both the unusual number of students in the session of 184546, and the diminution which has taken place since. Without admitting that the Aberdeen hall has acted as a drain upon that of Edinburgh, we have never contended for a hall at Aberdeen, at Glasgow, or any other place as a feeder to the hall at Edinburgh, but we believe, and that on the ordinary principles that regulate supply and demand in religious and theological training, that, humanly speaking, the putting down a hall alongside the means of literary and philosophical training, will act, not indeed as a feeder to the central hall at Edinburgh, but as a feeder to the Church herself. Upon this subject, let me just say that I cannot go along with the views of Dr Cunningham and Dr Buchanan as to the sufficiency of the number of students. I can heartily go along with Dr Cunningham to a considerable extent, that we might rejoice rather in a diminution of the number of students at Edinburgh than in an increase of them at present. I rejoice in the proposal which has been made for testing the qualification of students before they enter the Hall. I trust that there will be but one voice and one heart throughout the Church to go into this proposal; but I connect with the decrease that might be desirable in the existing number of students at Edinburgh, the importance of affording facilities for theological education in other parts of the country. I would have no objection to cut off some of the students in Edinburgh-a noble band of men they are, take them in all-and containing some of the most generous youth that ever adorned any land; but it is no discouragement to them to say that there are some of them who might be thus tested, and that the decrease which might take place in the meantime in the number might be no great evil. What would be the practical working of the plan of limiting theological education to our own central Hall? I believe that, proceeding on the ordinary principles of human nature, the practical working of it would be very much that which was stated to us by our excellent friend from Aberdeen in the forenoon, namely, that from its central attraction it would be resorted to by the rich who possessed the means of enabling them to come to Edinburgh to avail themselves of its advantages, or of the highly gifted, who might through their talents obtain the means, if the means were provided by bursaries or scholarships in sufficient abundance, which they could take by competition. It will, however, be observed, that you would lose to a large extent that accession of students that might be expected from that most valuable class, the middle ranks, as the hall would not be within their reach without incurring great expense which they could not afford, and without taking the bursaries and scholarships in competition, which would be carried off by the highly gifted. If the Hall was within their reach, the men who belonged to these ranks might devote themselves to the study of theology, and approve themselves most faithful ministers of Christ. I cannot agree with Dr Cunningham and Dr Buchanan that we have at present a sufficient supply of men for the ministry. It is very easy, no doubt, to make a calculation of the number of vacancies that occur, and the number of students that are licensed every year. We have not, however, statistical information on this point. We have no exact account of the number of students and preachers which passed before the Disruption; but I cannot shut my eyes to the plain fact which has been adverted to to-night, that when vacancies occur there is such a demand for preachers and for ministers that many of our young men are prematurely launched on the field of pastoral labour. What occasioned the necessity for passing last year an interim act, and sending it through presbyteries in terms of the Barrier Act, proposing that every preacher, when licensed, should serve a year before being called to a congregation. It was a notorious fact, that from the demand for preachers, the best of our youth are prematurely hurried into the pastoral work; nay, that many of them are engaged, as it were, before they obtained their license to preach, the congregations of the Church keeping their eyes upon those who were peculiarly fitted for them, owing to the scarcity of the supply. This very year we have been compelled to shorten the curriculum, in order to supply the demands to labour in the colonial field; and every year we are pressed with similar applications, all showing that the supply is inadequate even to the existing demand, not to speak of the fields that are opening before us. The ordinary principles ought to regulate us in such a matter as this, namely, if we want a supply of men, we

