who would be under the superintendence of this court, and that the committee shall report to next Synod. These motions being put to the vote, Mr White's was carried by a majority of twenty-six to nine, and the Synod decided accordingly. The report of the Mission Committee was given in by Dr M'Crie, the convener. It stated that a communication had been received from the Rev. Mr Allan, in reference to the mission in Ireland, from which it appeared that Mr Gallagher, our late catechist, had resigned; and Mr Allan recommended to the Synod the station of Baldeay in Connaught, under the charge of Mr Ferguson, one of their licentiates. The committee recommended this case to the Synod, and suggested that Mr Ferguson should be requested to wait on the Presbytery of Down and Derry, who, if satisfied with his character and sentiments, may admit him as a licentiate in our body, and that the Mission Committee correspond in regard to the salary which he should receive. The committee also recommended that the clerk be requested to furnish the superintendent of the Irish schools with a list of our ministers in different localities, that, in the event of their visiting these parts, they may have intercourse with them, and afford them an opportunity of communicating to their congregations such intelligence as may tend to excite an increased interest in the cause of missions, and of confidence in the efficiency with which the agencies are conducted. In the prospect of the funds being required for the support of a missionary in India, the committee further suggested, that the grants formerly made to the evangelical societies of Geneva and Belgium be discontinued. This report was adopted, and its recommendations agreed to. Dr M'Crie being absent when the decision was come to in the afternoon respecting the meeting of the Mission Committee with Dr Duff, he requested the Synod to consider that part of their decision by which the committee were required to report to next meeting of Synod. The Synod did not consider it proper to re-open a question which had been previously settled by so large a majority. Dr M'Crie hereupon expressed his wish to be relieved from the convenership. The Synod having tendered their thanks to him for the energetic manner in which he had discharged his duties, accepted his resignation. We have seen it stated that Dr M'Crie resigned, because of the heartlessness of the Synod in the cause of missions, but no such words were uttered by Dr M'Crie that we heard, and had they been, the whole sentiments expressed on the sub ject of missions that day would have contradicted them, every speaker deploring, in strong terms, the circumstances in which we are placed in regard to missions, and representing it as one of the heaviest parts of the cross which the body had recently been called to bear, that all their attempts to embark in the missionary field had been thwarted. So far from the body being heartless in the cause of missions, there is the most earnest desire both among ministers and people to be permitted, as a church, to take our place in the missionary field, and it is ungenerous and heartless in any party to represent that as arising from want of will, which arises solely from circumstances which no human power or wisdom can control. The thanks of the Synod were also tendered to Mr Waterston for the zeal and fidelity with which he has discharged the duty of treasurer; and it was agreed that the funds now in his hands be transferred to Mr Ferguson, the agent for managing the other funds of this church. The Mission Committee consists of the following members: Dr M'Crie, Mr Black, Mr Waterston, Mr Somerville, Mr Andrew Meek, Mr White, Mr Murray, Mr William Ferguson, Mr Stevenson, Mr Manson, Mr Aitken, Mr Ramage, and Mr Downes-Mr Black to be convener. When A report respecting the deaconship was read by Mr Ramage, the convener. The report was remitted to the committee for further consideration; and as Mr Ramage declined to act any longer in this committee, Mr Shaw was appointed convener. the committee have prepared their report, they are empowered to transmit it to the different sessions, that they may have an opportunity of taking it under their consideration, and sending up their remarks upon it to next Synod. The report of the committee on the Mutual Assistance Fund was given in by the convener, and unanimously adopted by the Synod, and presbyteries were instructed to see that the congregations under their inspection are doing their duty in supporting this fund. A report concerning the Synod Fund was also given in and approved of; . and as it appeared that the Synod is indebted to the treasurer about £34, it was agreed that exertions should be made to make up this deficiency, and provide for the necessary expenditure of the current year. The treasurer was instructed to write to the several ministers, and make such suggestions as he may judge most expedient for accomplishing this object. The Presbytery of Aberdeen, considering the large pecuniary sacrifices to which congregations are sometimes subjected by the translation of ministers, overtured the Synod, That in future a congregation giving a call to the minister of another congregation, shall be considered liable for the necessary expenses incurred by that congregation in defending their cause before the church courts; and in case of the translation being effected, for the additional expense of a new ordination in the congregation deprived of their pastor. A petition was also presented by the congregation of Kirriemuir, in relation to the expenses incurred by them in consequence of the translation of Mr Paxton to Glasgow. The