2. That whenever the pastoral connection of a Minister shall be dissolved, otherwise than by death, he shall continue to be considered and treated as, in all respects, belonging to the Association.

3. That if he remove beyond the limits of the Association, he shall obtain a dismission from his special connection with them : the dismission to take effect as soon as he shall be received by another Association, or by a Presbytery.

4. That no dismissed Minister shall be accounted at liberty, of himself, to lay aside the ministerial office, or to dissolve his connexion with Association.

The Association proceeded to the enquiry respecting the state of religion within its limits, &c.

Upon the report of the Committee, appointed" to devise measures to defray the expenses of Delegates to the several ecclesiastical Bodies in connection with this Association," the following Preamble and Votes were passed :

Whereas there is existing a connection, by Delegation, between the General Association of Connecticut, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, the General Associations of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and the General Convention of Vermont:

And whereas this intercourse has been found to be greatly conducive to the interests of religion, by diffusing an extensive knowledge of the state of the churches, eradicating groundless prejudices, and inspiring Christian love and fellowship, while it combines an extensive influence to promote the truth, resist prevailing errors,and execute extensive plans for the reformation of morals:

And whereas the expense of supporting these several Delegations has hitherto been borne by individual ministers, and has at length become too great to be thus sustained hereafter: Therefore,

Voted, 1. That the Churches, in connection with this Association, be requested to contribute such aid annually, in the course of the month of September, as they may think proper, to defray the expenses of publishing the minutes of this body, and to support the Delegates to the several ecclesiastical Bodies with which this Association is connected.

Voted, 2. That a printed letter, containing this request and the doings of this Body on the subject, be addressed to each Church in our connection, through the medium of the Pastor or one of the Deacons if vacant; and that the money thus raised be paid into the hands of the receiver of each Association.

Voted, 3. That the Receivers of money in the district Associations transmit to the Treasurer of the General Association, a regular account of the money received and of the Churches from which it is received.

Voted, 4. That a particular statement of receipts and appropriations, as examined by the Auditor, be annually published in the minutes of the General Association; and that a copy be forwarded to each Church'in connection with this Body.

THURSDAY, June 17.

Voted, That the Treasurer of the General Association be requested to annex to the printed minutes of this Body, a Schedule, as a form according to which the several Associations shall make returns of the state of their Churches on the following subjects, viz. The number and names of the Churches; the name of the pastor, and the number of communicants in each Church ;-the Churches destitute of pastors;-ministers settled, deceased, or dismissed within the year; the unsettled ministers and candidates in their connection;—the number of additions, excommunications, removals, and deaths in each Church; the addition of members, noting the manner of admission, by profession, or recommendation, or restoration ;—the number of baptisms in each Church ;—and also observations on the state of religion, as to revivals, or the existence, rise and progress of errors,and in general, what is the aspect of religion and morals within the limits of each Association.

Voted, That the returns to be made, pursuant to the preceding vote, be for the year ending the first of May next preceding the session of the General Association to which they are made.

Voted, that the Rev. Messrs. Abel Flint, Calvin Chapin, Beza. leel Pinneo, Saul Clark, Samuel Nott, Isaac Lewis, D. D. Elijah Waterman, Moses C. Welch, D. D. Jonathan Miller, Maltby Gelston, David D. Field, and Hubbel Loomis, be a Committee to compose or collect some suitable forms of prayer, for the use of families and others, together with an address to heads of families, upon the subject of family prayer, to be submitted to the consider. ation of the next General Association.

Voted, That the Committee named in the preceding vote be requested to meet, on the business of their appointment, in New Haven, the day after next Commencement, at 9 o'clock, A. M.

Voted, That this Association recommend and request, that the President and Fellows of Yale College use their endeavors to pre vent, in future, the provision of either ardent spirits or wine, in the customary public entertainment at Commencement, for the purpose of co-operating with the General Association, in their exertions to discountenance the improper use of ardent spirits.

Voted, That this Association recommend and request, that the Treasurer of this State do not provide in future either ardent spirits or wine, in the customary public entertainment of the cler gy at the General Election.

Voted, That it be recommended to each District Association, to appoint a standing Committee, to whom it shall be the duty of all preachers, not connected with the Association, to apply for advice, previous to their preaching in the vacant Churches with in their limits.

(To be continued.)

