Macleod of Maryburgh, the former of whom has, for several months, been labouring with unwearied zeal within the bounds of the Presbytery of Lochcarron, and the latter in the district of Strathspey. To these faithful servants of Christ the Free Church owes, under God, the deepest debt of gratitude, and the Committee rejoice to believe, as will afterwards be noticed more particularly, that their labours have not been in vain in the Lord.

"The committee have also adopted measures for having catechists appointed throughout these districts. With this view a set of regulations were framed, and issued under the sanction of the committee for the plantation of charges, by which Presbyteries were authorised to proceed without delay to the appointment of such labourers, who, it is provided, shall in every case be under the superintendence and control of the Free Presbyteries within whose bounds they labour.' The leading instruction to these catechists, as contained in the regulations, is, that they shall ⚫ visit from house to house in the districts assigned to them, and hold frequent meetings with the people at such places as may be found most convenient. At these meetings they shall catechise and read the Scriptures, offering such plain observations as may occur to them in course of catechising or reading. They shall also read to the people such books as Guthrie's Trial of a Saving Interest,'' Boston's Fourfold State,' Alleine's Alarm to the Unconverted ;' and in explaining the catechism, they shall, for their own information, make use of Willison's and Fisher's explanations. They shall also hold frequent prayer-meetings with the people.' The committee felt themselves called upon to resort to this expedient, so as to meet, in some measure, the present and pressing exigency. And accordingly, in the communication sent to Presbyteries on the subject, it is stated, 'the people should be made to understand that it is by no means intended to supersede the employment of an edu cated gospel ministry, but rather to supplement the existing deficiency, till it shall please the Lord of the harvest to send forth a more abundant supply of such labourers into his harvest.' The committee have to report, that about 30 of such labourers are now engaged throughout the several Highland Synods,-a supply, however, which is far from sufficient, as compared with the actual necessities.

"In addition to these means, occasional itinerancies have been made through some of the more needy districts, especially in Argyleshire. These, however, for obvious reasons, could not be carried to the same extent as during the summer and autumn months. But your committee cannot pass from this branch of the report without adverting to the extraordinary labours undergone by many of the ministers of fixed charges. To these the committee must point, as the great means by which our cause has been sustained, and the interests of true religion promoted in the Highland districts. In many cases, placed in wide and almost unmanageable parishes, not a few of them compelled to reside at a distance from their charges, they have toiled with indefatigable zeal, and in many instances beyond their strength, to furnish a supply of ordinances, not only among their regular flocks, but at innumerable preaching stations, called into existence in connection with our present circumstances. They have been received everywhere by crowds of eager and earnest bearers, they have felt a great door and effectual' has been opened to them; and amid all their painful difficulties, the Lord has caused them to experience that, cording to their day, so has been their strength.'

ac

"III. The committee would now take leave briefly to call the attention of the Assembly to the means which must be looked to by the Church for supplying the existing deficiency in the Highlands and Islands, under such arrangement as the Assembly may think best to adopt for the time to come.

"In so far as the committee have been able to ascertain, there are only five or six young men still likely to be licensed this summer as probationers. These, together with the probationers already in the field, will make the whole available supply of this class of labourers about 30. When it is considered that the number of organized congregations amounts to 41, and that there are also 26 congregations which, though not yet fully organized, may soon be expected to be in that condition, thus making in all 67 congregations which require to be supplied with regular preaching,-and when it is remembered that, along with these, there are very many preaching sta

tions which the regular ministers have been labouring beyond their strength to occupy, we may well be filled with concern at the scantiness of the supply. What are these among so many?' The committee have prepared a plan for the employment of probationers, by which, instead of remaining stationary in particular districts, they should go from station to station successively. Thus the available supply will be more equally distributed than it has hitherto been, and congregations ready for calling pastors will have trial of the gifts of all those who are eligible. The committee would earnestly recommend that this plan may be kept in view in any arrangements which the Assembly may adopt in regard to the future supply of those districts.

