The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-10-25 00:00:00

!on

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theiligh Church of Ofeagow contains a population ofinintbito
this requiring the undivided time and exertions of the tweet
wive tui9ster,—That the duties of the Principal of tbe
vaulty ere of great extent end importance ; end. if
performed. Also require the undivided talents and labour faith
molt diligent individual,—That the union of the office of
Priecipal with that of the Minister of the High Owe; of
Ditisgow, while it la Injurious to the iitterest• of learning and
religion in the University, is incompatible with Me full .and
secaossful dlicharge of theecinties of the High Church Parish,
...antes both offices being well provided for, and havingamnie
fends, from whieh an ingmentstion maybe obtained, if judged
to bettecessery, and do wsot existing in thi• Church, of /M-
-oises/I sad Preachers to fulfil each office with respectability
sod success, there exists not the slightest plea of necessity for
so injurious as union of office iesthe same person.—That far-
ther, the Minister of the High Church la one of the threes vi-
sitors to whom the superintendence of the funds, and enntinet
of the College of Ghttgow, is entrusted : the only visitor not,
elected by University appointed to be a ciergyalmr, and
more espeehillfititereated iu its spiritual and ecciesiadigal
concerns, therefore, to Induct the Principal, to the
charge of thalligh Church, is to destroy this important pre.
lido., es no person esti superintend his own administration;
la/ander the meetings of, visitors esigetory ; to //eyries the
VnitsgeOf anig.torlisitiatleal anoarialsadnott end 1 I'm
lutes witO offOW* Oat setairitioswelltat. tinswith.ffirn'
lataPrintiplit Watt in'poritaalget et•bOth offities, It is to be re.
membered, on the one hand; that the Presbytery had no con-
trol over hlaidmisition' info the College, and, its the other
hand, that it would have required a much more difficult process I
to have made him &mita pastoral charge to which Imbed been
previnealy indeeted, than to resist a presentation fortitesame
charge when it isiegully vatant.--And, farther, that it is the
first tiase OA which the Presbytery hits been dolled to cam into
effect a measure, which, in their opinion, it ditnatrous to the
interests of both religion and learning. On these grounds,
joined to a deep sense of the general danger arising from plu-
ralities of office in this Church, the Presbytery ledge it to be
both inexpedient and incompetent to proceed on the Presenta-
tion laid on their table to Dr. M•Farisme, in respect that he
appears to thew fn hee state. 'unqualified Presentee ; and
they did, and hereby do, refuse to proceed on the said Presen-
tation. and appoint intimation to be given of this sentence to
the officers.of the Crown, that a new Presentation may be is-
sued in favour of a qualified Presentee.'

