§ Bill, as amended, considered.
§ On the Motion of The LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. Watson), the following Amendments were made:—
§
Clause 1, page 2, line 12, leave out "otherwise," and insert "of contributions from any source other than municipal funds or revenues;" line 14, after "thousand," insert "five hundred;" line 19, at end, add "which shall thereupon be incorporated with and form part of the High Kirk;" page 2, leave out Clause 2; Clause 3, page 3, lines 4 and 5, leave out "the whole of the said sum of;" line 9, at end, add—
And shall invest the sum of five hundred pounds on such separate security as they shall consider proper, the interest whereof shall he accumulated and applied pro tanto in the maintenance of the fabric of that part of the building presently occupied by the said new North Church (usually called West Saint Giles), but declaring that nothing herein contained shall limit the obligation of the said Edinburgh Ecclesiastical Commissioners to maintain the fabric of the whole building as provided by the said recited Acts.
The right hon. and learned Gentleman expressed a hope that the House would now allow the Bill to be read a third time.
§ SIR GEORGE CAMPBELLI believe, Sir, that the Bill is called the Saint Giles' Cathedral Bill. I quite understood that the title was to be changed, and I shall be glad to know if that is so?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. WATSON)I beg to move that in the title the words "ancient church" be substituted for the word "cathedral."
§ SIR JOSEPH M'KENNAI think this is very unjustifiable. What reason 649 can there be for making this alteration? Really, this is one of the silliest propositions that I have ever known to proceed from the hon. Member for Kirkcaldy. I wonder if he has ever reflected on the meaning of the word "cathedral" or on the meaning of the words "ancient church." If not, let me tell him that they are both Greek, and they have no more controversial signification than if you were to call the place "the House of God" or "large public building." I therefore think we ought not to be asked to agree to this Amendment, which seems to me to be preposterous.
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. WATSON)I do not in the least disagree with what has been said by the hon. Gentleman opposite; but I would point out that in Committee the alteration was made in dealing with the Preamble, and it is quite right that the title of the Bill should now be made to correspond with the altered Preamble.
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Bill read the third time, and passed.