SCOTLAND.
The contest between the Dissenters and the Established Church pro- ceeds with great vigour in Edinburgh. We lately mentioned that a public meeting had been called in Dr. Peddie's chapel, to memorialize
the Government in favour of voluntary churches. The memorial is MOW published, and bears the signature of Mr. Adam Black, one of the most enlightened, active, and talented citizens of Editilturgh, and a keen Reftwmer. The matter, tone, and style of the memorial, remind us strongly of the days of the Covenanters. It is stern, determined, and intellectual. No reform of Church abuses will satisfy the me- morialists. rfhey "object to Church establishments, because they imply a right in rulers to legislate in matters of religion, which they will DOW rot-tale to any human authorities. Such institutions are op- pressive to conscience, and to the principle of religious loyalty, which owss God alone as its Lord. But they are no less politically inexpe- dient." " Every Dissenter who has sense to feel, and spirir to resent injustice, can he only, as it were, semi-loyal, so long as the State is inn union o ith the ( 'hoods" They call "fur the adoption of measures by which religious opinions shall (-ease to be grounds of difference between citizens in resaect of civil or constitutional privileges, and by which every kind of direct taxation for the support of any religious system shall be ;abolished." The friends of the Church establishment are equally plot. They have published " a deela ration,". expressing that they "are deeply sensible of the great importance of a Church esta- blishment in promoting the spiritual and temporal interests of man- kind ;" deprecating the diminution of the Edinburgh clergy from eighteen to thirteen, as proposed !:), the Town-Coutwil ; and at the same time expressing their desire for the reform of all erclesiastieal abuses. The clergy have committed this address to the lay °thee- bearers (elders) of the parishes, who call on the inhabitants and solicit their subscriptions to it. The result will show the relative strength of the parties in numbers, wealth, and infittence.—Coaricr.
Sir John Maxwell has retired from the representation of Paisley, in consequetwe, as lie intimates in his letter to his late constituents, of having failed to give salisfaction to them by his support of Ministers, and in redemption of his pledge to resign whenever his constituents should express themselves dissatisfied.
Mr. Robert Gordon, the Member for Crirklatle, has been appointed Secretary to the Board of Control, in the room of Atr. Macaulay. Mr. Gordon's previous Olive of Commissioner of the Board, it is under- stood will not be filled up, at least for the present.
Previous page
