EXTRACT from the RECORDS of the GENERAL ASSEMBLY of the FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND. At Edinburgh, the 7th day of June 1847. Sess. 25. Which day the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland being met and duly constituted. Inter alia,— The General Assembly having called for the Report of the College Committee, the same was given in and read by Dr Cunningham. The Assembly having heard the Report, agreed to meet at four o'clock this afternoon in private conference, for the purpose of considering what arrangements it may be necessary to make in reference to the College, in consequence of the bereavement the Church has lately sustained. Mr Monteith, Convener of the Sub-Committee on the Constitution of the College, then gave in and read a Report. Mr Monteith also reported verbally on the part of the College Building SubCommittee. A Report was then given in by Mr Hog, Convener of the Bursary SubCommittee. Thereafter Mr R. Paul submitted a Report relative to the Funds of the New College. The General Assembly defer the further consideration of the subjects of the preceding Reports to a future diet. The General Assembly having resumed consideration of the College Report, took up the Overtures now on their table relative to Theological Education at Aberdeen, from the Synods of Aberdeen and Stirling, and from the Presbyteries of Dunblane and Aberdeen; as also a Petition from the Presbytery of St Andrews, transmitted through their Committee of Bills, in reference to the appointment of a Theological Professor there. The Overture from the Synod of Aberdeen having been read, Dr Brown requested permission to leave the Chair, for the purpose of addressing the House, which having been allowed, the Chair was taken by Dr Clason, and Dr Brown was heard on the subject of the Overtures, and thereafter resumed the Chair. Dr Hetherington was also heard on the subject of the Petition from the Presbytery of St Andrews, and Dr Forbes on the claims of Glasgow, with reference to a provision for the instruction of Theological Students in that city. Several other members having spoken, the Assembly suspend the further discussion of the subject until they shall have disposed of the matters connected with the Sustentation Fund, and the Report of the Sustentation Committee, given in at a former diet. The General Assembly having resumed consideration of the subject of Collegiate Education, unanimously agree to the following deliverance :- The General Assembly having considered the Overtures and Petition relative to Collegiate Education in Aberdeen, Glasgow, and St Andrews, and having also adverted to the Acts of Assembly 1845, at Edinburgh and Inverness, relative to Aberdeen, are of opinion, that before any farther step be taken towards the erection of additional Professorships, or the providing of additional superintendence for Students, the mind of the Church ought to be deliberately and maturely directed to this whole subject in all its bearings, with a view to such an adjustment as may seem, in the present circumstances of the Church, desirable and practicable; and accordingly, the General Assembly appoint the several Presbyteries of Aberdeen, Glasgow, and St Andrews, to transmit, with the least possible delay, to the College Committee, such suggestions and views as they may deem it important to lay before the Church; and they appoint the Committee to hold a special meeting at the time of the August Commission, and to send down the suggestions and views transmitted to them, with such observations as they deem right, to the Presbyteries of the Church, for their consideration, in order that they may report thereon, or instruct their Commissioners to next Assembly, so that the Assembly may be in a condition to arrive at a ripe judgment in the whole matter. And in respect of the peculiar position of Dr Hetherington at St Andrews, the General Assembly instruct the College Committee, in the event of no arrangement such as that contemplated by the last General Assembly being carried out, and no other satisfactory arrangement being found practicable, to relieve Dr Hetherington of the extra duty towards the students which he has hitherto been asked to perform. to In reference to the Report of the College Committee, the Assembly approve of said Report, including the Reports on the Funds, the Bursaries, and Buildings; sanction the proceedings of the Committee therein described; recommit the Report of the Sub-Committee on the Constitution of the College, with instructions to the General Committee, by the time of the Commission in November, prepare it for being sent down to Presbyteries for their opinion and suggestions. Retransmit the Reports given to last Assembly, in so far as the curriculum is concerned, with the exception of the provision referred to in the Report of this year, about attendance on the class of Moral Philosophy, specially enjoining all Presbyteries to send in their opinion and suggestions on all topics contained in the Report about the curriculum to the College Committee before the 31st of March next. Reappoint the Committee with the same powers as last year, with the addition of Mr John Bonar, Aberdeen, Minister, and Mr William Brown, Aberdeen, Elder. 8th June 1847. Sess. 29. The Assembly add the name of Major-General M'Dowall to the Ordinary College Committee. 3 Eodem die. Sess. 30. The General Assembly having resumed consideration of the measures which it may be necessary to take in reference to the vacancy in the New College occasioned by the lamented death of Dr Chalmers, direct that the resolution to which the Assembly came on this subject at their private conference be here recorded. "The General Assembly being met in private conference, with a view to consider whether any or what steps should be taken at its present sittings, in reference to the filling up the vacancy in the New College, caused by the lamented death of the Rev. Dr Chalmers; and having maturely considered the subject, are unanimously of opinion, that the General Assembly should proceed without further delay to appoint the Rev. Dr Gordon to be Principal and Primarius Professor of Theology in the New College, but before making the appointment formally, nominate the following individuals, The Moderator, Mr M'Lagan, Dr Cunningham, Dr Candlish, Dr Clason, Dr Forbes, Mr Cupples, Mr Robert Paul, Mr Hog, and Dr James Buchanan, to communicate this resotion to Dr Gordon." The resolution having been communicated to Dr Gordon by the above-named deputation, the Moderator now laid on the table a letter which he had received from Dr Gordon, which having been read, was ordered to be recorded. The General Assembly remit the whole subject of the arrangements and appointments which may be rendered necessary by the lamented death of Dr Chalmers to the August Commission, with full power to them to dispose finally of this matter, and in the mean time, appoint the following members a Committee, to act along with the ordinary College Committee, in deliberating on this subject, and to make such suggestions to the Commission in regard to the final disposal of it as they may think proper. Ministers The MODERATOR. Mr LANDSBOROUGH, Saltcoats. Mr SMITH, Greenock. Mr MARSHALL, Dunfermline. Mr STEWART, Killin. Mr OMOND, Monzie. Mr CRICHTON, Inverbrothock. Dr KEITH. Ministers Mr MACKINTOSH, Tain. Mr MACFARLANE, Dalkeith. Mr PURVES, Jedburgh. Mr JOLLY, Bowden. Mr HASTIE, Kirkpatrick-Fleming. Mr M'MILLAN, Kirkcudbright. Mr COLLINS. Mr NATHANIEL STEVENSON. Mr MACREDIE. Mr BLACKADDER. Dr HENDERSON, Aberdeen. Mr D. M. M. CRICHTON. Mr ARCHIBALD BONAR. Mr JOHN CLERK BRODIE. Mr M. LOTHIAN. Dr JOHN TAYLOR. Mr R. JOHNSTON Jun. Professor HENDERSON, Edinburgh. Professor MILLER. The MODERATOR, Convener. Extracted from the Records of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland by THOMAS PITCAIRN, Cl. Eccl. Scot. Lib. |