hold in my hand; but I will not now trouble you with them, especially as an opportunity will occur of giving in a full report before this Assembly rises. Our object in conferring with them, and taking up Presbytery by Presbytery, was to receive statements as to the wants, and as to how such and such a parish or district was to be supplied, and whether they should be supplied through the medium of a fixed charge, or by missionary expedients. There have been various interesting facts brought out in these communications,-facts that must go, as far as facts can go, to convince an ungodly world of the reality and power of Christian principle. I cannot but repeat here what I have stated at other and smaller meetings, that it is humbling to those whose sacrifices are comparatively insignificant-bumbling to witness men making up their minds to leave the homes where they have dwelt in love and peace for years, and not merely to remove to some other town, or street, or cottage, but to be under the necessity of sending their families 60 or 70 miles from them, while they themselves must look out for some "prophet's chamber," and occupy it in solitude, that they may still be near, and minister among their flocks. What more convincing proof of the sacrifice can be given than this, that for the purpose of visiting his people, we find a man making his home in a yacht, in which a cabin has to be fitted up, living apart from his family,-sailing from island to island, and from bay to bay, having no home upon the land, but compelled to live upon the bosom of the deep? And yet these men make up their minds to such a sacrifice for the sake of the truth; and the marvel is, that they seem unaware themselves of the sacrifice they are making; and that they speak of these arrangements, just as they would speak of removing their houses from one street to another, they speak of them with the same coolness and the same indifference with which you and I would speak of removing ourselves and our families to another part of the town. This is a specimen of the high and holy principle with which they are actuated,—this calm determination to meet and overcome every difficulty which is interposed in the path of duty. In our recent conferences with our brethren of the different Synods, we have endeavoured to come to an understanding as to the way in which their parishes may be best supplied; and in the great majority of instances, we are anxious that the ministers should remain in their present charges, and provide for the religious instruction of their own congregations. But we have found instances in which this is impossible, and in which not even the contrivance of a yacht can be available to continue the constant access of a minister to his people. In these cases it will be necessary that he should be transferred to another place, from which he may occasionally visit his people, and supply their wants by a succession of missionary tours. We shall be necessitated to fall on such plans, as shall enable a minister not only to supply his own people, but to move to different parishes around him, and afford to the population, as far as possible, the means of grace; and we hope to be enabled to show how all the people adhering to us in this country may be supplied with ordinances by ministers specially entrusted with the duty. A minister, for instance, will in many cases not only have charge of his own people, but of many others around him, and, with the addition of a preacher assisting him, will afford supply on Sabbaths as regularly as possible.

Here it may be right that I should mention a suggestion which has been made, and which, when duly matured, may be of vast practical importance and utility. In the Highlands especially, we find a universal opinion prevailing amongst our brethren, that it is indispensable that we should immediately take steps for reviving the order of readers or catechists, to whom might be entrusted the duty, under proper superintendence, of supplying occasional religious services. This, according to their report, will often be a more effective way of providing the means of grace than we could otherwise hit upon by the employment of all the probationers in our service. In particular, I may mention, that in some of those districts the employment of readers or catechists is rendered all the more desirable, because of the religious movement which has there begun, and which appears to be a manifest symptom of the outpouring of the Spirit of God in the revival of His work; and there are some of the brethren whose labours God has signally honoured. Amongst others, I cannot forbear the pleasure of referring to one of our brethren, whose exertions, both in his present and his former parish, God has signally owned, and who, while con.

nected with the Establishment, endured not a little persecution on that account. I allude to the former minister of Snizort, now the pastor of Bracadale. We have been accused of agitating Scotland by our tours through her different districts; but I hold in my hand evidence,-if faithful testimony be of any weight at all, that while this holy man, and others purely minded lke himself, have been labouring largely in the different districts of the Highlands, and have been instrumental in bringing people to the Free Church, they have been still more instrumental in awakening them to the truths of Christianity. In these tours, Moderator,-in these missionary excursions,—which our brethren have been making, we have a specimen of what we must all do in our state of freedom. These are the results which, by the blessing of God, we may expect to follow on our labours. This testimony comes from entire districts in the Highlands; it comes from entire presbyteries; it is their testimony, and it is enough to overbear all we have suffered, and all we have lost. It is their testimony, that the breaking up of the Establishment is the dawning of the bright day of gospel light on a people hitherto in darkness. The etiquette of parishes is no more to be observed. All that is valuable in the parochial system will be maintained, but we will have a better parochial economy. We will revive the order of deacons, and with our other means cultivate the country piece-meal; and one glorious result of this abandonment of parochial subdivisions is that the man of God shall go freely forth over the country, without asking whether he trenches on a Moderate district or no, and proclaim to all the gospel of Christ. We shall send forth our evangelists in the spirit, and on the errand of Timothy and of Titus, to plant our churches.

