The following report was made by the chairman of the standing committee:

REPORT.

The clerical members of the standing committee, having been directed by the last annual convention to revise the constitution and canons of this Church, and to report to this convention such alterations therein as might be rendered necessary or expedient, to render them conformable with any new regulations of the diocese, which might be adopted at the then ensuing diocesan convention, respectfully report: That the altérations in the constitution of the Eastern Diocese, proposed at the convention, held in Newport, Rhode Island, Sept. 27, 1820, were unanimously adopted by the convention held at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Sept. 25, 1822. By these alterations, the state of Maine is recognised as a part of the Eastern Diocese, and the meetings of the convention are to be held annually instead of biennially, and to be composed of all the clergy of the diocese, and a lay delegate from each church.

These alterations not being considered as sufficient, others were proposed; but, by an article of the constitution, they could not be proposed and acted upon at the same convention. The following proposed alterations were therefore ordered to lie over for consideration, at the next meeting of the convention, to be held at Windsor, in Vermont, on the 24th, being the last Wednesday of September, 1823, viz. in the second article, that the words "each of the states by rotation," be erased, and the words "such place as shall be agreed upon at the preceding convention," be inserted; also, that after the words, "lay delegates," the words " or delegates not exceeding three," be inserted. In article tenth, that the word "annual" be substituted for the word "biennial."

If these alterations should prevail, it will be perceived that a consolidation of the Eastern Diocese will be effected; that provided the experiment should not be defeated by unforeseen accidents, it will in fact bring the five state conventions together; and that in such a case, it will be expedient for the several state conventions so to modify their constitutions as to render both the time and place of meeting simultaneous with that of the diocesan convention. As, however, these alterations are yet to be acted on, it seems to your committee premature to make any alterations, at present, in the constitution of the Church in Massachusetts; more especially as the object to be gained by such alteration, may be provided for by adjournment.

Your committee are confirmed in this opinion, by the consideration that the bishop, at the last diocesan convention, recommended a division of the diocese as soon as it can, with propriety, be effected. A late most important decision of the supreme court of the United States with regard to certain lands in the state of Vermont, owned by the English Society for propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts, a part of the income of which it is understood will be devoted to the support of a bishop, will most probably accelerate this event. In this case, further alterations will be necessary in the constitution of the diocese.

Your committee therefore pray that they may be discharged from any further consideration of the subject. Respectfully submitted. JOHN S. J. GARDINER, Chairman. On motion of Dudley A. Tyng, Esq. seconded by the Rev. Titus Strong, the following resolution was past, providing for the establishment of a diocesan fund.

Whereas, it is indispensable to provide a fund for defraying the necessary expenses of the diocesan and state conventions, and particularly the expenses of those of the clergy who may have to travel a considerable distance to the place of the meeting of the said conventions; and whereas, it is also expedient to provide for the payment of the necessary expenses of the delegates who shall be sent to the general convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States; it is hereby earnestly recommended to every congregation in this state to pay to the treasurer of the convention thereof, on or before the day of the annual meeting of the convention, a contribution of not less than two per cent on the amount of the respective salaries of their clergymen. One half of the amount thus contributed, if necessary, shall be appropriated, under the direction of the convention, exclusively towards defraying the necessary expenses of clergymen attending the diocesan or state convention from any distance over 20 miles, and also the necessary expenses of clerical and lay delegates to the general convention; and the remainder shall be appropriated to defraying contingent expenses. Provided, nevertheless, that no clergyman or lay deputy shall be entitled to any provision for travelling expenses, whose parish shall not comply with the provisions of this resolution. If after the annual expenses are defrayed, any sum be left in the treasurer's hands, it shall be his duty to deposit the same in the savings' bank, or in good and approved stock, that it may become a permanent fund for the use of the convention.

On motion of the Rev. Mr. Baury, seconded by the Rev. Dr. Jarvis, it was resolved that this convention approve of the resolution adopted by the last diocesan convention, requesting the bishop to assign to the several rectors of parishes, within the Eastern Diocese, such missionary duties as he shall think expedient; and for the better carrying that resolution into effect, as far as this state is concerned, resolved, that the bishop be, and he hereby is, requested to assign to the several rectors such destitute parishes as it may be expedient for each of them to visit; and that due notice of the same be given to each rector, to be communicated to his vestry.

The bishop was requested to appoint a preacher for the next convention.

Resolved, That the next annual convention be held in Trinity church, Boston, and that Divine service be commenced at 9 o'clock, A. M. The convention then adjourned, the bishop having first concluded with prayer and the Episcopal benediction.

NORTH CAROLINA.

