Church of Scotland, Act 2; and the Assembly's dutif answer in Act 3.

1718 to 1724. The king's letters to the Assembly fro 1718 to 1724 inclusive, and the Assemblies' answers, a recorded in Acts 2 and 3 of these Assemblies.

1726-27. The king's letters, and the Assembly's answe are contained in Acts 2, 3.

1728. King George II.'s first letter to the Assembly declaring his purpose of maintaining and supporting th Presbyterian Church of Scotland in the full enjoyment o her rights and privileges, as by law established, and th Assembly's answer, are in Acts 2, 3.

1729 to 1743. The king's letters, and the Assemblies answers, are recorded in Acts 2, 3, of Assemblies, from th year 1729 to 1743.

1744. The king's letter, and the Assembly's answer humbly thanking his majesty for the countenance he gav to the last Assembly's scheme for provision to the widow and orphans of ministers in Scotland.-Acts 2, 3.

1745. The king's letter, and the Assembly's answer are recorded in Acts 2, 3.

1746. His majesty's letter to the Assembly, containing his thanks for their zeal and attachment during the rebellion, and trusting that they will continue to give proofs of their loyalty and affection, by exciting the people under their charge to a due sense of the blessings they enjoy under his government, and to a just abhorrence of the pernicious designs of those who have endeavoured to overturn our religion and our constitution, and to introduce popery and arbitrary power; and the Assembly returns a dutiful answer.-Acts 2, 3.

1746. The Assembly, in a letter, present their humble and thankful acknowledgments to his Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland, for his generous resolution in coming to be, under Providence, the deliverer of the church and nation of Scotland from the miseries of the late unnatural rebellion.-Act 6. The Duke returned

the Assembly a suitable answer.

1747 to 1760. The king's letters, and the Assemblies' answers, are contained in Acts 2, 3, of these and intervening Assemblies.

1761. King George III.'s first letter to the Assembly; wherein he promises to maintain and support the Presbyterian Church of Scotland in all her rights and privileges, and protect her from all insult and encroachment; and the Assembly returns an affectionate and dutiful answer. -Acts 2, 3.

1762 to 1797. The king's letters, and Assemblies' answers, in Acts 2, 3, in these and intervening years.

1798. The king's letter recommends to the Assembly to persevere in their attention to the advancement of religion, the preservation of sound doctrine, and the checking of loose notions, both in faith and morality, which disgrace the times, and which, unless timely counteracted, must destroy all good principles in the hearts of men, dissolve the bands of society, and provoke the displeasure of God. The Assembly returns a dutiful answer.-Acts 2, 3. 1799 to 1810. The king's letters, and the Assemblies' answers, are contained in Acts 2, 3, of these and intervening years.

1811 to 1819. The prince regent's letters, and the Assemblies' answers, are contained in Acts 2, 3, of these and intervening years.

1815. The king, in his letter to the Assembly, intimates that the commissioner had instructions to signify steps taken to put some stop to the spreading of ignorance and profaneness, and the trafficking of popish priests' emissaries in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland; and the Assembly returns their dutiful thanks for the bounty of L.1000 for the encouragement of preachers, where ignorance abounds.-Acts 2, 3.

1820. A letter from his majesty George IV., declaring his satisfaction at having an opportunity of addressing the Assembly for the first time since his accession to the throne, expressing his sincere reliance on their loyalty and attachment to his person and government, exemplified, even in a vicarious character, alluding generally to the recent occurrences of the country, and recommending to the clergy of Scotland to inculcate on their flocks at once a respect for the laws of God, and the temporal institutions of man.-Act 2. The Assembly answered, That

they would, to the utmost of their power, endeavour to inculcate on their flocks a due subordination to all in authority; that they would repel every inroad of irreligion and infidelity; that they deplored the fatal effects of thes unhappy tenets, recently so fearfully exemplified, and that, in all respects, they would endeavour to prove them selves loyal and dutiful subjects, concluding with an earnest prayer for the blessing of Heaven on the king's person and government.-Act 3.

1820 to 1830. The letters from his majesty King George IV. to the General Assembly, and their answers thereto, are annually inserted in the printed Acts ́ of Assembly.

1838. Letter from Queen Victoria to the Assembly.

LIBRARIES.

