individuals, some of whom had expressed | these calculated or intended to gain any opinions favourable and others unfavour-one? Dr Marshall had set up a sort able to the respective documents which of defence for this language, certainly were remitted to them. Dr Marshall a very strange one. According to him, himself had attempted to get added to the scripture allowed great latitude the committee an individual who had in on this point, for it said, "Thou the strongest manner expressed an un-shalt in anywise rebuke thy neighbour." favourable opinion of the professor's In anywise, according to Dr Marshall, statements. Why, then, had Dr Heugh meant in any manner-no matter how alone been made the object of calumnious calumnious or abusive. After listening abuse, when all the other members of to this specimen of exposition, they needthe committee had acted in precisely the ed to be at no loss to discover the origin same way? But he was not quite done of that perversion of scripture language with this matter. Of all the assailants by Mr Marshall, on which the presbyof the professor, the individual who, after tery had commented. If Mr Marshall Dr Marshall, had most fiercely attacked had received injury privately from Dr them both through the press and in the Heugh, it was his duty to have gone to church courts, was Mr W. Marshall; him privately, and sought satisfaction; and yet this prejudging of their case did but he (Dr T.) maintained that Mr Marnot prevent him from taking a very shall had no more right to regard this active part both in speaking and voting as offensive to him, than any other memon Dr Brown's trial by libel during last ber of the court. If Mr Marshall bemeeting of Synod. Now, if the conduct lieved that there was any foundation for of Dr Heugh, while acting in obedience such charges, he was bound to have to the orders of Synod, deserved to be brought them before the church court. stigmatised as utterly unprincipled, what Mr Marshall stated that, in the course should be said of Mr Marshall, who act- which he had followed, he had taken ed in the way described entirely of his counsel of Him who seeth in secret. He own free will? He had certainly no (Dr T.) listened to such a statement with reason to complain if, with what measure feelings which he would in vain seek to he meted, it should be measured to him express. It would appear that Mr again. Now, these were the grounds, as Marshall had thought long over this stated by Mr Marshall himself, of his matter; that he had thought for months conduct towards Dr Heugh. They had and years over the conduct of Dr Heugh the whole case before them, and if such in regard to his father; and that then vague, baseless, unauthenticated rumours he had sat down, and in the most delibewere to be made the foundation of attacks rate manner penned the letter of 31st upon character, who would be safe? No March to Dr Heugh. It would appear, man, though pure as snow, would escape further, that he had searched for terms calumny. Mr Marshall, however, affirm- calculated to wound; for, where two ed not only that he had a right to act as modes of expression could be adopted, he had done, but that he was bound to do the most offensive seemed to be chosen, so, and that Dr Heugh had deeply in- and he had even ransacked the Sacred jured him in not giving him the satisfac- scriptures to express the feelings with tion he was entitled to. He, it seems, which he was actuated; proving that no was not the injurious but the injured man was so merciless as he who mistook party, who, by some strange juggling, his antipathies for his duties. Granting, was brought as a criminal to the bar of for argument's sake, that Dr Heugh's the court, while the person who had denial did not meet all the charges, it done him the wrong was still at large. was quite evident that the denial of the And he and his father had talked much charges against his veracity had not the of their not having gained the offending slightest weight with Mr Marshall; for brother. Now, in order to show the he had the effrontery to repeat these hollowness of this plea, it was only ne- charges in the face of that denial. Dr cessary to read a few sentences from his Taylor concluded by saying that there letter. Would any man believe, that if was no ground whatever for mitigating Mr Marshall's professed object had been the sentence of the Presbytery of Edinhis real one, he would have written in a burgh; but, on the contrary, they were manner which the presbytery had justly bound in justice to Dr Heugh, in justice to characterised as uncharitable and violent the Presbytery of Edinburgh, in justice to as supercilious and abusive and as Mr Marshall himself, and in justice to the breathing a vindictive, arrogant, and interests of the church at large, to do nomalignant spirit? Were letters such as thing less than confirm that sentence.