I have only another remark to make; for, as I have said, this is not the time to enter into minute details. We have been endeavouring, as we went along, to arrange, not only as to the demand, but as to the supply which can be provided for the various districts; and for this purpose we must ascertain the number of preachers who are available in them. In considering this subject, we have found that some ministers may be employed with great advantage. For instance, we have found that there is a great want of Gaelic ministers in the Synod of Argyle, and we propose to let loose upon it some of the Gaelic preachers from other parts of the Highlands. We have endeavoured to take a note of the available preachers, and we find that in various Presbyteries where there is a great demand, there is a scanty supply; and it is absolutely necessary to put our hands to the work, to relieve all our available preachers from their present occupations and entanglements, and set them to work in preaching the gospel of Christ over all the land. There is only this consideration, that some of these preachers, and some of the most devoted amongst them, hold the situation of parish schoolmasters. We have had the position of the parish schoolmasters under our most serious consideration, and a committee was appointed on schools as well as on colleges, to inquire maturely into the matter. But in the mean time it does not seem desirable that parish schoolmasters, adhering to our principles, should take any precipitate steps in quitting their present position. It is not clear they can be compelled to do so. Unquestionably they lie under no moral obligation to do so. Their adherence to our Church does not amount to a forfeiture of their situations; and even though it did, they should wait at least till the arm of the law is brought to bear on them; for it is not our duty lightly to take any steps that may throw the education of our youth into the hands of those whose principles we have condemned. On this account I would greatly regret that even the exceeding demand for preachers were to cause our schools to be thrown vacant, until we have made some provision for Christian education, connected with our Free Church, being supplied to those whose teachers have removed. Were we to act otherwise, it would be a mere founding of schools for those who might be able to think and act for themselves, at the expense of leaving to the wolf those whom we ought most carefully to guard and protect. It is our paramount duty to care for the young; and for my part, rather would I increase the labour of the minister, and leave him a larger district to travel over, than supply the demand for preachers, by calling on the schoolmasters to leave their present occupation, until provision is made for their places being supplied. But there is another point worth the consideration of the Assembly, and I hope it will be well

considered before its rising: I refer to the propriety of expediting the trials of such of our students as are ready for the ministry. We have at present, in the Presbytery of Edinburgh, before us, on probationary trials, eight adhering students, -eight, the very flower of our students, who have passed their probationary examiminations, who have passed the Synod at its last meeting, and who, after undergoing their remaining trials, may well be licensed in the face of the Assembly. I see no reason, under the present circumstances of the Church, why students, who are so far advanced as they are, may not be licensed, so that they may at once go forth, clothed in the authority of preachers of the gospel. Another practical point to be attended to is, that in addition to these eight, I have been informed that there are six to come before us this summer for probationary trials. Now, we cannot afford the delay which would be occasioned by the forms which have hitherto been observed, of awaiting the consent of the Synod before procedure. We might be permitted to expedite their trials at once; and I think the Presbytery should be allowed to do so, under the circumstances of the Church, without waiting for the usual delays. I think it is worthy of consideration, whether we might not employ these students in some way or other with advantage, when they require only one session to complete their course. The harvest is so plenteous, and the labourers so few, that we must remove all obstacles out of the way of those who are assigned to the work. We must facilitate their entrance into the Church,-we have no time to wait. We must take advantage of the present opportunity. Let us not say,―There are yet four months. Our fields are already ripe unto the harvest. These suggestions, I have no doubt, will be maturely considered in connection with our ecclesiastical arrangements.

FINANCIAL SECTION OF PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE.

