teachings is a series of heaven-drawn pictures, such as is afforded by the holy lives, purity of example, truthfulness and propriety of utterance, and integrity of conduct on the part of British professing Christians in the vicinity of our mission stations, so that the heathen may, by ocular demonstrations, be convinced of the great differences between the results of their idolatries and of true Christianity. In short, that they may have visible illustration given to them of the nature, efficacy, and loveliness of the grace of God. We send missionaries to the heathen by fives and tens, but were people who leave our shores to live in distant lands to do their part aright, we should have a missionary agency among the heathen to be numbered by hundreds and thousands. It seems to me that till we have the professing Christians who leave those favoured lands where the gospel prevails, witnessing abroad for the truth by thousands, we are not likely to see the natives turn to the Lord.

Now, it is our colonial and continental scheme, which has for its object to foster and promote the efficiency of this best missionary agency, as I may call it. I mean that of the lives of foreign residents from this country who profess Christianity. No country on the face of the globe is probably so abundantly supplied with ordinances as Scotland. Of the twelve hundred millions that inhabit the globe, Scotland has but three millions; and yet these three millions have about three thousand ministers to take care of them, some thousands of Christian schools, a godly literature, and Bibles in every house. What are we to think of this marvellous concentration of spiritual appliances within this small country? Are all these for ourselves alone-are they not rather given to us that we should be benefactors of the world? Now, it is a remarkable fact that while no country is more distinguished for the abundance of its supply of means of grace than Scotland, there is no country whose people have a stronger tendency to go abroad and settle in other lands than our own? Scotsmen resemble Jews in this respect. It is well known that if we could send out expeditions to the North and South Poles, we should be sure to find a Scotsman seated on each! Why has this tendency to emigrate been so strongly implanted? Is it not that the people, issuing from this land of Bibles and ordinances, should go forth into all countries, and, by their testimony, their lives, and liberality, prove blessings to all the nations of the earth? Think of the multitude of Scottish sailors who visit foreign havens, the number of Scottish soldiers and officers in the army abroad, the crowds of emigrants who have gone to Canada, Aus-· tralia, New Zealand, and South Africa; the engineers who swarm in the Mediterranean, along the coasts of Africa, India, China, in the West Indies, and along the shores of South America; the merchants, settlers, and servants abroad; the hosts of travellers who visit continental lands. It is surely of vast importance that we care for the spiritual welfare of these people; so that, wherever they go, they may adorn the profession of the gospel, and so witness for Christ in the earth.

So strongly has this subject pressed on me, that I have often thought our General Assembly should indite an address to be published at home and to be sent abroad, reminding all professing Christians who go abroad of their high calling as the Lord's witnesses in the land of their sojourn. I also think that it would conduce to the high interests of the gospel were periodical deputations to be sent out to our foreign stations-for example, in India. I believe that were measures taken, the expenses of

such deputations might be defrayed without the Church at home being greatly burdened.

I would fain address the Assembly on the subject of the Continent, but the lateness of the hour precludes me from doing so.

There is only one other matter to which I shall refer, though in doing so I fear I may not have the sympathy of some in the Assembly. I cannot but express it as my conviction that the work of this great colonial and continental scheme cannot be adequately performed till a man has been set apart who shall devote his whole time and energies to promote the object. My heart thrilled to-night at the mention of the name of the late dear Dr John Bonar, who presided over this scheme so efficiently. If I mistake not, he enjoyed the able assistance of the present joint conveners, Principal Lumsden and Mr Irving of Falkirk; and yet, with all his own efforts and their aid, he found his work heavy enough to discharge. Why, not to speak of other things, letters require to be written by the legion. I must say that it appears to me that to combine the office of minister of a congregation with that of convener of the colonial and continental committee is to sanction the most flagrant of pluralities!

