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and of the knowledge of the Son of God," | We regret that, in connexion with this and proposed Dr Brown, Professor of vitally important matter, no reference Greek in Marischall College, Aberdeen, was made to the Irish Regium Donum. as his successor, who was unanimously It is well known that many enlightened elected, and, on taking the chair, deli- and good, men hold it to be one main vered a long and appropriate address. stay of popery and the reign of darkThe rest of the sederunt was occupied in ness, in the sister isle. The subject must appointing committees and other routine ere long be grappled with. On Monday, business. On Friday, 22d May, the 25th May, there was laid before the AsAssembly spent some time in devotional sembly, by the Presbytery of Abertarff, exercises, after which Dr Makellar, con- a reference respecting the Rev. Mr Macvener of the Board of Missions, gave in bean of Fort Augustus, who refused to a report on the schemes of the church. baptize the child of a parent who did not The total sum collected, including sup- observe the Lord's Supper. On the moplementary contributions, was L.76,509, tion of Dr Candlish, seconded by Dr being an increase of L.11,099 over last Cunningham, it was agreed that, as the year, and of L.44,718 over the year pre-case involved questions of great delicacy, ceding. This year L.11,130 had been so far as the Highlands were concerned, contributed by the young. In the even- a committee should be appointed to coning, the Rev. A. Gray of Perth, gave an sider the case, and report to the Comaccount of his tour on the Continent. Of mission in August. The issue of the the three stations of the Free church in case will be waited for with considerable the Mediterranean, Leghorn, Malta, and interest. Dr Cunningham next gave a Gibraltar, he had visited the first two. report of his visit to the Presbyterian He gave interesting details of the Canton Church in England. He represented the de Vaud; declared his conviction, found- ministers as most zealous and laborious, ed on all he saw in Italy, that popery and declared presbyterianism in England was reviving, and suggested that, as the to be rapidly on the increase. The colpope sends missionaries to Britain, the lege lately opened in London is attended churches here should send them to Italy. by upwards of twenty-seven students, inHe urged, also, some greater effort in stead of the half-dozen who were scarcely behalf of the Jews at Constantinople, expected at first. The thanks of the Asamounting to 70,000, among whom the sembly were returned to Dr CunningFree church has only a single missionary. ham, after which Dr Keith gave in a Dr Candlish was of opinion that there report on the Jewish Mission, which reshould be a church-building fund for commended that Mr Bonar of Collace the whole of the Mediterranean, and should be missioned for three years to that protestant missionaries ought to be the Spanish Jews at Constantinople, and sent into Italy. On the motion of that the committee be authorised to fix Dr Wilson, the thanks of the Assembly on six other ministers, as his fellow-lawere returned to Mr Gray. On Satur-bourers. The recommendation was adoptday, 23d May, the Assembly received ed, and thanks returned to Dr Keith. the deputation from the Presbyterian Mr Lorimer next read the report on Church of Ireland, and Dr Carlile, mo- Continental Churches, which represented derator of the Irish Assembly, delivered infidelity, rationalism, popery, and erasa long and very interesting address, de- tianism, as all struggling for the ascendpicting the moral and spiritual condition ancy, and demanding the most vigorous of Ireland, which he represented as dismal efforts of all the lovers of Christ to mainin the extreme, though so far hopeful, that tain and extend the truth. Dr Capadose, there is, on the part of many of the papists, from Holland, then addressed the Asa disposition to receive instruction, both sembly, and the subject was adjourned. common and religious. Dr Cunningham On Tuesday, 26th May, the Assembly expressed the opinion, that great guilt spent the forenoon in private, engaged lay on the Presbyterian Church of Ire- in devotional exercises and a conversaland, and on the protestant churches of tion on the state of religion. In the Britain, in allowing such a state of things evening, Dr D. Macfarlane gave in the to continue. The establishment of a mis- report of the committee on the State of sion to Ireland, he thought, was loudly Religion, which recommended that efforts called for, but was a matter of too great for the revival of religion should be magnitude to be hastily determined on, made, first, within, and, secondly, without and must, therefore, remain for future church courts; that parliament should consideration. The thanks of the As-be petitioned against protracted hours of sembly were returned to the deputation.labour; and that means should be

