IRE NIC MOVEMENTS 145 



with every follower of Christ." In 1847 

 the union of these two churches was ef- 

 fected with great enthusiasm. The United 

 Presbyterian Church of Scotland has been 

 one of the most aggressive and spiritual 

 churches of Scotland. In 187G the con- 

 gregations of this church in England 

 united with the English Presbyterian 

 Church, making the Presbyterian Church 

 of England. In 1852 one of the Seces- 

 sion churches of Scotland — that in which 

 Dr. Thomas McCrie was the leading light 

 — united with the Free Church of Scot- 

 land, and in 1876 the Reformed Presby- 

 terian [Cameronian] Church — or a large 

 majority of it — also joined its fortunes 

 with the Free Church. Although there 

 have been strong counter currents driving 

 the Scottish Christians apart, there have 

 been also strong centripetal movements 

 bringing them together. For ten years 

 negotiations were carried on by the Free 

 Church between herself and the Reformed, 

 the United and the English, Presbyterian 

 churches with a view to union. But a 

 small minority threatened to secede from 

 the Free Church if the project was carried 

 through, and it was wisely abandoned. 



10 



