ing this literary survey, I must not omit mentioning the name of the Rev. Robert Wilson of Greenock, who has acquired fame to himself, as a successful wooer of the Muses. His "Pleasures of Piety," of which a new and enlarged edition, in ten books, has lately appeared, is a most pleasing and instructive poem.

Were I to mention the names of all the ministers who have published single Sermons, or small treatises, some of which display much talent, and are highly creditable to their authors,

I could greatly enlarge the list of persons who have done honour to the Secession by their useful publications. But I have already extended my account to a greater length than I originally intended; and I do not wish to exhaust the patience of my readers, by being insufferably prolix.

My object in this supplementary part of the work, has been to remove an impression, which has existed to a considerable extent (though probably it does not now exist to the same extent) in the minds of persons who are ignorant of the history of Dissenters, that the ministers connected with the Secession Church, and with Dissenting communities generally, are uneducated and illiterate men. With regard to other dissenting communities, it is not my intention to say any thing. I shall leave it to those who are connected with them to vindicate their own cause. But in the preceding pages, I have furnished ample evidence to show, that the ministers of the Secession church are neither uneducated nor illiterate. All of them receive a liberal education. They enjoy exactly the same means which the ministers connected with the Establishment possess for attaining to eminence in any of the walks of literature; and, presuming that they possess the same natural capacity for the acquisition of learning which ministers of the Established church do, there is no reason for regarding them as, in any respects, their inferiors. During the last hundred years the ministers of the Secession have contributed, by their writings, at least an equal amount (making allowance for the smallness of their numbers) to the stores of theology, history, philology, poetry, and the various departments of useful learning, that the ministers of the Established church have done; while they have, as a body, been eminently distinguished for their unremitting diligence and laborious exertions in communicating religious instruction to the people. May they continue in time to come, as they have done in time past, to deserve well of their country; and may their personal improvement, in the various branches of useful knowledge, keep pace with the growing spirit of the age, and with the increased demands of the church!

INDEX.

A

Abbotshall, the session of, give in a declaration of secession from the judicatories
of the Established church, 174.

Abernethy, the session of, give in their accession to the Associate Presbytery,
173; appoint George Dron their first lay elder, 174; two members of the
congregation of, censured for compliance with the rebels, 207; philosophical
class at, 259; the Divinity Hall transferred to, 778.

Abjuration, oath of, peculiarly offensive to the presbyterian clergy, 5; what the
oath required, 5.

Acknowledgment of sins, reviewed, and remodelled, 434.

Aitken, Rev. James, declines the authority of General Associate synod, and with-
draws from their communion, 449; complaint preferred against him by his
elders and others, 449; his case investigated by the synod, 453; he is de-
posed, 454.

Allan, Rev. Alexander, noticed as an author, 924.

Alloa, the Antiburgher Theological Hall transferred to, 779.
America, missionaries sent to, by the Antiburgher synod, 259; exertions of the
synod in behalf of, 297; preachers averse to go to, 297; the Burgher synod
make collections for presbyterian ministers in, 538; coalescence betwixt the
Burgher and Antiburgher brethren in, 540; the Burgher synod appoint mis-
sionaries to go to, 570; synod formed there, designated the Associate Re-
formed synod of North America,' 571; articles of correspondence betwixt
them and the Associate synod, 620; letter from the General Assembly of,
to the United Associate synod, 692.

American Indians, scheme for evangelizing the, 275, 538.
Anderson, Magnus, employed as a catechist in Kirkwall, 392

Annat, decision of Burgher synod concerning the, 553.

Antiburgher Synod, claim the authority of the Associate Synod, 224; letter to
them from their Burgher brethren, 231; serve the Burgher brethren with a
libel, 232; charges contained in the libel, 232; declare the brethren to
whom the libel was delivered contumacious, 233; Mr. Hutton appears be-
fore them, 233; he attacks their proceedings in severe terms, 234; they
depose him from the ministry, 234; pronounce a sentence of deposition and
excommunication upon all the Burgher brethren, 234; administer privy-
censures, 235; account of their procedure in administering rebukes, 235;
constitution of the synod in Mr. Gib's house, 251; members present, 251;
they proceed against Mr. Nairn, 252; depose and excommunicate him, 252;
a novel scene takes place in the synod, 252; certain questions of casuistry
brought before them, 254; give advice concerning the payment of taxes for
the support of the Episcopal church, 255; application from Pennsylvania for
ministers, 257; difficulty in procuring young men to undertake the mission,
257; act relating to students previous to their entering on trials for licence,
257; act concerning Arminianism, 260; Mr. Mair objects to some of the
articles in it, 262; they charge him with holding erroneous opinions, 262;

