companies this report; on reference to which it
will be found, that while to the other presbyteries
the payments have been on the increase, there is
a great reduction in that to the Presbytery of
Lancashire, as was anticipated would be the case
in last report. The expenditure during the pre-
sent year may be expected greatly to exceed in
proportion that for the nine months just closed,
supposing the Church puts forth her energies in
extending her missionary operations, and congre-
gations vigorously carry out the injunctions of the
Synod so as to entitle them to the full benefit of
the Supplemental Fund. It is to be remembered
that the Supplemental Scheme, so much required
and so cordially adopted at the meeting of last
Synod, cannot possibly be maintained unless both
contributors and receivers take a generous interest
in its general working, striving equally to augment
its resources as well as to moderate their particular
claims. If this is not done, it must be obvious
that the Church will place the Committee whom
it appoints under insuperable difficulties in the
administration of their trust. This fund is all
important, and any faltering as to its support will
have worse effects than if it had never been
established; while a vigorous and persevering
maintenance of it will consolidate our Church
and vastly promote its efficiency in the land."
This report accounts for the small amount of
receipts that you find, in the Committees'
balance-sheet, reported this year in favour of the
Mission. The Synod, at its last meeting, resolved |
to close its financial year in December, three
months earlier than usual. It was therefore ne-
cessary that some one of the Schemes of the
Synod should have the annual collection thrown
out of its calculations and statement of ac-
counts. This was the fate of the Home Mission,
its collection being the last raised. As, however,
the seasons at which the collections will be made
for the individual Schemes are now to continue
permanently fixed, any similar irregularity will be
avoided in time coming.

Since, however, the closing of the annual accounts, on the 31st December, collections and contributions have been received to a considerable amount, of which the Treasurer submits the following interim report :-"The receipts during the period from 31st December to 31st March amount to 4931. 6s., of which sum 444. has been the result of fifty-three collections; 197. 14s. 6d. the produce of seven Congregational Associations; and 14. 16s. 7d. from donations. The Treasurer has much pleasure in observing that the Associations are beginning to shew greater indications of activity, and consequently of fruit. The disbursements during the above period, including some outstanding claims amount to about 2007." This amount now reported by the Treasurer, added to the sums already mentioned, brings up the revenue of the Committee since last meeting of Synod to the sum of 634. 13s. 2d., an amount which your Committee are persuaded may be greatly increased with little additional effort, and which must be greatly increased if the Church is to preserve its attitude of an Evangelistic body in the land.

It is to be feared that the Church throughout is not yet alive to the importance of missionary enterprise generally, and of the Home Mission scheme in particular, or the necessity that is laid on the congregations already existing in our Church to exercise liberality for the extension of its borders. And your Committee, without presuming to dictate, would question whether the duty and privilege of Christian liberality are made to occupy so important a place in the preaching of our ministers as they did in the teaching of the apostles; and whether the people are sufficiently apprized of the rule which the word of God furnishes as the measure of Christian liberality, even the measure of prosperity wherewith the Lord has visited themselves. Your Committee are persuaded that the frequent and fervent appliance of this argument to the hearts and consciences of those who have personally found the value of a Saviour, and who appreciate the truths of His Gospel, will result in more abundant manifestations of Christian benevolence among the members of our communion. The first of Christian graces is charity, and liberality is love's first fruit.

Your Committee are of opinion that, by such means, the congregational collections might be materially increased, both in number and in amount. Heretofore they have formed the principal source of revenue to the Mission; and if, as the Treasurer predicts, the call upon the Committee's funds will this year be increasingly heavy, then clearly will it be necessary that our collec

