In the case of the application of the Deacons' Court of the Free Church, Annan, with the sanction of the Presbytery of the bounds, the General Assembly authorise the said Deacons' Court to dispose of the present manse in order that they may provide a new manse for the minister; the requirements and provisions of the Act VIII. of the Assembly of 1863, anent Sales and Transferences of Property, being always observed; and under this declaration, that before an extract of this deliverance is furnished to the applicants by the Clerks of the Assembly, the applicants shall produce to the clerks evidence that the sale of the present manse has been sanctioned by the congregation at Annan.

In the case of the application of the Deacons' Court of the Free Church at Lumphanan, with the sanction of the Presbytery of the bounds, the General Assembly authorise the said Deacons' Court to sell the present manse in order to obtain a feu and erect a new manse upon it; the requirements and provisions of the Act VIII. of the Assembly 1863, anent Sales and Transferences of Property, being always observed; and under this declaration, that before an extract of this deliverance is furnished to the applicants by the Clerks of the Assembly, the applicants shall produce to the clerks evidence that the sale of the present manse has been sanctioned by the congregation at Lumphanan.

In the case of the application of the Deacons' Court of the congregation at Maxwelltown, with the unanimous approval of the congregation and the recommendation of the Presbytery of the bounds, the General Assembly authorise the Deacons' Court to sell the present church, and also sanction the disposal of the manse property, in the event stated in the application; the requirements and provisions of the Act VIII. of the Assembly of 1863, anent Sales and Transferences of Property, being always observed.

In the case of the application of the Deacons' Court of the congregations in Campbeltown, and with the approval of both the Gaelic and English congregations, and of the Presbytery of the bounds, the General Assembly rescind the deliverance of last year, and authorise the applicants to sell or dispose of the present English church, and the portion of the feu upon which it is built, or to take down the building and apply the price or the materials to the erection of a new English church, and to the improvement of the present Gaelic church; the requirements and provisions of the Act VIII. of the Assembly of 1863, anent Sales and Transferences of Property, being always observed.

In the case of the memorial and petition of the Deacons' Court of the congregation at Ecclefechan, the General Assembly hereby remit to the Presbytery of Lockerby to endeavour to bring the parties to a settlement of the questions in dispute; and in the event of their being unsuccessful, instruct them to bring up the case to any meeting of the Commission, who shall have authority to deal with it as they see fit.

With reference to the applications from Tarbert, Annan, and Lumphanan, the General Assembly having now pronounced favourable deliverances, take no further notice of neglect in these cases of the Act VIII. Ass. 1863, as requiring evidence to be transmitted to the Assembly as to the concurrence of the congregation. The General Assembly at the same time declare that they shall not form a precedent for the future. And, with a view to enforcing the Act VIII., 1863, in all particulars, instruct the Clerks of Assembly to send forms of petition to all Clerks of Presbyteries, and to intimate to them the necessity of their Presbyteries

making all congregations aware, in due time, of the terms of the aforesaid Act, in their application to the particular causes which may arise.

NATIONAL EDUCATION IN IRELAND.

The Assembly called for the report on National Education in Ireland. In connexion with this report, the Assembly invited Mr Robb, minister at Clogher, and David Duncan Leitch, Esq., members of the deputation from the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, to address the House. These brethren accordingly responded to the invitation, and addressed the Assembly in succession.

Rev. J. G. ROBB addressed the Assembly. He stated that the subject of education was taken up by the General Assembly in Ireland in the three departments-the first committee having charge of the elementary department, the second of the intermediate department, or what corresponded with our grammar schools, and the third committee had charge of collegiate education. He then gave a brief history of the establishment of the elementary and intermediate schools, and of the Queen's University, and stated that these were all conducted on the following principles :First, that the education should be non-sectarian; and, second, that parental authority was recognised as to the character of the religious education to be given to the students. The testimony of various committees on this subject was, that the system was the best adapted to Ireland. This system had, however, been opposed by the Education Society in connexion with the Church of England, and it had also been opposed by Bishop Cullen, who for many years had charge of the Irish department at Rome, and who was a man, zealous, determined, and narrow-minded, bigoted, active, and most energetic. Through his influence, a Catholic University was founded, though there had been no interference with the religious convictions of any one who had studied at the Queen's Colleges, nor had it been said that the wants and requirements of the country were not met by these institutions; and, at the same time that the Queen's Colleges were founded, there was a grant made to the College of Maynooth, for Catholic purposes, amounting to £30,000. The principles upon which this Catholic University was founded were the "eternal principles which regulated the relations of the Catholic Universities of the Middle Ages." (A laugh.) The Ultramontane policy ever since had been that of persistent attempts to obtain ascendency over the Colleges and Universities. Having referred to the statement made by Sir George Grey previous to the dissolution of Parliament, he said various proposals had been made since. The Catholic party had asked for a charter for their college. Since then a plan had been drawn up and accepted by Bishop Cullen, the object of which was to secure for the Catholic University a position it was entitled to at the head of Catholic education in Ireland, with a right to mould all according to its own idea that was, to be at the head of education in Ireland. This institution that was to be founded upon the eternal principles of the Middle Ages was to mould all the educational arrangements of Ireland. Government had been applied to several times to sanction this arrangement; but the application had always been defeated, to a great extent, he believed, through the exertions of the Scotch members. So far as he could gather, the plan now proposed was to assimilate the Queen's University to the University of London, and to make it merely an examining board; and it was also proposed to alter the

