to the difficulty connected with regular supply of ordinances for both places, recognising at same time the importance of a sanctioned charge in this district. The Assembly restored Maryton, Presbytery of Brechin, to the position it occupied in 1843, and recognised it as entitled to participate in the equal dividend, on the understanding that the congregational contribution to the Sustentation Fund shall not be less than £80 annually, and with the proviso that the minister shall only receive from the Sustentation Fund the amount of the congregational contribution to the fund, and the difference between the said sum of £80 and the equal dividend.

COLLEAGUES AND SUCCESSORS.

Dr BEITH brought up the Report of the Committee on applications for Colleagues and Successors, and the applications were granted in the following cases :-Dumbarton, on condition that the Deacons' Court use their utmost efforts to provide for the colleague a stipend of at least £150, inclusive of half dividend from Sustentation Fund; and that, with the one-half of the dividend, Mr Smith shall receive the M'Farlane and McKinlay Endowments, to be made up to £30; colleague to enjoy the use of the manse; the Assembly grant to Mr Smith a sum from the Aged and Infirm Ministers' Fund, proportioned to the length of his ministerial service, according to the regulations of the Act of Assembly at present in force. Minute of Deacons Court to be produced to Presbytery, binding Deacons' Court to the proposed arrangements. Dunscore, on condition that Deacons' Court shall produce to Presbytery a minute binding Deacons' Court to have the colleague's stipend supplemented to not less than £130; the Assembly grant to Dr Brydon a sum from the Aged and Infirm Ministers' Fund, proportioned to his length of service; Deacons' Court to supplement Dr B.'s stipend to £130; Dr B. to have use of manse. Old Meldrum, on the understanding that the generous purpose expressed by Mr Garioch shall be carried into effect, viz., that the whole emoluments shall be vacated by him for behoof of the colleague. Ceres, on condition that Deacons' Court produce to Presbytery a minute binding themselves to use their utmost efforts to provide for the colleague, in addition to the half dividend, a supplement of between £20 and £30, with use of the manse; the Assembly, in addition to the half dividend, grant to Mr Donaldson a sum from the Aged and Infirm Minister's Fund, proportioned to his length of service; Deacons' Court to grant him the sum of £10 annually in lieu of the manse. St Leonard's, Perth, on condition that Deacons' Court produce to the Presbytery a minute binding that Court to carry into effect the generous purpose expressed by Mr Milne, that the whole supplement shall, with the exception of £50 per annum, be paid to the colleague, who shall also receive the whole dividend from Sustentation Fund. John Knox's Church, Glasgow, on condition that the Presbytery receive a minute of Deacons' Court, engaging them to use their earnest endeavours to secure to Mr Bannatyne such supplement as, with the half dividend, will make up his stipend to £200, and engaging them further to use their earnest endeavours to secure the colleague in a stipend to the same amount, including the half dividend. St John's, Leith, on condition that colleague's stipend, inclusive of one-half dividend, shall not be less than £150; Assembly grant to Mr Lewis, from Aged and Infirm Ministers' Fund, a sum proportioned to his length of service, his whole stipend being made up by the Deacons' Court to not less than £150.

GRANTS FROM Aged and infirm MINISTERS' FUND.

The Assembly made the following grants from this fund :-To Mr Grant, of Forres, a sum proportioned to his length of service, according to the regulations at present in force; dividend from Sustentation Fund to be equally divided between Mr Grant and his colleague. To Dr Smith, of Lochwinnoch, a sum proportioned to his length of service, according to regulations at present in force; dividend to be equally divided between Dr Smith and colleague. To Dr Clason, Edinburgh, a sum proportioned to his length of service, according, &c. To Mr M'Kenzie, North Leith, a sum proportioned to his length of service, according, &c.

AID FROM HOME MISSION AND HIGHLAND FUND.

The Assembly granted the following applications for aid from the above funds:-In the case of Millerston, the Assembly direct the Home Mission to place the congregation under their minute of 22d January 1856, date of grant to commence as at 15th May 1859. In the case of Salen and Torosay, the Assembly instruct the Committee on the Highlands to make a grant of not less than £30 per annum, to commence from date of settlement of minister, and recommend Highland Committee to adopt the same rule in reference to this grant as in the case of the Home Mission grants to newly-sanctioned charges. In the case of Midmar the Assembly direct Home Mission Committee to place the congregation under their minute of 22d January 1856, date of grant to commence from 15th May 1860.

LICENSING STUDENTS-CASE OF MR KILPATRICK.

