obstacle in the way of all attempts at radical and permanent reformation. Till the ministry and the Church have purified themselves, all else will be, as it has been, 'beating the air.' Travelling on the Sabbath, a practice to which the convocation of the highest judicatory of our Church lends its guilty sanction; voluntary participation in enterprises and improvements which are prosecuted at the expense of the Sabbath; the legalized profanation of this holy day by the transmission of the mail on all the principal routes; and the frequent neglect of Church discipline, are among the many causes of the rapid spread of this enormous evil. The bare enumeration of these causes suggests the proper remedy. Resolutions, addresses, conventions, and all the stirring appeals which the subject has called forth, are, by themselves, utterly ineffectual. The leviathan with which we are now contending is not to be so tamed. A more potent corrective must be applied, or we shall become more and more a nation of Sabbath-breakers. The Church undoubtedly possesses the power to cleanse her own garments, and till she has done this, she has no strength to put on for the reformation of others. Having done this, the next step will be to lift up a united voice against all that immoral legislation behind which the sin of Sabbath-breaking now stands intrenched. What has been found true in the 'Temperance Reform,' will be found true in the Sabbath Reform.' The sanction of law must be removed from every evil which you would frown upon and exterminate. To do this, the public mind must be waked up, and held awake till the combined energy of patriotism and piety is enlisted and pledged for the protection of the Sabbath against every tangible form of profanation and abuse. Your committee accordingly recommend for your adoption the following resolutions, viz. :

"Resolved, That this Assembly regard the prosecution of a journey on any part of the Sabbath, whether by ministers, elders, or church members, for the sake of convenience or of avoiding expense, as deserving of special notice and unqualified disapprobation.

"Resolved, That this Assembly affectionately urge upon all the judicatories of the Church to take suitable measures for enforcing the wise discipline of the Church against all violations of the Sabbath within their own cognizance and jurisdiction.

"Resolved, That it is the duty of the Christian ministry to unite in more concentrated and persevering efforts to assert the claims of the Christian Sabbath upon the habitual regard of the whole community. "Resolved, That the Assembly will give its most cordial approbation

to any and every wise plan for uniting the sympathies and strength of all evangelical denominations in defence of the Christian Sabbath.

"Resolved, that a committee of nine be appointed to correspond with other evangelical denominations on the subject of measures for promoting a better observance of the Lord's day.

"Resolved, That the clerks of this Assembly be requested to cause these resolutions to be officially published and circulated as widely as possible, through the religious press, and that all ministers within our bounds be requested to present them before their respective congregations."―Minutes, 1838, pp. 658, 659.

[See also Minutes, 1840, p. 14; 1843, p. 13; 1846, p. 15, for substantially the same action.]

7. Church Sessions enjoined to greater fidelity.

"The Committee on Bills and Overtures made a report on the subject of the Sabbath, which was adopted, and is as follows:

"The Assembly are at a loss what to say more than what they have repeatedly said, by way of urging on all our churches and congregations, and the community generally, a better observance of the holy Sabbath. Of its Divine original and authority we have no doubt. Nor can we doubt its indisputable necessity in keeping up the institutions of religion, and promoting the cause of salvation and pure morality. What could we do without the Sabbath? And where, in half a century, will be our glorious civil and religious liberty, if the terrible process of Sabbath desecration be permitted to go on as it has done for the past ten years? Let the history of other nations answer. Let the fearful declarations of God's word admonish us to anticipate the result. For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish.'

6

"While, therefore, we earnestly entreat our fellow-citizens of every class 'to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy,' the Assembly do hereby, in a special manner, enjoin it upon the church Sessions to watch over their brethren with tenderness and great fidelity in respect to the observance of the Sabbath; and to exercise wholesome discipline on those who, by travelling or other ways, presume to trample upon this sacred institution. And we further enjoin it upon the Presbyteries annually to institute inquiries of the eldership, as to the manner in which this injunction has been attended to in their respective churches."Minutes, 1853, p. 323.

SECTION 3.-INTEMPERANCE.

1. Action of the Assembly. Recommendation to preach upon the sin and mischiefs of intemperate drinking.-2. Temperance societies, on the basis of total abstinence from the use of ardent spirits, approved.-3. Manufacture and traffic in ardent spirits condemned.-4. Total abstinence from all that will intoxicate, the only true principle of temperance.-5. Prohibitory laws commended and urged.-6. An overture on temperance. Relation of the Church to voluntary associations.

