PRESBYTERY NOTICES.

Banffshire. This Presbytery met at Aberchirder on 10th January, when Mr. William Watson, student, delivered a discourse on John x. 10, last clause, and was examined on a portion of Calvin's Institutes in Latin, both which exercises were approved. It was agreed that the draft summary of principles be considered at next meeting.

The Presbytery again met at Whitehill Grange, on 2d March, for visitation of the congregation there, and other business. The Rev. A. Millar, conducted the conversation with the session, from which it appeared that ministerial visitation and examination are each conducted annually in the congregation, missionary and other prayer meetings are held, Sabbath classes conducted, family and public worship attended to, a congregational library is kept, and monthly missionary collections are made. The Revs. R. Paterson, A. Millar, and W. Inglis, suitably addressed the congregation; there was a full attendance, and favourable appearances of interest felt in the proceedings of the day. In the evening the Presbytery met for ordinary business, when commissioners from Keith appeared, and presented a draft of rules for the management of their temporal affairs, for which they asked the Presbytery's sanction, and, after full consideration, received it. The Presbytery read and considered the draft summary of principles, and agreed to state their general approval of the document, without recording criticisms of its parts and their arrangement. Congregations were ordered to forward their annual statistics, to be laid before the Presbytery at their next meeting; and those who had not submitted their rules for congregational management for the Presbytery's inspection and approval, were enjoined to do so then. The congregations whose representatives were present, had all made the Synod's collection due in October last. It having been reported to the Presbytery, that Mr. Munro of Gardenston had been so ill as to be unable to preach on some late Sabbaths, to prevent the recurrence of disappointments, Mr. Inglis was appointed to visit him and his session, and confer with them, if necessary, about supply of sermon till next meeting of Presbytery, which is to be held at Aberchirder on 11th April.

Banffshire. This Presbytery met at Aberchirder, on 11th April-Rev. Alex.

for the past year were called for, and were all forward or expected very soon; and Mr. Inglis and the Clerk were appointed to systematize these returns, and report to next meeting of Presbytery. The matter of written rules for congregational management was taken up, and reports were received from each of the congregations, showing that all secular affairs are managed with regularity and accuracy; and those which have not yet adopted a set of written rules, intimated their intertion to consider the matter as soon as congregational meetings can be held for the purpose. The Presbytery found, on inquiry, that four congregations had complied with the injunctions of Synod to collect for the increase of small stipends, and that from two no reports had been received. Messrs. Paterson and Mailler were appointed members of the Committec on Bills and Overtures. Mr. Inglis reported that in conformity to the Presby tery's appointment he had visited Gardenstone, and found Mr. Manro so far recovered from his late illness, as not in the meantime to need the Presbytery's assistance. The Clerk was instructed to convey the thanks of the Presbytery to John Henderson, Esq., of Park, for copies of Pearson on Infidelity which he had kindly prescuted to all the members. Mr. Millar reported that on a late visit to Cabrach, the people there authorized him to inti mate to the Presbytery, that they wished supply of sermon for five months of the ensuing summer and harvest. The Clerk was instructed to procure this for them, and also to itinerate there, and in the adjacent Highland districts during two weeks of that time. Next meeting was appointed to be held at Keith, on 29th June, for visitation of the congregation there and other business, and Messrs. Paterson, Meikleham, and Mailler, were appointed to give the public addresses.

Berwick. This Presbytery met on Tuesday, 11th April-the Rev. Mr. Inglis, mo derator pro tem. An harmonious call from the congregation of Chirnside to Mr. James Ker, preacher of the gospel, was unanimously sustained, and, in the hope of his acceptance, trial discourses were assigned to him. John Henderson, Esq., of Park, having presented a copy of Mr. Pearson's volume on Infidelity to cach minister of the Presbytery, they instructed the clerk to return their thanks to him for his kindness and liberality. Returns being

made by congregations in the bounds regarding their mode of conducting financial affairs, were found to be in accordance with the model rules in the forms of process, except in one or two points in the case of a few. The Presbytery, approving of them all, recommended, in the case of these exceptions, a nearer approximation, if practicable, to the Synod regulations. The next meeting was appointed to be held on Tuesday, the 23d May.

