members of our body, although these schools must now be dispersed unless the matter be promptly looked to. The property had been erected at an expense exceeding L.2000, and the whole was offered for L.1200, there being no feu-duty payable. Seeing they had the offer of a property so eligible, at a price so moderate, and that the district in which it was situated offered a most inviting field for quickly gathering a new congregation, the memorialists felt that they would not have been acting up to the emergency, and would scarcely have been guiltless in the matter, had they not attempted to secure the property for the United Church. Mr James Young and Mr Taylor, other two of the memorialists, having also been heard in its support, and the members of presbytery having delivered their sentiments, it was agreed to send the memorial down to the sessions in the city for their consideration-the presbytery to meet on Tuesday next to receive the reports, and take further steps in the matter. At the adjourned meeting, on Tuesday 14th November, the reports from sessions were received, and, after deliberation, the presbytery granted the desire of the memorialists, for a church in Newing. ton.

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Glasgow. This presbytery met on the 14th December. The moderator, Dr Beattie, stated that he had received an application from a minister in Glasgow, requesting admission to the office of the ministry in connexion with the United Church. committee was appointed to consider the application and report. A memorial was read from the church at Govan, containing a statement of their affairs, with a view of its being transmitted to the Mission Board. A committee was appointed to inquire into the facts stated in the memorial, before transmitting it. Dr King read a memorial from the Glasgow association for the early closing of shops and other places of busi

ness.

It was agreed that the presbytery express their entire approbation of the object, and their great satisfaction at the movement now made to induce merchants, manufacturers, shopkeepers and others, to close their places of business earlier in the evening, and especially on the evening previous to the Sabbath, the presbytery being convinced that the change would be beneficial to the moral, intellectual, and physical character, both of employers and employed; and they recommend to all ministers within the bounds of presbytery to bring the subject before their congregations, especially dissuading families from making their purchases at late hours, except from necessity, and to take such other steps as would tend to attain the object of the memorialists. Dr Taylor gave notice

of a motion for next meeting regarding the propriety of taking some steps for the purpose of extending, regularly and systematically, the number of their churches in Glasgow. The presbytery then proceeded with the examination of students, with a view to licence them as preachers, and the following delivered part of their trial discourses: -Messrs John P. Bell, John Baxter, John Smith, and Robert Mitchell. In reference to a question proposed by a member of court as to a disappointment of the Kirkintulloch congregation on two successive Sabbaths, in consequence of the non arrival of the preachers appointed, a committee was named to correspond with the Synod's committee for distributing preachers, requiring an explanation.

Kirkcaldy. This presbytery met in Bristo Street Church, Edinburgh, 5th October. The Rev. William Harper, moderator, p. t. Mr R. Brown, preacher, went through trials for ordination, which were sustained, and the ordination appointed to take place on 28th October; the Rev. William Cowan to preach, and the Rev. D. G. Crawford to ordain and to give the charge to the minister and the congregation. Testimonials from the professors in favour of Messrs Greig and Cooper, students of divinity, were received and read, and Mr Cooper, at his own request, transferred to the presbytery of Edinburgh.— Markinch, 28th October. The presbytery met, the Rev. D. G. Crawford, moderator, pro die. Besides

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considerable attendance of members of presbytery, the following corresponding members were present; viz. the Rev. Dr M'Kelvie of the presbytery of Dunfermline, Rev. William Halley of the presbytery of Paisley and Greenock, and the Rev. A. Gardiner, and A. M'Farlane of the presbytery of Falkirk. The clerk intimated that Mr Daniel Douglas had accepted the call from the congregation of Kennoway. The presbytery having removed to the church, the Rev. William Cowan, preached, and the Rev. D. G. Crawford put the questions of the formula. The question which follows the 6th in the formula was also put to the congregation, and satisfactorily answered. Mr Brown was then, by prayer and the laying on of the hands of the presbytery, ordained to the office of the holy ministry and pastoral oversight of the congregation of Markinch. Mr Crawford exhorted Mr Brown and the congregation to their respective duties, and concluded the solemn services of the day.

