Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

around him, who might have an opportunity of going to France, would see and judge for themselves. This Society lived, merely lived, on what it obtained from year to year; it had no alternative resources. Now, then, they wanted money; but it was not for the money they laboured. Their sufferings were their reward. They wanted to be enabled to go on with their sufferings. The expense of sustaining their labourers amounted to about L.25 per head per annum. If his brethren entrusted them with their money, they undertook to do more with it than they themselves could -for money went a great length in the hands of the Society.

After some observations by Dr King, who testified from personal acquaintance with the operations of the Evangelical Society of Geneva, that the statement of Professor La Harpe was far from an exaggerated account of these, and who expressed a hope that the Synod would at onoe give some substantial token of the interest with which they had listened to the Professor's address, Dr M'Kerrow moved that the Synod now vote L.500 to the funds of the Society. This proposal, however, having been found to be informal, the matter was postponed. Subsequently it was again brought up on a report by the committee on Foreign Correspondence. The Synod recorded their thanks to that committee for their diligence, and in furtherance of their recommendations, which the report contained, as well as taking into view the application of Professor La Harpe in his interesting address to the Synod on this previous occasion, remitted to the committee on Foreign Missions to correspond with the Evangelical Society of Geneva; instruct the committee to give a grant of L.500 to aid that Society in its present difficulties, recommending that this sum be applied in supporting missionary operations in a particular district or districts, and requesting the Society to send to the committee from time to time such information respecting these operations as they may be able to furnish.

MISSION TO AUSTRALIA.

The Board of Missions was authorized to

receive and ordain, as a missionary to Port Philip, Australia, Mr T. E. Richardson, a licentiate of the presbytery of London. Mr Somerville, Mr Bain, Dr Kidston, Mr Fraser, and Dr Robson, spoke in support of this measure, referring to the excellent character and qualifications of Mr Richard. son, and the inviting aspect of Australia as a field of Christian mission.

DEPUTATION FROM IRELAND.

The Rev. JAMES BRYCE, with his son, the

Rev. Dr Bryce of Belfast, were introduced as a deputation from the sister church in Ireland. The venerable Mr Bryce, who has for many years sustained a noble testimony for the truth, in rejecting the regium donum, expressed his high gratification at witnessing the proceedings of the Synod, and looked forward with interest to a formal union between it and the presbytery to which he belonged. He had been forty years labouring as a minister in Ireland, having, in the course of a tour in that country, become acquainted with the congregation in which he still remained. They had seven churches who rejected the regium donum, and a minister labouring in each. He expected that, by a union with the United Presbyterian Synod, the hands of these ministers and churches would be strengthened for still greater good.

Dr BRYCE gave a graphic and interesting account of the state of Ireland in connexion with the operations of evangelical missions. In Ireland, the views of all men were tinged with one of two colours, orange and green; and it was scarcely possible to get a person who could give a perfectly unbiassed opinion on any question connected with the social interests of that country. Every evil of Ireland was ascribed by each section of the community to the conduct and interference of the party to which he happened to be opposed. No person who had not been placed in a great many different positions in Ireland, could judge of the country in its relations and wants. The great want of Ireland was the simple preaching of the gospel. In order to accomplish this object, the controversy with Popery should be eschewed; they should place before the minds of the people the free offer of salvation, resolving to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified. It was of the greatest importance to carry the people along with them, in their endeavour to evangelize Ireland. There were two great hindrances to the advancement of the gospel by Protestant agency in Ireland: The first of these was, that the Roman Catholics thought the missionaries wanted to diminish the numerical strength of the Catholics as a political body; the consequence was, they became jealous, and the influence of Protestants was thus greatly lessened. There was another hindrance in the state of the Roman Catholics of Ireland which was very greatly overlooked. In all other parts of the world where Protestants had to combat the Roman Catholic religion, it was the dominant religion; while in Ireland it had been persecuted, and trampled on, and oppressed. The consequence was, that the most generous sympathies of human nature were enlisted on the side of the vilest system of