must not wait till there be a demand for the means of theological learning-we must not wait till they flock to the means, but we must bring the means near to them. With all my confidence in the efficiency of a high style of theological training, I demur to the principle, that we should place all reliance on it. A high style of theological education may do much. The bringing our students through classes in which they have the utmost possible information communicated to them, may, indeed, do much to call forth their native talent, but I have some doubts of the alternative of passing all our students through a single hall, however highly equipped it may be, or of opening several halls in other parts of the country, such as students might be prompted by their native talent to take advantage of I have some doubts in regard to which of the two plans would send forth the ablest and most practical preachers of the word of the living God. We all know that during the former period of the Church's history, much was left to the spontaneous working of young men coming forward to the ministry of the gospel. I rejoice in the statement made by Dr Cunningham, that while contending for a highly equipped theological hall here, he has no sort of objection to recognise the principle of other agents not thus highly equipped going forth to God's work; but I do not quite agree with him in thinking that it would not be a benefit to have these other agents, even if they cannot take advantage of the highest style of theological learning which we provide in Edinburgh, to have access to a somewhat inferior training-inferior, I mean, in point of amount-in other parts of the country. We cannot trust all to our theological professors. We can trust the present men to the utmost possible extent-we can place much reliance, moreover, on the full power we now have as a Church to fill up vacancies-we can place much reliance on the right arrangement of the theological classes--but I cannot help thinking that our excellent friends on the other side are somewhat exaggerating the power of the mere apparatus, the mere machinery, however excellent and admirable it may be. I cannot help thinking that they are over-rating-somewhat naturally over-rating, as I think, in their circumstances-the power of such machinery to bring out, as if we could manufacture mind, a highly-furnished and highly-gifted Christian ministry; and I cannot but think that, by spreading the net wider, we might get, under God, better fish-I cannot help thinking that, by spreading the net a little wider, we might embrace within it, according to the ordinary chances in human affairs, better instruments for his service and glory. But let us not in this matter proceed hastily. I do not desire to see our Church rushing on rashly in this course. It is quite plain, that unless we carry the intelligent mind of the community along with us, we must stop in the matter. All I contend for is, that we should endeavour, first of all, to make up our own minds as to what is most desirable, and then to go forth and put it to the people of Scotland whether they will support us or no. We have inherited from our fathers the character and claims of the National Church of Scotland. I cannot but look with serious alarm on this proposal, which seems to me to be the first step in the direction of abandoning practically that claim. I say that, inheriting, as we do, from our fathers, the character of the national Church, we have inherited from them, too, the national universities. They belong in right to us these Scottish universities. They are ours by the constitution of the country, they are ours by hereditary claims; and I think it is but in the direction of asserting and vindicating these claims, when we maintain and act upon the principle which our forefathers always avowed, not of limiting theological education to a single university seat, but of planting it down alongside, in every place where the means of scientific training was afforded to the youth of Scotland. That is the principle which has, I think, been handed down by our fathers. We may not be able to carry it out--we may not have the means-we may not be able to carry with us the sympathy of our people, but I contend that we are bound to make the attempt; and I have great faith that if we make the attempt, we will not find the people of Scotland indifferent to the object.

The discussion was continued by Alex. E. Monteath Esq., Mr Gray of Perth, and Mr Gibson of Glasgow. D, Cunningham having replied, a vote was taken, when therr appeared

THURSDAY-MAY 25,

The Assembly met at 10 o'clock.

OVERTURES ANENT THE TESTIMONY OF THE CHURCH.

The Clerk read certain overtures from the Synods of Argyle, Perth, and Stirling, anent the testimony of the Church.

Dr Candlish said: "I do not know whether any one else is prepared to make a statement on these overtures. They relate to an important subject-a subject which may well deserve a larger share of the time and attention of this house than on this day, exhausted as we are by yesterday's proceedings, it is likely to receive. The overtures referred to relate to the best means of keeping up and maintaining in the present generation the testimony of this Church, and prominently bringing before the minds of men the great principles for which we have been called upon to contend. There is very great danger, as years roll on, of our ministers and members forgetting somewhat the sacredness of these principles; and hence the necessity of taking such precautions as will keep them prominently in their mind. I observe one of the overtures touches on the point of maintaining our principles and our testimony in high places, and calls upon us to testify on their behalf before kings and rulers; and, in particular, to renew our testimony to Parliament-to the Parliament of this kingdomthat is to say, to bring before Parliament again and again from time to time our Claim of Rights. Of course, that Claim of Rights we still persevere in maintaining. We have never let it drop-we have never abandoned our Claim of Rights. It is still our solemn protest to the Legislature of this great country, that we have been unconstitutionally cast out from the Establishment; but though I do not see any practical good which would accrue from renewing our claim in Parliament, yet it is an important object to bring before our people the sacredness of those principles for which we contended and left the Establishment. Last year an act was passed in reference to this subject, enjoining, among other things, that ministers should preach upon this matter, or should call the attention of their people to it upon some convenient occasion. Unhappily, the time was left somewhat indefinite, and hence, as what may be done on any Sabbath is apt to be done on none, I believe the act was not complied with. It so happens, however, we have a most seasonable opportunity, in God's providence, this year, for more emphatically discharging this duty. We have already resolved, at a former diet of the Assembly, to have on the second Sabbath of July a collection in aid of our suffering brethren in the Canton de Vaud; and it humbly appears to me that this is a seasonable day on which it may be suitable for ministers of this Church to call the attention of their people to the principles for which we contended. Substantially we are in the same position in regard to our testimony, in so far, at least, as the encroachments of the State on the liberties of the Church are concerned, with our brethren of the Canton de Vaud; and one great benefit to be expected, among subordinate benefits, from the appointment of this collection is, the recalling of the attention of our people to the importance of these principles, and especially to their importance beyond the limits of our Church and our own times are sometimes apt to consider that we have been en aged in a merely Scottish controversy-a merely los and limited controversy-and the expression of sympathy which we call upon the people to show for the inhabitants of the Canton de Vaud is a distinct manifestation of the catholic character and universal applicability of those sacred principles for which we contended and suffered. On all these grounds I think it would be exceedingly seasonable to pass an act now, supplementary of that act, in regard to the collection for the Canton de Vaud-an act enjoining the ministers of this Church to call the attention of the people to the principles for which we contended, and the testi

