Dr King is convener. We earnestly trust Colossians iv. 3, 4, "Withal, praying that the appointment will not be neglected. also for us, that God would open unto us Our elders have set a noble example in a door of utterance, to speak the mystery making a spontaneous effort at sessional of Christ; that I may make it manifest, reform; and now, when the ministers of as I ought to speak ;" and the Rev. Mr the church and its highest judicatory are Somerville, of Edinburgh, preached in seconding their endeavours, we hope they will be the more stimulated to follow out what they so commendably began. the evening, from Revelations xix. 9, "Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb." The I whole of the services on these occasions were of a most interesting and solemn character. Mr Taylor has received a hearty welcome both from pastor and people; and we earnestly trust that in his new and extensive charge-for which On the 26th February, the Rev. James his piety, talents, and acquirements, emiTaylor, late of St Andrews, was inducted nently fit him-his ministry, and that of into the collegiate pastoral charge of his venerated and beloved father, Dr Regent Place Congregation, Glasgow, by Heugh, may be long continued, and the Glasgow Presbytery. Dr King deli- largely blessed. INDUCTION OF THE REV. JAMES TAYLOR, AS COLLEAGUE TO THE REV. DR HEUGH. vered an eloquent discourse on the text, "Be clothed with humility." Dr Kidston presided at the induction, and I r Heugh addressed his colleague and the congregation. In the evening, a soiree PRESENTATION. was held in the church, and addresses A DEPUTATION of the ladies in connexion on important subjects were delivered by with the United Secession congregation, the two pastors of the congregation, as Tillicoultry, waited upon their pastor, the well as by the Rev. Dr Wardlaw, Rev. Rev. George Hunter, on the evening of Dr John Macfarlane, Rev. Mr M'Gill, Wednesday, the 11th March, when they Rev. William Anderson, and the Rev presented him with a rich silk pulpit-gown Dr King. On the Sabbath following, and cassock (furnished by Mr P. Scott, Dr Heugh introduced his colleague, and Edinburgh) and a purse of sovereigns, as preached from 1st Corinthians iii. 7, a mark of their esteem for him as their "So then neither is he that planteth pastor, and as a token of their respect any thing, neither he that watereth, but and gratitude towards him for his labours God that giveth the increase." Mr amongst them in the service of his Divine Taylor preached in the afternoon from Master. MONTHLY RETROSPECT. AMERICA. the north-west coast of America, west of the Stony Mountains (Oregon), of the 6th WE fondly hope there will be no war August 1827, signed at Loudon, shall be with the United States; but, since our abrogated in twelve months after giving last, the most alarming news has arrived. said notice." To this another was apOn the 9th of February the House of pended, to the effect, that negotiation was Representatives (corresponding to our still open; but it was looked on very much House of Commons), after a number of as a piece of formality. We have great violent speeches by persons not devoid of pleasure, however, in learning that the influence, passed the following resolution discussions in the Senate, which were still by a majority of 163 to 53, That the going on, were much more moderate; and President of the United States cause no- that the news of free trade from Britain, tice to be given to the government of which had just arrived, was tending won→ Great Britain, that the convention be- derfully to sweeten the breath of our tween the United States of America and brethren, both in Congress and out of Great Britain, concerning the territory of doors. There was even some talk of modifying their tariff, and reducing their | Secession synod see fit to appoint one with import duties on British manufactures. similar powers, and that the joint comWe cannot, without shuddering, think of mittees be empowered, if their united war with America,-men sprung from a wisdom approve of it, to call a special common and not distant ancestry, speak- meeting of both synods at an early period, ing the same language, cultivating one when the long-talked of and much deliterature, and banqueting together on its sired union may be brought to a happy fruits, professing the same religion, and consummation." We understand that an sitting, in fact, at one communion table influential member of the Glasgow Relief -such men maddened into fury and Presbytery, has given notice, that at its butchering one another by the thousand, next meeting, he will bring forward a pillaging one another's houses, and similar memorial. A movement, we beslaughtering one another's wives and lieve, has also been made in the Relief children! Nor is there the least proba- Presbytery of Dysart, and in the Seces-. bility that a war, once fairly begun be- sion Presbytery of Dunfermline. The tween the two nations, would