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adopted for checking intemperance, and any farther measure in that matter." promoting a stricter discipline. The As- Mr Gibson of Glasgow, who, we believe, sembly then resumed the subject of the once belonged to the Relief Church, and continental churches, when Count St who, on leaving it, of course went to the George and Professor La Harpe, from opposite extreme from its free communion Geneva, and M. Bost, from Bourdeaux, principles, with the view of prohibiting delivered addresses. The thanks of the members of the Free Church from conAssembly were returned to the distin- necting themselves with the Alliance, guished strangers, and a resolution was moved, "That, having taken into conside expressed to use all means in their ration the overtures on Christian union, power for promoting the interests of the the Assembly find, that it is the duty Redeemer's kingdom on the Continent. of the church, as the appropriate and On Wednesday, 27th May, the Publica scriptural instrumentality under her tion Committee reported the number great Head, to exhibit and seek it; and of copies of the first year's books circu- it is trusted this church will continue to lated as about 50,000. A publisher had prosecute it as she has done in her best offered to carry out, in future, the As- times in former days; re-appoint the sembly's scheme at his own risk. The committee, with special instructions that, circulation of tracts amounted to 36,000. in seeking and embracing opportunities Of Mr Gray's Catechism on the Consti- for carrying out this object, they keep in tution of the Free Church, 30,000 copies view the office of the church as the 'pilhad been sold. It had been already lar and ground of the truth,' and the translated into French; and a Gaelic duty of this church to uphold the banner translation was going forward. A great for the truth which the Lord has put into mass of materials had also been collected her hands, and to be careful to advert on for a volume, to be entitled Memorials all occasions to the importance of mainof the Disruption." The Assembly next taining this church's testimony uncomcalled for the report on Union, and over- promised, and to be on their guard tures thereanent, when the first bona fide against the risk of doctrinal terms of debate in the history of the Free Church union which may seem to omit or detook place. The real subject was the tract from important truths of God's Evangelical Alliance; and the question word; and in particular to maintain, precisely was, whether members of the without any compromise, the special Free Church should be at liberty, in testimony of this church against the their individual capacity, to attach them- Erastianism of the present establishselves to that Alliance as at present con-ment." The debate occupied nearly two stituted. Dr Candlish made the follow-sederunts, and was conducted with coning motion, with the view of securing siderable spirit and ability; Mr Gibson such liberty:-"The General Assembly, alleging various objections to the Alliance, having considered the overtures anent and pointing out the necessity of mainchristian union, together with the report taining their "testimony against many of the committee on that subject,-inas- things, against voluntaryism as well as much as it appears from the said report, against Erastianism." Dr Candlish's that no progress has been made by the motion, however, was carried by a macommittee in prosecuting the object for jority of 311 to 7, a few individuals which it was appointed; and inasmuch as declining to vote. In the evening of it is the duty of this church, in its corporate 27th May, Dr Gordon gave in the report capacity constantly to aim at that object; on the Widow's Fund, recommending that resolve to re-appoint the Committee for every minister should pay annually, in that end, with instructions in seeking it May, L.5 to the fund; that there should to keep ever in view the maintaining of be an entry-money of L.10, to be paid in the testimony of this church inviolate two equal yearly instalments; and that and uncompromised. And farther, in there should be an annual payment of respect of the steps noticed in the report L.2 for an Orphan Fund. All which was as taken by certain ministers and elders agreed to, and the thanks of the Assemin their individual capacity, the General bly returned to Dr Gordon. On ThursAssembly being satisfied that the pro-day, 28th May, the committee on the ceedings of the Commission in March are Sustentation Fund reported. The amount sufficient to remove all misapprehension upon this subject, find it unnecessary to express any opinion respecting the Evangelical Alliance, or the propriety of members of this church joining it, or to adopt

received for the year was, from Associations, L.78,861; from individuals, as subscriptions or donations, L.3820; total, L.82,681; being a total increase over last year of L.5051, and exhibiting an

