the theory of co-ordinate jurisdiction, altering her constitution without consulting the legislature, the other party to the contract. It will hardly answer at this time of day, with any but misinformed persons to adduce, e.g. the cases of Cambusnethan, Lethendy, and others, in proof of the church's true liberties having been invaded, and her legitimate power shorn, when the fact we had conceived to be notorious even to Mr. Wilson, that, no sooner had the vitiating element been removed, than these cases, regularly proceeded in of new, were carried to the identical conclusion pointed at, by the exercise of regular and constitutional authority. The one-sided view and comfortable complacency of this writer, (where were the Cunninghams, Buchanans, Candlishs, and other "singularly gifted" men, when his obscure advocacy was called for by the publisher?) will be evident from the specimen that follows:

:

"Were the questions at issue, moreover, between the Free Church and the Establishment, to be determined, either as to their truth or their importance, by the evidence of testimony, they admit but of one answer. The Free Church embraced from its commencement, all the ministers who were best known in Scotland for talent, learning, and devoted piety; nearly all the elders who constituted the ornament and support of the Church throughout the different parishes of the land; almost the whole body of Sabbathschool teachers in town and country; and the great bulk of the pious families of Scotland. They knew the nature of the questions at issue, and formed their own estimate of the importance to be attached to them, and it is no exaggeration to say that the protest was virtually subscribed by the religion of Scotland, in so far as that had been hitherto found within the pale of the Established Church. And, what the Christians of Scotland felt and believed, was found to be just what the Christians of other lands felt and believed. The value and truth of the peculiar principles of the Free Church, have been joyfully attested by nearly all the Christian churches, both of Europe and America."

We pass without comment Dr. Symington's summary of the opinions and condition of the "Reformed Presbyterian" Church. The United Presbyterian Church is described by the facile and practical hand of Dr. Eadie, and the history of the Relief previous to its junction with the secession by Professor M'Michael of Dunfermline. Dr. Eadie, as was natural, speaks strongly regarding the circumstances which preceded the departure of the four brethren, nor are we prepared to admit that the founders or early members of either body countenanced the views adopted by their successors as to the unlawfulness of church establishments, since the "four brethren" more especially, appealed, in their own phraseology, to "the first, free, faithful and reforming General Assembly of the Church of Scotland." We may extract the following statement respecting the present condition and missionary operations of this, apart from their "ante-state church" views, and too strongly political tendencies-highly respectable, zealous, and useful body of Christians:

"The different funds of the United Presbyterian Church are these :-(1.) The General Fund. (2.) The Home Fund. (3.) The Foreign Mission Fund. (4.) The Fund for aiding in the Liquidation of Debt, and in Building places of Worship. And (5.) The Synod House Fund. The names

attached to the several Funds sufficiently explain them, and they need not be further described.

"There are five professors, viz. :-First, a professor of sacred languages and biblical criticism. Second, a professor of hermeneutics and evidences. Third, a professor of exegetical theology. Fourth, a professor of systematic and pastoral theology. And, Fifth, a professor of ecclesiastical history, comprehending the history of doctrine, ritual, and government.

"During the first and second sessions of their attendance at the Hall, the students attend the professors of sacred languages, and of biblical literature; during the third, fourth, and fifth sessions, the professors of exegetical theology, of systematic and pastoral theology, and of ecclesiastical history.

"The following statistics are an approximation merely—as returns from several churches have not been made:

Number of congregations,

66

505

Aggregate attendance,

400,000

Members in full communion,

158,000

Being very nearly on an average of £1 per annum for each member. "The returns for 1850 and 1851 show that £23,000 of debt on buildings had been paid off, which, with the sum paid last year, shows that £36,000 of debt has been cancelled during the last three years. There are 193 manses of the annual value of £2,890, 4s. ; average £15. Seventy-five congregations have expended on City and Town Missions £2,777, 17s. 84d., being an average of nearly £36.