be long two denominations are so very similar in confined to them. Who can tell how doctrine, government, and worship, that many of the powers of Europe-France if they have mutual confidence in each almost to a certainty-would find or pre-other, there seems no very satisfactory or tend that their interests were involved, and that they must have a hand in the fiendish game? What spot on the face of the earth might not become the seat of the war, and the scene of its ravages? To take the very vulgarest view of the mat ter, what would become of our population so dependent on manufactures, if our commerce with America were suspended for a month. It appears, that the value of British manufactures sent to the States in 1844, approached to L.8,000,000, about one-seventh of our whole exports; and of 5577 foreign vessels which entered their ports that year, 5030 were British. Though saying so much one side, we have, nevertheless, patriotism enough to be disgusted, as indeed all Europe is, at the swaggering of America; and cannot help regarding the demand of the whole of Oregon to which she has now risen, together with her refusal of arbitration, as indicating something like a thirst for blood. Let it be our prayer to the Almighty, that in mercy to both nations and to the family of mankind, the appalling calamity may be averted. RELIEF UNION. AT the ordinary meeting of the Relief Presbytery of Edinburgh, on Tuesday 27th January, Professor M'Michael introduced a memorial, praying for a speedy ecclesiastical union of the Secession and Relief churches, which the court unanimously and cordially adopted, and agreed to transmit to the Synod. The memorial concluded as follows:-" May it therefore please your reverend court, at your next meeting in May, to appoint a committee to act with another committee, should the even intelligible reason for their remaining asunder; and on the principle that union is strength, their conjunction might be expected to add greatly to their influence and efficiency, in the way of accomplishing internal reforms; of promoting the cause of evangelical voluntaryism, both in principle and practice among our countrymen ; and of extending among the heathen a pure gospel, and a sound ecclesiastical system. WAR IN INDIA. ALL our readers have doubtless learnt, and with one feeling of deep and mournful regret, that a great battle was fought about the end of December last, in the north-west portion of our Indian empire, between the British on the one side, and the Sikhs, a powerful and warlike neighbouring nation, on the other. It is not our province to enter on the consideration, either of the occasion, or of the details of the collision; but we cannot omit noticing the melancholy fact, that, on our side, including those who have since died of their wounds, there must have been a loss of about 4000 men, and a large proportion of officers, among whom was Major Broadfoot, eldest son of an excellent minister of our church, the late Rev. Dr Broadfoot, first of Kirkwall, and afterwards of London. The major, who held the office of political agent for the governor-general, has had the highest commendations bestowed on his character, both in parliament and elsewhere. He was the last of the three sons of Dr B., who have all lost their lives in the public service. The Sikh army was about three times as large as ours, and the loss on their part was enormous. Nor has the last of these woes been heard. Though the victory seems to have been decided, there is no reason to think that the contest is ended. The friends of humanity will in all likelihood be further shocked by hearing more of the desolations of war in the East. CORN LAWS. the necessaries of life to producers, against the poor consumers, you are voting for privation, for misery, for suffering, for indigence, for famine, for disease, and for death itself." In the Chamber of Peers, the Duc D'Harcourt said—" When we reflect on the obstacles it (Britain) has had to subdue, and the names it has had to combat, it is impossible to withhold our just tribute of applause to a nation which has made such great efforts for the good of mankind. Statues should be erected to Mr Cobden as a benefactor of mankind." Rapidly may such sentiments diffuse themselves. Their ultimate triumph throughout the world is inevitable. Truth is great, and will prevail. Universal free trade is just a question of time. Self-interest alone would lead every nation of the earth to adopt it. LAW OF ENTAIL. A MEETING of land-owners was lately held in Edinburgh, for considering the evils of the law of entail, and deliberating about the propriety of applying to the legislature for a remedy. We rejoice in this movement, being persuaded that the law is decidedly unfavourable to the social, moral, and religious welfare of the community. It seems a sound general principle, that no man should continue to regulate the disposal of property after he has himself been removed from the