SCOTLAND.
The Edinburgh papers contain accounts of a lamentable accident which occurred on Saturday last, at the residence of the late Lord. Eldin, in Picardy Place. Saturday was the third day of the sale of. Lord Eldin's pictures, and upwards Of two hundred persons were as- sembled in the back or principal drawing-room, where the sale was going on. About half-past two, just as Mr. Winstanley, the auctioneer, was selling a painting by Teniers, a crash was heard, followed by a hard creaking or rasping noise ; and a movement or undulation was observed among the company. Immediately afterwards, a thick cloud of dust arose, and loud shrieks and screams were heard. The whole floor of the apartment had given way, except a strip of about two yards in breadth on one side of the room. Eighty or a hundred persons were thus precipitated into the apartment below, amidst broken joists, bind- ings, lath, plaster, pictures, furniture, china, and articles of
Their situation was dreadful. They were almost suffocated by the lime and dust ; and, as one of the sufferers said, they felt the horrors of the Black Hole at Calcutta. The people outside were first made aware of what had happened, by two or three gentlemen, who bad con- trived to extricate themselves, rushing out of the door, coveted with blood and dirt. Assistance was soon procured, and in about an hour all the sufferers were removed to their respective houses. The only person who lost his life by the accident was Mr. Alexander Smith, the banker, of the firm of Smith and Kinnear. He was dreadfully hurt, and died a few minutes after he had been carried home. He had a limner- ous family, and was most cordially esteemed and beloved in Edinburgh. Among the persons who are more or less injured, the Edinburgh pa- papers mention Mr. George Thomson, the friend and correspondent of Burns, who receive' i a severe blow on the chest ; Mr. Ross, son of - Mr. Charles Bess, Advocate ; Mr. 'John Anderson, of Mansfield Place; Mrs. Keay, of Snaigo; Mr. W. Lang, Assistant Clerk of Sea- slim ; Dr. Maclagan, Mr. Marjoribanks, and others: Among those who were fortunate enough to escape with little or no injury, were Lord Moncrief and his son, Mr. Robert Jamieson, Advocate, Mr. David Laing, bookseller, Mr. Ewing, the Reverend Dr. Jamieson, Sir A. Campbell, and Sir James Riddell.
The Reverend Edward Irving has been tried for his heresy reput- ing the sinfulness of Christ's human nature, by the Presbytery of Annan, and found guilty. The awful sentence of excision from the Scottish Church was pronounced against him on Wednesday the 13th, in the presence of nearly two thousand persons, in the church. at An- nan. He made a long, vehement, and characteristic defence of his pe- culiar superstition ; whisk he said, however reviled by the ungodly, it Ives some consolation to know was flourishing.
"Though scorned autl trampled on, truth is prevailing. 'You shall not go one half mile in London but you shall see some of our Scottish youth, yea, and of our English youth also, standing up to preach that truth for which I now appear at this bar. At Charing Cross, at London Bridge, at the Tower, and in all the high places of the City, you shall dud them preaching to a perishing people, and, though onen hooted and pelted, yet pa- tient withal. And! am sure the day is not far distant when the Evangelist shall go forth and be listened to throughout the land."
Previously to the Moderator's proceeding to pass sentence, Mr. Sloan, the senior member of the Annan Presbytery, ' bytery was requested to offer up a prayer; when Mr. Dow, late minister of Irongray, who had been sitting next to Mr. Irving during the trial, rose up, exclaiming--
"Arise, depart—arise, depart. Flee ye out, flee ye out of her. Ye cannot pray. How can ye pray to Christ, whom ye deny ? Ye cannot pray—depart—depart—flee—flee." •
Mr. Irving, and several others who belonged to his party, followed the advice of Mr. Dow. As he was going, Mr. Irving lifted up his hand, and said-.-
"Will ye not obey the voice of the Holy Ghost, wItieli ye have now heard? As many as will obey the Holy Ghost, follow."
The Moderator then solemnly pronounced the sentence of deposi- tion, and the Presbytery was dismissed with a blessing.
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