knowledge and profession of Christianity confined to the little kingdom

of Kent.

Laurentius, the new archbishop of Canterbury, made another effort to unite the British churches; for which purpose he wrote pastoral letters to the British and Scottish bishops, entreating them to conform to the Roman usages, especially in the time of keeping Easter. In pursuit of this object, he wrote the following letter to the Scottish bishops, in the year 604 :

"Lawrence, Mellitus, and Justus, bishops, servants of all the servants of God, to our lords and dearest brethren, the bishops and abbots through all Scotland, greeting. While, as the apostolic see, according to the custom it hath observed in the rest of the world, did send us to preach the Gospel unto the brethren in these western parts, and that it happened us to come into this isle which is called Britain, we held in religious reverence both the Scots and Britons, believing that they did walk after the custom of the universal Church. But, after we had known the Britons, we judged the Scots to be better minded. Yet, now we perceived by Dagamus, the (Scots) bishop who is come hither, and by Columbanus, the abbot in France, that the Scots differ nothing in their observations from the Britons. For Bishop Dagamus, being here, refused not only to eat with us, but even to stay in the same house."

The remark that "the Scots differed nothing in their observations from the Britons" is decisive that the church in Scotland was an extension of the British Church, and did not receive its Christianity from any of the sources alleged by popish and presbyterian authorities. The Scottish, like the British and Irish Church, persisted in keeping Easter according to the cycle which they had received from their elders, and which was the same which had been established at Rome previous to the change made by authority of the council of Nice. In those days communication between neighbouring churches was slow and perhaps not very sure; and, consequently, the knowledge of the improved cycle had not reached the remote and persecuted church in Britain, surrounded as it was by inveterate enemies. Besides, it might have appeared to its governors that to conform to the ritual of the intruders would be virtually to recognise that primacy which the new see of Canterbury demanded, and which they resolutely refused. And, had they acknowledged Augustine's primacy, there is no doubt but future popes would have founded a claim of dominion upon that simple transaction. Pope Honorius was particularly solicitous to induce the native church to adopt the Roman ritual, and wrote to the Scottish bishops, exhorting them "that, being few and seated in the utmost borders of the earth, they would not think themselves more wise than the ancient and modern churches of Christ through the whole world; and that they would not celebrate another Easter contrary to the paschal account, and synodal decrees of the bishops of the whole earth." In their letter there are two things to be noted. The bishop of Rome, in the seventh century, still calls Britain "the utmost borders of the earth," as well as Clement, an earlier bishop, who, speaking of St. Paul's labours, says, he "went to the utmost bounds of the west;" a coincidence which shows that the British Isles must have been meant by the latter. The other is the humble tone of the pope, who, while recommending the Scottish Church to adopt the new mode of computing Easter, does not call it a papal decree, but "the synodal decree of the bishops of the whole earth."

The controversy respecting the proper time of keeping Easter not only disturbed the Church in the British Isles, but it agitated all Christendom. Every change or innovation has been carefully chronicled by contemporary historians; so that the beginning of all heresies, schisms, false doctrines, and papal and presbyterian usurpations, is perfectly well known. But the presbyterians and other sects say that episcopacy, or the apostolic government of the Church, is an usurpation. They have been frequently, but without success, challenged to show the time, short of Christ and his apostles, when episcopacy commenced. If so small a matter as the keeping of the festival of Easter at a particular time should so violently have agitated the Christian Church, it is natural to suppose that the fundamental article of government, in which the pride, the ambition, the honesty, and the faith, of so many were implicated, would have created an equal at least, if not a greater, strife and contention. It cannot be doubted that God's promise will hold good of being with his Church to the end of the world. But, were the presbyterian allegations true, then (horrible to think), God's word cannot be true! because there was no presbyterian government can be shown from the days of the apostle, till Calvin and Melville established it in the end of the sixteenth century. And, as they acted entirely without a divine warrant, they could neither possess nor transmit a new ministry; and, therefore, we have no hesitation in saying that they were guilty of sacrilege as great as that of Korah and his company. The kingdom of Scotland has been most violently agitated by disputes respecting church government ever since the days of Calvin and Melville, with which all the world is more or less acquainted. Had the same fierce disputes, followed by similar uncharitable malice and hatred, existed in the Church universal, as have disgraced that kingdom, is it possible that they could have passed sub silentio? But no author has recorded any such dispute; therefore no such controversy ever existed; neither was there ever any other than episcopal government till the year 1541.

