The Sun.
London, England, 1835-10-05 00:00:00

tious believer in the excellence of the Establishment is by
principle bound to do. I think in the deliverance to be
given we are called on to enter our solemn protest against
any such maxim as this. The next point I would shortly
advert to is that of pastoral superintendence. An expla-
nation of this was given by my Reverend and Learned
Friend ; but we must take the words of the instructions
to the Commission itself, and that there is some need for
adverting to it is plain from the fact that a different in-
terpretation has been put upon it elsewhere. We have heard
of the Metropolitan Presbytery of Scotland taking it up in
this sense, and maintaining, nevertheless, that this was
in perfect harmony with the principles of the Church,
and supported even by the confession of faith. lam al-
most astonished that my Learned Friend (Dr. Lee)
should have thought so, as I was astonished at some of
the sentiments ascribed to him in the public prints.
There is no doubt that the civil Magistrate, i. e., his Ma-
jesty, is entitled to know whether the Establishment is an-
swering those great purposes for which it was instituted ;
but will it be gravely maintained by the framers of the
Westminster Commission that this was to be done by the
instrumentality of men some of whom might be decided
enemies of the church ? The spirit of our fathers would
have broiled with virtuous indignation at this. It is com-
petent to the King to call a Synod—to assemble an ec-
clesiastical body—and to be present among that body, to
watch over its proceedings : and, if satisfied that the body
is corrupt, he may take the means which to him seem
good to remedy it. But this is a very different doctrine,
indeed, to that which would give the King the power of
'examining into pastoral superintendence. I believe the
Government had no intention to give that power to the
Commissioners ; but we must, guard against it, and it is
our duty to protest against such a part of the instructions
to the Commissioners. Dr. Cook then impressed on the
Assembly the importance of the present deliberations, and
the importance of the conclusions which they had come to ;
and it would depend upon these conclusions whether they
were to give new organs to the Church, or introduce into
it that secret poison which might spread slowly but surely,
and be ultimately the means of bringing the Establishment
to destruction. Dr. Cook concluded by making the fol-
lcwing motion :
" The Commission of the Assembly having maturely deli-
' berated on the_ instructions to the Royal Commissioners for

inquiring .into the means of religious instruction and pastoral
superintendence afforded to the people of Scotland, express
their deep regret that his Majesty's Ministers have not been
pleased, in consequence of the judgment of the last meeting of
the Commission of the General Assembly, to make any change
in the composition of the said Royal Commission ; and where-
as that Commission, from its authorising the Commissioners
to inquire generally into the opportunities of religious worship,
the means of religious instruction, and the pastoral superin-
tendence afforded to the people of Scotland may be, and has
been, interpreted as at variance with the principles and polity of
the Established Church, and as calculated to weaken or to over-
throw it, particularly as it seems to involve in it a principle sub-
versive of this and all other Ecclesiastical establishments, viz.—
that whenever religious instruction and pastoral superintendence
are found
.to a certain extent afforded by any sect or denomination
whatsoever, then the services of an Established Church are
not required, and may be dispensed with. The Commission
of the General Assembly publicly and solemnly protest against
whatever has such a tendency, and declare that they consider
it to be the sacred duty of the Legislature to support and pro-
tect the National Church, and to secure accommodation and
religions instruction to the people of Scotland, so that they
may attend regularly upon Divine ordinances, and may profit
by the pastoral exertions and superintendence of its ministers.
With a view to these most important objects, and under the
I:rotestation herein contained, they approve of such members
of the Church as may be required to do so by the Commis-
sioners nominated by his Majesty, furnishing accurate informa-
tion as to all statistical matters, and also approve of all Church
Courts allowing inspection of, or giving extracts from, their
records, of all entries relating to the same matters. It being
clearly understood that the Commission of the Assembly hold
that it is. not competent to the Commissioners to put to indi-
vidual members any quesions relating to the dcc:rine, worship,
government, or discipline of the Church."
The Rev. Mr. PAUL, of Tullynestle, seconded Dr.
Cook's motion.

