, 1877-12-30
TIE GROWTH OF PRESBTTERLANIsM,

mighty conflict.
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TIE GROWTH OF PRESBTTERIANlsM.
strce' the reunion Of the TWO principe
branches OF the Presbyterian Church in thi
country, there has been marked tcnuenr
towards consultation Of the denomination
The separation OF the Northern aud Souther
Churches, which was due TO political rathe
than to doctrinal differences, is temporary an
unimpo1tant. The splits in the Church whic
have been caused by conflicts Of opinion o.
questions of faith and po]ity arc, on tho othc
hand, Part Of its constitution. The Cunbcz
| land Church and the United Church arc di1is
I ions Of thought Us we'll rs divisions OF feeling
| The Free Church Of Scotland is q neccssit,
| imposed upon the opponents Of patronage b,
the form and pressure of the age in which
| they lived These fractures arc gradually
! disappearing. The forccs which produced them
] are operating with diminished vigor, aud re-.
action has set in. The Presbyterian Churches
which hare adopted and represented various
ideas have common origin; they all rest upon
democracy Us foundation, and all are drawn
together by their laws and traditions.
Presbrterianissm was not an accident, though
It's early manifestations we're disofderly So
eminent IN authority as BUCKLE, whose clear
vision was always aided by perfect integrity,
traces the origin Of the Church in Scotland to
gross superstition. Making wonder aud fear
tic conditions OF suDerstition, he shows that
these existed ii Scotland in IN unusual
degree during the fifteenth and six
tccnth centuries, and infers' that the
birth OF tile Presbyterian Church during this
period must he ascribed to them. It is true. as
he says, that Scotland, at the time Of the Ref
ormatlon, was sunk in ignorance, which, before
wonder and fear, is the cause Of superstition
Owing to the situation Of the fertile Lowlands
near hostile border, devastation, rapine, and
murder held the country in bondage worse
than slavery. The cities that are now known as
centres Of trade were in those days scarcely
more than hamlets. The population OF Glasgow
in the middle Of the fifteenth century did not
exceed 1,500 persons, whose wealth consisted OF
5aN staal1 Gatt{s an6 few acres Of M
OF the largest shipping towns in Scotland
was, in the end Of the sixteenth century; a mean
nshlng village, consisting of a single row of
thatclcd cottages, which were inhabited br noor
kilmarnock, now au emporium ofe
Industry ana Of wealth, contained IN 1Gs8 h.
tween 800 and GOO inhabitants. Paisley. in Inn
had but 3.000 people; Aberdeen, in 1872 = ON
inhabitants; Perth, in 1855, under 1000; and
.olonurs, late IN the fourteenth century. less !
han lo'oOo' These figures represent not merely |
nc comparative back'rardncss of the people, I
'as tue elects of the frequent fnyAsions OF the
ountry Or the English Tne country was by
hem Kept in such Barren state. that
couid scarcely support life, and the
err consequences of war eventually pre-
cnted It, Invasion defeated itself bv making
nc country uuable to subsist arulIcsx While
ne poverty, Of the people on this account rom
noca education was neglected. Until tbe
1teenth century there was not cyen a uniycr-
ty in Scotland, the first having been founded
st. Andrews iu l+E. Late in the four-
ehtn century there Is said to be no ipst,ucc
i Scotch Baron being ablc to sign lis os;n
'u'e' anu Tue common people were 50 stunl |
IA pFutas that All intelligent observer. who |
S''cd Scotland in the rear 1860, i1keus them =,
wages. Ignorance VAS thus the condition of
c "hoe scotch nation when the Reformation
rst upouit. {
A"o sreaG powers grew mp simnltancouslr il,
otlaud'-the clergy md tile mobiles. The
'mcr rested their stren.. th upon the i,runr,nre
Tue people, and tue latter upon their ,auccr
e necessity Of common protection against III. u
Sllst'' the weakness OF the Crown, and tbe =
:alar condensation Of the country, divided tb >,
'p1e into claus, cacl, Of which p1ofcssef \ :,
'1er allesiance to It's chi eftaiu than To 5ts :.
ereign. Tlie obligations oH the conn,nn,, u
va 10 tue throne were discharged by lcoutv >"
h"er as ti'cy were, they were acknowledged g,
[he Lords, under ordinary circumstances in es
aff OF their retainers. The Crown was swit}onr III
ence occausc 1t could only reach the ncon1 ee o
'ostI corrupt and ambitious agents. lpth;. -,
'e"hlts' IL attempted to array Que Glass of | ~
70 agents against the other. By joininor al
10 WI" eae clergy. 1t placed the nobies ppon W pe
ueae'fsi'e, anu made the contest tnorc
~ p' opposing the Superstition nf Nh
people, as represented Ia their Church ~
'e'F neFcultarr attachments to their c},frt: ..,
= the struggle of thu Kings aud the clrrpv n,
ust tue enormous authority OF the nohf-a | IT.
';'oco 1or about ld0 Years, and WIS broucht NJ.
c'osc in 1856 ny the triumph OF the l.ord. 1,s
le eCongregation, which was celebrated IN III. ~,
; covenant This result was confirmed n.
years later, when the first General Assem- 49,,
.et ana tue second declaration was m,go 49,
'hc triumph was sllort-lvctl. The clergy. Jo
: the new name OF Protes1apts, cla1,oc.l III a,,
lucy nad previously possessed a. Ca,hf,,re .e.e
I" hierarchy was established on tbe r,,5ns ,n'.s
oio one; and, though tic strucple for 49,.
ossess1on of the spoils was. long and costly ~,
'ea IN the restoration to the Churct, fmnst
'eiohecd to It. title aristocracy of srrt-
says BUcKLE. ''llttle kncw +ho |
Win Whum they had to deal ~.
less oId they understand tho 49,
.tcr OF their own aye. They did mt soc s"e
III tile state of society in which tfrv ir..I ~
'tition Tas inevitable, and thrt +lo.ar.'