III.

The Moderator stated, in reference to the proposal which had been made in the previous sederunt, that as some had expressed a difficulty in agreeing to the request in the name of the Synod, he desired to relieve such by intimating that the address would be published on his own responsibility. The motion was accordingly withdrawn. The thanks of the Synod were voted to the Moderator for his admirable address; also to the retiring Moderator for his excellent sermon at the opening of the Synod.

An overture from the Dunedin Presbytery was brought up by the Rev. Mr. Watt, proposing that Kirk Sessions might be allowed to choose as their representative elders at the Synod, elders who belonged to other sessions. It was alleged in favor of the proposal that many sessions had frequently not been represented at all in the Synod, in consequence of their distance and other circumstances, and that good might accrue from the presence in the Synod of experienced elders who might be selected. On the other hand, it was stated that the evil complained of was already in course of adjustment, so that there was nearly an equality in the numbers of ministers and elders; that confusion might arise in connection with appeals; and that the permission proposed to be given might lead sessions at a distance to be less anxious to send representatives of their own number. The overture was carried by 21 to 19.