Sir J. G. CRAIG said great complaints had been wade of
the terms in which the instructions to the Church Com-
missioners were couched ; but upon those instructions he
would take the liberty to say that the complaints arose
from the conduct of the Church itself, because the appli-
cation for endowments contained the very words which had
been complained of. The objection, therefore, if there
was any grotind for it, ought to be made against the depu-
tation of the Church, and not against Ministers. Nay,
more, Dr. Chalmers had complained that on their arrival
a London all discussion was foreclosed ; but though he
mentioned the fact, he forgot to dwell on it—that Sir 'Wil-
liam Rae, and those acting with him, who claimed to en-
tertain especial affection for the Church, had moved for
tile appointment of a Commission. The deputation had
agreed to that Commission ; they gave in the words of
the motion made by Lord John Russell, and which was
.-,greed to unanimously by the House of Commons ; and the

terms of that motion were implied in the instructions. If,
t!:en, objections arose to the instructions of the Commission,
the answer was that the individual words were furnished
Church. Those words might be wrong ; but the Go-
vernment was not to blame for adopting them. Then, as
lo the terms of the motion made by the Rev. Doctor, he
.(ousidered it as a protest against doing what was never in-
tended'to be done. It might be right to guard against the
po:3Sibility of a mistake, but let them look, at the terms of

instructions. Three times over it was mentioned the
means" of religious instruction, &c. There was not a
word about inquiring into the doctrine and discipline of the
Church7---a thing which could not be intended, and which
never was intended. He would again repeat that if there
was any error in the instructions to the Commission, that
error lay with the Church. He would not enter into the
clerical discussion which had been started, but would con-
fine himself to protest against the hue and cry which had
been raised against Ministers. He concluded by referring
to the Commission for the Irish Church, where there was
much difficulty, arising from the heat of party spirit, and
yet a plain statistical inquiry had been conducted there
without objection, and such an inquiry might as easily be
conducted here.

Mr. BUCHAN, of Kelloe, distrusted the Commission ; his
distrust in them would never be altered till he saw them
set about their task in a manly, honest, and straightforward
manner. There were many other things to cause him to
distrust the Government and their Commission. Among
other things be could not but lament that this Protestant
soil should be polluted by such an impious man as Mr.
O'Connell without one gainsaying- word on the part of the
Government.—(" Hear, hear," and " Order.")
A brief discussion ensued, when

Dr. LEE objected to that part of Dr. Cook's motion
which declared that it-should not be competent to answer
any questions regarding the government, doctrine, and dis-
cipline 'of the Church, because he thought all such ques-
tions entirely competent, and added that he would divide
the House if these words were retained.
Mr. BRIDGES would second that motion. He held that
the Church had a twofold character. It was a Church of
Christ besides being an Established Church ; and it was
this before it was established, and it was this at a subse-
quent period, during the persecutions when prelacy was
established. In that capacity it was totally independent of
the State, and in no respect accountable to it, or sub-
ject to its inquiries. But it was also an Established
Church, receiving endowments and benefits of various
kinds frOm the State, and in that capacity it was bound
to answer all inquiries instituted by the State with
a view to ascertain whether it was answering the ends
or which it was established. And these heads referred
to by Dr. Lee were exactly what the State was interested
to inquire into. It had been said that all such inquiries
must be made not by Lay Commissioners, but by means of
the Church itself. ne did not think so. True, the State
could do no more than inquire ; it could not control or
regulate, but it could inquire; and having inquired, it
might recommend matters for consideration to the Church,
and even in an extreme case, such as the Church of Ge-
neva, if it found the Church wholly corrupted, as an Act
of Parliament had clothed the Church in the land with the
character of an Establishment, so another Act might strip
it of that character. Therefore he urged that, while inde-
pendent, as a Church of Christ, of King, Lords, and Com-
mons, the. Church was not entitled as an Eliiblishment to
refuse information on any of the points in question.
After a great deal of conversation Dr. Lee was urged
not to divide the house at so late an hour, and he con-
sented, merely stating his dissent.
Mr. J. W. MACKENZIE entered his dissent against the
expression of regret with which Dr. Cook's motion com-
menced. With these exceptions the motion was carried
unanimously in a sederunt consisting of 85 Ministers and
70 elders.

Dr. COOK again rose, and briefly proposed the following
resolution :

" That the Commission of the Assembly encourage the
Committee on Church Extension to persevere in the prosecu-
tion of those important statistical investigations in which they
have hitherto been engaged, and more especially in those dis-
tricts which are being attached to the recent chapels of ease,
and the newly-erected churches, that all grants from the As-
sembly's fund may be proportioned to the exigencies of the
respective localities for which they shall be required. And
aware that, notwithstanding all the attempts which have been
made to diminish or disguise it, there is a vast extent of real
and most affecting ecclesiastical destitution in the land, which
even with, arid more especially without, the aid of Govern-
ment, will require the aid of many years of the most strenuous
exertion and liberality, ere they can be fully supplied. The
Commission of the General Assembly make an earnest appeal
to the Christian benevolence of the people of Scotland, and
call upon them, at the season when the adversaries of the
Establishment arc so intent upon its overthrow, to attest, by
their subscriptions and their sacrifices, their attachment to the
Church of their forefathers, and their hearty co-operation with