[ocr errors]

religion; and many, who were intellectually convinced of the errors of Popery, were disposed to extend their sympathy towards its professors. He therefore deprecated that they should make the attacking of the Roman Catholic religion their principal object at present. They should carry along with them the principle of the perfect freedom of the church from all connexion with the state. When a church, maintaining purity of communion on the one hand, and in the other holding the flag of perfect independence of all state connexion, came to the Roman Catholics of Ireland, they were completely disarmed of their most powerful objections. The remark was sometimes made, "Oh, you belong to the same class of people who are taking the tithes from us.' The answer to this would at once be, "No, our hands are clean the pay of the state has never sullied them." There was one thing which had been stated again and again, both here and in England, against which he wished to caution the Synod, namely, that the late famine, and the generous liberality of English and Scotch Protestants towards Ireland, had had the effect of removing prejudices, and leading some of the people to remark, "Surely these people must be really our friends after all." He had not had an opportunity of judging how far there was truth in these statements; but while he did not mean to charge the gentlemen who put them forth with any thing but the most perfect good faith, he would only say that they did not know Ireland so well as he knew it, else they would very much doubt the extent and the depth to which these sentiments prevailed. Every body knew that, down to the very lowest Irishman, they were very polite-so polite, indeed, that they would make one think he had them three-fourth Protestant, while in reality he had not gained one inch. He thought that the plain-spoken and plain-dealing Saxons had not been fully aware of this propensity in the Irish character.

For

the last seven centuries the only defence these poor creatures have had against the most grinding oppression, not by government nor the church, but by their local aristocracies, had been a resort to cunning; and the consequence was, that from this defence having been constantly resorted to, the propensity had become almost a second nature. With these views, he would proceed to state what he would wish to see done in Ireland. He would wish that their own presbytery were in a position to make some movement towards the evangelisation of this country. When he expressed this desire some years ago, the body exclaimed against it as chimerical, and urged that, as they could not support their own ministers,

it was utterly vain for them to attempt an enterprise of that kind. At the time, there was some force in this reasoning; but now things were altered, and, with the encouragement of the United Presbyterian Church, he hoped they would be able to do something towards the object he had at heart. He thought there were symptoms of improvement since the deputation from the United Presbyterian Church had visited them. Since that period they had instituted inquiries into the working of their congregations, and he thought it would be found that the returns would be more favourable than was expected. Although the congregations were doing less than they ought to do, they were really doing more than it was supposed they were doing. The burthen of the late distress had pressed severely on some of them. In one congregation, numbering about a hundred members, the potato disease had put thirtyseven families hors de combat. Some of them had died, and others of them had been compelled to emigrate, or were reduced to such a state of poverty that they were utterly unable to do any thing towards the support of their families. He could tell them that the potato blight had shut up more than the half of the prayer-meetings in the congregations in which they were formerly most solemnly and regularly followed out, and he could also tell them that, from the same. cause, the attendance in their most flourishing Sabbath-schools had been reduced two-thirds in a month. Notwithstanding these depressing circumstances, and the general poverty of the great mass of the members of their churches, they were making great sacrifices and exertions to forward the cause they had at heart, and contended that they were entitled to more credit than they really received. There was an improvement evident in their spirit, and they had the fullest confidence in the vitality of the principle for which they were contending, and the highest hope that their efforts would be crowned with success. The doctor concluded by expressing a hope, that the Synod would send a deputation occasionally to encourage the church in Ireland, and to return such visits as the present; and he, on the part of his brethren, wished earnestly that a committee should be appointed to correspond with a committee of their own body, as to the best means of establishing missionary operations in Ireland.

