Houston by the presbytery of Newcastle. Next meeting of presbytery was appointed to be held on Tuesday, 9th November.

Newcastle. This presbytery met on 7th September, when the state of matters in the congregation of Clavering Place was again considered. Mr Houston, amid the agitations fomented by some of his own partisans, had recommended, as a remedial measure, that there should be a radical change in the pastorate, by the resignation of both ministers. That opinion, as some supposed, and said, was given in the hope of his being himself recalled as sole pastor of the congregation. After his pastoral charge and connection with the United Presbyterian Church had ceased, a party, entering into his views, and willing to work out his schemes, now came forward, petitioning the presbytery to advise Mr Pringle to resign. With that proposal, the presbytery, in whose judgment no adequate reasons had been assigned for the measure, unanimously refused to comply; but, with the view of harmonising all parties, it was agreed to grant an immediate supply of preachers to the congregation, to appoint a committee to intimate this decision, and to recommend the study of the things which make for peace. A petition from the congregation of Hull was granted, for the dispensation of the Lord's Supper, and a moderation of a call; and Mr Pringle was appointed to preside on that occasion, on the 19th and 20th September. Mr Riddell having accepted the call from Walker; and his trials for ordination being given in and approved, his ordination was appointed to take place at Walker, on the 29th September, the presbytery to meet for general business at Newcastle on the same day. Mr Stewart gave in his trials for ordination, which were approved; and his ordination was appointed to take place at Stockton on Tuesday, 12th October.The presbytery again met on 29th September, when Mr Pringle reported his proceedings in the moderation at Hull, and laid on the table a call, from the congregation there, to Mr James L. Rome, which was sustained, and trials for ordination were assigned.—On the same day the presbytery again met at Walker, for the ordination of Mr Walter Riddell. Mr Henderson preached, Mr Dall presided, proposed the questions of the formula, and offered up the ordination prayer,-Dr Henderson of Galashiels gave the charge to Mr Riddell, and Mr Parker addressed the congregation.The presbytery again met at Stockton, on 12th October, for the ordination of Mr Adam Stewart. Mr Bartholomew preached, Mr Douglas presided, proposed the questions of the formula, offered up the ordination prayer, and gave the charge to

Mr Stewart; and Mr Mathieson addressed the congregation.

Paisley and Greenock. This presbytery met at Greenock, 19th October-the Rev. W. Steven, moderator. Reports were called for as to the annual collection for the Synod Fund. Certificates were received from the professors, attesting the attendance of the following students at the Theological Hall, viz.:-Messrs Smith, Boyd, and Balderston, of the first year; Paterson and Gillies, of the third; and King and Ronaldson, of the fourth. The Rev. Mr Sinclair called attention to the parochial schools, and submitted a series of resolutions, which, after members were heard, were unanimously agreed to, as follow:-1. That this presbytery regards the education of the people as of unspeakable importance to this country, and though gratified with the extent to which educational institutions exist, it deems these by no means adequate to the wants of the population, while in many cases the defective quality of the instruction, and the existence of abuses, greatly impair their efficiency. 2. That the parochial schools are public property, and therefore the statutes which enact that every teacher in them shall subscribe the Confession and Formula of the Established Church-that he shall be elected by the minister and heritors of the parish and that he and his school shall be under the ecclesiastical authority and superintendence of the parish minister and presbytery of the bounds, are unjust to the large body of inhabitants who do not belong to the Established Church, and injurious to the schools and the interests of education, inasmuch as they limit the choice of teachers to one denomination, which now does not include a third part of the people, and destroys the interest and confidence of the majority of the population in these schools.-3. That, since the case of the parish schools will probably soon come before Parliament, for the purpose of obtaining an augmentation of the teachers' salaries, this presbytery recommends to all the congregations within its bounds, as soon as convenient, to petition Parliament to place these schools on a just and popular foundation, by repealing the enactment which requires the schoolmasters to subscribe the Confession and Formula of the Established Church, giving the right to elect the schoolmasters to the heads of families, or a board elected by them; and removing the teachers and schools from under the authority and superintendence of the presbytery and parish minister, and placing them under the control of local boards chosen by the said heads of families. -4. That, as it is desirable that all parts of the country should move simultaneously

on the subject, the presbytery will correspond with the Synod's committee on public questions, and suggest to them the propriety of their bringing it before the other presbyteries and congregations of the United Presbyterian Church. The Rev. Dr Baird gave notice of a motion, which he intends to submit at next meeting of presbytery, on the better support of the Gospel ministry. Next meeting is to be held at Paisley on the first Tuesday of December.

