most vital importance, and needs to be pushed forward as rapidly as is consistent with a due regard to the interests of all parties and these unions.

"2. That in countries where it is possible satisfactorily, to form Union Presbyteries, the further organisation of presbyteries in connection with this General Assembly is discouraged; and in countries where there are now Presbyteries in connection with this General Assembly, but where it is possible to form Union Presbyteries, it is strongly urged that the steps be taken as rapidly as this can wisely be done to merge the membership in Union Presbyteries, and to dissolve the Presbyteries of this General Assembly.

"3. That in the case of our ordained foreign missionaries who are not in full membership of Union Presbyteries covering the territory where they reside, it is urged that, so soon as practicable, they become full members; and also, that when our foreign missionaries are full members of these, or as rapidly as they become such, they are urged to ask letters of dismissal from their Presbyteries to these Union Presbyteries; and it is hereby ordered that so soon as these letters are accepted, they cease to be regular members of these Presbyteries.

"4. That in case any missionary thinks it undesirable to make this transfer of ecclesiastical relationship, the decision as to the question shall be left to the Home Presbytery to which he belongs, before which body, if so desired by it, he shall bring his reasons for the delay, and the Presbyteries are requested to use patience in dealing with such cases.

"5. That each Home Presbytery shall from year to year, in its statistical report, place on a supplementary roll to be published with the remainder of the report in the Minutes of the General Assembly, the names of all ordained missionaries who, having been sent out by it, are still engaged in our foreign Mission work, but who, by joining Union Presbyteries in harmony with the Reformed doctrine and the Presbyterian polity, have severed their former membership with the Home Presbytery."

At its meeting, May 1888, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. cordially approved of this Union, and appointed a large and influential deputation to go to Brazil to be present on this memorable occasion.

ARGENTINE REPUBLIC.

121 BRITISH CHURCHES.-In 1825 a little band of farmers from the south and west of Scotland formed a settlement a few leagues from Buenos Ayres. Their minister was a Mr. Brown, who subsequently became Professor of Biblical Criticism in the University of St. Andrews. After a few years the settlement broke up, and many of the people, with their ministers, removed to Buenos Ayres. There a church was built, and in 1838, Scotch National Schools were founded. Of these, Mr. Rae, a graduate of Aberdeen, became headmaster in 1840, and on removing in 1848 to Monte Video, was succeeded by Mr. (now Dr.) Smith, the pastor emeritus of the congregation. As a consular town, the British Government made an annual grant, which has been of great service to the congregation.

About 1850, the British Government appointed a Presbyterian minister as Consular Chaplain at Buenos Ayres, and since then, has paid his salary. Out of the labours of this minister, the Rev. Dr. Smith, there has grown a strong and influential congregation. Dr. Smith being connected with the Church of Scotland, the Buenos Ayres congregation, and in fact, all the other Presbyterian Churches in the Argentine Republic, have come under the care of the Colonial Committee of that Church. The number of these Churches is at present three, with a considerable number of preaching stations, where services are conducted more or less frequently. These congregations, however, are Colonial in their character rather than missionary.

122. The Foreign Mission Board of the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A., sent an agent in 1853 to Buenos Ayres, to labour among the Portuguese, the first

Presbyterian Missionary in South America. There he laboured till 1860, when for various reasons the Mission was discontinued, and has not been resumed.

123. At COLONIA, Banda Oriental, is a large Waldensian settlement, with two congregations, having services in French and in Spanish. The ministers in charge have lately connected themselves with the Methodist Episcopal Mission, so that it is probable that the congregations may also join that body.

124. At CHUBUT, in what was formerly Patagonia, but is now the Argentine Republic, is a Welsh settlement. As these people have no ordained minister, and do not know English, they will require to learn Portuguese, and then will probably fall in with the Methodist Episcopal Church. In the meantime services are occasionally held at several of their settlements.

JAMAICA.

