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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 20

Proceedings of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland, 1867, on Union, — Referred to in the Following Statement

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Proceedings of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland, 1867, on Union,

Referred to in the Following Statement.

[As we believe that great ignorance prevails throughout the Church in regard to the actual proceedings of last General Assembly of the Free Church on the subject of Union, caused partly by the fact that these proceedings were not fully or fairly reported in the Home and Foreign Missionary Record, we give the following account of what actually took place.]

On Thursday, 30th May, the Report of the Committee on Union was given in by Dr Buchanan, who also addressed the Assembly on the subject. Dr Rainy brought forward the motion on Union, of which Dr Candlish had given notice, as follows:—"That the General Assembly approve of the report, and express their grateful satisfaction with the large measure of agreement under the First Head of the Programme, as well as with the reiterated assurances of entire agreement under the Second Head. Further, the General Assembly being more than ever impressed with the duty and importance of aiming at a cordial union among all the disestablished branches of the Church of Scotland, re-appoint the Committee with the former instructions. And being of opinion, as at present advised, that, as regards the First Head of the Programme, considered in itself, there appears to be no bar to tub union contemplated, the General Assembly, while reserving final judgment on the whole case, and every part thereof, direct the Committee to give their earnest attention to the other Heads of the Programme, especially those which deal with the worship, government, and discipline of the Church, and with those important practical questions which relate to property and finance." Dr Begg proposed the following amendment:—"That the Assembly, in receiving the report laid on the table by the Com- page 4 mittee on Union with other Churches, approve of the diligence of the Committee, and re-appoint it, with its former instructions. The Assembly, at the same time,—considering the immature state of the question, the overtures now on the table, and the fact that whilst only one-third of the ministers of this Church are entitled to be present in the Assembly, the people of the Church at large have never been consulted in regard to this matter at all,—reserve their judgment on any part of the Programme till the Union Committee shall have completed its work, by bringing up a Report on all the Heads of the Programme, with definite proposals, and the grounds on which they rest, so that the General Assembly and the Church may have the whole subject before them." Mr Nixon moved:—"That the General Assembly approve of the report, and express their satisfaction with the increased and largo measure of agreement under the First Head of the Programme, as well as with the amount of harmony under the Second Head. The General Assembly continue to be deeply impressed with the duty and importance of aiming at the union of all the disestablished Churches of Scotland, and re-appoint the Committee, with former instructions. And they direct their Committee to use all diligence in prosecuting the conferences on all the subjects to be embraced, with a view to a final report, which shall contain the conclusions arrived at, with the grounds on which they rest, so that the General Assembly may be in circumstances to submit the whole question in a satisfactory form to the Church at large." The discussion on these three motions occupied the Assembly on Thursday and the forenoon of Friday. There being three motions, the House divided between the second motion (Dr Begg's) and the third (Mr Nixon's). Mr Nixon's was carried by 90 to 65. Mr Nixon's motion was then put against the motion of Dr Rainy, or rather of Dr Candlish. The division was as follows:—
For Dr Rainy's motion, 346
For Mr Nixon's, 120
Majority for Dr Rainy's motion, 226

Dr Begg then rose and said,—"Moderator, I wish to lay on the table of the General Assembly the following Protest:—'We, the subscribers, for ourselves, and on behalf of all others who may page 5 adhere, do hereby protest against the resolution now adopted by this Assembly, and that on the following, among other grounds:—1st, Because the resolution, as adopted, implies an abandonment and subversion of an admittedly constitutional principle of the Free Church of Scotland. 2nd, Because the resolution, as adopted, is ultra vires of this Assembly. For these and other reasons, we protest that we, and all other office-bearers and members of the Church, shall not be committed by the said resolution, to any action that may be taken thereupon, and shall be at liberty to oppose all such action by every competent means. (Signed) James Begg, D.D.; Peter Denny; John Forbes, D.D.; James Galbraith; Jas. Gibson, D.D.; Robt. M'Corkle, minister; James Julius Wood, D.D.; D. Thorburn, M.A.; Robt. Gault, minister; Wm. Balfour, minister; John M'Millan, elder; Patrick Borrowman, minister; A. Macbride, minister; John Irving, elder; D. Crichton, elder; Alexander Cameron, minister; D. Macdonald, elder; Wm. Moffat, minister." The Assembly appointed this Protest, with reasons, to be kept in retentis. The following Dissent, with reasons, was also given in and read, and ordered to be inserted in the minutes:—"We, the undersigned, for ourselves, and on behalf of all others who may adhere to us, dissent against the resolution now adopted by this Assembly, for the following, amongst other reasons:—1st, Because the resolution, as adopted, implies an abandonment and subversion of an undoubtedly constitutional principle of the Free Church of Scotland. 2nd, Because the resolution, as adopted, is ultra vires of this Assembly. (Signed) James Begg, D.D.; James Gibson, D.D.; John Irving, elder; James Julius Wood, D.D.; Robert Gault, minister; Thomas Gardiner, minister." To this Dissent Mr Borrowman, minister at Glencairn, and Mr M'Corkle, minister at St Ninian's, intimated their adherence. The following Dissent was also given in and read—"We dissent, because we deem the resolution come to by the Assembly as fitted to hinder, instead of furthering, the proper union of the Churches. (Signed) William Nixon, Thomas Main, James Stark, Alex. Ferguson, Thomas Hislop, John Fraser." Dr J. J. Wood, Dr Begg, Dr Gibson, Mr Nixon, Mr Main, and Captain Shepherd, then resigned their places as members of the Union Committee. A number of members afterwards adhered to the above Protest and Dissents.