"But your committee would press it upon the serious notice of the Assembly, that the present wants of the Highlands cannot adequately be supplied by this instrumentality. Indeed they tremble to think of the consequences to the spiritual and eternal interests of thousands of their countrymen, unless other means than these be also employed. A thirst has been created for the preaching of the gospel. In some districts means are being employed for diffusing the most erroneous views of divine truth. And there are not wanting causes of alarm lest some who have looked to the Free Church for gospel light and ordinances, wearied out in waiting for a supply, may be misled by those who will teach them another gospel, to the fearful injury of their eternal interests. There ought to be frequent itinerancies of our best and ablest ministers, until, by the blessing of God, a large supply of preachers are obtained. The committee venture to express a hope that the Assembly will do what they can to make ministers and congregations sensible that the sacrifices implied in this arrangement must be submitted to in the present critical and interesting circumstances of our Church. But your committee would especially take leave to press upon the serious attention of the Assembly, the paramount importance of using means for increasing the number of general missionaries, or evangelists, such as those above referred to. In the present emergency, no plan appears to the committee so well suited to accomplish the object aimed at. Ministers called forth to itinerate merely for a short period, must feel a certain restraint, arising from the responsibili.. ties which still press on them, with reference to their particular charges. But if the Church could free some of her most gifted ministers, at least for a time, from their charges, they might be expected to go forth with a comfort and enlargement of heart, which, in other circumstances, they could not be expected to experience. The scheme, too, is recommended by the example of our forefathers, who, in times of similar difficulty, when very much land remained to be possessed, betook themselves to the wise expedient of appointing superintendents, or evangelists, who laboured in extensive districts, which would otherwise have long remained under a famine of the Word of God.

"Along with this, the committee would respectfully entreat the Assembly to urge upon the Highland Presbyteries the absolute necessity of adopting measures for increasing the number of godly and judicious catechists within their bounds. No one who knows the true state of religion in those districts can hesitate to believe that the Lord has greatly honoured the humble services of labourers of this class. Looking to the events of the last few years, your committee are persuaded that the hand of the Lord is manifestly pointing us to the employment of such instrumentality in the present emergency. It is true that the greatest care needs to be exercised in choosing the men who shall thus be employed by the Church; but it is not less certain that in the western districts of Inverness and Ross-shire, humble Christian laboure's, such as those employed by the Gaelic School Society, have been much blessed of God in promoting the great work of bringing sinners to Christ. should our Church, in her present difficulties, act in apparent forgetfulness of this important fact, may we not fear lest that judgment overtake us,- Because they regard not the work of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them and not build them up?'

And

"There is another subject to which the committee would venture strongly to call the attention of the Assembly. The committee have reason to fear lest some of our probationers, shrinking from the difficulties connected with many of our Highland districts, and fearing the task of labouring among a people whose language some of

them understand but imperfectly, may be tempted to seek for settlements in more favoured Lowland districts. There may often be circumstances which seem to justify the desire. But the committee rest assured that the Assembly will not hesitate to put forth such an expression of the Church's mind on this subject, as will lead all our young men to look to the Highlands, in the mean time, as the sphere in which Providence specially and loudly calls them to spend their strength.

"The Committee have great pleasure in noticing, under this branch of their report, that arrangements have been made for immediately issuing a Gaelic periodical under the able and efficient superintendence of Dr Mackay of Dunoon, whose efforts for the spiritual good of his countrymen since the disruption have been unwearied and invaluable. Your Committee anticipate the greatest benefit to the Highlands from this undertaking. They would, however, respectfully but earnestly press upon the notice of the Church the absolute necessity of making an effort, at least for a time, to support the periodical. Should the Assembly agree to appoint a collection throughout the bounds of the Highland Synods for this object, much would be done towards promoting so important a work, and they cannot doubt that their brethren, whose congregations will specially benefit by the work, will do what they can to carry out the proposal.