1704. The Assembly declares their approbation of the design and project set on foot, by some piously inclined persons, in this and the neighbouring nation of England, for erecting libraries in the Highlands of this kingdom, in which good advances have been made; and appoints a letter of thanks to be written to the Society in England for Propagating Christian Knowledge, and to others who have given their concurrence and assistance in this matter, and empowers their commission to apply to the Lords of his Majesty's Privy Council, or Treasury, for their assistance, in order to bring down the said books from England, and transmit the same to the places underwritten, at which they are to be fixed in this kingdom, to give their best advice and assistance for making this project effectual, and to use their endeavours for getting a new impression of the Bible in Irish, and renews the recommendation contained in Act 16, Ass. 1699, to the synod of Argyle, for translating the Confession of Faith and Larger Catechism in the Irish language, with a vocabulary of the most necessary and usual terms in divinity. And likewise renews the 20th Act of Ass. 1694, concerning the use of the Irish Psalms and Shorter Catechism. -Act 17.

;

1705: Act dividing the whole libraries for the Highlands, both presbyterial and parochial, as follows, viz. The presbyterial libraries (whereof there are nineteen in all) thus:To the presbytery of Zetland, one; Orkney, one; Caithness, one; Sutherland, one; Ross, three; Inverness, one; Aberlour, one; Abernethy, one; Strathbogie and Fordice, one; Dunkeld, one; Argyle, five; Dunbarton, one. The odd presbytery library is bestowed on the synod of Argyle, with a special respect to the remote and large islands, such as Lewis, and that in place of the distribution made by the former Act 17, Ass. 1704. The parochial libraries, being in number fifty-eight, are distributed as follows, viz. To Zetland, two; Orkney, three; Caithness, two; Sutherland, two; Ross, four Inverness, three; Aberlour, two; Abernethy, one; Alford, one; Kincardine, two; in the bounds of the synod of Angus and Mearns, three; in the presbytery of Dunkeld, four; Auchterarder, two; Dumblain, two; Dunbarton, two; and for the bounds of the synod of Argyle, twenty-three; and these parochial libraries are appointed to be fixed at such places as the respective synods and presbyteries find most convenient; and a committee is appointed for managing the said libraries in the manner mentioned in the act, and for digesting in order some presses of books not methodised and sorted, (which are besides the seventy-seven libraries,) and distributing them to such places as have most need, with a special regard to the remote isles.-Act 12.

1706. There are several instructions given to the commission, and particularly to require an account from the committee of Assembly 1705, for managing the said libraries, how they have distributed the same, and from the agent, how he has obeyed the orders of that committee anent sending the libraries and Irish Bibles to the respective places appointed for them, and to call for an account from the respective presbyteries of the receipt of their proportions of these Bibles and libraries, and how they have disposed of them, according to the order of Assembly 1705, and their committee; and presbyteries are appointed to send these accounts to the commission or com

mittee to be appointed by them for this affair; and tha these accounts be sent in writing, subscribed by the mo derator and clerk of the presbytery; and the commission is ordained to take care that these accounts be recorded in a particular register for that purpose; and it is recommended to the commission, or their committee, to distri bute eleven boxes lately come down from England, and any libraries or books that shall be sent down betwixt and the next Assembly, to such places of this church and nation as have most need, and may best answer the design of the donors; and that commission is also instructed to inquire into the state of the Highlands and Islands, how they are planted with ministers, and of the remaining paganish customs among them, and of the increase of popery, and how they are provided with schools; what places most need help in these matters, and what encouragement these may expect, who incline to enter into a society for erecting and maintaining charity schools for educating poor and indigent children; and all synods and presbyteries concerned in the Highlands and Islands to send their accounts thereof to the commission, who are to prepare overtures thereanent.-Act 18.

1709. It is recommended to such presbyteries as had not received any of the books sent from England for making up public libraries, to contribute amongst themselves, in order to lay a foundation for a library in each presbytery seat; and also to endeavour to procure collections in their several parishes, less or more, for that end; and it is referred to the commission to forward the above recommendation; and presbyteries who have got a share of these libraries are desired to send accounts to the commission of their receipt of them, where they are fixed, how they have observed the rules sent with them, and what improvements they are making of them, and other things relating to these libraries enjoined on them by acts of former Assemblies and their commissions.-Act 11.

LORD'S DAY.

1638. An overture for preventing the profanation of