On Tuesday se'nnight, at the Meeting of the Synod, the
reply of the Presbytery to the appeal of Dr. Al'Pariene,
and Isis friends, was read. Among other signatures to the
reply Ws that .of Dr. Chalmers.
After a long discussion, in which Mr. Patrick Robertson,
Advocate, from Edinburgh, spoke en the part of Dr.
al•Parlene, and Dr. 'Rankine, Mr. Lapslie, and others,
arainit the decision of the Presbytery ; end Dr.
Dr. Chalmers, &c. in its support, it was then putto the
vote whether the sentence of the Presbytery be reversed or
affirmed ; when there appeared for Reverse. 35 for Aldroth.l
40; majority 5. The result was followed by three reentle,
of applanee from the wailers%
Mr. Grahame, in behalf of Dr. M'Perlanole entered *
protest. The question will of course be settled by the
General Assembly.
Of the nnrnger who voted fur the itideetion of. Or.
M'Farlane, 34 are Ministersaml 1 is an Elder; of those
who were against it, 25 are Ministers and Dare Meru
On this question which appears to excite touch itremet
is the Church of Scotland, Abe followiug are some of- saw
remark% of the Glamors Free Pram:—
The Kirk of Scotland has never jet been interwoven
with the State. The ntanstrous anomaly of making the
asinistersmf Him whose "kingdom is not of this world"
acknowledge any' other head.uf the Church limn their
w lord void. Muter; 1 frasastiwprelostwf Hoerr -the 441 A►
lOU
not yet been recognized in ?initialed. 'the enrieldng
.and aggrandizing of the disciples of Him " who had nor
where to lay his head," is a position from which the
'Scottish Church has hitherto shrunk with abhorrence. To
be otherwise than the preachers of a Gospel which offers'
its wipe and oil without money and without pries: has
not yet been the character of the Scottish clergy : it has
been left to this hour to determine whether that character
shall appertain to them or not.
To those who are acquainted with the philosophy of
cams and effects, it is clear that the Established Church
os Englsml and Ireland has been recently making rapid
strides to its dissolution. The ignorant and the lateremid
—save here and there a dock under some good shepherd,
which may neither be characterised as the °senor ,as the
other—are all that remain of this once popular Church.--•
In the great mass of the country villages the people bate
it, connected as it is with a severe system of Behest,, half.
popish in its ceremonies, lukewarm in its efforts, intolerantl
in its principles, intolerable in its exactions—with the
exception of those who are linked to it by long usage, and
those who look at it as the most fashionable or most re.
spectable profession of the day—it has no
.soaporters.—
The Methodists, the Independents, and the strict Calvinists,
more than equal it in number of comMunicants, notwith-
standing the national institutions whi.:ll its ministers
possess fur providing 'hem with learning—notwithstanding
the compulsion upon ail connected with Government to
belong to their communion—notwithstanding the golden.
inducements they hereto earnestly support it:
Moreover, there is in all countries a certain portion of
persons who having got some wealth, are thick and thin
supporters of things as they are." Stupid and selfish,
they can only see, in all political improvements, the chance
of a change that may endanger their property. Hence, this
great class of country squires, &c. until they find they
cannot get their rents from the pressure of tithes and taxes,
remaiu violent and vocifersbus supporters of both chirch
and state.. Lately a number of them have ceased to be
either the one or the Other.
The Kirk of Scotland, without any other recommenda-
tion than its own internal merits, has been a great lad a
flourishing Establishment for ceeturies. The Methodists,
the formidable rivals of the Church of England, hive tried
in vain, their system against that of the Church of Scot-
land, while the Sceptics, who flourish, precisely in propor-
tion as avarice and hypocrisy fill the seats of godliness and
honesty, have got little or no footing here.
Why is all this? History and philosophy furnish the
answer. Religious establishments, supported by the State,
invariably depend upon that Slate for their support. They
will not attempt to convince, so long Ite•they have the
power to coerce—the human miod observes this, and, from
its nature, spurning all control, begins to despise, then to
detest, and, eventually, to destroy. So fell the pagan
rites of Rome, so fell the Roman Catholicism of Great
Britain, so will fall the Episcopacy of England. . Con-
nected with the Church of Scotland, there has been, as
yet, but one mixing up of temporal and spiritual affairs,
Mid that from any effects that hay.t hitherto resulted (sim
by no means to be denominated an ascertained evil.. So
lunz as the livings are small, end not snore than coalmen-
aurae with the talent anti exertion they put into reqnisi-
Burs, the right of patronage will be more a theoretical
than a practical cpil.• Yet this right of .patronage; cow.
paratilely innocuous, as it is, has led to a secession from
Ithe Established Kirk of ' upwards of One Million of com-
municants ! Whet a, lesson does this teach as I. • . ,
Nvr. if the Kirk of Scotland has existed upon Wt.-disk-
trreaticiness so long, and if a mere theoretical evil has ex.
cited such a jeslooay, and canned such a secession' among
its members, what may we expect 0161114 a ,PCTIO.II* attempt
be made to foist or forre in. against the opinion of the peo-
ple, any minister to a plurality of livings—to an excrtsiro,
income—upon the dictum of a lay patron, and *pall they

trdand of what are acksowledged by his own fr‘dit
be bad laws? Shall we go too far, when we itay,"; tha
an addition of seceders to an immense extent, woahrs
in all likelihood take place—that the Kirk would become
systematically corrupt, and that there is no revolt for
suptiosittg it would be an eitception• to the rental rule
of Institutions, that have petished from the existence of
corrnption.
Stripping this case of its verbiage, and of t'.e false ground
tans by the advocates on both sides, we shall redacr it to
the following four simple issues :-
1. Is it proper or pendent, as a general principle, tiv.r,
the clergy of any system shouli be permitted to become
ordeal by atilt system ?
• I. Ras it been the policy or practice of the Scottish Kirk
in particular to allow its ministers to receive um -from.
the char& than what is absolutely nee • to maintain
them and their families in a state of simple respectabis
lity ? •-•
3. An/be-Acts Of Parliament and the Arts of the Oen.-
ral Assemby favourabk or unfitvostablito Dr. bl*Pinisee's
admission
4. l•Peelane's admission in-
._

