ingly necessary for the accommodation | as a subordinate court, erected by the of the people; crystallizing, as it were, State, receiving directions from it, and the Church of Scotland into a state of necessarily subservient to it in the disrigid immobility, and rendering her una charge of all its functions. And the fatal ble to adapt her arrangements to the facility which the Prelatic form of church changing necessities of the country. government has always shown of adaptHow strangely ignorant, to say the least, ing itself to the capricious designs of statesmen and legislators have always statesmen, and submitting to their baneful been of what is most conducive to the control, has necessarily given it a recomtrue welfare of a nation, and especially, mendation in their eyes, which the Preshow ready to employ every practical byterian form cannot possibly obtain, mode of hampering the movements and without first becoming unfaithful to its obstructing the exercise of the native en-own principles. ergies of the Christian Church, and, in particular, of the Church of Scotland. But this, and all such hostile or jealous measures, may be fairly viewed as the instinctive testimony given by worldly men to the spirituality of her character, with which they cannot sympathize, and which they regard with the natural enmity of the fallen mind.

By the Treaty of Union the Church of Scotland was placed in a new position, fitted to try severely the vitality and the power of her constitutional principles. The Act of Security had indeed precluded the British parliament from interfering with her doctrine, government, and discipline, as they existed before the passing of that act; but the removal of the seat of civil government from Edinburgh to London was certain to have an injurious effect upon the Scottish nobility and gentry, in alienating them from the Church of their native land, and accustoming them to the forms, ceremonies, want of discipline, and Erastian subserviency, of the Church of England. It was, therefore, to be expected, that early and persevering attempts would be made, both by the British Legislature and by our own Anglicized countrymen, if not to alter the government of the Church of Scotland, at least to reduce it to that condition of political thraldom in which the Church of England was held. That this should be desired by mere politicians, need excite no wonder; for it is not political sagacity, but spiritual enlightenment, which enables men to perceive and understand what are the true and essential principles of the Christian Church. They are naturally incapable of understanding on what terms alone a true Church can enter into an alliance with the State; and they therefore always regard the Church

The danger to which the Church of Scotland was exposed by the Union was very greatly increased by the admission of so many of the Prelatic curates, in weak compliance with the pernicious policy of William. It would have required the united energy and determined front of the entire Presbyterian Church to have promptly met, and triumphantly resisted, every attempted encroachment of the British parliament upon her secured rights and privileges. But this, with such a numerous band of cold friends and treacherous mercenaries within her own camp, was impossible. From this time forward, accordingly, the Church of Scotland presents the melancholy aspect of a declining and unfaithful Church, assailed by enemies without, and corrupted and betrayed by worse and more deadly foes within her own communion. To trace faithfully the sad steps of her defection must be now our painful and unwelcome task; with the perfect certainty of being compelled to record deeds and give expression to sentiments which will rouse the fierce rage of many, but with the deliberate determination to state the truth, be offended who may, and whatever amount of hostility may be thereby provoked. Let the intelligent and thoughtful man mark well the course of the Church of Scotland's procedure, as well as that of the British parliament, from the period of the Union till now, with as much fairness and candour as he can; and especially let him trace accurately, and with unprejudiced mind, the conduct of the faithful minority, testing it as rigidly as he will by reference to the fundamental principles and avowed standards of the Presbyterian Church; and he will have little difficulty in deciding who have been the defenders, and who the betrayers

and the foes of civil and religious liberty, | pledged. The Jacobites, who wished the -by whom the cause of vital religion restoration of the exiled Stuart race, knew and national welfare has been promoted, well that the establishment of the Presand by whom retarded, by whose ill-re-byterian Church was the main obstacle quited exertions the interests of the Re-to their resumption of power in Scotland; deemer's spiritual kingdom within our and the not unnatural sympathy which land have been maintained, and by whom the English Episcopalians felt for their they have been betrayed and violated, Scottish brethren of that persuasion, in through the influence of secular motives, duced them to take every measure in their and in the spirit of a base subserviency to power for the discouragement and depresnarrow-minded and worldly politicians. sion of the rival Church. Of this character was the jealous and intolerant policy of the English High-Church party, requiring the sacramental test, according to the forms of Episcopacy, before any man could be eligible to a place of public trust in civil affairs, while no such limita

CHAPTER IX.

FROM THE UNION TO THE RISE OF THE SECOND tion was applied to them in Scotland.

SECESSION IN 1752.