I beg to move the adoption of the following deliverance :-"The Assembly approve of the diligence of the committee, and record their thanks to the committee, and especially the conveners. The Assembly rejoice in the union recently effected between the Presbyterian Churches of the Lower Provinces and the Synod of New Brunswick, and trust that by the Divine blessing their labours will be effectual in promoting the spiritual interests of their countrymen in these colonies. The Assembly deeply sympathise with the brethren in Queensland in the pecuniary depression which has overtaken that colony, and in the great want both of ministers and of the means of affording them an adequate maintenance, and commend their wants to the generous consideration of the members of the Church. The Assembly rejoice in the progress of the Church in New Zealand, and instruct the Committee to use their best endeavours to comply with the numerous applications for ministers in that colony. The Assembly record their thanks to the Rev. James Lewis for his services in Rome during last winter, and express their unqualified approbation of the wisdom, and energy, and fidelity with which, in trying circumstances, he maintained the claim of Protestants to the exercise of their own worship in the Papal States. The Assembly rejoice in the increased interest manifested in the state of religion on the Continent, and approve of the efforts of the committee in opening new stations in Lausanne, Lisbon, and Venice, and commend anew to their care Genoa and the other stations in Italy, with a view both to the benefit of our own countrymen and of the natives. The Assembly are gratified with the success which has attended the labours of Mr Clark in Odessa, and direct the committee to watch over other similar openings, especially in the principal seaports of the Continent. The Assembly instruct the committee to direct their attention to the spiritual wants of Presbyterians resident in Valparaiso, and other cities of South America, and to consider how far an opening may be found for missionary effort among the Roman Catholic inhabitants of that Continent. Finally, the Assembly desire the Moderator to express to the brethren who are present from the colonies and foreign countries, the gratification with which

their addresses have been listened to, and the earnestness with which the Assembly desire that the blessing of God may widely rest on them and the operations in which they are engaged."

The MODERATOR then addressed the deputies as follows-Beloved brethren, from lands near and lands that are afar off upon the sea, you present to my mind a living illustration of the unity of Christ's body, the Church. Though hitherto personally strangers to one another aud to us, yet united by the inward spiritual bonds which connect the members of the body of Christ, these, as by some secret attractive influence, have drawn you together here; and all the brethren greet you as children of the same family with themselves, animated by the same spirit, and partakers of a common hope. When Jesus was told of certain Greeks that had come up to worship at the feast, the circumstance immediately suggested to Him the thought of the vast harvest of souls which He was to gather from the Gentile world, and He exclaimed, "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." In like manner, your welcome appearance in the midst of us from such divers quarters of the globe naturally leads us to think of the time when all the nations that dwell upon the face of the whole earth shall form one family, not only as they are made of one blood, but as united together in the bonds of faith and love. It is our hearts' desire and prayer that you, and the congregations and Churches with which you are connected, may be honoured to hasten on this promised consummation-even the full manifestation of the glory of Christ. May you be a spiritual leaven in the lands in which you are planted, leavening the whole lump. May you long continue to be faithful witnesses for Christ, holding forth the word of life, and displaying a banner because of the truth. And in the case of those of you who are placed in countries overrun with Popery, and infidelity, and other forms of error, and are, in consequence, exposed to formidable difficulties, we commend you to the blessing and protection of Him who, when He sent forth the twelve, said unto them, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." I am sure the Assembly will bear with me, and that the other deputies will not account it anything invidious, when I say that it affords me peculiar satisfaction to have the honour of occupying this chair on the occasion of the first visit to this country and this Church of Dr Turnbull, of Valparaiso. (Applause.) He is the minister of no less than six members of my family and immediate connexions, from whom I had learned the good service he has done to the cause of religious toleration, and the rights of conscience in Chili, long before his appearance here. (Applause.) I would not have referred to a matter so personal and domestic, but for the opportunity which it gives me of assuring fathers and mothers in this hall and elsewhere, that in the event of any of their young people settling in Valparaiso, they may comfort themselves with the assurance that they will have the benefits of a faithful ministry, and will enjoy the attentions of a watchful and affectionate pastor. (Applause.) And now, dear brethren, with cordial thanks for your most interesting addresses, I commend you all to God. May He bless you and keep you, and cause even your enemies to be at peace with you. (Loud applause.)

ORDINANCES ON THE CONTINENT.

The Assembly took up the special report on the supply of ordinances on the Continent, which was given in by Mr Irving, one of the conveners. It was unanimously agreed to "That the General Assembly approve of the report, and recommend the successful efforts that have been made, particularly by Mr Thomson of Paisley, for raising subscriptions towards the object in view. They rejoice that a commencement has been made in supplying ordinances to our countrymen on the Continent by opening during this summer a station at Paris, and that arrangements are in progress for supplying other places of resort. They remit the matter to the colonial and continental committee, with instructions to prosecute their inquiries as to the most suitable places for the services of ministers of our Church either during the summer or winter months; authorise them to use means to procure additional subscriptions, and commend the object to the Christian liberality of the members of the Church, especially of those interested in the spiritual welfare of relatives and others travelling or residing in continental Europe."

DEPUTATIONS TO VISIT PRESBYTERIES.

