of the scheme. In this labour he has been ably seconded by Mr Balfour, who has had the charge of the Depository. In the commencement of so extensive a plan, and with the rapid increase of members which took place, considerable difficulties have occurred which may have occasioned inconvenience to some of the subscribers; but the Committee are confident that the arrangements now adopted will prevent its occurrence in future, the more especially as the Committee have now secured in Edinburgh (what they would recommend to be adopted throughout the country) a regular agency among the church-officers, through whose instrumentality the subscribers in their congregations would be supplied with their volume.

"In the infancy of this scheme, the Committee, having regard to the necessarily large expense incurred in starting it, as well as the uncertain amount of their resources, deemed it safest to restrict themselves to the issue of three volumes."

After reading the report, Dr Candlish went on to say, that the result of the first year had exceeded their most sanguine expectations. But by next Assembly they expected to be able to report a large addition to the subscribers. As yet these subscribers had been solely drawn from amongst the adherents of the Free Church; but as there was nothing in the scheme to hinder other bodies from subscribing to it who agreed with them as to those doctrines of the fathers of the Church, he expected by next year a large accession to their numbers. The present year people had subscribed to the undertaking in the dark,-they did not know what kind of food they were to get; but now, when at the close of the year, notwithstanding all the drawbacks which attended a new undertaking, they saw their three volumes completed, he thought there was little doubt of the people giving them credit for the year to come, and that thus they would get an increase, both at home and abroad, of which they could have no conception. Nor could they estimate the amount of moral and spiritual good which by the scheme would be effected both in this and other lands. They had been too long in beginning to this work; but now that they had begun to spread abroad the old theology of Scotland, they would be the means of promoting the spiritual good of the people, of advancing the interests of literature, and of spreading and upholding the doctrines of the Reformation. He announced the preparation of a catalogue of the works of Scottish Reformers, and also the two next volumes for the second series. (Hear, hear.)

Mr BEGG then reported as to that portion of the scheme which referred to Manuals and Catechisms. The first Catechism projected, was one on the distinctive principles of the Free Church. It was certain that many of their people were not acquainted with these principles, and unless they instructed the young in them, they had no guarantee that they would continue permanent. No better means could be employed for giving this instruction than Catechisms, and, therefore, the Committee resolved to get up one, setting forth in plain and easily understood terms, the principles of the Free Church. This task-that of framing such-they entrusted to one well qualified for the work-he meant the Rev. Mr Gray of Perth-(hear, hear)— who had nearly completed the task to the high approbation of the Committee. They all regretted that for some time Mr Gray had been indisposed, and prayed that he might soon be restored to the Church. In the meantime his Catechism was preparing, and would soon be issued. In conjunction with this it was suggested that the Protest, the unanswered and unanswerable Protest-(hear, hear)—taken at the Disruption should be published in a cheap and intelligible form. That was to prevent its falling out of view, as in a few years it might altogether be lost sight of,-it being feared that it was at present but in the hands of very few of the people. The task of preparing this had been entrusted to Mr Lorimer of Glasgow, and would soon be completed. The irattention had also been called to the propriety of publishing an illustrated edition of the Shorter Catechism, for families and Sabbath schools, which had been entrusted to Mr Fairbairn of Salton, and was in the course of preparation. They were also to prepare one upon baptism and the Lord's Supper, which had been confided to Dr Wilson; and they were also considering the propriety of preparing one on Popery, and a manual as to the duty of elders and deacons, together with tracts as to the financial arrangements of the Free Church. In regard to the business department, they did not take a list of subscribers, as they did

in the book scheme. At the same time, they did not want to make a speculation of it; they wished it to appear that their sole object was, not to make money by such means, or to become rivals to our booksellers, but to increase information; and therefore they had resolved to give one bookseller the power of publishing these catechisms for a limited period,-such a period as might be necessary for covering the expense. After that, they proposed to allow any bookseller to publish these works, on the condition that they give the Committee proof-sheets thereof, in order that they might see that nothing bad got into them. These works were intended not to occupy the same position of authority, as the Shorter and Larger Catechisms, but simply as helps to ministers, elders, and people; and he trusted that they would do what in them lay to give circulation to them, and thereby accomplish the great end the Committee had in view.