Position of the Church of Scotland at the Union-Me

morials respecting the Poor, and beneficial Manage

land, and Jacobite Intrigues in Scotland-Rise of

of the British Parliament under the Administration

tual Attempt of the Church to prevent its Enactment of that Act-Argument to prove it essentially invalid

This was manifestly contrary to the spirit of the Union, and a grievance to every true Presbyterian. But it had still more ment of the Church-Political Movements in Eng. pernicious tendencies. It was calculated erroneous Opinions in the Church of Scotland-to cause disregard to that sacred ordinance, Jacobite Intrigues; Case of Greenshields-Hostility by degrading it to the character of a civil of Harley and Bolingbroke-Act of Toleration Oath qualification; and it tended to allure the of Abjuration-Act reimposing Patronage-Ineffec: Scottish nobility and gentry to conform to -Examination of the Spirit, Tendency, and Intention Prelacy, to which they were already -Assertions in its Preamble refuted-Conduct of the sufficiently prone. This effect was, in all General Assembly-Remarks-Causes of the Weak probability, what Prelatists expected and Abjuration Oath--Case of Burntisland-Commence- desired; but it was evident that it could ment of the Process against Professor Simson for not be otherwise than offensive to PresHeresy-Second Rabbling Act-Death of Queen Anne-Memorial against Patronage The Rebellion byterians, especially when contrasted with -Professor Simson-The Auchterarder Case-First "Riding Committee"-Progress of unsound Opin- the repeated and pressing applications ions, how caused-Act restricting Patronage-Origin made to the Church of Scotland to receive bly-The Representers-First Case of Intrusion into its bosom the Prelatic curates, and to Acceptance of a Presentation-Origin of the First give them an equal share in the governSecession-Partial Change in the Conduct of the ment of the Church which they had so Assembly-Act against Intrusion-The Secession completed-Revivals at Cambuslang and Kilsyth-long persecuted, and were still seeking to Violent Settlements-Opinions of the Court of Session -New Policy of the Moderate Party-Case of Inverkeithing Deposition of Mr Gillespie-Origin of the Second Secession, the Relief, in 1752-Moderate

Manifesto.

subvert. In the circumstances and arrangements of the Union itself, and notwithstanding the Act of Security, there

was reason for the Church of Scotland to be jealous of her rights and privileges, so far as it was in the power of the Church of England to impair and obstruct them. The bitter hostility of the Scottish Jacobites and Prelatists was even increased by the Union, which opposed a mighty obstacle to their hopes, and which, they well knew, could not have been accomplished if the Church of Scotland had offered a strong and determined resistance.

By the Act of Security, which was the basis of the Union, the Church of Scotland obtained the clearest recognition of her own principles, and the strongest ratification of her rights and privileges, which could be conveyed by legislative enactments and secured by the solemn pledge of national faith. Yet were those principles as much disliked by statesmen as they had ever been; and at the very time when the ratification was given, a power- Placed thus in a position surrounded ful party was secretly plotting the viola- with danger, the Presbyterian Church tion of those rights and privileges for the had a very difficult part to act. To act security of which the faith of the sove- that part aright demanded the union of reign and the united kingdom was high-principled religious integrity, and

these hostile influences prevailed, whether by external force or by internal corruption, and to what degree Presbyterian principles were repressed or allowed to fall into abeyance, remains now to be briefly but faithfully traced.

ing to defend the constitution and government of the country. When the Assembly met in April 1708, her majesty, both by letter and through the commissioner, expressed her entire satisfaction with the conduct of the Scottish Church, and her renewed assurance of her unalterable resolution to maintain to it unimpaired all its rights and privileges. The answer of the Assembly expressed the most unswerving loyalty, and at the same time not obscurely indicated to her ma

