John Wigham. I would not, notwithstanding all our fuss, wish to see the Established Church suddenly pulled down. It has been useful in its way. It is a bulwark against encroachments on our civil liberty, and I am a Quaker after all! However, it must be very plain to all (excepting Hamiltonian imbeciles), that every rouping of the goods of dissenters for church rates, sends an additional nail into the coffin of church establishments.

Scotland. The word Toleration is an English law term. It is not known in Scottish constitutional law. Christianity and philosophy were introduced into Scotland, before popery was known, by the ancient monks. The seeds of truth and its necessary attendant, liberty, were thus sown in our barren soil. Popery no doubt at last prevailed, but it never totally uprooted them.

"Whether it be," said Hamilton, "that the characteristic genius of our nation, the perfervidum Scotorum ingenium, or other causes, certain it is that the reputation for intellectual capacity which Scotland has always sustained among the nations of Europe, is founded far less on the achievements of her sons in learning and scholarship, than on what they have done in philosophy proper and its dependent sciences. Scotland presented but few. objects for literary ambition, and Scotsmen of intelligent enterprise sought in other countries that patronage which was denied them at home. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries there was hardly to be found a continental university without a Scottish professor. France was long the nursery of Scottish talent-the illustrious Cardinal du Perron found places in the seminaries of France for a greater number of literary Scotsmen than all the seminaries of Scotland maintained at home. This was owing to their dialectical and metaphysical acuteness, and this they were found so generally to possess, that philosophical talent became a proverbial attribute of the nation. Such was the literary character of Scotland before the establishment of her intellectual independence, and such has it continued to this day."(Hamilton, vol. ii. p. 394). The ancient monks took refuge in Iona's holy isle. That man is not to be envied, said Samuel Johnson, whose patriotism is not roused when he thinks of the plains of Marathon; and whose piety is not kindled when he treads on the ruins of Iona. No marvel that when Germany had its Luther, and Geneva had its Calvin, that Edinburgh had its John Knox. Knox had espoused the cause of the Reformation. He walked before Wishart (the martyr) brandishing a sharp two-edged sword. Yet he of whom it was said that he never feared the face of clay, feared the face of one, Cardinal Beaton. Hence he fled, and like Aristotle

(whose philosophy he knew well), thought that two sacrifices (Hamilton and Wishart) were enough for a time. His first policy seemed to be-He that shews fight and then runs away, may live to fight another day. He fled to Geneva and served under Calvin's ministry. No marvel that Calvin's burning of Servetus as an example, warranted him to burn all heretics. Hence his proposed bloody law, by which a catholic for the first offence (the mass), was imprisonment, for the second, confiscation of goods; for the third, death! Revenge, said Aristotle, is just and honourable. Not to revenge is to be as mean as a slave. Still, after all, Knox was a man well suited for his times. His biographers have generally suppressed those truths which I have noticed, and which had been not without influence in the erection and constitution of the Scottish kirk, which in part contradicts the articles of her sister church, and yet both alike have been unalterably fixed and sanctioned by the State! Hence those bitter fruits-Erastianism and Moderatism. Hence its Calvinistic creed. Hence also those clerical roupings of dissenters' chattels for non-payment of ministers' stipends, which are not only a shame and disgrace to all concerned, but also totally at variance with the word of truth. (See Philo on Moses, and St Paul on Christ's new law of love, both formerly quoted). No marvel that these illegal roupings led to the Disruption of 1843. (See my history of the "Ministers' Stipend Tax, and its vindication by Verus," price one shilling.) Consistency! Did not Duncan M'Laren and Thomas Russell, on 14th Oct. 1836, as voluntaries, vote for the extension of this obnoxious tax over the Southern Districts? And did not the same Thomas Russell go to jail rather than pay it? Yea, did not the same Duncan M'Laren lately say that he had no part in misleading our Free Church Erastian Lord Advocate, when his lordship carried through the Act of 1861? This is what is called Whig consistency! (See p. 44 of said "History.")

DISSENTERS.

Why should Dissenters be despised, seeing that they are the fairest jewels in Victoria's crown? They and the evangelical portion of the kirk constitute a pure democracy. Hence the stand betwixt the two extremes of general society, i. e. the aristocracy and oligarchy on the one hand, and the ochlocracy on the other. Their moral influence is prodigious, yea, so great, that they are the only true conservators of the public peace, i. e. "they are the salt of the earth," for whose sakes it is preserved. (See Philo's lamentation "when a good man dies.") Ah! shall it ever be that even "gospellers" will yet love righteousness? And why not? Truth is only relative,

says philosophy (Mansell). No, said Christ, my law is moral, i. e. absolute, hence imperative! Yea, said St Paul, should an angel from heaven teach otherwise, let him be accursed. Hence, let all pious Dissenters pay their taxes for conscience sake, even as Christ paid the tribute money, "rather than offend." And yet, said St Paul, your way is clear, i. e. hold no communion with an "extortioner," even although he be a clerical auctioneer, or a clerical stock-broker. Why so? "That he may be ashamed." The moral force of truth, said Philo, accomplishes more than war can do, i. e. it is irresistible! And yet, after all, I love to hear the village church's bell. It calls all men to prayer. But are you not a Baptist and a Dissenter as well? True, but what of that? I could name one Baptist church which was blown to atoms at one sitting. I could also name another which was by a like cause regularly divided. The question was, Had a church in the North a right to celebrate the Lord's Supper without the presence of a pastor? Yes, said some; others said that it was downright heresy. So said one who was vested with great authority. Hence he put on his hat and exclaimed, "All who are of my opinion follow me." A goodly number followed and adjourned to M-to House. I lately met their senior pastor, and I said to him, Dear sir, you are a pope. Why so? Because you think that after the blessing is asked by all, priestly hands alone can dare to break the sacramental bread, i. e. consecrate it. Do not the disciples" divide it among themselves," after they have unitedly blessed it, i. e. asked the blessing? The truth is, in every dissenting church there is no mean quantum et quale of popery. The tares grow along with the wheat everywhere. However, there is this difference betwixt that which is established, and that which is not. A dissenting church is FREE, an established church, whether it be very good or very bad, is not. Walker of Dublin carried his principle of unity out and out. If any one dared to differ with him, instant separation followed as of course. No marvel that Walkerism means division and subdivision, ad infinitum, i. e. no church. Love is the absolute; now we only know in part, hence the law of mutual forbearance in non-essentials, according to St Paul. “I would rather not eat flesh while the world lasts, than cause my weaker brother to offend ;" and yet even teetotalism may be carried to an extreme, and thereby become a cloak to cover selfishness and hypocrisy, as I could easily prove. Councillor

