The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1874-10-28
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE.
THE DOMINION BRANCH.

body in Scotland are all represented In ne
Majesty's American Dominion: Nationa
Kirk, Free Church, United Presbyterian
Church, known among us as Seceders, o.
Associate, and Associate Reformed Presby
terians, and Reformed Presbyterians, Of
Cameronisns, or Covenanters. The origi
nal bases for these divisions cannot exist IL
country like the Dominion, where there Ii
no union of Church and State. These re
hgious parties are divided By nothing save
the traditions and associations Of their con
troyersies in their father-land. They have
the same confession, psslmody, usages, and
theology, save that the men of the Nationa
Kirk have, perhaps, as in Scotland, rather
more tincture of Moderatism and Broad
Churchism. That all the four parts should
be treating for an organic union is, there
fore, what we should naturally expect; and
what has been too long delayed already
The terms of agreement have been adjusted
by the several Synods, and are now under
going an almost unanimously favorable ereview,
in the different Presbyteries and congrega-
tions. One more year will probably com
plete the fusion harmoniously, and will wit
ness the meeting of General Assembly of
all the Presbyterians of the Dominion
This Assembly will represent about 625 min
listers, having thus a much smaller cOnstit-
uency than our Church. They have five
theological schools, one in Halifax, Nova
Scotia, one in Quebec, one in Montreal, one
in Kingston and one in Toronto, under the
care of the different branches. The only
point of difficulty remaining is the existence
of an endowment in the National Kirk, dat
ing from the days when the Free Church
was not, and Canadian Presbyterianism knew
little of any other type save that of the Es-
tablishment. This fund originated in gift
of the civil government, for the endowment
of the Established Kirk parishes in British
America. But the State, in its progress to-
wards liberalism, found it convenient to dis
cucumber itself of this connection with the
Church, and placed the money in the Syn
DDS hands, to be managed and dispensed as
she pleased. 1t is now an invested endow-
ment, and furnishes supplement of $500
to each National KIRK pastors salary-the
rest being raised a in cur church&s. Now
this fact presents some difficulty. 1t is too
little to divide among all, were all justly en-
titled to a share. 1t is not the wish of the
New, United Church, to introduce this fea-
ture of endowment; they desire to set out
with the Bible-principle of Gospel Selfsup'
porting. But it would be invidious to have,
in the same body, some ministers partially
endowed, and some not; and who, moreover,
shall be held as National Kirk men, entitled
to this help, when there is no longer any
National Kirk distinguishable from Free,
or a United Kirk
The other SynOds have very wisely said
in substance to the National Kirk; owe
want none of that money: dispose of the diff
fculty as you please" The suggestion
made by the wisest of the National Kirk is:
To allow each of their endowed ministers to
enjoy the annual stipend, as long as he is
pastor; and as the existing ministry pass
es away by death or resignation, to apply
the proceeds of the fund to new evaugelistic
enterprises and church extension in destitute
places This will probably be the solution.
1t will be happy one, save that this endOw-
meut, thus permanently attached to their
work of home missions, will be perpetual
incubus upon the liberality and energy of the
people.
The French colonies of Acadia Nova SEQ.
tia) and Canada were pOpish, and had the
union of Church and State of course in full
force. All secular property paid tythes to
the pOpish clergy. The British Government,
upon the conquest of the country, recognized
the existing ecclesiastical rights of this cler-
gy and with British punctuality, has Sc
cured them to these Romsnists for hun
dred years. Every piece EFF property that
was French, Cor in other words, pOpish, at
the conquest, continued to pay its tytheS to
the cure, and It's school tax to the popish
school. This held until very recent date,
even of real estate purchased from Roman
ist by a Protestant 1t still holds of al
which remains in Romanist hands. When
British enterprise, industry, and enhghten'
ed government came over the old Rip-Van
Wrinkle commonwealth of Habitants, - (aE
the French call themselves) infusing new
commercial life, population, and wealth, anC
real estate received a great appreciation, the
revenues of the Popish Church became enOr
nous. Thus are accounted for, the granC
churches, schools, nunneries, and monasterie
with which Canada is so thiCkly studded
1t is Protestant thrift and fidelity, which
give to its enemy this prosperity. If tn
vested treaty rights belonging to the conquer
ed (hOw strangely it sounds in this our lati
tude, to speak of the conquered as having
vested rights , would be overlooked, and tn
ROmish clergy in Canada put upon the sam
footing with the Protestant ministry, doubt
less a great collapse would take place.
Many plodding Ha6itant would find ou
that he did not care enough for popis
oh-;nt;nn;trr 70 rive his mnnau for II Th