sent to Mr Cunninghame of Lainshaw. The letter in question, along with another from Mr Cunninghame, was sent to the Presbytery of Irvine. After expressing their gratitude to Mr Cunninghame for the communication, it was resolved to transmit the documents to the Presbytery of Glasgow, as Mr Brown was in their jurisdic

tion.

The letter alluded to was then read. The writer stated, in substance, that having heard of the death of the Reverend Dr Douglas, minister in Stewarton, if Mr Cunninghame's promise was not already pre-engaged, he took the liberty to request that he would place him in the vacant church. If he had the kindness to do so, a friend of his undertook to give Mr Cunninghame L.100 for five or six years, not as a bribe, but as a testimony of gratitude. The writer twice preached for Dr Douglas, to the satisfaction of the parishioners, and if Mr Cunninghame presented him with the church, it would be his highest ambition, by prudence, piety, and a faithful discharge of his duties, to merit his esteem, and the respect of his parishioners. For a testimony of his character and abilities, he referred to Mr Stewart of the Glasgow-field.

Dr Rankin said the Presbytery could be at no loss as to the mode of procedure in this case. All they had to do at present was to summon Mr Brown to their bar at the next ordinary meeting, on the second Wednesday of July.

This was unanimously agreed to.

meeting. After some routine business they proceeded to the case of Alexander Brown, who was summoned to attend by agreement of the last Presbytery, for having attempted to bribe William Cunninghame, Esq. of Lainshaw, in order to get the charge of a church as minister in Stewarton, of which Mr Cunninghame is patron.

The Moderator then called Mr Brown, who appeared at the bar. He admitted that he wrote the letter, but at the same time expressed the greatest contrition, and hoped that the Presbytery would overlook it, as it was a rash step, and it would be considered by Mr Brown as a particular favour.

After considerable discussion, and several members having expressed their opinion as to the heinous nature of the offence, it was proposed that it should come to the vote, either to deprive him of his license, or suspend him, sine die; when there appeared a majority of four to deprive him altogether of ever again becoming a licensed minister. Upon which Mr Brown protested to the next meeting of Synod.

It was hinted throughout the discussion by Dr M'Gill, that Mr Brown was rather of a weak intellect.

Mr Leishman then intimated that he had a report to make upon the case of the Reverend Mr Thom of Liverpool, he being appointed as one of the commissioners to take evidence in that

case.

Dr M'Gill suggested that the report should be read in private, which was agreed to.

JULY.

13. This day the Presbytery of Glasgow held their usual monthly

SEPTEMBER.

21.-GLASGOW.-The Presbytery of Glasgow proceeded to take into consideration the case of Mr Thom of

Liverpool, as to error in doctrine. Mr Moncrieff, advocate, opened the proceedings, and occupied four hours with a powerful speech, in support of the charges. He was followed by Mr Jardine, in a speech of considerable length, in defence of Mr Thom; after which MrThom defended himself in a long and able speech. Dr Ranken then moved an adjournment till Thursday morning at ten o'clock.

On Thursday forenoon, the Presbytery again met, when the Moderator stated that they had continued to a late hour on Wednesday night in solemn and serious debate on the merits of the case now before them, when they came to the decision, with the deepest concern, that Mr Thom had inculcated to his flock in Liverpool several gross errors, completely inconsistent with the Confession of Faith, and the doctrines of the Church of Scotland; that he had failed to perform his duty as a minister of that Church, and had not complied with the terms of the bond which he entered into with the managers of Rodney Street Chapel; and they, therefore, with one dissenting voice, agreed to deprive him of the ministry of said Church. Mr Jardine entered his protest against the decision of the Presbytery, with the intention of appealing to the Synod; the reasons to be lodged in due time.

OCTOBER.

2. The King has been pleased to present the Reverend Robert Allan to the church and parish of Little Dunkeld, in the presbytery of Dunkeld, and county of Perth, vacant by the resignation of the Reverend Thomas Nelson, late minister there.-London Gazette, of 7th October.

NOVEMBER.

SOCIETY FOR IMPROVING CHURCH PATRONAGE.

5.-EDINBURGH.-A meeting of the friends of the society for improving the system of church patronage in Scotland, took place in the Waterloo Hotel. The attendance was not very numerous. Colonel Hutcheson took the chair. The clerk, after reading letters of apology for non-attendance from one or two individuals, proceeded to read a report respecting the proceedings and situation of the society during the last year, stating very distinctly the great object it had in view,

namely, to purchase rights of patronage from private individuals, by the funds of the society, and to vest these rights in the male heads of families for the benefits of their respective parishes. The Society required some farther support, that they might be enabled to purchase, when opportunities presented. The amount of funds at present belonging to the Society was upwards of L.530: and it was stated by the secretary, that considerable contributions besides had been offered by individuals, which it might be in the power of the Society to command whenever they should have occasion to make a purchase.

The Rev. David Dickson begged to solicit the support of the Society on account of the splendid and paramount object for which it had been instituted. He anticipated the success of the Society with the greatest confidence. It was known that the Society meant to buy up patronages from proprietors, so far as their funds would enable them to go, and to vest in the people the right of choosing their own pastor. Patronage was an evil for which there was no other remedy. He concluded by moving that the report be printed and circulated.

The Rev. H. Grey. The object of the Society was to recover the rights of the people, which had been taken from them; to vindicate their natural and unalienable right to choose their own ministers. It was agreeable to the nature of human affairs, that the people of a parish should have a personal regard for their minister, before they could sufficiently profit from his instructions; and that they should have their own choice. A list of the officebearers of the society for the ensuing year was read by Mr Grey, and moved accordingly.

