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Some whose aid might have been expected stood aloof; others found an excuse for a cold neutrality or a faint support, in the unguarded and rash statements that were occasionally spoken or printed by a few of the more active leaders of the movement. But notwithstanding the numerous difficulties which it encountered, the Association has made no small progress, since it was launched upon the world. It has gained experience, and it has also acquired power. It has learned, that the message which it has to proclaim to the British public is sufficiently offensive, without its being made more so by the manner, in which it is expressed. It has made the discovery, that is made by all truly wise and earnest men, that it is not the machine which makes the most noise, which does the most effective work. Much of this improvement was marked during this third triennial conference. There was no want of the wonted firmness, but there was a greater dignity. There was the calm consciousness of a power which could afford to dispense with the lower elements of our nature, and which made its appeal to the higher elements. There was less talk than usual, but more work. It was more a business than a speaking Conference. About 400 delegates were present. There were few from Scotland. The paucity of Scotch members may be owing to the fact, that we have an Anti-State Church Association of our own in Scotland. Still we should have liked, that some strong men had been present from the North.

An admirable report was read by Mr Williams, the secretary. It is quite a model of its kind. It is a digest of facts, skilfully arranged, calm in its tone, as every such document should be, and suggesting far more than it expresses. It refers to the late parliamentary election, and the action of the Association with regard to it, in calling public attention to the principles it advocates. And, as the result of these efforts, it informs us that nearly forty Protestant dissenters were returned to parliament, and that the constituencies of these forty dissenters make up an aggregate of one-fifth of the entire electoral body. We are thus furnished with the cheering fact, that dissenters now form one-fifteenth of the members of the House of Commons, and that the constituencies which they represent are three times larger than the average constituencies of the United Kingdom. We are sure, that to many of our readers this intelligence is as new as it is gratifying. But this fact by no means indicates the measure of progress in this respect. We have been told by one who went over the lists himself, at the close of the last election, that no less than seventy candidates whose views were identical with our own, or not far removed from them, on questions of religious liberty, lost their election only by a small minority. Our informant asserted, that a small change in the franchise would secure the return of these persons, or of others who are like them. As to the conduct of these dissenting members, and of their reception in parliament, a favourable opinion is expressed, which is certainly not over-stated. When their voluntary sentiments demanded expression, 66 a hearing has been gained to the extent to which it was thought proper to seek it; and there have been afforded indications of a consciousness, on the part of other political sections, that in the present balanced state of parties, even so small a force as that at the disposal of antistate churchmen may be able, at times, to exert a decisive influence." The Regium Donum, the Clergy Reserves of Canada, Maynooth College, Church Rates, the Metropolitan Interments Bill, Edinburgh Annuity Tax Bill, Ministers' Money in Ireland, the agitations in the Church of England, were respectively discussed. It concluded with a recommendation that the pre

sent name of the Association should be changed into one less offensive and more correctly describing its views. "Its present designation is liable to misapplication, is needlessly offensive, and is in other respects undesirable."

Mr Miall, on the second day's sitting, read a paper on the prospects and duties of this Society in relation to the House of Commons, and to its constituent bodies. The strength of this Society was its religious character; but when its spirit was embodied in action, it assumed of necessity a political form. It would be premature to put to the House of Commons a proposition as to separation of church and state, which required a categorical reply-aye or no. The policy of dissenting members should be limited for a year or two to instruction. "We are not yet in a position, if I may so speak, to lead the conversation; but we can join in it, and, as occasion serves, give full utterance to our doctrine. To this the present House of Commons has shown no serious opposition. We are not tongue-tied in our 'question of questions.' We are not clamoured down. We are not sneered at as impracticable drivellers. We are not suspected of personal notoriety. . . . We must creep before we can walk, and walk before we can run. If we can make but sure progress, as I am convinced we can and do, we must content ourselves with the indirect method until the direct has become (what it is not always) the surest and the shortest." We are delighted to hear such excellent sense enunciated by the editor of the Nonconformist; and we freely acknowledge that with the exception of his first speech (which we must tell him was really a splash) his conduct has been in perfect agreement with those sentiments. Anybody can make a false step: it is only a wise man can recover himself, and Mr Miall has done so nobly. The paper presented an able analysis of what may be called the ecclesiastical sections of the House of Commons, which includes about one-fifth of their number. It recommended, in fine, a permanent committee to act as a link of connection between the Association and parliament. This, we may remark, was agreed

to.

