a party of covenanters refused to receive the benefits of the Establishment on the grounds offered. They held, as was declared by Richard Cameron at Sanquhar in 1680, that Charles II., having broken the conditions on which he had received the crown—viz., adherence to the covenants-could no longer be regarded as a constitutional sovereign, and had forfeited all right to their obedience. Declining to take the oath of subjection to any sovereign who had not sworn to maintain the covenants, these parties have been popularly termed Covenanters or Cameronians. Various societies for spiritual improvement had been organized by Renwick. When their petitions to the General Assembly for relief to their conscientious convictions were utterly disregarded, and when Mr M'Millan was deposed in 1707 for holding the principles of these societies, that sentence was repudiated, and at length a Presbytery was formed in 1743, and a Synod in 1811. This first rending of the Church of the Revolution was thus the fruit of unjust domination. This was a fruit of that prelatic root. The Vindication' prepared by Renwick, and their actions, show that at the beginning this Reformed Church did not stand so austerely aloof from all Churches, and from their duty as citizens, as some of their descendants. While repudiating the assertion that the dominion of Christ is founded in grace (see Goold in Enc. Brit.), their cardinal doctrine as a Church was the headship of Christ over the nations. Their position all along has therefore been in order to bring about a thorough harmony of our civil constitution and institutions with that doctrine. On this account, until 1863, they would neither take the oath of allegiance, nor employ others as their representatives who did so.

They said, even in that time of suffering, 'Not that we would martially oppose and rise up against all such, but by our profession, practice, and testimony, we would contradict and oppose them; we positively disown, as horrid murder, the killing of any because of a different persuasion and opinion from us.' Declaring that there are men who have complied with the demands of the Government, whom we love in the Lord, and acknowledge to be ministers of His Church,' and 'with whom we would not refuse accidental or occasional communion as

brethren and Christians.' They were willing to associate in common religious enterprises' with some as Christians, holding the same fundamentals.' 'As these people, however reproached by their enemies as the cold, anti-monarchical, enthusiastic, lunatic Cameronians, were amongst the first in Scotland who took up arms for the Prince of Orange, so they were the first men in Scotland that petitioned the Convention of Estates to place the crown of Scotland on the head of their deliverer, King William' (Crookshanks). In a single day they raised a regiment of 800 men, who, marching under Cleland to Dunkeld, defeated General Cannon at the head of 5000 soldiers.

The Reformed Presbyterians justify their refusal to embrace the Revolution Church on several grounds; as that—(1.) The Church courts were composed of men against whom they had weighty objections; (2.) The Assembly submitted tamely to the dictation of civil rulers; (3.) The Reformation, in its most advanced state, was abandoned in the Revolution settlement; and (4.) The principles on which that settlement was conducted were of a political rather than of a religious character. Still they do not maintain that even the second Reformation was free from blemishes, and they specify some actions that are justly censurable. (See Test. of R. P. Church,' pp. 65-105.) On the other hand, it has been felt that this most advanced state being confessedly imperfect, and the Revolution bringing about a normal condition, in which it was impossible to bring the nation back to that advanced state, it might be the best possible and most hopeful position to 'let bygones be bygones,' and to begin anew upon the Reformation basis. It became also a serious civil question, whether it is a right thing either for any, who enjoy all civil benefits, to refuse allegiance to the supreme civil power as lawful magistracy, or for any to denude themselves of their privileges and responsibilities as citizens. If these positions were to be universally acted upon by Christian men, then necessarily the entire power and influence of the nation must pass into the hands of the irreligious portion of the community, and all hope of bringing about national subjection to Christ is gone. Nevertheless, posterity have more effectually rescinded the act recissory than could have been done

by the Revolution settlement, and there has confessedly been a gradual approach practically to the principles embodied in the documents of the second Reformation, and most Presbyterians would rejoice could they be fully acted upon.

New light dawned upon the majority, and in 1863 their restriction was removed. It was declared, 'That members of the Church, who may be led by the resolution to exercise the elective franchise, or take the oath of allegiance, shall not be visited with the infliction of ecclesiastical penalties to the effect of suspension and expulsion from the privileges of the Church.'

Something of the old spirit of domination was manifested, when the protest presented by the faithful minority was shuffled. out of the church in Glasgow where the Synod sat. That protest, signed by the Rev. William Anderson, and seven others, was against the decision now adopted as the law of the Church by the majority of this court, as opposed to the Word of God and to the testimony of this Church, and unconstitutionally adopted; and seeing that they have thereby abandoned the principles, we do hereby protest and claim for those adhering to us to be constitutionally the Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Scotland,' &c. (See 'Test, of R. P. Church,' Glasgow, 1866.)