Thus, including children, we may say that nearly a third part of the population of Scotland is connected with the United Presbyterian Church. "As a branch of the United Presbyterian Church, there is a large, influential, and growing denomination of the same name in Canada, originated, and still supported, by the Church at home. The United Presbyterian Church in Canada consists of seven presbyteries, and of fifty-eight churches, -some ministers, however, have charge of two congregations. This Church has also a theological seminary of its own, with a number of promising students. In connection with the United Presbyterian Church, there are eighteen missionary churches in Jamaica, and along with the pastors of those churches, there is a staff of fifteen catechists and teachers. At Montego Bay, there is a flourishing academy, with a classical teacher, and a theological tutor. In Trinidad there are two missionary churches, and there are several stations in Caffraria. At Old Calabar, on the west coast of Africa, there is located a band of four missionaries, six catechists and teachers, with six subordinate agents of various kinds. The United Presbyterian Church has also obtained a footing in Southern Australia, and some eight

or ten congregations have rapidly sprung into existence. The Old Testament, translated into Persian, is under the charge of the United Presbyterian Church, and an active agent for the circulation of the Sacred volume is employed in Persia."

We have no space for entering upon even the slightest consideration of the accounts given of the Independent or Congregational body, by Mr. Russell,-of the Wesleyan Methodists in Scotland, insignificant as regards numerical strength-of the Morrisonians, an interesting, though we should judge, rather partial narrative by the Reverend F. Ferguson,nor of other smaller sects well-nigh unknown amongst us, which seem to have been added for the purpose of swelling the publication. The account of the Baptists by Dr. Cox, concludes with an interesting sketch of the missionary operations of that body:-

"The Baptist Missionary Society' was formed at Kittering, in Northamptonshire, in the year 1792; remarkable alike for the smallness of its beginning and the greatness of its results. In fact, it gave the first impulse to missionary spirit in modern times which has been aroused in every denomination of Christians, and is now exerting its untiring energies to evangelize the world. Nursed in the cradle of storms and oppositions, it has proved a moral Hercules in strength, and ascending, like the Apocalyptic angel, on the wings of holy zeal, it has been, ever since that period, flying through the midst of the heavens, and distributing the 'everlasting Gospel to the nations. In the first instance, William Carey went, under the auspices of a few poor ministers and pious laymen, from the humblest condition in life, to India, where he acquired very many of its languages and dialects, and translated the Scriptures into them. These labours have been since sustained by worthy and efficient successors. Subsequently, the Society occupied two other very important spheres of labour-the one in Jamaica, and in the other West India islands, where its agents, Knibb and Burchell, in particular, contributed essentially to the overthrow of slavery, and the wide diffusion of a religious influence; the other in Africa, in the island of Fernando Po and the neighbouring continents.*

"In 1842, they celebrated the Jubilee of the Society, when it appeared that the men who had excited no small share of ridicule and contempt, had the high gratification of reporting that, up to 1841, they had translated the Holy Scriptures, wholly or in part, into forty-four languages or dialects of India, and had printed of the Sacred Scriptures alone nearly half a million copies; that in their 204 schools they numbered nearly 22,000 scholars; that they had 168 missionary stations, 191 missionaries, and over 25,000 members. Their annual income then exceeded 110,000 dollars; and the extra fund raised for important specific purposes, as a Jubilee gift, exceeded 160,000 dollars. Their income and success are both happily increasing."

Notwithstanding the remarks we have made upon particular details in the volume now noticed, and which were so far inseparable from its plan,—were a fuller view given of the principles and position of some of the denominations represented, and were the really superfluous articles which it contains left out, a subsequent edition might render it a work of much greater interest and value than in its present shape it can be admitted to possess.

*The writer begs to refer the reader for full imformation to his "History of the Baptist Mission,' in 2 vols, 12mo.

ON THE UNWARRANTABLE LATITUDE ASSUMED BY GEOLOGISTS, IN THEIR ESTIMATE OF THE TIME OCCUPIED IN THE CREATION OF THE

WORLD.

TO THE EDITOR OF MACPHAIL'S ECCLESIASTICAL JOURNAL.

SIR, As the subject of the following remarks has been discussed and apparently settled,-on partial grounds, and facts consistent only with present experience, but totally inapplicable to the earlier and earliest stages of Creation,-I shall deem myself fortunate, if the few suggestions I offer for insertion in your impartial journal, should lead in any way to a revisal of this truly philosophical enquiry.