Dr CHALMERS then vacated the chair, which was taken by Dr Welsh,—and said, -I believe it now falls to me to deliver a very brief interim report on the part of the financial section of the Provisional Committee. I was not made aware-indeed I believe it was not resolved upon,—that an interim report should be presented to-day, till about this time yesterday,—and my whole time since has been so entirely taken up with jotting down the various notanda, or most essential points of information, so as to make out something like a report that I have not had time to call the members of the Committee together, to receive the sanction of the body over which I have the honour to preside. But I beg now to make the announcement, that previous to the preparation of the full and finished report, it is intended that the members of Committee shall have full and frequent meetings-and I propose for that end, that they should meet every morning at the Rooms, 7 North St Andrew Street, as early as possible after ten o'clock, and not later, if possible, than half-past ten, so that a full hour may be given to the work every morning, and that by means of successive meetings, we may reduce to order the various and complicated matters which constitute the business of the Financial Committee. We should feel the task greatly too ponderous, did we not confine our attention for the present to a few general items or heads; not enumerating all the various sums received, but presenting you only with a statement of the aggregates of the various items, which I will now gladly do, as succinctly and comprehensively as I can. There is a complexity in the diagram of our operations, which may afterwards come to be avoided, but which will require your attention to the following statement which I am about to submit

to you.

The Central Fund in Edinburgh, now formed, or rather in the process of forming, is made up of contributions from two distinct sources, or rather in two distinct ways either such as are directly made in the shape of donations or periodical subscriptions, or such as are made through the medium of local associations. Now, the sums received from the first class of contributors-as these are stated in the circular which is known pretty extensively now as Circular No. 1, of which we have thrown off five different impressions, just as the contributions came in-and these, recollect. are quite distinct from what comes to you through the associations—I say that, from the first class of contributors, we have to report, as the total amount of our direct offers from individuals-I call them offers, not actual gifts, because they are not lia

ble to be called up till after the disruption; but now, indeed, the disruption has taken place, and will soon be completed—the amount of direct contributions given in the name of individuals, or, in some cases, anonymously, inclusive of those from Glasgow, which are not yet printed, but which will occupy the sixth list, to be appended to a new impression of Circular No. 1-the direct donations amount to L.61,675, 5s. 3d. Then, you will observe, there is another channel through which donations come to us-they come to us through the medium of the auxiliary associations which are planted and planting in all parts of the country. I shall give an account of the state of these associations presently; but, as I have mentioned that the donations are kept distinct from the annual contributions, I may here intimate, that in the matter of donations we have received, through the medium of these associations, the sum of L.28,523. Then comes the produce of what we call the "collecting week," which we have ascertained amounts to L. 14,578. Then summing all these into one, we find that the total of the donations actually reported amounts to L. 104,776, 5s. 6d. This, you will remember, is for the Building Fund, except in some few instances, which have been most carefully marked, where the donations go to what we call the Sustentation Fund, which is distinct from the Building Fund; but the general rule is, that the donations go to the Building Fund, and the termly payments to the Sustentation Fund. Before stating the amount of the offers which have come to our knowledge in the second of these forms, that is, through the medium of associations, let me first observe, that the number of these associations, according to the latest information, is 687-687 associations in various parts of Scotland. Of these, 239 --and the reports are coming in very rapidly-of these, I say, 239 have reported their termly subscriptions; "termly," I call them, because they may be given yearly, or half-yearly, or monthly, or weekly-all of which go to the Sustentation Fund; and they, it is found, amount, putting them together, multiplying by 52-the weekly with the annual sum-these 239 associations have reported, as the total of their subscriptions which go to the Sustentation Fund, the sum of L.17,525. Again, 264 associations have reported their donations to the general Building Fund, amounting to L.28,523. I have already stated, with regard to the Building Fund, that it consists of three distinct items-the direct donations made to the Committee-the donations given through the medium of the associations-and the produce of the collecting week-which altogether amount to L. 104,776, 5s. 3d. Whereas the amount of the direct contributions going to the Sustentation Fund, and inclusive of those from Glasgow, come to L.22,606, Is. 8d., and of those coming through the medium of associations, as reported, L. 17,525, giving a sum total actually reported, of L.40,131, Is. 8d. Now, recollect that reports are daily pouring in upon usthat of these associations, some are not above two or three weeks old-and that some reports which have come in, give no return at all—for they say, "we will not give in a return till we have thoroughly canvassed our district," so that the great majority of these associations-upwards of three hundred of them, all yet busily at work, have not made any report whatever, either of donations, or of annual subscriptions. And, therefore, it is necessary that we should advert to those associations which, although in existence, have not yet reported; and in doing so, we shall take as the ground of our calculations, the average of those which have actually reported, multiplying that average by the number which have not yet reported, which will give us the whole sum which we are warranted to expect from all the associations now in operation. The number of the associations which have not yet been reported, is not, I think, to be wondered at, if you consider, in many instances, their recent formation, the time required for going through and thoroughly canvassing a neighbourhood, and the efforts which have to be made in raising the money which has been tendered. But to proceed with our calculation. L.28,523 of donations, from 264 associations, will give rise to an average of L.108 from each association. Then there are 239 returns from associations in behalf of the Sustentation Fund, and these amount in all to L.17,525, an average this of L.73. Therefore each association contributes L.73 a-year, and also presents a donation of L. 108--and this supplies sufficient data for computing the whole amount of donation we may expect from the associations now in existence, and also the amount of their annual produce. And in order to remove any impression from your minds, as if in all probability most of the richer associations