After long deliberation, the Synod as soon as possible; and appointed a dismissed Mr Marshall's protest and committee to take the matter into consiappeal as ill founded, affirmed the sen- deration, and prepare a draft of measures tence of the presbytery of Edinburgh, which the Synod may adopt for the purand agreed to appoint a committee to pose of securing the better sanctification meet with Mr Marshall, and deal with of the Sabbath. The committee ap him for the purpose of bringing him pointed consisted of Dr Brown, Rev. W. to contrition and right exercise. This Parlane, A. Thomson, W. Thomson, G. decision having been read, was inti- Johnstone; Messrs Jas. Young, and J. mated to Mr Marshall by the mode- Boyd, elders. Mr Johnstone, convener. rator. Mr Marshall then read a paper BOARD FOR LIQUIDATION OF DEBT. of protest, refusing to submit to the Mr GREIG said, it now became his sentence of the court, and declaring duty to submit to the Synod the position his separation from the communion of and prospects of the church as regarded the Secession Church. It was decided congregational debt, and certain statisby a vote, that Mr Marshall, being a fugitive from the discipline of the church, and his protest being expressed in disrespectful terms, it could not be inserted in the records of the Synod. He was then declared to be no longer a minister or member of the United Secession Church; and all ministers and members of the Secession Churchwere prohibited from holding ministerial fellowship with him; and it was remitted to the presbytery of Edinburgh to take what steps may be required by this decision, according to the rules of the church.

tics bearing upon this subject, which would be deemed both interesting and important. He held in his hand tables carefully prepared from returns which had been made to queries sent, during the last year, to all the congregations of the body, requesting information on the following points:-1st, The amount of debt existing on each; 2d, the annual burdens; 3d, the number of members; 4th, the number of adherents; and, 5th, the amount of debt paid off during the previous five years. To these queries answers had been returned from 355 congregations; and from 29 congre. gations no return had been received. The answers received enabled him to present the following results, to which he begged the special attention of the At the commencement of the sederunt Synod. The debt resting upon the 355 on Wednesday, a letter was read from the congregations referred to amounted to Relief Synod, addressed to the modera- L.129,045. If the 29 congregations, tor, acknowledging receipt of the extract which had made no return, were calcu minutes of the Secession Synod, and in- lated upon the average (L.363, 10s.) of timating their appointment of a commit- those which had made returns, their tee to act in concert with the committee debt would amount to the additional of the Secession Synod, and measures sum of preparatory to the proposed union; and the agreement of that Synod to receive the deputation this evening at seven o'clock.

On the motion of Rev. R. PATERSON, Kirkwall, a committee was appointed to prepare a letter of condolence with Dr Heugh, under the painful circumstances in which he has been placed.

WEDNESDAY EVENING.

SABBATH PROFANATION.

The Synod proceeded to consider an overture from the presbytery of Edinburgh, that the Synod adopt such measures as may, by the blessing of God, tend to counteract the evil of Sabbath profanation; and promote the observance of the Lord's Day, by members of the Secession Church.

Making the entire debt on the

L.10,541

Secession Church to be L.139,586

Total members,
The number of adherents, as re-
turned, amount to 29,786.
Do. do., not returned,
Total adherents,

2,264

32,050

Rev. Mr PARLANE spoke at considerable length in support of the overture. After discussion, the Synod approved of the object of the overture; recom- Total of members and adherents, 139,008 mended to presbyteries and sessions to

give particular attention to this subject These results brought out one aspect of

NO. VI. VOL. III.