The Report from the Committee on cases of Licensing Students was submitted. In the case of Mr Kilpatrick the Committee recommended the following deliverance :-"The General Assembly finding, that though Mr Kilpatrick has not completed the usual curriculum of study, he has given the most conclusive evidence of eminent gifts for the pastoral office during a period of more than six years that he has been engaged in missionary work in the district referred to, and that the congregation formed in the Lyon Street mission church through his labours, are now in circumstances to have a minister ordained over them, and are unanimous in their desire that Mr Kilpatrick should be their minister, grant the application of the Presbytery of Glasgow, and authorise the Presbytery to take Mr Kilpatrick on trials, with a view to his being licensed, and afterwards ordained as minister of the Lyon Street mission church." Parties having been heard,

Mr BALFOUR, Holyrood, said that the Church had adopted such rules for the admission of men into the ministry as were most likely to secure the ends of the holy ministry. If they were to adopt this deliverance, it would be virtually setting aside these rules. The success of their Territorial Mission movement was due in a great measure to their sending down to the lapsed masses thoroughly educated men-men available for any congregation in the Church. These classes had begun to rally around the Church, because they felt it was now in earnest in seeking to give to them men whom she was ready to take to herself. be virtually licensing and ordaining a man at the request of the people among whom he laboured. Upon that ground, wherever the labours of a city missionary were acceptable, the people might come forward and ask them to license him. It would be dangerous to grant the applica

R

This would

tion; and he begged to move that the General Assembly decline to grant the application from the Presbytery of Glasgow for leave to license and ordain Mr Kilpatrick to the mission church in Lyon Street.

Dr SMYTH, Glasgow, begged to assure the Assembly that he would yield to none in his desire to uphold the regular curriculum for the ministers of this Church, which in this age was more than ever necessary. But this was a peculiar case calling for a certain amount of relaxation, not as regarded the amount of knowledge, but simply as regarded the sources from whence this knowledge was derived. He was not aware that a fair interpretation of these enactments was incompatible with an occasional departure from the mere letter of them, provided their spirit was observed. Dr Smyth shewed that Mr Kilpatrick had given in exercises to their Professors in Glasgow, which they had highly approved of; that the success of the mission station was entirely due to his zeal and devotedness; and that he would have to pass the same trials before the Presbytery as an ordinary student. He concluded by expressing his opinion that if Mr Kilpatrick was licensed, he would prove a most acceptable minister.

Dr CLASON Said he could not agree to the licensing of Mr Kilpatrick, which was against the established rules of the Church. He entertained the most decided views that this Church ought to have a thoroughly educated ministry.

Mr WILSON said that this was a peculiar case; and seeing that Mr Kilpatrick had to pass the same trials as other ordinary students, he would be prepared to support the deliverance.

Dr WOOD then moved the adoption of the deliverance, with the addition of the proviso which had been adopted last year in the case of Mr Cochrane, viz., "That Mr Kilpatrick shall not be eligible to any of the ordinary charges in this Church for a period of four years from his ordination, and not without the sanction of the General Assembly."

Major-General ANDERSON rejoiced that this Church was going to break through her strict rules as to the admission of ministers. There was something far better than a long period of study-living Christian men like Brownlow North. He had often heard with pain dry essays from some of their preachers, and he thought if the Assembly agreed to license Mr Kilpatrick, it would be a blessing to young licentiates and ministers. This was no time for trifling, and what they wanted was ministers to bring souls to Jesus. (Applause.)

The House divided, and the motion of Dr Wood was carried by 119 to 15. From this judgment Dr Clason and Mr Balfour dissented.

CASE OF MR A. JAMIESON.

Mr LAUGHTON read the report of the Committee in the case of Mr Alexander Jamieson, Glasgow, recommending the Assembly to decline the application from the Presbytery of Glasgow for leave to take Mr Jamieson on trial for licence. The Committee reported unfavourably to the application, being of opinion that there was not sufficient cause to warrant a departure from the ordinary rules of the Church.

Mr NIXON said that Mr Jamieson's gifts were of the highest order; he had rendered signal service in contending for the faith, and was on a level with first-class ministers of the Church. He moved, "That in consideration of the gifts and literary and theological attainments of Mr

Jamieson, and his public services in the cause of religion, the Assembly resolve to exempt him from the trials of the Examination Board; and that, on his attending two additional sessions at the Divinity Hall, the Presbytery of Glasgow shall have power to take him on trials for

licence."

Mr MACAULAY of Invertiel seconded the motion; and said that Mr Jamieson possessed grace, gifts of wisdom and utterance, ability for the combined exercise of his gifts, and grace in controverting Popery and infidelity; and these were the essentials of a good Christian minister, no matter how they were obtained.