It may seem preposterous, so late in its history, to question a theory which has long since passed into common acceptance among geologists, has been sanctioned by divines, and received by disciples of all classes, as the chief article of geologic faith. But as this theory is administered to all who enter the pale of that science, as a test of the liberality of their views, it is right to state, that there are still not a few, who, conceding some extension to the Mosaic period of creation, protest against the extreme licence of the new opinions, and are somewhat disposed to smile at the ultra zeal of the geologists, in claiming for the subject matter of their favourite pursuit, only lately dignified as a science, a duration of millions of years.

Highly praiseworthy as have been their labours, successful their researches, connected and satisfactory the results, we cannot but think, while disclaiming all reference to their religious views, that they have overstepped their vocation, and contrary to their duty as philosophers, have advanced in the very outset of the science, a theory not only perilous, but utterly opposed to the ordinary belief of mankind. Forenlightened men, from the earliest times, and nearest to the event itself, perceiving in the most obvious manner, that the earth and all things in it were created for their especial use, naturally concluded, that the Deity had called this world into existence out of nothing, and brought it to a habitable condition, in the shortest time consistent with the nature of its materials, and the laws to which he had subjected them; and that He, having created by separate and express acts every vegetable and animal, had consummated the indubitable evidences of the " "præsens Deus," by fashioning in his own image, and introducing into the world, when fitted to receive him, his intelligent creature Man. Design so plainly visible, interposition so manifest for the execution of that design, naturally suggest the question, Why should a Being of Almighty wisdom and power, so toy and dally with his infinite resources, as to delay unnecessarily the accomplishment of his divine purposes, and spin out so indefinitely the preparation and completion of the world itself, for the reception of his living creatures? The same laws which assembled into one mass the primary particles of matter, and formed the vast orb of the earth, were surely sufficient to carry on and complete the arrangements on its surface, in a time pro

portioned to the end or object in view. For, if millions of millions of years were occupied in settling the mere crust of the earth, how many millions, beyond the power of calculation, were requisite to form the ball itself; and if so many years as are here faintly guessed at, were necessary for the creation only of the world, what countless myriads of ages is it intended to last!-a supposition manifestly absurd,-for the space to be peopled is very far from being as illimitable as the time here assigned to it.

The acknowledgment that six days, for the creation of the world,— is but a figure, though substantially correct for all the purposes of religion and philosophy, can never justify the running into the other extreme, and claiming an almost infinity of time for the same purpose. So sudden a change, so violent a transition, might well excite in any ordinary theorist a reasonable suspicion of the soundness of his own views. Geologists, indeed, seem not a little pleased with their newly assumed power over infinitude, and with imaginary millions at their beck, deal out draughts on eternity to any amount, as if, with the hardihood of speculators, they hoped to obtain a greater credit the larger the issue. They speak too of "years," as if the various seasons, the rosy hours, the golden prime, the brilliant noon, the dewy eve, the pure unruffled heavens hung hovering over the birthcouch of creation, thereby inducing the very error which lies at the bottom of their theory, "that the creation of the world went on from the first as it now does, and that all its great features were produced by no sudden or brief effort, but by the slow and insensible result of millions of years." It is useless to point to Galileo, and the final triumph of his doctrines over prejudice in the garb of religion. In his assertion of the truth of the Copernican theory, nothing was either added or taken away from the existing order of things, a mere interchange in the movement of certain bodies, which might surprise but could never shock our rational feelings. But millions of ages for the creation of a world, whose purposes must be fulfilled, before as many thousands are run out, seems a mere waste of power as of words, and an entire misconception of the divine method of creation; and the ingenuity of men, with a much less mechanical and material mode of reasoning, might be better bestowed in seeking an explanation nearer at hand, and less at variance with opinions, that have stood the test of ages.

The cold calculation, the rigid deduction, the remorseless disembowelling of the truth at all costs, at any sacrifice, are justifiable, even necessary, when the subject is capable of demonstration, and within the limits of our experience. But when it refers to a state or condition of things altogether new and unknown, such as the creation of a world, when an Element enters into our reasonings, whose acts we cannot answer for, and whose ways we but dimly discern, when we no longer deal with second causes, but the first great Cause himself appears revealed to our mortal sight, well may we stand awe-struck and suspend our judgments, before we rush to conclusions, and pronounce strange and extravagant decisions, in defiance of the ordinary persuasions of men,-well may we pause, before we substitute spiritless conceptions, enlivened by no reference to the Deity, no hint at design, no