not uncommon to see them re-, in the civilized world, are the excited with very powerful, and effects of partial intoxication. sometimes happy effects. When Before the intemperate man we observe this law of nature, swallows his glass, he ought to and read the encouragements see in it the seeds of poverty, God hath given to parents, that shame and death; probably, of he will bless their labor, it death eternal. A thief forgiv should encourage them not toen on the cross, and a penitent faint in duty, although they see murderer through means of a little present fruit. They sowpious mother's early instruction, in sorrow, but may reap an eternal harvest in joy. While this story is an encouragement to pious parents, it holds up an awful warning to the intemperate. Half the crimes, murders, and shameful deaths by the hand of an executioner, that take place

are instances so nearly solitary they give no encouragement to continue in sin from an expectation of final safety. They were designed to teach us men may pray for mercy until the last moment of life: not to increase the security of vice.

X. M..

At a Meeting of the General Association of Connecticut, at Watertown the third Tuesday of June, A. D. 1813: Present,

The Rev. Elijah Waterman was chosen Scribe; the Rev. David Ely, D. D. Moderator; and the Rev. Bezaleel Pinneo, assistant Scribe.

After the certificates of delegation were read, the Association was opened with prayer by the Moderator.

The Rev. Messrs. Robbins, Woodhull, Weeks, Kelley, Hovey and Clark were appointed a Committee of overtures, who reported the order of business, which report was accepted.

Communications were received from the Delegates of this Body to the several ecclesiastical Bodies in connection with this Association; and also from their delegates to this Body.

The Trustees of the Missionary Society of Connecticut made a report of their proceedings the last year, which was accepted, and is as follows:

To the Missionary Society of Connecticut, to be convened at Water town, the third Tuesday of June, A. D. 1813.

The Trustees of the Society beg leave to submit the following Report :— REV. FATHERS AND BRETHREN,

OUR Narrative of Missions, for the year 1812, copies of which are herewith sent to the members of your venerable body, will furnish particulars of the doings of your Trustees; and of the state of the missions conducted under your patronage, beyond what the limits of this Report can admit. It is no more than a general view of these things that can here be given.

Missionaries have been employed in the service of the Society, with circumspection and care; their number, as well as their time of service, have been extended as far as a prudent management of the funds would warrant. And with gratitude to God our Preserver, we acknowledge his kindness and care, which have been exercised towards our Missionaries. About five-and-twenty have been sent out, in the course of the year, into the various new settlements in our country; and though a mortal sickness has prevailed in the regions they have visited, and has removed great numbers to the house appointed for all living, our Missionaries have been preserved from the desolation, with the exception of one only. The Rev. James Boyd, an experienced and faithful servant of Christ, has been taken away from his labor on earth to the world of spirits. While we feel admonished, by the death of our brethren, of our own mortality, and of our approaching appearance before the judge of all, we devoutly ac

knowledge the sparing mercy of the Lord; and would double our diligence, that when he cometh we may be found actively engaged in his

service.

The places to which the gospel has been sent by this Society, are the newly settled parts of Vermont, the northern and western parts of the State of New York, the northern part of Pennsylvania, and the State of Ohio; especially that part of it which is called New Connecticut. It is well known, that numerous regions of our country are suffering through want of gospel instruction; many applications are made for assistance from this Society; but they cannot all be relieved, for the want of funds : Some are left to ask your aid in vain.

We notice, with peculiar satisfaction, the continued exertions of the people of the State, in their charitable contributions for the poor who need the gospel. The amount of contributions, in the different ecclesiastical societies, the last year, which was the first of their efforts, under the present license of our Legislature, exceeds that of any preceding year. Private donations, to promote the charitable designs of the Institution are also continually made.The whole amount of expenditures, for missionary purposes, in the course of the last year is $ 4085, 12. It exceeds what was contributed for the cause of missions by the sum of 8 800. For this amount, about 376 weeks of missionary service has been performed, and 1940 religious books and pamphlets, of various descriptions have been circulated in the name of the Missionary Society of Connecticut.

The Missionaries have faithfully attended to their appointments.— Their opportunities to address the people, on their spiritual concerns, have been improved on other days, as well as on the Lord's day. In the spirit of their Master, they have labored for the salvation of men.

The Society, and the pious people in the State, who have contributed towards the support of these missions, have most abundant cause for joy, and the best encouragement to continue and to extend their labors of love. God has signally expressed his approbation of the work, by crowning it with great success. The order of the gospel has been introduced into many places once desolate, through the abounding of ignorance and iniquity. Villages and cities are built up in the observance of religion, which, without the aid of missions, in spiritual things, would have resembled the uncultivated wilderness. Errors of the most fascinating and pernicious kind have been corrected. And not only have the people been prepared to attend the gospel for the sake of their social welfare, but, through the influence of the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven upon them, many hungered and thirsted for the bread and water of life, and have been satisfied. In various places, God has appeared in the midst of the people, and has gathered sinners unto himself in great numbers.