Synod judged it inexpedient to lay down any general rule upon the subject, but in regard to the congregation of Kirriemuir the following motion was unanimously adopted: That the Synod, considering the truly distressing disappointments to which the congregation of Kirriemuir has been repeatedly subjected, and more especially the painful trial they sustained by the removal of their late pastor to Glasgow, unanimously agree in expressing their heartfelt sympathy with the congregation, and as a small and inadequate token of that sympathy (the low state of their funds not permitting them to go farther at present) they also agree that a grant of £10 be made to the funds of the congregation, and that the congregation of Glasgow be earnestly recommended to follow the example of the Synod, by making them a brotherly compensation, in consideration of the additional expenses to which, through their means, they have been subjected.' A memorial, from a member of Adam Square congregation, Edinburgh, in relation to the use of Paraphrases in the body, was read; and it was moved and agreed to, That, while the Synod adhere to their testimony in regard to the subject of the memorial, the present memorial be dismissed, on the ground of informality.' Read a representation and petition by the Session of Adam Square congregation, Edinburgh, respecting a pamphlet published by a member of the Original Secession Church, entitled, Union with the Free Church." Mr John Nichol, elder, and the Rev. Archibald Brown were heard at great length in behalf of the overture, and by extracts from the pamphlet, and from the writings of Dr M'Crie, and the Testimony, endeavoured to show that the above-mentioned production was opposed to the principles of the Original Secession. Parties having been removed, a long, irregular, and somewhat unpleasant discussion took place. It is always difficult to give an accurate account of such debates, and always easy to hold them up to ridicule, or to misrepresent the true state of things by judicious omissions and dexterous transpositions. Of course the newspaper reporters could have no design to misrepresent the proceedings of the Original Secession Synod; and none among them can feel the least interest in the state of parties; and yet the report which appeared in a well-known journal, in our opinion, conveys just such an impression of what was done as if it had been constructed to give a one-sided view of the matter. From the time that its report begins, on Wednesday evening, all that was said on the one side is given in full, while a mere fractional part is given of what was said on the other, nor is that correctly given. The substance of the discussion may be thus stated. No person, so far as we are aware, took it upon him to vindicate the pamphlet. The greater number of the speakers expressed their regret that it had been brought before the Synod, considering that it had been so fully answered from the press; but seeing it had been placed before them, they could not help expressing disapprobation. On the other hand, a considerable number were of opinion that the matter had been virtually disposed of by the vote of the preceding evening (that vote declaring it inexpedient to re-open negotiations with the Free Church, which the pamphlet strongly recommended), and that the overture should therefore be dismissed. The Rev. Mr Brown of Cupar-Angus proposed the following motion :-"That, considering the pamph let laid on the table by Mr Nichol, entitled, "Union with the Free Church," had been published anonymously, and considering that it had been already answered by members of this court, the Synod did not consider more to be necessary at present than to express their disapprobation of it in a general manner, and to declare anew that no union can be formed between this Synod and any other church which does not proceed on the basis of a formal acknowledgment of the continued obligation of our national covenants.' This motion was seconded by Mr Manson. Mr Beattie then proposed another motion, the express terms of which he was unable to give, but which was to the effect that the subject having been virtually disposed of by the decision of last evening, the overture should be dismissed. A long and irregular discussion took place, in which one party maintained that it was tyrannical and intolerant to prevent a man from expressing his opinions. On the other hand, it was asserted that there was no wish to prevent any one from giving the freest expression to his sentiments, but that every man who joined himself to a society came under subjection to its known laws, that the pamphlet was written in opposition to an address published by the Synod's sanction, that this anonymous writer was therefore guilty of assailing the authority of the court, and the principles of the body, a mode of procedure subversive of all order. The discussion having come to a pause, and there being cries of vote, vote,' Professor Laing entreated his brethren not to divide the house about an anonymous publication. The Moderator expressed himself in similar terms, and stated that he looked upon the circumstances in which the court was now placed as a retribution for their condemnation of Mr Brown's Appendix last year. Mr Aitken, in a brief but affecting speech, among other things, said, if the commissioners from Adam's Square could see it to be consistent with their duty to withdraw the overture, it would be conducive to peace; but if they could not do so, painful as it was, he must perform his duty and record his disapprobation of that production, by voting for Mr Brown's motion, if no other was brought forward. Mr