Lanark. The presbytery of Lanark met on the 23d November. It was intimated, that since last meeting the Rev. George Campbell, senior minister of Roberton, had been removed by death, after a lengthened ministry of forty-five years. Mr Alexander

INDUCTION AT KILMARNOCK.

On Monday, the 14th December, the Presbytery of Kilmarnock met in King Street Church there, for the purpose of inducting to it the Rev. John Symington, formerly of Bread Street, Edinburgh; Rev. Mr Christie, Kilmaurs, preached; Rev. Mr Drummond, Irvine, presided, and offered up the induction prayer: and the Rev. Mr Matheson, Galston, addressed the minister and people. On the Sabbath thereafter, Mr Symington was introduced to his people by the Rev. James Kirkwood, Edinburgh, moderator of the United Presbyterian Church.

ORDINATION. HOUGHTON-LE-SPRING.

The United Presbytery of Newcastle met at Houghton-le-Spring on Wednesday, the 17th November, for the ordination of Mr Anderson Drysdale. Mr Bruce of Edinburgh preached, Mr Muir of Sunderland presided in the ordination, Mr Parker of Sunderland addressed the minister, and Mr Douglas of Hartlepool the congregation. Notwithstanding the unfavourable weather, a very respectable audience assembled, and a number of friends from Newcastle and Sunderland were present to give their countenance to this church. The state of matters here is said to afford a striking proof of the value of the liquidation board to the United Presbyterian Church. But for its deputation, and aid, and encouragement, no such scene could have been witnessed in so short a time.

CALLS.

Nigg.-On Thursday, 18th November, the United Presbyterian Church of Nigg, gave a unanimous call to the Rev. J. B. Munro, to be their pastor. Mr Munro is son of the late Rev. John Munro, who for a number of years was minister of that congregation.

Walker.-On Thursday 18th November, the Rev. James Pringle preached at Walker, Northumberland, and presided in the moderation of a call for a pastor to the

United Church there. The call was unanimously in favour of Mr Matthew Dickie, preacher of the gospel.

CENTENARY MEETING

—BOGHOLE, ELGIN. On the evening of Wednesday, the 17th November, a meeting of this congregation was held, for the purpose of celebrating its formation, one hundred years ago. This event derives a peculiar interest from the fact of its having been the first Secession Church, in conjunction with the first congregation of Elgin, which was organized in the north of Scotland. The following facts, gathered from authentic sources, formed the data on which the meeting proceeded : -The individuals with whom this congregation originated were greatly dissatisfied with the proceedings of the prevailing party in the Church of Scotland towards the four brethren, the Fathers of the Secession; but as they were so few in number, and so far distant from the scene of action, they could do nothing more than afford them their sympathy in their sufferings in behalf of the truth. Meanwhile, the workings of the law of patronage, and the measures of the General Assembly in forcing the settlement of ministers against the will of the people, caused a number of the more intelligent and religious inhabitants of Elgin and the adjacent parishes to write a memorial to the Associate Presbytery in the year 1741, representing their circumstances, and craving to be taken under the presbytery's inspection. The presbytery, for want of preachers, were unable to supply them with sermon till 1745, when Mr Troup, who could speak the Gaelic language, was located as a missionary among them, paying, at the same time, occasional visits to the Seceders in Ross-shire. In the year 1747, Mr Gordon having been presented to the parish of Auldearn, in which Boghole is situated, and being very obnoxious to the parishioners, who attempted to oppose his induction by every constitutional means, but without success, a number of his opponents withdrew, and acceded to the Associate Presbytery, when they and the people of Elgin were formed into a joint congregation, under the pastoral care of Mr Troup, who was ordained over them in the following year, 1748. As a proof of the firmness of their principles, as well as their determined opposition to the corruption of the times, it may be mentioned, that for the first six years of his ministry, Mr Troup continued to preach within the ruined walls of an old castle about a mile from the present place of worship, while his flock were exposed to all the inclemencies of the weather. Mr Troup laboured here until the year 1763, when he was translated to the North Congregation, Perth, one of the first

four churches with which the Secession commenced, where he continued to preach till 1773, when he was removed by death. He is reported to have been an excellent man, and an eminent preacher of the gospel. To this day his name is spoken of by the older inhabitants of this place with the After the greatest respect and esteem.

