Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-08-08
For the Times.
CONGREGATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MIN
NESOTA.

For the Times.
CONGREGATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MIN
EDITOR OF TINES: The Congregational Associa-
ton of Minnesota has just closed its annual meet
ing, and a short account of its proceedings may
not be uninteresting to your readers.
The Association assembled July q, 1854. on
the shore of Minnetonka Lake, at Excelsia, Hen
nepin county. Rev. G. Galphin, of Excelsia, was
chosen Moderator, and Rev. H. M. Nichols, OF
Saltwater, Scribe and Treasurer. After the Or
ganization, the Association adjourned to meet
the next morning at O'Clock.
The Association held several sessions during
the next day, the doings of which were as follows
Messrs. Seccombe and Nichols were appointed a
committee ON resolutions.
Messrs. Nichols, Hall and Seccombe, were ap-
pointed a committee on Missions, through whom
applications may be made to the Home Missiona-
ry Society for aid in sustaining the institutions
of the Gospel in the territory.
Messrs. Nichols and Seccombe were appointed
"a committee on sunday schools, to confer with
similar committees from other bodies in refer
ence to the organization of Minnesota Sunday
SchOOl Union.
Rev. H. NJ. Nichols was appointed committee
to report at the next meeting of the Association
some plan for a conference of churches or for a
lay delegation in the Association.
Reports of the ministers from their different
fields of labor were deeply interesting, showing
many sunny and shady sides of ministerial life
These reports showed great progress from last
in of nd in
crease of members in the congregations, and in
the abundance of new fields everywhere opening
and calling for help.
The annual report of the building fund COM
mittee and the election of a new committee were
deferred to the October meeting.
At 8 O'Clock P. NJ. were public services, and
Rev. R. Hall, of PIT. Douglas, preached the Asso-
ciational Sermon.
At the afternoon session, according to previous
appointment, Rev. R. Hall read an essay on Spirit
Rappings, and Rev. Mr.. Seccombe an essay on
Ministerial Support and Ministerial Occupations
Rev. H. NJ. Nichols presented a skeleton Of q
sermon on 2Cor., 4. 7.
These productions were subject to friendly dis
cussion and criticism.
Committee on Resolutions reported the follow
ing, which were unanimously adopted
Resolved, That American slavery is, in our es-
timatiOn, a crime against God and man, and that
it is the duty of the church and of the whole ma
ton, to seek its extinction speedily as possible
Res, That we earnestly regret the erasure OF one
single truthful word from the religious works OF
our great benevolent publishing societies, having
bearing against the system of slavery, and we
do earnestly desire that our great Mission Boards
should take the highest moral ground upon this
subject.
Resolved, That we regard the Nebraska bill as
belonging to the same family with the Fugitive
Slave Law, two of the darkest blots ever made
upon the statute book of our nation.
Resolved, That we regard the Maine Law as
the great ultimatum at the present time in the
temperance cause, and will give our influence in
that direction, until it is realized in this territory
Resolved, That we approve OF the plan OF a
series of Northwestern Anniversaries.
Resolved, That we approve OF the proposition
for Northwestern Theological Seminary con-
nected with our denomination.
Resolved, That we hail with pleasure the pro-
posal foS a Northwestern Congregational Union,
and will endeavor to give our assistance to render
it successful.
A Resolution in reference to the Sabbath, and
deeply regretting the absence Of any Sabbath
keeping boat ON the Upper Mississippi, was also
passed, but a copy was not furnished the Scribe.
Rev. S. Hall, of Crow Wing, was appointed to
preach the next assocational sermon. Other
parts were assigned as follows:
Rev. c. Galphin, sermon on Bible Election.
6 r. Hall, essay on the advantages and ne
cessity of the Pastoral Relation.
&c II. NJ. Nichols, essay on Modern Atheism.
&c R. Twichel, Sermon for Criticism.
" C. Scccombc, essay on Infant Blptism.
Subject for discussion at next Meeting, Posture
in Public WorshiP.
The next meeting of the Association will be
held at Saltwater, on the 4th Wednesday of Oc-
tober next.
The thanks of the Association were presented
to the friends in Excelsia for their entertainment
and for free passage to and fro in the Bark Pr
Oneer, on Lake Minnetonka.
II. NJ. NICHOLS, SCRIBE.