Mellitus, the bishop of London, converted Seber, the king of the East Saxons, and many of his subjects; and in the year 610 went to Rome, to consult Boniface IV. about the affairs of the Anglo-Saxon Church. He assisted at a synod held in Rome, and on his return brought its decrees, together with letters from Boniface, who had been created universal bishop by the Emperor Phocas about four years previously, to Ethelbert and Laurentius. These little acts of courtesy were the beginnings of the papal encroachments and usurpations, and were by degrees drawn into precedents for more important aggressions.

Ethelbert followed his spiritual father to the grave in 616, and was succeeded by his son Eadbald, who relapsed into idolatry, along with many of his subjects. Seber also died, whose successor, having never been a Christian, caused Mellitus to retire into Kent. The affairs of the church now seemed desperate, and the three prelates determined to abandon the country, and to seek shelter in France. Justus and Mellitus actually departed, and Laurentius prepared to follow them. But providentally Eadbald was struck with remorse, and, returning to the obedience of the faith, encouraged Laurentius to resume the duties of his office, and sent to invite the other bishops to return. Justus recovered the see of Rochester; but the East Saxons continuing in their apostacy, Mellitus was obliged to remain in Kent. Laurentius died in the year 619, when

Mellitus succeeded him in the see of Canterbury, in which he sat till the year 624, when he was succeeded by Justus, bishop of Rochester.

We conclude with the following reflections from the pen of a very superior writer, in our first series :

"A gleam of prosperity succeeded, through the conversion of Edwin, king of Northumbria, which led to the establishment of the archiepiscopal see of York. But that prince having fallen in battle against the British, under Cadwalla, his country was ravaged, and its inhabitants reverted to the state of heathenism. Kent alone remained steadfast in the faith; and that kingdom, together with the territories of the East Angles, and West Saxons, is the only portion of the island indebted for the inestimable gift of Christian truth to the exclusive labours of the Romish Clergy.

"The other, and by far the larger, division of the kingdom, extending from the Thames in the south, to Edinburgh in the north, were converted through the agency of the Scottish and Irish missionaries. So that Augustine, though he has acquired the glory of being termed the Apostle of England, was neither the first to bring the tidings of peace to our shores, there being a native church with the apostolic succession existing in this country at his arrival, though driven by the fierce Saxons into the fastnesses of Wales; nor yet was he the sole instrument of bringing into the Redeemer's kingdom the heathen people who had expelled the native Christians from their possessions. He may be considered rather as having opened the way for British influence and British agency, which prevailed to an extent of which he little dreamed when he received the Cambrian prelates with the haughty air of a pontiff rather than the meekness of a Christian bishop. He established indeed a church which in a few years diffused the Roman usages, and, ultimately, the Roman domination, through all England; but it was nearly a hundred years before that conformity to foreign customs expelled the rites which the British had derived, through the medium, probably of the Gallican Church, from the primitive seat of the Gospel in the east."

SCOTTISH EPISCOPAL CHURCH SOCIETY.

IN our December number an occasional remark was made (page 770) upon the advantage of diocesan societies to the Church of England, for raising the small livings. A society for this purpose was formed a year ago in Scotland, which was immediately enabled to raise the livings of thirty-two episcopal clergymen to eighty pounds. The prospects of this Society are so favourable this year that it is proposed to raise the stipends to one hundred and fifty pounds, which will comprehend nine-tenths of their number. We would therefore, again, press the advantage of such societies upon the notice of the clergy and laity of the Church of England, and entreat them to follow an example which has done so much good to our sister church.

The first annual meeting of the Scottish Episcopal Church Society was held on 11th Dec., in the Hopetoun Rooms; the Right Reverend

Dr. Low, bishop of Ross and Argyll, in the chair. The meeting was highly respectable and numerous. There were on the platform, Bishop Russell, the Earl of Morton, Viscount Milton, M.P., Lord Beriedale, Archdeacon Williams, Hon. and Rev. J. Sandilands, Sir Charles Bell, K.H., Sir William Scott, Baronet, of Ancrum, Colonel Blanchard, C.B., General Sir G. Leith, Baronet, Reverend Messrs. Terrot, Shannon, Coventry, Drummond, Bagot, Aitchison, Rutledge, Ferguson, Suther, Jones, Torry Anderson, Montgomery, Ramsay, Milne, Sheriff Wood, Sheriff Cay, Professors Forbes and Graham, Messrs. Rollo, Strange, Urquhart, H. Robertson, G. Forbes, Dallas, R. Downie of Appin, W. Stirling, E. D. Sandford, Mr. Walker of Bowland, Mr. Falconer of Falcon Hall, &c.