dealings with him, 263; suspend him from the exercise of his ministry, 265;
depose and excommunicate him, 266; publish a solemn warning, 267; Mr.
Moncrieff proposes that they should address the king on the state of religion,
267; the proposal rejected, 271; overture to present a congratulatory address
to George III. at his accession, 271; they lay it aside, 272; their declarations
on the subject, 272; missionary exertions, 274; difficulty in finding preachers
to labour in America, 274; enactment on this subject, 275; are applied to
by the Society for propagating Christian knowledge, for assisting in evangel-
izing the North American Indians, 275; application favourably received, 275;
form a widows' fund, 276; liberality of their congregations, 277 and x.; Mr.
Carmichael accused of heresy, 285; statement of his opinions, 286; they
depose and excommunicate him, 287; declare the essay of Mr. Wotherspoon
heretical, 288; rebuke and suspend him, 288; upon his penitence remove the
sentence, 289; their dealings with Mr. Andrew Marshall, 289; subject Mr.
Pirie to discipline, 289; deprive him of his licence, and excommunicate him,
290; overture about preaching, 291; their watchfulness over the students,
292; overture about probationers and ministers preaching in vacant congre-
gations, 296; direct their attention to American missions, 296; refuse to
sanction a coalition between the Antiburgher and Burgher ministers in Penn-
sylvania, 300; other missionary appointments, 301; Mr. Gib's overture about
the Secession Testimony, 303; consideration of it postponed, 305; call Mr. Gib
to account; he reads a paper in explanation of his conduct, 306; they insert his
paper in their minutes, 307; overture about the support of widows and children
of deceased ministers, 308; regulations of their public fund, 309; send preachers
to Caithness, 310; encourage Gaelic students, 310; recommendation to congre-
gations concerning ministers' stipends, 310; are alarmed by the repeal of the
penal statutes against Roman Catholics, 312; testify against the repeal, 313; re-
fuse to acknowledge the New York presbytery, 314; regulations about students
of divinity, 316; question respecting lifting the bread and the cup at the ordi-
nance of the supper, 326; resolutions upon the subject, 330; overture from the
presbytery of Moyrah and Lisburn to promote a union betwixt the two bodies of
Secession, 331; they express their disapprobation of this overture, 332; reject
the proposal to erect the Irish presbyteries into a Synod, 333; condemn the
union in America betwixt the Burgher and Antiburgher brethren and the Re-
formed presbytery, 333; send an address to two of the American brethren who re-
fused to coalesce, 334; recognise them as the Presbytery of Pennsylvania, 335;
difficulty in procuring preachers for America, 335; proposal to have a general
synod with four provincial synods, 337; proposal adopted, 338; regulations of
the General synod, 340; regulations respecting provincial synods, 341; regula-
tions concerning preachers, 342; declaration concerning the slave-trade, 343;
the Pennsylvanian presbytery become jealous of the jurisdiction the Synod
claimed and exercised over them, 347; some brethren demur about sending
any more missionaries to the Pennsylvanian presbytery, 348; appoint a com-
mittee to consider the state of American affairs, 348; agree to transmit a copy
of committee's report to the presbytery of Pennsylvania, 349; declaration con-
cerning their connection with the brethren in America, 350; dissented from
by Messrs. Bunyan and Bruce, 354; appoint Mr. M'Bean to go to Pictou, 356;
he refuses to comply, 356; decision respecting the pecuniary affairs of congre-
gations, 356; are applied to for a preacher to be sent to North Carolina, 358;
appoint one, who declines, 359; send Messrs. Brown and Ross to Nova Scotia, 359;
overture concerning Dr. M'Gill's process, 370; the subject of subscribing de-
clarations of loyalty brought before them, 373; their advice regarding declara-
tions, 373; they vindicate their people from the charge of disloyalty, 374;
scruples concerning the power of the magistrate in religious matters, 378; re-
jeet Mr. Bruce's statement of principles respecting civil government, 383; dis-
cussions concerning missionary societies, 384; adopt an order disapproving of
their constitution, 384; remonstrances against this act, 385; representations
approving of what the synod had done, 386; their deliverance concerning a
case of casuistry from Ireland, 387; send out two missionaries to Kentucky,
388; representation concerning lay-preaching and Sabbath schools, 393; their
decision concerning them, 393; decision reviewed and amended, 394; urgent
request from Nova Scotia for more missionaries, 411; they mission two preach-

