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its character; and the hopefulness of it had been demonstrated already, he thought, on a limited scale, in two localities in Edinburgh. They hoped to demonstrate it to the whole world on a more extensive scale amongst the outfield population of Glasgow. He thought he might plead in behalf of Glasgow a sort of personal interest amongst all classes. There was not a district in Scotland which did not send young men into Glasgow, either to be employed in the counting-houses of the merchant princes there, the shops of the engineers there, or otherwise; and he knew that there was not a parent that did not tremble to send his child there because of its social condition. Anything, he was persuaded, that could be proposed to reform the condition of Glasgow would present a strong claim upon all the families and people of Scotland.

Dr CANDLISH rose for the purpose of bringing the discussion of this important matter, at this advanced hour of the night, to a practical point. He could have wished, had there been time, to have expressed the feeling with which he looked upon this movement contemplated in Glasgow, both from circumstances which had connected him for a long time with that city, and the deep feeling he had of Glasgow being really the centre of the great evil under which our country groans. He thought there was great propriety in beginning with Glasgow-in one sense it was the Jerusalem, the very heart of the sore they were seeking to remedy; and he thought it was an evidence of great wisdom to act upon the principle of not frittering away their efforts by endeavouring to awaken sympathy merely in behalf of large towns generally, but of centering their efforts in the one capital city of Glasgow. He said in the forenoon, and he would say it again, that he should deeply regret if this movement in respect of Glasgow were in the slightest degree to diminish the interest which had been felt in the general objects of the Home Mission Committee. His own impression was, that if rightly followed up, the proceedings contemplated by the Assembly this evening would more and more tend to awaken an interest in the whole subject of home missionary effort. He had not the least apprehension of the circumstance of special interest being awakened on behalf of Glasgow withdrawing men's minds from the spiritual destitution which exists in other parts; the very reverse, he was persuaded, would be the consequence. He had not the shadow of a doubt that, if they awakened the interest of Christian men in Glasgow, they would carry their sympathy equally over all the objects of the home mission enterprise throughout the land. At all events, a melancholy case had been made out in behalf of Glasgow which entitled it to their first and most strenuous exertions. There could be no question that in that city they had not only a more rapidly increasing population than anywhere else in Scotland, but they had a population increasing, which, to a very considerable extent, depends on all parts of the country for its increase, so that the whole of Scotland might be said to be interested in this movement in Glasgow. He should say that there is scarcely a parish in all Scotland but where will be found some one who has a son or a daughter amongst the mass that inhabit that great city. It was not his intention to prolong the discussion farther, but he would just beg leave to make a formal motion, with the view of indicating what might be the result of the discussion to-night. He did not think that they could on this occasion dispose of the question, even in so far as the General Assembly is concerned; but they might have it brought up again, and that in connection with the arrangements for making the annual collections in behalf of the schemes. He would therefore suggest that they should go no further at present than simply approve of the report which they had heard read in the forenoon, and record their

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thanks to the Convener. And also that they should specially approve of that part of the report which contemplates the appointment of a distinct and separate sub-committee, with Mr Gray of Perth as its Convener. He begged to move that that be the resolution of the house, and that quoad ultra it be remitted to a Committee of this Assembly to consider what steps may be taken during the year for providing some funds to aid in carrying forward this Christian enterprise in Glasgow; that same Committee to be entrusted with the duty of preparing the annual act anent collections for the ensuing year. He might take leave to express in a sentence what it appeared to him was the mode in which this Church could best show its sympathy with their Glasgow friends in the efforts they were making, and their manifest deter mination to meet and overcome this giant enemy. He deprecated any petty effort. If they were not determined to go through with the work, it were better not to begin. Let them not set their shoulder to the work unless they were determined to go through with it. But what was the precise kind of aid which the Church at large might render. It was understood that, so far as regards the erection of the necessary buildings, their friends in Glasgow are to be left mainly to their own resources. He would not propose that any special effort should be made throughout the Church to aid them in this. A noble commencement had been made in that direction already; and he could not doubt that the merchant princes of Glasgow would of themselves accomplish that one definite object. At the same time they would be greatly encouraged in undertaking the necessary buildings, if they could see their way to some help being afforded towards the annual support of the living agency. The erection of the necessary buildings was an effort which they might undertake at once, and once for all, and then they would have done; but the great difficulty in regard to any enterprise of this sort was the annual support of the living agency. Now, he supposed this Committee, of which Mr Gray would be Convener, would have some such duties as the following to discharge: -They would have, in the first place, to make themselves thoroughly acquainted with the spiritual destitution in Glasgow, not in the mass, but in detail, as existing in the different localities there. In this, there could be no doubt, they would be assisted by the members of the Presbytery of Glasgow, and by members of the different congregations in Glasgow. It would be the duty of this Committee, as it seemed to him, to select those districts of Glasgow that were the most necessitous, to map out the city, and to mark with a dark colour of a manageable size those places that especially called for the interference of Christian philanthropy. The next object the Committee would have to aim at would be to interest particular congregations in these particular localities. Members of Assembly knew that there were districts in Glasgow which had been already seized upon by influential congregations; and all the Church knew that this had been done by Dr Buchanan's congregation. Let the Committee get other influential congregations to seize upon other similar districts as soon as they had ascertained the destitution. Having got a congregation to fasten themselves upon that particular district, let them use their utmost effort in fixing and calling forth the whole Christian force that existed within the limits of that congregation. And what would be the next step? Let it be remembered that in an undertaking of this sort, in a city like Glasgow, the Church must lay its account with this,-that it cannot be a cheap undertaking. It must cost a liberal expenditure. He had no idea whatever that the working of a district such as the wynds of Glasgow-such a district as he could name in Glasgow, even if the energies and living Christianity of the largest and wealthiest and most influential con

