May 19, 1874. into membership with an existing Presbytery where they are Twelfth Sede- located, or formed into a new Presbytery under the sanction of the Supreme Court. runt. Representation of Missionary III. That it shall be considered proper, in the branches of our Presbyteries. Church abroad, as well as at home, to have Missionaries and Missionary Congregations placed under the benefits of Presbyterian rule, and that, as soon as circumstances admit, Missionary Presbyteries shall be formed under the sanction of the Supreme Court,all such being, on their erection, declared constituent parts thereof. Agreed further, that the Committee be re-appointed, with Dr George Jeffrey added thereto, and Mr James Peddie in room of Mr James Young, deceased, to give further consideration to the subject, and to frame rules, applicable to the special circumstances of Missionary Presbyteries, for carrying the above recommendations into effect. Committee anent Business for first Wednesday of Synod. Addition to Petition against Contagious Diseases Acts. Confederation of Presbyterian The Presbytery of Edinburgh obtained leave to meet in the Upper Class-room now. On recommendation of Selection Committee, the Synod appointed as a Committee to define the nature of the business to be taken up on Wednesday of the first week of Synod set apart for Mission business, annual Missionary meeting and hearing foreign depu ties -Dr Harper, Henry Renton, Dr Cairns, J. G. Scott, ministers; with William Robson, Thomas John Dunn, David M'Cowan, elders; with the Mission Secretaries-Mr Renton, Convener. Also appointed the following as an addition to the Psalmody Committee for this year, with a view to the preparation of a TuneBook, and to their re-appointment, if need be, at next meeting of Synod:-George Robson (Lauder), Marshall N. Goold, Andrew Alston, Thomas Dunlop, James Fraser, William Galletly, Dr W. B. Robertson, Dr J. B. Johnston, Dr MacGill, ministers; Professor Calderwood, James Smith and J. Bickers, Glasgow, elders. Mr Mearns, for the Committee to draft petition to Parliament against Contagious Diseases Acts, submitted a draft petition, which the Synod adopted, and directed that it be extended, and, after being subscribed by the Moderator and Synod Clerk, be forwarded to Mr M'Laren, M.P., for presentation to Parliament.* Took up Overtures from the Presbytery of London and the PresChurches. bytery of Edinburgh anent the Synod's taking part in a proposed Confederation of Presbyterian Churches throughout the world, with copy of Address thereanent by Ministers of various Presbyterian bodies in America. The Overtures and Address, being printed among Synod Papers, were held as read. The Moderator presented See Appendix, E., p. 98. runt. a letter addressed to him on the same subject by Dr M'Cos, May 19, 1874. President of Princeton College, New Jersey, accompanying a letter Twelfth Sedesubscribed by the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Confederation Presbyterian Church in the United States of North America, and of Presbyby the stated Clerk of said Assembly. Dr Calderwood was heard Churches; in support of the Overture from Edinburgh Presbytery, and Dr Edmond in support of that from London Presbytery. On motion made and seconded, it was agreed-That the Synod receives with much pleasure the communication from America in favour of a Council representing the Presbyterian Churches over the world; approves generally of the proposal submitted to the Court; and agrees to appoint a Committee to correspond with similar Committees nominated by other Presbyterian Churches anent the constitution of such a Council as has been proposed, said Committee to report the results of its correspondence and deliberations on this subject. The Synod at the same time agrees to send its thanks to the Committee nominated in America, and the expression of its desire for the success of the movement so favourably begun. terian thereon. In terms of this finding, the Synod appointed as a Committee Committee for the purpose named-the Moderator, Dr Calderwood, Dr Edmond, Dr Harper, Dr Peddie, and Dr George Jeffrey Dr Jeffrey, Convener. cation, Called for Report of the Committee on National Education, which, National Edubeing printed among Synod Papers, was held as read. thereon. Distribution The Synod receive the Report, thank the Committee for their diligence, re-appoint the Committee with the same powers as formerly, and direct that the Report be inserted in Appendix to Minutes.