PRESBYTERIANS. 



631 



at every concert. Among his productions 

 at the Philharmonic Concerts were an Over- 

 ture (1816), Adagio and Rondo (1830), a Sym- 

 phony (1835), a Symphony in D (1836), another 

 in the same key (1850), an Overture, " Cym- 

 beline" (1837), another Overture (1851), and 

 his " Antony and Cleopatra " Overture (1856). 

 In 1832, upon the resignation of Dr. Crotch 

 as Principal of the Koyal Academy of Music, 

 Mr. Potter was chosen his successor, and held 

 the office until 1859, during which period he 

 exercised a powerful influence as a teacher, 

 beloved and greatly respected by his pupils. 

 Though so long in the profession, he was no 

 bigot, but was ever generous and considerate 

 toward rising talent, readily recognizing abil- 

 ity in every form in which it presented itself. 

 Attached as he was to the old masters, he was 

 the first to admit the claims for consideration 

 of the writers of the modern school ; he was 

 not even dismayed at " the music of the fu- 

 ture : " his motto was, to try all new-comers 

 fairly and dispassionately. Mr. Potter's last 

 appearance in public was on the 5th of June, 

 1871, at the sixth Philharmonic Concert, when 

 his " Cymbeline " Overture was performed, 

 and the venerable composer was called for to 

 receive a round of cheering from an auditory in 

 which were comprised many of his old pupils. 

 PRESBYTERIAN S. I. PBESBYTEEIAN 

 CHUECH IN THE UNITED STATES (NORTH). 

 The following are the statistics of this Church 

 for 1871 : 



The number of synods is 35, against 51 in 

 1870. The appearance of a reduction in the 

 number is the result of the rearrangement of 



the synods which was made by the previous 

 General Assembly. The number of licentiates 

 is 321 ; of candidates, 711 ; of additions on ex- 

 amination, 27,770; of additions on certificate, 

 22,178; of adult baptisms, 8,585; of infant bap- 

 tisms, 17,420 ; of persons in Sunday-schools, 

 479, 81 7 ; contributions for home missions, $349, - 

 558; foreign missions, $316,682; for education, 

 $292,403; for publication fund, $42,194; for 

 church erection, $336,597; relief fund, $58,- 

 701 ; for freedmen's fund, $48,253 ; for General 

 Assembly, $29,084.95 ; for congregational pur- 

 poses, $6,607,132; miscellaneous, $1,017,102. 

 The eighty-third General Assembly met at 

 Chicago on Thursday, May 18th. The Rev. 

 Dr. Z. L. Humphrey, of Philadelphia, was 

 chosen moderator. Among the new presby- 

 teries represented was that of Corisco, in 

 South Africa. A committee that had been 

 appointed to confer with a similar committee 

 of the United Presbyterian Church, in refer- 

 ence to a union of the two bodies, reported as 

 follows : 



The joint committee met in Pittsburg, March 7, 

 1871, and continued in session until the 9th. In one 

 of the early conferences the United Presbyterian 

 branch of the committee submitted the following as 

 the basis of union : 



The Westminster Standards as a general basis, 

 with these additional propositions : 



1. The Psalms of the Bible in the best possible 

 version are to he the authorized psalmody of the 

 Church. 



2. In all ordinary cases the sacraments are to be 

 restricted in their administration to those over whom 

 the Church has authority. 



3. All associations, whether formed for political or 

 benevolent purposes, which impose upon their mem- 

 bers an oatn of secrecy, or obligation to obey a code 

 of unknown laws, are inconsistent with the spirit 

 and genius of Christianity, and church-members 

 ought not to have fellowship with such associations. 



After some consideration given to the subject-mat- 

 ter of this basis, it was referred to the Presbyterian 

 branch of the committee, who subsequently reported, 

 recommending the following as the general compro- 

 mise of union: 



The Westminster Standards as the general basis, 

 with these additional propositions : 



1. That we regard the psalms, hymns, and spirit- 

 ual songs of the Bible as peculiarly entitled to our 

 consideration and use in public and private worship, 

 because of their divine inspiration, and we reaffirm 

 our testimony in their favor as authorized by the 

 Word of God. 



2. That, in all ordinary cases, the sacraments are 

 to be restricted in their adminstration to those over 

 whom the Church has authority. 



3. That the genius and spirit of Christianity fur- 

 nish the best incentive, and the highest motive, and 

 the truest basis for all work of benevolence and re- 

 form, and that the Church, in her organized capacity, 

 is the most efficient agency for the prosecution of 

 this work, and should be preferred by all who love 

 our Lord Jesus Christ. 



It was finally unanimously decided, in general 

 committee, in view of the impossibility of fully rec- 

 onciling the divergent views, that the ^two cases be 

 submitted to the respective Assemblies. In thus 

 submitting our report, your committee would say 

 that, while unable to come to a perfect agreement on 

 the proposition before us, we were greatly gratified 

 and encouraged by the nearness to an agreement 

 at which we arrived, and we do most earnestly rec- 

 ommend the union of our Churches to the continued 



