Another awkward spoke will be put in the wheel of
the Home-rule policy by the declaration of.the General Assembly of the Established Church of Scotland against Mr. Gladstone for his speech and vote in favour of Disestablishment. A few years ago, Mr. Gladstone was almost as popular with the Scotch Established Church as he was with the Free Church. Latterly he has, of course, lost support in the Established Church ; but there has never before been any demonstration against him like that which took place on Wednesday in the General Assembly of that Church. Speaker after speaker renounced allegiance to him. Dr. Scott, of Edinburgh, said that never had there been a more unworthy speech than Mr. Gladstone's on May 2nd. Professor Story called him " an Anglicised Scot," and said that that was generally the least attractive of the species. Dr. F. L. Robertson, of Glasgow, said that, Liberal though he was, he must subordinate his political creed to his feeling of what was due to his Church. Principal Cunningham said that it did not matter what Mr. Gladstone said ; that Mr. Gladstone was no longer himself, no longer what he was. Mr. J. A. Campbell, M.P., said that it was a curious claim for Mr. Gladstone that he represented the opinion of the Scotch people, when he himself went into the lobby in direct con- tradiction to the wishes of his own constituents. Finally, the motion in favour of organising a steady resistance to Disestab- lishment was unanimously carried. Dr. Rankine, of Muthill, declared that the Established Church is in a majority of 60,000 over the Free Church and United Presbyterians put together.