The meeting having been constituted, the following resolutions were moved, seconded, and unanimously agreed to:

1st. It was moved by James Strange, Esq., and seconded by the Reverend Daniel Bagot, "That the report now read be approved, and ordered to be printed for distribution among the members of the Society, and for general circulation."

2d. It was moved by the Reverend Robert Montgomery, and seconded by the Very Reverend C. H. Terrot, "That from the returns made to the Society wants have been found to exist in the Church which call both for sympathy and assistance, and which demand a cheerful and ready cooperation from all the members of the Church-a co-operation calculated at the same time to promote a spirit of union and of harmony among themselves as Christians and as churchmen."

3d. It was moved by Adam Urquhart, Esq., and seconded by the Right Reverend Bishop Russell, "That whilst they gratefully acknowledge the success which, under the blessing of God, has attended the efforts of the Society since its constitution on December 4, 1838, this meeting would express their strong conviction of the necessity for increased and steady exertion in promoting the different objects of the Society."

4th. It was moved by Sir George Leith, and seconded by the Venerable Archdeacon Williams, "That the thanks of the meeting be given to the Right Reverend Bishop Low, for the urbanity and kindness with which he had presided over the meeting."

The Right Reverend the chairman said, You are all acquainted with the objects of the society whose interests we have met to forward; and I have only to bear my humble testimony that in my diocess it has been the means of gladdening many sequestered glens, and the lonely islands of the Scottish sea. The secretary will now lay before you the first annual report of the society, and I am satisfied that it will prove to you a source of high gratification. I feel it necessary to restrict myself to a very few words, in consequence of the very important business which is to come before you.

The secretary, the Reverend E. B. Ramsay, having read the report, said he had received letters of apology for their absence from several office-bearers of the society.

James Strange, Esq., said-I rise to move that the report which has just been read be published and circulated among the members of the society; and, having done so, I beg it to be understood that I have not obtruded myself upon the notice of this assembly. I was requested from

a very high quarter to make this proposition; and, having done so I now retire.

The Reverend Daniel Bagot then rose and said, It has devolved upon me to second the adoption of the very gratifying report which has just been read. I must congratulate you, Right Reverend Sir, and the many friends of the Episcopal Church of Scotland, on the extremely gratifying appearance of the present meeting, one of the largest I have ever seen assembled in this room for the promotion of any religious object. We met this time twelvemonth for the formation of this society, and I was glad to observe the zeal and anxiety which were then displayed in this important cause; but I look upon the present meeting with vastly more satisfaction, because I cannot avoid regarding it as a decisive proof that the zeal which was then displayed was not the mere unsubstantial glow of momentary enthusiasm, as fleeting as the morning cloud and the early dew-that it was not enthusiasm to-day and apathy to-morrow-but that it had its root and source in a solid attachment to our church, and in an earnest and deliberate desire to promote her welfare.

There is but one cause of regret on the present occasion. You will at once anticipate to what I allude,-the absence of our respected and venerable Primus, who presided over our meeting last year; and, detained as he is by severe and lingering indisposition, our regret on account of his absence must be more deep and intense. The character of our Primus requires no encomium from me. It stands deservedly high in the estimation of all who know; him and I feel most confident that I am only expressing the sentiments of every minister of our church, when I say that we cannot feel too thankful to the Great Head of the Church that we are under the episcopal superintendence of one from whom we have never experienced any thing but paternal kindness; of whom we might truly say, not in the language of mere formal adulation, but of sincere respect, that" under him we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy things are done unto our church by his providence."

The report speaks of some instances in which the friends and promoters of the society have not met with encouragement equal to the expectations that had been entertained; and this is charitably accounted for, on the ground that the principles and objects of the society are not yet sufficiently appreciated and understood. This is certainly a charitable mode of accounting for that indifference which has been manifested in quarters where it was not to be expected; and, on the present occasion, I am disposed to receive this as a reason, or, at least, to let it pass. But, Right Reverend Sir, I must here take the liberty to say, without compromise or reservation, that if this indifference continues, and if the many rich and noble laity of the Scottish episcopal communion will not forward and join us in doing that duty which they owe to the church, under the obligation of higher principles than mere expediency or benevolence, then we must come boldly forward at some future meeting, and openly call upon those persons to do that duty which they owe to a church of which they are the professed, and of which they ought to be the attached and devoted, members. Let me make a few remarks upon the principles of this society. It is based upon the scriptural rule to "do good unto all men, especially to them that are of the household of faith :" it is constructed as far as the circumstances of our church, and of society in the present day, will admit, upon the model laid down in the fourth

come