penditure from that date to Jan. 1847, amounted to 3681. 1s. 2d., leaving a balance available for the present year of 571. Os. 2d.; the produce of the collections and associations during the same period amounted to 3521. 3s. 8d.; so that adding interest to the amount of 11. 16s. 8d., the Committee have had at their disposal, for the expenditure of the present year, the sum of 4117. Os. 6d. The schedules of queries were made returnable this year upon the first of March, and the following grants have recently been voted for the current year : Berwick PRESBYTERY OF BERWICK. ..................... Ancroft Moor ........................ North Sunderland PRESBYTERY OF NORTHUMBERLAND. 15 0 0 £45 0 0 Warrenford Glanton Morpeth and Longhurst (two schools).. 25 0 Birdhope Craig.. .......... ... 10 0 0 movement among our congregations may still steadily advance, and it will be highly gratifying to the Committee to be called upon to lend their aid to similar new undertakings during the present year. Much still remains to be done in this direction before the educational apparatus of the Church can be considered adequate. While the number of our schools is thus steadily increasing, it is satisfactory to be able to report that their prosperity and efficiency are also steadily progressive. Almost the whole of the schools included in last year's Report have increased in attendance during the past year, some of them to the extent of as many as forty pupils. In thirteen schools which have reported their increase last year to the Committee, the additions of pupils have amounted to 280; nor does this list include those of our schools which have the most numerous attendance, such as St. John's, South Shields, Marylebone, and others. If these were also taken into the account, it is believed that the increase of pupils during last year may be fairly and moderately reckoned at 500. The internal efficiency also of several of the schools upon the Committee's list has been materially improved during the same period £70 0 0 by the appointment of teachers of superior qualifications to those of their predecessors. The Committee advert especially, with very great satisfaction, to the state of the schools in connexion with our congregations of St. John's, South Shields, and Morpeth, in which the gentlemen engaged as masters are distinguished by high professional attainments and ability, and in which, in consequence, the educational arrangements made are of the most liberal kind, embracing, in addition to all the common 20 00 branches, instruction in Latin, Greek, French, German, Mathematics, and the elements of natural science. The Committee having obtained authority from last Synod to apply a portion of their funds in providing maps and school books, with the view of promoting the efficiency of our schools, have, accordingly, availed themselves of the balance which remained over from 1846, to purchase a considerable stock of these requisites, and they have already made several grants of this nature, viz., to Morpeth, Longhurst, and Trinity, Manchester schools, and prospectively to Dudley, Southwark, and Stafford. It is their intention when they have all the schedules for the present year before them, to determine what further grants of this kind should be made. The school-books which they have selected for purchase as at once the best in quality and the cheapest in price, are the Irish National School series, and the maps are those of the Messrs. Johnstone of Edinburgh. PRESBYTERY OF NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE. Monkwearmouth Hexham Seaton Delaval Falstone 7 10 0 10 00 £32 10 0 Shelton.............................. 10 0 0 £45 0 0 These five schools added to the twelve reported at last Synod as having been either commenced or adopted during the preceding year, exhibit the gratif ing number of seven- which the several schools are attached. The teen day-schools added to the educational returns in answer to this inquiry are on the whole provision of the Church in the space of two satisfactory. Out of nineteen schools returned, years, and that mainly in consequence of the one consists entirely of children attending the encouragement held out by the fund entrusted church to which it belongs; in three nearly all to the administration of your Committee. It the children attend; in two the great majority; is much to be desired that this educational | in four, three-fourths and above; and in other four, under three-fourths, but not less than half; leaving only five schools out of the nineteen, where the proportion is less than half, leaving only five schools out of the nineteen, where the proportion is less than half of children whose parents are not in connexion with our own Church. These returns are here noticed simply with the view of showing the extent to which our Presbyterian families are benefited by the School Scheme of the Church, and to what an extent our Educational Institutions are useful to the general community. The Committee are persuaded that both these aspects of their usefulness will be equally interesting and encouraging, though on different grounds, to the Church. Another query inserted in the schedule had for its object to ascertain the proportion of teachers in our schools who had received, and were able to communicate, classical instruction, as distinguished from the common branches of education. Out of nineteen returns, the Committee find that eight teachers are reported to be in this advanced position, and eleven as