Watt of Stranraer then proposed another motion, That the Synod, considering it unnecessary to pass judgment on an anonymous pamphlet, deem it sufficient to express their continued and unabated adherence to the great principles of the Covenanted Reformation.' The motion as thus proposed was generally objected to, inasmuch as they might issue, it was said, any case whatsoever by declaring their unabated attachment to the Covenanted Reformation. Mr Watt then added another clause to his motion, in which the Synod declar 'their determination to enter into no union by which the principles of the Covenanted Reformation would be compromised.' The motion as thus amended was agreed to by all parties, and the decision of Synod given, accordingly, nem. con. Read a representation and petition by the Session of Adam Square congregation, Edinburgh, in regard to certain practical incensistencies with our witnessing profession. It was moved and agreed to, That while it is not meant to give any encouragement to free communion, or what are called latitudinarian practices, the Synod consider it inexpedient to give any formal judgment upon the overture, but earnestly recommend that brethren should mutually avoid all occasions of offence.' An overture anent education was brought before the Synod by the Presbytery of Aberdeen. A few members expressed their sentiments, but the Synod, finding that their time did not admit of a full discussion of this interesting subject, it was moved and agreed to, That the following committee, viz., Dr M'Crie, Professor Laing, Messrs Sandison, Marshall, White, and Black, be appointed to take this subject into consideration, and to report to next meeting of Synod-Mr Marshall, convener.' Messrs Shaw, Meek, and Thomson were appointed a committee of supplies. The Synod appointed their next meeting to be held at Edinburgh, in Davie Street Church, at half-past six o'clock p.m. of the Monday after the last Sabbath of April, 1851. The above appears to us a fair and impartial statement of what took place in the Synod, which we have given with the greater minuteness, because of the turn which has been given to it by some of the public prints. And we must take leave further to state, that the newspaper reports, in keeping out all the lengthened speeches, and merely giving small snatches here and there, have done great injustice to the Synod. No person, in reading what has appeared in the public prints, could avoid the conclusion that the Synod was composed of persons who were mere ninnies, and one and all of them utterly incapable of discussing any subject in a rational manner. Mr W. M'Crie delivered a speech upwards of an hour in length, which ought to have been given by the public journals, if they wished to let the world know what is the subject in dispute. Mr Aitken delivered a long speech, full of goodness and wisdom, which ought to have been given, if there had been any desire to let it be known what is the opinion generally entertained in the body. Not to mention more, Mr Thomson delivered a very eloquent speech of upwards an hour and a half, of which not one word is on record. By thus presenting the public with mere snatches of what was said, according as it suited themselves, we feel that great injustice has been done to the Synod, A report drawn up in a candid and christian spirit, would have given a full and accurate account of the reasoning that took place, and been less careful about trivial matters, but in the present case all that was trivial is recorded, while the reasoning has been wholly suppressed. None of the wheat is given, but all the chaff is religiously preserved. We could have desired to insert any other speech rather than the one which follows, but as this is not in our power, we shall willingly run the risk of being charged with egotism, while we submit the remarks made in our place in the Synod, on Mr W. M'Crie's overture, that our readers may have an opportunity, in one instance, of comparing what was spoken with what was reported. These remarks were as follows: 'I am not so much opposed to the overture, as I am to the sentiments which were contained in the speech of my respected friend, Mr M'Crie, breathing, as that speech did, a spirit of the most unbounded latitudinarianism, of which I am the resolute opponent. On this head, some observations may afterwards be made, but in the meantime attention was specially called by Mr M'Crie to my sentiments respecting the Revolution Settlement. I wish to have two words with him on that subject. If one might believe my respected friend, Seceders have, now-a-days, gotten ideas respecting the Revolution Settlement which were wholly unknown to their fathers. Formerly, Seceders spake of the Revolution Settlement, it seems, as something that was excellent, but now they have discovered that it was an Erastian settlement; yea, he tells us they have even gone the length of denouncing it as a gigantic act of Erastianism, and as being wholesale Erastianism. But is this a true statement of the fact? Is our friend quite sure that Seceders never called the Revolution Settlement Erastian till of late? Let him not be too certain on that head. True, he last night read us certain extracts purporting to be from Secession documents, and it would be noticed that he either did not know himself, or was very reluctant to let us know, the authority from which he quoted, and we were left in the dark on that subject. I will now give you the desired information. He was not reading what is properly a Secession document at all, but a production of the Burghers versus the Anti-burghers. True, Burghers and Anti-burghers are one in