Dr MACFARLANE of Renfrew reported as to the monthly tract department of the scheme. The circulation of these at present amounted to 36,000, but that was much too small; and he trusted that, in the course of a short period, the circulation of them would rise to 100,000.

A doubt having been expressed as to the propriety of publishing a catechism on baptism, except under the authority of the Assembly, it was agreed that the Professors of Theology should be added to the Committee, and that they should revise such catechism before it was published.

The Assembly then, at twelve o'clock, adjourned till next day.

TUESDAY, JUNE 3.

Committee as to Sites instructed-Causes for Commission in August-Case of Rev. Mr Adam-Ad. dress on Maynooth Grant-Petition on Poor Law Bill referred to the Assembly at Inverness-Overture on Intemperance-Sympathy with Evangelical Clergy of Switzerland-Reports-OverturesDay of Humiliation-Moderator's Closing Address.

The Assembly met to-day at 12 o'clock. After engaging in devotional exercises, the minutes were read and approved of.

With reference to the petition to Parliament anent the refusal of sites, a committee was appointed to watch over the matter contained in the petition, and authorised to proceed as a deputation to London, or to adopt any other course they might see cause.

In respect of the adjournment of the Assembly, to meet at Inverness, and that consequently there would be no meeting of Commission in August, it was agreed that causes referred to the Commission may, with consent of parties, be disposed of at the said adjourned meeting, or otherwise are to be disposed of at any of the subsequent diets of the Commission.

The Assembly then took up the case of the Rev. James Adam, formerly a minister of the Congregational Church in North Wales, applying for admission into the Free Church. A member of the Presbytery of Edinburgh having been heard on the subject, the Presbytery were authorised to take Mr Adam on trials, with a view to licensing him.

MAYNOOTH COLLEGE BILL.

Dr WILSON read the draft of an address to the Queen against the Maynooth College Bill.

Mr GEORGE BROWN, elder, Lesmahago, suggested that they should return to the practice of the Covenanters, and form a solemn league and covenant for counteracting the influence of Popery; and for this purpose he thought a committee should be named, with instructions to prepare an overture, and bring the matter before next Assembly. (Hear, hear.)

Mr BEGG explained that the Committee on Popery had already been instructed to communicate with other bodies, with a view to such an alliance.

Mr Sheriff MONTEITH wished an expression put into the Address, of the Assembly's desire to see not merely toleration, but full political justice given to the Roman

Catholics of Ireland. For his own part he did not see that the people of Ireland were called upon to support an establishment from which nine-tenths of them dissented.

Dr DUNCAN had no objection to the granting of full political justice to the people of Ireland; but was afraid the adoption of the phrase would be misunderstood, and would convey a meaning different from what he entertained. In some senses he thought the people of Ireland had already got more than full political justice. (Hear, hear.)

Mr MONTEITH had no wish to throw a bone of contention into the house; he only wished that if the feeling had been unanimous, it should be given expression to; but as it was not, he would withdraw his suggestion.

The draft was then unanimously approved of, and the Moderator authorised to sign it in name of the Assembly, and transmit.

POOR LAW BILL.

Mr DUNLOP read the draft of a petition to parliament against the Poor-law Bill, which was also unanimously adopted, and the Moderator authorised to sign it in name of the Assembly, and transmit it to the Right Hon. Fox Maule, for presentation to the House of Commons, and to the Marquis of Breadalbane, for presentation to the Lords.

PROGRESS OF INFIDELITY.

Mr MONTEITH, with reference to the progress of infidelity at the present day, through the medium of the sciences of geology and natural history, and the consequent necessity of thoroughly indoctrinating the minds of their divinity students with correct information on these subjects, suggested the establishment of a lectureship for this purpose, in connection with the Theological Institute of the Free Church, to which he had reason to believe they might succeed in getting the benefit of the invaluable services of Dr Fleming of Aberdeen.