tions become at once more numerous and more
liberal. Of the congregations of the Church
there are nearly twenty who have as yet remitted
no collection; and it augurs ill of the spiritual
state of any people who, when claims so powerful
are urged upon them, fail to open their hearts and
their hands in response to the appeal.
But your Committee are further of opinion that
beside the annual collections, a large share of the
resources of the Mission should be derived from
Congregational Associations. It is believed that
without diminishing the amount of collections,
the effective working of Associations would open
up a new and most productive source of revenue.
With no extension of their resources, beyond the
congregational collections, the Committee may be
able to keep the agency already existing in opera-
tion; but unless the Associations become more
numerous, better organized, and more productive,
it is clear that new schemes of enterprise cannot
be devised, new operations cannot be attempted,
nor a more generous measure of liberality ex-
hibited towards stations existing, which really
require more of the Synod's fostering care.
The Associations established are, it is feared, not
numerous; those in active operation very few;
and those who are materially aiding the funds
still fewer. Your Committee trust that this will
be remedied. They are not unaware of the diffi-
culties attendant upon the establishment of such
a machinery in many-nay, in all their congre-
gations; but the attempt should be made in all ;
reports and remittances should be stated and
regular. The spirit of liberality would grow
with the habit, and the fruits would grow pro-
portionally. It is only by engendering a habit of
giving that this result can be accomplished, and
your Committee would submit whether it is by
folding the hands, and recounting the difficulties,
and magnifying the discouragements, that such a
habit can be formed ; but by activity, energy, and
constancy of effort, which would effect in our
congregations results no less signal than have
followed the systematic labours of the Free
Church in Scotland, and of the Wesleyans in
England. Until such an active agency be at work
amongst us, your Committee are persuaded that
the Church is not fully availing herself of her
own capabilities. The value of the accumulation
of littles is not appreciated because it is not
known; but this will be the least of the evils
resulting from such apathy. The Church will
fail of interesting the sympathies and enlisting
the prayers of her poorer members in the cause,
and your congregations will miss the diffusion of
blessing which will uniformly attend the diffusion
of giving. Previous want of success ought not to
discourage, but to stimulate to increased exertion
and untiring zeal, and ultimately the triumph
will be secured. Some localities are more difficult
than others, but no locality is hopeless; and if

the office-bearers of our congregations were
forming the resolution not to be dissuaded from,
but to persist in their purpose until its accomplish-
ment, your Committee would venture on asserting
that in the great majority of your congregations
Missionary Associations will be organized and in
active operation before a fourth report is laid on
the table of the Synod.

And your Committee are persuaded that these
results will be materially accelerated by the
frequent employment of deputations from the
Synod, visiting the different Presbyteries of the
Church. Some attempts have already been made
in this way, and their sanitory efforts on the
Church were not long in being visible. The more
frequent use of such an agency would doubtless
lead to still more beneficial consequences. Your
Committee feel that the Synod will have a diffi-
culty in sending such deputations from a distance,
but when this is impossible, the frequent inter-
change of such deputations by contiguous Pres-
byteries will be eminently beneficial in infusing
a greater measure of general interest and of a
common spirit.

There is another practical subject to which your Committee feel called on to make reference. The Supplemental Fund, which was established at last Synod for the assistance of weaker congregations, has not yet effected the purposes for which it was designed to the extent that was anticipated. This has not arisen from any defect in the principle of the measure itself, for your Committee are as fully persuaded as ever that the Scheme is calculated to be a signal blessing to the Church, if the assistance given is regulated by proper principles. But your Committee have reason to believe that a misapprehension has existed to a considerable extent as to the nature and intention of the Supplemental Fund: and

that an idea has been entertained that if the contributions of any congregation fell under the amount of minimum stipend, all that was required was this,-that the Presbytery should attest the accuracy of the returns, and that forthwith the deficiency should be made up from the supplemental treasury.

Your Committee never entertained such an opinion regarding the terms of their appointment, and can employ no language too strongly expressive of their sense of the evil effects which the Supplemental Fund would entail upon the Church, if it was allowed to affect congregations in the way of paralyzing their efforts or stereotyping their liberality within its old limits. Your Committee are of opinion that it is the duty of Presbyteries to see that congregational liberality should bear some proportion to congregational ability; and when the propriety of making any grant, or when the amount of a grant agreed to be made is under consideration, your Committee have been of opinion that they would not be fulfilling the object of their appointment faithfully if they failed to weigh patiently all the circumstances as well as claims of applying congregations, and make their grant in its amount to bear some proportion to the capabilities and contributions of the applicants. Your Committee hope that their duty, in this respect, will be easier for the future than it has been during the year now closed; and that all parties will manifest a generous rivalry for the advancement of the common object.