gregation in Glasgow were brought to bear upon it to the fullest possible extent, would be a cheap undertaking. There would be a necessity for having day schools, and for having a zealous and efficient agency; and he thought one of the most important positions of this Committee, having obtained sufficient data as to the spiritual destitution existing in a district, and having selected the particular congregation whose energies should be brought to bear upon it, would be from the very first to support the living agency that might be necessary in working the district thoroughly, and to support the schoolmasters, or probationers, or catechists, or whatever agency might be employed in conducting the enterprise of Chri-tian philanthropy there. And then he hoped that, as God in his good providence and by his good Spirit prospered such a work as this, as scholars began to increase, and, it might be, as the church began to shew its rising walls, and as a congregation was gathered together, he hoped that when the time came for settling a minister in such a district, the settlement of a parochial minister, which must be viewed from the beginning as the terminus ad quem, when any of the churches have reached that consummation in any district, what will be the position of the Committee? It would be to give such liberal aid out of any fund that the Church might place at its disposal, so that even the poorest district in Glasgow might command the services of the very best probationer, or, it might be, the most experienced and able of our ministers. And without some provision being made whereby such infant congregations might be nursed, and might be enabled to give a larger stipend to their ministers than they would otherwise be able to do,-without this being done, he believed that the experiment, to a large extent, might be expected to prove a failure. But if such congregations were in circumstances to have for their minister not merely a man who, in the early part of his probation might be willing to remain with them for a year or two upon a small stipend, and then to pass to a larger and wealthier congregation, but a man to whom they could offer such a stipend as might make it consistent with his duty to remain with them, and spend his life amongst them,-if such should be the result of the Committee, and such should be the issue of their experiments which their friends in Glasgow were entering upon, he fain cherished the hope that within a limited number of years, and the sooner the better, for God knew that souls were perishing from year to year, congregations would be seen rising up, consisting not merely of reclaimed drunkards and reclaimed criminals, but of that most interesting class of men, to which their attention had been called that night.the men of intellect in that class of society, the men of mind and of thought who were now exerting their energies, but whose energies, if, by the blessing of God, they were regenerated, they might be turned into another directi u, -if they were enabled to accomplish this, then they might expect to see congregations of such men springing up in Glasgow in all the most destitute localities, and they might yet again see Glasgow flourishing by the preaching of the Word. (Loud applause.)

The following deliverance was then agreed to:-" The Assembly approve of the Report of the Home Mission Committee, record their thanks to them, and especially to Mr Sym, their Convener, and re-appoint them. The Assembly farther approve of the overtures on the subject of spiritual destitution; and having had their attention specially directed therein to the very extensive and alarming destitution existing in the city of Glasgow, the Assembly are of opinion that it is the duty of the Church to make a special effort to meet the exigencies of that particular case; and they approve of and adopt the resolution of the Home Mission Committee to intrust this im

portant matter to a Sub-Committee of their number,-Mr Gray, Convener. And with the view of providing the means necessary for this undertaking, the Assembly remit to a Committee to consider and report on this subject, and farther, in regard to the arrangements which it may be proper to make with respect to all the collections for the ensuing year, and to submit the draft of an act relative thereto. The Assembly renew the instructions given last year to the Home Mission Committee, to obtain information in regard to what may be done, in regard to home missionary efforts, by congregations in their own particular districts, and so far as in their power to aid in all such efforts, and the Assembly unanimously recommend this matter to the Committee's attention."

The Assembly then adjourned.

SATURDAY, MAY 31. 1851.