We

mony we are called upon to maintain on the second Sabbath of July, the day on which they also solicit the contributions of the people for the Church's fellow-sufferersfor those who are fellow-sufferers with us in the very same

cause.

The suggestion was unanimously approved of.

COLONIAL COMMITTEE.

Mr Bonar of Glasgow gave in the Report of this Committee.

It gave at great length an abstract of what had been done during the year in connexion with the various colonies. Thereafter,

Dr Willis, professor of theology at Toronto, addressed the Assembly, and gave a most encouraging account of the prospects of the Canadian Presbyterian Church, in connexion with the state of the Divinity Hall :

"I am happy to say that our students in the College at Toronto are of a very promising description. They are about forty-five in number. I may mention, however, that this number includes those who have been admitted into the institution for the study of theology, with other views, as well as those who are already formally enrolled as students of divinity. My own class numbers twenty-four; and it is very likely that next session I shall have a class of nearly forty regular students of divinity. There is also an academy auxiliary to the college, and which is in excellent working order. That academy is available for general instruction to others, as well as to those destined for the ministry; and it has a special claim to your favour, as it is for the benefit of our friends abroad. The system of instruction that is organized there has been organized with the view of combining religious with secular instruction; and it is very serviceable to the college in the way of supplying that which, in the circumstances of some of the youths, may have been wanting in the earlier stages of their progress, namely, regular academic initiatory instruction in those branches which are absolutely necessary almost before coming to the college at all. I have to speak very favourably, not only of the habits of the youth there, but of their piety and their seriousness in regard to religious matters. I believe that all of them, so far as I could be cognizant of their motives, had embraced the profession with a good conscience, and from a serious wish to be useful in the vineyard of the Lord. A number of them who have already gone out have been exceedingly acceptable to the people whom they addressed. I may mention, as a feature of the institution there, that in consequence of the extensive spiritual wants which seem to prevail on every side from the absence of stated pastors, the young men who attend upon the instructions of theology are allowed to go out every Saturday to supply the stations in the character of catechists and preachers, and returning, of course, to their studies on the Monday, or, such of them as have been sent to a greater distance, on the Tuesday."

Dr Willis proceeded to enforce the claims of Canada to grants, not only of money, but of men.

Mr Macnaughtan of Paisley, in an energetic speech, moved the adoption of the Report, which was unanimously and cordially agreed to.

REPORT FROM COMMITTEE ON POPERY.

