Proceedings

THIS reverend court met to-day in the large hall at Tanfield, which was remarkably well filled in every part, not only with members, but also with a large body of the public. The Rev. Henry Grey, the old Moderator, preached from the 2d Epistle of John, 8th verse, "Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things that we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward." At the conclusion of the sermon, the Assembly was constituted by prayer. Mr Pitcairn, one of the clerks, having read over the roll of members,

Mr GREY rose and said,-Reverend fathers and brethren, one duty more, according to our usual custom, remains for me to perform-to propose a Moderator for the present Assembly; and I have much pleasure in presenting for your choice an esteemed friend of my own, well known to all of you, and requiring no recommendation of mine to your favourable opinion-I mean the Rev. Dr M'Farlan of Greenock. (Applause.) The eyes of all the Church have, I believe, been generally directed to him to hold this office on this occasion. He is deservedly in high estimation among us, from his skill and experience in the laws, and forms, and business of the Church, as well as for his sound judgment and moderation in conducting its affairs. You are all aware of the distinguished part he took in the anxious discussions and negociations which preceded our present position; and, what should not perhaps be forgotten at this time, you are aware that he surrendered a larger emolument in the form of a church living, than, I believe, any individual among us. (Applause.) Formerly he held the office of Moderator under other auspices, and he is, therefore, well acquainted with its duties; and I have no doubt he will pass through them, I trust not only without injury to himself, but with benefit and satisfaction to the Church. I, therefore, have much pleasure in proposing Dr M'Farlan of Greenock, as Moderator. (Applause.)

The Hon. Fox MAULE said,-I have much satisfaction in performing the pleasing duty which has been imposed upon me, of seconding the motion which has just been made from the chair. I know that, in expressing my own opinion, I am expressing also the opinion of this Court, that there is no one upon whom we could more justly confer the high honour of being Moderator of this Assembly, than our reverend father, Dr M'Farlan. He is moderate and temperate in his counsels, firm in his actions, and will conduct the business of this important Court in a manner satisfactory, I am sure, to us all. His virtues and merits have been so well pronounced from the chair, that I shall do no more than second the motion, which, I

trust, will be unanimously adopted by this venerable Court. (Hear, hear. Agreed agreed.)

The motion was adopted unanimously.

The Rev. Dr M'FARLAN was then introduced to the Assembly, and placed in the chair.

The MODERATOR then said,-Reverend Fathers and Brethren, we have now entered on the third year of our operations, since the dissolution of our connection with the State. On looking back on the time which has elapsed since the 18th of May 1843, what abundant cause have we for gratitude to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Many of us who saw clearly the path of duty, and, from the beginning, were determined, through grace, to pursue it, entertained the most gloomy forebodings respecting the issue of the transactions of that memorable day. We did injustice to our flocks. We greatly under-rated the strength of their attachment to a gospel ministry, and the hold which the principles for which we suffered had upon their minds. We foresaw that, if the number of adherents should be small, our sphere of ministerial usefulness would be narrowed,-the means of erecting our churches, and supporting a gospel ministry, might prove inadequate, our missionary schemes would perish,—all would be lost except the blissful consciousness of having obeyed the call of duty and the call of Providence,-of having upheld the authority of our Divine Head, and done what we could to maintain in its practical operation the great first principle of all true religion.

The Lord hath been pleased to reward our stedfastness with a measure of success of which we were altogether unworthy, and of which we could not previously have entertained the most distant conception. Instead of 470 congregations, corresponding to the number of out-going ministers at the time of the Disruption, there are now in connection with our Church upwards of 700 congregations, and 630 ordained ministers; and the total number of our adherents, old and young, may be fairly estimated at about a third part of the population of all Scotland. Above 500 churches have been built, and the whole expenses of their erection in many instances defrayed." The people have vied with the ministers in the largeness of the sacrifices which they have made for the good cause; and not only has needful provision been made for the support of their ministers and their families, but a college has been opened for the instruction of the youth intending to enter into the sacred office; and all our educational and missionary schemes have been supported with a liberality exceeding that which was manifested by the whole Church before its Disruption. In these extraordinary times, no wise man will venture to predict with assurance the continued existence of any one institution, civil or ecclesiastical, on the face of the earth; still less will he venture to predict that the spirit which now actuates our people will suffer no abatement at any future period, and that the Free Church will always be distinguished for the vigour and energy which characterises it at the present hour; but this we may affirm, that it has taken such deep root in the minds of the people of Scotland, and has carried its external frame-work to such a measure of perfection, that there is not one of our religious institutions,-not even the Establishment itself, --which bids more fair for permanence than the honoured Church to which it is our privilege to belong.

We may affirm this with the greater confidence, when we consider the firmness with which the ministers and people of our Church have already withstood the persecutions and temptations to which they have been exposed. The former, driven from their homes, and deprived of their wonted means of comfortable livelihood, now feel, we trust in its greatest extremity, the hardships of their present condition. The latter, subjected, as tenants, and domestics, and shopkeepers, to the intolerance of landlords, and masters and mistresses, and wealthy customers, have found by experience that adherence to our Church is not, generally speaking, the way to a productive farm, and good wages, and a prosperous business. Both have been exposed to the temptation to return to the Establishment, by a deceptive enactment, which, while it professes to concede the non-intrusion principle, by giving the people the

The number built and opened is 530. 730 are being built.

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圖書

Proceedings, 第 2 卷