Now, III. Is the Free Church calmly to contemplate the state of its revenue as now announced? It will be noticed that the stipends of the minister for the past year is somewhat less than the sum which the fund afforded for the year 1845-6. At the same time, the extension of the Church has been gradually advancing; and this is just saying, in other words, that the ministers of the Free Church are now bearing the expense of extending it. The stipends were last year rendered stationary. They are this year diminished, because the additions made to the number of ministers have prevented the increase of the dividend to each; and the Sustentation Committee believe that the announcement of this will be the signal for increased exertions in the cause. Hitherto this all-important fund has received, the Committee cannot but fear, too little attention from the Church at large. It continues at present very much as it was during the first year of its organization; and circumstances now demand that renewed efforts be made to carry forward the Scheme to the place of importance that belongs to it. The Committee feel increasing confidence in the fact that the energies and resources of the Church, blessed by her Head, are fully equal to all she is called to undertake; it is not diminished zeal among her adherents. It is not even the pressure of the present state of our country; but other and still deeper causes account for our present position; and the Committee would now beg to call the attention of the Assembly to the remedy which they presume to recommend for this state of things.

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"1. It ought to be settled that the minimum of stipend to the ministers of the Free Church should be £150 per annum.

"2. A pastoral address, exclusively on this subject, should be circulated among all our families, subscribed by the Moderator of this Assembly.

"3. The General Assembly should appoint an early day on which the minister in the Church should bring the matter before his flock, by preaching on it. There is reason to fear that this fund has come to be regarded very much as a matter of finance. The scriptural principles and motives from which it should be supported are, in some cases, lost sight of. There is danger lest men should think that they are giving to the minister, instead of giving to the Lord, for the promoting of his glory, by upholding his gospel. Convinced that the progress of this, and all our schemes, must essentially depend on the growth of pure religion in the hearts of men, efforts have been made during the past six months to recall men's minds to the high and scriptural motives from which the fund should be upheld. Meetings have been held, sermons preached, and other means employed; but the Committee hope that the Assembly will now adopt measures which, if blessed from on High, may effectually promote the great end for which the fund was established.

"In farther prosecution of this object, a plan like the following might be adopted :— (1.) It might be an instruction to the Sustentation Committee to select two ministers of standing in the Church to visit every Presbytery, to converse with the elders and deacons, as well as ministers of the bounds, and adopt the other measures to which circumstances might point for the extension of the fund.

"(2.) In addition to this, a sufficient number of ministers and elders should be appointed to visit the whole of Scotland, at once to explain the principles of the Free Church, and especially those of this fund. By the ever-needed blessing upon such endeavours, this important department of the Church's procedure might acquire its proper rank. Instead of being regarded as one among many schemes, it would then stand out in its native importance, as THE GREAT FUND of the Church, as that on which all the rest mainly depend, under God, for their prosperity and vigour.

"The Committee are the more earnest in pressing the adoption of some such measures as those now recommended, from the well-known fact that there are many thousands in the Free Church who still contribute nothing to the Central Fund. Let these adherents be roused to discharge their duty to the principles which they hold, or to Him who has done such great things for us, and all that the Church requires will be, by God's blessing, overtaken. We have reason to bless God for the spirit of liberality imparted to thousands of our people, but many have not yet fully recognised their duty to Him who imparted these blessings, and the Church will be thoroughly successful only when all have realized their duty, and resolved through grace to do it. "It is deemed unnecessary for the Sustentation Committee to refer to the various topics remitted to the Select Committee. There are, however, some details regard

ing which the Committee now to be appointed require the guidance of the Assembly. For example, at last Assembly the Presbyteries were instructed to deal with congregations when about to call a minister, to ascertain how far they were doing their duty to the Sustentation Fund, and to transmit an extract of their minute on the subject to the Committee. That regulation has been acted on during the past year, with benefit, the Committee believe, though in some cases perhaps a settlement has been proceeded with, even when the congregation did not appear to be fully alive to their duty to the fund. To remedy that evil in time to come, the Committee suggest that in the event of a difference of opinion between the Presbytery and the Committee, the whole case should be referred to the next meeting of the Assembly, or its Commission.

"It will be remembered that, at last Assembly, the Sustentation Committee were instructed to increase the number of inspectors of Associations. During part of the past year, five have accordingly been employed; but the experience of the past enables the Committee to report that a smaller number may now suffice. Among those who have thus been of service to the Church, the Committee cannot but notice the gratuitous and important labours of John Wilson, Esq. Edington Mains, who visited and addressed nearly all the congregations in the Presbyteries of Dunse and Chirnside, and Kelso.

