Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1843-07-20
NJ I S O& u u a n = O
From the Baltimore American.
OF TIE CyJJTpcu orcco,

/
From the Baltimore American
DISRUPTION OF TIE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND
we presume every reader of this paper is
aware that at the last meeting of the Genera,
Assembly of the established Church of Scot
land, that body was rem, in sunder. The tvo
parties called respectively Evamge7ical and
.uoderdte, into which that venerable Cb,,r,h
has been divided for above a century. have =,
length come tot final and violent rupture.
we nave examined with care and ,ninu,eness
Inc sources Of information within orr ro,cb
'oucnihg The progress and termination of This
protracted and important controversy. And
what we now propose, is TO make few inri-
ha'ions OF the Impressions we have derived
from the whole case, and to give a condensed
statement of it, which may be of use to sucb
as have not the means of thorough eyamip-
"'~'' e n, TiIat tHe event TO which the CON
troversy has been brought is one of immense
Importance III itself, and extremely likely to
De fruitful In results still more impressive. few
Will doubt who derive any wisdom from the
lessons of the past, or have any faith in the
uniform operation of moral causes, or the en-
during force OF national characteristics.
The legislative union between ENGLAND and
Scotland, accomplished daring the reign of
Anne, was based on the par: of the Scots. on
the fundamental condition that their church
and religion should remain inviolate as then
established and from that time, this became
part OF The coronation oath of every Ennlish
sovereign. But before The death of that feeble
Frincess, this condition was virtually set aside
oy act OF Parliament and the ancient discip
iihe and rights CT the church invaded in MANY
points deeply affecting its prosperity and pu-
rity. And amongst the chief in the matter of
patronage, that Is. in plain terms depriving the
congregations OF the right of choosing their
own Pastors, and vesting the power Of appoint
"S mem, III pubic or private persons, in cor
Pora'iohs, or III the crown Before this, the
inherent vice of all religious establishments
mad so wrought that the Moderate party was
predominant III the Scottish church.-That
same party which from the days of Anne have
connlVed at patronage, the most of whom be-
came placed ministers by virtue of it, and a.
mongst the first signal acts Of whose restora-
ton to power after the disruption of the AS
sembly in May last, was the repeal of the for
iler act restraining patronage, commonly called
the veto act
We need say but little towards recalling the
evil consequences which the long end firm
supremacy of the Moderate party inflicted on
the Scottish church The withdrawal oCTbo-
mas Boston, The expulsion of the Ersknes. the
deposition of Gillespie, the emigration OF
WnhersPoon, and many other events, fruitful
OF such Prodigious results, must be familiar tc
every enlightened reader and the whole con-
spires to prove Row dcplorable must have
been TIC condition of true religion in the es.
adjustment, when for a century together if,
most godiy sons were harrasscd i'm its bosom
OF dri"eh from Its communion, and when il.
! most trusted and bonored dvines, so read tht
dospel OF Christ as to overlook the doctrine
OF ms vicarIoUs atoneinent, and hardly obscrv
Ell that, 1t Incnlcatcd the necessity OF reeenera
J ton.
/ Just century sfter the first secession tn,
! Erangelicat party became the majority in the
church, and its accession to power was mark
/ ed by an immediate and thorough change !,
The spirit and policy of the establishment, an,
by the commencement of large and earlv Of
forts to purify and to extend. The cbiIrcI
entered with vigor into the various benevolen
enterprises of our age, and began TO str,iotl
upwards 10 her stand-her ancient and ojori
Gus stand, st the head Of the Reforme,
Churches.
Amongst the early acts Of her reviviD
evangelism was the noble effort at church ex
tension, which produced two hundred ne,
churches and congregations in ten years. An
the reto act of 1884 already mentioned, b.
which under certain restrictions, the ,ight c
Christian congregations to reject unaccepiabl