* The Committee on National Education stands for next year Committee as follows:-Dr Marshall, J. Jarvie, Dr Young, Dr Cairns, Dr MacEwen, Dr A. Thomson, Dr G. Jeffrey, Peter Leys, and J. M. Harvey, ministers; with Dr James Taylor, James Peddie, Edinburgh, and Jas. Morton, Greenock, elders-Dr MacEwen, Convener. Called for Report of the Committee for the Distribution of Report on Preachers, which was presented by Mr Kennedy, Clerk of said of Preachers. Committee, and, being printed among Synod Papers, was held as read. In supplement of the printed report, Mr Kennedy made a verbal statement which the Synod direct to be appended to the Report. The Synod receive this Report, and direct that it be printed in Appendix to Minutes; † also adopt the List of Occasional Supply presented by the Committee, and direct that it be printed with Quarterly List of Appointments. Further, the Synod adopt the Report, and thank the Committee for their diligence. In view † See Appendix, No. XVI., p. 269. * See Appendix, No. XV., p. 268. runt. May 19, 1874. of the present limited supply of Preachers, the Synod agree for this Twelfth Sede- year so far to relax the rule as to admit of new licentiates being Committee on placed on the Roll of Probationers who may be appointed to Distribution of vacancies by 1st January, 1875, and recommend Presbyteries to facilitate arrangements for Licensing Students. Preachers. Re-appointed. Rev. J. M. Committee on Exemption of Trained Evangelists. Petition against Open- Museums on The Synod re-appointed the Committee for the Distribution of Preachers, viz. :-William Wood, Dr Ogilvie, and Thomas Kennedy -Dr Ogilvie to be Clerk of Committee for this year. On recommendation of the Orkney Presbytery, brought up by this Committee, the Synod agreed that the name of Mr J. M. Cruickshank, late of Westray, be put on the Roll of Probationers. Called for Report of the Committee on Complaints anent Preachers Appointments, which, being printed among Synod Papers, was held as read. The Report bore that no complaint had been brought before the Committee this year, and a supplementary statement by the Convener bore that the one case of complaint mentioned last year as sub judice, had terminated by the party concerned leaving the United Presbyterian Church. The Synod receive this Report, thank the Committee for their diligence, and agree that the Committee be re-appointed, with the names selected at fourth sederunt. The attention of Synod was called to a Bill now before Parliament, providing for the exemption of Churches and Chapels in Scotland from local Rates and Assessments. It was moved, seconded, and unanimously agreed, that the Synod petition Parliament in favour ofsaid Bill, and Dr George Jeffrey and Mr James Buchanan were appointed to draft and bring in a form of Petition. The Synod took up an Overture from the Presbytery of Edinburgh, anent provision for securing a body of Trained Evangelists. The Overture, being printed among Synod Papers, was held as read, and Mr Williamson heard in its support. On motion made and seconded, it was unanimously agreed-That the Synod remit to the Home Mission Board to take the object of this Overture into their early and earnest consideration that they may devise such means as are most likely to gain the end sought, and to report to next meeting of Synod. The Synod took up an Overture from Rev. Henry Renton and other members of Synod, anent petitioning Parliament against opening of Museums on the Lord's Day. Mr Renton having been heard in support of the Overture, it was unanimously adopted by the Synod. A draft of Petition was read, and the Synod directed that it be extended, and, after being subscribed by the Moderator and Synod-Clerk, forwarded for presentation.* * See Appendix, F., p 99. runt. establishment. Called for Supplementary Report of the Committee on Disestablish- May 19, 1874. ment and Disendowment, which was presented and read by Mr G. Twelfth SedeC. Hutton, the Convener, who, along with Dr Harper was heard in Supplementary relation thereto. After reasoning, it was unanimously agreed-That Report on Disthe Synod receive the report, thank the Committee for their diligence, and instruct them to follow out the suggestions contained in the report; empower the Committee to address a requisition to the Moderator to call a pro re nata meeting of the Synod should they deem that advisable, and to co-operate with other friends, favourable to the cause, as they may judge advantageous. The Synod also instruct the Committee to prepare and circulate widely, in such quarters as they may deem most desirable, a statement of the grounds of the Synod's opposition to the proposed legislation in regard to patronage; further, the Synod empower the Committee to send deputies to London, should they deem that necessary, in prosecution of the end in view. ment Commit It was also agreed that the Committee on Disestablishment Disestablishand Disendowment be re-appointed; and that the Moderator with tee. Dr John Ker, Dr Edmond, Thomas Kennedy, Edinburgh, and James Robertson, Bread Street Church, Edinburgh, ministers; with David M'Cowan, Glasgow, Thomas Mitchell, Blairgowrie, and Thomas Robertson, Edinburgh, elders, be added to the Committee, two members being withdrawn therefrom, for reasons stated in Synod. The Committee on Disestablishment and Disendowment of English and Scottish Established Churches stands therefore as follows:-Dr Andrew Thomson, Dr W. Johnston, Dr Cairns, Dr Peddie, Dr John Ker, and Dr Edmond; H. Renton, G. C. Hutton, D. Kinnear, A. Oliver, J. D. Fleming, J. Davidson, Thomas Kennedy, and James Robertson, jun., ministers; with J. D. Peddie, Edinburgh, Thomas Mitchell, Blairgowrie, G. Pearson, Glasgow, J. Hunter, Innellan, David M'Cowan, Glasgow, J. Knox Crawford and Thomas Robertson, Edinburgh, elders-Rev. G. C. Hutton, Convener. The Synod direct that the Supplementary Report on Disestablishment and Disendowment be appended to the original Report, and that both be printed in Appendix to Minutes.