Dundee.-This Presbytery met on the 18th April-the Rev. D. Ogilvie, moderator. Appointed the Rev. John C. Baxter, and Mr. William Arklay, elder, members of the Committee of Bills and Overtures. Enters on the report of the Committee of Synod on the Synod's Fund, expressed approval of the changes proposed in the report. The convener of the committee of Presbytery anent the rules of congregations, for the management of their temporal concerns, reported, and the Presbytery agreed to report diligence to the Synod. Mr. James Forrester, student of the second year, gave a sermon on 1 John ii. 3; and Mr. Alexander Doctor, of second year, an exercise and additions on Phil. ii. 6, 8. Both sustained. This Presbytery meets again on Tuesday, 13th June.

Dunfermline. This Presbytery met on the 14th of February-the Rev. Dr. Johnson, moderator-when, inter alia, heard and sustained a homily from Mr. Duncanson; received statistical reports from a number of the congregations, and ordered that those from the other congregations be transmitted to the clerk without delay. Examined the draft of a summary of principles to the close of the tenth page, and agreed to some amendments, to be transmitted to the Convener of the Synod's Committee on the subject. Instructed the clerk to write a letter of thanks to John Henderson, Esq., of Park, for his kindness in presenting a copy of Pearson's work on Infidelity to each minister of the Presbytery.

The Presbytery met again on Tuesday, the 4th of April-the Rev. Dr. Johnston, moderator when Mr. M'Leish delivered a sermon, which was sustained. The clerk reported that statistical reports for the past year had now been furnished by all the congregations, both for the Presbytery and the Synod's Committee; and a committee, consisting of the ministers in Dunfermline, Dr. M'Michael con

vener, was appointed to prepare a digest of these reports, for the Presbytery, at a further meeting. Resumed the consideration of the draft of a summary of principles; when it was moved, and after some consideration agreed to, that the Presbytery shall proceed no further with the examination of the document, and recommended to the Synod, to delay, for the present, the issuing of any summary of principles. Agreed to petition Parliament against those clauses of the Lord Advocate's Bill on Education which enact, that instruction in religion shall be imparted by the master that the system of Privy Council grants, in an aggravated form, shall still be continued-and the exclusion both from the general board, and from the local school committee, of a due proportion of popu lar representatives; and appointed Drs. Johnston and M'Michael, with the Rev. Mr. Russell, a committee to prepare the petition, and transmit it to Sir James Anderson for presentation. The Rev. Mr. Walker renewed, and got recorded, an expression of his non-concurrence with the Presbytery on this subject, for the reasons assigned by him at a former meeting; and Mr. William Glass, elder, craved that it be marked in the minutes, that he could take no part in this proceeding, as he is opposed to all Government interference with education. The Rev. Messrs. More and Graham were appointed members of the Committee of Bills, &c., to meet in connection with the ensuing meeting of Synod. Next meeting of Presbytery to be in Dunfermline, on the 16th of May.

Falkirk. This Presbytery met on the 4th April; the Rev, Andrew M'Farlane, moderator. The convener of the com. mittee for the union of the two congregations, Bathgate, read the minutes of the different meetings of the committee as their report to the Presbytery. The report was approved of so far as it went, and the committee were instructed to proceed with the case. A petition was presented from Grangemouth, to have a preacher for some time located there, and the Presbytery agreed to comply with the wishes of the petitioners, so far as it could be done in accordance with the rules of the church. An overture regarding the supply of the professors' pulpits during the meeting of the Divinity Hall was unanimously adopted, and ordered to be transmitted to the Synod. Agreed to report to the committee on a summary of principles, that in the opinion of this Presbytery such a summary is not

needed. Next meeting of Presbytery is on the first Tuesday of May, at the close of the Synod's second sederunt.

