The United Secession Magazine

for the purpose. Afterwards the committee appointed to confer with the United Original Seceders with a view to their incorporation with the Free Church, gave in their report, from which it appeared that the intercourse between these bodies had been most agreeable and friendly. Dr Candlish referring to the Addresses the Free Church had last year received from a number of religious bodies, and amongst others from the Original Seceders, said, "This was the only body which came forward with overtures of union, and I take leave to say, that in the circumstances in which we were placed, and with the testimony we were honoured to bear, this was the only existing body in Christendom from which we could have held it to be a compliment and honour to receive overtures of union; I say this, of course, without in the least undervaluing the sympathy of other churches, but because the overtures for union made by this body were from those who had maintained entire and uncompromising the testimony of the Erskines of old." He stated that the chief difficulty they had felt in the conferences of the two bodies, related to the Covenants, not with respect to their substance, but to their perpetual obligation, and that this difficulty did not seem insuperable. He added, however,-"It is true we came to the conclusion, that any proposal of an immediate union could scarcely be entertained." He stated his conviction, nevertheless, that incorporation was to be contemplated as neither hopeless nor distant. The report was approved, and a larger committee was appointed to prosecute the object. The Assembly next received the report of the committee on elementary and normal Schools, which was given in by Mr Lewis of Leith. Among a variety of interesting particulars, it stated that during last year they had 122 salaried teachers, of whom 63 were formerly parochial or Assembly teachers, the remaining 59 having either been trained at their own normal school, or having formerly been private teachers; that since the commencement of the normal school, 62 young men have attended for one or two terms of four months each; that the number of these at present is twenty-nine, the scholars in attendance being 560; that a library of 300 volumes has been obtained; and that the expenditure, L.215, has been defrayed by school fees and students' tickets of admission. The report having stated that many of the teachers under training had been sent by ministers, added,-" In no way can our ministers confer a higher benefit on the cause they have all so deeply at heart, than by a wise and judicious selection of such young men from their respective congregations, and by undertaking for a time the direction of their studies, preparatory to their admission to the seminary." The Moderator then addressed Mr Lewis ; and Mr M'Donald proceeded, amidst the acclamations of the house, to report his progress in raising L.50,000 for 500 schools. His plan is to solicit subscriptions of pennies, sixpences, shillings, or whatever sum may be preferred, for every one of the 500 schools, all payable in the course of five years. In this way he had already obtained subscriptions amounting to, he believed, upwards of L.52,000. The report was received with enthusiastic admiration. The Assembly agreed that, as Mr M'Donald proposed, L.10,000 should, with the consent of subscribers, be set apart for college purposes, and that he (Mr M'D.) should be authorised to devote other three months, or more if necessary, in addition to the six already occupied in raising still larger funds for the great object of education; and the Moderator, in highly complimentary terms, returned to Mr M'Donald the thanks of the Assembly for his zealous and successful exertions in the cause. In connexion with this business there was laid before the Assembly a memorial, subscribed by 176 male Sabbath school teachers in Edinburgh, urging the Assembly to make every possible effort for the religious education of youth; and the Assembly cordially recommended all ministers, sessions, and presbyteries, to give constant and earnest attention to this momentous subject.

In the forenoon of Saturday, 25th May, much of the time of the Assembly was occupied with a transporting call. The next business was an overture from the presbytery of Edinburgh, proposing that the Assembly should appoint a committee to consult with any similar committee which might be appointed by other churches respecting the affairs of Christ's kingdom, and to engage in exercises which might be profitable and edifying. Dr Candlish said, that as other churches did not seem to be moving in the matter, he did not see that anything of a practical nature could at present be done; and should any steps be taken by other bodies, the subject might be taken up by the Commission in August. An overture was then brought forward from the presbytery of Selkirk to the effect, that the Assembly should guard against Committees in Edinburgh assuming undue power. This, however, the mover consented to withdraw. It was next agreed that the Assembly should remit to the Commission the subject of University Tests, with instructions to watch over the interests of such Professors as are members of the Free Church. Dr Candlish then gave the report of the deputation to the United Associate Synod, and said :"I have only to report, that while the Associate Synod very frankly and fully made allowance for the difference of opinion subsisting between them and us as to the subject of religious establishments,-while this was frankly owned and acknowledged on both sides, and was, in fact, virtually brought out fully in all our statements,—yet, notwithstanding, I have to report that we returned from our conference with that body deeply impressed with the kindness and cordiality with which they received us, and rejoicing in the prospect of there being increased union and co-operation Letween them and us. It was stated on both sides, that this did not imply any surrender of our principles as we mutually held them; and we stated, on the other hand, our be lief, that by cultivating this friendly intercourse with that body, we shall receive good from them, and possibly, in their present state particularly, they might receive not a little good from increased fellowship with this branch of the Presbyterian Church. I have nothing particular to report of our intercourse with the synod, except the feeling of high satisfaction which we had in addressing them, and cur deep sense of the friendly manner in which they welcomed our intercourse with them. I trust this is but the earnest of more enlarged intercourse with them, and with all the evangelical churches throughout the world, thus drawing closer and closer the bonds of brotherly love amongst us, so that if Popery has uniformity without real unity, Protestantism, on the other hand, may have that rea! unity which is preserved by the Spirit of the liv ing God, dwelling in all the branches of the Church which hold the Head, Christ Jesus."