"The Committee presume that the Assembly will instruct them to publish the amount of supplements in detail, as in former years.

"And now, on a retrospect of the year, the Committee have to report, that while they regret the limited progress of the fund, as now announced, only the assiduity and zeal of the Superintendent of Associations, Mr Handyside, could have maintained our system as it has been. The habit of contributing is not yet sufficiently established to be left to itself; the principle on which the gospel should be supported is not yet so deeply rooted as to warrant the supposition that we may now relax our exertions. Active and energetic measures, on the part of ministers, office-bearers, and people, are still required; but with these, blessed by God over all, the most perfect success would at last crown our efforts. In the providence of God, we may be entering on a year of trial every way more severe than that through which we have passed; but that is only a call to duty, not to despondency. The history of this fund, brief as it is, contains enough to warrant the firm assurance that He who has hitherto helped us will continue to bless us, if we continue faithful to our King and Head. And when we contrast our position with that of other portions of the empire, how loud is the call to thankfulness! We have, no doubt, had famine within our borders; but we have not been called to mourn over hundreds dying in a day. There has been disease; but the pestilence which wasteth at noon-day has not yet swept its hundreds of thousands into the grave. Not a few of our venerated ministers have passed from the sanctuary on earth to the house not made with hands, but they were gathered in like a shock of corn fully ripe, they were not cut down by fever caught in ministering to the dying. Who hath made us to differ? Why are we not like unhappy Ireland? It is by the sparing mercy of God that we are what we are; and all this will be devoutly recognised by the Lord's people among us, as a call at once to thankfulness and to duty,--to thankfulness, because we have been so largely blessed and so mercifully spared,-to duty, because the night may be near at hand wherein no man can work."

Mr MAKGILL CRICHTON begged to say, while he was determined not to trespass on the patience of this House more than a few minutes, that if there was any one question more than another, in which he might be permitted to address that honourable house, it was the very subject that was now before them; because, both in the matter of the Church Defence Fund, and in the matter of the Sustentation Fund, he thought he might say, without exaggeration, that he had been, from first to last, one of the most active subordinates-(laughter and cheers)-who had acted under their venerated champion Dr Chalmers. He had been very inadequate to the work even of a subordinate, but he had been brought up in a good school. He had had considerable experience, and the limited extent of that experience he would now desire to give to the House in a few practical suggestions. He thought that the Report was admirable, and he thought that the suggestions it contained, with some additions, were also admirable. He was prepared to say, that had all the means therein suggested

and to be added by that House, been in operation during the last two or three years, that, with all the circumstances that have come to deduct from the amount of the Sustentation Fund, with all the unfavourable circumstances and state of the country at this time, they should now not only have had a minimum dividend of £150 to all their ministers, but a much larger fund for the extension of their Church-(Hear, hear.) He believed that the great cause of the present inadequate condition of the Sustentation Fund had been, that it had too soon come to be considered, or, at all events, treated in some respects, as a matured fund, instead of being looked on as an institution that was but in its infancy. For the last two or three years, it had been treated by an active agency, but only by an ordinary agency. Those extraordinary aids that Mr Tweedie had suggested had scarcely been at all in operation. The reason of this was to be found in the retirement from the active management of the fund. of the master-mind by whom it was conceived. (Hear, bear.) He had no hesitation im saying, that they had in some degree been misled as to the state and condition of that fund, in consequence of the extraordinary matured appearance which it took up at first. In consequence of two causes,--the immense impulse given by the evermemorable Disruption, and the master-mind that conceived and set on foot that great institution. But they came now to find-what he believed none was more aware of than their venerated leader, that, in point of fact, it was yet in its infancy, He had the most solemn conviction, that without making too great claims on any one of the members of the Free Church, there was yet a mine of unexplored means at their disposal. If they would just apply, during the infancy of that institute, the extraordinary means in the power of the Church, as well as the ordinary agency, he had no doubt that they would find by next year that the rate of £150 would not only be the minimum rate, but that they would be able to take in the additional ministers who had not been put on the full fund, and that they would have ample means by which to give an extensive increase to the Free Church of Scotland. Let him explain himself, There were two points on which the Sustentation Fund required special attention; and one was, that their people had not been adequately informed, and not adequately impressed, with the deep responsibility that lay on them in that matter. They had not been taught to regard it as the master fund of the Church,-as the main-spring, in a financial point of view, on which the progress of the Free Church depended, and on which the success of all her missionary labours depended. It was quite true, that many of their people regarded it with views that were totally inadequate to the high place it should occupy in their regards; and he did not mean the inferior part of their population, he meant a class of people who, if their principles and feelings were duly appealed to,-if they were enlightened on the subject, would come to be the liberal promoters of the fund, which at present gets from them either nothing, or a most inadequate supply. It was not only the many thousands who contributed nothing to the Sustentation Fund, that was one class; but there was another class, who, without trenching on their luxuries, might be made, by due instruction and exhortation on the subject, to give far more adequately than they now did. (Cheers.) What he desired to see was, that not only a board of forty ministers, as suggested in the Report, but, if they pleased to add to them forty elders, deacons, and people; for he thought it was peculiarly necessary that the eldership and members of the Free Church should take a great part-(hear, hear)-in that peaceful agitation. If they would add to the Report,-and he trusted that in their instructions they would do it, --and allow the Free Church to be visited on this matter, and instructed not only in the great points at their large towns, but in detail throughout their congregations, they would find that the result would be most admirable. It was quite true that the system which he now advised ought to be carried through in the most kind and affectionate spirit. He would not reprove the people, the reproof was due to themselves. (Hear, hear.) He would tell them of their privilege, in that they owed it as a high responsible duty, which God in His providence had committed to them. And he knew there were thousands, many, many thousands, of leal-hearted Scotchmen, who, whenever they reached proper views on this subject, without trenching even on their comforts, would contribute to this great gospel fund a perennial and rich supply. He believed there was another great point in the matter, to which attention had not been sufficiently directed. They not only required to teach the principle of the high and holy duty to which they were called, but they required to

