PRESBYTERIANS. 



709 



which, some years ago, originated by separa- 

 tion from the Xew School Presbyterian Gener- 

 al Assembly, because the stand taken by the 

 latter body against slavery appeared to them 

 to be not sufficiently decided, has reunited 

 during the year with the Xew School Presby- 

 terian Church, which, it is believed, will soon 

 absorb the entire Free Synod. 



The Presbyterian churches in the British 

 Provinces of North America had been reduc- 

 ed, at the end of 1861, by the union of the 

 branches of the Free and the United Presby- 

 terian bodies to six. viz: 1. The Canada Pres- 

 byterian Church, with 14 presbyteries, 336 

 churches. 34.000 communicants ; 2. Church 

 of Scotland in Canada, with 9 presbyteries, 

 126 churches, 18,500 communicants; 3. Church 

 of the Lower Provinces, with 9 presbyteries, 

 95 churches. 9,617 communicants; 4. Church 

 of Scotland in Xova Scotia and Prince Ed- 

 ward's Island, 3 presbyteries. 26 churches, 2.100 

 communicants ; 5. Church of Xew Bruns- 

 wick, 3 presbyteries, 27 churches, 1.600 com- 

 municants ; 6. Church of Scotland in Xew 

 Brunswick, with 3 presbyteries, 16 churches, 

 1.500 communicants. At their assemblies, 

 held in 1861, the Canada Presbyterian Church, 

 the Church of the Lower Provinces, and the 

 Church of Xew Brunswick, had under delib- 

 eration the project of uniting into one organi- 

 zation the Presbyterian Church of the British 

 Provinces, and even the three branches of the 

 Church of Scotland in Canada, Xew Bruns- 

 wick, and the lower provinces (Xova Scotia 

 and Prince Edward's Island), did not declare 

 themselves altogether opposed to a union of 

 all the Presbyterian bodies, although they re- 

 fused to join it for the present. 



In Europe, Presbyterianism is mainly re- 

 stricted to the British Isles. The reformed 

 churches of the continent of Europe, how- 

 ever though designated by a different name 

 are substantially the same. The chief seat is 

 Scotland, where one of the Presbyterian or- 

 ganizations, the Church of Scotland, is the 

 recognized state church, whose General As- 

 sembly is every year opened, in the name of 

 the Government, by a lord high commission- 

 er, and which accepts its status and emolu- 

 ments from the state. The other churches 

 considerably differ in their relation to the 

 state. The Free Church would accept the 

 aid of the state on condition that the church 

 should be left perfectly free and self-regu- 

 lative. The Reformed Presbyterians would 

 not accept an alliance with the state un- 

 less the character of the state was wholly 

 Christian, and the church left perfectly free. 

 The United Presbyterians would not accept an 

 alliance with the state on any terms, believing 

 such an alliance to be wrong and mischievous. 



The General Assembly of the Established 

 Church of Scotland met at Edinburgh on May 

 22, and elected Dr. Bisset Bourtrie. moderator. 

 The church has 16 synods, 84 presbyteries, and 

 1,204 congregations." The Lay Association, in 



support of the schemes of the church, reported 

 an income of 1,181 ; the committee for colo- 

 nial missions 6,000 ; the committee on Jew- 

 ish missions 3,961. 



The Free Church General Assembly met 

 likewise at Edinburgh on May 22, and elected 

 Dr. Guthrie moderator. The chnrch has 16 

 synods, 71 presbyteries, 843 churches, 3 col- 

 leges for the education of theological students. 

 The funds raised during the year were as fol- 

 lows : sustentation of ministers, 112,887; 

 building fund, S8,518; congregational fund, 

 105,341 ; missions and education, 59,815 ; 

 total, 337,204. 



The United Presbyterian Chnrch, composed 

 of a union, constituted in 1847, of the Secession 

 (formed in 1732) and Relief (originated in 1752) 

 Churches, commenced its General Assembly at 

 Edinburgh on May 5. The returns from con- 

 gregations showed a membership of 167,558, 

 and an aggregate amount of 205,167 collect- 

 ed for congregational, missionary, and benevo- 

 lent purposes. The church has 31 presbyteries 

 in England and Scotland. 540 ministers, 1 

 theological hall at Edinburgh. 



The Reformed Presbyterian Synod, which 

 originated in 1706 (also called Cameronians 

 or Covenanters), held its annual meeting in 

 Glasgow. The synod was chiefly occupied 

 with the question, which for some years has 

 been agitating the Reformed Presbyterian 

 Church, whether discipline should be exercised 

 against members who, contrary to the testi- 

 mony of the church against the evils of the 

 British Constitution, had taken the oath of al- 

 legiance or exercised elective franchise. The 

 synod formally resolved, by ar majority of 42 

 to 11, that, as the construction of the oath of 

 allegiance hitherto generally accepted is now 

 called in question by many La the church, "and 

 having regard to the apostolical injunction, 

 that no matter of doubtful disputation should 

 be made the ground of church censure, the 

 synod, while they abstain from any judicial 

 censure of the opinions given in, feel that they 

 have no warrant to visit members taking the 

 oath in this sense, or exercising the franchise, 

 with the infliction of ecclesiastical penalties, 

 or suspension or expulsion from the church.'' 

 The Reformed Presbyterian Chnrch had,in 1862, 

 6 presbyteries, 44 churches, and 36 mini- 



The Synod of United Original Seceders was 

 dissolved in 1852 and united to the Free 

 Church. 25 congregations, however, refused 

 to join that church, and still continue a sepa- 

 rated body, divided into 4 presbyteries. 



The Presbyterian Church in England, which 

 was instituted in 1836, has now 7 presbyter- 

 ies and 105 churches. A movement has been 

 begun for a union between this body and the 

 United Presbyterian congregations of England. 



The Presbyterian Church of Ireland had, in 

 1861, 37 presbyteries. 530 churches, 57,000 

 communicants ; the Reformed Presbyterian 

 Church in Ireland, 9 presbyteries, 55 churches, 

 4,000 communicants. 