world. At his death, he is simply entitled to hand over his effects to another, except in cases where the first heir may be insane, imbecile, or profligate. A liferent or an annuity seems then, a commendable expedient; otherwise the new possessor ought to be left unfettered, with the whole responsibility on his own head. The Edinburgh meeting was a private one, and intended as preliminary. We trust it will be vigorously followed up, and that entails, with the kindred abominations of corn laws and monopolies, will speedily be consigned to annihila WE presume there are few inhabitants of Britain who need to be informed that Sir R. Peel's great measure is making progress, and is likely soon to become law. After a long and uninteresting debate, his bill passed entire through committee in the Commons. Lord J. Russell and most of the liberals voted for the three years' delay, though they almost all declared their conviction that immediate repeal would have been greatly preferable for all parties. The fact, we believe, was, that though the protectionists talked of preferring immediate repeal, they, in reality, were alarmed at it, so that it was thought better to give them the three years' respite, than risk the rejection of the bill by the Peers. Maize, however, is to be admitted duty-free for the Irish, by an order in council, as soon as the bill passes the Commons. We have always been sanguine respecting the advantages this country will derive from her freetrade policy; but these cannot be fully realised till other nations adopt the same equitable and liberal principles; and we rejoice to see indications already, that they will speedily do so. France seems to be catching the infection. The celebrated author Lamartine, who is a member of the Chamber of Deputies, lately said there: -"You import 35,000 head of cattle, which pay a duty of fifty millions of francs. What is the result? You are levying a tax of fifty millions on the labour, the wages, the comfort, the very life of your industrial population." Here the economy of the poet is at fault. The tion. It augurs well that so respectable sum levied on the population is not only the fifty millions of duty on the imported cattle, but also the whole amount of the enhanced price of all the home-reared cattle. He continues-" Is this the po- SALARIES OF SCOTTISH SCHOOLMASTERS. licy of statesmen, or the policy of hucksters? True political economy should Ir will be recollected that in last session have its morality. The low price of necessaries for the people is its virtue. A systematic raising of prices is its crime. Every time you vote a higher price for and influential a nobleman as the Marquis of Breadalbane has put himself at the head of the movement. of Parliament some progress was made in a ministerial measure for augmenting these bribes to indolence and inefficiency, as facts seem to warrant us in calling them. The measure is beginning again | for twelve months previous to transporto be referred to in the House of Lords, tation. Every christian mind must be and is evidently not dropt. Unless it is shocked at the amount of vice which this strenuously resisted, and that, too, before necessarily implies; but scarcely less government is much more deeply com- shocking is it to think of the prospects mitted to it, there can be no doubt that of these wretched outcasts, viewed as resistance will be vain; the abuse will be moral and accountable beings. The cirperpetrated. Surely there are few of our cumstances into which the convicts are readers-few of the enlightened and li- introduced seem to constitute an absolute beral portion of our countrymen, who are nursery for hell. It is impossible to read not thus far agreed, that unless the paro without horror a work on this subject chial schools are placed on a totally new lately published by Messrs Seeley, and footing, it would, especially in the present entitled, " Benevolence in Punishment.” ecclesiastical condition of Scotland, be The anonymous writer, who seems an inabsolutely scandalous to add one farth- telligent, humane, and pious person, says, ing to the endowments they already pos sess. UNIVERSITY TESTS. Public opinion has of late years inclined towards the total abolition of capital punishment. But we maintain, that the sympathy which has been excited on this subject has taken a wrong direction. What is the punishment of death compared to that which is substituted for it? * * *Surely it would have been far kinder to have exacted the convict's life, in the first instance, than to spare it in order that, by all possible human agency, we may make a very devil of him before he is called by natural death to enter the unseen world. This has been the feeling of prisoners themselves when the reprieve has been brought them. We have heard of one, who, having been sentenced to death at Sydney for heading a mutiny, in 1836, had prepared his mind for that solemn event; for he was a man not destitute of