30 MAY 1835, Page 7

SCOTLAND.

The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland met on Thursday week. Dr. W. Thomson, of Perth, was chosen Moderator; and his first act was to express to the King's Commissioner his delight at the proposal in his Majesty's speech to extend the foundations and enlarge the usefulness of the Scottish Church. One of the questions which will come before the Assembly, is that of admitting into their body, or rejecting, those lay elders who do not regularly practice family worship twice a day. The Assembly have rejected the invitation of the Genovese Church to join it in celebrating, on the 23d of August next, the third centenary of the Reformation, and to send a deputation to Geneva for this purpose. Dr. Macfarlane reported, that the Genevese

Church has lapsed into e ors and heresies, and that the Church of Scotland cannot accept ot her invitation. Whet says our friend the Standard to this ?

A correspondence between Major Anstruther, formerly a candidate for the St. Andrew's Burghs, and Mr. Spring Rice, respecting Mr. An- drew Johnston's conduct, has been published in the newspapers. The Major is very indignant at the sanction given by Mr. Rice to Mr. Johnston's refusal to resign his scat; and "defies him as a man of honour to have come to that decision, except upon the most disre- putable misrepresentation on the part of Mr. Johnston." It appears from Mr. Rice's reply, that he did not mean to act as an arbiter between' parties who arc at issue on the fact, but merely gave his opinion oft the case as presented to him by a private friend. The vacant chair of Rhetoric in the University of Edinburgh has been offered by the Magistrates and Town- Council of that city, with whom the appointment rests, to Mr. James Montgomery, the poet. He has declined the honour.