translation of Mr Troup the united congregation of Elgin and Boghole was disjoined, and constituted separate charges. The former obtained for their minister the Rev. Mr Duncan, and the latter the Rev. Mr Clark, who was ordained in 1763, the same year in which Mr Troup had left. During the earlier period of his ministry, Mr Clark also supplied the people of Nairn with ser.. mon until they obtained Mr Kitchen as a minister of their own. Mr Clark was from the congregation of Abernethy, and continued to labour here till 1809, when he died in the 76th year of his age and 46th of his ministry. After a vacancy of six years, Mr Anderson was settled in the charge in 1815, but left a few years ago for America, where he died. Such are a few facts connected with the origin and history of this

congregation, which, situated though it be in a rural and sequestered spot, yet may be regarded as the mother of all the Secession churches in this part of the country. In this notice it is but proper to mention the obligations under which the congregation lie to the Earl of Cawdor and his ancestors, who have not only granted them a site free of expense, but have showed them It no small kindness in various ways. should also be mentioned that the congregation are greatly indebted to the Rev. Mr Stark of Forres, who, when the interest had fallen into a low condition during the vacancy between 1809 and 1815, preached no fewer than from eighty to ninety times after labouring among his own people during the day, so that it may be said, that under God, the congregation owes its preservation to his gratuitous services. The present place of worship, which was lately erected, has a fine appearance, standing, as it does, on the high green bank of a stream which sweeps past in the valley below. The centenary meeting, notwithstanding the unpropitious state of the weather, was attended by a numerous audience.

REV. G. J. MACKENZIE.

THE Rev. George Jerment Mackenzie, minister of the United Presbyterian Church, Carnoustie, died there on the 18th November, in the 27th year of his age, and first of his ministry. Mr Mackenzie was born in India, and at a very early age was sent to Edinburgh, where he continued to reside till he became a probationer in the United Secession Church. Though his birth-place was so far away from the more immediate sphere of that church, yet he had peculiar ties binding him to her, and these were strengthened as his affections, under the influence of maturer judgment, led him to embrace her principles and communion. His paternal grandfather, who died a few years ago at the advanced age of ninetyseven, was long an honoured elder in the late Mr Munro's congregation, Nigg, Rossshire; while his father, the late Alexander Mackenzie, Esq. of Goamatty, Bengal, who was twenty-four years in India, maintained all the time his principles and consistency, and returned home as devotedly attached to the Secession Church as when he went away. Mr Mackenzie's mother's father, whose name he bore, was the Rev. George Jerment, D.D., of Oxendon Chapel, London, the author of several interesting works in the department of practical religion, and one of the founders of the London Missionary Society.

Enjoying all the advantages for prosecuting his studies which the schools and university of Edinburgh afforded, Mr Mackenzie gave evidence, in the variety and extent of his attainments, that these had been faithfully improved by him. From the time he was six years of age he was brought up under the ministry and affectionate care of the Rev. Dr John Ritchie, to whose counsels, he, as well as the other members of the family, was in no ordinary degree indebted, and whom he respected and loved as a father. He was licensed to preach the gospel by the United Associate Presbytery of Edinburgh in February 1843, and was highly esteemed as a preacher when going about among the churches. Of this there was evidence in the call which he received from the congregation of Nairn, which, however, he felt it his duty to decline, and in other substantial tokens of the affectionate regards of some of his hearers.

Having accepted a call to become pastor of the church at Carnoustie, he was ordained there on the 24th November 1846. The settlement was in all respects a happy one. The young minister set himself to do the work of an evangelist in all its departments, with the utmost energy and zeal, and by his prudent and dignified, yet kindly and affectionate deportment, entwined around him the love and esteem of old and