"There is one other subject which your Committee reckon of paramount importance as connected with the future prospects of the Highlands, viz., the training of pious young men with a view to the ministry. About forty students connected with the Highlands have attended the divinity hall during the past session, and a considerable number who are looking forward to the ministery of the Free Church are at present passing through the preliminary classes. It is specially the department of the Home Mission Committee to attend to this branch of the Church's operations. But your Committee cannot help noticing its vital importance, as bearing on the spiritual interests of the Highlands. In those regions many young men are to be found in the humblest stations of society, living under the power of the truth, who, if cherished and aided by the Church, might, by the blessing of God, prove themselves faithful and able ministers of Christ, but who without such aid must in most cases be lost to their Church and country. Your Committee are well aware that no ordinary caution is needed in selecting the individuals who, under such a scheme, shall be brought forward as candidates for the holy ministry. They would, therefore, earnestly press upon their brethren in the Highlands the injury which may be done to the cause by rashly recommending young men who may afterwards not realize the expectations which the Church has been led to form of them. But they would be utterly wanting in their duty did they not also point the serious attention of the Church to this subject, and express their strong conviction that without the sustained and vigorous application of this scheme to the Highland distrets, there is but little hope of raising up a sufficiently numerous band of godly and devoted ministers for those poor but interesting regions.

IV. Your Committee would now conclude their report with briefly adverting to the grounds of encouragement which the Free Church has to prosecute her labours throughout the Highlands and Islands.

"The trials and discouragements to which many of her ministers and people have been subjected during the past year are already well known to the Church. Your Committee have abstained from dwelling on them, their department being specially that of supplying the means of grace to those remote and needy districts. But they rejoice to state that, amid difficulties and hardships too painful in many cases to be adequately described within the limits of a report, there are not wanting precious grounds of comfort, plainly indicating that the hand of the Lord has been with us. Allusion will be made in the report of the Sutherland Committee, to the spirit of Christian resignation and cheerfulness manifested by our ministers in those districts where the trials have been most severe. Your Committee desire with thankfulness to state, that a similar spirit breathes through all the communications which they have been receiving from the brethren throughout the other Highland Synods. Their hearts seem to have been refreshed, and the arms of their hands made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob.'

"The immense number of our adherents throughout all the Highland Synods, comprising in some districts almost the whole population, while it has tended to in. crease our difficulties, is also cheering. Their zeal and attachment to our cause, frequently evinced in the face of most powerful hostility, should call forth our warmest gratitude to God. A great door and effectual has been opened to us, and there are many adversaries.'

"It is also encouraging to observe the efforts which have been made in some of the poorest districts to contribute of their scanty means towards the great objects which our Church is seeking to promote. Striking instances of this might be mentioned, but the Committee are unwilling to occupy the time of the Assembly. Of some of these poor congregations, we may well say, in the language of an apostle, that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty, abounded unto the riches of their liberality.'

"But there are still higher considerations which ought to encourage the Free Church in prosecuting her labours in this field of usefulness. Your Committee feel bound, with all humility, to testify their conviction that the great Lord of the vineyard has in several districts been signally honouring the labours of our ministers, and blessing the means of grace for gathering sinners to himself. The most cheering tidings on this all-important subject from the districts of Strathspey, Skye, Uist, Mull, and Lochcarron, have been received by the committee. Your Committee would rejoice, did time permit, to refer particularly to them all. But they must content themselves with the following extract from a communication lately received from Mr Macrae, who has been labouring indefatigably in the last of the districts mentioned.

"Materials,' says he, are not wanting for making up a most favourable report, which is a matter of thankfulness and encouragement to the Free Church to go on with renewed vigour and zeal in the work she has so auspiciously begun. For although we take up our position, not on the success, but on the truth of our principles, and their accordance with the Word of God, yet we are surely warranted to thank God and take courage, when, amidst all the difficulties with which we have to contend, the Lord sees meet to encourage our efforts, feeble and unworthy us these are. Soon after the Convocation, Mr M'Donald of Urray and I were ordered to the Presbytery of Lochcarron, to secure the adherence of the people to the principles for which the Church was then contending. The word spoken had such a remarkable effect on the minds of the people, that none but an infidel would fail to see the finger of God in the work. Old and young were brought under the power of the truth. Unholy practices were at once given up. Errors, particularly those which keep careless sinners bound fast under a covenant of works, were clearly seen, and scattered to the winds. It was felt almost universally, that the way of justification freely by grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, is the only way through which a guilty creature can have any scriptural hope of escape from the wrath of the righteous Judge. For the last fourteen months, the good work has been making less or more progress in that quarter. I have been conversing, as opportunity offered, with some individuals here and there, and I have been inquiring about them from the most judicious and discerning persons I could find in every district; and the result is a thorough conviction that a goodly number are feeding on Christ, the Bread of Life, desiring the sincere milk of the Word, and growing thereby; while many others are still standing in the place of the bringing forth of children, and with awakened consciences and trembling hearts, are anxiously seeking an interest in Christ. Often have I commenced to address these people under a deep sense of exhaustion, and concluded much refreshed. The men of the world may sneer at us, and call us fanatics, for entertaining such views; but let us rather rejoice that our heavenly Master is so mindful of His covenant and condescends to refresh us when we are weary, as He did in the experience of His Church and inheritance in ages bypast.'