Finally, your Committee, while recording with devout thankfulness to Almighty God the foregoing indications of the Lord's goodness to our Church during the bygone year, would rejoice were they able to speak more of the spiritual revival of its congregations. What will outward manifestations avail unless there be more inward life? Oh, it is well to devise schemes-it is well to organize agencies-it is well to stimulate by encouragements-it is well to quote the prophecy of the historian of the Reformation that Presbyterianism has a great work to do in England-and it is well that we look and long for the fulfilment of his prediction; but while doing all this, oh let us not forget to look above all instruments to Him who can cause the "little one to become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation." And let it be cur prayer that the "Lord should hasten it in His time."

To the Editor of the English Presbyterian Messenger. SIR,--Our friends in Northumberland will, dare say, be interested in the following entry in the diary of Adam Martindale. He says,

66

Being wearied with so many changes of habitation, I at last removed my family to mine house at Leigh, in the beginning of May 1684, at which time I was sent by my Lord and Lady Delamere, to Sir Ralph Delavalls of Seaton Delavall, seven miles beyond Newcastle in Northumberland, about a marriage betweene his sonne and my Lord's youngest daughter, where the providence of God did not onely succeed me in my businesse, but also watch over me in two respects.

and his partners in Yorkshire, from whom "1. Of the barbarous robber Brawdrick, God delivered me, though I passed and repassed through the place which they haunted.

"2. Of a dangerous ford, through a river neare Poole, which probably I had taken for want of better direction from my guide that set me that way, had not God provided me a better guide at the river's side, to direct to a safe ford not farre off."

Adam Martindale was Chaplain to Lord Delamere, a great Patron of the Presbyterian cause, who died at Durham, August 10, 1684.

Leigh is about ten miles from Manchester. Adam Martindale was born September 1623. Can any of your readers give me any account of the outlaw Brawdrick, this chief of banditti?

The merchant started and looked up-there
seemed a change to have passed over the
whole form of his visitor, whose eye was
fixed on him with a calm, intense, penetrating
expression that subdued him—he drew back,
covered his face, and made no reply.
"Five years ago," said the stranger, "when
you lay at the brink of the grave, and thought
that if you died then you would leave a
family unprovided for, do you remember how
you prayed? Who saved you then?”

money, I believe. This is the fourth object | for agony-upon whom did you call that this year for which I have been requested tonight?" double my subscription, and this year has been one of heavy family expenses-building and fitting up this house, carpets, curtainsno end to the new things to be bought. I do not see really how I am to give a cent more to charity. Then, there are the bills for the boys and girls; they all say they must have twice as much now as before we came to this house; wonder if I did right in building it?" And Mr. A- glanced unceasingly up and down the ceiling, and around on the costly furniture, and looked into the fire in silence. He was tired, harrassed, and sleepy - his head began to swim, and his eyes closed. He was asleep. In his sleep he thought he heard a tap at the door; and there stood a plain, poor-looking man, who in a voice singularly low and sweet asked for a few moments' conversation with him. Mr. A— asked him into the parlour, and drew him a chair near the fire. The stranger looked attentively round, and then turning to Mr. A-, presented him with a "It is your last year's subscription to paper: missions," said he;" you know all the wants of that cause that can be told you; I came to see if you had anything more to add to it."

--

un

This was said in the same low and quiet voice as before; but for some reason accountable to himself, Mr. A- was more embarrassed by the plain, poor, unpretending man, than he had been in the presence of any one before. He was for some moments silent before he could reply at all, and then in a hurried and embarrassed manner he began the same excuses which had appeared so satisfactory to him the afternoon before-the hardness of the times, the difficulty of collecting money, family expenses, &c.

The stranger quietly surveyed the spacious apartment, with its many elegancies and luxuries, and without any comment took from the merchant the paper he had given, but immediately presented him with another.

"This is your subscription to the Tract Society; have you anything to add to it? You know how much it has been doing, and how much more it now desires to do, if Christians would only furnish means. Do you not feel called upon to add something to it?" Mr. A was very uneasy under this appeal; but there was something in the still, mild manner of the stranger that restrained him; but he answered, that though he regretted it exceedingly, his circumstrances were such that he could not this year conveniently add to any of his charities.

