As we predicted last week, the appointment of Dr. Wallace
to the Chair of Church History in the University of Edinburgh, has already given rise to a heresy charge, the investigation of which Dr. Wallace himself supported. He seconded with characteristic vigour and humour Dr. Stevenson's motion for an inquiry, in a very able speech, to which he astutely argued that, as it was delivered in support of Dr. Stevenson's motion, Dr. Stevenson had no right of reply. He said, amidst great laughter, "I think it is quite out of order for a speaker to occupy the time of the House in replying to his seconder. He ought to confine himself
to replying to those against him." His speech was by no means one likely to convince those who doubt his orthodoxy that he takes the Confession of Faith which he has just signed afresh in its natural meaning ; yet it was certainly one to win for him the greatest credit as an orator, a humourist, and a man of the world. Anxious as we are for the safety of the Established Church of Scotland, we could not but regret an appointment which seemed not unlikely to increase the reputation of Established Churches for wholly rationalistic and non-natural interpretations of religious phraseology, but we heartily hope Dr. Wallace may be able to remove the prevalent impression that he is one of those who reconcile faith and reason, like the late amiable Professor Baden Powell, by assigning to each a totally distinct province, and taking care to pass per saltam from one into the other. Certainly there are few speakers of greater power, or more capacity for irony, in any of the Churches of the United Kingdom than Dr. Wallace ; and where gifts of that kind are combined with religious fervour of a broad and manly order, they constitute a great accession of force to any modern Church.