their own enemies produced no impression on their minds was, that the very same accusations were brought against Christ himself, and that the same answer which he gave was sufficient for us also-" My kingdom is not of this world." Because it was not of this world, it could not interfere with the kingdoms of this world, and ought not to be governed by the kingdoms of this world, (Cheers.) This they (the Free Church) had said not by words only but by deeds; and for this they were honoured by those who sent him from their inmost souls: they saw that they had taken the right side-that they stood in the middle between the living and the dead to stay the plague-the worldly policy and carnal expediency that infested our land. (Cheers.) They had taken the field in a great controversy between truth and error, between the Lamb of God and the Man of Sin; but truth is great and will prevail. (Cheers.) They may make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb shall conquer them; for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and must reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet. (Great cheering.)

Mr HENRY GREY said they had listened with the deepest interest to the statement of their respected friend from Wales. They had all heard of the Welsh Calvinistic Methodists: their praise was in all the Churches, and they had long been distinguished for the purity of their faith, the simplicity of their manners, and the liveliness of their zeal. There was no body of Christians of whom it gave him greater pleasure to read or hear; and they must all acknowledge the great delight they had experienced from the visit of their excellent friend who had just addressed them. (Cheers.) He therefore hoped that the Moderator would, in name of the Assembly, convey to him, and through him to the body of Christians whom he represented, their united thanks. (Cheers.) The following resolution was then read and adopted:

"The General Assembly cordially welcome their respected Christian minister from Wales, and receive with the highest gratitude the expression of sympathy which he has conveyed from the body with which he is connected, as well as the substantial token of regard which he has communicated; and they instruct the Moderator to convey their thanks."

The MODERATOR (Dr M'Farlan), in name of the Assembly, then conveyed formally the vote of thanks to Mr Edwards.

The Assembly adjourned at twelve o'clock.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21.

The Assembly met this day in private.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23.

The Assembly met at eleven o'clock, in the East Regent Street Free Church, for private deliberation; and at one o'clock adjourned to the City Hall-Dr Brown the Moderator, in the chair. The two first verses of the 63d Psalm were sung, and the Court constituted with the usual devotions.

After the minutes had been read,

Mr PITCAIRN, one of the Assembly Clerks, intimated that some overtures had been transmitted, upon the election of office-bearers of the Church.

Dr M FARLAN moved that a Committee of the Assembly should be appointed to meet with the Committee of the Original Seceders, and deliberate upon their overtures for union. The motion was agreed to.

CASES OF COMPETING CALLS, &c.

The Assembly then took up the reference in the case of the call by the congre. gation of Inverary, in the Presbytery of Dunoon, to the Rev. Mr M Allister at Nigg, in the Presbytery of Tain.

Dr M'Kay and other members appeared for the Presbytery of Dunoon, and Mr Carment of Rosskeen made a statement for the Presbytery of Tain.

Dr CANDLISH stated that what was proposed in this case was to authorise the Presbytery of Tain to meet for the purpose of forwarding this settlement, and report before the rising of the Assembly.

Dr M'KAY suggested that authority should also be given to the Presbytery of Dunoon to meet with the Presbytery of Tain, and confer on this subject.

This was also agreed to, and the question disposed of accordingly.

The Assembly then took up the reference in the case of the call from the congregation of Strachur, in the Presbytery of Dunoon, in favour of the Rev. Mr Lauder, of the missionary station at Glengarry, in the Presbytery of Abertarff.

Parties being called, Dr M'Kay and other members appeared for the Presbytery of Dunoon. There was no appearance for the Presbytery of Abertarff.

The point raised in this reference was, whether it was necessary, in the case of a call being forwarded to a minister of a missionary station, to take the same steps in removing him from his charge—such as citing his congregation to appear in the matter—as was necessary in the case of removal of a regularly ordained pastor from his flock.

A short conversation took place on the case, in which Mr Dunlop, Dr M'Farlan, Dr Candlish, Dr M'Kay, and Mr M'Farlane of Renfrew, took part, and from which it appeared that there was also a call to Mr Lauder, from Fort Augustus, which circumstance was not stated in the papers sent up to the Assembly.