The stranger received back the paper without any reply, but immediately presented in its place the subscription to the Bible Society, and in a few clear and forcible words reminded him of its well-known claims, and again requested him to add something to his donation. Mr. A- became impatient.

"Have I not said," he replied, "that I can do nothing more for any charity than I did last year? There seems to be no end to the calls in these days. At first there were only three or four objects presented, and the sums required moderate-now the objects increase every day, and call upon us for money; and all, after we have given once, want us to double and treble and quadruple our subscriptions. There is no end to the thing. We may as well stop in one place as another."

The stranger took back the paper, rose, and fixing his eye on his companion, said, in a voice that thrilled to his soul,

"One year ago to-night you thought that your daughter lay dying,-you could not rest

The stranger drew yet nearer, and said, in a still lower and more impressive tone, "Do you remember fifteen years since, that time when you felt yourself so lost, so helpless, so hopeless, when you spent day and night in prayer; when you thought you would give the world for one hour's assurance that your sins were forgiven you? Who listened to you then?

"It was my God and Saviour," said the
merchant, with a sudden burst of remorseful
feeling, “O yes, it was he."
called on too often?" inquired the stranger;
"And has he ever complained of being
in a voice of reproachful sweetness.
added he, "are you willing to begin this
Say,"
night and ask no more of him, if he from this
night will ask no more from
you?

"O never, never, never," said the merchant, throwing himself at his feet; but as he spake the words the figure seemed to vanish, and he awoke with his whole soul stirred within him.

---

"O God and Saviour! what have I been doing!" he exclaimed. "Take alleverything-what is all that I have to what take thou hast done for me?"-H. E. Beecher Stowe.

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No. XIV.
CONTENTS:-

I. Simeon and his Predecessors.
II. Financial History of England.
III. De Wette and his Translator.
IV. German Lady Novelists.
V. China.

IN the following verses, viz., 6, 7, 8, we have
a specification of divers offices and the THE NORTH BRITISH
duties of them; the due observance of which
is the peace and growth of the Church,
and makes all go on sweetly and faithfully.
Not to insist on the distinction of office, as
ministry may comprise all, though sometimes
peculiar to deacons, sometimes taken for
teachers or pastors: here it is general, and
the particulars following distribute it; some
are to teach, which is doctorial; some to
exhort, which is more pastoral; some are to
give, which is more proper to deacons; some
have their whole charge to rule as elders;
some are particularly for attendance on the
sick. But in all, fidelity and sedulity are
required."-Leighton's Lecture on Rom. xii.

"Some men have honour thrust upon them."
Poor Leighton, pious and heavenly-minded,
but weak and irresolute in action, had the
unscriptural honour of diocesan bishop thrust
upon him; and having accepted it in spite
of his scriptural testimony, as given above,
to the true offices in Christ's Church, he
miserably spent a few years in Scotland, and
soon left his country, broken spirited, and
ashamed of the prelatical party, and unable
any longer to appear in opposition to the
people of God, who, being faithful in less as
well as in great things, remained true to
Presbyterian principles.

SOME have cursed the day of their first
second or new birth.
birth, but never any cursed the day of their

truth; but we may not go from truth to
WE may and should go from men to follow
follow men.

VI. Indian Politicals.

VII. The Scottish Law of Entail.
VIII. David Hume.

IX. Photography.

X. Crime in Ireland.
XI. Dr. Chalmers.

REVIEW.

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PRESBYTERIAN

TAMEN

CONSU

BATUR

MESSENGER.

THE great thing in the Church is Christ,-the eternal deity of Christ, the blood of Christ, the Spirit of Christ, the presence of Christ among us. The great thing is Christ, but there is also advantage in a certain government of the Church. I am a Presbyterian, not only of situation, but of conviction and choice. Our Presbyterian way is the good middle way between Episcopacy on the one side, and Congregationalism on the other. We combine the two great principles that must be maintained in the Church-Order and Liberty; the order of government, and the liberty of the people.-MERLE D'AUBIGNE.

HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH IN ENGLAND.

(Continued from page 435.)

Presbyterian Church, Whitehaven

succeeding reign, until the laws and spirit of
the British Constitution prevailed over the
authority of the Star Chamber and other
illegal tribunals.

Whether these Canons are still binding on

The Book of Canons-Archbishops Bancroft the clergy is a question which at present
and Abbott-The Book of Sports-The divides the English Church. They certainly
Treaties with Spain and France-Encou-have never been repealed; and until they
ragement of Popery-Duplicity of King are, there remains good ground within the
James-His last Speech and Death-
Established Church for superstitious men to
Birth and Baptism of Charles I.-Early introduce the fooleries, and designing men to
Education and Habits-Marriage with work the mischief, which the Oxford Trac-
Henrietta Maria of France-Influence of tarians have done in our own days.
Popery-Spread of Puritanism—Charles'
first Parliament-Encroachments of the
Crown-Resistance by the Commons-State
of Parties-Summary of the Antagonist
Principles-The Bill of Rights-The Pro-

testation-Dissolution of Parliament. THE Hampton Court Conference is over; not without some good result. The English Reformers have learned that it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes. They have been taught the folly of resting on the word of man, especially so worthless and treacherous a man as this King James I.

After the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605, the severities against the Puritans were much increased. Although it was universally known that this was a Popish plot for getting rid of the King and the Royal family with all the leading Protestant nobles and commoners at one blow, yet the King, in his speech on the 9th of November, made every apology for the Papists, and took occasion to attack and reproach the Puritans.

Bancroft was now Archbishop of Canterbury, having succeeded Whitgift; the same who at Paul's Cross first preached the divine right of prelacy, and who now with all his During the following year THE BOOK OF heart led the persecution against the NonCANONS was drawn up and passed by the two conformists. At his death, in 1610, he was Houses of Convocation. The book contains succeeded by George Abbott, a prelate of a one hundred and forty-one articles, collected very different stamp. He was a sound Proout of the Episcopal and Synodical Acts of testant, a thorough Calvinist, an avowed the preceding reigns. The Canons were rati- enemy of Popery, and even suspected of fied by the King's letters patent under the Puritanism, because he relaxed the penal great seal, but were never confirmed by Act laws. Whereby," says Lord Clarendon, of Parliament. They therefore were not "he unravelled all that his predecessor had binding on the lay members of the Church, been doing for many years. He inquired who were unrepresented in Convocation. but little after the strict observation of the Nevertheless, those parts requiring confor- discipline of the Church, or conformity to the mity, and visiting with censure or excommu- Articles or Canons established, and did not nication all opposition, were enforced on the think so ill of the Presbyterian discipline as laity with great severity, during this and the he ought to have done [hear, hear!] but if

men prudently forbore a public reviling at
the hierarchy and ecclesiastical government,
they were secure from any inquisition from
him, and were equally preferred. His house
was a sanctuary to the most eminent of the
factious party, and he licensed their perni-
cious writings." "Bancroft's rigour," says
Southey, in his "Book of the Church,"
less injurious than the counter-conduct of his
successor Abbot. Bancroft had nearly suc-
ceeded in weeding out the discontented
ministers; under Abbot's patronage they
became numerous enough to form a formid-
able party."

99# 66 was

The latter part of his primacy was spent in retirement from the Court, and without much interference with ecclesiastical affairs. Having accidentally wounded a man mortally with an arrow, in a deer-hunt, the occasion was gladly seized for accepting his resignation of public duty. The affairs of the Church were thenceforth chiefly managed by Laud, then Bishop of London, who, on Abbot's death, in 1633, succeeded to the see of Canterbury.

