Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1843-07-20


recent disruption been accomplished. By In
church extension project which Yves so emf
heh'iy blessed OF God, large number of min
ls'ers, called technically qroad sacra minis
'ers, became connected with the Presbytene
without being placed in parishes which had ;
neSM existence, orrecognition; and these men
tne moderdte party contended end the ciy;
TRIBUNALS held, could not sit in the courts OF
the church as by law established, Which
was at once to say, that the church could moi
grow except by and according to act of Parlia-
ment, and that not only the ordaining and set
ting OF ninlsters---even where no right of pa,-
ronage was pretended, but even the composition
OF church courts were matters coming under tb.
control and decision of the municipal law As
10 the ret0 act, 1t was intended by the modcr-
ate party, and held by the courts of faw. that
1t was ultra vtreS eccIesi0, matter bevonJ
The power OF the church to interfere in any
way with the rights of patronage, which were
adludcaied 10 be vested and patrimonial, and
to be conclnsieely settled by act of Parliament:
ana all tins III such form and to such am
extent, not only that the temperatures were
forfeited by refusal to induct the presentee.
but that both presentee and patron miyht. bv
process OF law, and oy fines and foriei,ures.
pans and penalties, compel the church courts
70 ihuucI Tins was making the church a
creature OF the civil power, and was simple
Erastlanisn Ill Its most naked and absolute
proportions.
controversy of ten years brough, the par
ties together at the General Assembly in Ed
lEburgh in May last, on grounds such rs we
have now briefly stated The moderator. Dr
Welsh, preached in the High church from Ro-
mans D. Ia. and then tae Assembly moved in
body TO ST andrews church
Instead of constituting the Assembly. the
Moderator then read protest, in which were
sci iorlh III detail, the grounds and reasons
upon which he and those holding his views.
Judged the body then convened 10 be no true
Assembly OF the Kirk of Scotland unon
which lhey were convinced ii was no lonoer
possible as The laws stood, for a free Assem- |
oily 10 be convened under them; upon which
they were satisfied that no hope remained that
the British government would alter these
laws: and upon which they had come TO the
conviction that they were required by faith
iulness 10 Christ, 30 separate from the cstab-
llshment rather than submit TO The terms re-
CURED or implied, if they should remain in i,
Having read the protest, he gave it to the
clerk and slowly left the house, followed by
Dr. Chalmers, DR.. Gordon, Dr. Eandljsh, Sir
DAVID brewster, Alexander Dunlop, and the
enc oil me MINISTERS and elders of the Church
oi oco'iahu, amounting III all TO one hundred
ana ninety three Commissioners of the AS !
solemn procession amid amid teF Tears, tie bfaStTs.
ana the acclamaions of the vast multiudes |
who thrcnged the streets of the time honored
Capital, to the great hall of Tanfied Cannon
mills, where they were greeted with renewed |
bursts OF enthusiasm, by the thousands who |
awaited their coming. Having entefed the
hall the Assembly was constituted with pray
erby the Moderator, and upon his motion, ac-
cordlng to the practice of the Scottish church,
Dr. Chalmers, whom he eulogised in terms al (
most extravagant, was elected his successor by |
reclamation, instead of vote.
And thus was constituted on the 18th of
May last, the first General Assembly of ssMe |
fTee presbyterian Church. Of Scotland''
a very slight acquaintance with the progress
OF religion, oil letters, of science, and of socie-
ty itself in Scotland for the Last fFty wears. |
must convince every one, that lie first men Of
that nation of every department Of knowledge. I
of effort and OF excellence, have directed ibis
movement. A list of nearly two hundred
names, Of which the first (alter the MODERATOR
is, Thomas Chalmers, and the last, Darid
BrcrSter, and the rest worthy of such an as
sociatlon, is thing for world, rather than n !
single cliy--a country rather than sina!e
house TO exhibit. OF that list of names. the
larger part are known to Europe; very many
TO civilized man and not few will live for |
ever. II any cause was ever ruined by human !
testimony. that upheld by the yNoderate party
and The English government is undone lfi
any cause was ever sanctified by human an
probation, the name of The Free PreSbueyiaf;
Church Of Scotland is already become imlnor
tai
What portion of the Ministers, Elders and
people of the Establishment will adhere TO
the new organization, it is impossible for us
to determine. Our present information comes
no further down than to the ninth day after
the disruption. Up to that time above four
hundred ministers, and two hundred probation
ers (lcentiates) had adhered to the protest of
the seeding commissioners. That the great
body OF the common people who have here
toiors worsEipped in the Establishment are
already with the Free church in heart and
mine, there seems to be every reason 70 sup
pose, not the least emphatic OF which is the i'm
nenSe Notwithstanding S1,l00,O0O,
I already made TO promote its objects But
when 1t IS considered, that il is the aFowtd
/ purpose OF the Free church, ioepresent its
cause, lis principles, and It's claims in every
! parish and neIghbourhood of Scotland and
that 1t goes forth unfolding the ancient, pre-.
clons, hereditary faith of the church, the Gov
enant, and the martyrs, proclaimed alresh by
men who have just sealed their testimony by
the greatest and the noblcst sacrifices; that il
does II TO the very people, in the maintenance
OF whose important and sacred rights, il has
suffered the loss of all things-and this peo-
pie the most fixedly national and christian of