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

A Narrative of the State of Reli- The state of religion among a gion, within the bounds of the people, may be judged of with tolGeneral Assembly of the Pres-erable correctness, from that attenbyterian Church, and of the Gen- tion which the ordinances of religion eral Association of Connecticut, and the means of grace receive, of New Hampshire, of Massa- and from those exertions and those chusetts, and of the General Con- sacrifices, which are made, to exvention of Vermont, during the tend the Redeemer's kingdom. By year 1813. their fruits ye shall know them, is a rule of judging, prescribed by the THE cause of Zion lies near the Saviour himself. We view it then heart of every sincere follower of as an evidence that God, by the the Redeemer. He deserves not the precious influences of his Spirit, is name of a disciple, who cannot join in the midst of our churches, when the Psalmist in saying, if I forget we hear that there is, within our thee O Jerusalem, let my right hand bounds, a respectful and general atforget her cunning; if I do not re- tendance on the preached gospel; member thee, let my tongue cleave that children and the youth, and in to the roof of my mouth; if I pre- some places the aged, are instructfer not Jerusalem above my chief ed by catechism, in the great truthsjoy. In the prosperity of the Re- and duties of religion; that misdeemer's kingdom, the honor of sionary and bible, and religious God, and the everlasting welfare of tract societies exist, are numerous the souls of men are involved. That and extensively patronized, and are benevolence which distinguishes our successfully exerting themselves, in religion, incessantly utters the pray-spreading a knowledge of divine er, thy kingdom come; and when truth; that young men of hopeful the news reach the truly religious piety, and promising talents, are man from any quarter of the earth, taken from those occupations, to that the interests of the truth as it which their poverty had confined isinJesus,are advanced, and that the them, and are educated for more followers of the Redeemer are mul- extensive usefulness in the church, tiplied, he experiences a joy, simi- as gospel ministers; that associalar in kind, to that which swells the tions of young people are formed, bosoms of the angels of light, when for the laudable purpose, of sendsinners are brought to repentance. ing the gospel to those, who enjoy To those who are most tenderly not its stated ministrations; that concerned for the prosperity of Zion, the heathen in distant lands are reand who are waiting, and praying, membered with tender solicitude, and striving, for the peace of Jeru- and contributions are cheerfully and salem, we have the happiness to liberally made, to send the gospel state that though we find many to them; that praying societies are things within our bounds to deplore, extensively instituted, and devoutly yet, on the whole, we have abund-attended, and a hope is thus warant cause to thank God and take ranted, that the windows of Heavcourage. Amidst much coldness, en will be opened, and the richest and declension, and iniquity, we blessings descend on this guilty discern evident tokens, that God world. has not forgotten to be gracious. In some places within our bounds, during the past year, the spirit has descended like a gentle dew, and in others, in copious showers, making the parched heath as a fruitful field.

VOL. V. No. 7.

The number of churches within our bounds, has, during the last year, considerably increased; and destitute congregations, through the faithfulness of our ministers in their neighborhood, have been extensively supplied with the administration Kk

A

of the gospel ordinances. We hope, been often made a mean, by the that those, who have been thus fa- great Shepherd and Bishop of souls, vored will not forget the solemn obli- | of bringing them into his fold. gation which they are under to estab-strong incitement has thus been lish as speedily as possible, the gos- afforded to parental and ministerial pel ministry permanently among fidelity, and the pleasing hope is. themselves. We state with pleas- excited, that a generation shall rise ure, that great harmony prevails in up to praise God, when their fathour churches, and people appear ers shall have fallen asleep We to be walking together, in the chari-have also seen, in the events of the ty, and faith, and order of the past year, viewed in connection gospel. Infidelity and other ruin-with their circumstances, fresh and ous errors conscious of deformity, impressive evidence, that God is a seem to court concealment; while prayer hearing God, and that it is truth goes forth in her native love- generally in answer to the earnest, liness, and meets with extensive ap- supplications of his people, that he probation. appears in his glory to build up Zion,

But we have still more encour- But while we thus rejoice in the aging things than these to make divine goodness, we have reason, known. In a number of places also to deprecate the divine diswithin our bounds, during the last pleasure. In too many places, with year, there have been extensive in our bounds, a lukewarmness and revivals of religion. Scenes resem- a neglect of religious ordinances bling those of Pentecost, have been prevail, and the vices of profane witnessed, in which solemnity has swearing, drunkenness and sabbath pervaded a people, sinners have breaking, exist, to an alarming debeen brought to inquire with solici-gree. In other places, things temtude, and with trembling, what they must do to be saved, and have at length been brought to rejoice in that glorious liberty wherewith Christ makes free. Fresh evidence has been afforded of the reality of the religion of Jesus, and of the power and grace of God. We have seen the Ethiopian change his skin, and the leopard his spots, and have been forced to exclaim, in view of such miracles of mercy, this truly is the finger of God. The Prebyteries, in which such revivals have principally taken place, are Jersey, Hudson, Onondaga and Albany; and the places which have been most extensively visited, are Hoiner, Newark, Elizabethtown and Connecticut Farms.

poral, trifling in their nature and momentary in their duration, engross the chief attention, to the neg lect of those things, of whose importance and duration, we cannot at present, adequately conceive.While the prince of darkness is thus striving to maintain an unhallowed dominion over the souls of men, let those who are clothed with the Christian armour labor, under the direction of the great Captain of their salvation, to deliver them from this cruel bondage, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.

We learn that an awful mortality has prevailed, in many places within our bounds and within the bounds of those sister churches, with which we are connectIn many places also, where noed; and we are sorry to be. special revivals have existed, the compelled to add, that this dreadful cause of religion presents a pleasing vistation of the Almighty, does not aspect; and the church looks green seem to have been extensively a and flourishing, under the gentle mean of producing repentance and dews of divine grace, distilling up-reformation. A sleep like that of on it. Numbers are from time to time, added to the Lord, of such, we trust, as shall be saved. The religious instruction of children has been blessed, and that watchful care, which has been exercised over these lambs of the flock, has

death, must have surely fallen upon those, who can thus stand unmoved in their impenitency, while the arrows of death are flying thick around them.

From the General Association of Connecticut we learn, that though.