In 1612 two events happened in the Royal family; the one destined ultimately to establish the Protestant cause in England, the other bringing at the time a heavy blow and great discouragement. The King's daughter, Elizabeth, was married to Frederick V., Elector Palatine of the Rhine, from whom the present Royal family is descended. During the preparations for this marriage the heir-apparent, Prince Henry, died suddenly at the age of eighteen, not without suspicion of poison. That this should have been laid to the King's charge, we state not in belief of any good evidence thereof, but to shew what was the popular estimate of the character of their monarch. The King, it is well known, was

"Book of the Church," end of chap. xvi.

jealous of his son's popularity, and showed his dislike in very unworthy methods. The disposition of the Prince was directly the reverse of that of his father, being generous, temperate, and honourable. He was often heard to express his grief on account of the state of religious affairs; and said, that "if ever he mounted the throne, his first care should be to try to reconcile the Puritans to the Church of England."

laws to be put in execution against Popish | companion, Charles was sent to Madrid to
recusants as they were before these treaties." prosecute his suit with the Infanta of Spain.
Not many weeks or months after these The years spent in that atmosphere were no
solemn appeals the King was in treaty with way favourable to the moral or intellectual
Louis XIII. for his sister, Henrietta Maria, growth of the Prince. The match having
for Charles. The Archbishop of Ambrun been broken off chiefly through the machina-
being sent over, obtained from the King a tions of Buckingham, King James entered
promise to endeavour a compromise between into negotiation with Louis XIII. of France,
Protestants and Papists. The King wrote to as we have already stated. The marriage
the Pope on the subject; in which letter he with Henrietta Maria took place immediately
styled him Christ's Vicar, and Head of the on Charles' accession, and before the solem-
Church universal, and assured him that he nity of his father's funeral. The Queen
would declare himself a Catholic as soon as arrived from France in June, 1625, accom-
he could provide against the inconveniences of panied by a train of Popish priests and
such a declaration. Meanwhile full toleration attendants; a Nuncio from Rome, and several
was given to Roman Catholics in England, able Jesuits being of the party. These con-
and the treaty of marriage was signed, con- trolled the Queen, and she the King, so that
taining thirty-three public articles, and three in effect the English Court was very much
secret ones, wherein the same, or greater governed by Popish influence till the Long
advantages were stipulated for the Catholics Parliament.
than in those of Madrid. This in the face of
all the solemn protestations so recently made;
God being his judge! While waiting for the
dispensation of the Pope, a sudden ague
seized the King, and he was hurried away by
death in the midst of this practical lie: an
instance of the fearful end that often over-
takes the hypocrite!

In the year 1618, in order to discourage Puritanism and to meet the charge of overstrictness made by Papists against the Reformed Religion, the King published a Declaration for authorizing sports on the Lord'sday. The Proclamation, which was commanded to be read in all churches, declared, "That for his good people's recreation, his Majesty's pleasure was, that, after the end of Divine service, they should not be disturbed, letted, or discouraged from any lawful recreations; such as dancing, either of men or women, archery for men, leaping, vaulting, or any such harmless recreations; nor having of May-games, Whitsunales, or Morricedances, or setting up of May-poles; or other sports therewith used, so as the same may be had in due and convenient time, without impediment or let of Divine service." This Southey, in the "Book of the Church," Royal Proclamation was not enforced at this gives another estimate of his character:-"If time with much severity; what fruit it bore few men," he says, "have been betrayed into at a later period, under Laud's management, greater faults than James by mere facility of will be seen in the history of the next reign. temper, there are few whom posterity has so Of the events in Scotland consequent upon unjustly depreciated. His talents were quick the attempts to set up Episcopacy there and lively, his understanding sound, and his of the movements in Holland connected with acquirements such as fairly entitled him to a the Arminian controversy, and the proceed-place among the learned men of a learned age. ings of the Synod of Dort-of the settlements in Ulster by English Puritans and by Presbyterians from Scotland; and the establishment of the Irish Church under the primacy of the excellent Usher-of these and other events in foreign parts during King James' reign we cannot speak particularly, as bearing only indirectly on the history of English Presbyterianism.

One great work achieved through the King's direction was the translation of the Scriptures in the version now commonly used, which, in spite of some faults and glosses here and there, is on the whole the best extant.