Glasgow. The monthly meeting of this Presbytery was held on the 11th April, in Greyfriars' church session-house-the Rev. Dr. Macfarlane, moderator. The Rev. Mr. Dick reported that the Rev. Mr. Mitchell of Leven had accepted a call to the Kirkintilloch congregation. His induction was appointed to take place on the 27th. Reasons of dissent by the Rev. Mr. M'Gill, from the decision of Presbytery on the summary of principles, were read. Memorials on the subject of marriage with a deceased wife's sister, from the congregations of Shamrock Street, and Thornliebank, were read, and ordered to be transmitted to Synod. The Rev. Mr. M'Gill moved the following resolutions on the subject of national education:

"The Presbytery having had under consideration the bill introduced into the House of Commons by the Lord Advocate on the subject of national education in Scotland, agree to express approval of the bill in so far as it proposes to amend and enlarge the existing educational institutions of the country by abolishing religious tests, and the control and superintendence of the Established Church, by elevating the condition of the teacher and improving the quality of the education, and by making provision for the establishment of additional and special reformatory schools where these are found necessary. At the same time, the Presbytery feel constrained to express their decided disapprobation of the 27th clause, which requires school committees to set apart an hour for religious instruction (inasmuch as its adoption would go far to imperil its acceptance by the members of our church); the Presbytery also express, in the strongest terms, their disapprobation of the 36th clause, for aiding denominational schools out of the funds raised by the general rate; these clauses involving, in the opinion of this Presbytery, principles both unsound in themselves and dangerous in their consequences."

The Rev. Mr. Edmond submitted and supported the following resolutions:

1. That the enactment contained in the 27th clause of said bill, requiring the appointment of certain stated hours for ordinary religious instruction by the master, is vicious in principle, as an intrusion of civil authority into a domain beyond its legitimate sphere, offers violence to the con

scientious convictions of a large propor tion of the Scottish community, and must operate to the exclusion from office under the act of all consistent Dissenters.

2. That the enactment contained in the second part of the 36th clause, providing for the aiding from public funds of other than public schools is deserving of the strongest condemnation, as tending to institute a system embodying in an aggravated form the principle of the present highly objectionable Privy Council grants, by which denominational schools of sects the most varying and opposite are subsidized from the common treasury, fostering, consequently, the rivalships of religious parties at the expense of the community, and proclaiming indifferentism as to truth and falsehood in the most important region of human knowledge and conviction.

3. That the levying of a public rate for the specific purposes of the Act, as long as these clauses form part of the bill, must subject Dissenters to the grievous hardship and wrong of being driven to consider the alternative of passive resistance to the law, or submission to an impost by which their consciences are aggrieved.

4. That the introduction into school committees constituted under this act, of the parish minister ex officio, is objectionable as a continuance of an invidious and unwarranted distinction; and proceeds upon the unsound principle of making the tenure of sacred office a qualification for the discharge of the duties of a state functionary.

5. That the appointment of the examination of teachers on religious as well as secular knowledge by the Government inspectors is a distinct recognition of the unscriptural principle that the civil magistrate may be constituted the judge of truth and error in matters of religion.

6. That on these grounds the bill, in its present shape, must be held as extremely offensive to the dissenting community, and deserves their most strenuous and united opposition.

Hamilton. This Presbytery met on the 28th of March, in the Session-house of Chapel Street Church-the Rev. Thomas Struthers, moderator. The special business of missions first engaged attention. The Rev. Mr. Battersly delivered an address on the subject, for which a vote of thanks was tendered to him; and Messrs. Leys and Brown conducted the devotional exercises. The court then proceeded to receive reports from congregations within

their bounds, of sums raised by them for the different schemes of the church, and for missions generally, during the year. Messrs. Struthers and M'Leod were appointed members of the Committee of Bills and Overtures at the approaching meeting of Synod. Mr. James Wilson, student, delivered a lecture and a sermon, which were cordially sustained. Next meeting is to be held in the same place, on the last Tuesday of April, on which occasion the subject of the revival of religion among themselves and their congregations is chiefly to occupy the attention of the Presbytery.

