The Sun.
London, England, 1823-10-22 00:00:00

THE HIGH CHURCH.

The votes in the Synod on this interesting cue vie have heard
stood thus :—For inducting Princii)al Macfarlan into the charge.
3-i Ministers and one Elder; against it, 25 Ministers and-15
Elders. The Elders from the Presbytery of Paisley mustered
very strong. From the Dumbarton Presbytery,•we believe,
no Elders attended. They could not appear, owing to some rt.
gulations which require that they should have been approved of
by the preceding Synod.

„ •
Unto the very Reverend the Synod of Glasgow and Ayr,
the Petition of the Elders of the Parish of St. Mungo,
Glasgow, •
Dumbly showeth—That your Petitioners have now, for a
long period of time, endeavoured to manage the secular con-
cerna of that Parish with all the attention and fidelity in their
power, still they are sensible that great inconvenience has been
experienced .by the Parishioners from want of their own minis-
ter, accustomed as they were, for many years, to the un-
wearied diligence,. and faithful labours of the. late Principal
Taylor, who, frOm the delight which he took in discharging his
Parochial duties, knew the residence, character, connections,
anti circumstances of almost every individual residing within
his bounds. In many Instances, though willing' to. dO their
very best, the Elders feel themselves at a loss from want
of the advice and direction of their own minister, who,
being at the head of the Session, not only regulated the
measures which' came before them, but was at all times
ready with his counsel to assist each member in the right
management of his own Proportion. Your Petitioners being
all engaged in business, can ill afford the time requisite
for the right discharge of the whole duty which should be
divided between their Minister and them. Besides, the very
Reverend the Synod of Glasgow and Ayr will readily perceive,
that. the knowledge of each Elder is limited to his own par-
ticular district, and that many inconveniences, and even
unpleasant circumstances may occur, from their being de-
prived of the important assistance and Precedence of their
Minister, in whom the whole concerns of the, Parish centre.
Your Petitioners'exceedingly regret dielong delay occasioned
by the opposition made to the induction of the Reverend. Dr.
‘MsFarlan, presented by his Majesty to the Church end
Parish of St. • Mungo. From whit your Petitionerc have
heard and know of the character of that Reverend Gentleman,
they are of opinion, that there is no than in our Church, an
'establishment front which innumerable and invaluable. bless-
ings have arisen tothe community, better qualified for fulfilling
the Ministerial duties of that Parish than, the liar, Dr. Ill‘Fer-
lam ; a man of the first respectability, a Scholar of great distinc-
tion, and a Divineof the highestattaininents: Residea; thedeep
interest which he has uniformly
,taken in his Parishioners, has
made him decline. no trotible•on their account rie'n'iir their st-
eel/I; Concerns : and be has thereby acquired a knowledge of
business, which' few Clergymen Possess, to say nothing of his
activity and fidelity. Ilis sympathy and consolation are never
Wanting to' the afflicted, nor his counsel to the perplexed ; and
his extensive information, spotless integrity, and sound judg.
'runt, qualify him in an eminent degree for the important duty
of aconsoientioua and useful catraseßot. Your Petitioners have
farther to add, that this Biblical literature, his scriptural know-
ledge, his sound opinions, his ready utterance and command-
ing delivery point him out as the one most fitted for .the able,
faithful and successful discharge of the clerical labours in
the Pariah of. Glasgow. Your IPetitioners, therefore, most
earnestly beg' the very Reverend the Synod of Glasgow and
Ayr, to put an end, •to • the numerous evils already sus.:
tamed by the 'Parish from the long vacancy, by reversing
the sentence of the Reverend the Presbytery of Glasgow, by
granting them the Illiniatzr whom of all others they era moat
anxious' to have, and by appointing the said Presbytery to take
immediate steps for the induction of ,the Rev. Dr. Macfarlan
to`the church and parish df Saint Mango, which will. confer
a lasting. obligation on year Petitioners, and.nn the patch at
large.
~And your Petitioners shall ever pray, &c.
(Signed)
John Staley, Elder Allan Claik,.Elder.
Win. Leecliman, Oder. John Kemp, Elder.
'Wm. Lorrain, ' • James Croil, Elder.
John Macnee, 41der., Jas. Findlay, 41der.

To THE Enyroa or TIIR GLAIQOW COURIER.
SlR—The ,proceedinijs of the Synod in the (sole ,of the Rev.
Principal .111,Farlan, lave excited 'great interest.' The de.
cision is considered by a party as a triumph of the purity
etches Scottish Church. Thies any person pretend to say,
that the respectable minority in the synod are enemics,to our
Church's purity ? It was remarked by a Rev. Gentleman in
e'nonrse of the Debate, that., thersi existed its hunian, nature
a tendency" to find fault with the law as it is. Is it not possi.
his, that *hose who tip posed the induction of .the Rev: Principal
AlTarlan, may have been acting under the influence of this
tendency.? ' Thb triumph of the purity of the Semeh Church
may ,be a triumph over her existing laws. It does not seem
dosibtfut but that several of the lasa of our Church are not to
the taste of some individual. ' Thia, howeyer, cannot Lie. elped.
Sanctioned as these laws are, Is it safe to assume a latitude
of interpretation, . ,in order to get rid "of. what is considered'
faulty ?
Dr. hlTarlan'a cue ii not set *Crest. It goes to the So-
, preme Court. AVitat the sentence of that Court will be Ido
not venture to las, but ft may be less agreeable to some indi.
viduals than the.aentenee of the Synod. •r'
': ' 18th October; 18. M. • . . jr,