Had Abbadona almost 'scap'd th' allures For Abbadona; and his courage fail'd him. Art thou in being? Live we truly, then? Come, therefore, clasp me heavenly friend, and say I take no part, amid thy horrid wish To kill the meek Messias. Fiend, of whom, Of whom speak'st thou? Is't not 'gainst him, whose arm, Yet, are they mark'd enough upon that front, True, as, with monarch voice, this place thou call'st So true, wilt thou but crown'd with shame depart, RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. GENERAL CONVENTION, 1823. (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 168.) THE Committee on the Theological Seminary made the following report; which was read and unanimously accepted. The committee of the house of clerical and lay deputies, to whom was referred all matters relating to the Theological Seminary, having had under consideration the report of the trustees, and other papers referred to them by the house, respectfully report, That they have directed their attention to the mode of education pursued in the seminary, the state of its finances, the number of trustees which it will be proper for this convention to appoint, the impediments which retard its progress, and the means rendering it more extensively useful to the Church. With respect to the mode of education pursued in the seminary, your committee refer the house, with great satisfaction, to the able and luminous report of the faculty, embodied in the report of the trustees to the convention. The course pursued is, in the opinion of your committee, expanded and liberal in its character, well fitted to render the students able ministers of the New Testament, and to train them up in religious habits, as well as in sound learning. 25 GOSPEL ADVOCATE, VOL. IV. Had Abbadona almost 'scap'd th' allures For Abbadona; and his courage fail'd him. ed, ises otice ed not. nteract To call him back; but vain: for drunk with chaves a further eans for supporting indi n on the part of the more students of the sem nary w"? of future labour, under the e vicinity of the semmary. If ir committee are persuaded that stroy the illusion. There are no pported; and the love of country, will gradually create, throughout There is no more reason to appreeducated at the General Theolog cal ir respective dioceses, than that stecolleges should thereby be alienated y danger, it is more to be apprehended country, than in the southern. It may, rded against, by making the students canrespective dioceses, by greater exertions to a will diminish inducements to emigration, eady existing regulations, which require deaTrection of the bishops who ordain them. not but contemplate, with pleasure, the delightga general seminary, whither, like the temple bes of the Lord will go up to testify un'o Israe!: , with full confidence, that happy period when the ‚ will give up, and the east and the west will not this account, as well as for other reasons, hereafter to our committee notice with pleasure the indication, in e trustees, of a disposition to abolish the branch school nd they beg leave to recommend an expression of the house, approving of that measure. nd cause which has hitherto prevented the increase of the will best be considered by adverting to the means to be of rendering it more extensively useful to the Church. on this head, your committee are decidedly of opinion, that n should be made, as soon as possible, for placing the students tuation more retired from the noise, and business, and corruptleasures of the world; that the expenses of the institution should minished by the most prudent and undeviating economy; that fice of librarian should be given to some indigent student, a prowhich may also perhaps be extended, so as to embrace the of Janitor; that means be taken for the establishment of com, and for furnishing the apartments of the students, which may ɔne at a small expense, by donations of furniture by the pious ritable members of our Church; and that it be earnestly reded to the several dioceses to form more scholarships. The ty of our Church depends much, under the Divine blessing, he support given to this institution. Without it, our missionaety, it will evidently be seen, must be inefficient; and a fact Your committee regret that they cannot speak with equal approbation of the report respecting the finances. They have not been able, in all cases, to determine whether the sums, mentioned as subscribed, have been paid; and they have reason to believe that the expenses of the institution exceed its income. They wish to invite the notice of the convention to this alarming fact, which, they surely need not add, must produce the ruin of the seminary, if measures to counteract the evil be not speedily adopted. The want of precision in the financial report, involves a further difficulty with respect to the choice of trustees; your committee being unable to determine the exact amount which has been actually paid, or secured to be paid, by the several dioceses. It does not appear that any moneys have been actually received, excepting from the states of Massachusetts, New York, Pensylvania, and South Carolina. The amount received from Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina, is defined, because it has been contributed in money; that from New York is not equally so, from the nature and condition of the property. There are two questions which it seems proper to meet at the outset, in order to prevent future difficulty: These are, whether all property given by individuals, not connected with other dioceses, is to be considered as belonging to that in which the seminary is established; and whether, in case an individual removes from one diocese to another, the amount contributed by him is also to be transferred. Your committee are of opinion that the sums subscribed and paid in each diocese, ought not to be affected by the removal of the individual donor, but should be considered for ever as a portion of the property contributed by that diocese. And in order to prevent any present or future difficulties, in the choice of trustees, your committee beg leave to recommend, that the nominations transmitted to this convention by the several state conventions, be now received without discussion; but that a canon be formed, requiring the several state conventions, in future, to send a proper certificate, exhibiting an exact inventory of the number of clergy, and of the amount of property paid, or secured to be paid, in each diocese ; and that, in default of such certificate, any nomination of such diocese shall not be confirmed by the General Convention. While on this subject, it is proper to add, that your committee have been informed that the diocese of North Carolina, with a zeal which deserves the praise and imitation of our whole Church, have subscribed a large sum towards the foundation of a professorship, of which no notice appears to have been given to the trustees. The committee were induced to consider the impediments, which retard the progress of the seminary, in consequence of noticing the fact, reported to this house by the committee on the state of the Church, that there are sixty candidates for the ministry in the Atlantick states alone, of which number there are but eighteen at present in the seminary. Why this vast disparity? Your committee are unable to assign more than two causes; some feelings yet remaining |