only qualified to teach the common branches. These proportions are by no means discouraging, and it is an important advantage that in all the more influential localities, the schools are provided with teachers whose qualifications enroll them in the higher list. It is earnestly hoped that our school managers will keep steadily in view the importance of raising as much as possible the educational standard, in all our seminaries, and that they will avail themselves, for this end, as opportunity offers, of the facilities which the Normal Schools at Edinburgh and Glasgow present, for obtaining the services of teachers adequately accomplished and professionally trained. The Committee regret that as yet they have received no reports from Presbyteries regarding the examinations of schools during the past year. The instructions given to Presbyteries by last Synod appear to have been overlooked, to the effect that they should examine all the schools within their respective bounds annually, and should forward to the School Committee reports of the results in reference to all such schools as are desiring support from the Fund. The importance and usefulness of such a provision are too obvious to call for any remark; and the Committee express their earnest desire and hope that these instructions of the Synod may be punctually complied with, during the present year. The only other subject upon which the Committee feel it necessary to make any observation is the bearing upon the Synod's educational circumstances and operations, of the regulations lately promulgated by the Committee of the Privy Council in regard to school grants out of the Public Exchequer. The decision of last Synod, in reference to the Government Scheme of Education, left it open to our several congregations to apply for Government aid or not, as they thought proper; and the Committee thus far deemed it their duty to furnish the Church, through the medium of the "Messenger," an abstract of all those regulations which it was most important for parties to know who had any desire to apply for assistance, either in the erection or the support of schools. This abstract will be found in the "Messenger" for September last, and is sufficiently full for the purpose of showing all the main conditions which are indispensable to the obtaining of aid in either way. It unfortunately happens, however, that almost none of our schools are in circumstances to comply with these indispensable conditions; for they are almost all either carried on in apartments under our Churches, which is an insuperable disqualification, or in hired apartments held by a temporary tenure, which is another disqualification equally insuperable. The publication of these conditions of the Government grants could not fail, in such circumstances, to occasion great disappointment to those of our office-bearers and people who were engaged, or who proposed to engage, in educational efforts; and, at the last meeting of the Commission of Synod, under the influence of a hope that some mitigation, at least, of the rigour of these conditions might possibly be obtained, instructions were given to the Presbytery of London to open a communication with the Committee of Council, with this view. The Presbytery appointed a Sub-Committee for the purpose, of which the Convener of the School Committee of Synod was made Convener, but no relaxation, nor even the slightest prospect of a relaxation, in the published regulations can be obtained. The Convener had an inverview very recently with Dr. Kaye Shuttleworth upon the subject, in which he submitted whether the regulations might not with advantage, be so far modified, as not to be made retrospective in their bearing upon schools erected or begun to be erected before the date of their publication to the country. But even this modification was pronounced to be altogether unallowable. The conditions which press so hard upon almost all our schools as at present carried on are in the strictest sense absolute, and there is all the less hope or likelihood of their being relaxed, that the number of applications made for aid under these very conditions is already overwhelming, so much so, that unless the Parliamentary Grant for education be very much increased, it may become necessary to make the regulations more stringent still. It will be our wisdom, therefore, to abandon all hope of any such relaxation as our own circumstances might lead us to desire, and to set steadily before us, as a religious body, the object of gradually bringing up our Educational Institutions to the conditions which the Privy Council, not without good and sufficient reasons, require. The object which they have in view in enforcing such regulations is one of the greatest magnitude and moment, viz., to put the whole educational apparatus of the country, for the instruction of the humbler classes of society, upon such a footing as to secure every advantage which it is possible to attain in return for so large a disbursement of the public money; and while we cannot but approve of such a national aim, it behoves us to use our utmost efforts to bring our own educational aims and movements into concurrence and conferring harmony with the objects and the plans of this great public enterprise. Let the rule then become absolute with us henceforth, in the erection of new churches, to avoid including school apartments in the plans of such buildings. The Committee of Council have no objection indeed to the erection of school-houses