A

Mr Tweedie, in presenting this Report, said: "I think, in the facts I am now going to submit, we have at least got some encouragement. We thought it was best, in the first place, to be informed as to the facts of the case. circular was sent to the presbyteries of the Church, to ascertain how far the errors of Popery were really spreading. Now, from seventy-one presbyteries, we regret to have to say, we have only got forty-nine returns. There are, consequently, in this way, a good many defaulters; and we have yet to learn the state of Popery in a large portion of the kingdom. But from forty-nine presbyteries we have got answers to the queries sent out; and I have now to state, as the general result, that there is no doubt but that there has been a very considerable increase of Popery in this country, but it is so far satisfactory to be able to add, that this is not in consequence of conversions from Protestantism, but from the importation and influx of Irish labourers. Over the country generally the answers bear us out in saying, that the conversions are few indeed, and that the increase has been occasioned by the cause we have now mentioned. Another cause of increase is very partial, but

still it exists to some extent, namely, the intermarriages of Roman Catholics with Protestants, when it very commonly happens that the Protestant is carried to the Roman Catholics, rather than the Catholic to the Protestants. These returns mention individual instances of parties having turned to Popery in that way; while, on the other hand, some cases are mentioned in which the Romanist has been brought to the Protestant Church; but I am not sure that I can attach any numerical value to the increase from that quarter. The object to which our attention has been anxiously turned is the increase arising from the importation of the Irish, which has gone to a very large extent. It is said, for instance, that in and about Edinburgh, there are at present somewhere about 20,000 people from Ireland, and a large proportion of these belonging to the Popish persuasion. The means which this Committee have been enabled to adopt have been very limited; but I am glad to be able to say that in this city a society has been formed, or rather an old society has been revived, having for its object the doing of good to the Roman Catholics amongst us. This is not an institution connected with the Free Church, and I speak of it merely as an agency employed in this city against Popery. It has at the head of its operations a gentleman who was formerly a Roman Catholic priest, and was for some time stationed in the Glens of Antrim, from which he was driven by persecution, and found an asylum here, and is now engaged by the society as superintendent of the measures they have adopted. Under him there are five Scripture-readers, who itinerate through the city, read the Scriptures, and communicate religious knowledge to the Catholic population. This, I think, is a sphere of labour from which, with the blessing of God, we may expect good; and it is "exceedingly desirable that something of this kind was adopted in connexion with the churches not merely in Edinburgh, where there are 20,000 Roman Catholics, nor in Dundee, where there are 10,000, nor in Glasgow, where there are I do not know how many, inasmuch as we have got no return of the number. In looking at the historical aspect of the case, it is instructing to notice how this insinuating heresy has spread within our borders.

Mr Davidson said, he never heard so much interesting matter contained in a report of such small dimensions, and he had much pleasure in proposing that the Assembly approve of the Report, that the Committee be re-appointed, and that the Assembly promise to give all encouragement to the efforts which were making to meet this great and increasing evil.

Mr Burns seconded the motion, which was agreed to. The Assembly then adjourned till the evening.

Evening Sederunt.

FOREIGN MISSIONS.

Mr Tweedie gave in an interesting and elaborate Report, as Convener of this Committee, which, while announcing considerable success in the past, and the prospect of much greater success in the future, deplored the deficiency of funds to the extent of £2,000 yearly.

The Rev. Mr Wilson of Dundee, in moving the adoption of the Report, said it contained matter of very deep interest, suggested to their minds many important considerations, and supplied to them many large encouragements for entering upon and occupying the field of the world, and of carrying out, in their day and generation, the apostolic injunction, to preach the gospel in every country. The fruits of their India Missions were beginning to appear. They were appearing more and more largely every year; and the testimony of those most conversant with the subject went to show, that these fruits, in the shape of conversions reported to them from time to time, did not by any means indicate the progress and the influence which the missionaries were making in that extensive land. But while, as indicated in their Reports, greater success had attended the efforts of their missionaries in all their stations, he was sorry to see that their annual subscriptions in support of the Foreign Mission Scheme did not nearly come up to their annual expenditure. Highly as he valued the noble effort, which had been made by the ladies of Scotland to relieve the Committee from their difficulties in the course of last year, he hoped that the Church would not contemplate a recurrence to such a plan to make up the deficiency in their revenue. He was convinced that, if the question

was properly laid before the members of their congregations, they would respond most liberally to the calls made upon them to support these important missions of the Church. He was sure that by this time the Church generally had been made sensible, that it was not by shutting themselves up at home, but by carrying out the divine mission to evangelize the world, that they were to succeed in any of their efforts, either in the Sustentation Fund or any other fund. The more God gave them grace and glory to carry out and to fulfil the great mission of the Church of Christ, the more would all their funds prosper.