N N

at or under L.200. Now, as those who
have small debts are not necessarily
weak congregations, suppose one-half of
the above number needed a pecuniary
stimulus to assist and induce them to
extinguish their debts, we have 21 con-
gregations with debts under L.100, which,
it might be assumed, would pay them
off, did they get each L.20,
L.420
We have 24 congregations with
debts under L.200-would clear
for L 30 each,

We have 14 do. do. at L.200
would clear for L.40 each,

720

560

L. 1,700

our finances which could not fail to or about one-half of the Secession constrike one as singular; namely, that we gregations which have no debt, or debts had just about as many members and adherents as we had pounds sterling of debt, so that if every such person were to contribute twenty shillings, the entire debt of the church would at one swoop be extinguished. He called attention to this result, moreover, not merely to mark the singularity of the coincidence, but to show that the extinction of our debt was not the hopeless thing which it had too long been considered to bethat it was quite attainable, and, did we but set ourselves to the work in right earnest, might be accomplished within a few years. And he could assure them that the church had committed the management of her financial affairs into the hands of men who were determined to give her no rest, until every farthing of debt should be discharged. Mr Greig stated, that he founded his anticipations of the extinction of our entire debt at no distant day, not altogether nor so much upon the circumstance that the tables already quoted showed it to be practicable and not difficult, as upon the facts brought out by the returns referred to, in regard to the amount of debt which has actually been paid during the last five years. The tables in his hands showed the following results-results he was satisfied which would astonish and gratify them:

355 congregations have paid off debt amounting to L.69,642

29 congregations who have made no return, calculated at same average,

5,689

L.75,331

A number of congregations have, since these returns were furnished, discharged considerable sums of debt, certainly not less than

4,669

So that were the very moderate sum of L.1700 placed at the disposal of the Board, it may fairly be assumed that a considerable number of congregations would be induced to sweep away their debts; and, by the application of a moral stimulus to the others just referred to, we might, at the end of a single twelvemonth, have the half of our churches entirely free of the burden of debt. Not, indeed, that we would or ought to stop short there; the Synod should endeavour now, or at its meeting in October, to engage the whole congregations of the denomination in this work. Let those who may be moved be plied with motive, and spurred on in every way; and if there be any who may be deemed immovable, they perhaps may catch the impulse, or move too for very shame.

Mr. Greig reminded the Synod of some remarks of Dr King on the previous Wednesday, on the connexion between the extinction of debt and the extension of missions. There could be no doubt that there was a very intimate connexion, and he begged the attention of ministers especially to this aspect of the case. He knew that many ministers disliked to meddle with the money matters of their people; and he knew that when they did feel it to be their duty to urge upon sessions, and managers, and people the reduction of debt, their motives, however pure, were liable to suspicion. It was sometimes hinted that an increase of stipend, or some other personal consideration, prompted the suggestion. Now, here was a great, an unanswerable argument for ministers to employ with 41 their people. The conversion of the 47 world is connected with the extinction 14 of debt;-the money which is swallowed up by debt is wanted for the missionary 183 treasury. Take the L.80,000 which has

Debt paid off during last 5 years, L.80,000
being at the rate of L.16,000 a year.
f Mr Greig proceeded to give some farther
statistics, for the purpose of inducing
the church to strengthen the hands of
the Board for assisting weak congrega-
tions. He stated that the tables pro-
duced showed that the number of con-
gregations in the body which had no
debt was

Do. with debt under L.100,
Do.
under L.200,
at L.200,

Do. 199

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dard of Sabbath school instruction, by bringing into the field a higher class of labourers, and by various hints and plans, bringing up the efficiency of the system to the highest perfection.