Perth. This presbytery met on the 21st September. There was only routine business to transact. The next meeting was appointed to be on the Tuesday after the first Sabbath of November; and it was agreed to consider, at that meeting, the propriety of having fixed days for the meetings of presbytery, and whether any additional means might be employed to promote religion within the bounds of the presbytery.

Stirling. This presbytery met on 5th October. Certificates were read from the professors, attesting Mr Thomas Ure, student in divinity of the second year; Messrs David Rintoul and James Steedman, of the fourth year; and Mr John M'Laren, of the fifth. Mr John M'Laren was, after an examination, taken on trials for license, and had subjects of trial prescribed to him. The other students were appointed to deliver five discourses in the course of the year, and to be examined on church history in April by Mr Brown; and, at the meeting immediately before the commencement of the Hall, on the Antinomian controversy and practical religion, by Mr Steedman. They were also appointed to be examined in Greek and Hebrew. Commissioners from the West Congregation of Alloa presented a petition for a moderation, which was granted. It was agreed that Mr Stewart preach to said congregation on the fifth Sabbath of October, and that Mr Frew dispense the Lord's Supper among them on the fourth Sabbath of November. Agreeably to minute of June 1st, Mr Stewart of Stirling laid on the table documents relating to an arrangement between him and his congregation, which were read. It appears that Mr Stewart had intimated to the session and managers of St John Street congregation his resolution, in consequence of his increasing infirmities, to retire from the more active labours of his pastoral charge, while he retained his ecclesiastical position as one of the ministers of the congregation, and as a member of the church courtsthat his colleague, Mr Steedman, had acquiesced in the measure-and that the congregation had, at a meeting held on the 2d July 1851, concurred in the arrangement, and agreed that the retiring allowance payable to Mr Stewart should be L.130 per annum. The presbytery unanimously

MISSIONARY DESIGNATION.

A PUBLIC meeting was held on the evening of the 19th October, in the Synod Hall, Edinburgh, for the purpose of designating the Rev. H. H. Garnet, as a missionary for Jamaica. After devotional exercises, conducted by the Rev. Peter M'Dowall, Alloa, the Rev. Andrew Somerville, mission secretary, addressed the meeting on The special promises given to the negro race;" the Rev. James Kirkwood offered up the designation prayer; the Rev. John Cooper, Fala, addressed Mr Garnet; Mr Garnet took farewell of the audience in a few appropriate and touching remarks; and the Rev. F. Muir, Leith, closed

to

the proceedings by prayer. The occasion was a deeply interesting one, and the whole services were peculiarly solemn and interesting. Mr Garnet, who is of African descent, is the first negro missionary sent out and employed by the United Presbyterian Church as an ordained minister of the Gospel. He was born a slave in Maryland, United States; escaped from bondage, along with his parents, when about nine years of age; obtained, by his own diligence and zeal, a literary and theological education, and was licensed and ordained by the Presbyterian Church in America, as a minister in the state of New York. About two years ago he came to this country, at the invitation of a number of the friends of the enslaved, and has since been occupied with much acceptance in pleading the cause of negro freedom. But as he felt a burning de. sire to have the opportunity of preaching the Gospel to his sable race, and as the horrid fugitive slave law forbids his return America, he offered his services to the mission board of the United Presbyterian Churchhaving previously been admitted a minister of that body-as a missionary for Jamaica, and was unanimously accepted. An ordained minister of a sable hue going out from a Scottish church as a fully accredited ambassador of Christ, charged with the honourable work of preaching the Gospel to the perishing heathen, is an event full of hope for the long despised African race. He is to sail with his wife and family in a few days; and we are certain that many will follow him with their fervent prayers. May he prove the honoured harbinger of an ever-increasing band of Ethiopia's sons, who shall be raised up in Jamaica and elsewhere, and who shall, as the messengers of Christ, proclaim to their benighted countrymen that God is no respecter of persons,-that the black man has an equal right to the Gospel as the white man,-and that both, when they believe, are one and alike in Christ Jesus.

OBITUARY.

Died, at Cairnryan, near Stranraer, on the 24th September, the Rev. J. M'Gregor, minister of the Bridge Street United Presbyterian Church, Stranraer, in the 51st year of his age, and 28th of his ministry.

