The Synod of the Free Presbyterian Church of Victoria, held a meeting at Melbourne, on Wednesday and Thursday last, the 11th and 12th June, 1851. The members present were -

They were joined by the Rev. John Anderson, a passenger by the "Montgomery," with an appointment to Strathalbyn in South Australia, who was invited to assist in the Synod's deliberations, and by the Rev. John Hume who was ordained to the office of the ministry, and admitted a member of Synod on the second day. The following is a notice of the principal business transacted:-

Mr. Hume, who arrived by the "Montgomery" on the 29th May, presented a minute of an appointment to the office of a missionary in Port Phillip, in the expectation that he would be settled at Kilmore, as also a highly recommendatory letter from the Free Presbytery of Edinburgh.

The Colonial Committee have resolved that, in all time coming, when they appoint a Licentiate to a colonial field, he shall be ordained not as heretofore by a Presbytery in Scotland, but by the Colonial Presbytery to which he is to be attached. For this reason, Mr. Hume was not ordained before leaving, though his standing in the Church fully entitled him to be so. Having undergone the usual trials prescribed by the laws of the Free Church of Scotland, he was ordained in John Knox's Church, on Thursday evening, the Moderator of Synod preaching and presiding, and the Rev. John Anderson and the Rev. James Forbes, assisting.

Mr. Hume was appointed to visit Kilmore forthwith, and to preach the gospel to the people with a view to his early settlement amongst them as their Pastor; but in the meantime he was instructed, in consequence of Mr. Forbes' illness, to take charge of the Congregation in Melbourne, for a period of three months, unless in the interval that gentleman should be fully restored to health, or another minister arrive to relieve him.