upon sites contiguous to churches, or even originally obtained for ecclesiastical purposes. But it would be an injudicious, and, indeed, an unjust application of our resources, to bestow any portion of churches, when it is now certain that all such schools must be hopelessly excluded from all the benefits which both their teachers and pupils might otherwise have hoped to derive from the Educational Funds of the empire. Let it also become an object to be, henceforth, steadily contemplated by us, to cease, as soon as possible, to carry on our schools in mere hired apartments. Ere long, it will become impossible for us to retain any highly-qualified master, if our schools continue to be taught in such places, because so long as our teachers remain in connexion with such schools, they are excluded from all participation in the benefits held out by the Government. Let it be remembered that one of the principal aims of the Government in their educational movement, is to elevate the station of schoolmasters, them henceforth in the erection of schools under to add not only to their emoluments, but also to their consideration and rank in society. It would be vain, therefore, for us to expect to be able to retain among us the services of any highly-qualified masters, unless we put them in a position to attain the same Governmental advantages in connexion with our institutions, which they could secure by connecting themselves with the schools of other religious bodies. The truth is, that the Government plans will prove in the highest degree injurious to our educational interests, unless we so accommodate our own plans to theirs as to be able to command and enlist in our favour the advantages which they hold out. As early, therefore, as possible, let school-houses be erected for the accommodation of all our schools. This is necessary even to secure the permanency and efficiency of these Institutions, apart from all reference to the plans of the Government. During the past year one school upon our list has been obliged to be abandoned from the impossibility of obtaining a suitable place in which to carry it on, thus involving our fund in loss, and our hopes and efforts in that locality in disappointment, and we have reason to apprehend a repetition of such instances. The Committee, therefore, would rejoice to see a fund instituted for the purpose of giving aid in the erection of schoolhouses, and it would be easy, with such a fund at our command, to fulfil the conditions which are necessary to the obtaining of Government aid for the same object. Let not, therefore, this object be for a moment lost sight of by the Church as one of the greatest importance, and the attainment of which ought not to be postponed one day later than is absolutely unavoidable. PETER LORIMER, Convener. It was moved by Mr. LENNIE, Seconded by Mr. J. ANDERSON, and agreed to; Receive and approve of the Report, and record the thanks of Synod to the official Members of Committee. The following were appointed the School Committee for this year, viz. :-Professors Campbell and Lorimer; Messrs. Munro, Macaulay, James Ferguson, Weir, Nicholson, Fisher, Chalmers, Lewis, Anderson, (Morpeth,) Murdoch, Blackwood, Cousin, Gardner, Cowe, Duncan, Storie, and Dr. Brown, Ministers; and Messrs. Nisbet, Gillespie, Barbour, W. Hamilton, Dunlop, Adam, J. Thompson, Henderson, Stevenson, Hay, G. F. Barbour, Lamb, and Hood, Elders; and Messrs. Hogg, J. G. Kirkaldy, Mitchell, Anderson, L. Mackay, Dr. Stewart, Macandrew, Henderson, A. Milne, Gardner, Napier, and Fraser, Deacons.-Professor Lorimer, Convener; and Mr. James Macandrew, Treasurer; Messrs. John Johnstone and James Morris, Auditors. The Synod called for the Report of the Committee on Missions to the Jews and Heathen, which was given in and read by the Convener, Mr. James Hamilton, who for that purpose left the chair, which was taken, p.t., by Mr. James Anderson. REPORT OF FOREIGN MISSION COMMITTEE. WHEN this Committee came to Sunderland in April of last year, it was with the impression that our Synod's cherished purpose of a Mission to China must be abandoned altogether. Two years of correspondence and negotiation had led to no satisfactory result, and many were convinced that it was time to turn our eyes to other quarters in search of an open door. But when the Committee met on the morning of April 20, brethren who had not been present at former consultations expressed such eager and unaltered resolution to proceed with the Chinese Mission, that the desponding and wavering were overruled, and it was determined to "go forward." Whilst the Committee was guided by prayer and deliberation to this conclusion, unknown to us, there was hastening towards our place of meeting, the man whom the Lord had chosen. To our surprise and joy, Mr. Burns appeared in the midst of us, and, after mutual explanations, it turned out that he had come to Sunderland in order that, if it were the will of God, he might go next to China. His attitude was, Here am I; send me;" and affected by the Providence so marked and special, we all agreed to send him on his way. It is in the remembrance of the Synod how solemnly Mr. Burns was set apart to his missionary work by the Presbytery of Newcastle-on-Tyne. The sermon of his kinsman, Mr. Chalmers, and the exhortation of his friend and father, Dr. Paterson, are still vivid in our memories; and we would record as a signal day in our Church's history, the 22d of April, 1847. Ready as he was to depart on the