ers, 411; receive an address from the presbytery of Nova Scotia, 413; feel a
deep interest in the success of their translantic missions, 416; regulations re-
specting the benevolent fund, 419; regulations respecting the support of a gos-
pel ministry, 420; regulations regarding the appointment of preachers, 420;
appoint the covenants to be renewed by ministers and others, 421; controversy
concerning the magistrate's power in matters of religion, 430; appoint a com-
mittee to prepare the draught of an overture respecting the magistrate's power,
431; the overture presented, and the consideration of it delayed, 432; appoint
a committee to extend the Testimony, 432; draught of it considered, 433;
review the Acknowledgment of sins, 434; act concerning students of divinity,
435; their revision of the Testimony finished, 440; manliness and good sense
displayed by them, 442; enact that ministers and others join in the bond, 446;
five ministers protest against the deed about covenanting, 446; synod's declara-
tion against the protest, 447; remonstrance by Mr. Bruce and others, 448;
they appoint a committee to answer it, 449; Mr. Bruce and others decline their
authority, and withdraw from their communion, 449; investigate the case of
Mr. Aitken, 453; depose him from the ministry, 454; they afterwards depose
Mr. M'Crie, 456; proceedings in the case of Messrs. Hog and Bruce, 456; pro-
nounce sentence of deposition against Messrs. Bruce and Chalmers, 458; the
deposed brethren raise a loud outcry against them, 459; the conduct of synod
defended, 459; statement of points at issue between them and the separating
brethren, 461 et seq.; they enlarge the course of theological study, 476; elect
Rev. George Paxton Professor of Divinity, 477; their decision on the subject
of Regium Donum, 481; resolution concerning ministers' stipends, 482; agree
to open a correspondence with other evangelical denominations, 483; appoint
a committee of correspondence concerning congregations, 483; findings of
synod against Mr. Imrie, 486; rebuke and suspend him, 488; twenty-one
ministers and four elders protest against this decision, 488; decision reviewed
and reversed, 489; additional charges against Mr. Imrie, 489; they solemnly
depose him, 492; their transtlantic missions, 493; appoint missions to the
Highlands of Scotland, 496; grant aid to the Irish evangelical Society, 496;
letter from Burgher synod relative to a union, 650; seventy-four petitions pre-
sented, 651; appoint a union committee, 651; letter of Moderator in reply to
Associate synod, 651; articles of basis of union, 656; interchange of deputations
between the two synods, 657; reunion of the synods accomplished, 661.
United Associate Synod.

See

Antiburghers, why thus designated, 227; at the rupture assume the title of As-
sociate synod, 227; proposal for a union betwixt them and the Burghers in Ire-
land, 426; terms of coalescence, 427; discussed in the Irish provincial synod,
428; the union postponed, 428. See Antiburgher Synod.

Appeals on account of violent settlements extremely numerous, 33; were almost
uniformly unsuccessful, 34.

Appendix, giving statistics of the United Secession Church, 771-776.
Archibald, Rev. Robert, appointed to take charge of the Philosophical class, 176.
Argyle, Duke of, attempts to fasten suspicion upon Seceding ministers as stirring
up a spirit of disaffection among the people, 107.

Arminian sentiments defended by ministers of the Scottish church, 8.

Arminianism, act concerning, 260; outline of the act, 261; Mr. Mair objects to
some of its articles, 262.

Armstrong, Rev. Robert, appointed by the Antiburgher synod as a missionary to
Kentucky, 388; he and Mr. Fulton constitute themselves into a presbytery,
394; extracts from his letters, relating the difficulties and prospects of the mis-
sion, 395.

Arrot, Rev. Andrew, accedes to the Associate Presbytery, 176.
Assembly (General). See General Assembly.