this Synod, and I should have regarded the extracts as a legitimate argument coming from my friend Mr Hill, but they are no argument as urged. by Mr M'Crie. Being both Anti-burghers, he is not entitled to bring Burgher authorities to convince me, but I am fully entitled to bring forth Antiburgher authorities to refute his assertion. And, sir, I make the statement which cannot be denied, that the Anti-burghers all along maintained that the Revolution Settlement was Erastian. Our friend said that it was quite a novelty in Seceders to do so, that they had been making discoveries, and gotten a great deal of new light on the subject. He should have been surer of his ground before he ventured to make so confident an assertion. Look at that! I hold in my hand a defence of the Judicial Testimony, by Mr Campbell of Ceres, published in the year 1748, a work well known and much esteemed among Seceders, and, sir, would you believe it, after the strong assertions that have been made, one whole section of this work, extending to thirty pages, is occupied in proving that the Revolution Settlement was Erastian, and eight distinct proofs of its Erastianism are produced? What does my respected friend say to that? Will he venture again to maintain that the charge of Erastianism is a new thing? Or does he suppose that Campbell's opinions on that head were peculiar? I tell him that there never was any difference on this subject among the fathers of this side of the Secession. In farther proof of this, I refer to one of the most distinguished men that the Secession ever produced, to one who was second only to him who was the greatest of all Seceders, I refer to Professor Bruce of Whitburn.. If Mr M Crie shall consult Mr Bruce's work, called the British Jubilee, he will find the last chapter of it devoted entirely to the subject of the Revolu tion Settlement, in which he finds as much fault with it as ever I have done. I hold in my hand his work entitled "Historico Politico," and turning to section twelfth, I find it entitled, "Erastian manner of settling religion in Scotland at the Revolution." Such, sir, were the sentiments of Professor Bruce of Whitburn, and being so, I feel as if I had a natural right to hold them, for I was baptised by that distinguished man, and may be said to have drunk in his sentiments with my mother's milk. There are great abundance of authorities in proof of the same point, but I shall not detain the Synod, as my excellent friend will not now deny that Seceders have all along been accustomed to consider the Revolution Settlement to be Erastian. But what of that? he will say. They may have called the Revolution Settlement Erastian, but they never called it a gigantic act of Erastianism, nor wholesale Erastianism. Let him not be too certain on that head either. Let him listen and decide. I read from Morrison on Covenanting, a work that has always occupied a first place among Seceders: "Perhaps," says he, Note, page 268, "there has been a tincture of Erastianism in the best legal establishment of religion that has hitherto taken place in the christian world. It is plain there was a very great degree of it in the Revolution Establishment. For the Parliament to read, judge, vote, and establish a Confession of Faith for the whole Church of Scotland, and that even without making any account of the church herself having formerly adopted it, WAS UNDOUBTEDLY AS GREAT A STRETCH OF ERASTIANISM AS EVER WAS PRESUMED UPON IN ANY COUNTRY." What does my respected friend think of that? "As great a stretch of Erastianism as ever was presumed upon in any country.' Whether does he consider this to be Erastianism in the wholesale, or merely Erastianism in retail? I presume if any one were giving him as large an order for goods as ever was given in any country, that he would consider himself as no petty retailer, but a wholesale dealer of the first class. And surely as great a stretch of Erastianism as ever was presumed upon in any country, is wholesale Erastianism, Erastianism as great as ever was practised upon earth. But I must have done with the Revolution Settlement, both wholesale and retail. As to the remarks made here last evening by my very eloquent brother, Mr Thomson, on that subject, I do not consider it necessary to make any reply. So far as I understood him, he seemed to be letting go the substance in attempting to catch a shadow. There is another arena on which such subjects can be discussed much better than in church courts. My sentiments are before the world in print, the gauntlet has been thrown down, and I challenge any man, be he who he may, whether within our own church, or without, to controvert what is advanced in that publication. Before sitting down, I must be allowed to make a remark or two on what was advanced by Mr M'Crie in regard to the terms on which churches now in a state of separation ought to unite. His sentiments on this subject were latitudinarian in the extreme, and to that system I am most heartily opposed. I consider it to be not so much a single error as a nursery in which all errors may grow. How far a man shall carry out these principles, depends upon his hardihood as a logician; but carried to their legitimate consequences they would banish all truth from the world. The principle of sinking all differences needs only to be applied with sufficient liberality, and it will unite not only Presbyterian and Episcopalian, but Protestant and Papist, Christian and Mahommedan, Believers in one God and Pagans who believe in many. This sir, is the latitudinarian's creed, when carried to its just consequences— "Father of all, in every age, In every clime adored; |