Presbytery of Cupar, which had been introduced by Mr Makgill Crichton, for securing, that the rule laid down in the Directory for Public Worship, respecting the reading of the Scriptures at each meeting of congregations should be duly attended to, and the following deliverance was given:-"That the Assembly having considered the overture, enjoin and instruct the ministers of this church to give. special attention to the scope and spirit of that portion of the Directory for Pub

increase from Associations amounting to | Assembly respecting the working of presL.8286. The ministers entitled to full byterial visitations. The Assembly took dividend are 580, and each of these will into consideration an overture by the receive this year, as last, L.122, including the sum paid to the widow's fund for their behoof. There being some diversity of opinion about the principles on which the fund is distributed, Dr Chalmers, the old convener of the committee, recommended that a select committee of two ministers and six laymen should be appointed to receive suggestions and form a digest of them, with a view to their being transmitted to Presbyteries, that a permanent law may be framed on the subject. The Assembly resolved accord-lic Worship, which enjoins the public ingly. The report of the committee on Sites was next given in by Mr Graham Spiers. It stated, that though some sites had been obtained during the year, a number were still absolutely refused. Mr Fox Maule addressed the Assembly with reference to his bill on this subject, now before the House of Commons, and recommended that Parliament should be petitioned in its favour. The committee on Sabbath Observance next gave its report, which exhibited a considerable amount of information respecting the observance of the Sabbath, not only in Britain, but in Ireland, America, and the Continent, and proposed a number of recommendations. The Assembly gave a joint deliverance, embracing a variety of practical details, on the report of this committee, and of that on the state of religion. In the evening, the Colonial Committee gave in its report, referring to the operations of the Free Church in the various British dependencies during the past year, and stating that the receipts amounted to L.4995. On Friday, 29th May, Dr Gordon gave in the report of the committee on Foreign Missions, relating particularly to India, and recommending the efficient main tenance of the prosperous educational and religious institutions of the church in all the three Presidencies. The Assembly next called for the overtures on Presbyterial Visitation, and for the report of the committee on that subject. Dr Candlish stated, that he was by no means opposed to such visitations, but that great caution should be exercised on this head, and respect paid to altered times and circumstances; and that, in many cases, much good might be done by visiting congregations, for the purpose of encouragement. The committee was re-appointed, and presbyteries were directed to send their suggestions to it, that a report might be submitted to next

reading of the Scriptures, and to take order that its regulations are duly carried into effect; and, in particular, that a portion of the Scriptures be read at each of the diets for public worship." There was next read, an overture from the Synod of Sutherland and Caithness, desiring the Assembly to embody in a specific act its recognition of the National Covenants. But no person appearing in its support, it fell to the ground. An overture from the Presbytery of Glasgow, and another from that of Perth, contemplating an alteration of the Assembly's law respecting Seat Rents, were also brought forward, but it was agreed that the law remain unaltered for another year. In the evening Mr Sheriff Monteith gave in the report of the College Building Committee, from which it appears that the High Church congregation are to have their place of worship on the site of the College, and forming part of the building, they paying a due proportion of the expense. It has not yet been determined whether the College is to be only Theological, or is also to include a Faculty of Arts. The present erection, however, is intended for the more limited scheme. About L.6000 is wanted for the estimated cost, but will be easily obtained. The Report of the Bursary Committee was next given in, from which it appears that to theological students, 15 scholarships, value L.225, have been adjudged; and to literary students, 25 scholarships, value L.317