had already reported, being nearer at hand, and that it is only the poor associations that are in reserve,-let me assure you that the truth is very much the reverse. We have got our reports chiefly from the village associations, and from the associations in agricultural parts of the country-indeed, upon making inquiry this morning, they told me that only one or two returns had been received from Edinburgh; only two from Greenock; only one or two from Glasgow; and the same from Aberdeen. So that we have reason to believe, the average will be fully sustained; it is, indeed, continually fluctuating. We have an average struck every morning when the returns come in. The first average was as low as L.65, and in course of time it came as high as L.78, but there has been a little regress since, it being now L.73. We expected yesterday the return from the High Church, which would have increased the average considerably, but it has not yet arrived; but the returns from all the various associations will, I doubt not, be sent in as fast as pos sible, so as to enable us to present a far more complete and distinct report, before the conclusion of this Assembly. I confidently anticipate, however, that the average will be fully sustained in the returns of the associations that are to follow-for experience has already made it palpable, and is making it more and more so every day-that these associations will prove the sheet anchor, as it were, of the financial prosperity of our Protesting Church-their individual contributions may be small, but the aggregate produce of them all will come to a much mightier sum than you will arrive at by casting up all the donations which the rich throw into the treasury. Well, then, taking the average donation of the associations which have already reported as the ground of our calculations, we find that the total amount of donations to be expected from all the 687 associations now at work, is L.74,080, from which, if you subtract L.28,523 already reported, you have in prospect L.45,565 not reported. Then the total of the yearly subscriptions which, on the same principle, you may reckon on from these associations, is L.50,078, from which if you subtract L. 17,525 already reported, you may yet fairly expect L.32,553 from these associations, busily at work, but which have not yet reported. This calculation enables me to present the following summation of the whole. First, L.45,565 to be added to what is already reported, viz., L. 104,776, 5s. 3d. of donations for the Building Fund, will present a grand total of L. 150,341, 5s. 3d. Then by adding the sum of L.32,553 to be expected in the form of annual receipts not yet reported, from associations which have as yet sent no returns,-adding that to the sum already reported of L.40,131, 1s. 8d., will give us the grand total of annual receipts, L.72,687, Is. 8d. I know that some are fond of slumping the one of these funds with the other; but it is better to keep them separate, for they are quite heterogeneous-the one being a mere donation, the other an annual subscription, and of far greater consequence in point of value. But as a proof of the zeal of the country in our cause-and remember we have only been a few months in operation—let it be understood that the application which we have made to a generous population, has been responded to with an intensity and force to which we can give a numerical expression; for by adding the one sum to the other, we are able altogether to present you with the truly magnificent sum of L. 223,028, 6s. 11d. Now, that this average, and therefore the total amount will not only be upheld, but greatly increased, we are warranted to hope from two considerations: first, because within the sphere of each Association already formed there are so many individuals, more or less, and, in some instances a very great number, who have promised either to begin their subscriptions for the first time, or to subscribe far more liberally than they have yet done, in the event of the disruption taking place; and, secondly, because we have reason to expect, with equal confidence, that the incredulity which has kept so firm a hold of so many understandings, shall at length be overborne by an ocular demonstration of the actual reality which it can no longer withstand, and it is thus very likely that you will not only get an increase in the amount of your subscriptions from the Associations already in existence, but also from the great positive increase in the number of Associations, seeing that the country may be said to be still little more than half organised. We have further to add, that besides the sums which we have had it in our power to report, we have been made aware of the exertions which are making in many different localities, and of the liberalities there received for the sustentation