Mr WILSON, Dundee, said that Mr Jamieson's case did not require to be immediately dealt with; and it was time enough at the end of the two years which Mr Nixon would require him to attend the Theological Hall, to raise the question as to licensing him. He moved, "That the Assembly decline the application; and, while satisfied of the high character of Mr Jamieson, his services in the cause of Scripture truth, and his special gifts for controverting prevailing forms of error, do not find sufficient cause shewn in present circumstances to warrant a departure from the ordinary rules of the Church.”

Mr NOBLE of Muirkirk read an extract from a speech by Dr Candlish in the Presbytery of Edinburgh, in testimony of Mr Jamieson's ability, and the service which he had rendered to the cause of truth; and said that if the Assembly were to call upon Mr Jamieson, at the age of fortytwo, to learn Latin and Greek roots, his case would be hopeless; and very same grounds upon which they would reject Mr Jamieson, they would reject a name dear to Christendom, that of Mr Spurgeon. Mr Jamieson had attended literary classes, and had already attended two sessions at college. Mr Jamieson's application should be granted how. He moved, "That the General Assembly resolve to grant the prayer of the petition for leave to take him on trials."

upon

the

Mr BURNSIDE of Falkland doubted whether the House had the power to grant the application in this case.

Mr BALFOUR, Holyrood, in seconding Mr Wilson's motion, said that the question raised by Mr Nixon's motion was not before them; for Mr Jamieson did not ask to be licensed after two years' attendance at the Theological Hall, but to be licensed now.

Mr PURVES, Jedburgh, said it was not at all essential for the exercise of Mr Jamieson's gifts that he should be licensed ; and this was the distinction between this case and the preceding one.

Mr BALFOUR, Rothesay, thought it was preposterous for the Assembly to pledge itself to license a man two years hence. Besides, all that had been proved was Mr Jamieson's abilities as a controversialist; but it by no means followed that controversial gifts fitted a man for a preacher;

and it was also proposed to take him away from the work for which he was qualified, and to place him in a sphere his fitness for which remained

to be proved.

Dr WYLIE must second Mr Noble's motion. The English Church was not so strict, nor any of the other Churches in England; and he thought they (the Free Church) were too strict in refusing in cases like

the present to dispense with the curriculum.

Principal CUNNINGHAM had no objection to dispense with their usual curriculum in particular circumstances; but he felt constrained in this

case to protest against the form which the thing had assumed. He could more readily swallow, on a variety of grounds, the general proposal to license Mr Jamieson than he could be a consenting party to a motion which just formally exempted him from the necessity of passing the Examination Board. He could hardly conceive of anything worse, in its general bearing and tendency, than to bring up questions of men who had been rejected by the Examination Board, as Mr Jamieson had been, and, on the ground of an appeal to special circumstances, to reverse the decision of the Examination Board. It was just a proposal to set aside the Examination Board, by exempting him from its trials. Looking to this bearing of the case, he must just wash his hands of it. (Laughter and applause.)

Mr NIXON withdrew his motion in favour of Mr Noble's. He did not think that there was anything forcible in what Dr Cunningham had stated; and for this plain reason, that there might from time to time be cases in which the Examination Board, carrying out a certain law, would be obliged to reject individuals; and yet that Board might themselves be the very parties in these cases to recommend the Assembly to dispense with their examination, for reasons that might be stated.

Principal CUNNINGHAM would not object materially to that, and would be perfectly willing to consider a proposal to dispense in this case with the trials before the Examination Board on a conjunct view of the whole case.

A vote was then taken, when Mr Wilson's motion was carried by a majority of 89 to 37.

CASE OF MR GORDON, INVERNESS.

"The

In this case, the Assembly passed the following deliverance :Assembly, understanding that it is the desire of Mr Gordon to labour among the Gaelic-speaking population of Australia, and that the Colonial Committee are anxious, if possible, to promote his views in this respect, and considering the want of Gaelic preachers in these colonies, and the testimony borne to the character of Mr Gordon, authorise the Presbytery of Inverness to admit Mr Gordon as a minister of the Free Church."

THE SANDAY CASE, ORKNEY.

In this case, Principal CUNNINGHAM reported that the Committee to whom the reference from the Presbytery of Orkney had been remitted, found that, "after conferring with the parties, they have not succeeded in removing the grounds of difference between the minister and a portion of his congregation, and they are not able, in present circumstances, to suggest any measures to the Assembly by which the existing painful state of matters could be remedied." The case was, he said, virtually this-One-fifth of the communicants and adherents of the Sanday congregation had become thoroughly dissatisfied with the minister (Mr Armour), and had resolved not to return to his ministrations. Threefifths of the congregation continued to adhere to him. A proposal had been made to sanction the separate administration of ordinances to the dissentients by means of a probationer; but the Committee could not make up their minds to recommend any such course to the Assembly. So far as the case had come out, it was his own impression, that to