The Hawaiian gazette., 1872-09-18

enience Of its absence may be seriously felt. yet
le example Of Macleod. as Of Carstairs, Of Rob
-tson and Of Chalmers shows that man who
as iu him the soul of patriot the genus Of a
atesman, aud the zeal Of a Cburchman, may
Sc high above the level Of u mere parocbal
'resbyter. The Minister Of the Barony Church
Glasgow was the true Archbishop Of the
.hurch Of Scotland. He knew its faults, but he
so knew its lofty virtues and its great oppOr-
Inites In the fierce struggle of the Disruption,
oung as be was, he never hestated to throw in
IS lot with the Church of his fathers. His
rreud common-sense analysis of the watch
surds used by the assailing and seeding party
is faith in the great Christian future 10 store FOR
ie old Established Church-rendered him proof
sainst the temptations which, to an enthusiastic
lturs ike his, the creation Of the new Church
light have seemed to open.
As he was then, so he grew up more and more,
nth the calmness of advancing years. His
'argeness of heart and genislty of temperament
lmost of necessity disinclined him TO accept the
1stere discipline and scholastic theories Of
Calvinism, or the hierarchical pretensions Of the
clergy, whether Presbyterian or EpiscOpaian, as
the last consummstioasof the Gospel. He used
to relate with perfect appreciation how Chalmers,
after laying down tee ordinary statements of the
Scottish Standards, was wont TO start away, with
a magnificent Nevertheless into regions far
above and beyond them. His mind was. in the
best sense, lay" As in society he delighted to
-, r -.
the Chruch hedesired to retain as far as possible
the influence not merely Of the semi-eccleSiastical
laymen who, in modern times, made to per
senate the lay element, but Of those rougher,
wider. more general representatives of human
life who in earlier days figured in the General
Assembly, and are still, to certain degree, re-
produced ih the social and legal connection of
the Church of Scotland with the Imperial State
of Great Britain.
In like manner. be had never shared the hor-
ror which it has been fashion in modern Scot
land to affect against the name aud principles of
the Moderutes." The vivid recoections of the
prejudice endeavored to be raised under that
preiext by wild factions against his father always
clung to his mind whenever the topic was stirred
He never aimed al being a professed theolo
gian His vocation was practical rather than
speculative There were currents Of modern
Scottish theology which were either too bold or
too cold to enlist his full sympathy. But the
same warmth of temperament, the same simpli-
city of faith, which to a certain degree kept him
aloof from these, carried him into spheres un-
known to the stiff schools of the older dvines,
whether moderate" or popular" He never
turned his back on the spread of science and
thought. He had seen enough of his sanity
kinsman. John Macleod Campbell, to know that
there was something deeper and higher IN the
Biblical statements Of sacred truth than was
grasped either in the DEGREES of Trent or in the
Westminster Confession. The broad blaze of
his charity and intelligence formed an atmosphere
which, as it were, forced more liberal theology
9n the Church, almost before it was aware Of the
change which was involved. Much as be avoid
ID controversy, he could not help from time to
time becoming entangled in its meshes. One
such occasion was the autagonism with the ira
dltional Sabbatariauism Of his country into which
be was brought not less by his eager sympathy
with the innocent enjoyment of his fellow-crea-
lures than by Jealousy for the honor of his
Masters name of love In this struggle be pass
ed through the usual phases of defence and at
tack blind misunderstanding and binder obioquy.
1t is equally to the credit of the Church of Scot
land as Of himself that within few years from
that time the once reputed hereto, with univer-
sal applause, mounted the chair of Moderator of
the Assembly. 1t need hardly be said that with
such temper and spirit as Norman Macleod dis
played, his influence was felt far beyond the Ii
mils of bis own Church. His parting address
from that chair remains a monument OF the
Christian wisdom aud charity with which be ap-
preached the labor for peace" among the di-
vided Churches of Scotland which is too often q
signal for them I" to prepare themselves for bat
tie" Nor was this altogether without effect. |
1t is true that the Free Church, faithful to its
traditions of exclusveness had to the very last 4
declined sympathy not only with the Church /
which be adorned, but with the free and liberal
spirit which animated his policy aud his acts
Only two DAYS before his end there appeared B |
our columns letter from the respected Modern /
tor of the Free Church, repudiating the supppo- |
sition that any party or tendency such as that
which had been associated with the name CT Dr. /
Macleod had or ever had any existence within |
It's borders" But even in that narrow circle We |
know that be had devoted and likeminded friends, 4
in whom his labors and his spirits viii bear fruit;
and we cannot but hope that, as his memory 1
stands out in the past, it viii have a softenug /
and enlarging influence on the separated Church
es of his country, not the less perceptible be-
cause it may not end in an absolute reunion.
But, in fact, his name belongs not only TO Scot /
land, but to British Christendom. That gene
rous, genial, and faithful nature which endeared
him to the Sovereign, who has publicly render
ed her testimony to the loss which she has sus-
tanned by bis removal, endeared him no less to
all who. whether on this or on the other side the
Border, had an insight into the enduring value Of
such union Of warm affection. intelligent inter.
est in all that was poetic, beautiful, and true, /
With an uufnching principle of duty and a fer
vent religious zeal. In him. the English Estab- /
lished Church and the English Nouconformists
81, -.- e-;,,5 7, T. rot oitoratha- ,sa