able his designs might be, they have been conducted in such a manner, as to have a tendency to produce disputes with his Presbytery, with the Magistrates and Town Council of Glasgow, with the people of Glasgow, and with the people of Scotland. But we will not allow, that since the Reformation, our countrymen have laboured under prejudice. We will contrast with the sentiments of the Minister of St. Andrew's, the sentiments of the late Principal Dunlop of the University of Glasgow.

This venerable man, whose singular piety, great prudence, public spirit, universal knowledge, and general usefulness, are celebrated in Wodrow's History, acted a conspicuous part in the affairs of our Church, from the Revolution downward for many years. He had suffered for his attachment to the pure principles of Presbytery, he understood them well, and thus expresseth himself, on the point at

issue.

"We celebrate the goodness of God, which carried our Reformation to such a high pitch of per"fection, with respect to our Government and

Worship, and delivered them from all that vain "pomp, which darkened the glory of the Gospel "service, and the whole of the superstitious or in

significant inventions of an imaginary decency "and order, which sullied the Divine beauty and "lustre of that noble simplicity which distinguished "the devotions of the Apostolical times; and our "Church glories in the primitive plainness of her

"Worship, more than in all the foreign ornaments "borrowed from this world, though these appear "indeed incomparably more charming to earthly

❝ minds.

"We are sensible that it is a necessary conse"6 quence of the nature of our Reformation in these "particulars, that there is nothing left in our Wor

ship which is proper to captivate the senses of "mankind, or amuse their imaginations; we have "no magnificence and splendour of devotion to "dazzle the eye, nor harmony of Instrumental "Music to enliven our Worship and soothe the ears "of the assembly. Pomp, and shew, and ceremony, "are entirely strangers in our Churches, and we "have little in common, with that apostate Church, "whose yoke we threw off at the Reformation, "or with the exterior greatness and magnificence of "the Jewish temple and its service.

"For which reason, we know we must lay our "account to be despised by the men of the world, "who value nothing that is stripped of the allure"ments of sense, and fancy that a rich and gaudy "dress contributes to the majesty, and raises the excellency of religious service; who seek for the "same dazling pomp and splendid appearances "to recommend their Worship, which they are "so fond of in their equipage and tables; and "think that a veneration and respect to the service " of the Church, is to be raised by the same me"thods that procure an esteem and fondness for a

❝ court. We have nothing to tempt persons of "such inclinations, we know they will entertain the "meanest thoughts, and most disdainful notions of "a Worship too plain and homely for them, and fit "only for the rude and unmannerly multitude, who "have not a taste delicate enough for what is truly "great and noble.

"But how much soever, upon this account, we "may be despised by the great and learned, the "Church of Scotland, we hope, will always pub"licly own the simplicity and plainness of her "Worship, as her peculiar glory, and believe that "these, to a spiritual eye, are beautified with a «lustre which external objects are incapable of, and "of too elevated a nature for the senses to look at. "She is not ashamed to acknowledge her senti"ments, that the devotions of Christians stand in "no need of the outward helps afforded to the "Jews, and that the triumphs of all-conquering "love, the mighty acts of a Redeemer, all the "powers and glories of an immortal life, which "are represented to our wonder and meditation "under the Gospel, are far nobler springs of devo❝tion, and fitter to animate with a cheerful zeal, "and inspire the most fervent affections, than the "meaner helps afforded under the Law-the cost❝liness of pontifical garments, the glory of a mag"nificent temple, the ceremony of Worship and power of Music.

"Our Church believes it to be one design of the

"better reformation of things, to raise the Christ"ian Worshippers above the airy grandeur of sense, "and instead of a laborious service, to introduce a "Worship worthy of the Father of Spirits, that "should be truly great and manly; the beauty ❝ and the power whereof, should be spirit and life, " and which, instead of a servile imitation of the "temple, should be all purified reason and reli"gion, and make the nearest approaches to the "devotion of the heavenly state, where there is no "temple. And how despicable soever this may ap"pear to earthly minds, and distasteful to the senses, "that are pleased with show and appearance, we are "not afraid to own, that we believe that an imita"tion of our blessed Redeemer and his Apostles, "in the plainness and spirituality of their devo"tions, and an endeavour to copy after the example "of these truly primitive times, will ever bear us "up to all the just decency and order of the Gos"pel Church; and that in conformity hereto, the "naked simplicity of our Worship is beautified "with a superior lustre, and shines with a bright"ness more worthy of it, than when dressed in "the gayest colours, and busked up with the "richest and most artful ornaments of human

Minute of Presbytery, March 30th, 1808.

The Committee appointed to draw up Answers to the Statement of Dr. Ritchie, gave in said Answers, which being read and approved of, without a vote, were ordered to be recorded; which Mr. Lapslie and Mr. McLean were ordered to see done †.

Minute of Presbytery, 4th May, 1808.

The Presbytery being met, and constituted,-It was moved, and seconded, that the thanks of this Presbytery should be given to their Committee for their great diligence in preparing the able Answer to Dr. Ritchie's Statement, mentioned in last Minute, which motion the Presbytery agreed to, and the Moderator, in their name, gave the Committee thanks accordingly; it being understood, that the original Dissentients, together with Dr. Taylor, jun. Dr. Lockhart, and Dr. Ritchie, do not concur in said vote of thanks *.

It was moved, and seconded, that the Presbytery should give thanks to the Lord Provost, Magistrates, and City Council of Glasgow, for the wisdom, propriety, and discretion of their conduct, in referring

†This Minute should have preceded the foregoing Answers in this Publication.

*It is to be regretted, that the original Dissentients, together with the three Gentlemen who were indulged with liberty to give in Explanations, should have thought it necessary, in this manner, to put the world in mind that they had ever differed from the Reverend Presbytery.