The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-05-26 00:00:00

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

On Saturday the report of the committee appointed to ex-
amine disputed commissions was brought up and approved—
every commission being rejected that had been granted by a
presbytery in which the ministers of quoad sacra parishes
retained their seats after the judgment of the Court of Ses-
sion in the Stewarton case was pronounced. It was agreed
that the discussion on the validity of the commission of the
Strathbogie Presbytery, should be deferred until after the
consideration of the overtures for the repeal of the veto.—
An answer to the letter from her Majesty the Queen was
agreed to.
On Monday, the ill-starred Veto Act—the fatal source
whence such a tide of evil has overflowed the establishment
—was unanimously repealed, by a motion that, inasmuch, as
it is an encroachment on civil and patrimonial rights, be-
yond the jurisdiction of the church, the General Assembly
instruct all presbyteries to proceed in the settlement of
parishes without any regard to its provisions, but with special
respect to the undoubted right of the parishioners to state
any relevant objections against the induction of presentees—
the presbytery deciding on these objections, subject to appeal
to the superior church courts. After considerable discussion,
on a division of 148 to 33, a resolution, moved by Dr. Mearns,
and seconded by the Earl of Seafield, was carried, to the
effect that the sentences of suspension and deposition, pro-
nounced in 1840 and 1841 against the ministers of Strath-
bogie, having proceeded on incompetent grounds, and beir.g
passed by the General Assembly in excess of its jurisdiction,
were from the beginning null and void, and that the General
Assembly now declare these ministers to be in possession of
all their ministerial rights as fully as if no such sentences had
ever passed against them.
On Tuesday a most gratifying scene took place on the
reading of the report of Dr. Brunton, convener, of the com-
mittee for the India Mission. The feeling in behalf of this
and the other great Christianizing schemes of the Church
was warmly elicited, and showed the ardent desire of the
members to carry out this noble work with increased energy.
It was afterwards resolved to rescind the acts 1833, '34, and
'39, empowering parliamentary and quoad sacra ministers
to sit in the Church Courts. Considerable discussion took
place on this subject, which, amidst the variety of opinions
expressed, only chewed snore strongly the desire of the As-
sembly to remove this, along with other, obstacles which
have arisen from disregarding the law.
THE SECESSION CHURCH

On Friday, the Assembly of the new Secession received a
deputation from the Supreme Ecclesiastical Court of the
Presbyterians in the north of Ireland.—On Saturday, it re-
ceived reports from the building section, the statistical sec-
tion, and the financial section of the provisional committee
for organizing the future ecclesiastical polity of the seceding
body.—On Monday, it was agreed to appoint a commission
to take such steps as should be deemed proper for celebrating,
in July next, the two hundredth anniversary of the first meet-
ing of the Westminster Assembly of Divines.—A report on
the five missions of the body was approved of.—A resolution,
that the members of the seceding Assembly do now declare
themselves, and all who adhere to them, to be separate from
the establishment, and to be no longer subject to the eccle-
siastical judicatories presently established by law in Scotland,
was unanimously adopted ; and a committee was appointed
to prepare an act and deed, to be subscribed as speedily as
possible, giving up all the status, rights, and privileges held
by the subscribers in virtue of their being ministers of the
Establishment.

The Glasgow Mail says that the number of ministers who
have actually signed the protest is 426, whilst the Edinburgh
Standard, a powerful opponent of the seceders, estimates
the number at upwards of 450 including 150 quoad sacra
ministers. professors in Universities, &c. The funds sub-
scribed for the endowment of the new secession, is stated to
amount to £225,000 a large sum certainly but manifestly
inadequate to provide for the permanent support of so large
a body of clergymen. They must ultimately be thrown on
the uncertain supply of popular contribution; and whatever
their intentions may be, they must labour under the disad-
vantages which they still maintain to attach to the voluntary
system.

The following appeared in a second edition of yesterday's
Herald:—

EDINBURGH, Saturday Morning.
The assembly having met at twelve o'clock on Friday, the
sederunt was constituted with prayer by the Moderator,
who, in an eloquent and impressive manner, alluded to the
separation which had taken place on the previous day—a
separation which they all regretted. He expressed a hope
that what had occurred would cause no interruption in the
religious instruction of the people throughout the conntry ;
that Christian charity would still obtain ; and that there
would be no departure from the unity of the Spirit in the
bond of peace. He also prayed that a spirit of meekness,
forbearance, and Christian love might actuate them towards
those who had withdrawn from the assembly.
On the motion of Lord Belhaven, a committee was ap-
pointectito draw up an answer to her Majesty's most gracious
speech. The committee named were—the Moderator, the
Procurator, Principal Lee, Drs. Cook and Hill, and the
mover.

On the motion of Principal Haldane, a committee was
named to draw up an address of congratulation to her Ma-
jesty on the birth of a princess.

Professor Alexander, St. Andrew's, after referring to the
present difficulties of the church, suggested the appointment
of a committee to prepare a pastoral letter to the people of
Scotland, warning them to stand fast in the old path, and
to strengthen, by their zeal and steadfastness, the beloved
church of their fathers, which had long been, and still was,
the greatest bulwark of the reformed religion. After pro-
nouncing a eulogy on the talents and acquirements of Prin-
cipal Lite, Professor Alexander proposed that the principal
should be made convener of the committee.

It was agreed by the house that tha subject should come
up to them in the regular way—namely, through the com-
mittee on overtures.

A committee for arranging the business of the assembly
having been appointed.
The Moderator reminded the house that the custom was
to devote a portion of that sederunt to devotional exercise,
and proposed that the clerk should give out a portion of a
psalm, and read a portion of Scripture, to be followed by
prayer. _

Principal Lee read a portion of the 85th Psalm, beginning
at the 6th verse, which was sung by the assembly ; and after-
wards he read the 17th chapter of John. Mr. Nicul, of
Leslie, then offered up a prayer.
The assembly, after prayer by Mr. Stuart, of Sorn, ad-
journed about three o'clock till twelve this day (Saturday).