right of objecting to a presentee on the most frivolous grounds, insults them in its practical operation by the contradictoriness of the judgments of the Spiritual Courts;and while it declares that there shall be no appeal in cases of disputed settlements to any but superior Church Judicatories, takes away the right of exclusive jurisdiction in matters spiritual, by allowing appeals to the Civil Court on the question of competency. Yet with exceptions so few and so insignificant as to be unworthy of notice, ministers and people firmly adhere to the principles and communion of the Free Church. The pitiless storms of winter have not prevented them in the north and south from congregating under the canopy of heaven to hear the words of eternal life; the frowns, the threats, the cruel treatment of angry and foolish landlords, have not shaken the firm resolution of the faithful servants of Christ; few, very few have forsaken us, having loved a present world; and the efforts of a deceitful, and, as respects the time, a ludicrous and absurd legislation, have been altogether ineffectual in seducing any to return to a Church which the people of Scotland can no longer regard as the Church of their fathers.

I trust I do not say these things in the spirit of proud, vain-glorious boasting. Alas! we have more than enough to humble us in the deepest self-abasement before God! The sins, yea, the heinous offences of some of our ministers and peoplethe formality, and lukewarmness, and worldliness, of very many of the members of our church, and the imperfections and sins which cleave to us all, ought to check the first risings of vain-glorious pride in our breasts, and to lead us to ascribe to the Almighty power and Sovereign grace of Jehovah any good thing which he may have found in us, and all the success which has been vouchsafed to us, in providing for the diffusion of gospel truth in our own and in distant lands. To God be the praise to him be the power and the glory. The work is his; it is the doing of the Lord, and it is marvellous in our eyes.

If the work be of God,--if there be evident token of its having received his blessing, it becomes us devoutly and humbly to inquire, especially when met in General Assembly, for what end this wonderful event has been permitted and ordained, and in what way we may most effectually fulfil the purposes of the Almighty in the new position in which His providence hath placed us. That there are special duties incumbent upon us in our altered circumstances, will scarcely be denied by any man of pious and thoughtful mind. So many hundred thousand persons have not been separated from the Church Establishment, to which they and their fathers belonged, merely to rank in society and in the world as one of several numerous and flourishing religious denominations. The increase and confirmation of our body in itself cannot be the object which the Sovereign Ruler has in view. We cannot but suppose that he has infinitely higher and more important ends to accomplish, into which it is our duty humbly and reverently to inquire.

It can scarcely admit of dispute, that throughout Scotland, and even in those parts where no active efforts have been employed for disseminating the principles of the Free Church, there is an earnest desire in the people generally to enjoy its ministrations, a desire which, chiefly from our want of men, we have not yet been able to satisfy. That it would be our duty, irrespective of that desire, to provide destitute and remote localities with a gospel ministry, is abundantly evident. To the utmost of our power it ought to be our endeavour to make all our countrymen hear the glad tidings of salvation through the cross of Christ. But when from many corners of the land they are crying, "Come over and help us," when we are no longer impeded, as formerly, by the artificial arrangements, and, perhaps, the too rigid rules, of a parochial economy,-it is still more evidently the duty of the Free Church to aim at the extension of its ministers and congregations over every portion of our beloved land.

One thing, however, is indispensably necessary to the accomplishment of this most desirable object, namely, a liberal and united support of the Sustentation Fund by every congregation according to its ability. If, as I am sorry to learn, there are some congregations who make no adequate exertions, some who are able to give, and to give largely, who indolently lean on the liberality and activity of others,the result of such unequal contribution will be to discourage the wealthier and more

liberal congregations, and ultimately to overthrow the system as one of universal application to every part of our land. The Free Church will continue to exist, and perhaps to flourish, in our towns, and in many rural parishes; but our Highland, and not a few of our Lowland parishes, which for generations have been perishing for lack of knowledge, some of whom want the ability, and perhaps a still greater number the inclination, to give largely for the support of a gospel ministry,-will be left in all the spiritual desolation in which we found them when we commenced our endeavours to provide them with a gospel ministry. It will, no doubt, be one object of this Assembly to guard against so great an evil, by prompting congregations, in every variety of circumstances, to a uniform and growing liberality, proportioned to their means, and by resolutely withstanding, in the mean time, the too rapid increase of the number of our ministers and congregations, if the present financial system be preserved, lest it should be said of us, this Church “ began to build, but was not able to finish;" but, what would be still better-by devising and adopting a system which should at once give an impulse to church-extension, and prevent the too great accumulation of weak and aid-receiving congregations.