regulate and instruct the conduct of the machinery. (Hear, hear.) There were thousands in the Free Church who, from the inadequate state of the system of deacons and collectors, from not having the frequent opportunity of giving, had not contributed, because the staff of office-bearers and of collectors had been utterly inadequate. It was true that the system of their great and venerated founder, Dr Chalmers, was extremely simple, but its instrumentality was to extend through the whole country; but it was quite impossible that that agency could be in an adequate condition without a strong agency of a superior kind to instruct and exhort; for an army cannot be disciplined in a day,-no, not in a few months. For the first ten or twelve years of the Free Church it would require to send forth, for two or three years, a band of ministers and elders, as well as some of the intelligent ordinary members, throughout the length and breadth of the land, in order to examine into the state of things, and to exhort the people with a brotherly and kind exhortation. It must not be left to the ministers and the deacons; there must be a visitation of the people, that they may be instructed and exhorted in the good work that was before them. Therefore, whether they instructed the people in a great principle, or perfected the system of that principle, there was a great deal to be done by the Church. If these means had been employed during the last two years, they would at this time have been in possession of a comparatively adequate fund. Just let him tell them the kind of men they ought to set to this work. (Hear.) They ought to take the ablest ministers of the Church. They ought to make this extraordinary staff of agency, which was only required every two or three years, of the most powerful ministers of the Church. Let them reflect that, though there was here a sacrifice on the part of the congregation, that it was a great missionary work. The preaching of the Word might co-exist with the other exhortations that were given in this matter. Let them go forth as a missionary band, in defence and in prosecution of that great object, which, in a financial point of view, was the mainspring of the Free Church of Scotland. He would tell the congregations who gave up their ministers for a few weeks, that they would not suffer by making such a sacrifice in this great cause. It might be important to tell them that he did not speak dogmatically on the subject, for they were not his own views. He was speaking what he knew to be the sentiments of the great founder of this institution. About three months ago he published two letters in the Witness newspaper, and he had the satisfaction to receive two answers from their venerated father, expressed in terms which, but for their too flattering nature, he would be ashamed to tell them of. (Laughter.) Their great champion told him, that if such means as he suggested were employed, there could be no doubt of the success of the plan. It was Promethean fire, he borrowed it from what he knew to be the views of their venerated champion. (Laughter.) Therefore, he came to this house with an authority that was greater than his own, that this extraordinary agency ought to be employed in the matter. It was most proper that the ordinary agency should be employed. So far from decreasing the ordinary instrumentality, it had never yet been placed on an adequate footing. In regard to the visiting agency, though their subordinate agents had been most respected individuals, and had done much good, he thought that agency might be placed on a surer footing. There had been instances in his own county, in which, from charging the people with what they were not liable, harm had been done instead of good. He would strongly advise that the subordinate agency should take care, when they came into parishes, that the statistics on which they spoke should be correct. He hoped that this matter would receive the deep and solemn attention of the house. He had no hesitation in offering himself as one of the elders who should accompany the deputation. (Hear, hear.) He knew of many elders who were ready to offer themselves for the same purpose. It was very easy for them to look at the Missionary Schemes of the Church, and say, See how they were progressing! Why, these were comparatively matured Schemes; but this is one of only four years' duration. The people who had been accustomed to a Church supported by the State, became all of a sudden aware of the responsibility to support one themselves. He would therefore recommend that, in approving of the Report that was now on their table, the Assembly should add, that they recommend a deputation, consisting, not only of forty ministers, but also of a staff of elders and the people of the congregations. If the instrumentality be employed, he had no hesita