Eventually the discussion was brought to a close by Dr M'Kay withdrawing the case in the name of the Presbytery of Dunoon.

VOTE OF THANKS TO THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND THE
MARQUIS OF BREADALBANE.

Dr CHALMERS rose and said,-Moderator, I rise for the purpose of repairing an omission which took place on the first day of our meeting. It will be in the recollection of the house, that at the last meeting of the Assembly, thanks were voted to those gentlemen who had rendered public and parliamentary services to the cause of the Free Church, which I was required to transmit. I accordingly sent these votes of thanks to the several members of the House of Commons, viz., Mr P. M. Stewart, Mr Campbell of Monzie, Mr Fox Maule, Sir George Grey, and others. I received replies from these gentlemen at the time, which I shall now read. reverend Doctor read accordingly letters from the above mentioned gentlemen.

The

He then continued,—I have also received a reply from Sir George Grey, breathing the same sentiments; but although I have the letter past me, I have unfortunately neglected to bring it. The last Assembly was not, however, the proper time, for the vote I have now to propose; for a great deal of exertions on behalf of the Free Church had yet to be made. The time, I say, had not then arrived for including in that vote of thanks the name of one who is a member of the present Assembly, and who has earned the distinctive claim to the most cordial and grateful acknowledgment of this Assembly, for the great services he has rendered to our cause in high places-I mean the Marquis of Breadalbane. ( (Loud and long continued applause.) Why, Sir, our friends in the House of Commons had a number of gentlemen to keep them in countenance; but the Marquis of Breadalbane in the House of Lords stood almost alone. (Hear, hear.) This must have required an effort of moral courage which none can appreciate save those who are accustomed to the business and the collisions which take place in a deliberative body. There is not a more severe trial than to stand up alone, with few minds congenialised to your views, and the scowl of hostile countenances around you. Then, if the Marquis of Breadalbane stood alone in the House of Lords under these circumstances, he has also earned for himself a most honourable singularity in another situation. (Hear, hear.) You will find several protests on the journals of the House, and several names associated with his on the legal and constitutional points of the question; but the Marquis of Breadalbane's is the only name appended to the protest which embodies all the great ecclesiastical principles which we have been contending for-(loud applause)-and if by the amount of moral courage which he has shown, we are to estimate the strength of his conviction of those great principles, I don't know how highly to characterise the spirit

of true Presbyterianism which stirs in the breast of this man. (Renewed and longcontinued applause.) This envied singularity will hand down his name with honour to latest posterity; and however much he may have been traduced, and exposed to the ridicule of those in high places, still impartial posterity will say that it is a singularity which sits most gracefully on his person. (Hear, hear.) I therefore beg to move that the thanks of this House be voted to the Marquis of Breadalbane for the exertions he has made in support of the rights and liberties of the Church of Scotland. The announcement was received with most hearty applause.

It being stated that Lord Breadalbane had left the Assembly,

The MODERATOR said, I understand that this motion, in reference to the Marquis of Breadalbane, has been carried by acclamation. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly that I shall write to the Marquis of Breadalbane expressive of what has taken place?

The motion was agreed to with enthusiasm.

MINISTERS FROM OTHER CHURCHES.

The next case was a reference from the Presbytery of Dalkeith, in the case of the Free congregation of that town, who have given a call to a minister of the Irish Presbyterian Church.

Dr CANDLISH wished the Assembly to consider how they would take up the reference. This related to a call given to a minister of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland. Now he wished to remind the house, in connection with this case, that there were on the table of the Assembly, applications from other ministers and probationers of other denominations, who wished to be admitted into communion with the Free Church. There was an application from another minister of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland, who had not received a call; there was also an application from an ordained minister of the Original Seceders, to be admitted a member of the Free Church; and there was, farther, an application from a minister of the United Secession, to be admitted a minister of the Free Church; and he dared to say there might be one or two more such cases. Now the point which he wished the Assembly to consider was, whether they would dispose of this call from the congregation of Dalkeith as a separate one? or whether they would take it up in connection with the general question, whether ministers of other denominations were to be received into the Free Church, and on what terms, and in what manner they were to be so received? It was important that the Assembly should look upon this not as an isolated case, but in connection with these other applications.