Missionary exertions are, in like manner, obviously a part of the duty which God has assigned to us as a Church. We have been happily laid under the necessity of devoting ourselves to this work, by the adhesion of all our missionaries to our principles and cause. They chose to abide by us; we could not, without a manifest dereliction of duty, forsake them. The people of the Free Church have cheerfully responded to this appeal; and we have been enabled, not only to keep up the ancient number of our missionaries to Jews and heathens, but to add to the sphere of our operations by including in our scheme the mission-stations in Africa, formerly under the superintendence of the Glasgow Missionary Society.

Passing over the Colonial and the School-building Schemes, the latter so powerfully and admirably forwarded by the energy of Mr Macdonald of Blairgowrie, allow me to direct your attention for a little to duties which are more particularly incumbent on us in consequence of the recent progress of Popery in almost every part of the world.

The facts to which I refer are well known to you all. The Jesuits, as thoroughly organised and as indefatigable as in the days of former years, are actively and successfully employed, in Europe, in America, in India, and even the Southern Archipelago, in strengthening the see of Rome, and resisting the progress of a pure and spiritual Christianity. The Propaganda, with its branches and affiliations, and with immense funds at its disposal, is occupied in building splendid churches in places where the Romish Church has scarcely any adherents, in the confident expectation of a rapid and general conversion to Popery; and I am grieved to say, that the civil governments of Europe, blind to the lessons of past and present times, are deliberately and openly lending their countenance to these powerful efforts for bringing their subjects again under the darkness and spiritual thraldom of the Man of Sin.

Our own Government stands in a bad pre-eminence in this respect. Not contented with relieving the Roman Catholics from civil disabilities, and placing them, with regard to civil rights, on the same footing with the other inhabitants of this free country, not contented with allowing them the undisturbed exercise of their religion, and perfect liberty to propagate their own opinions, it is endeavouring, with every prospect of success, to pass an act, the first of a series of enactments of a similar kind, for endowing the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland. The two great parties in the House of Commons-with individual exceptions in both, highly honourable to the members to whom I allude-have united together in support of a plan having so threatening an aspect to the religious and civil interests of the inhabitants of the British empire. One of the ministers of the Crown is reported to have said, that there is no material difference between the creed of the Church of Rome and that of the Church of England, and with his colleagues in office, pleads for the passing of the Maynooth Bill as a measure of conciliation. The leader of the other party, forgetting the eternal distinction between truth and error-a distinction well understood by the noble house of Russell in bygone times-declares it to be his wish that the Catholic priesthood should be endowed, and that the light of

Protestantism in Ireland, instead of being increased and rendered effective, as the means of chasing away the darkness of that unhappy country, should be proportioned exactly to the numbers who profess to rejoice in that light.

These are signs of the present times which cannot be contemplated without the profoundest alarm by those who know and have seriously considered what Protestantism is, on the one hand, and Popery on the other; and indicate clearly that the interpreters of Scripture prophecy are in the right, who have expressed their opinion that Popery is to regain its lost strength, and to have a mighty ascendancy in the earth before its final overthrow. The gloominess of the prospect, however, is not a little relieved by the decided opposition which has been given to the Maynooth Bill by Protestants of almost all denominations in the United Kingdom. The constituency and their representatives in Parliament are obviously at variance on this most important question. It is evident, that whatever progress Popery, or the Puseyism or semi-Popery of England, may have in this country, there still remains in all parts of the empire a goodly band of enlightened Christian men, who, because they love their Roman Catholic fellow-subjects, and desire their deliverance from intellectual and spiritual bondage, and would preserve for themselves the precious inheritance which was watered by the blood of their fathers, will not cease to lift up a loud, and a united, and a continued testimony against the threatened infraction of the British constitution.

