terests of religious liberty; our fathers terian Church in Scotland were subtrembling for themselves and their chil-jected for a long time to laborious tradren at the danger arising from immoral velling, and had not leisure to devote and antichristian power.

themselves largely to labour for the We now subjoin a few things in the press, they have not altogether failed in way of statistics. The Reformed this particular. We can speak only of Presbyterian Church has increased but the authorized publications of the slowly, but has not yet in this respect Church. In 1741 they emitted a Defallen back. They have in Scotland claration and Testimony. In 1753, at present thirty-seven ordained mi- A Defence of the Atonement, in opposinisters, thirty-four of these having tion to two ministers and a few persons charges. They have three or four adhering to them, who had embraced, vacant congregations, five preaching in one respect of it, the doctrine of a stations, and eight preachers. A great universal atonement. In 1761, Act, number of the congregations have Declaration, and Testimony, for the Sabbath schools attached to them, and whole of the Covenanted Reformation, are contributing to the support of mis- &c., which has gone through four edisions. They have six presbyteries, forming a synod. They have sent missionaries again and again to Canada; they have a missionary in New Zealand, another in the New Hebrides, and a missionary to the Jews in London. In these operations, while they have nothing of which to boast, they will stand a favourable comparison with Christian friends around them.

This church has, from an early period, had a footing in Ireland; and it has been upon the increase. In numbers, they are about equal to their brethren in Scotland. They have suffered in some respects, by divisions among themselves and by emigration, but still maintain a respectable status; and they have sent and supported missionaries ordained to charges in New Brunswick, and have made an effort in behalf of England, in the city of Manchester.

tions. Also, a Warning against Popery. In 1793, a Warning against Socinian and Unitarian errors. In 1801, Explanation and Defence of the Terms of Communion. In 1805, Testimony and Warning against Prevailing Immoralities. In 1817, Testimony against the Evil and Danger of Popery. In 1829, Resolutions against the Admission of Roman Catholics into legislative power. In 1830, Resolutions on the subject of Missions, on occasion of forming a Missionary Society in connection with the Synod. Also Book of Ecclesiastical Government and Discipline. In 1831, Resolutions against Slavery. In 1833, Resolutions on the Sabbath. In 1837, Testimony of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Scotland, Historical and Doctrinal. In 1841, Lectures on the Principles of the Second Reformation. In 1843, Commemoration of the Bicentenary In America this church has a greater of the Westminster Assembly, and Cennumber of congregations and minis-tenary of the Reformed Presbytery. Beters than either in Scotland or Ireland. sides these, there have been published They are, perhaps, double in number of Pastoral Letters on Private Social Worany of the churches in the mother ship, Directory for Fellowship Sociecountry. They have also suffered from ties, Overtures respecting the Education division, but still maintain a respectable of Students of Divinity. Besides these, position among the churches. One de- they have had for some years past a partment has originated and supported Monthly Magazine. a prosperous mission in India, which has reached to the organization of a presbytery.

It may be proper to add, that while the ministers of the Reformed Presby

The Reformed Presbyterian Church has participated, more or less, so far as consistency admitted, with the great movements of church and society in these latter days, and she holds herself

in readiness to co-operate in promoting | in the maintenance of Popery, and the great Christian objects, when this can violation of the constitution in the admisbe done without compromise. Her sion of Papists into the legislative counministers and members have given cils; and in those last days they consievidence of this. They lament over der Divine Providence as giving a special the divisions of the Church, and some- emphasis to the call, "Come out of times console themselves with the her, my people, that ye be not partakthought that they have not originated ers of her sins, and that ye receive not them. They regard the Second Refor- of her plagues."-Their ecclesiastical mation as contemplating union upon the government, as stated above, is Presbysoundest principles and the largest terian. They view Presbyterianism as scale, aspiring not only after a happy the law of Christ, providing for the union of the Three Kingdoms, and of the unity, extension, and perpetuity of the Church in them, but contemplating a Church, in a happy medium between the grand Protestant union throughout extremes of Episcopacy and IndepenChristendom. They dissent not from dency.-The profession of the Reformed this great object, they protest not Presbyterian Church embraces the civil against it but regard it with approba- relations of mankind. It is not political, tion and delight. Departure from these in the popular sense of this term ; but principles and their great object has they hold the sentiment that the Word necessitated, on their part, dissent and of God is the supreme standard of the protest. But with the Bible, and the political conduct of men in everything ecclesiastical books of the Church in the respecting morality and religion. ChrisSecond Reformation, in their hands, tianity, they believe, does not interfere they repel the charge of schism; and, with previous moral relations, obligawith the Covenants in their hands, as tions, and institutions, excepting in so well as in the just interpretation given far as it sheds upon them a clearer of them by competent authority, they light, and confirms them with its pecurepel the charge of rebellion, if any one liar sanctions, supplying the surest bond shall prefer it against them, and they of social union, cherishing the social approve themselves the lovers of their virtues, exerting the most salutary country's prosperity by their peaceable check on the abuse of power, and prolives, their prayers, and their active moting obedience and dutiful subordiusefulness. nation. They cannot regard their In a document of this kind, they are sentiments as either unpatriotic or anaware that the thing required is state-archical. They love their country, and ment not argumentation; and as they know not how to consult better for its deprecate nothing more than ignorance prosperity and happiness than by the and prejudice, they refer inquirers to dissemination of pure and undefiled rethe authorized "Testimony of the Re-ligion, and the adjustment and subordiformed Presbyterian Church in Scotland, nation of society by a faithful application Historical and Doctrinal."-In common of Scripture principles in all their imwith others, the Reformed Presbyterian partiality and amplitude.—The leading Church reckon their public profession truths of their profession have been emas Scriptural, acknowledging no other braced in public solemn covenants with supreme authority beside the Divine God, with a view to the preservation of Word. They trust that their doctrines the reformed religion in Scotland, and are Evangelical, in the strictest sense of the reformation of religion in England the term. They regard their profession and Ireland. Popery and Prelacy are as Protestant, and have testified against condemned by the letter and spirit of the legal establishment of Popery in the the holy Scriptures, and, contemplated colonies, alliances with anti-Christian in the light of history, have had a perpowers, expending the public treasury | nicious influence upon the Church and