* Dr George Jeffrey, for a Committee appointed at a previous stage of Petition for Exemption of this sederunt, presented and read a draft of Petition to Parliament Churches from in favour of a Bill for exempting Churches and Chapels in Scotland Local Rates. from local Rates and Assessments. The Synod adopt this Petition, Mr Jarvie dissenting, and direct that it be extended, and after being subscribed by the Moderator and Synod Clerk, be forwarded to the Lord Advocate for presentation to the House of Commons.† * See Appendix, No. V., p. 173. + See Appendix, G., p. 100. May 19, 1874. runt. Mr G. C. Hutton, for a Committee appointed to prepare answers Twelfth Sede- to Reasons of Dissent from Synod's decision at 3rd sederunt on the Question of Union in England, presented and read answers which the Synod adopt and order to be recorded along with the Reasons as follows: Reasons of Answers. REASONS OF DISSENT. The undersigned dissents, with all who may adhere to him, from the Finding of the Synod on Union with the English Presbyterian Church, for the following reasons:-(1.) Because the decided preponderance of opinion in favour of the union, ascertained in a constitutional way, made it the duty of this Church to carry out the negotiations to their natural consummation. (2.) Because union in England, on the basis proposed, afforded a great opportunity of increased service to the cause of Christ, through the removal of the weakness and scandal of division, which this Church ought not to have lost. (3.) Because the influence of this union might have been expected to act favourably in healing the divisions of Presbyterianism in Scotland, and thus to have more than compensated for any temporary weakening of the United Presbyterian Church by the withdrawal of brethren in England from its jurisdiction.— (Signed) JOHN CAIRNS; (Adherents), George Bell, James Towers, H. Calderwood, Richard Leitch, John Bogue, Thomas Dods, W. R. Murray, James Stephens, Robert Brown, J. M. M'Kerrow, J. W. Dunbar, H. T. Howat, James Muir, Egremont; James C. Meiklejohn, Walter Graham, elder; Thomas Hall, elder; Henry Miller, William Boyd, James Brown, Paisley; Daniel M'Lean, Robert Small, William Graham, Walter Roberts, P. L. Forgan, elder, Bo-ness; Alexander Hamilton, D. K. Auchterlonie. ANSWERS BY THE SYNOD. (1.) The Synod does not admit the alleged decided preponderance of opinion in favour of the scheme of union proposed by the Committee. The analysis of the returns from Presbyteries and Sessions ordered by the Synod appears to show that a majority of Presbyteries express only conditional or qualified approval of the scheme; that others are adverse or doubtful; and that a small number are unconditionally favourable. The returns from Sessions number only 99, and in that inadequate expression of the mind of Sessions, nearly a half of the returns are classed as unfavourable or doubtful. With regard to the returns from English congregations not called for by the Synod, but produced by the Committee, it is at least doubtful whether the preponderance of opinion is as the dissentients think. Of the 50 classified as favourable, 28 only are stated to be unanimous, 13 are divided, and 9 not further described. Of the 35 reporting against the scheme of union, 26 are stated to be unanimous, 5 divided, and 4 not described. Besides these there are 21 who do not report, and who must be considered uncertain. But were the state of opinion such as the dissentients allege, the Synod does not agree with them that it becomes the duty of the Supreme Court to negotiate a summary union of any section of its congregations with another Church, or to adopt a particular scheme of union, because it happens to be acceptable to a pòrtion of the Church. While the Synod neither could nor would place any hindrance in the way of any congregations withdrawing from its jurisdiction to effect union with another Church, it must reserve to itself the right, in a matter affecting its constitution, general position, and usefulness, to proceed in its own negotiations with caution, and to judge for itself what is best fitted to promote the scriptural objects and principles for which it exists as a Church. (2.) The dissentients doubtless conscientiously hold the opinion expressed in this reason regarding the effects of union in England on the proposed basis; but it is to be |