STUDENTS' TOTAL ABSTINENCE SOCIETY. THE annual public meeting of the Total Abstinence Society in connection with the theological seminary of the United Presbyterian Church, was held in the Synod

Hall, Queen Street, on the evening of Wednesday, 15th September. The chair was occupied by the Rev. Professor Lindsay, D.D., honorary president of the association. The meeting was large and enthusiastic, and able and stirring speeches were delivered by the chairman, Rev. Dr Joseph Brown, Dalkeith; Rev. James Robertson, Newington; Rev. George C. Hutton, Paisley; and Messrs Wm. Fleming and James Ker, students of divinity. "It is manifest," says the secretary of the society, in communicating this notice of the meeting, "that our students have taken their resolution on this point, and that the destruction of the drinking customs of our country is to be one of the objects of their efforts. The earnestness and zeal with which they have taken up this question, at once appear from the fact stated at the meeting, that the society numbers 100 members; and we understand that that number has been increased since the meeting. This is what is wanted. Give us students of high-toned piety, and resolute earnestness to discharge every duty, and do good wherever they have opportunity; and with these labours, and God's blessing upon such labours, our church shall prosper, our age shall be blessed, and our ministers shall depart from this world, leaving it better than they found it."

THEOLOGICAL HALL.

Dr

THE session of the Divinity Hall was closed on Friday, 24th September, in presence of the professors, the committee on theological education, and other ministers. The valedictory lecture was delivered by the Rev. Professor Lindsay, on the subject-The rule of faith, with special reference to the opinions of Cardinal Wiseman as maintained in his recent publications. Lindsay, in a close and searching argu ment, exposed the sophistry of the cardinal's reasoning, and the absurdity of his conclusions, and proved that the Word of God is the only infallible rule of faith and practice. The chairman of the theological committee, the Rev. Mr Renton of Kelso (moderator of the Synod), then delivered an address, of which, at our request, the manuscript has been kindly furnished for insertion in the Magazine.

dom-a body also who are required to pass through a longer period of theological

study than the candidates for the christian ministry in any other church-and a body, all the members of which, previously to entering upon their sacred studies, must have completed a university curriculum which entitled them to take degrees, or at least qualified them to compete for graduation in arts-is a task which any man might account it a peculiar privilege, not unattended with considerable responsibility, to have devolved upon him. The past education, the present pursuits, the future destination, the high unworldly motives, the pure character, the interesting period of life, and in several instances the arduous struggles of those composing such a body, unite to inspire me with respect and diffidence before you, in appearing as the organ of the Synod's committee for superintending theological education, to attempt the discharge of this duty.

The attendance of the committee at the opening and close of the session of the Divinity Hall, is designed to evidence the importance which the Synod attaches to this institution-the care with which it watches over its interests-the grateful support and encouragement in their labours it yields to those able and learned men, to whom, as your professors, it has committed the highest and most honourable trust it has to confer the earnest purpose with which it is resolved to enforce all the regulations relative to study, attendance, and deportment-the readiness with which it is prepared to consider any remedies or improvements which the professors have to propose, or which circumstances may suggest-and, in fine, the great concern it cherishes to promote the efficiency of the institution, and your personal edification, by a faithful superintendence of the means provided, by hearty commendation of your progress, and by animating you, so far as our presence and exhortations may, to onward and greater preparation for your high calling.

Connected with the session which this day terminates, the Synod's committee has learned with much interest and satisfaction from the reports which the professors have submitted to it, that the number of the students exceeds that of any previous session, being no fewer than one hundred and eighty-two-that the attendance at the hours of lecture and of examination in the different classes has been close and punctual that the deportment has been exemplary, and that the exercises and examinations have displayed increased proficiency of attainment, particularly in Hebrew and Chaldee scholarship. And, although it has not come through the same channel, I have learned from other sources, on which I can depend, that the meetings for prayer

and for missionary objects, which, as they are left to the spontaneity of the students, the more truly indicate their devotional character and missionary interest, have never been attended by greater numbers or marked by more fervour. You may be assured, my dear young brethren, that such facts do not only delight us, they call forth our gratitude to the Father of Lights, and they strengthen our hopes and our confidence of your future devotedness, and attainments, and efficiency, and usefulness.

You are about to quit the Hall, some of you, who have completed your five years' attendance on it, to enter on Trials for License, the others, of shorter standing, to prosecute your studies under the superintendence of your respective presbyteries until the return of another session,- and all of you to carry forward your preparations for the work of the ministry. O, how much depends, for yourselves, for the church, for society, upon the right use of your time during that brief interval-brief even to the youngest students-which is to elapse between the present and your entrance upon the office of preachers! How much on right apprehensions of your great work, and of the great times on which your lot is fallen, and of the great part you may perform for God's glory and man's highest interests, although called to serve Him in a church which counts none of the noble and few of the rich among its members! How much upon true principles, and high motives, and holy habits, formed and cherished during the momentous and susceptible period of your studentship! In a few years those now present will form no inconsiderable portion of the ministers-it may be, of the missionaries, of our church. And on you will much depend, under God, what is then to be the condition of this branch of his church, and of the community of which its members form a part, and which, if their energies are called forth and wisely and faithfully directed, they ought, from their principles, their numbers, the classes of which they are composed, and their distribution over the country, mightily to influence.

