the rich two hundred churches for the poor., And then, when the cry rose against patronage, this dauntless veteran once more took the field. It mattered not what distance he had to travel. His was a frame which no labour could tire, and a courage which no opposition could daunt. It mattered not amid what confusion and disturbance the Meeting began. His smart joke, his ready repartee, an apt quotation of a quaint rhyme, and, above all, the honesty of purpose visible in every lineament of him, speedily put the sturdiest foe into good humour, and as the stream of earnest words, so clear and sparkling, flowed on, hisses gave place to cheers loud and long, and ere he sat down, he had it all to himself. And when the battle became hotter still, when it began to be felt that now it was pro focis et aris, for the very existence of the Church as an establishment, still, where the strife was fiercest, you could see his tall and manly form the very foremost of the combatants. It was a goodly sight to see! Well do we remember the occasion on which we first saw him. Having spent our youth in a parish hermetically sealed by Moderatism, and having been out of Scotland through all the earlier years of the Church's struggle, we were but imperfectly acquainted with many of the great principles at issue. But we saw clear enough where the Lord's people were mustering thickest, and had taken our side. There was a Meeting called at St. Andrew's, and as every other place was shut against the "intruders," the doors of the Secession church were thrown open to them. The speakers were, Drs. Cunningham and Candlish, with Mr. Crichton, in the order we have named them. It was a rare combination of gift, grace, and genius. From the close of that meeting to this hour, we never had a doubt as to the truth and vitality of the principles which the Church has maintained at such a cost. The ponderous strength, and clear, convincing logic of Cunningham, the impassioned eloquence, and close and subtle reasoning of Candlish, had well settled the whole question, and but little remained to be done. But Mr. Crichton rose. He had galloped on horseback some forty miles, and had arrived just in time for the Meeting. And there he was, tall and portly in form, the very picture of a country gentleman in dress, manner, and speech. At first he was met by interruptions and clamour; but his ready wit, and unaffected honesty, speedily gained him the ear of his audience. And as his spirit stirred within him, and his voice swelled yet clearer and more distinct, the lip quivered with emotion, and the eye shone and sparkled, you could not but feel prouder of your Church and country, and more thankful to your God than ever you had been before, that He had raised up such a man to fight the battle of them both. And all through the conflict did he fight even so, till the disruption came, and then he came forth, his heart as warm, and his hand as open and ready as ever. And even then his work was not done. To England he came and to thousands of listening ears and sympathizing hearts, he told the foul wrong that had been done to Scotland's Church and people. And when the Free Church had settled down in her disestablished state, a truer friend, and more ready advocate, she had not anywhere among all her laymen, than Makgill Crichton. Time after time he left his home on missions about sustentation and education-to help a friend or face a foe. You could not come wrong to him, if you wanted help. If he could help you in no other way, you was always sure of getting sound advice and kindly counsel and encouragement. And all the while, in the congregation with which he was connected, he earnestly discharged the duties of the eldership. He would steal forth with a bottle of his best port in his pocket, and visit the sickbed of some humble neighbour, and there he would read the Word and pray, to the soul's comfort of a dying one. To say that he had his faults, is but to say that he was man. He had enemies enough to multiply and magnify them; but now that he is gone to his rest, with his works following him, we envy not the man who seeks to remember them. The Free Church was not very old when he and his best friends felt that his work was nearly done. It was a Herculean task that he had finished; and, strong as he was both in mind and in body, there appeared symptoms of his needing rest. The Church was not unmindful of all she owed to her old and faithful servant. A deputation came, headed by Dr. Candlish, and they presented a testimonial, of which the following paragraph, from Mr. Taylor's Memoir, is a description:-" It is a magnificent silver centrepiece, standing on a rosewood base, covered with blue velvet, and protected by a shade of glass. It is nearly three feet in height, and weighs betwixt 300 and 400 ounces. Figures of Luther, Calvin, and Knox, occupy niches around the stalk; and on one of the shields below is engraved this inscription-To David Maitland Makgill Crichton, Esq., of Rankeilour, from ten thousand members of the Free Church.' A large volume, bound in bright scarlet morocco, and secured with a broad silver clasp, contains the names, most of them autographs, of the ten thousand subscribers mentioned in the inscription. A supplementary volume might easily have been procured, embracing thousands more, as many districts sent in their subscription money, unaccompanied by the subscription | Denial of the Power of Godliness,”—it lists." (P. 278.) The last piece of work enumerates the prevailing phases of unbelief, he did, formed a fitting close to his life of and after specifying the sources from which it labour. It was once more to perambulate springs, this treatise indicates, as the four the whole of Scotland, to raise à fund to, in channels through which it chiefly spreads, some measure, compensate Dr. Thompson," the Press, the Clubs, the Schools, the Pulof Coldstream, who had ruined his fortune in his efforts, first, to break up the Bible monopoly, and then to produce the precious Volume at a price which might bring it within the reach of the very poorest. That work, too, Mr. Crichton saw well ended; and not long after, his task being done, he laid him down to die. The last words of great men are often very remarkable; and very remarkable were his. He had been ill for some time, and needed watching. Receiving one night a little medicine from the hands of his son, it eased the sharp spasms of pain, and, looking up, he said, "Thank God, my boy, I am better." Yes, better; he had gone to the better land, to rest from all his labours, and to enter into the joy of his Lord. Mr. Crichton has found in Mr. Taylor a fitting biographer. The faithful pastor of a neighbouring Free Church, Mr. Taylor knew the subject of his Memoir well, and had ample opportunities of observing his outgoings and incomings, in his public capacity, in Church courts as an elder, a landlord, and the head of a family. The compilation of the volume has evidently been to him a labour of love. Chaste and classic in its style, full and judicious in its matter, the Memoir may convey, even to those who knew him not, an accurate portraiture of the man. We deem the volume every way worthy a place on the shelf, where we have placed our own copy, side by side with the four goodly octavos which tell of the living and dying of Thomas Chalmers. Of these two worthies it may be said, as it was said of Saul and Jonathan, that they were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! Infidelity; its Aspects, Causes, and Agen- દર pit." The work is as methodical and logical London: Hamilton, Adams, and WHO this "Lorenzo" is we know not; but The Shady Side; or, Life in a Country IN this picture the shadows are too broad thankful. Spare Moments. Hamilton, Adams, and Co. THIS is a most fitting companion to, and evidently by the Author of, "Green Leaves," which we noticed favourably on a former occasion. Like its predecessor it consists of short papers on a variety of important subjects; they are all written in an admirable style, and convey more correct reasoning and solid sense than is often to be found in volumes of larger size and still larger pretensions. The little work will be found a most excellent "traveller's library" for a short journey. Correspondence. CHURCH EXTENSION. as a DEAR SIR,-It may be a question whether, with our acknowledged progress Church, we are making Church extension as important an object as it deserves to be. Permit me to throw out for the consideration of others one or two hints. All agree, that unless we "lengthen our cords," in the present state of activity in other churches, and the present increase of ungodliness with an increasing population, we are relatively falling behind. Something must be done. Probably, too, all who have had experience will agree that, however excellent our young, unordained men are, they are not fitted, from want of experience, to discharge the work, which, after all, is the most difficult, of breaking up new ground. In fact, this is not done because we have not men to do it. Probably, also, all will agree, that how ever excellent the town missionary's labours may be, they want that which characterized the apostolic preachers-gathering their converts into churches, where they might be fed-and that which characterized our distinguished forefathers, who looked specially after the fruit of their labours, considering edification just as important for converts, as conversion was for sinners. With these data, the question is, what is to be done? Pastors, already overburdened, cannot overtake the out-field population. It is enough if they welcome, sympathize with, help and pray for, the more honoured evangelist. likely field. Our way would thus be felt, and we would not be committed to a weak and struggling station. Such a man would contemplate settling in the most favourable sphere, and not fall into the error which Wesley reprobated, "of striking one stroke without following it up by another." Sacrifices would require to be made, on the part of such a minister, on the part of ministers parting with hearers, on the part of the giving public: but we should be prepared for all these. "With such sacrifices God is well pleased." III. Whether large towns, as Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, London, should not, in consequence of the "open doors there, the activity of mind for good or evil, and the increase of the population, engage the efforts of the Church more than they now do. With our money and our men, would it not be more economical in us to increase our ratio of interest in them, as compared with country and, in many respects, back-going districts? Yours truly, A LIVERPOOL MINISTER. issued, and it is hoped the friends of our following statement recently Church will come forward more liberally than they have yet done, towards the liquidation of the heavy expenses incurred :— Manchester, June, 1853. Let me, then, put these queries:Attorney-General v. Murdoch and others. I. Whether, in case of appointing a third professor, the Synod should not look outing for several years in the Court of Chancery, Dear Sir, This case, which had been pendfor a man of evangelistic qualities, that he might exercise the evangelistic office during the intervals of his teaching. It is known to the writer that one of the parties in Scotland that contemplated accepting the office, had this in view. Certain he is that the teacher will not be the worse for this exer cise. The most learned and laborious writers in theology have been the most active in such services. Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Baxter, are illustrations. II. Whether Presbyteries might not do what the Presbytery of Glasgow is now doing-seek out territories in which to plant new churches; with this modification, needful in our circumstances, that we should get the man first, and, trusting to his wisCom and grace, might encourage him to choose, after surveying the ground, the most was brought to a final issue early last year, the judgment of Vice-Chancellor Wigram having been confirmed by the Lords Justices of Appeal. The appeal when taken was to the Lord Chancellor (Cottenham) in the hope that from his enlightened and liberal views the decision given would be reversed. Owing however to the arrangements which subsequently took place in the Court of Chancery, the case unfortunately did not go before the Lord Chancellor, but before the Lords Justices Knight Bruce and Lord Cranworth, and, according to the Act of Parliament passed in 1851, where the two judges disagree in opinion the judg if one of the two agrees with the previous ment appealed from is, nevertheless, affirmed, decision. This being the case, and knowing the extreme views held by Vice-Chancellor Sir Knight Bruce, the defendants had but little hope of a satisfactory termination to the suit, although it was hoped that some modification might perhaps have been made in the judgment given by Vice-Chancellor Wigram. It is satisfactory to record the sound and enlightened view of the case taken by Lord Cranworth (now Lord Chancellor), which quite accords with that taken by the defendants. Upon one point, however, Lord Cranworth appears to have been labouring under a misapprehension in supposing that those ministers who adhered to the resolutions passed at Berwick, and who were subsequently declared by the General Assembly of the Established Church of Scotland to be no longer ministers of that Church, were, in consequence of that act, no longer ministers at all. They still retained their status as Presbyterian ministers, although not in connexion with the Established Church of Scotland. It is to be hoped that no further attempt will be made to disturb any other congregation, as the views of the present Lord Chancellor will no doubt have considerable weight with the Vice-Chancellors recently appointed, and make parties pause before encountering another Chancery suit. It was considered from the outset important that this case should be defended, from its supposed bearing upon other cases, for had it been surrendered, claims would no doubt have immediately been set up for other places of worship, and the Church at large been greatly harassed. A Conference of influential friends on the subject was held during the meeting of Synod in London, in 1849, when the unanimous feeling appeared to be in favour of prosecuting the suit. The accounts of the plaintiffs as taxed by the Master in Chancery, amounting to 1,6007. 16s. 4d., having been recently paid, and there being still 1,5087. 1s. 7d. due to the solicitor of the defendants, in addition to pre vious payments, I solicit your contribution, or those of your friends, towards these heavy law expenses, and will be glad to show the ac counts to any party who may wish for further information. of the suburban districts. New, and populous, and influential localities are everywhere rising up around our large towns; except, therefore, as a Church, we follow our people and afford them the means of grace at a convenient distance, they will be lost to us and get absorbed by other denominations. The Church of England generally anticipates the growth of population, by providing a district church wherever needed; the Congregationalist body have also, of late years, laudably exerted themselves to extend their chapels in the large towns; and why should not we be making more progress, and endeavouring to increase and extend ours? It is shortsighted policy if ministers are deterred from going cordially into judicious and well-considered movements because a few hearers may be lost to their congregations. Should not our Presbyteries, like Bishops, keep a vigilant look out, and watch the movements going on as well as the wants of districts, and endeavour to provide for them? Our large watering-places from the same causes are rapidly increasing, and it would be most desirable to have churches erected there, which might serve as missionary stations for our probationers during the winter months, and be a pleasant retreat for our ordained ministers during the summer months, where a congregation could not support a minister. Yours faithfully, WHEN it became known that a hundred