preach another Gospel than Christ preached. Most of the congregations, the origin of which has been ascribed in the preceding narrative to patronage, might with nearly the same propriety have been traced to the prevalence of doctrinal error, or to what, in serious minds, amounts to much the same thing-the absence of evangelical truth in the discourses of those appointed to minister to them. The opposition shown to presentees arose, in many cases, not from dislike to the men personally, but from the fact that they belonged to the "Moderate Side" of the Church, from which little was ever known to emanate calculated to afford satisfaction to a soul in earnest about its salvation. The Secessions now to be enumerated sprang not from the kind of ministrations anticipated, but from those which had for some time been given, and because the religious sentiments of the ministers were found to be little in harmony with those of the people. In this way there arose the congregations of Aberchirder, Alloa (West), Anstruther, Arbroath (Erskine Church), Archieston, Auchterarder (South), Auchtergaven (South), Ayr (Cathcart Street), Banff (First), Girvan, Glenluce, Kirriemuir (Bank Street), Kilmarnock (Wellington Street), Kincardine, Kirkcudbright, Lanark (Broomgate), Langholm (North), Maybole, Musselburgh (Millhill), Newbigging, Newton-Stewart, North Berwick, Old Kilpatrick, Peebles (West), Port-William, Rothesay, Saltcoats (East), Sanday, Southend, Stockbridge (Berwickshire), Stonehaven, Stranraer (Bellevilla), Stronsay, Wamphray, and Waterbeck. Besides these, most of the congregations now in connection with the United Presbyterian Church have benefited, to a greater or less extent, by this cause, and will continue to benefit so long as the ministers of the Established Church fail to give prominence in their discourses to the doctrines of grace. "For," as one of themselves has remarked, "if evangelical Christianity be popular Christianity, if its lessons are ever sure to have the most attractive influence on the multitude, if whatever the explanation of the fact may be, the fact itself is undeniable that the doctrine of our first Reformers, consisting mainly of justification by faith, and sanctification by the Spirit of God, is the doctrine which draws the most crowded audiences around our pulpits; and this doctrine is, at the same time, the most powerful and moralising agent that can be brought to bear upon them; then does it follow, that the voice of the people indicates most clearly in this matter what is best for the virtue of the people; that the popular taste is the organ by which conscious humanity discovers that which is best fitted both to exalt and console her; and that by the neglect and defiance which are so wantonly rendered to its intimations, are our statesmen withholding the best aliment of a people's worth, and therefore the best specific for a nation's welfare."

4. Congregations which have acceded to the Secession and Relief Churches

from other Denominations.

Besides increase by attraction of individuals, the Secession and Relief Churches were further augmented by the accession at different times, of whole congregations from other denominations. Thus the congregations of Carlisle, Halford, Penrith, Penruddock, Great Salkeld and Plumpton, South Shields, Swalwell, Tunley, Warkworth, and both congregations in Wooler, belonged previously to the old Presbyterian Noncomformists in England; and some of them participate in funds left to them as such. The congregations of Hexham, Holywell, North Middleton, Maryport, North Sunderland, and Whitby, were originally in connection with the Church of Scotland. The congregations of Darlington, Dukinfield, Ramsbottom, Stockton, Sutton, Warrington, Lauriston (Glasgow), and St James's

(Paisley), were previously Independent; and the congregation of St Paul's, Arbroath, was Wesleyan. Five of these have ceased to adhere to the denomination they had joined—the remainder are under the inspection of the United Presbyterian Synod.

5. Congregations Originating in Causes Operating without the Secession and Relief Churches, not embraced in the preceding paragraphs.

Both before the origin of the Secession, and for a long time afterwards, it was the practice of precentors to read every line of the psalm before singing it, with the view of enabling all the people to join in the service. This practice was rendered necessary by the inability of many persons to read. That necessity subsided with the progress of education. "The run-line," as it was popularly called (that is, singing continuously, instead of singing and reading alternately), was then introduced, but only with partial success. Where opposition failed, the more determined opponents left the Established and joined the Secession Church, in which the innovation for a long time received little countenance, save in the large towns and very populous districts, where, however, it only obtained a footing with difficulty. Many congregations were in this way considerably increased; and the persons seceding on this account in the parishes of Tough and Johnshaven, were so numerous as to form congregations at once.

Innovation in the mode of singing in churches, was accompanied by innovation in the matter of praise. Paraphrases or metrical versions of Scripture passages, other than those of the psalms, were introduced, and led to similar results. Many Secession congregations were thence increased, and that of Slateford almost wholly originated in this cause.