consummate prudence. From the ruling powers of the empire she had little favour to expect, beyond what they might deem it for their own interest to give. If she could succeed in retaining and wielding the compact energies of the Scottish community, politicians would [1708.] The period immediately sucnot dare to tamper with her rights and ceeding the Union had been employed privileges; but if in that she failed, to be by the Jacobites in making the most scorned and trampled upon by insulting strenuous exertions to produce a counteradversaries was her certain doom. And revolution, by means of an attempted inunfortunately her prospect of obtaining surrection at home, supported by an invathat element of security was greatly sion from France. In this time of pubdiminished by recent events. The great lic danger the loyalty and zeal of the mass of the Scottish people were hostile Scottish Presbyterians had been signally to the Union, for various causes; and displayed, both ministers and people exthe conduct of the Church in not oppos-erting themselves to the utmost in preparing that great Treaty had alienated to a very considerable degree the minds of a large proportion of the most conscientious Presbyterians. Nothing but the most determined adherence to strict Presbyterian principles, and their exhibition in all her proceedings, could have regained the affection and the confidence of the people; and such a line of conduct it was now scarcely possible for her to follow. The baneful policy of William, which had caused the reception of so many of the Prelatic curates, had vitiated the mi-jesty in what manner that loyalty could nisterial body to such a degree, that in- be best recompensed, and the peace and stead of a faithful assertion and bold de- welfare of the country maintained. fence of Presbyterian principles, in They plainly declared, that a "pious, government, doctrine, and discipline, the learned, and faithful ministry" was the utmost that could be obtained from the greatest support, under God, of true reliGeneral Assembly was a faint remon- gion and national welfare; trusting that strance, or a half apologetic statement of her majesty would discourage the opposirights and privileges, or a feeble and tion made to the planting of such a mitame petition for redress, even when nistry in several places, "by some that much aggrieved. This increasing un- are not more disaffected to our church soundness of doctrine, tame and compro- constitution than to your majesty's royal mising spirit, and moderate policy, how-person and government.”* ever much lauded by wily politicians, majesty and her government appreciated was not calculated to reinstate the Church and acted upon the spirit of this suggesin the affections of a people distinguished tion, the Church and the nation must soon for national pride, intellectual strength, have entered upon a career of public tranand inflexible adherence to religious quillity and religious purity very different principle. On the contrary, it was from that which the historian has to record. sure to alienate them more and more, Two acts of this Assembly deserve atand at the same time to encourage the attention. One was for the suppression foes of Presbytery to fresh aggressions. of schism and disorders in the Church: Such was the character and condition of the other, recommending ministerial visithe Church of Scotland, and such the tation of families. The first arose from nature of the hostile influences by which the cause already specified, the disagreeit was surrounded, and to a considerable ment which could not but exist between extent interpenetrated, at the momentous the true Presbyterian ministers and the period of the Union. To what extent

Had her

Acts of Assembly, year 1708. † Ibid.

presented by the queen's commissioner to her majesty, concerning the interfering of justices of the peace with the offices of church deacons." The full purport of this memorial, and the object accomplished by it, require to be explained, and merit attention. At the period of the Reformation, it will be remembered, the Church of Scotland proposed to take upon itself the care of the poor, and to support them out of its own patrimony. The avaricious nobility frustrated this benevolent design to the utmost of their power, by seizing forcibly upon the patrimony of the Church, regardless alike of justice and humanity. But the Church, nevertheless, following the example of the Apostolic Church, appointed collections to be made for the support of the

admitted Prelatic curates, and also be tween the Established Church and the inflexible Cameronians. The second was expressly designed to promote the progress of vital and personal religion throughout the community, by giving to ministers well digested and authorative directions respecting the discharge of that very important part of their duty, so that it might not be in the power of any to neglect it, without being immediately called to account, and censured according to their demerits. Such a process was more certain to secure the stability of the Church, by resting it on the affecion and respect of the poeple, than could be done by mere acts of the legislature. But unhappily it was an act which the Prelatic conformists could not possibly discharge in a suitable manner. Too poor, and instituted the order of deacons many of them had been known to their parishioners as spies and informers during the persecution, for their visits to be received with a ready and affectionate welcome; so that, when the Assembly enjoined the discharge of a duty which the previous misconduct of a large section rendered it impracticable for them to attempt, this injunction, however excellent in itself, and fitted to produce the best results when adequately performed, tended to increase the disagreement between the faithful ministers and their less zealous brethren, who disliked directions which they could not cordially and successfully obey.

for the proper management of the funds so raised. This method of supporting the poor was almost immediately crowned with the most remarkable success. Poverty and its dire attendants, degradation and immorality, almost disappeared, and peace, intelligence, comfort, and purity, spread their blessings over the land. But when Charles II., in 1661, abolished the Presbyterian Church, and established Prelacy on its ruins, as attention to the religious and intellectual instruction of the poor, and the alleviation of their personal wants, formed no part of the institutions, nor had ever been regarded in the practice of the Prelatic Church,-the [1709.] Several important transactions whole matter was intrusted to the charge took place in the Assembly which met in of the justices of the peace, who were em1709; one of which was the maturing of powed to appoint overseers in every the Society for Propagating Christian parish for the management of matters Knowledge, which obtained the approba- connected with the maintenance of the tion of the queen in council, and has ever poor. The utter inefficiency of this syssince continued in the discharge of its tem, attempted as it was in a time of perimportant duties, on which a large mea- secution which destroyed a large proporsure of the Divine favour has manifestly tion of the middle class, which has rested. An act was passed also for erect- always been the most charitable, was deing public libraries, one in each presby-monstrated with dreadful precision, when tery throughout the kingdom; a measure at the Revolution it appeared that about well adapted to promote the knowledge and the usefulness of the ministers, by placing within their reach the means of prosecuting their own studies, which their remote situations and scanty maintenance must have greatly impeded.