Dr Henderson said,

That the feelings expressed by Dr Candlish were shared very deeply by all the members of the deputation. They were much gratified with the kind welcome and the frank statement of principles by the synod. The deputation were equally frank in the statement of theirs; and he had reason to know, from private as well as public information, that the interview was equally gratifying to both parties." The committee on the vesting of the property of the Church then gave in its report, which we may afterwards lay before our readers.

On the forenoon of Monday, May 27, the committee on the status of Deacons then presented their report in the form of an overture and interim Act, which the Assembly adopted, on the duties of elders and deacons, and on the management of the property and secular affairs of congregations. The substance of this we may give on some future occasion. The Home Mission committee next reported. The total sum received by the committee was L.2987; of this they had expended-In aid of eight students preparing for college, L.51. In aid of sixty-five at literary classes, L.639, and in aid of forty-four at Divinity Hall, L.440,-making a total of L.1130. Of the students aided, probably more than thirty-two are Gaelic. The Gaelic committee next reported. It appears that in the Synods of Argyll, Glenelg, Moray, Ross, Sutherland, and Perth and Stirling, there are fortyone organized congregations without pastors, and twenty-six stations in the course of being organized; that to supply the deficiency of Gaelic preachers,

ministers had to a great extent itinerated in these districts; that about thirty catechists also had been appointed to hold prayer meetings, to read the scriptures with observations, to expound the catechism, with the assistance of Willison's and Fisher's explanations, and to read such books as Guthrie's Saving Interest, Boston's Fourfold State, and Alleine's Alarm; that there are only five or six Gaelic students ready for licence, who will make up the number of labourers in this department to only thirty, while sixtyseven would be required; that there seems a great eagerness on the part of the Highlanders to receive the gospel, and that notwithstanding all disadvantages, a great amount of spiritual good has been effected, many who formerly sat in darkness having seen a great light. Dr Candlish then gave in the report of the committee on the Plantation of Charges. It stated that the committee recommended the Assembly to authorize certain presbyteries to license individual students who had not attended the hall during the regular number of sessions, and one who is not spoken of as having been a college student at all; also that they implored the Assembly to adopt some suitable measures for supplying the population of Orkney and Shetland with the ministrations of religion in connexion with the Free Church. Dr Candlish informed the Assembly that there were 100 congregations ready to give calls, and 145 stations in a state of more or less complete organization,-that there are only eighty-four probationers, and that of these only sixty-four can regularly officiate, that about forty students had been licensed, or were on the eve of being so, that the demands for preachers in many parts of the country were extremly urgent, that in some districts" where the supplies of preaching have been scanty, the people, in some degree, have been carried away with these novel doctrines, or rather the old heresy has been revived, which we know to be preached by certain persons in some parts of Scotland. It is a most melancholy circumstance, that from various districts of Scotland, we have accounts of the prevalence of what are termed 'the Morisonian views." He then submitted the plan proposed for erecting new congregations, the chief feature of which is, that in every case a reference must be made to the Assembly; also proposals respecting the distribution of preachers and catechists, and the mode of dispensing in future the money to be applied for aiding students, which is to be in the form of bursaries, for which students, duly recommended, are to compete; all which being approved, the Moderator addressed the conveners of the Gaelic committee, and the committee for the Plantation of Charges, returning to each the cordial thanks of the Assembly. In the evening the Assembly received an overture relating to the Waldenses; and the Rev. F. Monod of Paris delivered an interesting address on the state of the Protestant Churches in France, and some adjacent countries. The Assembly agreed that thanks should be returned to M. Monod, and that several resolutions should be adopted, one of which was, that a committee be appointed to open up a correspondence with the Protestant churches on the continent, and to take charge of any funds that may be raised for their behoof. The Assembly next received a report of the Building committee. The total amount received for the local and central fund, together with the value of churches, and other donations in kind, amounts to L.241,055, being two-thirds of the entire sum deemed necessary for completing the object. The sum from England is L.24,036; from Ireland, L.5829; from America (so far as reported,) L.7620; from Africa and other foreign parts, L.206. Sum raised by a noble lady in England, L.1473. The following are a few of the items of expenditure:-Lothian Road church (Dr Candlish's first,) L.1341; tents for Sutherland, L.521; Mr Swanston's floating manse (Small Isles,) L.224. The balance on hand is L.30,881. The committee consider L.15,000 or L.16,000 sufficient to meet the demands likely to be made on them during the ensuing year