morrow, it was deemed for the interest of our Church and the Mission, that Mr. Burns should sojourn a little longer amongst us. Accordingly, the six weeks following were spent in visiting our congregations at Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Brighton, &c., as well as at London; and, whilst we trust that a blessing accompanied the earnest and faithful preaching of the Word, multitudes of our people had the satisfaction of seeing our brother face to face; and we are persuaded that the extensive intercourse and personal acquaintance thus effected, have secured for himself and his arduous enterprise a large amount of affectionate intercessions. On the 7th of June a prayer meeting was held at the Scots church, London wall, and was conducted by Mr. Nicolson and Professor Lorimer. There Mr. Burns took leave of the brethren, and, on the 10th, set sail from Portsmouth in the "Mary Bannatyne." The voyage was longer than most which have been performed in that favourite vessel, and tempestuous weather was encountered in the Chinese seas. But by the good hand of the Lord upon him, Mr. Burns reached Hong Kong in health and safety on the 25th of November. At his arrival he found kind friends awaiting him in different missionaries already there from England and America, as well as among our own Scottish residents, amongst the foremost of whom was Dr. Balfour. From his position in the society of the island, as well as from his acquaintance with the natives, having repeatedly undertaken the charge of the missionary hospitals, this excellent physician has been able to render eminent service to our Mission. It is in the knowledge of the members that the Presbyterian residents at Hong Kong applied to the Free Church some time ago for a minister; and it was proposed that Mr. Stevenson of Tullibody should go thither. Eventually, however, this proposal was not carried into effect, and there is yet no Presbyterian chaplain in this island, Britain's only colony in China. Delighted, however, at the arrival of a minister, a few friends immediately fitted up as a temporary place of worship, a commodious bungalow, and there, from Sabbath to Sabbath, Mr. Burns is preaching. Thus rallied, and with the love of their ancestral ordinances revived, our countrymen there are renewing their effort to obtain a stated pastor. Should they succeed, it will be a great joy to us; for a Presbyterian congregation and minister at Hong Kong would be an invaluable adminicle to our Mission, and a constant comfort to our missionaries. Forty years have elapsed since a young man, a native of Newcastle, and brought up in one of our Presbyterian meeting-houses, effected his circuitous and almost clandestine passage, as the first Protestant missionary to the Chinese empire. Arriving solitary on a shy and un.. welcoming shore, with no Christian friend to cheer him, and no European arm to shelter him, that faithful servant of Jesus spent years of lonely and perilous toil in conquering a language with which scarce an Englishman had dared to grapple. But many a happy change, the harbinger of changes happier still, may gratefully be recognised in Mr. Burns's entrance on his work. Proceeding boldly to his destination, an honoured passenger in one of Britain's gallant argosies, and needing no alien interposition to smuggle the Evangelist into a land which Britain then forbade the Evangelist to tread, landing in open day, and beneath the glad assurance of the Union Banner, he found the missionaries of two hemispheres, as well as Chinese Christians, there before him. And whilst we would join our dear friend in commemorating these bright distinctions of his lot, we record a special cause for thankfulness in the progress which he has already made as a Chinese scholar. The wonderful labours of Morrison and his coadjutors notwithstanding, the language still remains of all human dialects the mightiest barrier to intercourse, of all that is perplexing and forbidding in the polyglott the hopeless paragon-of Babel's pride and punishment, the memorial most embittering. And with all the helps afforded by his predecessors in this arduous work, and with all the facilities of quiet and unmolested study in an English settlement, we fully reckoned that years might pass before Mr. Burns could make any practical essay in that appalling tongue. Already, however, before faith and energy its terrors seem to disappear; and though it is only a year since our brother began to apply his mind to the study, and though he had only been two months arrived when last he wrote-we record it with joy and wonder-he was already attempting to publish the words of life in the speech of Sinim. Having obtained access to the prisoners in the public gaol, he was enabled to read the Scriptures to them, and even to address them briefly, so that they understood. Surely when a door of hope has opened so speedily in that vale of Achor, we have reason to recognise His gracious help who taught the first Evangelists strange tongues by a process speedier still; and we may well redouble believing supplications to that Saviour, everpowerful and ever-present, who has so graciously smoothed his servant's path and blessed him with these early earnests. In these simple facts the Synod will perceive how many are the themes for gratitude and praise, and how strong the motives to further hope and effort. This Mission has already exerted a happy influence on the Church. The Treasurers have a very gratifying statement of their income