No class of men in Scotland have so greatly moulded the character of its population as its gospel ministers. The lights in science and literature, which in earlier, and still more in later times, have illumined and adorned our country, we regard with admiration and pride. The inventions and discoveries in natural science-the productions in metaphysical and political science -and the contributions in poetry, history, fiction, and criticism, which stand identified with a galaxy of illustrious names, have exerted a vast influence in advancing our own civilisation, and increasing our national

wealth, while they have immensely benefited England and enriched the whole empire, and in some departments diffused their benefits over a yet wider circle, as eminently in those of which stand foremost the names of James Watt and Adam Smith-the common and inestimable benefactors of mankind. Yet what have all our illustrious countrymen, in these splendid walks, done to mould the character of the people, in comparison of what has been done by the men who achieved, and revived, and carried forward the work of the Reformation, and of whom Knox and his associates, the leaders of the Covenant, and the fathers of the Secession, were in their successive periods the grand types? There is a power in the gospel ministry which belongs to no other influence for the moral elevation of man. Nor is this difficult to be accounted for. Gospel ministers have to do with the highest department of、 human science, and with the highest end in that department-they have to do with mind, and with the culture of mind for its highest sphere and purposes. They have to do with the formation of religious opinion and character-with the formation and establishment in the human mind of those principles which secure the moral improve ment of our species in the highest degree of which it is susceptible in the present state of being. Hence the Reformation is by far the grandest event in our past history, and its influence has been mightier than all others put together. To bring before the mind of man the revealed will of his Creator, and to press him to the study, and reverence, and observance of that will, as the supreme and infallible rule of his life-to bring him into direct and habitual contact with the Father of his spirit, and the Lord of his conscience, and thereby to control and direct all the springs of his moral being,—this was what the Reformation effected,-by the Word of God, in the vernacular tongue, not only given to the people, but taught to them, and pressed on their own private search and study,—by the exhibition of the One Mediator between God and man, Christ Jesus, by a simple spiritual worship,-by a popular scriptural polity,-and by a faithful discipline which knew no respect of persons. The end and the means were worthy of each other. And in proportion as the same means have been earnestly employed, in dependence on that divine efficacy, without which all talents, and attainments, and devices, and energies of man, nay, and all divinely instituted means themselves, are unavailing, has the same end ever been effected.

This great ministry is the work for which you are to be qualified, and nothing should

be accounted foreign or indifferent to you which can contribute to your equipment for it. The doctrines of the cross have formidable opposition to encounter in the natural enmity of the human heart; and every man who is bent on their advancement is bound on principle to avoid with jealous care whatever on his part may tend to impede their reception, or dishonour their advocacy. In this light there are some things, which, though very secondary when viewed in relation to moral, intellectual, and theological qualifications, merit more attention than they commonly receive, and cannot be disregarded by a preacher, without serious detriment to his acceptability and usefulness. Such, in particular, are delivery and manners. Elocution, in its various branches, is worthy of your cultivation, for the correction of what is rude and ungainly, and for the improvement of what is naturally good, in voice and manner. I have been distressed sometimes to hear preachers referred to disparagingly, owing wholly to the awkwardness, dulness, or other defect of their delivery, whose discourses, had they been spoken with a graceful elocution, or even had they been perused, instead of being heard by those who depreciated them, would, from the merits of their composition, no less than of their mental stamina and gospel excellence, have drawn forth admiration, and commanded respect, if they had not produced any better effects. Affectation and artificiality of manner are always offensive, and nowhere more than in the pulpit. But, because they are to be avoided despised, the opposite offence of rudeness of pronunciation and delivery, is no more to be excused than would be a preacher's entering the pulpit in the working dress of a labourer, because he discarded the canonical vestments of a popish priest. In relation to this, and to all matters of taste. and manners-in which a sense of propriety is so essential to the happiness and improvement of the individual and of those around him, and in well-bred circles is so jealously observed-where no compromise of moral principle is involved, the direction and example of the great apastle are to be followed, "Give none offence, neither to the Jew nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God; even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many that they may be saved." And in the particular function of delivery, let the best use be made of the powers God has given you, that with a sincere and earnest manner, and with the graces of a correct elocution, you may "speak unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort."

and

There are elegant accomplishments,