. 12 REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS. zeal, wealth, and interest in Highlanders, in Glasgow, to secure that this mission will not go down; and they do most earnestly appeal to the friends of the Lord's cause, in that great and prosperous city, to aid so important and deserving an object. The Committee have thus laid their statement before the Assembly. They do so in the mingled assurance, that while many shortcomings of their own are to be acknowledged, much of the Lord's goodness has at the same time been manifested. They desire to be found acting in His strength, and seeking His guidance. His it is to give the former and latter rain: His it is to make windows in the heavens for the showers to descend: His it is to give the Holy Spirit, that the wilderness and the solitary place may rejoice. And to Him they desire to look in faith, believing that "they who trust in the Lord shall never be put to shame." THOS. M'LAUCHLAN Convener. EDINBURGH, May 1860. No. V. REPORT OF COLONIAL AND CONTINENTAL COMMITTEE. MAY 1860. EDINBURGH PRINTED BY JOHN GREIG AND SON. COLONIAL Documents from Victoria, Page Remit by the General Assembly, on 29 Consummation of Union. Dissentient body, Meeting of General Assembly, Pres- TSouth Australia, New South Wales, Memorial from Free Presbytery of H37 29 31 36 36 37 France, ni dow...si 40 41 41 43 Nelson, yli 17 Otago, estridt bas barbro 9117 Rev. Edward William King arodoset erow wordt bas CONTINENTAL.but ayed ew earroo art wollot linda ewigh ofni erom 47 Vaudois College, 47 Waldensian Church,. taly, nesid State of Accounts, 71 M ai ers Appendix, 91 55 55 55 55 56 56 56 57 THE year which has closed has been one of great anxiety to the Colonial Committee. We had large and important fields open to us, and calling loudly for aid. We had to wait long for our Annual Collection. The weather on the day on which it was made was peculiarly unpropitious, and the amount realised was less than usual. Some of our more necessitous fields were in a critical state, and could not brook either neglect or delay, and yet we knew not where to look either for men or for means. * In such circumstances, it is with peculiar gratification that the Committee are able to announce, that thirty-one new labourers have been appointed to Colonial work in the course of the year, twenty-five of whom are either already entered on, or have already left for their respective fields. Of these, there have been appointed to Nova Scotia, three; to Canada, two temporarily and one permanently; to the West Indies, one; to New Zealand, five; to Victoria, eight; to Eastern Australia, five; to Bombay, one; to Batavia, one; to Lebanon, one; to Leghorn, temporarily, one; to South Africa, one; to Genoa, one, temporarily. Of these thirty-one, twenty-six are permanent, and five temporary appointments. Of the twenty-six, eight were ordained, and thirteen were licentiates, two were students ready for licence, and three were teachers. In entering more into detail, we shall follow the course we have adopted in former years, and give first the Colonial, and then the Continental department of our labours. PART I-COLONIAL. I. NOVA SCOTIA. In the midst of many difficulties and discouragements, the Synod of Nova Scotia has made marked progress during this year. The College at Halifax continues in full and vigorous operation, and the number of students has rather increased. In Professor King's classes, there are thirteen stuthree for the third. The three who now complete their curriculum, and six of the other students, have the Gaelic language. There are in Mr Lyall's class, twenty students; and the duties of Hebrew professor are ably ' and satisfactorily performed by Mr M Knight. Professor King says, în a letter dated 22d March 1860 :-"I have every reason to be satisfied with the apparent seriousness and devotedness of my students, and with the progress made during the session." i sootel al The Professorial Fund actually invested, now amounts to £7072: 8:5, and vigorous steps have been taken of late to ge get the arrears of the fund paid up. Mr Anderson of Barney's River, has bequeathed three hundred acres of land to the College, and we hope such endowments will become more frequent. The Rev. John Hunter of Chalmers Church, Halifax, was for a short time in this country on account of his health; but returned to his charge at the beginning of winter, to the great joy of his congregation, and has since been able for all his usual duties.Veq Three new charges, in full working order, have been added to the Presbytery of Halifax. Six new churches are in the course of erection in Cape Breton, Two additional labourers have been appointed to Prince Edward Island, and one to Cape Breton. The visit of the Rev. J. Noble of Poolewe to North America, was mentioned in last year's Report. The congregation in Pictou, to which he kindly devoted several Sabbaths, gave him a unanimous call. But as he did not see his way to close with that call, the Presbytery of Lochcarron declined to loose him from Poolewe. Pictou, the Committee deeply regret to state, is yet without a settled minister. In Newfoundland, Mr. Ross and Mr Harvey continue at their post. This colony suffered much this year by fires and disastrous shipwrecks and interruptions of trade, especially on the Labrador coast; and the Committee have extended for at least one year more, the assistance e given to the congregation at Harbour Grace, yet more, assi The Synod of Nova Scotia met on the 16th of June, and of the thirtythree ministers on the roll, twenty-seven were present, and seven elders. Among the subjects taken up by the Synod, besides the college, a prominent place was given to Foreign Missions, for which the sum of £3147: 4 was reported; and to the Home Mission, for which £173: 17: 2 was reported. The state of religion and the proposed union with other bodies were fully considered. With respect to the latter subject, the proposed union, a basis of union with the U. P. body was unanimously adopted, and sent down to sessions. This basis is distinguished for its clear expression of right principles, and at the same time its catholic spirit; "and it is earnestly hoped that on these grounds these two bodies of brethren, and others also, may soon find themselves together, labouring with one heart and one hand to make known the common salvation.† Circumstances, are drawing the attention of the nation and of the Church to the Lower provinces of North America, and it is earnestly hoped that our Church will feel more and more the duty which it is called to discharge to these important provinces. They are pre-eminently the home of Scotchmen. They are on this account pre-eminently Presbyterian, and pure gaitasun berage ati olan body2 941 Appendix No. 1. UNION OF PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES —Since the above was written, al step in advance has been taken. The Joint Committee of the Presbyterian Church of Nova Scotia and of the Free Presbyterian Church of this province on Union, have met during the past week, and got satisfactorily through with the matters brought before them; the prospects of an early consummation of the Union were never more promising than at the present moment. The Conveners of the respective Committees laid before the meeting the reports of Presbyteries and Sessions as forwarded to them by Clerks of Presbyteries, from which it appeared that all the Sessions of the Presbyterian Church of Nova Scotia had re. ported (and in some Presbyteries, every Session had done on Free Church have very generally forwarded reports; nearly all favourable, and with few exceptions unanimous.-Halifax Presbyterian Witness. |