ment of this church ?—6. Are not zeal for the honour of God, love to Jesus Christ, and desire of saving souls, your great motives and chief inducements to enter into the function of the holy ministry, and not worldly designs and interest ?—7. Have you used any undue methods, either by yourself or others, in procuring this call ?-8. Do you engage, in the strength and grace of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master, to rule well your own family, to live a holy and circumspect life, and faithfully, diligently, and cheerfully, to discharge all the parts of the ministerial work, to the edification of the body of Christ?-9. Do you accept of and close with the call to be pastor of this parish, and promise, through grace, to perform all the duties of a faithful minister of the gospel among this people ?-Act 10.

1711. Questions to be put to a minister, already ordained, at his admission to a parish.—You having already been ordained a minister of the gospel of Christ, it is supposed that the usual questions on such occasions were then put to you; and that you did then declare, &c. (here the questions put to ministers at their ordination, ut supra, are to be repeated; and then say,) And do you now consent and adhere to these declarations, promises, and engagements; and accept of, and close with, a call to be minister of this parish; and promise, through grace, to perform all the duties of a faithful minister of the gospel among this people?

1745. Recommended and enjoined on presbyteries to take care that all ministers behave themselves as becomes their character.-Act 9.

1757. Earnestly recommended to presbyteries to take such wise and effectual measures as may promote the spirit of our holy religion, and preserve the purity and decorum of the ministerial character; and that they take care that none of the ministers of this church attend the theatre. Act 5.

1817. Enacted and ordained, That if a professor in an university be thereafter presented to a parochial charge, which is not situated in the city that is the seat of that university, or in the suburbs thereof, he shall, within nine

I

months after his being admitted to the charge, resign his professorship, and at the extraordinary meeting of presbytery thereafter produce a certificate that his resignation has been accepted; and that if the minister of a parish, which is not situated in the city that is the seat of an university, or the suburbs thereof, be thereafter presented or elected to a professorship in any university, he shall, at the first ordinary meeting of presbytery which shall take place after the lapse of six months from the date of his induction into the professorship, resign into the hands of the presbytery his parochial charge: And in the event of this injunction not being complied with by the persons holding such offices, ordained that the presbytery of the bounds serve him, in his character of parish minister, with a libel for the breach of this statute, and to proceed therein according to the rules of the church; provided that ministers of chapels of ease shall be subject, in all respects, to the provisions of this act, in the same manner as parochial ministers: Provided further, that the Old and New Towns of Aberdeen be held as forming one city, so far as respects the provisions of this act.-Act 6.

MISSIONS.

1835. The General Assembly did, and hereby do, nominate and appoint the committee for the reformation of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, and for managing his majesty's royal bounty, to be a committee of this Assembly for the propagation of the gospel in foreign parts, and for managing the funds subscribed and given for that purpose, with the whole powers conferred by former acts of Assembly, and with power also to appoint a sub-committee of their number, consisting of nine, for more effectually furthering the great end in view. Of the general committee, fourteen are hereby declared to be a quorum, whereof nine are to be ministers; and of the sub-committee to be appointed, five are hereby declared to be a quorum. That the committee shall hold stated monthly meetings for dispatch of business in the Trustees' Hall,

a the first Tuesday of every month, at three o'clock, ith power always to adjourn, as shall be needful; and › meet on all occasions when urgent business shall deand. And the said general committee are hereby enined and required, through their sub-committee, to atend to the instructions and regulations formerly approved y the General Assembly for the propagation of the gosbel abroad; with power to make and carry into effect uch further regulations as to them may seem most beneicial, such further regulations to be submitted to next Assembly. And the said general committee are hereby ppointed to report their diligence, and that of their subcommittee, in calling forth the benevolence and support of the Christian public of Scotland,—their prudence in he expenditure of the funds obtained,-and, generally, their management, and the success of their operations in oreign parts. Farther, the General Assembly recommend to the favourable consideration of the committee the subject of the memorial from the Missionaries at Bombay, leaving to the committee the time and manner of extending their countenance and pecuniary support to that object, and warmly recommend their efforts to the prayers and pecuniary assistance of the people of Scotland.-Sess. 10, May 30.