Reference was made above to a proposal to change the name of the Association. The Committee recommended the title, "The Society for the Separation of Church and State." Mr E. Baines of Leeds suggested an amendment, which, after a slight alteration, was adopted by the Conference -"the Society for the Liberation of Religion from State Patronage and Control." It was principally in connection with this proposed change of name, that there was any discussion whatever. It was conducted, however, with a becoming spirit. The reasons for the alteration easily suggest themselves. The old name brings into view merely the destructive element in the Society, and ignores its constructive element. It tells us, that we are to pull down national churches, but it says nothing as to whether any others are to be put in their place. It presents nothing but the negative aspect of the question, while the positive is utterly kept out of sight. It is, no doubt, true, that many positive truths are expressed in a negative form; but if this be, as it sometimes is, a necessity, it is a painful necessity. It presents truth in an unloveable, because in an antagonistic form. We must confess, that we scarcely share in the anticipations of some speakers at the Conference, that the proposed alteration will bring an accession to their numbers from those dissenters, who, up to this time have declined to join the movement. We shall be glad, if mistaken in this. But we anticipate some good from it, as indicating a change as to the mode, in which this great controversy has sometimes been conducted. There was scarcely a speaker who

did not regret, that of late years there had been a tendency in public meetings to exclude the high and religious argument, and to make an appeal to lower principles, dragging Voluntaryism through the mire of worldly politics. It is time that we begin to breathe a purer air, when advocating the Voluntary principle, and that we take our stand upon the word of God. We have been at public Voluntary meetings, where no reference was made to the Bible as the infallible court of appeal on such questions; where no body was told that it was the duty of a Christian to support with liberality those opinions and practices which he believed to be true; where one might have. supposed from the speeches delivered, that the ministers of Established churches were all a set of hirelings having no regard for the honour of God or the souls of their hearers; and where there was scarcely a sentiment uttered to which an infidel could not have given his cordial and emphatic amen. We thought then, and we think still, that this was not a good way of commending Voluntary principles; and that the applause of those who went to no church was dearly purchased by the offence given to pious men of every denomination, dissenting or established. If Voluntaryism is to make that progress which it desires, two things, we apprehend, are requisite, -First, That at Voluntary church meetings, the religious argument should have full prominence assigned it; that the whole truth respecting it should be brought out, and that the audience should be told, a Voluntary is one who pulls down what is bad, not because he is fond of destruction, but because he is anxious to build something better in its place. And, Secondly, That the members of Voluntary churches should set their own houses in order, and show their opponents what a lovely and Christian thing Voluntaryism is in practice. Let us get quit of our debt; let us pay our excellent ministers less discreditably than we are in the habit of doing; let us display our Christian generosity in promoting missionary and every other benevolent movement. Let us show our Voluntary faith by our Voluntary works. We would not discourage speech making in its own place, but we are humbly of opinion, that unless the tongue be supported by the hands, that small member had better keep quiet. And it is on this account, the importance of assuming a higher position in the conducting of this great controversy, and of delivering ourselves from the burden of support given by those who at heart are as much opposed to dissenting churches as to established, that we express our satisfaction with the new name. May it be a symbol and an omen of good!

Printed by THOMAS MURRAY, of 2, Arniston Place, and WILLIAM GIBB, of 41, York Place, at the Printing Office of MURRAY and GIBB, North-East Thistle Street Lane, and Published by WILLIAM OLIPHANT, of 21, Buccleuch Place, at his Shop, 7, South Bridge, Edinburgh, on the 25th of November 1853.

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Anti-State Church Conference,

567

Anti-State Church Movement, 46, 94, 140, 235, 236,

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CALLS :--G. Barlas, 282, 331; R. S. Drummond,
40, 376; W. Fleming, 565; J. Frame, 421,
520; A. Graham, 282; J. Hill, 420, 421, 472;
J. Imrie, 565; Dr R. T. Jeffrey, 233; J. B.
Johnston, 565; J. Kirkwood, 282; W. M'Do-
nald, 565; J. M'Laren, 376, 421, 472; M.
M'Naughton, 186; D. M'Rae, 472; J. C.
Meiklejohn, 565; J. Milne, 282, 331, 472; J.
More, 40; W. Morrison, 233, 282; F. Ross,
472, 565; G. Sandy, 137; A. B. Sclanders,
421; J. Taylor, M.D., 565; W. Taylor, 186;
A. Walker, 40, 520; W. Walker, 421; S.
Wallace, 40, 196; A. Whyte, 565.

