vital godliness are not diminishing amongst our people; but that the duties of personal and family devotion are still more strictly attended to than they formerly were. Our vacant congregations remain in number and situation, as at our last report. We have three in Kentucky, viz: Hinkston, Flemingsburgh and Shiloh; and two in Ohio, namely, Chillicothe and Fincastle. It is hoped that Synod will give us what they consider to be our share of the ministerial service at their disposal. Mr. Henry H. Johnston continues a promising probationer under our care. We have, at present no students of Theology. But it is expected that one or two promising youths, now prosecuting their preparatory education, have that object in view; and will be ready and disposed, ere long, to seek the sanction of Presbytery to their studying for the holy ministry. All which is respectfully reported. By order of the Presbytery, REPORT OF THE PRESBYTERY OF BIG SPRING. To the General Synod of the Associate Reformed church of the West, the Presbytery of Big Spring, REPORT. Since your last meeting, viz: on the 7th June 1843, at a meeting of this Presbytery, a call was presented to Mr. Sharp, from the congregation of Shippensburgh for the one third of his time, (which had not been particularly appropriated previously,) and being accepted, he was subsequently installed accordingly. At the same meeting a call was presented to Mr. D. B. Jones, a probationer then under the care of this Presbytery, and being by him accepted, trials for ordina tion were assigned him. These were delivered at a meeting held in Shippensburgh 5th July; and on motion sustained. And at a meeting of Presbytery held in Lower Chanceford on the last Wednesday of August, Mr. D. B. Jones was ordained to the holy ministry and installed pastor of the united congregations of Lower Chanceford and Hopewell. At the same meeting Mr. Gracey intimated to Presbytery his desire and intention to demit to Presbytery the charge of the Concord branch of his congregation. After the requisite steps had been taken, the charge was taken by Presbytery and Mr. Gracey disannexed from the Concord congregation, at a meeting held at Big Spring 18th Oct. 1843. At the same meeting, a call for a pastor, from Gettysburgh and connexions, addressed to Joseph H. Pressly, was sustained as regular and forwarded to the Presbytery of Monongahela for presenta tion. Information has been received that this call was not accepted. At a meeting, held at Big Spring 17th April 1844, a petition was received from congregation of Old Providence Va., praying to be disjoined from his Presbytery, to connect with the first Presbytery of the South; the prayer of which was granted, and the congregation was released from its subjection to this Presbytery. At an adjourned meeting, Big Spring 1st May 1844, Mr. John Y. Scouller, having delivered the requisite pieces of trial, and therein, and in all other respects, having satisfied Presbytery as to his gifts and qualifications to preach the Gospel as an evangelist, was licensed to preach the everlasting Gospel as a probationer for the holy ministry. ALEX. SHARP Clerk. ROBT. GRACEY Mod. REPORT OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERY OF OHIO. To the Moderator and other members of the General Associate Reformed Synod of the West, to meet at Hamilton May 22d 1844, the First Presbytery of Ohio, REPORT. At our first meeting after last General Synod, held at Fairhaven June 21st, nothing of special importance was transacted. At a called meeting held at Concord Aug. 23d. Mr. John S. McCracken was ordained to the holy ministry, and has since been laboring in the bounds of the Springfield Presbytery as directed by Synod. His ordination was with a view to his greater usefulness in the region in which he was directed to labor, and in accordance with the wishes of the people. At our fall meeting held at Richmond Ia., Sept. 20th, Henry Allen an undergraduate of Miami University, applied to be taken under our care as a student of Theology, and upon examination, in view of his age and general acquirements and on condition that he would prosecute his literary studies during the Seminary vacations, was subsequently received, and attended the Theological Seminary during its last session. At an adjourned meeting, held at Bloomington, Sept. 27th, Mr. Jackson Duff, probationer, was on application dismissed with a certificate of good standing to join the Presbytery of Illinois. At a meeting held in Fairhaven Nov. 28th a call was received, forwarded by the Presbytery of Ia., addressed to Wm. M. Graham, from the congregations of Bethel and Hopewell Ia., Also a petition from the congregation of Fairhaven, for the moderation of a call, was received, and granted; in pursuance of which, a call has been made out for Mr. Joseph H. Pressly of the Presbytery of Monongahela, and sent on to that Presbytery. At our meeting in Cincinnati, in April, a reference for advice came up from the session of Oxford, relative to the case of Joseph D. Steele under process for censure before that session, and who is now understood to be a licentiate under the care of the Presbytery of Monongahela. The action taken on this will be laid before synod in a separate paper. |