upon Society. Their fathers were it was arrested, undermined and perseimperatively called to put themselves cuted. But it contained great elemenin the attitude of defence against tary principles lying at the basis of the that ascendancy which these systems prosperity expected in future days, proplotted to obtain under the coun-viding for the duty and interest of man tenance of rank and wealth; and we as an individual, and as a member of owe to them, under God, our civil society, and for the prosperity of the and religious liberties. These public Church and the kingdoms of the earth. deeds were treated with profane con- And it provides for all this by placing tempt, and their adherents persecuted man in all relations under a clear and unto death; and when Providence put perfect rule, and under one rightful a stop to bloody persecution, the nation Sovereign, and by bringing the original set them aside, and the Church suffered and immutable law of love to God and them to fall into neglect. Their testi- to man into full exhibition and operamony, in its great principles, has been tion, in appropriate institutions, offices, sealed by the blood of martyrs. Those relations and duties, it promises to bind who suffered in the persecution preced-up the wound of the daughter of Zion, ing the Revolution, could not submit to and to heal the breaches of society unthe Episcopal hierarchy and supersti- der the reign of Him who is Truth and tions-they could not renounce as trea- Peace. They cannot think that their sonable and unlawful the covenants in views are contracted, illiberal, unpracwhich Prelacy had been abjured, nor give ticable. Those principles comprehend allegiance to power invested by national the whole range of truth and duty, acts with supremacy over the Church, and of faith and practice, and provide for persecuting her members to the death. the personal, social, temporal, and eter-Important truths and interests em- nal interests of the human family; and braced in the one testimony have been they will adhere to them, till a more publicly departed from, and the cause excellent system-one more compreof reformation seriously impeded and hensive and faithful-be shown them. injured. They are constrained, from They appreciate the piety, talent, conviction, to adhere to the views of labours, benevolence, and enterprise the minority that dissented from the of Christians in other churches, and conduct of the nation and the Church desire to emulate them in all that at the Revolution. The independence is good; and while lamenting the and liberty of the Church were im- divisions which unhappily prevail, they portant matters surrendered to its seri- pray, and shall endeavour, by every ous injury, as has appeared in the re- consistent means, that they may be sults. They rejoice to observe that the healed in truth and peace. They do not public mind has awakened on this im- charge themselves with committing a portant subject, and they shall rejoice breach upon the unity and peace of the to observe faithful efforts prosecuted and Church, by adhering to her constitution crowned with success, and the scattered and privileges, as asserted in the Second friends of the Redeemer and his church Reformation; and, without asserting rallied and united under one banner its perfection, but viewing it as a against the common foe.-They view ground-work upon which to proceed, the principles which they have exhibited they are fain, in abiding by its spiritual as forming an excellent ground-work excellencies, to extend the blessings of for further reformation. The Refor-religion, liberty, union, and peace, to mation had not time to be com- the Church of God, to their beloved pleted and consolidated. When just land, and to all the nations of the begun, in the mysteries of providence, earth.

THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

BY THE REV. PROF. EADIE, D.D. LL.D.

GLASGOW.

THE United Presbyterian Church consists of those two religious denominations recently known by the names of "United Secession" and "Relief."

I.-UNITED SECESSION CHURCH.

avowal of the extraordinary and fatal facility with which such Dissenters or prelatical incumbents retained their parishes and their salaries. The only condition required of those men who had served in a church which had shed the best blood of Scotland, was the simple acknowledgment of the fact, “that the church government, as now settled by law, is the only government of this Church." The great reason for such procedure, was the wish, on the part of the government, either to bribe into acquiescence, or at least to place under control, the notorious Jacobitism of the Episcopalian clergy of Scotland. The accession of so many pliant aliens in spirit and doctrine, was viewed with suspicion by the country, for it was soon found to exercise a deleterious influence over the preaching and the policy of the National Church. The leaven so intruded, seemed to leaven with ominous rapidity the whole lump.