Kelso. The Kelso Presbytery met there on the 21st March; the Rev. Charles Miller, moderator. Mr. Barclay, reported that he had fulfilled the appointment of Presbytery by preaching at Greenlaw on Sabbath, 19th February, intimating Mr. Monteath's demission, and summoning the congregation to appear by commissioners for their own behoof, should they see cause. Messrs. Gibson, Hume, and Knox, appeared for the congregation, and laid on the table a minute of a congregational meeting. The Rev. Mr. Monteath was heard on the reasons of his demission. The commissioners were heard in support of the resolutions of the congregational meeting. It was thereafter moved by the Rev. James Jarvie, seconded by the Rev. Robert Cranston, and unanimously agreed to-"That while it does not seem politic to oppose the dissolution of the connection betwixt Mr. Monteath and the congregation of Greenlaw-and the Presbytery do hereby dissolve the same-they cannot take this step without expressing the cordial sympathy in the feelings of Mr. Monteath, that in various matters effecting his comfort and the good of the church, and reflecting also upon the principles and plans of the denomination, such as regards the right appropriation of the Synod's monies, he had not received that encouragement which his faithful, able, and acceptable labours ought to have secured; and the Presbytery feel bound to vindicate especially the home operations of the Synod's Mission Board from the injurious reflections which circumstances partly leading to this dissolution are fitted to bring upon these operations." The Rev. Mr. Cranston, as the senior minister, engaged in prayer; and the Moderator formally announced the judgment to the parties. The Rev. Mr. Darling was appointed to preach at Greenlaw on Sabbath first, and declare the church vacant, and

preside in the session in the meantime. The petition of the congregation for supply of sermon was granted. It was agreed to furnish Mr. Monteath with a certificate, having special reference to his missionary prospects in Canada. After the annual statistical returns of the congregation had been made, Messrs. Renton, Jarvie, and Darling were appointed a committee to prepare a digest of the same, to be given in at the next meeting held in Kelso. A vote of thanks was moved and recorded to John Henderson, Esq. of Park, for his handsome donation of Pearson on Infidelity to each of the ministers of the Presbytery. The Rev. Charles Miller, and Mr. George Hamilton, were appointed members of the committee on Bills and Overtures at the meeting of Synod. On the motion of Mr. Jarvie, the Presbytery resolved to petition in favour of Lord John Russell's bill for a single and uniform oath for members of Parliament. The following overture, on the motion of Mr. Renton, was agreed to be sent up to Synod:-"It is re spectfully overtured to the U. P. Synod, that each of the standing committees of the Synod should-as is the ease with the Mission Board-consist of a definite number of members, and that of such as are not ex officio, a fourth should retire every year, and should not be re-eligible until they have been one twelvemonth out of the committee, the parties retiring being such as have given least attendance at the meetings and attention to the business; and, in case of equality or doubt, the members who have been longest in the committee; and that on reports of committees being presented, the minutes of their meetings should accompany them." The Presbytery next meets at Synod.

Kilmarnock.-This reverend court held its stated meeting in King Street Sessionhouse, Kilmarnock, on Tuesday, 11th April, The Rev. Mr. Knox reported that at the moderation of a call for the congregation of Maybole, at which he had presided, Mr. John Carrick, probationer, had been elected to be minister of the congregation. Trials for ordination were prescribed to Mr. Carrick. The Presbytery were occupied for a considerable time with the consideration of a case of discipline. The convener of the committee on the subject of education reported that the committee, at a recent meeting, had carefully considered the leading provisions of the bill lately introduced by the Lord Advocate, and that a memorial had been forwarded