The Rev. Mr Barclay of Kilpatrick, in seconding the motion, drew attention to the fact, that they had Disruption-missionaries as well as Disruption-ministers - that while they had a Chalmers and a Welsh, as distinguished Disruption ministers, they had a Duff and a Macdonald, as distinguished Disruption missionaries; and he argued from this fact, together with the great importance of evangelizing the heathen, that it was their duty, as a Church of Church, liberally to support their missionaries in the onerous work in which they were engaged.

Dr Candlish said, the difficulty they had experienced, he was convinced, arose in part from the circumstance that their people had been in the habit of viewing the Foreign Mission Scheme in the same light as they viewed the other five or six Schemes of the Church. This was all very well so long as the Foreign Mission Scheme was in its infancy, and so long as the field was limited and the labourers few. The case, however, was altered now; and, therefore, he held that, of the five or six Schemes of the Church, the Foreign Mission should stand pre-eminent--that it should stand out isolated and alone; not only because it was a means of the Church's success, but because it was a fulfilment of the Lord's command to preach the gospel unto all nations. It had been too much the case for the different Schemes of the Church to run a tilt with each other, and for the people to divide their contributions first into five or six parts, and then divide these equally among the various Schemes. Now, while he did not wish the gifts cast into the treasury for any of these Schemes to be diminished, he would desire the people of Scotland to exercise more discretion-that was to say, to look more to the relative importance of the objects, and still more to the relative necessities of these objects. With this view, he conceived that something might be done to elevate this Foreign Mission Scheme to a higher platform than the other Schemes; but how this was to be accomplished would in all likelihood be decided when the Report of the Committee on the different Schemes of the Church came before the Assembly.

The following resolution was come to on the subject:"The Assembly approve generally of the Report, and record their thanks to the Committee, who are hereby reappointed-Mr Tweedie, convener. And in reference to that part of the Report which sets forth the short-coming, for some years past, of the revenue, as compared with the expenditure, the Assembly being decidedly of opinion that a curtailment of this Church's missionary operations, by the abandonment of some portion of the field occupied, unless the said short-coming be fully made up, must be the inevitable result. And yet having confidence, under God, in the zeal and liberality of the people, agree to reserve, in the meantime, the point which has thus been painfully raised, with a fixed conviction that, in any event, this Assembly must act upon the principle of simply administering the funds placed at their disposal from year to year by the congregations of this Church." The Assembly then adjourned.

FRIDAY-MAY 26. SUSTENTATION fund.

The report of the Select Committee on this subject was read by the Rev. Dr Macfarlan of Greenock.

After the Report was read, a discussion took place on the subject of ministers' supplements. Mr Hay of Whitrigg, seconded by Mr Mitchell of Philiphaugh, proposed the following motion in connexion with the overtures which had been sent up on the subject:

"The General Assembly having considered these overtures, and being deeply impressed with the great importance of maintaining the prosperity, and of securing a fair and just distribution, of the Sustentation Fund, are of opinion, that the subject is one with regard to which the mind of the Church at

large ought without delay to be ascertained; and more particularly as the discretionary power at present exercised by deacons' courts of supplementing the stipends of their own ministers out of the collections raised at the church doors, is thought to be injurious to the Sustentation Fund aforesaid, and to be at variance with the principle on which it was originally established; and as it therefore seems desirable that supplements should be discontinued, and a great common fund formed out of which every minister of this Church shall receive his entire stipend, according to a plan which shall at the same time make due provision for the special circumstances incident to the locality in which he has been appointed to labour-the General Assembly resolved to embody in an overture, and to transmit to presbyteries for their careful and deliberate investigation, the various schemes for the accomplishment of this end that have been brought under the notice of the Select Committee, along with one suggested in a tract entitled, 'The Sustentation Fund no Failure,' and at present widely circulated throughout the Church; and the General Assembly resolve to appoint a Committee to frame such an overture, and to bring it up for consideration at a future diet of this Assembly." Dr Buchanan of Glasgow moved

"That the General Assembly having considered the Report of the Select Committee on the Sustentation Fund, and overtures relative to some of the matters embodied in said Report, approve of the Report in the substance of its recommendations, and appoint a Committee to consider what deliverances it may be proper for this house to adopt, with a view to carry these recommendations into effect, and to report to a subsequent diet of this Assembly."