125. The Glasgow Missionary Society sent its first agents to Jamaica in 1820. It happened that all these agents belonged to the United Secession Church, so that in 1831, the Society asked that Church itself to send out missionaries to Jamaica. This the Synod did in 1834, agreeing then, however, merely to undertake the supervision of the work, all the expenses to be provided for by private individuals or particular congregations.

In 1836, the missionaries thus sent out in concert with those already in the island, formed themselves into the "Jamaica Missionary Presbytery," on the following basis: --

"That the undersigned hold the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as the only rule of faith and manners.

"That we acknowledge the Westminster Confession of Faith, with the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, as the confession of our faith, it being understood, however, that every one is at liberty to hold his own opinions in reference to such passages as may be supposed to teach or involve intolerant or persecuting principles in matters of religion. We hold the Presbyterian form of Church Government . . . together with the Directory, as a compilation of excellent rules, and agree on these grounds to unite and form ourselves into a Presbytery, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the alone King and Head of the Church, to be called 'The Jamaica Missionary Presbytery."

In 1841, the Scottish Synod established at Bonham Spring a Theological Seminary for the training of a Native ministry. In 1852, this institution was removed to Montego Bay, where it has since remained.

In 1847, the Scottish Missionary Society formally transferred all its stations in Jamaica to the United Presbyterian Church, while in the following year, the missionaries on the island formed themselves into four Presbyteries, and constituted these "The Synod of the Presbyterian Church of Jamaica." This Synod has no ecclesiastical connection with the Church in Scotland, and is wholly an independent body. Remaining so in 1884, it was received into the membership of the Alliance.

126. THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.-In 1820, the British Government appointed a Presbyterian chaplain at Kingston, where a considerable body of troops were always stationed, while commerce led to Jamaica a considerable number of persons that had been connected with the Established Church of Scotland. This Church therefore made arrangements for securing the services of the chaplain for the Presbyterian residents, and at the same time sent out several ministers to take charge of the Presbyterians on the plantations. There thus exist in Jamaica three Colonial charges of the Scottish Church, with their support coming partly from local sources and partly, from the grants of the Colonial Committee.

In 1852, the Kingston congregation was formed, and called Mr. Radcliffe,

who was the British chaplain at the time, to become its minister. Mr. Radcliffe still continues in charge.

In 1869, the Jamaica Legislature abolished all State grants for ecclesiastical purposes, protecting all life-interests.

TRINIDAD.

127. In 1836, the population of Trinidad was reported to be about 45,000, one-fourth of whom lived in Port of Spain. In 1840, came the Emancipation of the negroes, subsequent to which great difficulty was experienced in procuring sufficient labour for the plantations. Labourers were brought from the West Indian Islands and from China, but the results were not satisfactory, so that in 1845, coolies were brought from India. Such success has attended this movement that there are now about 60,000 Hindoos or persons of Hindoo extraction on the island, about one-third of the whole population.

In 1836, Roman Catholicism was practically the Established Church of Trinidad, there being a bishop and no fewer than ten priests supported by annual grants from the local Treasury, while there were no Protestant Churches except one Episcopalian and one Wesleyan Methodist at Port of Spain.

A few years later, keen discussion took place on the subject of State religious endowments, when the principle of concurrent endowment on the basis of population, was finally adopted by the Government. Under this arrangement, the Romanists receive about £6000, the Episcopalians £3000, and the Wesleyans about £500 a year, while the Presbyterians and the Baptists have persistently refused to accept any of the money that might be assigned to them.

The first Presbyterian minister in Trinidad was sent out by the United Secession Church in 1836. When he landed at Port of Spain, he at once commenced services in what had been a theatre. This building was, however, soon required for an hospital, and in 1838, the little congregation erected a place of worship for themselves, giving it the name of "Greyfriars." In 1840, another agent was sent to Arouca, while in 1845 several additional agents having arrived, a number of other stations were opened.