Mr Jarvie of Kelso, Dr Beattie, Mr Meikle, Dr Young, Mr David Anderson, Dr Hay, Mr M'Innes, and Mr Thomas, warmly responded to the addresses of the deputation. The following motions were then unanimously adopted:-First, that the thanks of the Synod be conveyed to the

deputation; and second, that the Mission Board be instructed to co-operate with the Associate Presbytery of Ireland concerning the evangelisation of that country.

The Moderator conveyed the thanks of the Synod to Mr Bryce and Dr Bryce, who briefly replied.

MISSION BOARD.

In revising the interim rules, as far as they affect the business of Missions, considerable discussion arose as to the constitution and powers of the Mission Board. It had been previously the rule, that twelve members of the Board should reside in Edinburgh, twelve in Glasgow, and sixteen in other localities having easy access to either of these cities. Dr Beattie, Mr Bell, Mr Paterson, Mr Gemmell, Dr Taylor, and Dr Ritchie, supported the view, that there should be no limitations as to the residence of members of the Board. Dr Baird, Mr Somerville, Mr A. Robertson, Mr Marshall, Dr Young, and Mr Hay, desired some restriction as to residence. On the motion of Mr Marshall, the Synod agreed by a majority, "that not more than ten members of the Board should be drawn from any one presbytery in the church."

On a motion by Mr Robertson, rule (8.) was altered to the effect, that the names of congregations receiving aid should be published in the reports of the Board; and, on the motion of Mr Sinclair, the second clause in the same rule was made to stand as follows:-"That the Synod's report is afterwards printed in a cheap form, and as extensively circulated as possible, together with the treasurer's statement of accounts, which shall contain the names of all the congregations in the church, and whether they have remitted contributions or not."

The ninth rule, which refers to the powers of the Mission Board and of the Presbyteries, gave rise to long discussion, which resulted in the adoption of the following rules on the subject:

[ocr errors]

"All applications for aid in supplement of stipend are addressed in the first instance to the presbytery of the bounds, who are, according to a schedule to be forwarded by the Home Committee, to gain information on the following points,namely, the amount of debt resting on the congregation, the number of members and adherents, their ordinary and missionary income, the population of the locality, its distance from other churches in the body, the circumstances of the minister, the sum which the people are willing to raise for stipend, and the prospects which they have of growth and success. The presbytery, on being satisfied with the information obtained, send the application and the filled up schedule to the Home Committee, stating

at the same time their opinion of the case, if they deem it proper, particularly as to the desirableness of keeping up the vacant congregation, and the amount of stipend which the people should be called upon to raise.

"The Home Committee, if they wish more explicit information than has been supplied, are to specify to the presbytery the points on which they have doubts and desire fuller details; but if satisfied with the statements laid before them, they, looking at the state of the fund and the claims upon it, are to consider whether a supplement can be granted in this case, and if so, the amount of that supplement. The opinion of the committee is conveyed to the presbytery, who, after receiving it, may bring under the notice of the committee any circumstance which they may think has not been properly attended to. The first decision of the committee is conveyed to the congregation through the presbytery. Any party dissatisfied may bring the decision under the review of the Synod at its first meeting, but it takes effect until set aside by the Synod.

"The Home Committee may, if they deem it necessary, request the presbytery to send a deputation to visit a congregation applying for supplement, for the purpose either of obtaining more full information with regard to its affairs, or of making an arrangement as to stipend; or they may themselves send a deputation; but in the latter case they are to give notice to the presbytery, or to its Missionary Committee, and to request that one or more deputies be appointed to accompany those of the committee, it being understood that the former report to the presbytery the transactions which take place."

The following are appointed the members of the Mission Board for the next twelve months. According to the resolution of Synod, ten members, whose names stand at the top of the list, retire at each annual election, and are ineligible for one year thereafter. We insert the list as arranged by Synod,

First Year-Revs. F. Muir, Leith; H. M'Gill, Glasgow; Professor M'Michael; W. A. Pettigrew, Dysart; D. Thomas, Mauchline. Messrs John Boyd, Edinburgh; William Brodie, Glasgow; James Thomas, Kettle; James Alexander, Greenock; Thomas Stark, Falkirk.

