quickened immediate effort was felt to be demanded by the voice of God, equally by His word and His providence. It was indeed felt at the time, and how could it be otherwise? that a great proportion at least of the multitude of our brethren specially called to endure temporal destitution, were adherents of the Free Church, which, though not diminishing their claims of a common humanity upon other sources of aid, was yet a peculiar claim upon the Christian sympathies of the more favoured amongst us. And though the idea was never for one moment cherished, that the benefactions of the Free Church should be confined or limited to its own religious communion, yet the fact now submitted, unquestionably proved an incentive to the duty entrusted by the Commission to this Committee's hands. And the Committee can with safety appeal to the whole of their records, from the minutes of their meetings down to the humblest distribution book of a local distributing Committee, to show, that their administration recognised no distinction whatever, of sect or of party; and in this feature of their proceedings they now feel the most full and assured confidence they will be met by the universal and sincere approbation of the General Assembly of the Free Church.

The Committee would remark, that, as indicating the feelings and apprehensions of the Free Church at an early period of the last season, the portion of the public press generally giving utterance or heed to her views, gave forth no uncertain sound as to the reality and probable extent of the calamity in providence, so deeply and largely, since that time, experienced. The same newspapers published documents fairly demonstrating the begun reality of it. And also as indicating the mind and views of this Committee, it is but due to themselves and the Church to state, that so early as the 5th December, with the concurrence of the members, and of friends willing to co-operate with them, a letter was addressed by the Convener to the Lord Provosts of Edinburgh and Glasgow, respectfully directing their attention to the existing distress, and craving that through means of the municipal bodies over which they presided, the public in the chief cities of Scotland might be apprized of the sufferings and danger of their fellow-countrymen; and that the national mind throughout the land might be awakened to make adequate efforts on their behalf. A list of the Committee's names was transmitted with each of these letters, of which a copy will be found in the Appendix to this Report. It was not, then, the view of the Committee that they should act alone, or should even take precedence of others, in the duty to which the Commission of this Church felt that the Church was called in such an emergency. The same views were embodied in the following Resolution of the Committee, at its first meeting held in Glasgow, on 9th December.

"That this Committee, being deeply impressed with the consideration, that the emergency now existing in the Highlands and Islands demands the co-operation of all classes of the community, desire it to be particularly understood, that, while circumstances have led the Free Church of Scotland to take immediate steps towards obtaining funds, for the relief of the destitution, without waiting for a more general movement, she never could, or did, contemplate the possibility or propriety of acting in this matter alone. The Committee accordingly are most anxious to promote in every possible way the formation of a general Association for the relief of the destitution: and farther, while the Committee, under a sense of the pressure of the present necessity, resolve to take immediate measures, both for relieving pressing cases of want, and also for obtaining full and accurate information, they will at the same time, reserve their efforts and expenditure as much as may be consistent with the discharge of their immediate duty, with a view to the whole business being placed under the charge of such General Association as may be formed."

Having given expression to these views and desires, the above resolution having been published in the leading newspapers of the day, both in Scotland and England, the Committee felt, both from undoubted information, and from the personal knowledge of some of its members, that no time was to be lost, while numerous families in many districts of our land were already suffering the miseries of an actual famine. And accordingly, without even waiting to see the result of the appeal which the Commission had ordained to be made to the congregations of the Free Church, the Committee proceeded to make purchases of provisions, and to prepare them for immediate shipment from the Clyde to the most destitute districts of the west coast and Islands.

In this labour, indeed, the Committee was speedily cheered by the liberal and hearty response which was made to their appeal by the congregations of the Free Church. And the Committee has now the satisfaction to report, that those congregational collections, with liberal donations from individual friends both in Scotland and England, made up the amount of £15,608:0:7. The Committee will not detain the General Assembly, by stating the details of their collections and expenditure. These both will be found fully stated in the Appendix to this Report.

One fact, however, connected with their collections, it were equally unjust and ungrateful not specifically to mention the ready and generous liberality shewn to their cause by their brethren of the Presbyterian Church in England, the Presbytery of London taking the lead. From the congregations of that Church, inclusive of donations

from individuals (also detailed in the Appendix), the sum of £2500 vas put into the Committee's treasury, and that from congregations having themselves to struggle with many difficulties incident to their present position. The grateful thanks of the General Assembly, the Committee feel assured, will be returned to their brethren of that sister Church. Nor can the Committee fail to represent how much obligation is owing by them to the personal services of one friend to their cause, already, indeed, well known by his liberal deeds of love to this Church, James Nisbet, Esq. Berner's Street, who, with his usual readiness and good-will to Scotland, undertook to act as the Committee's Treasurer in London.

