In 1820, on occasion of his presenting copies of some of his works to the theological library, and of his having succeeded in obtaining the consent of all concerned, to place the whole of the books left as a legacy by Principal Leechman, under the exclusive charge of the students in divinity, the Hall met, and through their chairman presented to him a letter of thanks. In this letter, the following passage deserves special notice, as expressive of the undisguised feelings of these rising hopes of the church:

"I should not do justice to the feelings of the Committee, nor of the other students attending the Hall, did I not express to you their gratitude to Divine Providence, for placing one over them in the theological chair, who has been so watchful over their best interests, and has allowed no opportunity, either in public or in private, to pass, without improving it in the best manner to their advantage.

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May you be long enabled to continue so successfully your exertions for the advancement of the church, and the general improvement of society."

It was within a few days after his election to the chair, Dr. Macgill received the following letter from an affectionate lay friend in Edinburgh; and I need scarcely say, that the hopes and prayers of this excellent person were amply realized in the professorial life and labours of Dr. Macgill.

"REV. AND DEAR DOCTOR,-I most sincerely congratulate you on your being chosen to fill the Divinity Chair, and must say, that the fears of the Lord's people are disappointed, and their joy and gratitude excited by a gentleman of your piety and talents being elected to such an important situation. I have no doubt but that you will endeavour, through the strength of God, to train up the young men in sound knowledge and in the fear of the Lord, and I pray that the Lord may give you much of his presence, strengthening you with all strength in the inner man,—and that the Spirit may open your understanding and give you that light and spiritual life which is so needful for you, -and that the Great Head of the church may daily supply your wants out of his fulness, enabling you to glorify him in all that you do and say, —and may you enjoy health of body, and be long spared for a blessing in that station, in which the Lord in his Providence has placed you."

Dr. Macgill lived during the transition period betwixt the cold sterility of the moderate ascendancy, and the revival of sound doctrine and popular views. At the time when he was called to the chair of theology, he found the complexion of the Divinity Hall very different from what it ought to be. The number of young men who even professed to be serious in their views, and scriptural in their creed and habits, was extremely small. The great mass of theological aspirants were merely candidates for

a comfortable living. Rigid patronage predominated; and no one had any chance of preferment, who did not enjoy the smiles of the great and the influential. The lectures of the professor it was necessary to attend upon, as a matter of form required by the laws of the church; but any thing beyond this was not thought of by the students. The reading of newspapers in the class-room during the professor's lecture was quite common; and any young man who adopted a higher standard of study than what was the ordinary measure, became the butt of heartless ridicule. In this state of matters, Dr. Macgill felt it to be his duty to introduce a rigid discipline; and he persevered in its maintenance with a noble disinterestedness. The more careless students were rebuked by the uncompromising dignity of the conscientious professor, and the pious but modest enquirers after truth were encouraged and cheered. A change to the better was soon apparent in the Hall. Its moral atmosphere was purified; and under the associated influences of sound theology and enlightened piety, many young men were trained to the service of the sanctuary, who are now among the most faithful and useful ministers of the Church of Scotland.

The moral effect of Dr. Macgill's labours and influence as Professor of Theology, was mightily augmented by the character of his illustrious successor in the Tron Church. It was in 1812 the mind of Dr. Chalmers was first roused to the perception of holy truth in its relations to eternity,

and the splendid endowments of his noble genius consecrated to the cross of the Redeemer. In 1815 he came to Glasgow, and his settlement there forms a new and propitious era in the history of the revival of sound doctrine in the Church of Scotland. He opened a new vein in the mine of theology. The students of divinity flocked to hear his original and heart-stirring discourses from the pulpit. The vapidness of moderatism soon fell to a discount; and as his election to the charge was the death of patronage in the council of Glasgow, so his labours in the Tron and in St. John's proved the germ of spiritual life in many of the future pastors of our land.

The ascendancy of the evangelical party had been in the mean time imperceptibly hastened on by other causes. The case of Mr. Leslie in 1806, was an instrument of great damage to the dominant party, whose hitherto presumed infallibility it completely disproved. There is scarcely a conceivable mode of possible blundering in the procedure of church courts, a parallel or archetype of which may not be found in the far-famed case of Mr. Leslie. On the character of the motives of the moderate interest too, in their zeal for the clerical aspirant after the mathematical chair, the discussion of this case inflicted a fatal blow. The talented and cutting "letters" to Dr. Hill, Dr. Inglis, and Dr. Brunton-anonymous at the time, but since known to have been the productions of Andrew Thomson-contributed in no common de

gree to help on the catastrophe of moderatism. Dr. Thomson was himself brought to Edinburgh as one of its ministers in 1810, and his appearances in the presbytery, together with his powerful advocacy of sound principles in the pages of his wellknown periodical, "The Christian Instructor," were of eminent service in consolidating the evangelical interest. The erection of chapels within the bounds of St. Cuthbert's parish, and the settlement in each of able and effective pastors by the choice of the large and influential kirk session of that extensive parish, helped on the same great object. Dr. Thomson was cut off just at the time when he and others of his friends had begun to anticipate the ascendancy of evangelical principles; but his name and his invaluable services share together an imperishable renown.

The rapid progress of liberal opinions in the state, and the rise of the middle classes, have contributed powerfully to bring about a consummation which was long ardently wished, but little expected, by many of the best men in the land. The extension of civil privileges, almost necessarily carried with it an irresistible demand for such as are religious also. The people of Scotland will not be slaves in the church, while they are freedmen in the state. And hence "the veto act;" which, though a clumsy device, was a mighty advance on what went before. It has led to consequences most propitious. Great principles have been agitated and settled. The voice of Scotland's