Canada, Gavazzi Riots in

Canada, Proceedings of Synod in

Canada, Statistics of Church in

Chain of Truth,

Christian Economics,

Church Economics,

Church of England, Statistics of

Church Rates, Overthrow of

Confirmation of Gaol Prisoners,

190

261

379

424

40
544

207, 244

199
567
429

93

CONGREGATIONS, NOTICES OF :--Craigdam, 127;

Main St., Gorbals, 520; Oakshaw St., Pais-
ley, 422.

Continent, Religious Liberty on the
CRITICAL NOTICES :--

Abstainer's Journal, 85; Alison's Europe
from 1815 to 1852, 9; American Pulpit,
130; Anderson's Penance, 173, Tekel, 368;
Antichristian Kingdoms, 317.
Barnes on Revelations, 224; Blackburn's
Nineveh, 371; Brewster's Work, 370; Bri-
tish Quarterly Review, 316; Brown's Plain
Discourses, 31; Brown's Sufferings of
the Messiah, 178; Bungener's Council of
Trent, 28; Bunyan's Pilgrim, Cooke's, 418.
Cairns' Sermon, 370; Calvin Translations,

119; Chalmers' Correspondence, 407;
Chalmers' Life, 557; Chalmers' Sabbath
Readings, 34; Christian Income, 513;
Church of a Hundred Years, 127; Coch-
rane's World to Come, 85; Colenso's Ser-
mons, 558; Cooper's Ancient Christen-
dom, 364; Cousin's Course, 415.
D'Aubigne's Reformation, 317; Dawson's
Scotland, 229; Dewar's Charter, 372; Dick-
son's Posy, 559; Eadie on the Ephesians,
551; Dobbin's Dayspring, 33.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 346, 507.
Foreign Evangelical Review, 32, 415; Fra.
ser's Emigrant's Guide, 130.
Gilfillan's Martyrs, 66, 558; Glasgow Cathe-
dral, 417; Gloag on Salvation, 367; Gu-
nion's Lecture, 129.

473

Hamilton on Pentateuch, 557; Havernick's
Introduction, 366; Horsford's England,
365; Houston's Remains, 507; Hutche-
son's Martyrs, 415; Hutton on Truth, 369.
Importance of Literature, 510; Inglis' Sab-
bath School, 129, 371.

James' Christian Progress, 512.

PAGE

King on Presbytery, 219; Kitto's Bible Illus-
trations, 127; Kitto's Journal, 83; Kyle's
View of Glasgow, 127; Portrait of Mrs
Stowe, 366.

Leask on the Bible, 130; Lectures to Young
Men, 366; Legge's Seven Lectures, 34.
M'Causland on the Apocalypse, 367; M'Far-
lane on Tests, 60; M'Farlane's Hiding
Place, 79; M'Kerrow's Solid Reading, 511;
M'Michael's Hildebrand, 511; Marshall's
Lays, 416; Meikle's Mediatorial Dispen-
sation, 548; Miall's Basis of Belief, 555:
Mill's Symbology, 556; Mill's British Jews,
369; Milner's England, 417; Muller on
Sin, 227, 461.

North British Review, 414.
Owen's Works, 311.

Pearson's Infidelity, 350; Philip's Algiers,
370; Precentor's Guide, 33.
Rankine's Earthly Greatness, 32; Reid's
Presbyterian Church, 464; Renton's
Claims of Jamaica, 367; Renton's Synod
Sermon, 460; Russell's Poems, 558.
Scottish Review, 84; Simpson's Lecture,
129; Small's Poems, 35; Smyttan on
Christ, 513; Spence's Religion for Man-
kind, 34; Struthers' Catechism, 34, 511;
Stuart's Moral Science, 369.

Thomson's Address, 225; Tract Society
Monthly Volumes, 513; Tregelles' Prison-
ers, 370.

Uncle Tom in Free Church, 129; Uncle
Tom's Cabin, 229, 416.

Vinet's Pastoral Theology, 81, Homiletics,
557.