Second Year-Revs. James Robertson, Edinburgh; Dr Struthers, Glasgow; J. Sinclair, Greenock; W. Johnstone, Limekilns; J. Banks, Paisley. Messrs William Duncan, Edinburgh; A. Hay, Edinburgh; J. Duncanson, Dunfermline; W. G. Mitchell, Glasgow; Andrew Robertson, Stirling.

Third Year.-Revs. Dr Peddie, Edinburgh; W. Welsh, Falkirk; W. Beckett, Rutherglen; J. Symington, Kilmarnock, James Gilfillan, Stirling. Messrs James Marshall, Leith; William Murray, Anstruther; J. H. Young, Glasgow; P. Hamilton, Glasgow; J. Hart, Paisley.

Fourth Year.-Revs. A. Thomson, Edinburgh; J. Cairns, Berwick; A. Robertson, Stow; Dr Robson, Glasgow; Dr Baird, Paisley. Messrs A. Fyfe, Edinburgh; James Young, Edinburgh; J. Watson, Linlithgow; D. Anderson, Glasgow; J. B. Kidston, Glasgow.

COLLECTION FOR DEBT LIQUIDATION BOARD.

Mr GREIG, Secretary of the Debt Liquidation Board, craved the-Synod to appoint a general collection in behalf of its funds, to meet various cases of emergency, which have been, or may be submitted to the board. The Synod granted this request, appointed the collection to take place on the first Sabbath of June, or some other Sabbath of that month, and instructed the board to issue a circular to the churches, stating the claims of this fund.

SYNOD HOUSE.

Mr JAMES PEDDIE, as secretary for the Synod House Committee, presented a most gratifying report, of which, notwithstanding the pressure on our columns, we must make room for the following extracts:-" The Synod will naturally be desirous to know the cost of the buildings, but not having been able, as yet, to get in the accounts for extra work and other maters which were not included in the original estimates, the committee regret that they are not prepared to give precise information on this subject. The cost, however, will considerably exceed the committee's original calculations. only were the estimates higher than was anticipated, from the high rate of wages at the time, but various additions were made during the course of the work, to add to the comfort and convenience of the premises, which were not at first contemplated. In particular, a large addition was made to one of the class-rooms, rendering it capable of accommodating 200 sitters, a portico was erected in front, and the library was neatly fitted up, and various necessary furnishings have been procured which have been included in these.

Not

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

The report referred next to the means proposed for meeting this debt. The interest upon it would be wholly met by the amount received for the occasional use of the premises by public lecturers. To reduce and extinguish the principal, the committee craved that a general collection be made throughout the churches, and a subscription opened for the contributions of the more wealthy members of the church. They proposed also to charge a moderate rent upon the different funds of the church, for the apartments occupied in their several interests. The report concludes as follows:

"The committee have the pleasure of stating that several ladies in Edinburgh and Leith, belonging to the church, have presented the Synod, through them, with a very handsome timepiece, and collection plate for the hall, and a very elegantly bound imperial quarto Bible and Psalm Book, with gown and bands for the use of

the moderator.

"The portraits of Drs Lawson and Dick, belonging to the students of the Theological Hall, have been removed to the larger class-room; and to these have been added a portrait of the late Dr Thomson of Paisley, presented to the committee by the Rev. Mr Symington, in name of some ministers and members of the late Relief Synod.

Mr JOHN BOYD, chairman of the Synod House Committee, having briefly spoken in explanation of the report, the Synod, through the moderator, unanimously expressed thanks to the committee, especially to the chairman and secretary, for their successful labours, and to Mr John Dick Peddie, the architect, for his admirable

skill and taste displayed in the plan of the Mauchline, supported its object at some building.

RULES AND FORMS OF PROCEDURE.