The roll having been called, there voted-
For Mr Hay's motion

For Dr Buchanan's amendment

Majority for the amendment.

Evening Sederunt.

176

172

Dr Begg gave in the Report of the Home Mission Committee, which appears at length in the Missionary Record for this month.

Mr Somerville gave in the Report of the Evangelistic Deputations which had visited various parts of Scotland during the last summer. The following is the chief portion :

I may, as an illustration, refer to one or two of those places which were visited by the Deputations; and first, to those districts in which Moderatism has exerted its sway. One of our brethren who was sent forth, thus speaks of a district to which he was sent, in regard to what had been already done

"In a presbytery consisting of ten parishes, and containing upwards of 20,000 souls, there are only four Free churches; or perhaps, I should rather say, four Free Church charges, for one minister officiates in two churches. None of them are large congregations. At the time of the Disruption, this district was awfully dead; and it seems almost a wonder that there as many congregations as I have mentioned. There were some stations, however, which for some time gave fair promise of ripening into fixed congregations, but which eventually languished and died. One cause of this, no doubt, was the paucity of labourers which the Church had at her command. But the other and chief cause, was the great deadness to Divine things among the mass of the people. The case of many places in the Highlands illustrates this. There, after the Disruption, many stations were formed, though no minister 'came out,' and no preacher was sent to them; yet these and gathered strength, and prospered, till He who holds the stars in his right hand sent them a pastor. How was this? Because among the people there were evangelism and life. But here, as soon as external aid failed, the stations failed also; for among the people there were Moderatism and death. It is a sun-light truth, that just in proportion as real, living religion prevailed in any locality, at the Disruption, there the Free Church prevailed and prospered, in spite of Moderatism

and other evils."

grew

It is really, sir, fearful to contemplate the state of some of the districts of our country where Moderatism has prevailed, and where, it is to be feared, there is still very little of the true and pure gospel of Christ declared. I find, with reference to our own Church-I speak more with respect to itthat in one presbytery in Upper Lanarkshire, containing sixteen parishes, the population of which amounts to 31,000 souls, I find that within the bounds of that presbytery there are only five Free Church ministers; and in some of these

parishes there is scarcely an adherent of the Free Church. I have a Report, given in by a reverend brother who traversed part of that district. His account is very interesting; and he indicates the dreadful condition, the apathy, and indifference in which the people are lying. I was much struck with a statement made by another brother regarding a district in the north. He had preached with very great acceptance, as I had learned from more quarters than one; and he communicated to me that an old man in one district had said to him, "Sir, we were but ill prepared for the Disruption. We were in a sad state when the Disruption occurred; but it gave us a chance of eternal life." The expression made my friend thrill. What this man referred to was the fact, that it had proved the occasion of living waters of the sanctuary flowing forth over the sandy waste, of which he seems himself to have drank, and therein to have been blessed. In regard to the mining population of our country, matters, as I had an opportunity of mentioning last year, are in a very dreadful condition indeed. A brother who visited north Ayrshire says, that in that place, where there is a vast influx of people from all quarters far and near, there is not one-fifth of the population who attend any place of worship. I had an opportunity myself of looking a little into the state of our mining population, having been called upon during last summer to preach the gospel in the Airdrie district. I cannot think that the state of this district is at all understood by the Church at large. In this district, within a very narrow space, there are about 70,000 souls. Amongst this vast population we have a few Free Church ministers, and I believe they are most excellent, energetic, and faithful men; and there are godly ministers belonging to other denominations residing in various parts of the great and populous district, but still there are masses of the people who are in a state of fearful apathy about divine things, and in great ignorance about everything that concerns their eternal welfare. It is exceedingly difficult to rouse these people. Even if an evangelist goes in among them to preach the word, he gets, perhaps, a considerable number to to come and hear him, but still there are great masses of the people who will not go a few steps to hear the word declared. I, however, had more abundant opportunities of preaching the gospel in that district during a month, than ever I had in the same space of time before. I preached in that district, during the month I was there last summer, forty-six times altogether, and on twenty-seven occasions in the open air; yet I came away with the conviction that I had not reached even the ears of the people-that multitudes of people had never heard the sound of my voice, and that probably many of them had not known that I was in the quarter. The people, as I have said, are lying in apathy and ignorance; and one thing which indicates the low condition of religion and moral feeling amongst them very strongly is, the extraordinary practice they have of playing at cards. One cannot go along without seeing groups of elderly men and young boys engaged playing at cards in the open air. I think, in one case, in the town of Airdrie, I counted altogether eleven parties in one square engaged in this work. The ministers in that district greatly helped me. I have to bear testimony, as a brother in the ministry, who abode there last year, to their great kindness, and the efforts they made to bring out the people. The state of these mining districts will certainly require the earnest attention of this Church. What ought to be done is a very difficult thing to state. I have long been of opinion, with respect to our large towns, and I must now add, with respect to those mining districts, that we must have men-ordained ministers- having the full status of ministers, whose business it will be to evangelize, or look after the evangelization of the masses in our cities and in those mining districts. Probably the hint thrown out in an address on the first Friday of this Assembly ought not to be cast aside-that of raising from among those men themselves a company of agents, who, through the blessing of God, may be useful to their neighbours. The truth is, that a minister single-handed in those quarters can do comparatively little. We must have agents to go from door to door. The people are very migratory in their disposition. They perhaps stay a few weeks in one place, and then go away to some other district. Now, if we had these districts under our agency, then, whenever these persons went from one district to another, they could be immediately visited and be taken in charge, and the efforts of ordained ministers would be much more likely to prove effective amongst them. We have considerable encouragements to prosecute the scheme during the season on which we

