accompany the corpse to the grave, where it is laid without uttering a single word! The version of the Psalms which they sing in public worship is wretched doggrel, but lately, under the title of Translations and Paraphrases, they use a better kind of poetical compositions which, together with some Hymns, have been introduced by permission of the general Assembly. As to discipline, it is not particularly severe, excepting the stool of repentance, on which fornicators are obliged to sit for three successive Sunday's in the presence of the whole church. This is disused in the towns, but still practised in many of the country parishes in Scotland. The gradation of ecclesiastical government is kirk session, which consists of the minister and elders, who are respectable laymen somewhat like to (though having a spiritual jurisdiction) churchwardens in England. The next court is Presbytery, then Provincial Synod, and, lastly, the GENERAL ASSEMBLY, which consists. of 361 members, in the following proportion; 200 ministers representing Presbyteries, 89 elders representing Presbyteries, 67 elders representing royal boroughs, and 5 ministers, or elders, representing universities. They are chosen annually, and meet in the month of May; it has a president to represent the king in the person of a nobleman, who is denominated the Lord High Commissioner, with a salary of 1,500l. per annum, but he has no voice in their deliberations. Their clergy (with near C00 parishes),

amount to near 1000, and their salaries from 1007. up to 2001. free from taxes. They maintain a very respectable character for talents, learning, and piety.

Dreadful scenes took place in Scotland previous to the establishment of Presbyterianism in its present form at the revolution, and its confirmation in 1706, by the act of union between the two kingdoms. During the commonwealth, Presbyterianism was the established religion, but on the restoration Episcopacy was introduced in its room. So averse, however, were the Scotch to the Episcopalians, and so harsh were the measures of the Episcopalian party, that the whole country was thrown into confusion: Leighton, the most pious and moderate prelate amongst them, disgusted with the proceedings of his brethren, resigned his archbishopric of Glasgow, and told the king, “He would not have a hand in such oppressive measures, were he sure to plant the Christian religion in an infidel country by them; much less when they tended only to alter the form of church government." On the other hand, Sharp, Archbishop of St. Andrew's (who had been an apostate from the Presbyterians), adopted violent measures, which terminated in his death. For in 1679, nine ruffians stopped his coach near St. Andrew's, assassinated him, and left his body covered with thirty-two wounds! On the monument of this unfortunate prelate, in one of the churches of St. Andrew's, I have seen an exact representation in

sculpture of this tragical event. See Cruikshank's History (in two volumes) of the State and Sufferings of the Church of Scotland from the Restoration to the Revolution, with an Introduction containing the most remarkable Occurrences relating to that Church from the Reformation. The ear tingles and the heart is agonised by the recital of the dreadful scenes which took place during this period of Scottish history, but reference has been already made to this horrible business in the article of the Episcopal Church of Scotland.*

It was in these troubled times that the Presbyterians drew up their famous solemn league and covenant, whereby they bound themselves to effect the extirpation of episcopacy; and however useful they may have found it, yet, assuredly, it was not dictated by the spirit of true religion. The Scotch church, however, is now considerably improved in sentiment and liberality, and some of their clergy stand foremost in the several departments of literature. Robertson, Henry, Leechman, Blacklock, Gerard, Campbell,

* Two poor women condemned to die for their religion were accordingly fastened down to a stake in the river when the tide was at its lowe-t ebb; the waves then gradually returned to suffocate their cries against this new species of the inhumanity of their persecutors. They gravely determined (it is said), on this mode (f capital punishment, because burning at the stake was adopted by the PAPISTS; for they abhorred the most distant approach towards the practices of Popery!

Blair, Macnight, Erskine, Hunter, and Ogilvie, all deceased, were among its principal ornaments. In a selection of sermons, entitled the Scotch Preacher, will be found a pleasing specimen of the pulpit compositions of the Scotch clergy, delivered on particular occasions, with an introductory: Discourse by Mr. Bonar, which explains the nature and tendency of the Ecclesiastical Constitution in Scotland.

SECEDERS.

DISSENTERS from the Kirk or Church of Scotland, call themselves Seceders; for as the term Dissenter comes from the Latin word dissentio, to differ, so the appellation Seceder is derived from another Latin word, secedo, to separate or to withdraw from any body of men with which we may have been united. The secession arose from various circumstances which were conceived to be great defections from the established church of Scotland. The Seceders are rigid Calvinists, rather austere in their manners, and severe in their discipline. Through a difference as to civil matters they are broken down into Burghers and Anti-burghers. Of these two classes the latter are the most confined in their senti

ments, and associate therefore the least with any other body of Christians. The Seceders originated under two brothers, Ralph and Ebenezer Erskine, of Sterling, about the year 1730. It is worthy of ob servation, that the Rev. George Whitfield, in one of his visits to Scotland, was solemnly reprobated by the Seceders, because he refused to confine his itinerant labours wholly to them. The reason assigned for this monopolization was, that they were EXCLUSIVELY God's people! Mr. Whitfield smartly replied, that they had therefore the less need of his services, for his aim was to turn sinners from the error and wickedness of their ways by preaching among them glad tidings of great joy!

The Burgess oath, concerning which the Seceders differed, is administered in several of the royal boroughs of Scotland, and runs thus: "I protest before God and your lordships that I profess and allow with my heart the true religion presently professed within this realm and authorised by the laws thereof; I shall abide thereat and defend the same to my life's end, renouncing the Roman religion called Papistry." The Messrs. Erskine and others maintained there was no inconsistency in Seceders taking this oath, be cause the established religion was still the true religion in spite of the faults attaching to it, and hence were called Burghers. Messrs. Moncrieff and others thought the swearing to the religion as professed and