At the opening of his last Parliament the King made a speech, in which the following declaration occurs:-"I can truly say, and will avouch it before the seat of God and angels, that never King governed with a purer, sincerer, and more uncorrupt heart than I have done. It has been talked of my remissness in maintenance of religion, and suspicion of a toleration of Popery; but as God shall judge me, I never thought nor meant, nor ever in word expressed anything that savoured of it." The Parliament, on the strength of this declaration, advised his Majesty to break off the Spanish match; to declare war for the recovery of the Palatinate to his brother-in-law, the Elector; and to enforce the laws against the Jesuits and seminary priests. The King replied: "What religion I am of my books declare. I wish it may be written in marble, and remain to posterity as a mark upon me, when I shall swerve from my religion; for he that dissembles with God is not to be trusted with men. I protest before God, that my heart hath bled when I have heard of the increase of Popery. God is my judge, it hath been such a grief to me, that it hath been as thorns in my eyes and pricks in my sides. It hath been my desire to hinder the growth of Popery; and I could not be an honest man if I had done otherwise. I will order the

As he grew older he perceived wherein his
opinions had been erroneous, and he was not
ashamed to acknowledge and act upon the
conviction of his maturer mind."

It may be that we have too much depre-
ciated the character of James I. We have
said enough, at any rate, to make Presby-
terians feel little regret that so learned and
wise a monarch gave to another Church the
weight of "his maturer convictions."

Charles I. was born at Dunfermline, in Fifeshire, on the 19th of November, 1600. So weak was he at his birth, that it was hardly expected he would survive his infancy, and, consequently, he was hastily baptized on the 23d December, without any of those ceremonies which usually attend the baptism of Royal infants.

If, as some say, Baptism is Regeneration, it was a Presbyterian minister who had the honour of Christening this Royal saint and martyr. Mr. David Lindsay officiated, who was created by King James "Bishop of Ross." Ten years after the nomination of Lindsay to the bishopric, in order to put an end to the scandal that the King had created spiritual offices, he and several others were summoned to London to receive from English prelates the genuine "virtue" of Episcopal ordination. The additional sanction of apostolic succession did not, however, reconcile the people of Scotland to the appointments of the King. In countries where the scriptural system of Presbytery prevails, Bishops do not command any greater respect because appointed and consecrated according to the most correct forms of ecclesiastical precedent.

When King James came to the English crown he took care to place his son under those who gave him an early aversion to everything connected with the Presbyterian Church. The young Prince had also the great disadvantage of being much in the company of Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, as unprincipled a courtier as ever had influence near the English throne. With this man as his

Meanwhile, during these troublous times, men of God, regardless of the political clouds and storms, had been scattering throughout England the imperishable seed of the word. The blood of martyrs had not been shed even at Oxford in vain. At Cambridge, those crowded and admiring assemblies, where Perkins or Cartwright delivered to the University the weighty words of truth, were not without permanent effect. The truth was then "committed to faithful men, who should be able to teach others also."* This is the true apostolic succession; and in the strength of it these faithful men went everywhere preaching the Word. Of the ejected ministers, many went to America,† or to foreign parts, but others continued to brave danger in their own country. The lectures, or "prophesyings," which were put down in the days of Queen Elizabeth, had been revived. These lectures were the means of diffusing the light of the Gospel into many dark corners of the land. Connived at by Abbot and some of the Bishops, and supported by influential and wealthy laymen, many of these itinerating preachers maintained the cause of truth when the conforming clergy of the Church were compelled to be silent, or at best to give an uncertain sound. The result of this was, that all over England the Puritans were already numerous. And this not only among the lower and middle classes; in the higher ranks were many devout and noble men, true Christian patriots, ready to stand forth in defence of the truth of God, as well as the liberty of their country.

No sooner did the King meet the new Parliament than it was found that there was a spirit and resolution in the House to oppose the advancing encroachments of the Crown. Henry VIII. did what he pleased by making a tool of Parliament, Charles designed to rule independent of Parliament. In order to obtain supplies, both for his public and private uses, it was necessary, however, to have the form of applying for subsidies. His requests for aid were usually met by complaints of grievances, both as to matters civil and religious.

The two great objects to which Charles, with his councillors in Church and State, directed their efforts were, First, ABSOLUTE MONARCHY; and, Secondly, PRELATIC UNIFORMITY. To exalt the power of the Crown at the expense of the privileges of Parliament and the rights of the people, was the