[1. A committee was appointed "to endeavor to devise measures which, when sanctioned by the General Assembly, may have an influence in preventing some of the numerous and threatening mischiefs which are experienced throughout our country, by the excessive and intemperate use of spirituous liquors," to report to the next Assembly. On the report of the committee (Minutes, 1811, p. 474), it was]

"Resolved, That it be recommended to all the ministers of the Presbyterian Church in the United States to deliver public discourses, as often as circumstances may render it expedient, on the sin and mischiefs of intemperate drinking; in which, as well as on other suitable occasions, both public and private, it will be proper pointedly and solemnly to warn their hearers, and especially members of the Church, not only against actual intemperance, but against all those habits and indulgences which may have a tendency to produce it.

“2. That it be enjoined on all church Sessions within the bounds of the General' Assembly, that they exercise a special vigilance and care over the conduct of all persons in the communion of their respective churches, with regard to this sin, and that they sedulously endeavor, by private warning and remonstrance, and by such public censures as different cases may require, to purge the Church of a sin so enormous in its mischiefs, and so disgraceful to the Christian name.

"3. That it be recommended to the ministers and other officers and members of our Church, that they exert themselves to diffuse as extensively as possible, among their congregations, and the community at large, such addresses, sermons, tracts, or other printed compositions on this subject, as may have a tendency to produce a suitable impression against the use of ardent spirits, and to recommend sobriety and temperance.

"4. That it be recommended to the officers and members of our

Church to take such measures as may be judged proper and effectual for reducing the number of taverns and other places of vending liquors by small measure, in all those parts of our country in which either their excessive numbers, or the improper character of such places, renders them a public nuisance.

"It is believed that the evils arising from these sources are incalculably great, and that by prudent management they admit, under Providence, of very considerable diminution.”—Minutes, 1812, p. 511.

[In 1818 the evils of intemperance are enlarged upon in the pastoral letter, and the officers and members of our Church are urged "to abstain even from the common use of ardent spirits." Minutes, p. 689. In 1828, the Assembly commends the "American Society for the Promotion of Temperance." Minutes, p. 214. The same year they "appoint the fourth Thursday of January, 1829, a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer, with especial reference to this sin." Minutes, p. 244.]

2. Entire Abstinence from the Use of Ardent Spirits.

"The report of the Committee on Temperance was taken up, and after mature consideration, was unanimously adopted, and is as follows, viz. :

"Resolved, 1. That this Assembly regard with devout gratitude and praise the great success which has attended the efforts of the friends of the cause of temperance during the past year, as evinced in the increase of the number and zeal of temperance societies, in the diminution of the sale of ardent spirits, and in the existence of a strong and increasing public sentiment against the use of it.

"2. That they cordially approve and rejoice in the formation of temperance societies on the principle of entire abstinence from the use of ardent spirits, as expressing disapprobation of intemperance in the strongest and most efficient manner, and making the most available resistance to this destructive and wide-spreading evil.

"3. That they deeply deplore the apathy manifested by many professing Christians towards the cause of temperance, while many distinguished persons who make no religious profession, are prompt and powerful fellow-laborers with Christians in this worthy and divinely sanctioned cause. And especially do they grieve and wonder that members of our churches, in view of an evil so desolating and so awful in its prospective bearings on all the interests of our country, should not

only take no part in the exertions of their brethren and fellow-citizens against intemperance, but by using and trafficking in ardent spirits, be actively engaged in promoting it.

"4. That they earnestly recommend, as far as is practicable, the forming of temperance societies in the congregations under their care; and that all members of the churches adopt the principle of entire abstinence from the use of ardent spirits.

"5. That as friends of the cause of temperance, this Assembly rejoice to lend the force of their example to that cause as an ecclesiastical body by an entire abstinence themselves from the use of ardent spirits."-Minutes, 1829, p. 262.

"The committee appointed to prepare a minute expressive of the views of the Assembly on the subject of temperance, reported the following resolutions, which were adopted, viz.:

"Resolved, 1. That this Assembly considers itself called upon to make a public acknowledgment of the goodness of God for the unparalleled success with which he has crowned the efforts of those who are actively concerned in the promotion of temperance.

"2. That the experience of the past year furnishes additional and most abundant evidence of the wisdom and. importance of the plan adopted by the American Temperance Society.

"3. That this Assembly feels bound to repeat a former recommendation to the ministers, elders, and members of the churches under its care, to discountenance the use of distilled liquors, not only by abstaining themselves from the use of such liquors, but by actively promoting every prudent measure devised for the purpose of furthering the cause of temperance.

"4. That this Assembly earnestly recommends to all persons for whose spiritual interests it is bound to consult, that they favor the formation of temperance societies on the plan of entire abstinence."Minutes, 1830, p. 298.

3. Manufacture and Traffic in Ardent Spirits.

a. "5. That while this Assembly would by no means encroach upon the rights of private judgment, it cannot but express its very deep regret that any members of the Church of Christ should, at the present day, and under existing circumstances, feel themselves at liberty to manufacture, vend, or use ardent spirits, and thus as far as their influence extends,