Wwwitl
jure Om pairsagetitsogr e. . • • .
wl hem* in Me grave* Mich we
bare stifled them t.--
I. Is it proper or prudent, as a gement PrisciPle:That the
clergy of any system st.onld be persuitted to Itotemeopulent
by that system ?
The language of
.inspiration is particulaity plain and
forcible upon this point, " A Ilishou anldpescon, accord-
ing to the Brest Apostleofthe Gentiles, most not be " giver►
to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre." ilmothr
le told that" Godliness, with contentment, is greet gain ;
for, as we brought nothing into the world, it is certain uo
can carry nothing out of it ; itadAseing food and tainte tt.
Set we therewith be content." Paul cautions Titus, their"
there are many unruly mind vain talkers and gle;riverit.
whose mouths may he stopped, who subvert whole hoori,
teaching timings which .they ought nit, far filthy lucre's
sake.."flte tendency of these texts moat be evitima to all
—the minister of the gospel is especially cautioned to de-
spise the riches of this world, which are dross, and to lay up
for hinteelf " treasure in heaven, which neither moth nor
rust canOterrapt, nor thieves break tbroogict and steal."—
Bat what says Christ—" Carry," said he, " orither purse,
nor scrip, our shoes; in whatsoever house ye go, snag,
peace.' " Beware of covetonioess—seek not what ye
shall eat, but meek the kingdom of God." " cant
abet your hearts be not surged with surfeiting and elritol.-
eneess; and the cares of this life." " Distribute Unto the
poor, and seek treasure in heaven." Take no thought fur
Whit ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, nor fur your bodi.
mho re shall put on."
What hire been ;the consequences of Making the Clergy
orient, let the History of ChriStianitv thou, and espe.
molly, let the present elate of the Established Chur.li of
England and Ireland show. .
Neither the practice nor the doctrines of the primitito
Christian affords may foundation or justitkatioo fur cleritat
opulenes. The Arty Apostles took no tithes ; r' 010 (VII.
trary Wry pristealied agaipset them: "Give sills," said tb's
Saviour, " provide yourselves with bags blest wax not
a treasure. in heaven Which Wirth not." Cyprian, the
Certhagenian Bishop, stares that the ''.expenses of time
church wen frugal an I sparing. but her charity great."
Cheyettetem observes that there was no practice of titbek
in former ages; and grammus says. ss t,be attempt vs
demand lime Wee linesr;thartyratioy-." Tertuiliew pre-
hens a clear anti forcible vies, of how the clergy were sup
ported: " What we homer." says !se, " is not raised by ',Simi
palsion, czar ciatributes whit he pleases; what we re*lte
we bestow on the poor, the aid. the orphan, and the in-
Stm." Origen, one of the earliest of the Christian fathers.
Lays, "Forsake the Priests of Pharaoh, who have earthly
posoesstens. and come to us who have none; we must net
twosome what belongs to the poor. we mast he contort
wide simple fare and poor apparel ;" and whit is of much
greater importance than any individual declaration, a
whole council of the thatch; the council of Antioch, its,
the fourth century; decided "that Bishops might distribute
tits goods of the church, bet take no part to themselves,
hoe to the priests that lived with them."
It was not until the fifth century when Christianity was
'Mini necessary for state polity—when the busy, meddling.
•linsewerving clerical professor was found usettl in courts
mind eimps—when piety, and humility. lad Christian chit-
thy. were succeeded by false Zeal, pride, gluttony, anti
eraelty—wfien Ambition erected her *twin throne on this
tains of the altar, supported by the golden pillars of
avarice, and adorned by the perishing flowers of sansnality,
—that this hateful, unnatural, anti christian system was
adopted, to pay priests for their political assistance. Yet
there have always been a few who refused to touch the
unclean thing,' to bow down the knee to Baal ; and why
because their heavenly Master has declared that his ' king-
dom Is not of this world.'
Let any man read the newspapers of the day and says
whether the following is too exaggerated a description at:
many of the English and Irish clergy. Instead of the
meek and lowly folloteer of the bumble-minded Jeans—
instead Of one who teaches and is taught to reconcile him !
Self to his offending brother—lnstead of a man who, in a
peculiar manner. ought to possess the tender sympathies of
Christian cbarity.—we behold a professed shepherd cr:
Israel, lolling on the lazy lap of luxury, feasting on ths
choicest viands of Epicurus, perfamed with the most odori-
ferous scent. of Arabia, and exciting the asperities of hie.
unfortonste Sock by appealing to a court of law fur a part
of the. proceeds of their bard mid vigilant !shoots.
And oh, that. Sock—they call unto him for the bread of
life, he gives them a stone—they require of lihn the nmi:k
of the word, he offers them the juice of sour grapes—the r
ask " what they must do to be saved?" be bids them b
just and regular in their paying of tithes. The Infidel pair
to biro and exults—the voluptuary looks at hit.] and tit
—.the worldly-minded appeal to him thelt pastor, at
justify their conduct. The vultures of pride, and avarh
sad intemperance, are nourished in his bosom, and cite&
led by his example, and his hearers, taught by his couch
too readily make their breasts the abode of time same.
History is the best teacher. and history proves to us tl
wherever • a clergy is • allowed to become wealthy by tilt
clerical office, they become proud, supine in duty, into!,
rant in doctrine, and inflexible in their opposition to all i,
proven:tents—ulna they ultimately hull down the edit
they nominally protest to support.—yo much as to the Imi
head of the argument.—(To be continued.)

Mr. Abbot, of Bridgetown, Buntinvdonshire, started
Lis `arafeh to gallop sixty miles in three hours, on Thu
day, :the' 9:la, 'at daybreak, for • 200 Sovereign!, on
horses'. • The riderweighed 9st. Sib. recunted, and betti
%vas 5t04 on time. The ertn.strian started on a tine his
Mare, belonging to Merl-est Peirson, Eq.. of Alconbm
an I did I I miles in 32 minutes. Be .rode the next hot!
Beadle, 12 miles in 31 minutes, and did the first 30 miles
an Irontind a Ulf. 'f lie-fourth horse...performed- 11 uv'
in.3j uainates.• The fifth did I? miles in 26 minutes ; ai
the' frit hors•, belonging to the ri.tee, won the match• ni
4 rninutes to spare,au'l the only distress eeperi.•nee.l -w:
by tliee tither. This match equals Sliltol's tore at aiu
tulle frbtt Lonitou to S:ainfortt in five huurs.--(Sta.afo,
A'etcs.)

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