The Sun.
London, England, 1826-10-18 00:00:00

CASE °i the REV. JAMES TURNBULL

GLASGOW.

Uri Wednesday last, the Relief Presbytery came to
decision on the case which has for such a length Of time
engaged the attention of their Court, affecting-the moral,
and inmisteriel character of the Rev. James Turnbull, Cal-
ton. . The case has excited great interest; the church
ih
which the proceedings were held has been constantly
crowded. Our readers may depend on the correctness of
the following account
:--
A petition and complaint came up from the Elders of
the Relief Church, Calton, containing a statement of
reports Unfavourable_ to Mr. Turnbull, and praying that
the -Presbytery should investigate them also complain-
ing of theunpresbyterian manner in which he had treated
thernielves, and requesting redress. The petition was.
received. The Elders when asked refused to libel. A Corn-
mittee of the Presbyter's own number Was then appointed
to precognosce the case, and serve Mr. Turnbull with a
libel, should they find cause. Cause was found. The
li-
bel contained four counts. Ist. That on the night of the
21st; or morning of the 22d of July last, Mr. T. appeared
on several of the. streets of ' Glasgow and Calton in a
state of intoxication. 2d.. That on the same evening he
held indecent communication with females, haiing the
appearance of ' prostitutes. 3d. That, contrary to the
laws of the Redeemer's kingdom, he had commenced a
prosecution 'in the: Sheriff's Court against one of the
inemberi of his church, for defamation of character,
without having first applied for redress to the Ecclesiastical
Courts. 4th. That he had in various ways abused the
members of hitt' Session. Mr. Turnbull, when admonished
to confess the truth, acknowledged the fact charged in count
3d, but deniedits guilt. Confessed the facts of count 4th
and. professed repentance ;* 'but denied both the facts and
guilt of' counts Ist and 2d. A great multitude of wit-
nesses, both in proof and exculpation, were examined. It
is impossible an examination could be More minute and
trying: After it was dosed, Mr. T. was given a week to
prepare his defence. "rhe corrunittee for the prosecution,
and Mr. Turnbull, in his defence, with commissioners
from the Calton Church, were then heard at full length.
The Court then resolved theMselves into a CoMmittee for
confidential conversation, and retired to the session-house.
On returning to the church, Mr. Thomas, of Hutcheson-
town, made a motion to the following effect :—That the
Court find count Ist not proven ; on count 2d, that Mr.
Turnbull is not proved guilty of having had adulterous con-
nection with prostitutes, but that he has been guilty of
improper converse with them ; on count 3d, that he has
violated the law of Christ, and as member of the Relief
Synod, must give up his prosecution, at civil law, against
the member of Calton church; on the 4th, that he has
been guilty of tyranieal .abuse to his elders, although hi,i
conduct was accempanied with ' Some alleviating circinve;
stances. That such being the case, Mr. Turnbull be sus
pended from his office next Sabbath, or longer if lie con-
fess not ; and give evidence of repentance; but should he
so confess and show penitence, that lie be admitted to
public rebuke before his own congregation on the afternoon
of Sahhath first, and afterwards resume his place and office.
Against this dedsion several Members entered their dissent
chiefly on -the principle that they were not satisfied With
Mr. appearance of contrition.
At the close of the presbytery, as the spectators were
retiring; *Milian, the principal witness for the prosecu-
tion, who had heen imprudently present, being recognised,
was surrounded at the foot of Campbell-street. The Rev.
Mr. Brodie passing at the time, and suspecting the cause
of the uproar, from hearing a female voice exclaiming,
" Oh, you perjured rascal," he made his way through the
crowd, and assisted him in getting into an adjoining shop.
From that, as the crowd was increasing, and some indivi-
duals apparently contemplating violence to IVPMillan's
peoon, with the aid of another Gentleman, Mr. Brodie, got
trieauveyed to his own house, till some Police officers, for
whom lie sent, should arrive,