Mr MCFARLAN of Renfrew said, one strong reason for taking up this question, was, that the ministers of the Irish Presbyterian Church were more intimately agreed with them, than those of other denominations. On all the great questions that were agitated, there was a perfect harmony between the two bodies.

Dr CANDLISH said, that was not exactly the point. Suppose they were to make a difference between the Irish Presbyterians and other denominations, still the question remained, for there was another minister of the Irish Presbyterians, who had made application to be admitted, without having received a call, and therefore the case for the Assembly to consider was, whether they would take up the case of the minister who had been called as a separate question, or whether they would take up the general question.

Mr BANNERMAN of Ormiston said, there was good ground for taking up this as a separate question. There was an obvious distinction between this and the other cases; for in them the interests of individual ministers alone were concerned; but this case of Dalkeith involved the interests of an important congregation, which had been placed in peculiar circumstances. If they were to take up the general question, it would be proper to consider, how they were to admit ministers of other churches into ministerial communion. But in the case of Dalkeith, which had given a call to a minister of the Irish Presbyterian Church, the interests of a congregation were at stake; and if the Assembly were as well acquainted with the circumstances of the parish as he was,-if they were aware of the unfortunate position in which the parish was placed the risk of division and disunion which they had incurred, and the provi

dential way in which the congregation had united in giving a call to this individual, he believed that the Assembly would at once agree to take up this case, and decide it upon its special merits; for he had no hesitation in saying, that he looked with fear and apprehension upon the result if the Assembly were to put their veto upon this call, and tell the congregation that they were to be cast back into all those dangers of a division from which they had so providentially escaped.

Dr M'FARLAN had no objection to taking up this case, provided it were agreed that it should not be taken as a precedent. But if they were to give judgment in this case without any such reservation, it would be a delicate matter afterwards to refuse admission to ministers of other churches, to whom serious objections might apply. On the understanding that it was not to form a precedent for future judgments, he had no objection to take up this as a separate case.

Mr CARMENT seconded the motion.

Mr MILLER of Monifieth wished to know whether the decision of this special case would be a rule for deciding other cases similarly situated. He might mention that the Free congregation of Broughty Ferry had also given a call to an Irish Presbyterian minister, and that this case would have been brought up before the Assembly, but for the expectation that the decision of the Dalkeith case would have ruled it. He wished, therefore, to know whether the decision of this case, supposing they entered upon it, would rule the Broughty Ferry case.

Dr M'FARLAN.—It is impossible to say; each case must stand upon its own special grounds.

Mr MONCRIEFF of Kilbride said he could not see how they were to decide this special case, without at least touching the general question. (Hear, hear.) The only speciality in the case here was the fact, that an individual had got a call to an important station, where he had united the people. If, therefore, they decided the question on this special case, it seemed difficult to understand how they were to avoid laying down the principle on which they acted. He merely threw out this as a difficulty which had occurred to his mind; but he would not stand in the way of any course that might be most agreeable to the mind of the Assembly.

Mr FERRIE of Anstruther addressed the House, but in such an inaudible voice, that even the side he took could not be heard.

Mr BURNS of Kilsyth said, that by entering upon an agreement to this application they would decide a question as to the admissibility of ministers from the Irish Presbyterian Church. He would understand the Assembly to look favourably upon the admission of ministers from the Irish Presbyterian Church. To that extent a principle would be decided, but no farther. They would still keep in their hands the specialities of each case, and that was the great point, which he trusted they would never give up.