At a period long prior to the Secession, many people in Scotland, from their hatred to Prelacy, and because of their adherence to the Solemn League and Covenant, had ceased to worship in the parish churches, and thence assembled for this purpose in the open air. What was necessity at first became afterwards matter of choice, more especially upon sacramental occasions. The ordinance of the Lord's Supper, as thus administered, had become associated in their minds with deeds valorously achieved, and sufferings heroically endured, by their fathers, for conscience' sake; and thus became invested with additional solemnity and interest— God at the same time seeming to give countenance to this mode of dispensing it, by the favourable impressions it made, and the happy lasting effects which often followed. The early Seceders continued the practice, partly because no house which they could command would have accommodated the multitudes associating with them on such occasions, and partly because they knew that this mode of observing the ordinance accorded with the wishes of the people. The importance attached by many persons to its administration in this form was such, that when the Established clergy began to discountenance it, the people viewed the matter as an affront to religion itself. Those who thought and felt thus, sought to escape from such a course of defection by joining the Secession and Relief Churches, and from this cause the congregations of these bodies in general, and that of Langholm (East) in particular, largely increased. But open-air meetings, on sacramental occasions, by the Seceders, exerted an influence on many who expressed no dissatisfaction with the ministers of the Established Church for discountenancing them, and who were in attendance on that Church long after the administration of the ordinance in this way had ceased. Attracted by the popularity of the ministers assisting on these occasions, by the pre

eminently evangelical character of the doctrines preached by them, by the hospitality generally afforded them, and by the edification derived from the rehearsal of what they heard by intelligent and pious persons on their journey homewards, many of them were present on such occasions at several places annually; and this attendance very generally ended in their becoming members of the community with which they had thus associated.

The causes instanced in the immediately preceding paragraphs, as operating in the formation and increase of Secession and Relief congregations, have now almost wholly ceased-these congregations going beyond those of the Establishment in practising several of the innovations formerly complained of, but which are no longer considered to be innovations.* But open-air services, or "tent preachings" as they were called, in connection with sacramental occasions, are everywhere abandoned, save in very remote districts, by Established as well as by Dissenting congregations. Indeed, in most places it has almost become an impracticability; not merely because of the odium brought upon it by its frequent abuse, and which would prevent many from giving it countenance, but also from the natural and social hindrances which have arisen to prevent its continuance. Land is now generally cultivated and enclosed. There are few places, accordingly, where a multitude of people could be allowed to assemble without serious injury either to proprietors or lease-holders. Besides, the habits of the time are entirely changed. Who now would be ready, as were many in attendance then, to pass several nights in the woods, or sleep in the pews of the church? Who now would sit on the mountain side, listening to a succession of speakers, from an early hour on the Sabbath till midnight, and that after a great portion of three preceding days had been so spent, and when the day following was also to be thus occupied? Some such persons might, no doubt, still be found, if necessity demanded such procedure. But that necessity does not now exist. Churches of the same denomination are now spread extensively over the country. Evangelical preaching very generally prevails, and the ordinance of the Supper may be enjoyed, not merely once a year, as then, but in all the congregations of the United Presbyterian Church twice at least, in most of them four, in a few of them six or eight, and in one or more twelve times during that period.

The foregoing summaries, comprising the external causes operating in favour of the Secession and Relief Churches, show that however much of their success these Churches may ascribe to their founders, and to leading men who followed them, they must ascribe much more to concurring circumstances. The chief of these circumstances was the arbitrary exercise of patronage, and the unedifying instruction which it very frequently permitted. These causes were rendered inoperative for a time by the Evangelical clergy persuading the people that, by stating their grievances to the Legislature, they would obtain a modification of the law, and would thus be enabled to fill the pulpits of the Established Church with ministers of Evangelical sentiments. The expectation in this way excited not being realised, the disappointment quickened the languid causes of defection into more than former energy, and a secession greater than the first, even after a hundred years' growth, has been the result. This secession has taken the ground originally occupied by the first, and being subjected to influences similar to those which drew the

Both the Established and the United Presbyterian Churches now employ hymns, in addition to the paraphrases; and in many churches of the Establishment instrumental music has been introduced.-EDS.

B

first away from that ground, it may be expected to follow the same course. These influences are much more efficacious now than they were then, and will accordingly take much less time to bring the later secession to the position at present occupied by the earlier. "The time has come in which no man can possibly fail to perceive that the principle of an Established Church is not more rooted among us than is the principle of Dissent. The latter principle may be said to be much stronger than the former was, much as it harmonises with the probabilities of the future, while the former rests, for the most part, on the usages of the past. Hence, while it may be well to caution the abettors of ecclesiastical reformation against indulging expectations which will probably end in disappointment, there is no want of encouragement to abound in effort with a view to improvement. We see the changes in favour of our principles which are passing rapidly over the face of the world and the Church. God is manifestly doing His own work after His own manner. Our vocation is at once to labour and wait. In the present aspect of affairs there is much to check presumption, but there is also much to give buoyancy to hope. Reason and religion should alike dispose us to submit our own will as to the times and the seasons to the indications of the will of the Omniscient."*

SECTION IV.

