§ Mr. Sinclair,in presenting a Petition from Thurso in favour of the Church of Scotland, could not help expressing his unqualified admiration of the intrepid and independent tone assumed at this crisis by the General Assembly. They had acted with a spirit worthy of the best ages of that Church, and had vindicated its honour with a cordiality of feeling, which nearly approached to unanimity—there having been only found three Members in opposition to 90, who ventured to defend such a nomination of Commissioners as his 937 Majesty's Ministers had deemed it convenient to make, accompanied, too, by the omission of several points to which it was understood that their attention should be directed. Dr. Macfarlane, a former moderator, had most clearly and eloquently pointed out how impossible it is that the Church can have any confidence in a commission, many members of which had expressed sentiments diametrically opposed to all establishments, whilst others were not qualified by their experience, or entitled by their public services, to assist in conducting this solemn and important inquiry. The Church of Scotland had shown that it was not to be intimidated from the path of duty by a dread of ministerial displeasure, and that they would not tamely, or without respectful remonstrance, endure such treatment as the sister Church would not, under similar circumstances, have experienced, in having its avowed enemies appointed to sit in judgment over its interests or its rights. A noble Lord in another place had expressed his disapprobation of the former Government having recommended from the throne a pecuniary grant for enlarging the efficiency of the Church of Scotland. It was not, however, difficult to account for such a recommendation. The late Government was sincerely attached to both the Established Churches of these realms. The late Government knew how much of the moral and religious feeling which characterised the people of Scotland was ascribable to the influence of their church—the evangelical purity of its doctrines, and the indefatigable zeal of its ministers; and that if those sentiments had in some measure been supplanted by others less in accordance with love of piety and good order, the change arose chiefly from the neglect, on the part of the Legislature, to increase the means of grace in proportion to the augmented population. The late Government was aware that the mere providing of accommodation in places of worship was by no means a sufficient criterion as to the adequacy of the provision made for the religious instruction of the people, and that it was equally necessary, that the population should be so subdivided as to be placed under the vigilant superintendence of pastors, who could warn them not only publicly, but from house to house, and not have so large a number of families under their care, as to render the dis- 938 charge of their important week-day duties, either extremely superficial, or utterly impracticable. He feared that all the Ecclesiastical Establishments were in jeopardy, but a sense of their common danger was drawing the bonds of union closer between them. He was aware that any allusions to the interests of vital godliness were very unpalatable in that House; but he had always thought that there is a wide difference between the worldly statesman and the Christian legislator; the former takes a political view of religion, the latter a religious view of politics; the former considers the gospel as a cunningly devised fable; or if he coldly admits its divine origin, disclaims or explains away its peculiar and fundamental doctrines. He may, perhaps, now and then, for the sake of example, impose upon himself the penance of visiting his parish church in the country, though he abstains from religious observance in London, where he passes unnoticed in a crowd; but he never troubles his head as to the mode in which any legislative enactments may affect the stability of the Church, or the progress of true religion. The latter is never ashamed of that gospel, of which he has himself experienced the power; his chief end is to promote the glory of God, and this is the test by which he desires to try every measure, whatever be the quarter from which it may emanate. The hon. Member concluded by moving for leave to bring up the petition.
§ Petition to lie on the Table.