Even this is not all that we are anxious to press on the attention of the Synod. We wish to see the benevolent cares of our church extended to the children of irreligious parents, and just as far as our congregations are able to supply teachers, we want to see instituted, on a very extensive scale, a mission to the young.

been paid during the last five years; and I can nothing be done to elevate the stanwere these congregations-the reduction or extinction of whose debt has produced this result-to pay the same amount into the mission funds which has heretofore been handed to the lenders of the money, it would, at four per cent., yield L.3200 per annum; and were the remaining debt extinguished, it would (without exacting one farthing more from the church than she contributes annually at the present moment) yield a further annual revenue of L.5580, or a cumulo amount of L.8780 a-year, which has hitherto found its way into the pockets of the creditor, and which is wanted for our missions, which are now stretching forth their arms to every quarter of the globe. The Synod agreed, on the proposal of Mr Greig, to remit the whole case and details to the Board, with a view to their preparing a practical proposal to be submitted to the Synod in October; and agreed further to take the whole matter into their consideration on the first Tuesday evening of its meeting. An overture regarding a new scheme for liquidation of debt, from Eglinton Street, Glasgow, was remitted to said Board.

SABBATH SCHOOLS.

There is one thing more which we are most desirous to see attempted and effected. That in connexion with these missionary schools, there shall be instituted a series of senior or advanced classes, into which the young person shall be drafted at the age of twelve or thirteen, and brought under a system of tuition better suited to his years and to his knowledge. It is the want of this kind of classes that accounts in no small degree for the comparative inefficiency of our Sabbath schools.

Some one may be ready to ask here -has not the ground been almost entirely occupied already? and what use The following papers were read :- is there for seeking with such earnest(1.) Overture by the presbytery of Edin-ness to press the matter upon the attenburgh regarding Sabbath schools. (2.) tion of the Synod? My answer is look Memorial of Edinburgh Sabbath School at statistics, and you will find that much Teachers' Union. (3) Memorial of Sab- land remains to be possessed, and that bath school teachers in Secession con- amid the proverbial activity of the pregregations in Edinburgh. sent hour, there has been a strange lack of Sabbath school agency.

Edinburgh is generally supposed to be the best supplied with Sabbath schools of any city in the empire, but what are the facts regarding it? There are 10,000 children in it almost entirely destitute of religious instruction.

Rev. A. THOMSON said-I regard it as at once a fortunate and a hopeful circumstance, that in such a place as this I do not need to argue the general question of Sabbath schools. I believe I address very few persons at this moment who have not often been themselves the advocates of this class of Christian institutions. And Next-take Glasgow. It is calculated the time has long since come, at least in that there are 20,000 children there rethe Secession Church, when to be doubt-ceiving no Sabbath school instruction. ful or cold on this matter would be to In villages and rural districts, it is I bring into suspicion either our Christian intelligence or our Christian sincerity. The question we are anxious to press on the attention of the Synod, is not are Sabbath schools right or wrong?" but have these institutions, which all of us concur in admiring and advocating, been established as extensively by the churches in Scotland, and especially by the Secession Church, as they might and should be? Does the measure of our Sabbath school arrangements correspond with the number and necessities of our young? Are our own young under our

66

found that matters are, in general, no better. A school lately opened in the country, brought out eighty scholars who had never been at a Sabbath school. * ́

What is it then that we propose should be done? We recommend the following :

1. The appointment of a committee to receive a complete return of the Sabbath school statistics of the Secession Church; and to digest and prepare a report on the subject, for next meeting of Synod. It is only by knowing what has already been done that we can know what is to

resolve with all the unanimity of men who are of one heart and of one soul, and with all the solemnity of men who feel that to us have been com3. The appointment of a day in which mitted the interests of immortal souls, the attention of our congregations shall that nothing shall be wanting on our be simultaneously turned to this subject, part, to bring about the thrice happy by the preaching of a sermon or ser-hour, when it shall be said, not only of mons, and especially calling upon mem- every individual in our congregations, bers of the churches who are living in a but of every individual in our land, state of inaction, to come forth and give" From a child thou hast known the themselves to the work of Sabbath school tuition.

Have we felt as we ought, that the children of the present hour are those who, in a few years, are to give its tone and character to the church, and to the world and either to be the salt of the earth, or its thorns and briars? Have we reflected that the real ques-ligious parents, and senior or advanced tion is not education or no education, but good education or bad education? If we do not instruct the rising race, Satan will.