Protestant ministers were about to enter Ireland, and make known the glad tidings of salvation in the open air, public rooms, and wherever they could find points of access to the population, the Romish press and priesthood raised one of those cries which are wont to resound among the tombs of Gadara, when the Saviour or his messengers The approach that realm of death. "Tablet" and the "Nation" hastened, with other organs ecclesiastical, to call out the mob; and the priests, mounting the altars and the pulpits, directed their hearers not to listen to the adversaries of their religion. This we must allow that they were free to do, and reasoning ex concesso, we may suppose, for a moment, that they believed our doctrine to be false, and thought themselves bound to warn the people against the English preachers. But, passing beyond the boundary that no one would dispute, the zealots rushed into forbidden ground, and bade the people give them “ a warm reception." They also moved the multi the proceeding as political,-a "Protestant aggression upon Ireland," whereas they must have known that it was purely religious. But whatever they said, or omitted to say, their end was attained in a simultaneous onslaught on those evangelists whom their Master sent, indeed as sheep among wolves. tude, in several towns, by representing | The ministers who attempted to confer a boon on the poor of Ireland, asked no more than is their due in every part of the empire; they now desire for themselves and their brethren merely what is allowed to priests and monks in this country. The spirit of meekness and forbearance that now actuates them is a natural effect of the Christianity they enjoy, and of the doctrine they promulgate. When magistrates do their duty, as at Parsonstown, there is seldom any evil to be apprehended, and if Romish magistrates pay more heed to the instigation of their confessors than to the law of the land, it becomes high time to displace them, and invest men with authority who will, at least, maintain the semblance of "religious equality." One law and one administration should be for London and for Dublin, for Manchester and Limerick. In every place within the Queen's dominions, peaceable, inoffensive, and loyal subjects, ought to be free to propagate their principles. Even the teachers of error should be allowed liberty in Ireland as here, to vend their error to those who will accept it. Give us a fair field and no favour. Bind us to keep the peace on both sides. Deal with us in impartial justice, without haste or anger, and let not the Romanists be so foolish as to let the world know that the so-called emancipation of 1829 has, in reality, consigned them to a more flagrant and dishonourable tyranny from their spiritual chiefs. Thus have preachers of the Gospel always gone in Popish countries, and therefore there was nothing in the scenes of July 31st, and following days, to cause the people of this country disappointment or surprise. And so uniform is the practice of Romish priests in such circumstances, that to have read the narrative of a like outburst in any age or in any country, is to have learnt the pattern that may seem to have been given, once for all, time out of mind. The provocation, however, was very slight, or none at all, inasmuch as those ministers who obtained a hearing abstained altogether from controversy. Resolved not to utter one syllable of contempt against the Virgin Mary, whom all generations shall call blessed, or against even what is really ridiculous and wicked, those men of God caught at the golden opportunity which few of them might find again, to preach Christ to sinners. On the other hand, the mob rose, as at Limerick, Waterford, Clonmel, Tipperary, and Nenagh, before it was possible to understand what their visitors would say, or when they had only heard words which ought to have commanded reverence. Thus, at Nenagh, a minister had just sung one verse of a hymn which drew the people together as they came from mass, when a united and fearful yell broke forth from the crowd, and the assault at once commenced. And after the same sort did the mobs fulfil the priestly mission, and demonstrate their abhorrence of the ever-blessed Gospel. In short, there was no attempt at controversy, but every care was taken to conciliate. Of course, we do not concede that Protestants have not the right to point out the errors of the Church of Rome, to refute its calumnies, and to repel its curses. The Romish priesthood are taught polemics, and taught them in Maynooth particularly, at our cost. Protection is due to us while we enter into the argument, meeting them on equal ground. Yet, in this visit to Ireland, we have chosen to waive the execution of what is lawful, confining ourselves to what is expedient. With regard to the body of ministers who met with such a pitiless reception, we rejoice to know that they are not disheartened. Of nearly 100 ministers, six only have quitted Ireland-one of these on account of sickness. All others who abandoned their posts have gone to other places in the south, still to pursue their labour. A few notes have reached us, in a very incomplete form, but they are full of the earnestness and single-mindedness that characterize this mission, and therefore we print them as they come, not doubting that they are the earnest of a glorious narrative, and mark the beginning of a new era in Ireland : - |