The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-02 00:00:00

THE SCOTCH CHURCH.

Among the various questions raised of late re-
specting the administration of eccleciastical establish-
ments, the law of Patronage in the Church of Scotland
has been brought under discussion. A. meeting has
been held in Edinburgh under the presidency of the
Lord Provost, at which resolutions were moved de-
claring that the present law of patronage in the Church
of Scotland had been productive of serious evils t)
the Church and to the country, having occasioned se-
cessionsfrom the Church and weakened many congre-
gations, and that as a strong desire prevailed through-
out the country to give the communicants of a parish
a prevailing voice in the selection of their minister,
it was desirable to abolish the present law of patro-
nage. Mr. Gordon, M.P., in supporting these mo-
tions, said that many persons had given their adhe-
sion to the movement in the hope that it might lead to
the co-operation, if not the incorporation, of the
several Presbyterian Churches of Scotland. The
Marquis of Tweeddale; who was unable to attend the
meeting personally, supported the object in view in a
letter, in which he said he was of opinion that a "modifi-
cation or alteration of the present law of patronage was
called for in order to sr2cure that the wishes of the
congregation may be respected in the selection of their
minister." The Marquis, who is himself a patron, goes
so far as to advocate that the females should also
have a voice in the appointment of the minister,
though he is opposed to female suffrage in political
matters. In spiritual affairs the welfare and happi-
ness of men and women are independent of each
other, and therefore he wonld give all an equal
right.
THE hum Offuncir.

The Irish Church was disconnected from the State
under Mr. Gladstone's famous bill yesterday, and no
doubt all the clergy of the sister island are now
busily considering how they shall best settle

down as ministers of religion under the Re-
presentative Body, or as ecclesiastical pensioners
of the Crown. Among other important alterations
in the Church laws of Ireland coming into force for
the first time this week are the amendments in the
marriage code. Henceforth licenses for marriage
will be issued by surrogates as before, but the latter
officers will be appointed in every case by the bishops.
Formerly the Government had a selection in the
matter. A second new provision is that wed-
dings may be solemnised up to two o'clock
in the day, the limit heretofore being the hour of
noon. The ceremony in all cases of marriage must
be preceded by either, banns, license, or certificate of
registrar, the bishops, however, having it in their
power to give a special license for marriage at any
place or time. Whileon the subject ofthe Irish Church
we may mention that the Armagh Presbytery of the
Irish Presbyterian Boly seem determined to enter
upon the new state of things with a full sense of
authority and resolution. Last week they suspended
one of their clergy from the Ministry partlybecause he
refused to commute his regium donum in the interest
of the Church in accordance with an agreement he
had made in March last, and part because he
failed to deliver up the key of his former
.manse.