KHODE ISLAND. 



787 



adult bnptism. The recommendations in re- 

 gard to transfer of foot-notes to the text were, 

 that the word "complete," in the foot-note 

 connected with the second question of the fj>rn 

 for infant baptism, be substituted in the text 

 for the word " perfect," and that in the form 

 for the administration of the Lord's Supper 

 the word "judgment" be substituted for the 

 word " damnation." The Synod directed that 

 the version of the Heidelberg Catechism re- 

 ported in 1878 be adopted as the authorized 

 one, and that it be substituted for the old ver- 

 sion in all future editions ; that the new forms 

 recommended by the committee as optional 

 forms, which had already been for several 

 years printed in connection with the stand- 

 ards, be adopted as optional constitutional 

 forms ; and the version of the questions in the 

 forms of baptism given in the report of the 

 committee be adopted as the authorized one, 

 and that it be substituted for the old version 

 in all future editions in English. 



The following action was taken, in the form 

 of the adoption of the report of a committee 

 on the subject, concerning the Revised Version 

 of the Holy Scriptures : 



While we recognize the merits of the Revised Ver- 

 sion, as giving in many places a more exact rendering 

 of the original Scriptures than the one now in use, 

 and therefore well worthy to be studied by our minis- 

 ters and people, we are yet of the opinion that the 

 time has not yet come for such a synodical recom- 

 mendation of it, as a whole, as the resolution appoint- 

 ing the committee would seem to contemplate. As 

 we are informed, there has been up to this time no 

 action in regard to the Revised Version by the Angli- 

 can Convocation of Canterbury the body with which 

 the revision movement originated. We are also told 

 by one of the revisers that it is possible that the Con- 

 vocation may refer the work back to the companies of 

 revisers for specific modification, or for a final stand- 

 ard edition. Meanwhile, as we are not aware of any 

 act of General Synod requiring the exclusive use of our 

 present version in the public services of the Church, 

 your committee are of opinion that our pastors aie at 

 perfect liberty to make such use of the Revised Ver- 

 sion, in the pulpit or elsewhere, as they may deem 

 proper. 



A commissioner was appointed to visit the 

 missions of the various Presbyterian churches 

 in India, tender them the salutations of the 

 Synod, and confer with them in regard to a 

 union of the Presbyterian churches there into 

 one confederated Presbyterian Church in India. 

 A committee was appointed to confer with 

 representatives of the Reformed Church in the 

 United States in regard to union of the two. 



RHODE ISLAND. State Government. The fol- 

 lowing were the State officers during the year: 

 Governor, George P. "Wetmore, Republican; 

 Lieutenant-Governor, Lucius B. Darling ; Sec- 

 retary of State, Joshua M. Addeman ; Treas- 

 urer, Samuel Clark ; Auditor and Insurance 

 Commissioner, Samuel H. Cross ; Railroad 

 Commissioner, Walter R. Stiners ; Attorney- 

 General, Samuel P. Colt, succeeded by Edwin 

 Metcalf ; Commissioner of Public Schools, T. 

 B. Stockwell ; Adjutant-General, Elisha Dyer, 

 Jr. Supreme Court: Chief- Justice, Thomas 



Durfee ; Associate Justices, Pardon E. Tilling- 

 hast, Charles Alatteson, John H. Stiners, and 

 George A. Wilbur. 



Legislative Sessions* An adjourned session of 

 the Legislature was held in Providence, begin- 

 ning on January 26 and ending on April 30. 

 The most important action of this session was 

 the approval of two proposed amendments to 

 the Constitution and the providing for their 

 submission to the people at the April election. 

 The first amendment reads as follows: 



AETICLE V. The manufacture and sale of intoxicat- 

 ing liquors to be used as a beverage shall be prohib- 

 ited. The General Assembly shall provide by law 

 for carrying this article into effect. 



The following is the language of the second 

 amendment : 



ART. VI. All soldiers and sailors of foreign birth, 

 citizens of the United States, who served in the army 

 or navy of the United States from this State in the 

 late civil war, and who were honorably discharged 

 from such service, shall have the right to vote on all 

 questions in all legally organized town, district, and 

 ward meetings, upon the same conditions and under 

 and subject to the same restrictions as native-born cit- 

 izens. 



The new Legislature met at Newport, on May 

 25, and adjourned on the 9th of Juue to meet 

 in Providence on Jan. 18, 1887. An act was 

 passed to carry into effect the prohibitory 

 amendment : and Nelson W. Aldrich, Republi- 

 can, was re-elected United States Senator. 



Finances. The bonds of the State outstand- 

 ing, Dec. 31, 1886, w r ere as follow : 



Bonds of July 1, 1863, payable 1893, coupon $189,000 00 



Bonds of July 1, 1863, payable 1893, registered. 425,000 00 



Bonds of Aug. 1, 1884, payable 1894, coupon . . . 832.000 00 



Bonds of Aug. J, 18S4, payable 1894, registered. 400,000 00 



Total... $1.346,00000 



Balance in treasury, Jan. 1, 1886 $343,524 99 



Receipts for year ending Dec. 31, 1886 726,591 06 



Total $1,070.116 05 



Payments for year ending Dec. 31, 1686 819,705 06 



Balance in treasury Jan. 1, 1887 $250,410 99 



Savings- Banks* The following summary of 

 the condition of the institutions for savings in 

 the State on Nov. 16, 1886, shows a substan- 

 tial increase in the different items over the cor- 

 responding ones for the previous year: 



Increase of deposits $1.468,430 09 



Increase of surplus profits $192.666 f '2 



Deposits and surplus amount to |56,037,5(-9 '22 



The whole number of depositors 1 19.1 -M) 



Increase of depositors 2,778 



Average to each depositor $447 18 



The amount of deposits ($4,284,214.15) and 

 the number of depositors (1,434) in the Rhode 

 Island Home Trust Company are not included 

 in the foregoing summary. 



Education. The following abstract .of the 

 school returns for the year has been made 

 from the report of the Commissioner of Public 

 Schools : 

 Number of children from five to fifteen years, 



inclusive 61,687 



Increase from last year 1.540 



Number that attended more than twelve weeks. 48,700 



Increase 2,180 



Number who did not attend any school 11,445 



Increase 228 