constitution of the Senate in a manner which would give the preponderance to the Roman Catholics. The reason assigned for these proposals was, that the colleges had not been successful. But there was a prior question to this-Had these colleges been founded on sound principles, and if they had, should they not be maintained? If they were to take the statements of the party from which the objection came, they might dispense with the gospel, because they maintained that the gospel had not been successful. But he maintained that there was not a particle of evidence to support this statement, and showed that in 1857 a Government Commission pronounced the colleges a decided success. In 1857 the attendance was 450; last year it was 835. This, he thought, showed they had not been a failure. Then, it was said, they had failed as a mixed system; but take the history of the colleges for the first fifteen years after their establishment, and they would find that a total of 3330 students were educated at the colleges. Of these there were in connexion with the Established Church, 957; with the Roman Catholic, 938; with the Presbyterian, 1197; and with other denominations, 238. It was from this argued that, seeing that the Roman Catholic population numbered four millions, and that the other denominations did not exceed one million, the number of Roman Catholics who attended the colleges was not in proportion to the other denominations. But they should consider the fact that the Roman Catholic population were at the bottom of the social scale; and, in addition to that, that they had Maynooth College, where a large proportion of the Roman Catholic students were educated. He proceeded to show, by the number of degrees and the high position taken by the students from the Queen's Colleges, that these institutions had proved highly successful; and he concluded by urging upon them to assist the Protestants in Ireland in maintaining the present system of mixed education in Ireland, and in preventing the Roman Catholics from obtaining the ascendency they sought.

Mr DAVID D. LEITCH followed in a brief address to the same effect. The report was then made by Dr ROBERT BUCHANAN the convener, who addressed the Assembly thereanent. He said the subject on which they had been so ably and eloquently addressed was brought before the House by an overture from the members of the Assembly. A committee was appointed on the subject, and they had instructed him, as convener, to give a brief verbal report. It was simply to the effect that they should appoint a committee and remit this matter to their consideration, and authorise them to memorialise the Government, and petition Parliament as they shall see cause. If it was found that the legislation indicated was really attempted, the committee should have the authority of the House to take such action in the way of memorialising Government and petitioning Parliament in name of the Assembly as should seem suitable and necessary. He characterised the movement as an attempt to accomplish a party and selfish end, under the guise of promoting the public interest, and said it was perfectly plain that it was the result of ultramontane influence. The object of that party evidently was to gain from Parliament the control of education both in the colleges and common schools, and it was somewhat humiliating to think that members of the Government, not the Government collectively but individually, had been giving so much countenance to their interested proposals. This matter deserved to be watched with the greatest possible vigilance, and he felt that they would not be doing

their duty if they did not co-operate with their Irish friends in endeavouring to arrest what would not only be a great damage not only to Ireland but to the cause of Protestant education throughout the country. He concluded by moving that "The General Assembly, having resumed consideration of the overture from the members of the House on the subject of National Education in Ireland, having heard the report of the committee thereanent, and having also heard the Rev. Mr Robb and Mr Leitch, deputies to this Assembly from the General Assembly of the Irish Presbyterian Church, as to certain changes in the interest of Ultramontane Romanism, for which it is understood attempts are about to be made to obtain the concurrence of Parliament, resolved to appoint a committee to watch over any legislation of the kind indicated that may be actually attempted, with authority to memorialise the Government and to petition Parliament thereanent, in the name of this Assembly, as they shall see

cause."

Dr BEGG seconded the motion, which was unanimously agreed to.

RECORD OF PRE-DISRUPTION MINISTERS.

