Sts,—I am one of the younger men of the United
Free Church, or was till I left Edinburgh some time ago. I have been able to take an intelligent adult interest in the affairs of that great and 'scholarly Church for the last twelve years. I think, therefore, these facts are striking :—(1) That I never heard tell that Establishment was held even as a "pious opinion " by the Free Church prior to union, far less that she was bound to it as a fundamental principle, till I read the judgment of the Lords. (2) That, in all my experience, I never met a single minister, office-bearer, or member of the Free Church who was other than a voluntary. I am aware that these statements are open to obvious retorts, but if I am at all a typical example of a Free Church member, I think they are significant. They seem to support Dr. Forrest's contention in his letter in the Spectator of August 20th that for several decades past the Free Church has been setting her face towards union, and so far as the younger men are con- cerned, the Establishment " principle " did not even come within the scope of their consideration.—I am, Sir, &c., West Hartlepool. WM. BLACK.
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