The Secession Church had its origin in a faithful and prolonged struggle for purity of doctrine, and freedom of administration. Ever since the settlement of the Church of Scotland at the revolution of 1688, there had been a gradual and marked deterioration in her pulpits and her ecclesiastical courts. The facile remnant of the old Episcopalian clergy, had, as a measure of policy, been admitted to her communion. Parliament had so willed it, and the General Assembly at length, and not without murmurs, acquiesced. There curates so easily and opportunely converted into Presbyterian pastors, now read ethical homilies instead of printed prayers, and many of them, as Burnet testifies, were the dregs and refuse of In 1712, the act of patronage was the northern parts, were openly vicious, passed, by which the cherished right "wretched preachers, and ignorant to of the parishes to choose their pastors, a reproach." But in the course of was forcibly wrested from them. The twenty years, what had been sullenly Assembly remonstrated with the Legissubmitted to on the part of the Church, lature, but in vain,—pleaded long usage was in a spirit of vain servility openly and constitutional right, but to no purboasted of. "We cannot," says the pose. The First and Second Books of Assembly to Queen Anne, in 1712, "we Discipline, though somewhat varying as cannot but lay before your Majesty this to the mode of election, are equally expregnant instance of our moderation, plicit against the intrusion of a minister that, since our late happy establishment, on a reclaiming congregation. In 1690, there have been taken in and continued hundreds of dissenting ministers, upon the easiest terms." A sad confession of an unfaithful compromise, but a frank

*

the right of election was vested in the

*The oath of abjuration had already created no little aversion of opinion, and many good men scrupled to take it.-M'Kerrow's History, vol. i. p. 7, 8.

been created and augmented by repeated provocations. A crisis had come, and on the 10th October of the same year, Ebenezer Erskine delivered that sermon which led to the Secession.

session and Protestant heritors; and the at length to blush at its own rapacity people, if not satisfied with the choice and treason. Nay, in its naste to made for them, possessed an effective strengthen the law of patronage, it veto, but now such privileges were entirely transferred from its own keeping the jus and summarily superseded. The result devolutum, (a privilege which many was, that the aristocracy became paro- Presbyteries had employed so as to favour chial dictators, and thrust upon unwilling popular election), and did so by an exchurches, their own creatures and nomi- press violation of the Barrier Act. In nees-men, in many cases, wholly unfit such circumstances, forty-two ministers to be spiritual teachers. Violent settle- addressed a paper to the Assembly of ments became frequent throughout the 1732, stating a number of grievances, country, the military were summoned in but the document was not allowed to be to preserve peace, and the obnoxious pre-read, and a similar manifesto, signed by sentee with the officiating Presbytery 1,700 elders and laymen, met, of course, were protected from menaced or appre- with a similar fate. Tyranny so gross hended danger by the sword and scarlet and wanton, created a powerful hostility of dragoons. Appeals on the part of the to itself in the national mind. The exinsulted parish against such oppression citement and alarm were prodigious,— were a common resort, but they generally the dissaffection of the pious people had failed in obtaining redress from the General Assembly. The Church bowed to the civil authority, and Acts of Parliament triumphed over popular franchise. The spirit of independence was bribed or vanquished in the large and dominant majority of the rulers of the Church of Scotland, and at length, in 1729, the Assembly, in violation of its constitutional forms, introduced a new machinery, and appointed committees of unbounded power, to superintend and execute their tyrannical acts of intrusion. So keenly and widely, however, was such oppression felt, that in the following year, the Supreme Court had twelve cases of complaint and appeal to dispose of. During these discussions, one of the Presbyteries had been enjoined to proceed with a violent settlement, but several of its members resolutely protested, and craved that their dissent might at least be recorded. The request was sharply refused, and it was then enacted as a general law that, in future, "no reasons of dissent against the determination of church judicatories" should be entered on record. The very power of complaint was taken away, and the injured were shut up to a dumb resignation. Constitutional freedom was virtually at an end—the last trace of right and privilege was gone- and the despotism of the General Assembly ceased

But parallel to all this usurpation and oppression, there was another and melancholy cause of growing discontent. The Church of Scotland had not only been rapidly secularized, but doctrinal laxity seems to have kept pace with obsequiousness to the court and Parliament. Christ's crown was bartered away, and the cross on which he won it with his blood was also dishonoured. Disloyalty to the one King and Head, was accompanied by indifference in the maintenance of the doctrine of his divinity, and in the exhibition of his atoning work.

In 1717, Professor Simson of Glasgow was arraigned at the bar of the Assembly for error, involving in it no little of the Pelagian heresy; but the venerable court "prophesyed smooth things," and dismissed the culprit with a bland advice to be more chary and cautious in time to come. But the same Assembly which tolerated such deviations from orthodoxy, attempted also to stifle evangelical truth. The Presbytery of Auchterarder, in their desire to check the growth of Arminianism, had drawn up certain propositions to be subscribed by candidates