To your Trustees it appears a relative duty of the first importance, to build up our new settlements in the order of the gospel. The welfare of our land, the prosperity of religion among us, as well as the salvation of multitudes, are inseparably connected with the discharge of this duty. The experience of centuries has abundantly taught us, that every attempt to carry the gospel to the heathen in our land, to establish it permanently among them, is vain, while vice and impiety prevail on our frontiers. For the heathen natives of our land we feel a sincere compassion; and are ready to improve the earliest opportunity, which affords any prospect of success, to send to them the gospel. But for their sake, as well as for other reasons, which respect the interest of religion more extensively, it seems to be a primary duty, to relieve the destitute people on our frontiers. And it must afford the Society peculiar satisfaction to behold God's distinguishing approbation of these their efforts in his cause. Surely we have the greatest occasion to say, "Hitherto the Lord hath helped us.

"

There is still much for us to do, while the greatest encouragements are offered to persevere in well doing. He that hath the hearts of all men at his disposal, will never fail in the execution of his counsels. We trust the

prosperity and enlargement of this American church are embraced in his gracious purpose.

May the presence of God our Saviour be with you, and may his Spirit aid you in your deliberations, and guide you in your counsels.

In the name of the Trustees,

HARTFORD, May 12, 1813.

ABEL FLINT, Secretary.

The following persons were chosen Trustees of the Missionary Society of Connecticut, for one year from the first Wednesday of August next, viz. The Hon. John Treadwell, the Hon. Asher Miller, the Hon. Aaron Austin, the Hon. Jonathan Brace, Enoch Perkins, Esq. David Hale, Esq. the Rev. Messrs. Nathan Per kins, D. D. Samuel Nótt, Calvin Chapin, Moses C. Welch, D. D. Andrew Yates, and Samuel Goodrich.

Andrew Kingsbury, Esq. was chosen Treasurer, and the Rev. Abel Flint, Auditor of the Missionary Society of Connecticut, for one year from the first Wednesday of August next.

The Associational Sermon was preached by the Rev. Nathaniel Gaylord, from 2 Corinthians x. 4.

The Account of the Treasurer of the General Association was accepted and approved.

Voted, That to-morrow, at half past 11 o'clock, the Association will attend to an enquiry respecting the state of religion within its limits, and the limits of the several ecclesiastical Bodies in its con nection; and that Messrs. Gaylord, Beecher, Perry, Woodhull, and Weeks be a Committee to take minutes respecting the state of religion, and prepare a summary account of the same, to be reported to this Body.

The Committee, appointed "to devise means for the promotion of Foreign Missions," desiring to be discharged from any further attention to the subject, were accordingly discharged.

Voted, To attend a prayer meeting to-morrow morning at o'clock, in the meeting house.

WEDNESDAY, June 16.

A letter was communicated to the Association from the Rev. Timothy Dwight, D. D. reporting that he attended to the business of his appointment as a Delegate from this body to the Convention of Coos and Orange Associations, at Windsor in Vermont.

The Rev. Abel Flint was chosen Treasurer, and the Rev. Andrew Yates, Auditor of the General Association for the year ensuing.

The Rev. Messrs. Andrew Yates, Lyman Beecher, and Abel Flint were chosen Delegates to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, to convene in Philadelphia, the third Thursday ef May, 1814; and the Rev. Messrs. Heman Humphrey, Royal Tyler, and Samuel Merwin were appointed their substitutes.

The Rev. Jonathan Miller was chosen Delegate to the General Convention of Vermont, to meet at Pawlet, the second Tuesday of September next; and the Rev. Ephraim T. Woodruff was ap pointed his substitute.

The Rev. Messrs. Royal Tyler and David L. Perry were chosen Delegates to the General Association of Massachusetts Proper, to convene the fourth Tuesday of June 1814; and the Rev. Messrs. Aaron Hovey and Saul Clark were appointed their substitutes.

The Rev. Messrs. Henry A. Rowland and Diodate Brockway were chosen Delegates to the General Association of New Hampshire, to covene the third Tuesday of September next; and the Rev. Messrs. Thomas Robbins and Ludovicus Weld were appointed their substitutes.

The Committee to whom were referred the Questions, "What is the standing of a dismissed Minister ? and to whom is he amenable ?" made a report, which was adopted as follows:

The Committee to whom were referred the Questions, "What is the standing of a dismissed Minister? and to whom is he amenable ?* beg leave to submit the following report:

1. THEY receive it as admitted, that the Minister, inq uestion, has been dismissed without censure.

2. By ordination, the official commission of an Evangelist is conferred, implying authority to teach, to administer ordinances, and to rule the Church.

3. The pastoral connection, in every thing relative to the dismission now the subject of enquiry, is the relation between a Minister on the one part, and a particular Church and Society on the other; a relation refigiously ratified by an ecclesiastical council, and recognized by the civil

institute.

4. Dismission is an act, by competent authority, dissolving the pastoral connection.

5. The ministerial office, and, consequently, the ministerial standing, cannot be affected by dismission. The standing of a dismissed Minister must, of course, be the same after dismission as before.

6. Previous to dismission, he was amenable, in the first instance, to the Association, of which he was a member; and, finally, if necessary, to the Consociation, according to the provisions of the Constitution-especially in Article XIII.

7. The ministerial office not being affected by the dissolution of the pastoral connection, a dismissed Minister can be no less amenable to Association, subsequent, than previous, to his dismission. The obligation of Association to him, and his obligation to them, must be maintained as remaining unchanged.

Upon the above report, Voted, To recommend the following regulations :

1. That every candidate for ordination declare his acceptance, or rejection, of the "Heads of agreement, and articles for the ad"ministration of church discipline, consented to by the delegation "at Saybrook, September 9, 1708 ;" and that his declaration be preserved on the minutes of the council.