have entered. The sending of a few ministers during a month in the year certainly appears, and is, a comparatively small matter; yet it has advantages, and I am thoroughly persuaded that it is better to break up the ground by sending ministers to preach the word, as we are doing, for three or four weeks -it is better to do this, than if we were to set down a regular ministry-for the people amongst whom these labourers come, knowing that they are to have their services only for a short time, will thus be induced to come to hear them. They are not committed because they go to hear this minister, and thus have an opportunity of hearing the blessed gospel. He goes, but the seed is sown; it takes root, it ferments in their hearts, and by-and-by, through discussion with their neighbours, they become more and more prepared for the further agency which may afterwards be employed. I believe that this agency which has been employed in going forth amongst these masses of the neglected population, is therefore of considerable service, as preparing the way for other agencies of a more established character.

Mr Somerville concluded by an impressive reference to the death of one of the thirteen ministers engaged in the work of the deputations-Mr Cormick of Kirriemuir.

Dr Mackay of Dunoon gave in the Report of the Gaelic Committee, and urged the Assembly to a larger provision for the spiritual necessities of the Highlands.

COMMITTEE ON SITES.

Mr Hog of Newliston gave in the Report of this Committee. He first read a minute of the Committee relative to the removal by death of their Convener, Sheriff Speirs. He then adverted to the continued refusal of sites for churches. From the conciliatory tone of the Report of the Committee of the House of Commons on this subject, they might have expected--the Select Committee, he believed, expected-that concessions would have been made by the landholders who had hitherto refused. These expectations had, however, not been realized; and at the end of nearly a year, they found themselves very much in the same position that they were when the Select Committee reported. At least thirty-one out of the thirty-five places mentioned in the Report were still without sites; but others also that were kept back, from expectations of private adjustment, were still unsupplied; and when to this they added those additional stations which must inevitably be required, especially in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, where there had hitherto been experienced a great want of Gaelic-speaking ministers, and where the people were too poor to think even of applying for sites thereon to build churches, he did not think they were going too far when they said that sites would be required in places where the landlords had refused, not for thirty-one churches only, but those likely for double that number. He then adverted to the introduction of the Sites' Bill by Mr Fox Maule and Mr Bouverie, and to the gratifying measure of support with which it had met.

Dr Candlish moved, "That the house approve of the Report; that they record the minute on the table as to the value of the services of our lamented friend, Sheriff Speirs, in this department; and express their thanks to the Committee and its interim Convener, Mr Hog, to the Right Hon. Fox Maule, the Hon. Mr Bouverie, Mr Cowan, and other friends in Parliament, who have taken an interest in this matter. Further, that the Assembly record an expression of their obligations to the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland, and the other brethren connected with that Church, for the aid we have received at their hands."

This motion was seconded by Mr J. F. Macfarlan, and unanimously agreed to.

