PRESBYTERIANS. 



747 





schools, with 28,826 pupils. In the discussion 

 over the report of the committee. Prof. Lindsay 

 expressed the conviction, as the result of a visit 

 to the missions in India, that the Educational 

 missions, while their results in conversions might 

 have been few, were the only ones that had met 

 any success among caste Hindus. 



Overtures and representations against alleged 

 unorthodox doctrines declared and taught by 

 Prof. Marcus Dods, of the Free Church College 

 (see "Annual Cyclopaedia" for 1889), and also 

 against declarations by Dr. A. B. Bruce, another 

 theological professor, were referred to the college 

 committee. Its report in the case of Prof. Dods 

 expressed the opinion that his writings did not 

 afford ground for instituting a process against 

 him for teaching what was at variance with the 

 standards of the Church, but nevertheless the 

 committee recognized the existence of causes. for 

 profound anxiety in connection with these writ- 

 ings, which had been felt by so many estimable 

 office bearers and members of the Church, arising 

 in part from the startling and unguarded man- 

 ner in which Dr. Dods had in some cases ex- 

 pressed himself. 



Five motions were offered as to the manner in 

 which the case should be disposed of. Of these, 

 the motion of Dr. Adam, substantially represent- 

 ing the views of the committee, was adopted by 

 a vote of 357 against 274 votes cast in favor of 

 the motion proposed by the friends of Dr. Dods. 

 Dr. Adanfs motion, which the Assembly made 

 its own, expressed approval of the report ; but 

 in view of the questions which had been raised 

 by certain passages in Dr. Dods's writings, pro- 

 nounced it necessary to declare that the Church 

 holds immovably to the cardinal doctrine of our 

 Lord's divinity, and highly disapproves of all 

 representations which tend to lower the sense of 

 its vital importance in the minds of many hearers 

 of the Gospel ; that the Church adheres stead- 

 fastly to the fundamental doctrine of the atone- 

 ment as laid down in her standards ; that the 

 Church firmly believes that the resurrection of 

 our Lord is not only an incontestably proved fact, 

 but one which lies at the very foundation of the 

 Christian system ; and that the Church continues 

 to hold that the Holy Scriptures are " all given 

 by the inspiration of God to be the rule of faith 

 and life." While acknowledging Dr. Dods's strong 

 declaration of adherence to the doctrines of the 

 Church, the Assembly reminded him and the 

 Christian professors generally that the primary 

 duty devolving on them in their responsible of- 

 fices was to defend and teach -the Church's faith 

 as embodied in the Confession. 



In the case of Prof. A. B. Bruce, the Assembly, 

 on the motion of the Rev. R. G. Balfour which 

 was adopted by a vote of 392 to 237 votes for 

 remitting the case to the Presbytery of Glasgow 

 approved the conclusion of the report of the 

 college committee in finding no grounds against 

 him for teaching doctrines opposed to the stand- 

 ards of the Church ; but it also declared : 



1. With respect to the inspiration of the gospels and 

 to the reliable character of their reports as to the life 

 and ministry of the Blessed Lord, the Assembly find 

 that by want of due care in his modes of statement and 

 by his* manner of handling debated questions as to the 

 motives and methods of the evangelists Dr. Bruce has 

 given some ground for the misunderstandings and pain- 



ing to state afresh the bearing of our Lonl's lem-hi 

 and in setting forth aspirations after fresh li<rht in <,u 

 the matter ot the teaching received among UK, lie \\u* 

 bound to express himsell not only with essential h.v- 

 alty to the Church's faith professed bv him, along 

 with all his brethren, but also to make trial continued 

 loyalty evident to the world. The motion closed with 

 the words: "The Assembly cordially recognize the 

 good gifts which Dr. Bruce has brought to the service 

 ot the Church in the line of theological liti-ratun- uml 

 otherwise, as well as those which distinguished Dr. 

 Dods, whose case was before the Assembly at a former 

 diet. They assure those' brethren of the Asscmt.lvV 

 earnest desire for their acceptance and sin 

 the important work which the Church has intrusted 

 to them." 



The Committee on the Revision of the C'.nf.-s- 

 sion of Faith reported that it had been chiefly 

 occupied in gathering information on the prac- 

 tice obtaining in Presbyterian and non-Presby- 

 terian churches with reference to creeds and 

 creed subscription. Some members of the com- 

 mittee had thought an effort should be made to 

 give speedy relief to consciences by a relaxation 

 of the present formula. Others held that the 

 various points of difficulty tabulated should I* 

 considered for the purpose of determining what 

 topics might be embraced in a declaratory act 

 not as being absolutely committed to the ulti- 

 mate passing of such an act, but as contemplat- 

 ing the possibility or probability of that being the 

 issue. The latter view had prevailed. 



Concerning overtures relative to union with 

 the United Presbyterian Church and the minute 

 of the Synod of that body on the subject, the 

 Assembly expressed gratification ; authorized its 

 Home Mission Committee to meet with a com- 

 mittee of the United Presbyterian Church for 

 the consideration of measures fitted to remedy 

 overlapping in mission work and to promote 

 union in thinly-populated and over-churched 

 districts ; and renewed the recommendations of 

 the last Assembly to promote the spirit of co- 

 operation and union between the two churches. 



The report of the Committee on the Connec- 

 tion between Church and State took notice of 

 the various events having a bearing on the move- 

 ment in favor of disestablishment that had oc- 

 curred during the course of the year, and par- 

 ticularly of the fact that one of the parties nad 

 been persuaded that justice and expediency re- 

 quired that the change should be carried into 

 effect. The Church would be disposed to be 

 equally appreciative when the other party should 

 see its way to take the same view. The situation 

 had now reached a stage in which, if they were 

 in earnest about it, they ought to commend it to 

 the people of Scotland to take up the Question. 

 The Assembly declared satisfaction at the prog- 

 ress that had been made in the discussion of 

 the question of disestablishment. 



X. United Presbyterian Church of Scot- 

 land. The statistical reports of this Church, 

 made to the Synod in May, showed that the 

 number of communicants had increased during 

 the year by 1,391, and that congregational in- 

 comes were larger by upward of 10,000. 

 total income of the Synod had been 83,142, 

 against 96,307 in 1888. 