This, it appears to me, is peculiarly the duty of the Free Church, and I have no doubt it will form an important part of the proceedings of this Assembly. Two of the political leaders of the Irish Catholics have affected surprise at the opposition which we have given to the Maynooth Bill, and have accused us of ingratitude on that account. If these honourable gentlemen refer to the votes which, if I mistake not, some of their party gave in support of Mr Maule's motion for inquiry into the claims of the Church of Scotland, I will not do them the injustice of supposing that they gave their votes with the intention of supporting the Protestantism of our Church; and I ask in return, that they will not do us the injustice of supposing that we ought to evince our gratitude, if indeed, there be any obligation of that kind, by supporting what we deem the pernicious and soul-destroying errors of Popery. They are aware now, if they did not know it before, and, God willing, they will know it better hereafter, that the Free Church is the determined enemy, not of Papists, but of Popery; and that there is no one thing becoming its character as a church of Christ, which it will not do singly and collectively, for maintaining in its integrity the Protestantism and pure Christianity of its fellow-citizens, and endeavouring to rescue their Roman Catholic countrymen from their present state of ignorance, and mental degradation, and abject misery. If there be one designation more applicable than another to the Free Church, as distinguished from other denominations of professing Christians, it is that of an anti-Popery Church. Its distinctive principle-long may it continue to be so is subjection, entire subjection, to Christ, and to Christ alone, in matters spiritual. It disowns equally the right of the civil ruler and the right of the priest, to invade the sacred dominion of conscience. Its members deprecate from their inmost soul a civil despotism, employing the influence of a false religion for maintaining its authority; but they deprecate still more strongly a spiritual despotism, robbing man of the right of private judgment, and putting itself in the place of the infallible Word of God; and, though they may be told, by men high in the estimation of the literary and political world, that they are under a delusion, which will speedily pass away-firm in the consciousness of an enlightened judgment, and a deeply-rooted Scriptural Christianity, they will resist to the death every effort to bring their once Protestant, and still highly-favoured country, under the noxious influence of an antiChristian and impious superstition.

What measures the Assembly may take on this important subject, it would ill become me to dictate. This, however, I may say without presumption, that union among the different classes of professing Christians opposed to Popery is, I had almost said, indispensable. It is true, some of our brethren of other denominations

Mr O'Connel and Mr Sheil.

object to the Maynooth Bill on grounds which we cannot sanction or approve; but they hold, in common with us, that the main ground of objection is the anti-scriptural character of the Romish system, and are prepared, on that ground, to unite with us in opposing its endowment, aye, and in attempting its subversion. Our Protestant brethren of the Continent, also, exposed to the same and even greater dangers than we are, are holding out their hand to us, with a view to a closer union, and a mutual defensive alliance against the encroachments of Popery,-in connection with which I have much pleasure in announcing that Dr Merle d'Aubigné is now in England, and intends, God willing, to be present next week in our Assembly. Let us unite, then, with our Christian brethren throughout the world, in one grand Protestant Association, which, if not constituted by any formal contract, or minute regulations, shall have one great object in view-the glory of our God and Saviour in the supremacy of the Bible-the maintenance, through the Holy Spirit, of vital spiritual religion, and the salvation of the souls of our fellow-men.

It is gratifying to know that, whatever measures may be adopted by our Church with reference to the progress of Popery, we shall be in little danger of incurring, deservedly at least, the charge of political partizanship. The two great political parties are, as I have already remarked, altogether mingled and confounded on this great question. The two parties into which the country is now divided, are the Catholic-endowment and the no-endowment parties. For my own part, I should be contented with the old and reproachful appellation of the "No-Popery" party, cry and all; for why should we not cry, if the wolf be really at hand? But whatever may be the result to ourselves personally, and as a Church, of the measures which we may see it to be our duty to take, let every minister, and every elder and deacon, and every private member of the Free Church, remember his responsibility in the present awful and momentous crisis. Who knows whether God may not have called us to our present position for such a crisis as this? Who knows whether that event which I for one regarded with a grief which I was unable to express, but in which I do now most sincerely and heartily rejoice, may not have been designed, in the allwise but unsearchable providence of God, as the Divinely-appointed means of gathering together a multitude of our countrymen, to testify for God in these perilous times, and to be, I would say with humility, a refuge, under Him, in which His afflicted and persecuted people may hide themselves, until the coming calamities be overpast! If we altogether hold our peace at this time, there shall enlargement and deliverance come to God's people from another place, but we and our fathers' Church shall be destroyed. Let it be our earnest prayer that we may know the times, and what Israel ought to do.

