Watchman And Observer

For the Watchman and Observer.
Synod of Virginia.

The Minutes of the Assembly for 1850, have been published, by the Stated Clerk, and are for sale (at fifty cents,) at the Office of the Watchman and Observer. It contains much interesting matter in addition the Records of the Assembly, filling more than 220 pages.

All, who feel an interest in our church and every department of its operations, will find this a valuable addition to their libraries.

The following in relation to the Synod of Virginia, are gathered from the Statistical Tables appended to the Minutes.

A gratifying increase in the number of Communicants is exhibited. We have now by these reports—

113 Ministers,
155 Churches,
11,255 Communicants.

Of the Ministers 65 are Pastors, 17 Stated Supplies, and the remainder Teachers, without charge, agents, missionaries, &c. Eighty of the churches are reported as under pastoral care:
thirty-one (!) of the churches seem to be vacant.

Eight hundred and sixty-three communicants have been added to the church "on examination,"
within the year ending 1st May, 1850.

The church at Union, (Monroe county,) under the pastoral care of the Rev. S. R. Houston,
has been more abundantly blessed, than any other within the Synod, in such addition to her numbers: one hundred and forty-nine members are reported as having been thus received by this church during the year. The church, at Lexington, (Rev. W. S. White, pastor,) has added to its numbers, forty-two communicants, and now enrols the largest number of members in any church within the Synod. Her number of members amounts to three hundred and ninety-four.

The following statement exhibits the contributions reported in several Presbyteries to the Boards of the church, and the number of their members, viz:

Total,
11,255
$6931

It thus appears that the members of the churches in the Synod of Virginia contribute about fifty-two cents to each member to the four Boards: and that all the members, of all our churches, contribute out of the abundance, with which God has blessed them in the past year, an amount equal to fifty-two cents to each member, to aid their own church to do its part in the great work of sending the Gospel to the heathen abroad, to diffusing its light and benefits at home, to aiding our young men to prepare themselves for the great work of the Ministry, and to the dissemination of sound religious truth by the excellent publications of our Board!!!

The Assembly of 1850, have required important changes in the annual reports from church Sessions. The following will be the subjects embraced, in future, in the statistical reports from the Sessions: I. COMMUNICANTS: 1, member admitted on Examination; 2, on certificate; 3, colored; 4, total members. II. BAPTISMS; 1, adults: 2, infants. III. Number of FAMILIES in the congregation. IV. Funds contributed: 1, to Domestic Missions, Church Extension, &c.; 2, Foreign Missions; 3, Education, including subscriptions for benefit of Candidates, to Theological Seminaries, Schools, &c., &c.; 4, Publication, including Colportage; 5, Presbyterial, contributions to Commissioners Fund, Contingent Fund of the Assembly; aged Minister Fund; 6, Congregational, Salary of pastor, Expenses, Building, &c., 7, Miscellaneous, including all other contributions as to Bible and other causes.

It is respectfully suggested to Clerks of Sessions, who do not take the Minutes, to make a note in their Session Books, of the above matters.

W.

	Members.	Contributions
Greenbrier Pres.	1534	$245
Lexington	3062	1546
Winchester	154	649
W. Hanover	2378	1642
E. Hanover	1452	3107
Montgomery	1245	348