Dr CANDLISH said, if the general question of the admissibility of other Presbyterian ministers was to be raised, he thought the Assembly would see that that question required to be handled with the greatest delicacy. He could conceive of nothing more likely to disturb the harmony and good feeling between the two Christian bodies, than the admission on either side of ministers and probationers from either Church. He could conceive nothing more likely to disturb that harmony, than to admit ministers and probationers on either side, without consulting the Supreme Court of the other Church. In admitting other ministers they subjected themselves to great suspicion, either that they were admitting the refuse of other bodies, who had failed to obtain churches in their own denomination, or that they were grasping at and taking away the best men of other denominations, either of which suppositions was very apt to create jealousy. He presumed it would be the mind of the Assembly to remit to a Committee the consideration of this whole matter, and report to next Assembly. (Hear, hear.) If it is likely that that would be the deliverance of the Assembly in reference to the general question—not certainly to shut the door upon ministers from other churches-but with regard to the regulations for their admission-then he would say that considerable inconvenience would arise from entertaining this special question. No doubt the Presbyterian Church of Ireland was more at one with them than the United Secession Church, but he would not

say that this Church harmonised more with the Presbyterian Church of Ireland than with the Synod of the Original Seceders of Scotland, and yet one of the applications was from a member of that synod. He was not, therefore, for making a difference all at once in favour of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland, as if their relations with that Church were more intimate than with other Presbyterian Churches. Again, the admission of the Irish Presbyterian Churches came before them in two shapes, for there was an application for admission by a minister who had not been called by any congregation; and considering that they had already got information of a call being given by another congregation to another minister of the Irish Presbyterian Church, however anxious they might be to promote the interests of the congregation of Dalkeith, and however they might hail with delight the prospect of admitting their brethren from other denominations, he was not sure that the question did not present itself before them in a disadvantageous shape, when coupled with the call to a minister from one of their congregations, especially when they heard of another call, which might be depending upon it. He therefore thought that this case should be taken up along with the question of admitting these ministers, and as he did not see how the cases were to be separated.

Dr CUNNINGHAM (who was received with great cheering), said he did not rise to occupy the time of the Assembly, but merely for the purpose of saying that the whole matter was one requiring serious and careful deliberation; and was one which ought not to be determined without consultation with the other churches concerned. He thought that before taking any further steps, they should ascertain the mind and feelings of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland. Were they to deal with a single case, their decision might run contrary to what other Churches might think best for the interests of both. He thought that a committee should be appointed to consider the whole matter, and to correspond with other Churches, whose ministers might come before them in the shape of applicants for admission into the Free Church.

Mr M FARLANE said, that the difficulty of obtaining preachers, whether occasional or ordained over congregatious, was felt most sensibly at present-whereas, if matters remained as they were till after the Irish Assembly in June 1844, the greatest of the difficulties would then be at an end. He had no intention to leap over the difficulties to which Dr Candlish had alluded; but he thought they would require, in the mean time, to give power to the committee to admit certain parties. The greatest difficulties were at present; and if they waited till June, they would lose most valuable time, and might actually have to put down congregations. In many of their stations, they were carrying on service in the evenings, but when winter came there could be no service in the rural parishes; and, therefore, missionaries must be stationed in these districts, or some of them must apply to other denominations for a supply.

Dr BUCHANAN said, that after having reflected a good deal on the subject, he could not feel at all satisfied with the proposal to take up the Dalkeith case at all. He felt persuaded that the Assembly was in the position of being hurried, in order to obtain some local and temporary advantage, into a violation of great standing rules and principles, which would produce inconveniences and disadvantages hereafter. Whatever local and temporary disadvantages might result in the case of Dalkeith, or in other cases, were not worth naming in comparison with the risk which might be incurred, and he thought they should come to a determination on the general question without the entanglement of any case of this kind. Mr M'Farlane thought that if the settlement of the question was to be deferred till after the meeting of the Irish Assembly, they would lose the advantage of whatever arrangements they might come

to.

He differed from that opinion. He had no doubt that many of the stations alluded to were in a condition to have.a settled minister placed over them; and he was afraid that if they brought over a number of preachers in the circumstances described, the effect would just be to traverse that most wise and necessary regulation which the Convener of the Financial Committee, with the approbation of the house, had already laid down-that the number of their congregations must be regulated to some extent by their revenue and resources. He believed that the time that would elapse before the arrangements were matured would not be more than enough to bring such sta