to Lord Aberdeen, urging the adoption of certain amendments intended to give greater prominency to the popular element in the working of the measure, and do away with certain clauses which interfered with the conscientious convictions of Scottish Dissenters. A series of resolutions on this important subject were, after some discussion, adopted by the Presbytery. In the course of the discussion, strong disapprobation was expressed regarding the introduction of legislation on the subject of religion into the bill, which, it was held, if retained, would not only violate the principles of Voluntary dissenters, but endanger the success of the measure itself, as unsuited to the condition of a large proportion of the people of Scotland. The plan, also, of "denominational schools," which the bill contemplated, and to which the legislation on religion necessarily led, was strongly condemned, and not a little surprise expressed that parties, so apparently earnest and zealous for the withdrawal of all national support to Popery, should lend their influence for the establishment of a system, one branch of which was designed to give equal aid to truth and error, and to cover the country all over with Puseyite schools and May

nooth seminaries.

Lanark. This Presbytery met on the 4th April, and was constituted by the Rev. Robert Cordiner, moderator pro tem. The Rev. Dr. Smith and the Rev. George Johnston were appointed to represent the Presbytery in the Committee of Bills and Overtures at the approaching meeting of Synod. Notice was received from the Presbytery of Arbroath that they had suspended the Rev. Mr. Cooper, of Johnshaven, from the exercise of his office till the 4th of April.

A vote of thanks was recorded to John Henderson, Esq., for his valuable prcsent of a copy of Pearson's Essay on Infidelity to cach minister in the Presbytery. Mr. Aikman, student in divinity, delivered an exercise, with additions, on Hebrews iii. 3, 4; Mr. Paterson, a popular sermon, on Luke xix. 10; Mr. Mann, a lecture on 2 Cor. v. 18, 19; Mr. W. Scott, a lecture on Titus iii. 11-13 inclusive, and a sermon on Isaiah xxv. 8. All these exercises were sustained. The moderator's term of office having expired, the Rev. Alexander Banks, the next on the roll, was chosen Moderator for the next twelve months. The next meeting of Presbytery was appointed to be held on

the Tuesday after the third Sabbath of June.

Lancashire. This Presbytery met on the 4th April, and was constituted by the Rev. William Graham, moderator. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. Messrs. Alexander and Stobbs delivered discourses, and, along with Mr. Shorthouse, were examined on subjects previously appointed, all of which were most cordially approved. Received, through Mr. Scott, a parcel, containing a copy of the Evangelical Alliance Prize Essay on the Aspects, Causes and Agencies of In fidelity, presented to each minister of the Presbytery, by John Henderson, Esq., of Park. Agreed, most cordially, to tender their warmest thanks to Mr. Henderson for his very valuable gift, and instructed the clerk to communicate to him the same. Read a letter from two members of Lloyd Street Congregation, Manchester, stating that they had sent petitions to the Session, to be transmitted to the Presbytery, with all papers and minutes connected with the case, regarding the refusal of said Session to grant disjunction. Finding that Lloyd Street Session had not met since the petitions were sent in, and that the papers were not transmitted, the Presbytery could not enter upon the consideration of the case; but recommended that the two members-who were present-should meet with the Session, and endeavour to have the misunderstanding settled amicably. Mr. James Muir M'Kerrow, son of Dr. M'Kerrow, was nominated for admission to the Divinity Hall, and was appointed to attend at next meeting of Presbytery, to be examined. The Rev. David Sim and Mr. Herald, elder, were appointed to represent the Presbytery in the Committee on Bills and Overtures. The subject announced by Dr. M'Kerrow, at last meeting of Presbytery, was left over to a subsequent occasion.

Next meeting of Presbytery to be held at Bradford, on the last Tuesday of May, at 11 A.M.

Newcastle, 7th March.-At a meeting of this Presbytery, the Rev. James Duncan resigned his pastoral charge of the congregation at Workworth. The congregation, having been previously informed of his intention, now by letters and commissioners, stated that while Mr. Duncan's present proposal had given them great sorrow and concern, they offered no opposition to it. In these circumstances, the