THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."' SIR,—I do not think it would serve any useful purpose if I were to ask you to allow me to prolong the controversy in your columns on Church Union and Establishment in Scotland, under any circumstances. I am quite willing to refrain from further discussion in your columns, and will leave the letters of "A Free Churchman" and " Scotus " to be estimated at their value as they stand.
I simply quote the words from the resolution of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland of 1878 to which I referred. They are as follow :—
" The General Assembly having heard the Report of the Committee on Union with other Churches, approve of the same, and again record their deep sense of the manifold evils arising from the ecclesiastical divisions of Scotland, and especially of the alarming amount of immorality and impiety in the land which the divided Churches have not succeeded in removing, and which, moreover, their dissensions tend to increase ; and renew the expression of their hearty willingness and desire to take all possible steps consistent with the maintenance and support of an establishment of religion to promote the co-operation in good works and the re-union of Churches having a common origin, adhering to the same Confession of Faith, and the same system of government and worship. The General Assembly reappoint the Committee, authorising them to approach other Churches with an assurance that, while the General Assembly maintain inviolate the principle of the national recognition of the Christian religion, as contained in the Confession of Faith, and the sacredness of the ancient religious endowments, and sitedfeatly adhere to the doctrine of the Confession of Faith and the Presbyterian system of Church government and worship, they earnestly wish to consider what other Churches may state, in frank and friendly conference, as to the causes which at present prevent the other Churches from sharing the trust now reposed in this Church alone."
You can judge for yourself whether or not my description of them was or was not a fair one. It was this declaration that was renewed, not—as it was printed in my letter in your paper of May 16th--rever8ed. I confess that I have probably my own bad writing to thank, and I lay no blame on any one but myself
for it.
The Committee mentioned in the resolution above quoted is not now in existence, but it was discharged solely because it seemed useless to keep it up in view of the attitude taken up by the Free and United Presbyterian Churches, not because we in any way resiled from our position. I thank you for the indulgence you have extended to me, and am, Sir, &c., BALFOUR OF BURDEIGIL
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