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These Missionary Committees, appointed by the Diocesan Conven-
tion in each of the organized Dioceses, and by the Board of Missions
in each unorganized Missionary District or Territory, with their sec-
retaries and treasurers, being charged with the duty of voting salaries
to the Missionaries, would relieve the Bishops from that unpleasant duty,
on the one hand, and the Missionaries from a feeling of dependence on
their Bishops, on the other. And if some general plan were adopted in
all the Dioceses, by which a certain portion of all sums contributed,
not specially appropriated, should go, say in equal portions, to Diocesan,
Domestic, and Foreign Missions ; the portion for Domestic Missions to
be transmitted to a Treasurer, to be appointed for that purpose by the
Board of Missions, and to be distributed under the direction of the Board
among such of the Domestic Committees as the Board from time to time
shall direct ; and the portion for Foreign Missions, by a Foreign Com-
mittee, composed as now, with its Treasurer and Secretary, and Gen-
eral Agent ; we should be relieved of the Domestic Secretary, with the
expense incident to his appointment. This, too, would enable us to dis-
pense with the Domestic Committee of the Board, and to be rid of its
alleged inompetency to act in the distant West ; as well as of what is
thought to be its anomalous and odious exercise of Episcopal powers.

The Officers of the Board would then be, a Secretary, as now,
and Treasurer, both of whom, as the former now does, would per-
form their offices gratuitously.

The salaried officers would be the Secretary and General Agent
of the Foreign Committee, and his Clerk or Clerks ; we say Clerks,
because, as the Secretary would be charged with the duty of editing the
Spirit of Missions, two might be necessary.

This organization, while it secures the independence of Dioceses,
also ensures a greater degree of responsibility and economy in the dis-
bursement of the Missionary funds ; and by leaving each Diocese free
to dispose of the appropriations made it, in such way as its Committee
shall judge expedient ; the way is opened for discarding the invidious
distinction observed in the appropriations of the Missionary funds
among the different orders of the Ministry ; and the Bishops, who in
the new and weaker Dioceses are the chief Missionaries, may receive
that aid which hitherto has been unnaturally denied them. By this
means, furthermore, we might hope with reason to increase the number
of Bishops for the Home Missionary field.

If Bishops are necessary to supervise, sustain, and render efficient,
not to say authoritative, Missionary operations at home, they are
clearly so abroad. It follows then, that we need the services of one or
more Foreign Missionary Bishops, who shall reside either at home or
abroad, as the case may require, and be charged with the oversight of

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the Churches' foreign operations. Upon this point, as far as I am in-
formed, there seems happily no division among us.

When the Church sends her funds abroad for the spread of the Gos-
pel, she has a right to know how they have been applied, and what
amount of good her benefactions are accomplishing.

It is legitimate, therefore, that she should require of the Bishops,
whether Foreign or Domestic, in whose jurisdiction expenditures are
made, periodical reports of the associations under their charge.---These
would be published of course, through the Spirit of Missions ; and
would place the Church in possession of the desired information.---
Nor need these reports be considered as superseding communications
from the Missionaries themselves, who might be as free as at pres-
ent to state the condition of their respective fields of labor, furnish such
intelligence as might be deemed edifying, or make appeals for pecuni-
ary aid, additional labor, or an interest in the prayers of God's faithful
people.

There are other points touching the principles on which the Society
is organized, which have been brought into discussion, and about which
there is a very wide difference of opinion. I have preferred confining
myself to those which do not warrant any very radical change, and on
which there is some hope of obtaining a fair amount of unity of senti-
ment. And although these views may find but little sympathy in the
minds of others ; still as they have commneded themselves very strongly
to my own, I have felt it a duty to spread them before the Church.

I will detain you no longer from the duties immediately before you,
than to recommend you to appoint a Diocesan Missionary Committee ;
and commend you in all your deliberations to the guidance and bles-
sing of the Chief Shepherd and Bishop of souls.

LEONIDAS POLK.

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On motion, the following gentlemen were appointed a Missinary
Committee for the ensuing year ; viz.---Rev. N. S. Wheaton, Rev. D.
S. Lewis, Messrs. Thomas Sloo, and Benjamin Lowndes.

On motion, the Rev. Dr. Lacey and the Hon. J. J. Weems were ap-
pointed a Committee to nominate a Standing Committee for the fol-
lowing year ; who reported the Rev. Messrs. Wheaton, Goodrich, and
Lewis, of the Clergy ; and Thomas Butler, Charles Harrod, and J. W.
Andrews, of the Laity ; whereupon, it was

Resolved{italics}, that the aforsaid nomination be, and hereby is, confirmed.