Dr BLAIKIE, in the absence of Dr Parker, gave in the report of the Committee for obtaining a Record of the Disruption Ministers, (No. XXVII.) He regretted that Dr Parker's health was in a state they must all regret, but he trusted it might be such as to enable him to accomplish this work.

Dr BEGG, in moving the adoption of the report, said, he thought if Dr Parker would be able to accomplish the work contemplated, it would be worthy of the Church to relieve him from his other work, that he might do this work for the Church of the future.

Some conversation followed, as to whether a permanent record should, in the meantime, be made, or whether the returns should not rather be indexed, so as to be available for reference in after years. The following motion was ultimately agreed to:-" The Assembly approve of the report, and record their thanks to the Committee, especially to the convener. The Assembly instruct presbytery clerks to see that the schedule of inquiries issued by the Committee be filled up and returned with as little delay as possible. Farther, the Assembly, with the view of getting the information in the schedules properly arranged, instruct the Presbytery of Glasgow, if pecuniary provision can be made, to relieve the convener of his pulpit and pastoral duties for such time and in such manner as may seem to them best."

MR HILL'S PICTURE OF THE DISRUPTION ASSEMBLY.

Dr CANDLISH said there was another subject on which he would desire to make a remark or two. They were speaking just now of the memorials of the Disruption movement, and there was now completed a memorial of the Disruption movement of a very peculiar character-he referred to the admirable picture by Mr D. O. Hill, which might now be seen in its completed form. Mr Hill had devoted an immense deal of time to the preparation of the picture he had given many years of his life to the subject, and he had at last been able to complete a picture which, on the testimony of those competent to judge, on the testimony of such men as the Presi dent of the Royal Academy, was a picture which was absolutely unique in its character, and which was as nearly perfect as could well be expected in

the circumstances. (Applause.) He felt sure, notwithstanding some slight anachronisms which occurred in it, and which were inevitable from the lapse of time since the picture was begun, that it would be welcomed by the Church as a most valuable and precious memorial of that great event, and of many eminent and distinguished men who adorned the Church at that era. He earnestly trusted and hoped that the movement set on foot for acquiring the original picture for the Free Church of Scotland would speedily be crowned with success. It would be a discredit to their Church to allow the picture to go out of their hands. His own impression was― and it was formed on good authority-that if they were not prepared as a Church to purchase the picture at the price fixed, not by Mr Hill but by those whom he had consulted, and whose views he was bound to followif they were not prepared to acquire it, it would be snapped up eagerly by some other party. (Hear, hear.) He had no doubt that some of their American friends would like to acquire it, and carry it across the Atlantic. Therefore he would not wonder though they had competitors for this picture. Their noble friend from Philadelphia, who addressed the House on Saturday, might covet this picture, and long to have it as his own, as he dearly loved the Free Church, and venerated the Disruption ministers. He trusted this would not be allowed, but that the Free Church would have the privilege of possessing, and placing in a prominent position in some of their halls, this admirable picture. (Applause.) He hoped the members of the Assembly would make conscience of visiting the Calton Convening Rooms before leaving the Assembly, where they would see the original picture and the specimens, in three different sizes, of the photographs for sale. The photographs, he understood, were taken on a new principle-a principle securing thorough permanency, and those he had seen were executed with admirable skill. If the picture had been engraved it would have taken from ten to twelve years, but, by means of these photographs, it could be circulated in any quantity almost immediately. He trusted that all those who loved the Free Church of Scotland, as well as all the members of the Church, would do their utmost to promote the circulation of these photographs, and to possess them themselves. He should rejoice to see all the ministers in the Church possessing a copy of this admirable picture-to find it in all the manses throughout the bounds of their Church. (Applause.)

Dr BUCHANAN was sure there was not a member of this House who would not feel that there was perfect relevancy in the topic which Dr Candlish had introduced. They were dealing with the records and memorials of the Disruption, and among these records he knew none that would carry down to posterity so graphic or forcible a remembrance of the great deed of 1843 as the picture to which Dr Candlish had now alluded. What would they not give to have such a memorial of the first Assembly of the Church of Scotland founded by John Knox, with all the remarkable men who sat with him in that Assembly; or what would they not give to have such a memorial of the great Glasgow Assembly of 1638? He believed there was no price that could be put on such a picture that would not gladly be paid for it. (Hear, hear.) It would be one of the most important contributions to history that could possibly be made. It seemed like a special Providence that this Church should have had this contribution made to the perpetuation of the greatest event in the history of the Church; that they should have had a man competent to paint such a pic