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tion in predicting, that next year they would have a dividend far more befitting the Free Church to present to her ministers, and far more worthy of them to receive. (Applause.)

Mr WILSON of Eddington Mains said,-Believing it to be essential for the elders to come forward in a matter such as this, and seeing that none of his brother elders had shown any disposition to follow up the remarks of his friend Mr Makgill Crichton, he begged to express his concurrence in what that gentleman had stated as to the necessity for renewed exertions on their part in this most important question. While, however, he saw it to be the duty of the elders to come forward as they best could, still he thought there ought to be no encouragement given to the sentiment that there was any impropriety or incongruity in the ministers dealing faithfully in this matter. When he looked to the Scriptures, and to the example given by the Apostle Paul and the other disciples of our Lord, he must say, for his own part, that he had no difficulty in coming to a right conclusion as to their duty as ministers of the Church of Christ; and while he would not raise any objection to such an extraordinary agency being employed as that pointed out by Mr Crichton, still they who had tried this work would admit that there was considerable practical difficulty in the elders in this business dealing directly with the people. He was quite willing to express his approval of the elders dealing with the officers of the Church,—with the ordinary staff of office-bearers, as they were called,—but he believed that all who were acquainted with their own local districts were aware of the difficulty of getting the people together on a week-day evening on such a topic. It was only on the Lord's day that they could get the people in large numbers to deal with them on that necessary subject; and, therefore, he considered that all their ministers should lay aside any false delicacy they might have imbibed, and come boldly forward in what was no more than their scriptural duty. He believed it was not altogether false delicacy which prevented many of them, but a mistaken notion that there was an objection to ministers speaking on this subject at all; but he had to urge, that if it was a matter of Divine truth to be put forward, as he believed it was, there ought to be no delicacy whatever in its enunciation. Why was it that he had had brought home to his own mind a duty incumbent on them in this matter? Just because he felt and appreciated the sacred command," Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations." There was an injunction on every disciple to go forth, as opportunity offered, and preach the Gospel; and how shall they preach unless they be sent ? and who was to send them? Why, the Lord Jesus himself. Was not here the command to preach brought home to every one? and they (the Free Church) by their Sustentation Fund, put within the reach of families and individuals the power of going to all the world with the Gospel of truth. He thought that this matter should also be brought home to the people, in order that they might be enabled to test their own faithfulness to the Lord. It was proper that when put before them in the light he had indicated, they should, as God had prospered them, give of their increase. By so doing, the sincerity of their love to the Saviour would be tested, and their desire for the promotion of that religion which inculcates love to God, the love of the brethren, and love to our fellowmen. If in this matter they could not testify their love to God, by aiding in the spread of that gospel which gave glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good-will to men, it was in his opinion a question whether they had any title to the name of disciples at all. It ought to be pressed upon the people, not as a matter of secular business, but put to them as a test of their sincerity. It was the province of the minister to deal with the people from the pulpit on the Lord's day; but much might be done in the way in which Mr Crichton had pointed out; and, for his own part, he was willing to give himself to the work in the manner that had been proposed-(applause)—and he hoped his brother elders would come forward in this cause as they might have opportunity. He begged leave to express his concurrence in the Report now before them, and would second its adoption. (Applause.) Mr R. PAUL remarked, that the view which had been presented of the Sustentation Fund for the past year, was not to be considered as at all discouraging; and when the whole circumstances were taken into account, especially the pressure of the various demands which had necessarily been made on the community for urgent temporal objects, as well as on the members of the Church for her great spiritual enterprises, it furnished matter both for wonder and thanksgiving, that there should