Reports on Standing Orders;-Collections for Quoad Sacra Churches; - Assembly Hall;-Brodiek Congregation;-Form of Process; -Missionary Publications;-Refusal of Sites ;-Intemperance.

The Assembly convened at eleven o'clock.

STANDING ORDERS.

Mr GRAY, Convener of Committee on Standing Orders of the Church, gave in the following Report:

"1. That proposals for a pause in the Assembly's proceedings, with a view to engage in special devotional exercises, shall be made to the Assembly only through the Moderator.

"2. That all letters addressed to the Moderator for the purpose of being communicated to the Assembly, shall, in the first instance, be by him laid before the Business Committee, who shall advise the Moderator as to the way of disposing of them.

"3. That the annual Reports of the Standing Committees of the Church shall be written on paper of a uniform size, to be furnished to the respective Conveners by the Clerks of Assembly; and that all such Reports shall be kept in retentis, without being engrossed in the Records of Assembly.

4. That the draft of any proposed declaratory or interim Act, as also the draft of any Overture which it is proposed to transmit to Presbyteries for their opinion in terms of the Barrier Act, shall be laid on the table of the Assembly, and printed and circulated among the members, at least one day before a motion be made for the passing of such declaratory or interim Act, or for the transmission of such Overture to the Presbyteries of the Church."

The Assembly approve of the Report, and adopt the Standing Orders. therein recommended; re-appoint the Committee, and renew the instructions of last Assembly to collect and revise all the Standing Orders now in existence, and to report to next Assembly.

QUOAD SACRA CHURCHES.

The Assembly then called for the Report on Quoad Sacra churches, which was read by Mr GRAY.

The report stated, that during the year ending 31st March, they had paid grants of 5s. per sitting to eight cases, amounting in all to £1405, 15s. They had received no funds during the year except the donation of £1000 mentioned in last report, so liberally placed at their disposal by the trustees

of the late Captain Hamilton of Port-Glasgow. The total fund received from all sources by the Committee from the commencement amounts to £6375, 17s. 10d., and they had paid grants to the amount of £3394, 5s. 11d., leaving a balance on 31st March last of £2981, 11s. 11d. As stated in the last report, the Committee had made it a rule in every case that, before their grant is paid, the title to the Church shall be legally executed in terms of the model trust-deed. Some new application had been made for grants, which would make the balance less than expected. The Committee had come to the resolution that no new application can now be received. The report then states the manner in which grants are to be paid. With respect to law expenses, the Committee reported that all the contributions assessed upon the Presbyteries of the Church (exclusive of Glasgow) towards the expenses incurred in the quoad sacra litigations have been received, so far as can now be expected to be realised. The amount falls far short of the total sum of £500 allocated, but the sum of £438, 16s. 3d. had been paid over to the Committee in Glasgow, and it was understood that the Committee themselves made arrangements for the liquidation of the remaining debt.

Mr GIBSON called attention to the circumstances of St Mark's and Milton churches, Glasgow, which had been refused grants in consequence of their refusing to comply with the terms of the model trust-deed. He referred more particularly to the former case, as it had been alluded to by Mr Dunlop in the preceding day in regard to the College question, as an instance where a money pressure had been brought to bear. It deserved to be stated, however, that that congregation had been, and were willing to attach their church to the model-deed, with the single exception that it was not to be attached, not merely nominally to the Free Church, but to her principles, which, he thought, could not, notwithstanding what might be said to the contrary, effectually be secured by the model-deed. He could assure Mr Dunlop that the excellent and peace-loving elder to whom, although not by name, he had referred, had no intention to bring a money pressure to bear on the Committee, but simply wished, and very properly, to secure that the property should not be alienated from the principles of the Church-a contingency which was at least possible.

Mr GRAY explained the circumstances in which the grants were refused; holding that the Committee had merely a ministerial duty to perform, and could not alter the conditions upon which grants should be given.

Mr DUNLOP had no particular liking to the form of deed as it stood; but the Church had adopted it in order to keep the matter out of the hands of the civil courts, which have decided the case as between the Old and New Light Seceders, by giving the property, in his opinion, to the party who departed from the principles of the body as originally constituted. Mr Dunlop then referred to the case where, as he considered, a money influence had been been brought to bear on the Committee; stating that the Committee had been asked to alter their decision in regard to a grant, because a wealthy elder of the Church had threatened to withhold his contributions to the Schemes of the Church until they should be equal to the grant withheld ; and such an influence they should resist with all their might.

Dr CANDLISH said, with regard to the influence of a money power, to which reference had been made both yesterday and to-day, he would stand out to the last against any such influence; but, to his mind, there was nothing in the proceedings in regard to the College question which warranted the strong language made use of by their respected friend Mr Dunlop. And

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