THE intelligence from this state is of the most heart-cheering character. A short account of the condition of the Church from 1816,

when it was almost extinct, to the spring of 1820, will be found in p. 33, of our first volume, to which we refer our readers. The increase of the Episcopal Church, in most parts of the Union, must be learned from a comparison with its condition a few years ago; not by a comparison with the general population of our country. In 1817, for example, there were not in all North Carolina more than 4 or 5 organized congregations; in 1820 there were 10; in 1823 there are 25, of which 7 have been admitted into union this year. A few years ago, all, the communicants in the state did not exceed 50; in 1820, there were 350; this year they amount to nearly 500. On the 20th of May, the first bishop of North Carolina was consecrated; and now that the Church has an apostolick head, and is complete in her organization, we may confidently look for a greater display of that Divine goodness and mercy, which has hitherto preserved, under the most discouraging circumstances, this remnant of our Zion. We hope our readers will turn to our former volumes, and compare the statements given from year to year, under the assurance, that we shall endeavour to render as accurate an account of each, as the documents before us will furnish.

ANSON COUNTY Contains but one church-Calvary church, Wadesborough. It is now under the pastoral care of the Rev. Thomas Wright, who states that besides his regular ministrations in this church, he has officiated since June, 1822, once, and sometimes twice a month at Sneedsboro', another town in the same county. About 40 children attend the Sunday school, at Wadesborough. Mr. George Hathaway is also authorized by the standing committee to officiate there as lay reader.

BEAUFORT COUNTY has three churches-St. Thomas's, Bath, Zion church, and Trinity chapel. These are of recent formation, and were admitted into union this year. The Rev. R. J. Mason, rector of the church at Newbern, has occasionally visited these churches, and in his parochial report he recommends them to the fostering care of the convention. The services of a missionary, he observes, would here be eminently useful. Mr. James Marsh is appointed lay reader at St. Thomas's, and Mr. Jarvis B. Baxter at Zion church.

Burke County, St. Andrew's church, organized during the last year, enjoys a portion of the services of the Rev. R. J. Miller, minister of Christ church, Rowan county.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY, St. John's church, Fayetteville, the Rev. William Hooper, rector. This church was erected in 1819, and the congregation, beside supporting its own rector, has contributed this year $118 to the Missionary Society. "For the purpose," says the rec. tor, "of increasing religious knowledge throughout the congregation, of promoting a taste for reading, and cherishing a spirit of piety, a parochial library has here, as in several of the other churches, been begun; and from the subscriptions and donations already obtained, it is hoped this library will soon furnish to the congregation a facility of access to the best religious auths, and offer an encouragement to the perusal of them; as well as constitute a permanent library, for the use of the pastor of the church-an object to which the attention

of every congregation ought to be directed. There has also been formed in the congregation, a society which meets weekly for the joint purpose of social prayer, and contributing a small sum to the funds of the Missionary Society. This society, I trust, will be the means of promoting the growth of piety, and drawing more closely the ties of Christian affection among the members of the congregation. Its meetings have not been as well attended as could be wished, but the revenue of their weekly contributions to the missionary fund has amounted, in the course of the year, to 90 dollars, and affords a pleasing proof of the ease with which considerable sums may be raised from very small contributions, regularly made. And if each Christian throughout the diocese would, in imitation of St Paul's direction to the churches, resolve to lay by, on the first day of the week, a small sum dedicated to God, he would be surprised, at the year's end, to find accumulated in his sacred treasury, without being missed, a sum which he would perhaps have thought himself unable to spare. The Sunday school, conducted by members of the congregation, is still flourishing. Upon the whole, I trust that a spirit of religion is growing among us. Publick worship is well attended, and the congregation serious and attentive." We invite the attention of our readers to these important and seasonable remarks, on the great duty of regularly devoting a small sum to the service of Almighty God.

CHOWAN COUNTY. St. Paul's church, Edenton, the Rev. John Avery, rector. The parochial report mentions nothing but the number of baptisms, burials, and communicants. The rector has occasionally administered the rites of the Church in the adjacent counties of Washington and Berlin.

CRAVEN COUNTY, Christ church, Newbern. The Rev. Richard S. Mason, rector. This church appears to be flourishing. The number of baptisms have been sixteen, and the communicants fifty-eight. At the bishop's last visitation, thirty persons were confirmed.

EDGECOMBE COUNTY, Trinity church, Tarborough. No report of this church appears on the journal, nor are we able to ascertain whether it has any share in the ministrations of the clergy.

GRANVILLE COUNTY contains two churches-St. John's, Williamsborough, and St. Stephen's, Oxford. The former is under the rectorship of the Rev. Wm. M. Green; the latter is of recent formation, having been admitted into union the present year. "The church at Williamsboro'," says the rector, "which four years ago was a perfect ruin, has been thoroughly repaired, and I feel myself in duty bound to state, that this has been owing principally to the active exertions of a few ladies of the congregation. At Williamsboro' I have generally devoted the afternoon of Sundays to the instruction of the blacks.

HALIFAX COUNTY, St. Mark's church, Halifax. No returns. IREDELL COUNTY, St. Michael's church. This is under the charge of the Rev. R. J. Miller, but his report contains only the aggregate of all the churches, with which he is connected. We cannot, therefore, state the condition of this church, in particular.