total, L.542. Dr Chalmers then gave in the Report of the General Committee on the College. After eighteen years' experience as a professor, he had never had so distinguished a class as that of last year. The number in the Hall was 240; in all the classes 500. The library contains 13,000 volumes. It was proposed that the study of Moral Philosophy should be postponed till after Mathema

tics and Natural Philosophy; also, that the Moral Philosophy class of the Free Church might be attended during the first year of attendance at the Hall. It was agreed also, that partial attendance should be altogether discontinued. On Saturday, 30th May, the Assembly entered on the subject of American Slavery. We regret that we can give only the result; but we believe most of our readers are aware of the tenor of the discussion. There were two overtures; one from the Synod of Sutherland and Caithness, praying the Assembly, " In any communication that may be held with churches existing in a State that tolerates slavery, to intimate explicitly, that this church cannot continue to hold intercourse or communion with said churches, unless they shall make open and vigorous efforts for its abolition." The other, from the Synod of Angus and Mearns, to the effect that "The Assembly continue to seek the abolition of American slavery, by maintaining the position which it has already assumed, and by pursuing the course on which it has already entered in relation to the churches in the United States." The Report of the Committee on Slavery set forth, that the American churches had replied to a former communication from the Assembly on the subject, and had received it in good part; "and that this Church may continue to maintain the friendly intercourse which has been begun, with good hope of mutual edification. * *

out an express Divine warrant for so doing, is necessarily in itself a great crime on the part of the individual who commits it, and as the American churches have long ago attained to much light on this subject; and as this Free Church, and many other churches, have more than once remonstrated with some of these American churches, this Assembly hereby resolves that this church cannot admit to its pulpits, or to its communion table, any individual in the United States, by whom slavery is practised, nor can receive deputations from any church which does not visit slaveholding members with excommunica tion; and this resolution this church adopts in the spirit of love towards the churches which are implicated in this sin." This motion, however, did not find even a seconder; the report of the committee, therefore, was adopted, without a division. On Monday, 1st June, Mr Dunlop stated, that of the Auchterarder expenses, about L.1400 was due by ministers and elders of the Free Church, and that it was proposed to raise the same by an assessment on church door collections. The report of the Church Building Committee was next given in. The number of churches completed is 625, of which 95 were erected during last year. The total sum expended on churches, deducting debt, is. L.357,000. Congregational collections for the fund have amounted to L.9746, * At which has been increased by donations the same time, while the American to L.18,729. The total payments made letter contains a clear and unequivocal disapproval of the system of slavery, your committee find several points on which they are not prepared to agree, with what seem to be the sentiments of their brethren: ; and they are of opinion that the committee should be instructed in preparing an answer to take care that the church's views on the subject of the sin and evil of slavery, and the duty of christian churches and individuals to aim at its speedy abolition, should be explicitly brought out, with all tenderness towards those who have to consider this question, in such difficult circumstances as those in which the American churches are placed, and with all faithfulness to the truth of God, as involved in this important matter." The Rev. Mr M'Beth of Glasgow moved, "That whereas slavery is an accursed system-and the system of slavery in the slave states of America is peculiarly atrocious; and whereas to hold a human being in slavery with

*

during the year amount to L.11,274. About 112 congregations are at present engaged in erecting churches. The Home Missionary Committee next reported, and recommended that a number of Gaelic speaking ministers should be loosed from their charges for a few months, both in summer and winter, to itinerate in the Highlands; also that this committee should be discharged, and its duties merged in those of the Sustentation Committee. The Committee on New Charges reported, that they had sanctioned 8, including the Collegiate Charge of St Andrews, that they had delayed 4, and declined 3, on account of irregularity in form and want of information. The Committee on Admission of ministers. of other churches reported, that they recommended the admission of the Rev. R. Blackwood, late of the United Secession at Banff; and the Rev. James White, late of the same body at Hull; also the Rev. Adam Ross, late of the Original Secession at Kennoway ; and