Wallace's Bible and Working Classes, 83;
Wardlaw on Miracles, 368; Wellington,
Sermons on, 35; Whately's Dissertation,
346; Wilson's Life of Reid, 163; Wolfe's
Messianic Prophecies, 225.
Cunninghame, Miss, at Florence,

DEGREES, HONORARY :-

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Banff,

Hildebrand and his Age,

396

Berwick,

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Buchan,

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Carlisle,

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Cupar,

Hunter, The Slothful

206

Duinfries,

Dundee,

454

Dunfermline,

103, 247, 487, 533

Edinburgh,

Elgin,

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133, 328, 516

134, 230, 418, 516, 561

38, 183, 329, 470

134, 230, 375, 470, 517
38, 279, 329, 418, 470, 561
517, 562
38, 134, 280, 329, 419, 517
134, 280, 419, 470, 517
39, 135, 183, 230, 329, 562
562
39, 231, 329, 375, 518
87, 135, 330, 375

Glasgow, 39, 83, 135, 183, 231, 330, 375, 419, 471,

Illustrations of Scripture from Scotland,

Infidelity, Popular

INDUCTIONS:-G. Blyth, 52; D. M.Rae, 520;

A. B. Sclanders, 565.

Infallibility of the Church of Rome,
INTELLIGENCE, FOREIGN:-Eastern Africa, 85;
South Africa, 132, 559; Western Africa, 182;
Burmah, 182; China, 181, 378, 479, 514; Con-
tinental Europe, 35; Caffreland, 187, 282,
377, 559; Death of Missionaries, 561; Friend-
ly Islands, 516; France, 524; Greenland, 374,
560; Jamaica, 521; Java, 468; Jerusalem,
131; Labrador, 374; Madagascar, 132, 514;
New Granada, 523; Roman Catholic Mis-
sions, 373, 513; Siam, 181; Tahiti, 469; Tur-
key, 332.

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OBITUARY:-A. Duncan, 186; W. Fraser, 473;
W Harper, 521; J Harrower, 170; R. Hun-
ter, 186, 357; D. Inglis, 137; J. Jamieson,
D.D., 186; W. Kidston, D.D., 13; F. Pa-
terson, 378: A. Scott, 186; J. Smart, 521; J.
Smith, 186; A. Tillie, 473.
ORDINATIONS:-R. S. Drummond, 520: A.
Graham, 472; W. Johnston, 186; J. Kirk-
wood, 421; J. M Farlane, 186; M. M'Naugh-
ton, 376; W. Morrison, 421; J. Rome, 137;
G. Sandy, 282; W. M. Taylor, 421; W. Wal-
ker, 565; S. Wallace, 376.

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89, 185, 281, 331, 471, 564
39, 89, 136, 331, 471, 564

Paisley and Greenock, 39, 89, 185, 233, 376, 519

564
Perth,
90, 186, 281
Stirling,
39, 136, 233, 282, 331, 420, 519
PROBATIONERS LICENSED:-

T. Baxter, 40; J. M. Erskine, 135; J.
Frame, 40; W. Fleming, 40; J. Gibson, 137;
J. Hill, 137; J. Imrie, 137; R. Knox, 233;
W. M. M'Donald, 40; J. M'Laren, 137; J.
M'Nab, 282; G. M'Queen, 40; J. C. Meikle-
john, 40; W. Morrison, 40; D. M. Morris,
137; J. G. Potter, 40; F. K. Ross, 137; A.
Shennon, 186; W. Stewart, 137; W. Taylor,
40; W. Thomson, 40; W. Walker, 40; P.
White, 137; W. C. Young, 137.
Purity of Communion, On

Qualifications of the Ministry,

Religion the Source of Happiness,

Sabbath, The, A Prize Poem,
Scholarships,

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73, 115

500

337

304

326

296, 339, 391

477

Secularism,
Secularists, Defeat of, in Edinburgh,
SIGNATURES:-A. B. T., 456; A. H., 219, 261, 304,
346; A. O., 107, 255.396, 453, 500; G. C.H., 151;
D. S., 548; H. B., 506; J. M'G, 339; J. S. K.,
442; M., 9; M. M, 24; P. R. J., 357; R. C.,
244; T., 206, 316; T.S., 414; Z., 436; Barzillai
Quaiffe, 123; George, 362; D. Gorrie, 310;
Frater, 54, 103, 199, 295, 391, 487; Lover of
Zion, 223; A Minister, 223; Nemo, 447;
Presbyter, 77, 118; D. Robertson, 224; H.M.
Waddell, 207, 263.

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454

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525

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Pope in the Pulpit,

565

Popery, Illustrations of Modern, 41, 90, 138, 475
Popery, Modern Spectacular,

255

Popish Priests' Recantation of Protestantism, 158

Unitarianism, British,

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