I cannot close this address without adverting, for one moment, to the loss which the Free Church has sustained in the death of the excellent Dr Welsh. Another opportunity will be given, during the sitting of the Assembly, for speaking more at length on his character and services. Meanwhile, I am sure that every one who hears me will agree with me in thinking that we could scarcely have suffered a greater bereavement. In the unsearchable providence of God, our dear and much respected brother has been cut off in the prime of life, and the vigour of his intellectual manhood. In the very act of fervent prayer he has entered into his Master's joy, and is now far removed from the turmoils, and the labours, and the persecutions, of a present world, no longer to join with us in the contests of these troublous times. The will of the Lord, and not our will, be done! Other persons eminent in our Church by their zeal and piety, have, in like manner, been removed since the meeting of the last General Assembly-one of them the intimate and endeared friend of a long lifethe lamented Dr Abercrombie. Conspicuous by his attainments and his works in the highest walks of science and philosophy, and not less conspicuous by his amiable dispositions and enlightened and consistent piety, he presented one of the finest examples of a Christian layman which it has been our lot to behold, and mightily adorned the Church of which he was a member and an office-bearer. He, too, has entered into his rest. "Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; the faithful fail from the children of men;" and enable us to hear thy voice, saying, "Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of."

My reverend fathers and brethren, I thank you for the honour which you have conferred upon me by placing me in this chair. It shall be my earnest endeavour, with the help of God, so to preside over your deliberations, as to prove that I have not been altogether unworthy of your choice. I anticipate nothing but Christian love, and harmony, and mutual forbearance, whether you shall always be agreed in sentiment on the subjects which shall come before us or not. If God shall be pleased to pour out upon us, as on the three former Assemblies of the Free Church, the spirit of prayer and supplication-if he shall enable us in all our words and actions to remember that we are under the omniscient eye of the Great Head of the Church, and that each of us shall give in his account unto Him, I feel assured that our proceedings will receive the blessing of our Divine Master, and will merit and receive the commendation of our fellow-Christians.

Committees were then appointed on Bills and Overtures, and for arranging business.

The Assembly adjourned at a quarter to four, till Friday.

FRIDAY, MAY 23.

Devotional Exercises-Report from Board of Missions-Speeches by Dr M'Kellar, Mr Dunlop, Mr Fox Maule, Mr Guthrie-Report on Business-Report on Commissions-Commission for Lockerby sustained-Report on Sabbath Observance-Speeches of Dr Stuart, Mr Bell, Sir A. Agnew, and Dr Candlish.

The Assembly met this day at one o'clock, and was for some time engaged in devotional exercises, which were conducted by the Moderator and Dr Smyth of Glasgow.

The Assembly called for the

REPORT OF BOARD OF MISSIONS AND EDUCATION.

The Rev. Dr MAKELLAR, Chairman of the General Board of Missions and Education, gave in the following Report

MODERATOR, It has been usual, from the very beginning, to afford the Board of Missions an early opportunity of giving an account of their state and proceedings to the General Assembly. We gladly avail ourselves of that privilege on the present occasion; because we are enabled, in the most cheering terms, to congratulate our brethren on the prosperous state of our missionary undertakings; and feel warranted to call upon them to join with us in rendering praise and thanks unto the Lord for his loving-kindness towards our Church.

Looking to the amount of funds provided for the operations of the Church, our minds must be struck with their surprising magnitude. When we consider their variety, and extent, and value, along with the different channels in which they flow, and the high principles in which they originate, it well becometh us to say, "This is the doing of the Lord, and it is wondrous in our eyes."

At the time of the Disruption, we knew well that our condition was one of great destitution and difficulty. Compelled to quit the sanctuary of our fathers, and to go out, not knowing whither we went, it was given unto us of God to possess our souls in peace and confidence-committing our cause "unto Him that judgeth righteously, and who leadeth his people by the right way to a city of habitation."

Although our means were scanty, and our prospects precarious, yet we proceeded at once in our work of faith and labour of love, bearing a faithful testimony to the truth as it is in Jesus, and striving to carry the glad tidings of his salvation as far as our opportunities and means would admit. We knew well that a missionary spirit is characteristic of, and essential to the Church of Christ; and being desirous to realize in our beloved Zion what belongs to the true Church, we resolved to go forward, in the strength of God, with all the undertakings in which we were then