128. THE SYNOD OF THE ASSOCIATE CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA.— This Church resolved in 1842, on commencing a Foreign Mission in South America, but subsequently selected the island of Trinidad. Several agents were sent out to Savannah Grande, as the special locality. Sickness and death kept reducing the Mission band, until in 1851, the last agent returned to the United States, having placed the property in charge of a minister of the Scottish Free Church, who was labouring in the locality. In 1854, this minister resigned his charge, when the Mission was carried on for a few years as a joint enterprise with the Free Church of Scotland, and then given over altogether to its care.

Since that date this congregation has been transferred to the Canada Presbyterian Church, and its work is now carried on at Princetown.

129. On the Union in 1847 of the Relief and Secession Churches, the Trinidad Mission of the latter was at once adopted by the United Presby. terian Church, and has continued so ever since.

130. THE FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND was led to Trinidad in the following manner. In 1852 Dr. Kalley was labouring as a medical missionary in Madeira, when a wonderful work of grace ensued, so that some 1500 of the natives renounced their Romanism and embraced Protestantism. A civil as well as a social persecution followed, so severe, that some 800 of the converts fled from Madeira and sought safety in Trinidad and in Brazil. The Rev. Mr. Hewitson, who had been assisting Dr. Kalley, followed the refugees to Trinidad, where, at Port of Spain, he formed them into a congregation in connection with the Free Church of Scotland. The congregation has retained

its Portuguese character, though only the English language is now used in its service, and is still considered as one of the Foreign Stations of the Free Church.

131. THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN CANADA commenced its Mission in Trinidad in 1867. The Rev. Mr. Morton had been on a visit to the island, and finding that there were some 25,000 coolies from Hindostan working on the plantation, and yet for whose spiritual welfare no mission was carried on, brought the matter before the Presbyterian Church in Nova Scotia, with which he was connected. That Church heartily entered into the proposal, and sent Mr. Morton himself to Trinidad as its first missionary.

132. THE CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH began in 1873 a Mission on Trinidad. There had been held out the prospect of such valuable local help if a Mission were commenced in Venezuela, that the Assembly had agreed to do so, and had taken Trinidad mainly as preparatory. Shortly after, the agent (Rev. Dr. Anderson) reached Trinidad he took charge of the congregation of San Fernando, whose minister, connected with the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland, was at home on furlough. In 1875 Dr. Anderson became agent for the American Bible Society, and as the promised local help in Venezuela appeared to be very unreliable, the effort to plant a Mission there was abandoned, and in 1876 Dr. Anderson returned to the United States.

In 1872 all the Presbyterian ministers on the island met and organised themselves into a Presbytery, assuming the name of "The Presbyterian Church of Trinidad." The members of this body reserve, as individuals, their right of appeal from its actions to the Home Church, with which they may be connected. They also reserve the right of being dealt with in accordance with the rules and regulations of their respective Home Churches.

The Scottish members of the Presbytery do not belong to any Home Presbytery. A few years ago, the Canadian Assembly allowed its missionaries to be enrolled in Home Presbyteries. Its Trinidad missionaries earnestly opposed this action, on the ground that no one can be a constituent member of two Presbyteries at the same time. This dual relationship, however, was sanctioned by the Assembly, though the missionaries have declined to avail themselves of the permission.

WEST INDIA ISLANDS.

133. ANTIGUA.-A number of Scottish residents on this island, who built a Church called St. John's Church, applied in 1875 to the Free Church for a minister. The Rev. Wm. Allan, having been sent out, died in 1879, since which time, owing to local depression, no successor has been appointed.

134. BAHAMAS.-A self-supporting Presbyterian congregation has existed for a long time at Nassau, but, in 1872, along with its minister, was received into membership in the Belfast Presbytery of the Irish Presbyterian Church.