(Continued in subsequent Assemblies.)

OATHS.

1642. For eviting contrary oaths, synods, presbyteries, and sessions, are discharged to take the oaths of both parties in all time thereafter, in trying of adulteries, fornications, and other faults and scandals; but all other order and ways of trial used in such cases are recommended to them; and that there may be a common order and course kept in the kirk for trying public scandals, presbyteries are ordained to advise upon some common order thereuntil, and to report their judgments to the then next Assembly.-Act Sess. 11, Aug. 5. Vide Form of Process, cap. 4, p. 149, Vol. I. of Compend.

1712. The proceedings of the commission of Assembly 1711, respecting the oath of abjuration, and more especially the address and representation made to the queen in that matter, are approven, and judged to have been true, dutiful, faithful, and most seasonable; and the said address is, by order of the Assembly, inserted verbatim in the act; and the Assembly, in the words of the foresaid oath, solemnly declare and, ascertain their allegiance to the queen, disown and disclaim the Pretender; and promise to maintain the Protestant succession; and they do most seriously obtest all ministers and members of this church, whatever may be their different practice, to entertain a good understanding herein.-Act 16.

1712. The Assembly, in an address to the queen, suggest to her majesty, that a scruple remained with many, as if the conditions mentioned in the acts of parliament, establishing the succession to the crown, referred to in the oath of abjuration, were to be understood as a part thereof, which is judged inconsistent with their known principles; and therefore plead to be relieved in the terms of the treaty and articles of the Union : They renew the declaration and assertion of their loyalty to her, and their concern for the Protestant succession, which is expressed in the above act; and declare their willingness to affirm the points thereof, by their great oath, if thereto required : And therefore plead, that such as may remain unclear, as to the taking of the oath as it stands, may be favourably regarded by her majesty, as her most loyal and dutiful subjects, and that she would interpose for their relief.— Act 17.

1715. His majesty Geo. I. having, immediately upon his accession to the crown, in pursuance of the Act 6, Parl. 1707, which is made a part of the acts of the parliaments of both kingdoms of Scotland and England, ratifying the treaty of Union, in presence of his privy council, by his solemn oath, faithfully promised and sworn, according to the form used in the law of Scotland, that he shall inviolably maintain and preserve the settlement of the true Protestant religion, with the government, worship, discipline, rights, and privileges of the Church of Scotland, as estab.

lished by the laws made there, in prosecution of the Claim of Right, and particularly by the foresaid Act 6, Parl. 1707, and acts of ratification above mentioned, and subscribed the said oath in two several instruments made thereupon: The double of the said oath and instruments were, for the satisfaction and encouragement of the ministers, and other members of this church, openly read from the books of the late commission, where the same stands recorded, and are, by order of the Assembly, also recorded in Act 4.

(Similar proceedings and oaths have ever since taken place on the accession of all the sovereigns of the House of Hanover.)

OFFICE-BEARERS IN THE CHURCH.

1638. That none be intruded into any office in the church, whether pastors, readers, &c., contrary to the will of the congregation to which they are appointed.—Act Sess. 23, 24, Dec. 17, 18, Art. 20.

1648. That every elder have certain bounds assigned him, that he may visit the same every month at least, and report to the session what abuses are therein.-Act Sess. 38, Aug. 10, Art. 2.

1719. Recommended to all ministers to take care that deacons, as well as elders, be ordained in congregations where deacons are wanting: But declared, that deacons, as such, shall have no decisive voice, either in the calling of ministers, or in the exercise of church discipline.— Act

7.

1722. Kirk-sessions, presbyteries, and synods, are appointed strictly and impartially to observe this and all former Acts of Assembly, relative to the office-bearers in the church; and presbyteries are appointed at their privy censures to inquire into the behaviour of their members, and of all the deacons and elders in their bounds.-Act 9.

1727. Enjoined on presbyteries to have a strict regard to what is required with respect to the duties and qualifications of elders by the above Act 9, Ass. 1722; espe