This suggestion led to some conversation on the subject, but ended in no result.

INTEMPERANCE.

The Assembly then proceeded to consider an overture from the Presbytery of Biggar and Peebles anent intemperance.

Mr W. W. Duncan, from that Presbytery, was heard in support of the overture, which, he remarked, suggested no particular method of eradicating the evil referred to, but left it to the General Assembly to take up the subject, and give such a deliverance upon it as would convince the public generally that they were in earnest in endeavouring, as far as possible, to strike at the root of the matter, and as would strengthen the hands and encourage the hearts of those who were engaged in this good cause.

Dr CUNNINGHAM laid on the table a memorial addressed to the Assembly, which he had received when in America, from certain ministers, elders, and deacons of Evangelical Churches in Montreal, but which he had been unable to lay his hands on in time for presentation to last meeting of Assembly. It came, he said, from most respectable parties, who had shown their interest in the Free Church, by subscribing a large sum to its funds; and he moved that this memorial, together with the overture from the Presbytery of Biggar and Peebles, should be remitted to the Committee on the State of Religion, in whose recent Report there were some admirable statements in connection with this matter, and who would, he hoped, direct their attention to it more fully and especially than they had hitherto done.-Agreed

to.

EVANGELICAL CLERGY OF THE CANTON DE VAUD.

MR SHERIFF SPEIRS called the attention of the Assembly to a statement made by Dr Merle D'Aubigné, at a public breakfast that morning, respecting the serious invasion of religious liberty which had been made by the Great Council or Legislature of the Canton de Vaud, in Switzerland, who had passed a law on the 20th of May

last, cutting off the salaries of all pastors who should officiate in any religious assembly other than the legal meetings for public worship in the National Church, in consequence of which sixty of them had declared that they would be compelled to renounce their connection with the State, and moved, in accordance with the suggestion of Dr D'Aubigné, that the General Assembly express their deep sympathy with the minsters and people of the Canton de Vaud-endeared as that Protestant country is to this Church by many delightful recollections-and request the Moderator to convey to them the expression of their sympathy in regard to this subject, and their earnest desire that, in the trying circumstances in which they are now placed, they may have grace granted to them to prove faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ, the only King and Head of the Church. And further, that the Assembly instruct the deputation which is about to proceed to London on the subject of the refusal of sites, to take every proper means to bring this subject also under the consideration of members of Parliament.

FORMULE.

The Report on the Formula was given in by Dr Cunningham, who submitted the draft of the preamble and supplement to the Formulæ, stating that the Committee had not been able to prepare them with so much care and exactness as the subject required. The Committee was re-appointed, and instructed to revise these documents with the utmost care, and to report fully on the subject to the Assembly at its adjourned meeting; and to reserve for the consideration of the adjourned meeting the report of the committee for classing returns to overtures, to the effect that a majority of Presbyteries have approved of converting the Overture and Interim Act of last Assembly into a standing law of the Church. In the mean time, the Assembly passed the overture of last Assembly as an interim act for the guidance of Presbyteries.

COLONIAL COMMITTEE.

The Report of the Colonial Committee formerly read was approved of. The resolutions of the Synod of Australia were remitted to them. Thanks were given to Dr Burns and Mr M'Naughtan, for their very efficient services as deputies to Canada, and to Mr King for the admirable manner in which he conducted the Theological Seminary and discharged the duties of a pastor at Toronto, during last winter. The Assembly learned with great pleasure the prospect of a speedy establishment of the Scotch colony of New Edinburgh in New Zealand, consisting of members of the Free Church, and with every security for the colonists being provided with the ordinances of religion and the means of education in connection with this Church. Without expressing any opinion regarding the secular advantages or prospects of the proposed undertaking, the Assembly highly approved of the principle on which the settlement has been proposed to be conducted, in so far as the religious and educational interests of the colonists are concerned, and the Assembly desired to countenance and encourage the Association in these respects. Farther, the Assembly having received a communication from Mr Sym, resigning the convenership of the Committee, accepted of the same, with an expression of their warm acknowledgments for his devoted services while he held that office. Dr James Buchanan was appointed convener, with power to the Committee to nominate a vice-convener.