135. GRENADA.-To this island the Colonial Committee of the Church of Scotland had sent a minister in 1865. In 1887, the local Government ceased all further payments for Church purposes, and the congregation found itself unable to maintain a minister. In 18 however, the Colonial Committee again sent out a minister, who not only acts as pastor of the English-speaking Presbyterians, but labours zealously among the large Coolie population on the cocoa plantations.

136. ST. VINCENT.

137. ST. THOMAS is one of the Danish West India Islands, but, at an early period in its history, became largely settled or frequented by Dutch merchants. In 1666 it received a considerable number of English settlers who had been driven away from St. Christopher, at that time a French possession, and then again in 1687, of Huguenot families, driven into exile by the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. The island has remained in the hands of Denmark since 1671, but the former presence and influence of the Dutch

N

connection is attested by the existence on it to-day of a Dutch Reformed congregation.

138. BERMUDA.-Perhaps the earliest Presbyterian Church in the Western Hemisphere was that organised in 1617 at Bermuda, and now known as Christ Church, Warwick. The island was, at that date, under the control of the Virginia Company of London. In 1615 this Company sent out the Rev. Lewis Hughes as chaplain. Mr. Hughes had fallen under the displeasure of Bancroft, but, being a Puritan of the radical stamp, there would be no opposition to his going to Bermuda. There he found a Scottish minister named Keith already in office, but differences arising between the two ministers, Keith removed in 1617 to Virginia. Hughes, being then alone, ceased to use the Book of Common Prayer, and, as he tells us, "when the Governor was out of town," began "a Church Government by ministers and elders, making bold to choose four elders of the town publicly, by lifting up of hands and calling upon God." He then prepared an Order of Service, which is similar to that followed in our non-liturgical Presbyterian Churches. In 1619, however, King James insisted that the Book of Common Prayer be used, and the Presbyterian service was given up.

At present there are two Presbyterian Churches in Bermuda, each receiving pecuniary support from the local treasury, but no particulars of their strength have been received.

139. FALKLAND ISLES.-The Falkland Isles, having frequently changed owners, were finally taken possession of by Great Britain in 1833. The islands are occupied chiefly as sheep farms, and a number of the shepherds have gone from Scotland. In 1861, the Established Church of Scotland sent out some Bibles and Psalm-books to the settlers, but were unable to send a minister or teacher. The application was renewed in 1870, with the offer of £100 a year toward the minister's salary, but again no one would go. An application was then made to the Free Church, which in 1872 sent out a minister, by whom the first Presbyterian Communion service ever conducted was held in 1879. A minister-teacher is still residing there, and of great help to the lonely settlers.

AUSTRALASIA.

NEW SOUTH WALES.

140. In 1802, about a dozen Presbyterian families settled at Portland Head on the banks of the Hawkesbury. There they built a stone church, and maintained public worship every Sabbath. For twenty-one years these settlers thus lived without ever once seeing the face of an ordained minister of the Gospel. In 1823, the Rev. J. D. Lang (afterwards Dr. Lang) began his ministry in New South Wales, and visiting the Hawkesbury settlement, dispensed the communion according to Presbyterian usage, for the first time on Australian soil. In 1824, the Scots Church in Sydney was built, and then for eight years longer, Dr. Lang remained alone, noted for almost apostolic activity. In 1831, he brought out from Scotland five ministers, and in 1832, the Presbytery of New South Wales was formed, with all Australia for its territory.

By 1835-40, Dr. Lang had secured the presence in the colony of about twenty ministers, so that in 1840, there was formed the Synod of Australia in connection with the Church of Scotland. In 1842, however, as the result of a secession under Dr. Lang, there was formed the Synod of New South Wales, holding the voluntary principle. In 1843 the Scottish Disruption took place, leading, in 1846, to a division of the Synod of Australia. The majority of its members decided to retain their connection with the Scottish Establishment, while a minority, sympathising with the Free Church, formed the Synod of Eastern Australia. Mr. Forbes, who had been minister of the Scots Church, Melbourne, resigned that position, and formed a Free church in that city,