Among the unprinted acts of this Assembly is one of great national importance. It is entitled, A memorial to be

the fifth part of the population were in a state of utter beggary and homelessness, and so fearfully degraded and demoralized as to startle and appal the most indifferent. But the Presbyterian Church was again established, and immediately resumed its hallowed labours and its charitable cares. Again was its unrivalled excellence, as a national institu

Christian Church since the days of the apostles. But this is no equivocal proof that she is indeed a true Church of Christ, reviled and persecuted by the world, because she is not of the world. The success with which the exertions of the Church of Scotland had been blessed in repressing vice and irregion, and promoting pure and personal Christianity, may be stated in the language of an acute and impartial observer, a native of England, who came to Scotland to aid in promoting the Union :-"You may pass through twenty towns in Scotland without seeing any broil, or hearing an oath sworn in the streets: whereas, if a blind man was to come from thence into England, he shall know the first town he sets his foot in within the English border, by hearing the name of God blasphemed and profanely used, even by the very little children in the streets."*

tion for promoting the moral and religious | and to sustain persecution, to advance welfare of the community, most signally the welfare of all, and to be generally displayed. The faithful and earnest calumniated,-has been more the fate of preaching of the gospel arrested the the Church of Scotland than of any attention of the people; schools were provided for the instruction of the young: the charitable donations of the congregations relieved the truly necessitous, and the sacred and moral atmosphere of Christianity diffused itself over the kingdom, checking and repressing vice, rebuking open crime, and imparting a more pure, healthful, and lofty tone to the feelings and desires of the renovated community. So manifestly was this the case, that the commissioner, the Earl of Glasgow, readily undertook to present the memorial, and enforced it with such statements respecting the efficiency of the Scottish system, on his own knowledge, that the justices of the peace were instructed to abstain from interfering with the management of the poor, leaving that matter to the care of the kirk-sessions, by whose judicious superintendence the country had been rescued from poverty and crime. Had it not been for this [1710.] Before the General Assembly prompt and decisive conduct on the part met in 1710, a movement had taken place of the Church, Scotland would have heen in England which fell little short of a respeedily subjected to the pressure of an volution. This was occasioned by the intolerable burden of poor-laws, similar notorious Sacheveral, who, by the plentito that under which England, notwith-ful use of a strange mixture of blind standing its superior national wealth, and in spite of, not to say in consequence of, its hierarchical church, has so long groaned.

This incident would of itself convince any unprejudiced and intelligent person how much Scotland owes to its National Church, proving, at the same time, how much superior that Church is to any other in Christendom, in the efficient accomplishment of one great object for which a National Church is established -the promotion of the moral and religious welfare of the community. And yet, at the very time when the Church was thus generously taking upon herself the care of the poor, she had been recently deprived of the remains of her patrimony, the third part of the teinds, which had been given back to the patrons as a compensation for the loss of those patronages which they had obtained by conduct of the most flagrantly illegal, unjust, and wrongful character. Surely, to do good and to suffer injury,--to promote peace

bigotry, fierce invective, and the hardy assertions of intolerant ignorance, roused the prejudices of the High-Church party and the rude populace to such a degree as to overthrow the Whig government of the Revolution and the Union, and to place a Tory administration in office, nominally headed by Harley, soon afterwards Earl of Oxford, and really by the philosophic, yet unprincipled infidel Bolingbroke. Strange as it might at first sight appear, this triumph of HighChurch Episcopacy and Tory state politics tended directly to the restoration of Popery, and of the exiled claimant of the crown, the Popish Pretender. Yet every thinking person will easily perceive the natural connection which subsists between the principles of High-Church bigotry, strenuously inculcating passive obedience and non-resistance to "the right divine of kings to govern wrong," and those on which Popery itself is founded. Nor were the Scottish Jacobites inattentive

* De Foe's Memoirs, p. 428.