the Rev. John Moir, of the Congrega-mittee to prepare it. An overture on tional Body. In the case of the Rev. Popery, urging the Assembly to adopt James Boyd, late of Brechin, received suitable means for opposing it, was also last year as a probationer, they recom- adopted, and a committee appointed. Dr mended that the Presbytery of Falkirk be Candlish gave in the report of the Comrefused leave to proceed with his settle-mittee on the subject of Missionaries in ment at Polmont, till August next. In foreign parts receiving allowance from the evening the Education Committee Government for giving religious instrucreported. The second instalment of the tion to the military. It was to the effect, School Building Fund had amounted to that the matter would require further little more than L.8000. It was recom- consideration, "and that it is sufficient mended that Mr M'Donald of Blair- meanwhile to recommend to the minisgowrie should again devote himself for ters of this church in foreign parts to a time to the advocacy of the scheme. have respect to the principles and posiEighty grants of L.100 had been made tion of the church, and to abstain from for erecting schools. The normal school receiving grants of the public money for at Glasgow had been completed, and the discharge of their ministerial funccontained above 800 scholars, and be- tions." We are not surprised to learn tween 60 and 70 students. It has received that the recipients of regium donum in during the year an additional L.1000. Ireland, regard this as an alarming inIn the Edinburgh normal school there dication of a tendency in the Free Church have been, during the year, 135 male, to lapse into the sin and scandal of volunand 104 female students. Of these, 61 taryism. The committee on the Poor Laws males and 51 females, have been appointed reported, that all that could be done in to situations, and are engaged in teach- the meantime was to collect information ing. The funds of the committee this respecting the working of the new law, year amounted to L.7188. The com- that application might be made to parmittee have secured the services of Mr liament next session. The committee John Gibson, late Government Inspector on quoad sacra churches reported, recomof Schools, as Inspector of Free Church mending the appointment of a committee Schools, and given him a salary of L.500, to obtain full statistics, and to apply to considerably less than the emoluments parliament for a bill to determine on of the office he resigned. The sub-com- equitable principles to whom these mittee on Sabbath Schools also gave in churches should belong, leaving it to the a report, the chief object of which was commission in August to decide on the to excite a deeper interest in this depart- duty of the church in regard to the litiment of Christian instruction. The Com- gation at present going on. After dismittee on Manses next reported. Mr posing of a variety of matters of minor Guthrie, it was stated, had succeeded in importance, the Assembly was dissolved obtaining subscriptions, payable in five in the usual manner. years, to the amount of L.116,370, four of the Synods, Orkney, Shetland, Glenelg, and Sutherland and Caithness, being still unvisited. Mr Guthrie delivered a remarkably hearty and interesting THE meeting of Assembly took place on speech, in which he stated that he Thursday 21st May. The Marquis of Bute had set out with a minimum of again acted as the representative of maL.50,000, and a maximum of L.100,000, jesty, and Bailie Gray, a worthy Secesbut had been advised at Glasgow to raise the minimum to L.100,000, the maximum to L.150,000, and he rejoiced he had obtained L.16,000 above the highest sum. "He had received many contributions from Seceders, Methodists, Independents, Baptists, Episcopalians, and last, not least, subscriptions freely and voluntarily given from elders and members of the Established Church.” The thanks of the Assembly were returned to the convener and to Mr Guthrie. On Tuesday, 2d June, the Assembly adopted an overture in favour of a Pastoral Address, and appointed a com

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE ESTA-
BLISHED CHURCH.

sion elder, officiated as chief magistrate of Edinburgh, in the absence of the Lord Provost. Dr Hill, old moderator, preached from Ephesians i. 22, and proposed Dr Paull of Tullynessle, as his successor, who was unanimously elected. Her Majesty's letter was read, and the commissioner addressed the Assembly, intimating the usual donation of L.2000 from the Queen, for promoting religious education in the Highlands and Islands. On Friday, 22d May, the Assembly, after some routine business, received the report of the committee on the Conversion of the Jews. Upwards of 600 parishes

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