feeling, and, in some respects, a fine character; but he had been driven to desperate acts by the severity shown him, and, in concert with others, had seized on a brig in the hope of regaining his liberty. He and the other mutineers were taken, and sentenced to death; but, in the evidence, it appeared that he had saved the captain's life when THE Established Presbytery of Glasgow have agreed to petition Parliament against meddling with these tests. The senate of the University of Glasgow have agreed to petition for their abolition in the case of lay-professorships, praying that, instead of the tests, the professors should be bound, under a penalty, to teach no thing contrary to the Confession of Faith. Sixteen members of the senate supported the motion for petitioning; seven opposed it, and two superannuated professors took no part. We hope a bill, at least as good as Mr Rutherfurd's of last year, will again be brought forward, and with better success. The Free Church, we fear, will not lend it their aid, but that very fact may be favourable to it in certain quarters. If the existence of the exclusive tests in the universities be thought conducive to the interests of the New College, that will be an argument for repeal. The premier, and the government, too, we hope, may have got new light on this, as on some kindred subjects. Earnestly, how-all the others had wished to put him to ever, as we desire abolition, that, by itself, would be by no means satisfactory. The patronage must be placed on a new footing, particularly in the case of those chairs to which the colleges themselves appoint. CRIME AND PUNISHMENT. CAPTAIN GROVE, governor of the Millbank Penitentiary, lately stated, that within the last two and a half years, they had transported from that prison upwards of 11,000 prisoners: viz. 9445 males, and 1717 females; besides which, there were a number of juvenile offenders kept death. For this act a reprieve was ordered. With the rope round his neck, this reprieve was announced to him; and the wretched man declared that it was with unutterable anguish he heard that his life was to be spared. He knew what consequences awaited him; he felt he should never be better prepared for death than he was then; and he was absolutely horrified at the idea of bringing more guilt upon his soul, by being exposed to a tide of iniquity which he felt he should be unable to resist." Surely there is a fearful national responsibility connected with this matter; and in that responsibility, we suspect all of us have our share. Could nothing be attempted for terminat | a more comprehensive title, has just ising, or, at least, mitigating, such a crying sued an address for the purpose of imenormity? ABOLITION OF SLAVERY IN TUNIS. We have perused, with very special pleasure, a communication from Sir Thomas Reade, British Consul at Tunis, dated 26th January 1846, addressed to the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society, and intimating the entire abolition of slavery throughout that state. "Slavery," says Sir Thomas, "no longer exists in the Tunisian dominions; and I have only to return my humble thanks to the Almighty for having enabled me to bring my labours in the cause of humanity to so glorious a result." Would that all our diplomatists in slaveholding regions would labour in such a cause, and might enjoy the pure and holy satisfaction of equal success! The Bey, it appears, has for a length of time been engaged in this great national reform. He commenced, as in reason he should, by emancipating his own slaves; next, he prohibited the introduction of slaves into the kingdom as an article of commerce, and declared that all so introduced should be free; then the slave-market in the capital, which had yielded a revenue, was abolished; and, finally, he issued an edict, declaring that every one born in his dominions, after 8th December 1842, should be free from the moment of his birth. The Bey concludes a letter on the subject to the Consul as follows:-"We thank Providence for the aid he has afforded us in putting an end to this business, which, we know, is also an object of attention to the great and illustrious British government; and we pray the Most High that our opinions be always in union with their own on every point. May the Lord keep you under his safeguard." It startles one to find at the close of such a christian-like missive the date (from the Hegira) 1262. The slave-market still exists at Washington. When is republican, civilized, educated, christian America, to learn a lesson of justice, humanity, and good policy, from this despotic lord of a semi-bar barous, Mohammedan state on the coast of Africa? VOLUNTARYISM. THE Scottish Board of Dissenters, which is just the Central Board revived under pressing on their friends the special The Edinburgh Association for Promoting Voluntary Church Principles, held its annual meeting on Monday, 8th March, and passed a series of spirited resolutions, |