At the same time that the Committee engaged itself in the purchase and shipment of provisions for their destitute and suffering countrymen, it was also charged with the equally necessary duty of providing, that the Church's charity should not be indiscriminately administered, nor injuriously lavished. Regulations were framed by the Committee, in terms of which supply was to be given to the needy and destitute. Copies of these were forwarded to the landed proprietors of the districts where destitution was known to prevail, and to their local agents; and the Committee have the satisfaction of reporting, that from several of the proprietors communications were addressed to them, cordially approving of the regulations thus framed, and of the proceedings of the Committee generally, while from no quarter did any animadversions reach the Committee, either on their regulations or other proceedings, to indicate dissatisfaction, or to show that the Committee was proceeding on any principle that could be considered unsound in itself, or inexpedient in its practical application. And in order to be supplied with accurate information, as to the extent and pressure of the existing destitution, in the several districts and localities where it was generally known to prevail, the Committee drew up, and printed a schedule of queries, which was transmitted to the ministers of the Free Church, and other functionaries and friends in the several districts. The same schedule was also transmitted to the agent of the Established Church, with a letter from the Secretary, expressive of the Committee's willingness to have the same queries transmitted to the ministers of the Established Church, so as to be supplied from them with all possible information, on the subject of the existing destitution, for guidance to this Committee in administering on broad and catholic principles the means of relief which might be placed at the Committee's disposal. The agent for the Established Church having intimated in return, that the Moderator of the General Assembly was the proper authority to be communicated with, and that the communication had

accordingly been transmitted to him; and this Committee having had no farther communication made to them on the subject, from the Established Church, it is unnecessary, here, to notice at any farther length, this step in the Committee's proceedings, but to ask the General Assembly's approbation of this, as of their other actings, in the duty entrusted to their care.

In directing their attention to the most desirable means of alleviating the existing distress of their countrymen, and even of turning, were it possible, the calamity that had befallen them into future and prospective advantage in their temporal lot, the Committee had under their early consideration, the guiding of the able-bodied, in the remoter districts and islands especially, to the labour-market in the southern parts of Scotland, where wages at the time of the Committee's appointment were high, and the demand not equalled by the supply of labourers. Certain regulations had to be adopted in this department of the Committee's duties, a department on which they looked from the outset with peculiar interest, as the most effectual means of diminishing the actual amount of local and general destitution, and of bestowing permanent benefit on many of the population. While from the more central and northern districts of the Highlands, and from the Islands nearest to the mainland, considerable numbers of the younger and able-bodied male population had been in the habit of resorting to the Lowlands for such employment,-railway labour especially, it was known to the Committee, that in the outer and remoter Islands, to which the labourmarket is of course less accessible, much remained to be done in this department, while many difficulties had to be encountered. And with the view of forwarding this object, as well as with the view of forming Local Distributing Committees, through whom the supplies sent might be discreetly administered, the Committee resolved, that while its first shipments of supply were in course of being made, visiting deputations of their own number should proceed to the districts where the existing distress was known most to prevail. In the month of December accordingly, the Convener and Secretary of the Committee, accompanied by James Forsyth, Esq. of Dun-àch, near Oban, Mr Simpson, Edinburgh, Rev. Finlay M'Pherson, Kilbrandon, and afterwards joined by Colin Elder, Esq., Isle Oronsay, Skye, and Rev. J. Swanson, Small Isles, proceeded to the West coast and Islands, the Home-Mission Committee of the Church placing at their command in this service the Schooner Breadalbane. The Islands of Skye, Barra, South Uist, North Uist, Benbecula, Harris, Tyree, Coll, Iona, Ulva, the greater part of Mull, and Eig, and the mainland districts of Ardnamurchan, Sunart, Strontian, Moidairt, and Arisaig, with neighbouring localities,

were visited by sections of this deputation. Notwithstanding the knowledge possessed by members of the Committee of the difficulties incident to such an undertaking at that season of the year, the labour was found to occupy more time than had been anticipated; and the Committee have cause to regret, that several districts of the mainland scenes of destitution remained unvisited. The Committee, however, have to report with thankfulness that this visitation was followed by the best results. Labourers from among the population of the destitute districts, to the number of Five hundred and ninety, availed themselves of the Committee's regulations and aid, and proceeded to the lowlands of Scotland, where, the Committee were also enabled to provide them with labour at adequate remunerative wages. And while this number may be thought comparatively small, the Committee look upon such an initial, movement among the population of the remoter Islands especially, as of no ordinary importance prospectively, opening up, and directing the whole of the able-bodied population to means of industry, and sources of independent advantage. And while the Committee seek the approbation of the Assembly to the necessary bestowal of funds upon the victualling for a period of the families of such as had left families unprovided at home, and upon supplying deficiencies of clothing to such of those immigrants to the lowlands as stood in need of such supply, they feel at the same time assured it will be satisfastory and gratifying to the contributors to their fund, to know, what the Committee can assuredly testify, that nothing like reluctance to regular industry at adequate compensation was found by their visiting members, generally, scarcely indeed at all, among the people. On the contrary, there was found much readiness to avail themselves of the offers communicated, where no stated occupation presented itself at home. And while many obstacles of an insurmountable kind hindered many from leaving their humble homes at that season, the Committee cannot doubt, that during the summer season now commenced, there will be a large immigration from those parts, of labourers to the lowlands; and that this will prove one principal means, under judicious arrangement, of mitigating the severity of the common distress; which the Committee can neither contemplate nor report, as having yet, by any means, passed away.

In connection with this department of their labours, the Committee have to report with gratitude, the great kindness and courtesy of the Right Honourable the Lord Advocate for Scotland, in communicating with Her Majesty's Government, on the subject of the Committee's operations and wishes, and his personal sympathy with the distressed. They have also to report the courtesy and civility of Sir