Mr Hume, M. P. spoke at considerable length. He regretted not having been able to attend the first meet ing of the Society. No man could be more aware than himself of the incalculable benefits of religious education. He had observed the policy and state of manners in different countries, and had been forcibly attracted to the conclusion, that the flock having the great est interest, has the best right to make choice of their pastor. He was convinced that a laxity had taken place in church discipline. It was not right that a people should have their clergyman thrust upon them, in spite of their inclinations. He had no hesitation in saying, that neither a student could profit from his teacher, nor parishioners from their clergyman, unless they entertained some affection or respect for them, and had a good opinion of the man to whose instructions they submitted. Had the people of Scotland not changed in their characters since 1711? Nobody would say they had not. And was it not right that the institutions of a people should be adapted to their characters? The Society only required that the system of church patronage, which had continued since 1711, should at length be adapted to the existing state of things.

Dr A. Thomson chiefly rose for the purpose of repelling certain misrepre

sentations which had been most industriously circulated, respecting statements that had been made at the first meeting of the Society. "In the first place," said the Doctor," it has been very broadly and dogmatically stated, that in my observations of last year, I did speak most disrespectfully, cruelly, and shamelessly, of tutors in gentlemen's families. That has not been whispered merely, but has been circulated in newspapers and pamphlets. I utterly deny the charge. If there were anything in it, my tongue must have strangely misgiven me, for I never changed my feelings towards that class, and I have a strong fellow-feeling for them. Then, sir, there is another misrepresentation. I happened to make a remark on dissenters. I will not boast of my language on the subject; and I think there is no great merit in that. But I am represented as saying in this meeting, that I rejoiced that there are so many dissenters. Sir, I had made no such statement. I did rejoice in dissent-but that statement was qualified by this consideration—it is dissent occasioned by tyranny in our rulesand I repeat the statement. There is another circumstance which is not quite so serious as any of these, but worth alluding to, as it goes to the essence of the business we are going to correct. I stated it as a fact, showing the improper way in which patronage is sometimes exercised-that a certain patron, influenced by political considerations that were pulling him different ways, did not feel himself at liberty to consider whether one or another individual was best fitted for the situation that was become vacant, and in order to get out of his difficulty, he tossed up a halfpenny "heads or tails," for the young man getting the parish. That has given great offence, and I have lost the regard of some persons on account of that statement. I am sorry they have withdrawn their kindness

from me but I can do without it. I do not care for such things, when I am speaking the truth in defence of such a cause as this. And what turns out? There might be a mistake as to the minute particulars, but not as to the essence of what took place. At first I heard it was not determined by a halfpenny, but by a sovereign; but this is the same in substance. The true statement, it seems, is, that the names of the competitors were put into a hat, and some neutral person drew out the name of the successful competitor. Now, was any more regard paid to the souls of the people by the use of a hat than by tossing a halfpenny?" The Society had two sets of opponents, and he would say a little of both. One set cried out that the church was in danger. He wished the Society had the power to make these gentlemen really think the church was in danger, for then, he thought, if he could judge of the feelings of the meeting for it, they would provide, if they had the power, for the perpetuity and safety of the church. The alarmists were not afraid for the safety of the church, except for the patronage, which they held for political interests, and the greater the competition, the greater the price. He contended that the right of presentation in the people was not only natural, but constituted by charter, which charter had been violated by the act 1711, that took the right of presentation from the people, and established the present system. There would be this advantage in the alteration, the pastor would be acceptable to the people, who were not so apt to be swayed by political views as the patron; there were some honourable exceptions among the latter, but they were few. The reverend doctor said he did not fear the least animosity or disquiet from the change, and instanced the case of the Magistrates of Stirling, who had given up the right of nomination to the people,

and the call was harmonious. At St Ninians, too, where the people have the right of nomination, the same goodhumour and harmony prevailed, all agreeing in the appointment. He would ask, did no dissensions occur among patrons? Yes, dissensions happen often among them. Two or three patrons quarrel about a patronage, fight an expensive and tedious battle before the Court of Session, and the people are left as a flock without a shepherd for years, till these gentlemen shall get it settled by the Court of Session, or the House of Peers, which of them has the right of patronage. Is that a state of peace and quietude that can be looked at and said, there is an instance of harmony? The Reverend Doctor alluded to the case of Little Dunkeld, where the patron attempted to force a pastor upon the people to administer to their souls in a language they could not understand-but the General Assembly overset this delightfully. The exclamation of another set of their opponents was, "You are doing a great deal of harm-a great deal of harm." The portentous words were falsified by fact, for he could say that they had done a great deal of good, and obtained a far greater number of appointments, such as they wished, than usual. But all he could get from the latter class of their opponents was a shrug of the shoulders, a shake of the head, and "you are doing a great deal of harm.” This reminded him of a countryman, rather silly, who had taken it into his head that it was always a fine day, whatever was the state of the weather. His friends naturally wished him to get the better of the delusion, but though Sam came home through the drifting snow and half frozen-at another time drenched to the skin in torrents of rain

or after enduring the terrors and perils amidst the war of elements in a thunder-storm, still Sam's reply was— "It's a fine day !"-(Much laughter.)

-Some gentlemen asked, what have you done? Our reply is, we have framed a Society-we have met with support-we have collected moneyand we expect a great deal more. But again they ask, have you purchased any patronages? No: there have been none in the market; let them appear there, and we will be at them. The Reverend Gentleman concluded an address of considerable length, by expressing a hope that they would always

be in an attitude to purchase, and that, to enable them to do this, the country would co-operate with the parent society. The Reverend Doctor having proposed a motion to that effect, sat down amidst great applause.

Mr Northhouse of Glasgow spoke at some length, and urged the propriety of extending the Society in that quar ter.

Thanks were voted to the chairman, and the meeting separated.