CAUSES OPERATING IN THE FORMATION OF CONGREGATIONS SUBSEQUENT TO THE SECESSION, FROM WITHIN.

1. Congregations Originating in the Burgess Oath Controversy.

In 1745, an oath was imposed by Parliament upon all persons becoming Burgesses in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Perth, which ran in these terms:-" Here I protest, before God and your Lordships, that I profess and allow with my heart the true religion presently professed within this realm, and authorised by the laws thereof: I shall abide thereat, and defend the same to my life's end, renouncing the Roman religion called Papistry." This oath was brought under the notice of the Associate Synod by overtures from two Presbyteries. Two different views were taken of its import—the one that it was tantamount to an approval of the corruptions of the Established Church, against which the Seceders had borne testimony, the other that it was only an approval of the religion itself, not of the manner in which it might be established or professed. The party holding the first of these views contended that all persons taking the oath should be excluded from the communion of the Secession Church, while the party holding the second argued in favour of forbearance. The dispute, prolonged through several sessions of Synod, ran so high, that it brought the parties at length to open rupture, and divided them, in 1747, into two Synods, known afterwards as "The Associate" or Burgher, and "The General Associate" or Antiburgher Synods, the former being the names adopted by themselves, the latter being those imposed upon them by others. This Breach, as a matter of course, also divided the congregations, and gave rise to new ones in connection with both Synods. On the side of that which had now become the Associate (Burgher) Synod, there sprang from this cause what are now the congregations of Auchtermuchty (East), Dunse (West), Ecclefechan, Kinross (West), Leslie (East), Linlithgow (West), Selkirk (First), and St Andrews. On the side of the General Associate (Antiburgher) Synod, there originated in this way what are now, or were recently, the congregations of Belmont

* Vaughan's "Congregationalism," p. 173.

Street (Aberdeen), Cairneyhill, Coupar-Angus, Cumbernauld, Back Street (Dalkeith), Dunblane (Second), Bell Street (Dundee), Nicolson Street (Edinburgh), Falkirk (South), Duke Street (Glasgow), George Square (Greenock), Howgate, Castle Street (Jedburgh), Blackett Street (Newcastle), and the congregations of Knox's (Haddington), and Pathhead (Kirkcaldy), now in connection with the Free Church. Several of these congregations did not come into existence till some time after “The Breach," because the parties forming them did not immediately know their strength. It was by travelling to distant places to attend ordinances, and finding there minorities of other congregations who had taken the same side with them in the controversy, that they agreed with them in the selection of a locality easily accessible to all. This, on application to the Presbytery of the district, became the seat of a congregation, traceable to "The Breach" as its remote though not proximate cause.

Judging by the enumeration of congregations here given, the reader will be apt to suppose that the event now referred to contributed largely to the increase of the Secession Church, but acquaintance with the state of matters previously will prevent this impression. Up till that time Presbyteries had very generally refused to sanction the formation of congregations at places within a convenient distance of others already existing, from a mistaken notion that a very large body of persons is indispensable to the maintenance of public religious ordinances. This policy was continued, notwithstanding the people's remonstrances against it, the hardships to which it subjected them, and their willingness to prove practically their ability to meet all the expenses which would thereby be incurred. Many of them, therefore, hailed "The Breach" as an auspicious event, readily perceiving that the rival Synods would eagerly afford supplies which they had refused when still united, and accordingly took advantage of the circumstance to secure their much-wished-for object. Hence the rapid increase of congregations at this particular period. Viewed in this light, "The Breach," though otherwise injurious, must be considered to have been beneficial. After all, it only hastened what would have otherwise taken place in a few years as a matter of course. But for this event a still greater number of congregations would have of necessity originated. In the towns and more populous districts of the country, those already in existence were so overgrown that convenience alone would soon have compelled them to divide, and form others which would most speedily have become large and prosperous because of influences which would then have been in operation to facilitate their growth. Whereas "The Breach" repelled many persons who would have been attracted to the Secession from the Established Church, and drove off others already in its connection who were anxious to escape the animosities to which the division had given rise. In this aspect it was an event to be deplored, but the bad effects of which, it is hoped, have been more than counterbalanced by the good results which have followed the Union by which it was repaired.

2. Congregations Originating in Doctrinal Controversy.

In 1754, the General Associate (Antiburgher) Synod passed an Act containing "an assertion of some Gospel truths in opposition to Arminian errors on the head of universal redemption." The Rev. Mr Mair of Milnathort dissented from this deed, because of its containing certain statements in which he could not concur. The Synod. construed this dissent into an approval of the sentiments repudiated in the Act, and, after dealing with him at subsequent meetings, deposed him from the office of the ministry in 1757. He continued notwithstanding to exercise the