Dr Buchanan then moved the re-appointment of the Site Committee, and that Mr. Hog be convener; which was carried unanimously.

The Clerk next read the following minute in reference to the late convener, Sheriff Speirs:

"The General Assembly consider themselves called upon to express their deep sense of the loss which this church has sustained in the death of Sheriff Speirs. While not forgetful of the commanding position which he occupied in society, the respect in which he was held by all classes of the community, his acknowledged eminence as a judge, and the prominent part which he took in every measure which had for its object the welfare of his fellow-men, they desire, with humble gratitude, to own the goodness of the Lord in the grace bestowed upon his servant, whereby he had been brought to a saving

knowledge of the truth, was enabled throughout his Christian life to make his light to shine before men, and in the end had the privilege in departing in peace, cheered by the blessed prospect which the gospel had unfolded to his view.

"As an enlightened, attached, and stedfast friend of the Free Church of Scotland, and as an office-bearer faithful in the discharge of the duties of the eldership in the congregation with which he was connected, as well as taking an active and influential part in the deliberations of our supreme ecclesiastical judicatory, the General Assembly entertain the warmest and most affectionate recollection of this departed servant of Christ, giving thanks to him whose gift he was to the Church; and in an especial manner, they record the very high estimation in which they hold the valuable public services which he rendered to this Church during the late eventful years of her history; more particularly his services as convener of the Site Committee, the peculiarly difficult and delicate duties of which office he discharged with a talent and judgment, a firmness and moderation, an undaunted yet patient perseverance, which, by the blessing of God, have been largely instrumental to the removal of many of the evils of which the Church has had reason to complain, which have called forth the approbation of former Assemblies, and by which the Church has been laid under the deepest obligation to her great Lord and Head.

"The General Assembly acknowledge the hand of God, in removing his servant at such a time, in the midst of his usefulness, and in the prime of his days; and while they say, 'It is the Lord,' they at the same time desire to receive the lesson which it teaches, Cease from man,' seeking that they may be enabled to trust more entirely in him who regulates all the affairs of his Church with unerring wisdom, and who never fails to do for his people what is best for them, as well as most fitted to promote his own glory."

It was agreed to record the above minute in the books of the Assembly.

The Assembly then adjourned.

SATURDAY-MAY 27.

SABBATH OBSERVANCE.

Mr Davidson, of Lady Glenorchy's, gave in a lengthened report on this subject, the leading points of which will be gathered from the following deliverance of the Assembly with regard to it.

The Assembly having heard the Report of the Committee on Sabbath Observance, approve thereof, and re-appoint the Committee, Mr Davidson, Convener. And having also considered the overtures now on their table, the General Assembly are gratified to observe that the due observance of the Sabbath is sharing so large a portion of public attention, and that, among all classes of society, its innumerable advantages to each are beginning to be more and more appreciated, the General Assembly feels the peculiar duty of the Church, at such a time as this, to renew the declarations of the scriptural standards of the Church of Scotland, and, as of old, to put forth her unequivocal testimony as to the principles on which the Sabbath is to be observed, and anxiously to instruct her people in these, as also to exhort them to higher attainments in the practice of Sabbath observance; and they espe cially feel the importance of the civil magistrate being constantly reminded of his duty to suppress all such open profanations as are a public scandal to morality, and subversive of the laws of this realm. For this purpose the Assembly instruct the ministers of the Church to take frequent opportunities, from the pulpit and elsewhere, of turning the attention of their flocks to this subject. They farther order the Report now given in to be printed and circulated, and they direct the Committee to take active measures for suppressing the public desecrations of the General Post-Office, and of railway companies, and all others of a similar kind. The Assembly farther resolves to memorialise her Majesty's PostmasterGeneral, and to petition both Houses of Parliament, against the desecration of the Lord's-day, by the system now in practice in the Post-Office, and in the sale of spirits on that day. Farther, to enable the Committee to carry out these instructions, the Assembly recommend to the Church to contribute to the funds of this Committee, in such time and manner as may be most convenient, to such an extent as will suffice for the carrying forward their operations. Farther, the Assembly feeling it to be the duty of this Church to cherish a holy and enlightened zeal for the honour of the Lord of the Sabbath, and an affectionate regard to the best interests of the flock