ELECTION OF OFFICE-BEARERS.

Dr CUNNINGHAM gave in the Report of Committee on Election of Office-bearers, and stated, that he had received various reports from presbyteries, all of them to the effect, that elections of office-bearers had been conducted with the utmost harmony and unanimity. The Assembly expressed their high satisfaction with the report.

EXPENSES OF THE HOUSE.

Mr DUNLOP, convener of the Committee on Expenses connected with the business of the House and agency of the Church, gave in a report, which was approved of, and the committee reappointed with their former powers, and with instructions to allocate the sum now required on the different congregations of the Church. The

Assembly appointed the sum due for the expenses at May 1844, to be paid from the funds of the Sustentation Committee.

OVERTURES ANENT UNION FOR PRAYER.

Dr CANDLISH then brought under the notice of the House the overtures anent union for prayer, the resolutions as to a Pastoral Address, and overtures anent the appointment of a day of humiliation, and the subject of Popery, when the following deliverances were pronounced.

The overture anent Union for Prayer was remitted to the Committee on State of Religion.

The overture anent the Pastoral Address was remitted to a committee, with instructions to prepare and issue a suitable Pastoral Address. On the motion of Dr Cunningham, the Moderator, Dr Buchanan, and Dr Candlish were appointed to prepare it.

DAY OF HUMILIATION.

The Assembly, having seriously considered the overture anent a day of humiliation, appointed Thursday the 17th of July next to be held as a day of humiliation and prayer, with thanksgiving, in reference to the peculiar and solemn circumstances in which the Church is now placed, leaving it to the ministers and kirk-sessions to regulate the service which it may be proper to have on that occasion. The Assembly farther appointed the ministers of the Church to direct the attention of their people to the subject of Popery on the Sabbath preceding the said 17th of July.

The MODERATOR reported, on the part of the Committee appointed to answer addresses from other Churches, that they had fulfilled the instructions of the Assembly in this matter.

The consideration of the reference from the Synod of Angus and Mearns was deferred till the adjourned meeting at Inverness.

The following ministers and elders were named the deputation to the next meeting of the Synod of the Presbyterian Church in England:-Dr Cunningham, Dr James Buchanan, Dr Smyth, Mr David Brown, Mr Henry Moncrieff, Mr J. M. Hog, Mr William Brown, Mr James Moncrieff.

The following deputation to the Presbyterian Church in Ireland was named:The Moderator, Dr Robert Buchanan, Mr Roxburgh, Mr M'Donald (Blairgowrie), Mr Cairns, Sir David Brewster, Professor Brown, Dr Smyttan, Mr George Lyon, Mr Henry Paul.

A Standing Committee on Popery was named, to appear as deputies at any conference which may be held for union among Protestants, with power to call in the aid of other ministers and elders.

The petition to the House of Lords on the subject of the grant to Maynooth, was adopted.

The next General Assembly was appointed to be held at Edinburgh, on Thursday the 21st of May 1846.

The MODERATOR then addressed the House as follows:

REVEREND FATHERS AND BRETHREN,—Again I thank you for the honour which you have conferred upon me, by placing me in this chair. It has been bestowed with a kindness,-I may say, truly, an affection,-on the part of many of the members of this Assembly, which has made a deep impression on my heart, and will never be effaced from my recollection.

I have at the same time to thank you for the uniform indulgence and support which I have received in the performance of my duties as your Moderator,—an indulgence, without which, even in this Christian and united Assembly, I could not have succeeded, if indeed I have succeeded, in conducting your proceedings with the solemnity and decorum becoming the Supreme Court of the Free Church of Scotland. It is to me, as it must be to you all, a most gratifying reflection, and a ground of devout thanksgiving to God, that, during the whole of our ten days' discussion, the Assembly have not divided,-I have not once been called to exert my authority for the preservation of order,-not one angry word has been spoken,-not one un