Associate Presbytery, formation of the, 72; reasons for its formation, 72; they ap.
point a committee, to prepare an extended statement of the reasons of their pro-
testation before the Commission, 73; publish their first Testimony, 73; articles
of belief published by them, 80; resolve to continue in a state of separation until
the national church was reformed, 89; reasons for their refusal to return to the
national church, 90; their proposals to the Assembly, 91; their conduct vindicated,
92; proceed to acts of jurisdiction, 94; applications to them for sermon, 95;

make confession of sin to one another, 95; increasing applications for sermon,
100; overture respecting the training of youth for the ministry, 101; appoint
Mr. Wilson theological Professor, 102; give their final sanction to the Judicial
Testimony, 102; their object in this publication, 103; accession of Thomas Mair
and Ralph Erskine, 111; questions proposed to the Presbytery concerning terms
of communion, 113; act concerning popular election, 121; upwards of seventy
petitions for sermon laid upon their table, 122 and n.; resolve to license young
men, 122; enter Messrs. Hunter and Clarkson on trials for license, 124; have
a libel served against them by the General Assembly, 127; they publish the
libel with answers, 128; resolve to appear at the bar of the Assembly, 128;
prepare an act of Declinature, 128; outline of the act, 128; licentiates; peti-
tions for moderations for nine congregations, 146; recommendation to the ad-
herents of Secession, 147; collision among the members regarding the appoint-
ment of public fasts, 147; act concerning public fasts, 148; invite Mr. White-
field to come to Scotland, 152; hold a conference at Dunfermline with Mr.
Whitefield, 156; their efforts to convert him into a Presbyterian ineffectual,
157; condemn the Cambuslang work, 166; appoint a fast on account of it,
166; their unfavourable opinion of Mr. Whitefield, 166; their conduct in this
matter animadverted on by Mr. Robe, 167; have no lay elders for four years,
173; accession of Kinclaven and Abernethy sessions, 173; their unusual modes
of procedure with reference to calls, 175; institute a fund for the support of
students of divinity, 175; philosophical class instituted, 176; commence a
course of missionary exertion, 177; send a preacher to Ireland, 177; sanction
an act concerning the doctrine of divine grace, 178; resolve to renew the cove-
nants, 184; their dealings with Mr. Nairn, 185; answer Mr. Nairn's reasons of
dissent, 187; engage in covenanting at Stirling, 188; the bond which they sub-
scribed, 189; declare covenanting to be the term of ministerial communion,
191; appoint a solemn acknowledgment of public sins to be made, 192; con-
stitute themselves into a synod, 196. See Associate Synod.

Associate Reformed Synod, formation of, in Pennsylvania, 334.

Associate Reformed Synod in North America, its formation, 571; letter from, to
the synod in Scotland, 630.

Associate Synod. See Burgher Synod.

Associate Synod, constituted by the Associate Presbytery, 196; consisted of three
presbyteries, 196, the names of those who constituted the synod when first
formed, 196 n.; hold their first meeting at Stirling, 197; undertake a second
mission to Ireland, 198; angry disputings upon the question of the Burgess
oath, 198; introduce the Secession into London, 199; enter upon the consi-
deration of an overture concerning the Burgess oath, 210; different views of
the synod regarding it, 210; meeting of synod in 1746; full attendance of
ministers and elders; several healing measures proposed, and all of them re-
jected, 215; motion against the religious clause, 215; motion rejected, 216;
Mr. Ralph Erskine and several others protest, 216; meeting of synod in Sep-
tember, 216; motion concerning making the former motion a term of communion,
217; Mr. Gib and others protest against putting this motion, 217; motion for
delay carried; sixteen members protest, 217; meeting of synod in April, 1747,
218; a great interest excited, 218; discussions concerning the statement of the
vote, 219; Mr. Gib's protest, 220; a vote stated concerning the decision of
synod in 1746, 220; Mr. Moncrieff's protestation, 222; the question concerning
said decision put to the vote; earried in the affirmative, 222; Mr. Thomas
Mair's declaration, 222; disruption of the synod, 223; a number of the brethren
meet in Mr. Gib's house, 224; claim the authority of the Associate synod, 224;
resolutions adopted by them, 224; condemnatory acts, 225; add two questions
to their formula; become divided into two separate portions, 226; these parties
designated the Antiburghers and Burghers, 227. See respectively Antiburgher
and Burgher Synods.

Auchterarder, the presbytery of, refuse extract of licence to Mr. Craig, 10;
Mr. Young presented to the parish of, in opposition to the decision of the
General Assembly, 741.

Auchterarder Creed, condemned by the General Assembly 10.
Authors of the Secession, 809 et seq.