The thanks of the Assembly were returned to the convener. The committee on Manses then reported, stating, that they conceived it requisite that manses should be universally provided for the ministers, that a manse building committee should be appointed, with power to obtain the best possible plans for comfort, economy, and architectural effect, and for drawing the attention of the Christian public to the object; also that the committee should consist of all the elders in the Assembly, and such others as may be assumed. The Assembly approved of the report, and thanked the convener. The Assembly next adopted an overture by a number of members, praying the Assembly to express its satisfaction with the government for its interposition in behalf of professing Christians in some parts of the Turkish empire, and that it address other Christian governments of Europe, through their representatives, on the same subject. Dr Welsh then gave in the report on Education. The number of students in the new college last session amounted to 212. Of these 209 attended the divinity hall; 164 studying with a view to licence. The church history class was attended by 142, and the Hebrew by 130. The mode of teaching had been much the same as formerly, but Dr Duncan had introduced great improvements with respect to Hebrew. Upwards of L.1000 had been collected for the library, and between 6000 and 7000 volumes had been gifted to it. The thanks of the Assembly were conveyed to Dr Welsh by the Moderator, after which Mr Sheriff Spiers read the report on Ross and Sutherland, when a variety of interesting, and some of them revolting, statements were made respecting the disinterestedness of ministers, the stedfastness of the people, and the infatuated obstinacy of proprietors in refusing sites. After the transaction of some pieces of business of minor importance, the Assembly adjourned.

On Tuesday the 28th May the Moderator stated, that at a former sederunt the thanks of the Assembly had been voted to Dr Chalmers, and as he was now present, the thanks were tendered accordingly. Dr Chalmers made an excellent and characteristic address, which he concluded as follows. Referring to country congregations supporting their ministers,—

"I say they are able. And I am only sorry, when some of the Highland brethren were telling us of the inability of the people in some districts of the Highlands to save anything. I am sorry I did not put the question, Whether the practice of snuffing was at all prevalent among them? Why, I believe that I could make out by the excise returns, that in the island of Islay alone, some L.6000 a year was spent on tobacco. The power of littles is wonderful. I began with pennies, I now come down to pinches of snuff-and say, that if we got but a tenth of the snuff used by the Highlanders -every tenth pinch,-it would enable us to support our whole ecclesiastical system in the Highlands. It is astonishing the power of infinitesimals. The mass of the planet Jupiter is made up of infinitesimals; and surely, after that, it is in the power of infinitesimals to make up a stipend for the minister of Ballachulish." (Roars of laughter.) The report on the State of Religion was then read by Mr Macfarlane of Renfrew, and contained many very valuable suggestions, most of them applicable alike to all denominations. We regret the less our inability to give an outline of it, that a full report of the Assembly's proceedings has been published separately in a cheap form, and we earnestly hope that, for the sake of that portion which relates to this and some kindred subjects, it may be extensively perused, both by the office-bearers and the members of our church. The business of the Assembly being now over, the Moderator closed the sittings with an admirable address. Indeed it is but justice to him to say, that throughout he discharged with exemplary propriety the duties of an office which, from the Assembly's peculiar mode of transacting business, is the reverse of a sinecure.

Want of space compels us to postpone, till next month, a report of the Assembly of the Establishment. For the same reason, our usual Monthly Retrospect must be omitted.