to lay before you; and as soon as the Lord is pleased to indicate the appointed man, we are persuaded that the contributions and the cordiality of our congregations would fully warrant the designation of another missionary. It may be encouraging to our congregations to know that their contributions to the Mission are still virtually unappropriated, as the munificence of one member of our Church has been sufficient to defray all the expense connected with Mr. Burns's departure and outfit. CORFU. A bereaving dispensation has visited the Corfu Mission. The teacher of the school for Jewish females, Miss Greig, finding her strength failing, set out on her return for her native land last autumn. Aided by the kindness of a Christian stranger, who acted to the worn and sickly wayfarer the part of the good Mr. Charteris continues with unflagging alacrity and zeal, his complex and too numerous labours. In his single ministry he combines the offices of a pastor to the Presbyterian residents, a military chaplain, and a Missionary to the Jews. Of the latter he has individuals and companies constantly resorting to him for purposes of inquiry or debate; and there is an interesting class of their young men whom he is instructing almost daily. Cases have occurred so far encouraging that a missionary less cautious than Mr. Charteris would have been apt to confer the ordinance of Baptism; but we count on the greater ultimate benefit from the fuller probation to which his wise forbearance and fidelity subject the candidates. The 76th Regiment has lately sailed for Corfu, and it gives us peculiar gratification to state that His Excellency Lord Seaton has most handsomely granted to Mr. C. and his hearers the use of a large room in the garrison, where they now regularly meet for worship. From little traits it is interesting to find how entirely these Presbyterian soldiers retain the heart of their father-land. Last year we noticed a remittance which they sent home for the relief of the famished Highlanders; that they still take an interest in what is passing here was lately and similarly shown by a contribution they transmitted to the fund now raising on behalf of a Free Church Missionary's orphan family. In September last, for the first time since his arrival in the island two years and a-half ago, Mr. Charteris was refreshed by the visit of a Presbyterian clergyman. Mr. Donald, of Blackford, spent a week with our brother, and on that occasion Mr. Campbell, a respected member of the congregation, was ordained the first ruling elder in modern Corfu. At the recommendation of the Ladies' Committee, Miss Mackenzie was lately appointed to the office of teacher vacated by the lamented removal of Miss Greig. This young lady, from her principles and character, her residence in the island and familiarity with its dialects, as well as from her experience in tuition, was deemed peculiarly suited for the office of teacher; and by the latest accounts we are happy to learn that under her charge the school is prospering. The Committee, in concluding their Report, would recommend to the Synod to empower their successors to appoint another missionary or missionaries to China, should they see fit, during the currency of the synodical year. JAMES HAMILTON, Convener. WILLIAM COUSIN, Secretary. the English residents and the natives in that island. After which it was moved by Mr. A. Munro, seconded by Mr. Ross, supported by Mr. Weir, and unanimously agreed to, Receive and approve of the Report, and record thanks to the official Members of Committee. The following were then appointed the Committee for this year: Messrs. J. Hamilton, Dr. Paterson, Miller, Martin, J. Ferguson, W. M. Thompson, Ross, Burns, Weir, D. Fergusson, Mackenzie, Chalmers, Nicolson, Cousin, Macaulay, J. Anderson, Welsh, Lewis, Huie, Murdoch, Gordon, J. L. Porter, A. Munro, Blackwood, Roxburgh, and J. Fisher, Ministers; and Messrs. Nisbet, Gillespie, Hamilton, J. Sloane, J. G. Kirkaldy, R. Wilson, T. Greig, J. Bachelor, R. Hogg, Hay, Dr. Stewart, J. Marshall, R. Macfie, A. C. Dunlop, Capt. Wood, G. F. Barbour, J. Watson, Greig, Lieut.-Col. Anderson, J. G. Carmichael, N. Cotes, J. Burt, P. Adie, T. Glover, A. T. Kitchie, J. W. Lamb, H. M. Matheson, J. R. Robertson, and J. Macandrew, Elders and Deacons.Rev. J. Hamilton, Convener; Rev. William Cousin, Secretary; Messrs. Nisbet and H. M. Matheson, Treasurers; and Messrs. C. Vertue, D. Napier, and R. Hogg, Auditors. Mr. Cousin then engaged in prayer, imploring the Divine blessing upon all the institutions of the Church. The Report of the Bursary Committee was given in and read by Mr. Greig, Treasurer and Convener, to the effect that three Bursaries, two to the amount of 251. each, and the third to the amount of 12. 10s. had been awarded during last year. The Report was received and approved of, thanks recorded to Mr. Greig, and the College Committee were, and hereby are, charged with the duties hitherto entrusted to this Committee. The Committee on Psalmody gave in a verbal Report, through Mr. Chalmers, their Convener, to the effect that the Committee were engaged in collecting appropriate and approved Hymns and Paraphrases. The Report was received; the diligence of the Committee approved of; and the Committee, with some alterations, re-appointed, with former instructions, as follows:-Messrs. J. Anderson, Hamilton, Weir, Lewis, Murdoch, Blackwood, Dr. Paterson, Dr. Brown, A. Munro, Welsh, Mackenzie, Chalmers, Professor Lorimer, Macaulay, and Speers, |