"Similar communications have been received by your Committee from other quarters. The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which

sat in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung up.' The field seems white already unto harvest.' Amid all the dearth as to the means of grace, there is good ground to hope that in this field of the Church's labours the Lord is commanding the blessing, even life for evermore.' Shall she not, then, rising above many discouragements, prosecute these labours in faith and hope, praying the Lord of the harvest that He will send forth labourers into His harvest,' and waiting with earnest expectation 'uutil the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest?'

"ROBERT ELDER, Convener."

Rev. Mr ELDER then pressed the importance of the Assembly looking to the Highlands and Islands, the people of which regarded the disruption as the means of bringing to them evangelical preaching and where great things were expected, of the Church. There was a responsibility connected with those districts that could not be overlooked, and the Assembly could not be insensible to the difficulties connected with their labours there. The fact, that in districts where the means of grace were to human appearance most seanty and imperfect, the Lord seemed more espe. cially to have given his blessing, and conveyed a lesson instructive as well as encou raging. Taking all the circumstances into account, they ought to feel not only their solemn responsibility, but encouraged and animated to go on with the work. (Applause.)

Rev. Mr M MILLAN of Cardross moved the adoption of the report. It was very cheering to him, and must be so to his fathers and brethren at large. There was one thing which it had overlooked, viz. that the proportion of people who had left the Establishment was greater than that of ministers, and they had remained firm to the cause. If a larger proportion from the Building Fund, however, was not given to the Highlands and Islands, than was given to the Lowlands, hardly any churches would be built there.

Rev. Mr LEITCH of Stirling gave some details, showing the small proportion of ministers to the Highland congregations, and also the extent of revival of personal religion.

Rev. Mr MACNAUGHTAN of Paisley suggested, that in such an emergency as the present, recourse might be had to the ministers in the south who are known to be able to preach in Gaelic. There were a larger number of such in the districts about Edinburgh, and they might be loosed from their charges during the summer months, and sent to the Highlands and Islands, their pulpits meanwhile being supplied with others. (Applause.)

Rev. Mr SHEPHERD of Kingussie approved of the suggestion. There were many Presbyteries, he believed, as destitute as his own; but it comprised ten parishes, and had only three Free Church ministers. He himself superintended four of these parishes; and although he had the assistance of a pious and active eldership, he yet found it impossible to discharge the duties aright. He would suggest also that several of the Ross-shire clergy might again be sent to help them.

Rev. Mr BEITH of Stirling confirmed the statements as to the extent of the popular secession in the Highlands from the Establishment, and referred to instances where the new Established ministers, who preached in English, and did not understand Gaelic, had no congregations. He had no objection to the suggestion of Mr M'Naughtan, but thought it would be of great advantage. He was sent to Inverness last summer, and he preached and lectured in Gaelic there; and he had no objections to undertake the same duty this summer, if loosed from his congregation for the time. But he did not see why such talented friends as Mr Macnaughtan, who could easily acquire the language, should not be recommended to turn their attention to Gaelic, and acquire it for the purpose. (Laughter.)

Dr CANDLISH said, that before disposing of this subject, it would be proper for the Assembly to give instructions to the Committee to whom this business is entrusted, to call upon all the Gaelic ministers in the Lowlands to give their services for as large a portion of time as they were able to spare to this work. He thought great good would arise from the labours of the Gaelic ministers in the Lowlands