The Assembly took up the appendix to the report of the committee on religion and morals, and the overture from the Presbytery of Forres.

After a few

Mr WINTER, Dyke, appeared in support of the overture. preliminary remarks, he said that he objected to the Act of the last General Assembly, in the first place because of the manner in which it was adopted. It had been come to, he maintained, in opposition to the provisions of the Act of 1697, now called the Barrier Act, which provided that any such innovation in the practice of the Church as that to which the overture referred should be sent down to Presbyteries before being sanctioned by the Assembly. In the next place, he objected to the Act, on the ground of the nature of the Act itself. He held that it was contrary to the Church's constitution, and, taken in connexion with the powers given by last General Assembly to the deputies, it seemed to be detrimental to the interests of the Church. The rev. gentleman proceeded shortly to show the grounds which had led the Presbytery to come to these conclusions, and said, in closing, that it was solely on these grounds-and by no means with any feeling against the object which the Assembly had in view in appointing these deputies-that the Presbytery had agreed to transmit the overture.

Mr STARK, Greenock, said he did not, in this case, object to the power of the General Assembly to do what they had done last year as to the appointing of these deputies, because, according to the decision of the Court of Session in the Cardross case, the Free Church had the power to do anything it liked. (Laughter.) But, at the same time, he questioned the wisdom and sagacity of the measure. Certainly he did not question the wisdom or sagacity of the gentlemen appointed on last year's deputation, because he did not know them-(laughter)—with the exception of the Rev. Mr Mackenzie, of Edinburgh, who was a very worthy man. (Applause and laughter.) He seriously questioned, however, the wisdom of appointing deputies who were to have the power to wait upon the congregations and hear the complaints of any individual members, on the part

of the General Assembly. If there was any single discontented person in the congregation, there was no calculating the mischief which that proceeding might incur. As to the appointing of these deputies, if it were to be repeated this year, he thought that instead of choosing one north and one south country Presbytery, they should try a Presbytery in the centre of Scotland, and appoint the deputies to visit the Presbytery of Edinburgh. (Laughter.) Perhaps the brethren at headquarters would be all the better of getting a visitation, like what the people in the country had last year. He had been told that on that occasion, when the congregation was asked, according to the instructions of the Assembly, whether they had anything to say against their minister, one woman replied that she had a good deal to say against him-that he had not been preaching the gospel, and that so far as the elders were concerned, if they wanted to get them, they would require to go to the market, for they were never to be found in their districts. (Laughter.) He thought that the Assembly should beware of entering on any innovation of this kind. They were entering on a very dangerous course. It struck him forcibly that if they had sent down to the Presbyteries an overture on the union question, it would have been far more advanced than it was at present. He concluded by moving, "That before deputies be sent down to visit the Presbyteries in regard to the state of morals and religion within the bounds, the proposal to do so be embodied in an overture and transmitted to Presbyteries in terms of the Barrier Act."

Mr BALFOUR, Holyrood, seconded the motion.

Dr. J. WOOD, as convener of the committee on religion and morals, addressed the Assembly on the appendix to the report. He referred especially to the deputation appointed by last Assembly to visit the Synod of Galloway. He testified to the heartiness with which the deputation had been received, and the influence for good which he believed would result from the visitation. He denied that any inquiries had ever been made at the congregation as to whether they had any complaints to make, and said the deputation, of which he was a member, had never allowed such an opportunity.

Mr M'GREGOR, of Paisley, moved that "The Assembly withdraw the resolution of the Assembly of 1866, and instruct Presbyteries to be diligent in the discharge of their ordinary duty of visitation of the congregations under their charge." He said his impression had been strongly in favour of the deputation and against the local parties. He had been guilty, however, of judging on insufficient grounds, and would state his conviction, now that they were under great obligation to those who made the resistance to the deputation-a resistance which had culminated in the very manly speech of Mr Winter. (Applause.)

Mr M'CORKLE, St Ninian's, said the question was- -Whether the deliverance had been constitutional and regular? He maintained that it had been ultra vires, and objected to proceedings being carried on which superseded the practice of the Church. He seconded Mr M'Gregor's

motion.

Mr HENRY, Marnoch, regarded the deputation, not as subversive of Presbyterian order, but as aiding evangelical effort. As a minister resident in the district of Strathbogie, he could only say they hailed the deputation, and enjoyed their visit exceedingly--(hear, hear)-and if the deputation was not constitutional, it was a pity that it was not. (Hear,