Foreign Missions of the Church of Scotland. By the Rev.
Robert W. Weir. (R. and R. Clark.)—The official niiisionary work of the Church of Scotland practically began in 1824, though there had been not a few previous individual efforts in this direction. The matter had been brought in 1796 before the Assembly. The extreme Moderates, if the phrase may be allowed, held "that to spread the knowledge of the Gospel among heathen and barbarous people was highly preposterous." This was the language used by Dr. Hamilton and adopted by Carlyle of Inveresk. But this was too much for the party in general. Missions were shelve]. but with courtesy, though a fine old "crusted Tory" declared that "missionary societies might become dangerous political
bodies Their funds might in time, nay, certainly will, be used against the Constitution of the country." How absurd all this seems to us now ! In 1824 the General Assembly authorised action. Since then the work has gone on with still increasing energy and success. Mr. Weir tells the story of it.
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