Mr JAMES PEDDIE read the report of the committee on this subject. They had received reports from presbyteries, sessions, and individual ministers, and had given such effect to the different suggestions as they thought they merited. A great many of the alterations they had made were merely verbal; some of the rules were changed so as to meet difficulties which practice had elicited,

others had been introduced where the committee thought they were required; but the changes which had been made on existing practices were comparatively few. The committee recommended the Synod, if they were disposed, to adopt the rules, as altered, ad interim, to reappoint the committee for the purpose of getting their alterations printed, after inserting the chapters left out in their revision, with any alterations made by the Synod upon them.

Dr STRUTHERS having left the chair, spoke briefly in support of this recommendation, as also did Mr Crawfurd, Synod clerk.

On the motion of Dr ROBSON, it was agreed that the amendments of the committee be adopted ad interim, printed, and sent down to presbyteries and sessions, and that the chapters finally settled by the Synod be printed along with them, with a note appended to them to that effect.

GENERAL SYSTEM OF STATISTICS.

The following overture on this subject was presented from the Presbytery of Kelso:"It is humbly overtured that, in order to a proper oversight of the ministers, sessions, and congregations under its jurisdiction, an intimate knowledge is necessary of the manner in which they severally fulfil their duties, which can only be obtained by regular and accurate statistics; and as, in all such matters, impartiality and uniformity are of primary importance, and complaints have arisen that congregations and ministers receiving aid from the general funds were subjected to inquiries from which others were exempted, although such inquiries embraced no particulars which might not properly have been required of every minister and congregation in the church; the Synod should therefore ordain returns to be made, by all the ministers and congregations under its inspection, to such queries as shall have received its sanction, and should forthwith appoint a committee to prepare a schedule of questions, to be submitted for synodical revision and approval during the present meeting."

Mr THOMAS, who presented an overture to the same effect from the session of

length. It was desirable, he observed, that the church should know itself, its resources, and the extent of its operations; and it was desirable it should show the world the influence of Christian principle, independent of the secular government, to maintain religious ordinances in the country. have at their command all the information For these purposes, it was necessary to attainable as to their true state. A general system of statistics would furnish a specific judge of their comparative exertions, and standard, by which different churches might be stirred up to good works. It would also reveal to the church at large its weak points, and set it to strengthen the things that are ready to fall.

Mr JARVIE, in supporting the overture, referred to the excellent results which had followed the prosecution of the same plan, on a limited scale, in the Presbytery of Kelso. Dr BEATTIE Counselled the Synod against adopting any too minute system of inquiry. He spoke from experience of a former measure of this kind, and would say that, if the questions proposed were very numerous, there was little likelihood of their being generally answered. BELL, Newcastle, who also deprecated any unnecessarily minute inquiries, moved that the overtures, and appoint a committee to the Synod approve the general principle of prepare a schedule of questions, to be submitted to the court before its rising.

Mr

Mr THOMAS reported, at a subsequent sederunt, that a schedule of queries had been prepared by the committee appointed at last meeting of Synod, with reference to congregational statistics. They recommended that a regular system be adopted throughout the church, in order to obtain annual statistical returns from congregations in reference to the state of their affairs; these returns to be sent to the presbytery of the district, to be by them forwarded to a committee appointed to receive them, and bring up a digested report to the Synod. The schedule embraced questions in regard to the average attendance on Sabbath at the church, on Sabbath and week-day schools, as well as in regard to the financial affairs of these congregations.

After some discussion, it was agreed, on the motion of Dr ROBSON, seconded by Mr THOMSON Of Slateford, to appoint a committee to consider the schedule prepared by the Home Mission Committee, and that drawn up by the Committee on Congregational Statistics, and prepare a document regarding them to be sent down to presbyteries, who were required to report to the committee some time before next meeting of Synod; the committee to prepare a digest of report for the Synod.

« AnteriorContinuar »