The New School of the Reformed Presbyterian Church has 6 presbyteries, 46 congregations, and 40 ministers, a divinity hall with 2 professors, and 3 missionaries, 300 elders, and 6736 communicants. In 1870 it raised £9445 for all religious purposes--£1, 8s. per member. Stipend of ministers, £120 to £125, with manse. The number of deacons or managers

has not been taken.

The Old School of the Reformed Presbyterian Church has 2 presbyteries, 11 congregations, and 8 ministers. It receives a supply of preachers chiefly from the Synod in Ireland. It had 1200 communicants, 2800 adherents, and raised £1500 in 1870. Average contributions, £1, 5s. per member. Stipend, £120 to £140. With the Irish Synod a missionary is supported in Syria.

True Presbyterians within the Church of Scotland were not fully satisfied with the measure of security granted at the

Revolution. But it was felt to be a blessed relief after the death-struggle in which the Church and country had been engaged. They chose the least of two evils, and hoped for the best, and for a time stood upon their watch-tower.

6

Thus, at the era of the Union (1707), the Scottish Parliament passed an Act vesting the powers of the crown, in the event of a vacancy, in their own Parliament, directing to choose as sovereign only one adhering to the Protestant religion, and only on the condition of maintaining the complete independency of the nation, and the integrity of her institutions. The commissioners were thereafter forbidden to treat at all regarding union, unless certain fundamental principles were guaranteed. They were not to treat of any alteration of worship, discipline, and government of the Church of this kingdom.' Consequently, the Scottish Act of Parliament ratifying the articles of union in 1707 confirmed these privileges. And sicklike her Majesty, with advice, &c., resolving to establish the Protestant religion and Presbyterian Church government within this kingdom, has passed in this present session of Parliament an Act entitled "Act for securing the Protestant religion and Presbyterian Church government," &c., therefore her Majesty, &c., doth hereby establish and confirm the said true Protestant religion, and the worship and discipline and government of this Church, to continue without any alteration to the people of this land in all succeeding generations,' &c. By Act of the English Parliament, ratifying the union, these Acts are declared: Forever be held and adjudged to be observed as fundamental and essential conditions of the said union; and shall, in all times coming, be taken to be, and are hereby declared to be, essential and fundamental parts of the said articles of union.'

These solemn treaties were soon broken. Efforts were made to have the crown restored to the Popish brother of Queen Anne, an elder branch of the house of Stewart.

Then, in 1712, patronage was restored by a bill hurried through Parliament in one month! The British Legislature violated the articles of union, and made a change in the constitution of the Church of Scotland. From that change has flowed almost all the dissent now existing in Scotland.

Year after year the General Assembly protested against the violation, but in vain ; and from the Act of 1712 undoubtedly flowed every secession and schism that has taken place in the Church of Scotland' (Lord Macaulay, Speeches, ii. 180). Yet the patrons did not exercise their rights for several years, and enforced settlements of ministers, contrary to the wishes of the people, were not insisted on for half a century.

At length strenuous resistance to forced settlements arose. Ebenezer Erskine denounced the corruptions of the Church in a Synod sermon at Stirling, which led to his secession in 1733 (and deposition in 1749). This he did, however, not from opposition to the constitution of the Church as the National Church. He severed from the prevailing party,' or defective majority, appealing to the first free, faithful, and reforming Assembly. Others, who with him left the Church, refused to return, and formed themselves into the Associate Presbytery. Still, besides the so-called Moderate party adhering to patronage, another remained in the Church who upheld Calvinistic doctrines, and the liberties of the people. The constitution being unchanged, they had hope. (As the subsequent history of the branches of the Scottish Church is somewhat complicated, the chronological diagram prefixed to this chapter should be kept before the eye.)

The history of this secession is remarkable for the number of its divisions. This Associate Presbytery was in 1747 divided into two by the oath required of every person clothed with civil authority, in consequence of Jesuit intrigues, and dread of French invasion. That burgess oath declared that the individual taking it would defend the religion of his country as by law established.' One party in the Associate Synod held this oath unlawful, as approving of all the abuses of the civil establishment of the Church. Another party held that it simply bound them to defend the Protestant faith against secret and open enemies. Being free to take the oath, this party was popularly termed 'Burghers;' and those who refuse to be sworn, the Antiburghers.'

The Antiburghers went so far as to excommunicate and depose the Erskines and others of the Burgher party.