once a president of "the association," kept a bottle for his own private use! He one forenoon offered it to a brother councillor, who civilly rejected it. St Paul's general rule was this, let your moderation "in all things" be known unto all men-" the Lord is at hand."

G g

"NO BISHOP NO KING."

This requires explanation. There were no true bishops when Henry VIII was king. The next was bloody Mary, of Roman Catholic celebrity, and after her Elizabeth, of more glorious memory, yet even she was an Absolutist. True it was she had a woman's fault-that is, she was a self-willed Queen. Her bishops were not true to her. But where there are true bishops there the people are certain to enjoy their " divine claim of right," as by law established. Hence our constitutional Queen! The legal fiction is most beautiful, “Our king or queen can do no wrong." Hence the ministers of the Crown are liable to be impeached when they do any ill thing. They once did a very vile trick, when they like Joseph secreted their "divining cup" in the Westminster Assembly's half filled sack. All skilled in tithes know what I mean. The clergy, like rogues, retained that cup. Hence out of it they love to drink their royal wine, Rev. xvii. 2. Again, Scotland had her Queen Mary of Catholic renown. John Knox admonished her. After Darnley's murder she married his murderer! This could not be tolerated, hence she fled, and the beautiful Mary fell a victim to Elizabeth's cruel jealousy. Hence James of Scotland was crowned England's king. "No bishop no king" was all his cry! A poor Scotch presbyter was now in his English eye unfit company for his lord bishops, alias his courtly gentlemen! He too, like Henry, was a Defender of the Faith," and hence his "Book of Sunday Sports," the very leaves of which are "evergreens." His son Charles was also an absolutist. No true bishop had duly admonished him; hence a Dominie Cromwell-was sent to teach him the true meaning of the words "jus divinum," which he had misinterpreted by calling it "the right divine to govern wrong. The sworded Presbyterians betrayed and sold their king! Cromwell cruelly beheaded him! Hence, like Napoleon, he waded through a sea of blood. Hence with a Hence with a "no bishops cry he did as a tyrant reign! How unlike was all this to David, whose sweet songs Cromwell and his men did so often with their polluted lips profane! Even David's heart smote him when he injured the skirt of Saul. It again prompted him to send back to Saul his spear! David reasoned face to face with the Lord's anointed! The moral force of truth prevailed. "David my son! my son! thou art more righteous than I; by this I know that thou shalt yet be king." Thou hast been kind to me, swear that thou shalt also be kind to mine! And David sware this oath. Even the doubting Carlyle must now admit that David was inspired, and that he was a more sound divine than that great hero whom he delights to eulogise. Cromwell, as I

He was a

have said, was an absolutist. Hence, like the first Napoleon, his reign was soon cut short. All of them, like Cyrus, had their personal commissions from the Lord. They unknowingly fulfilled God's purposes-" man's cruel hand is God's righteous sword." The people soon brought back their own legitimate king. The second Charles was a hypocrite. His bishops flattered him. Hence he severely punished the Presbyterians, and by his cruelty drove the Covenanters politically mad. True, they were victorious at Drumclog, but they were vanquished at Bothwell Bridge, and last of all they were utterly destroyed on Rullion Green! Hence the bishop's thumbikins and iron boots! Hence the murder of young Guthrie and the good Argyle! The Covenanters erred when they excommunicated their king and sought to establish "the covenant" by the sword: Matt. xxvi. 52, "The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." Yet after all out of evil God brought forth good. The covenanters sowed the seeds of political liberty, and watered them with their blood. We now recline under our constitutional tree and enjoy its pleasant fruits. The last of our absolutists was King James the Second. mad Catholic. William and Mary quickly dethroned him. Who has not heard of the battle of the Boyne? The people had become intelligent. This was all owing to our parish schools. Hence by the moral force of truth the people's "divine claim of right" was by just law established, and hence by our glorious revolution settlement, we have a "constitutional queen," who by law is declared to be infallible; that is, "she can do no wrong." Hence we must blame not her, but her ministers, for all our city's ills. What they have done they can as easily undo. I have thus shewn that our governors committed a fatal error when they put into the Presbyterian dominant church militant's hands a sharp two-edged sword. That which cuts the people's fingers to-day, may to-morrow as easily cut my lord's! No church even by law established, dares by God's law to wear a sword. This constituted the grand error of the Papacy. She hath watered the earth with blood! Its veritable hilt is still in Rome. Its sharp point turneth every way. It denounces men's names from every altar; next day they are assassinated! What means that priestly cry? Ye millions keep your powder dry, and bide your time! as said by a priestly Jesuit, certainly not by command of "his Lord God the Pope." If so, the worse for him.