ment and General Assembly against immorality, and giving suitable exhortations, according to Act 5, Ass. 1714. 7. If fasts and thanksgivings be observed, according to Act 7, Ass. 1710, Act 4, Ass. 1722. 8. How Act 4, Ass. 1819, concerning the settlement and provision of schools, and the encouragement of ministers in parishes where there are papists. 9. How Act 4, Asy. 1718, concerning a fund for maintaining the indigent widows and orphans of ministers, is observed.-Act 5.

1792. Recommended to synods to be punctual in sending up their books. Enjoined, That synod-clerks attend to this recommendation, as they shall be answerable for their conduct to the Assembly; and ordained, That this recommendation and injunction be inserted amongst the printed Acts of the Assembly.-Act 7.

SYNODS MEETING.

1642. The provincial synod of Angus is ordained to keep their first meeting upon the third Tuesday of April, conform to the Act of Assembly at Glasgow 1638.-Act Sess. 13, Aug. 6.

1643. Appointed, That the ordinary fixed places of meeting of the synod of Perth and Stirling be in all time coming at Perth in October, and Stirling in April yearly, per vices.-Act 8.

1647. Declared and ordained, That the whole ministers and elders of the presbytery of Zetland (Shetland) shall not be tied, after the date of the act, to come to the meetings of the provincial of Caithness; but that the half only of the number of the ministers of that Isle, with their ruling elders, shall be obliged to keep the meetings of the said provincial Assembly in time coming; in respect of the great distance of that Isle from the land, and the uncertainty and dangerousness of the passage from and to the same. Act Sess. 2, Aug. 16.

1752. Appointed, on account of the change in the kalendar, That the synods which usually met on the first Tuesday of April or October, shall meet on the second

Tuesday of these months, according to the new style; and so of the rest, advancing a week in the denomination of the days, whatever month or week any of the synods have been in use to meet in.-Act 8.

1759. The act appointing the synod of Ross to meet twice in the year, viz. in the months of April and September, is repealed; and it is appointed, That in time coming that synod meet once in the year, and that on the second Tuesday of May yearly.-Act 4.

1759. Appointed, That in summer the synod of Lothian and Tweeddale shall in time coming meet on the first Tuesday of May.-Act 5.

1761. Appointed, That the synod of Ross have their meetings henceforth upon the third Tuesday of April.Act 9.

1776. The place for the meeting of the synod of Galloway is changed from Wigton to Newton-Stewart; to be held there in all time coming, allowing the synod to adjourn occasionally to Kirkcudbright, Wigton, Stranraer, or elsewhere.-Act 11.

1777. Ordered, That the day for the meeting of the synod of Fife be changed from the first to the second Tuesday of October yearly.-Act 8.

1811. Appointed, That the synod of Glenelg hold their first ordinary meeting at Broadford, on the third Wednesday of July; and their next ordinary meeting at Lochcarron, and to continue in future alternately at these places, upon the third Wednesday of July.-Act 7.

THANKSGIVINGS.

1708. A solemn thanksgiving is appointed for the nation's deliverance from the Pretender by Act 7 of this Assembly.

1710. All ministers and members of this church are appointed religiously to observe all fasts and thanksgivings, whether appointed by the church or the supreme magistrate, for just and necessary causes: And presbyteries and synods are appointed to take particular notice of the due observance of this.-Act 7.

1746. A solemn thanksgiving is appointed for the deter liverance of the nation from the distress occasioned by the are rebellion, by Act 14.

1788. Recommended to all ministers, to take such y methods as shall appear to them most effectual to fixe the attention of all ranks upon the lessons of contrition,the of thankfulness and liberality, which then the dispensa-is tions of Providence, and the seasonable supply of provisions, especially taught: This recommendation is appointed in to be transmitted to presbyteries as soon as possible.Act 7.

1788. A national thanksgiving is appointed in commemoration of the Revolution in 1688.-Act 10.

TRANSPORTATION.

1642. It is appointed, 1. That no transportation be granted without citation of parties having interest, viz. the minister who is sought, and his parish, to hear what they can oppose; and the matter is to come first to both the presbyteries, viz. that wherein the minister dwells, whose transportation is sought, and the other presbytery to which he is sought; if the kirks lie in several presby-d teries, and if the presbyteries agree not, the matter is to be brought to the synod or General Assembly, which of them shall first occur after the said transportation is sought; and if the synod occurring first agree not, or if there be an appeal made from it, then the matter is to come to the General Assembly. 2. That a minister may be transplanted from a particular congregation where he can only do good to a part, to such a place where he may benefit the whole kirk of Scotland, because in reason the whole is to be preferred to a part, such as Edinburgh, Imo, Because all the great courts of justice sit there, as council, session, justice-general, exchequer, and it concerns the whole kirk that these fountains of justice be kept clean both in point of faith and manners. 2do, Because there is a great confluence to Edinburgh from time to time, of many of the chief members of the whole kingdom, and it

concerns the whole kirk to have these well seasoned, who apparently are to be the instruments of keeping this kirk and kingdom in good temper. That this may the more easily be done, it is recommended to Edinburgh, That some young men of excellent spirits be, upon the charges of the town, trained up at home or abroad, toward the ministry from time to time: And it is declared, That the Assembly mean not that all the places of the ministers of Edinburgh be filled with ministers to be transported by authority of this act, but only till they be provided with one minister, transplanted by the authority of the Assembly for every kirk in Edinburgh, and that the rest of the places be filled up, either according to the general rules of transportation for the whole kingdom, or by agreement with the actual ministers and their parishes, with consent of the presbytery or synod to which they belong. 3. It is found, That it is a transporting of ministers for public good, that colleges having the profession of divinity be well provided with professors; wherein the college of divinity in St Andrews is first to be served, without taking any ministers or professors out of Edinburgh, Glasgow, or Aberdeen, and then the rest of the colleges are to be provided for, as their necessity shall require; yet, in respect of the present scarcity, it were good for the universities to send abroad for able and approved men to be professors of divinity, that our ministers may be kept in their pastoral charges, as much as may be; towns also, wherein colleges are, are very considerable in the matter of transportation. 4. All congregations where noblemen have their chief residence are to be regarded, whether planted or unplanted, and a care is to be had, that none be admitted minister where popish noblemen reside, but such as are able men, especially for controversy, by sight of the presbytery: And moreover, it is necessary that such ministers as dwell where popish noblemen are, and are not able for controversy, be transported. 5. They who desire the transportation of a minister should be obliged to give reasons for their desire; neither skall any presbytery or Assembly pass a sentence for transportation of any minister, till they give reasons for the expediency of the

a

same, both to him and his congregation, and to the pres-res bytery whereof he is a member; if they acquiesce in the reasons given, it is so much the better; if they do not ac-pat quiesce, yet the presbytery or Assembly, by giving such se reasons before the passing of the sentence, shall make it es manifest, that what they do is not pro arbitratu vel im-O perio only, but upon grounds of reason. 6. Because there are

is such scarcity of ministers having the Irish tongue, necessity requires, that when found in the Lowlands, they be transported to the Highlands, providing their condi tion be not made worse, but rather better by their transportation. 7. In point of voluntary transportation, that no minister transact or agree with any parish to be transported thereto, without a full hearing of him and his parish, before the presbytery to which he belongs in his present charge, or superior church judicatories, if need shall be. 8. The planting of vacant kirks is not to be tied to any, either minister or expectants, within a presbytery, but a free election is to be, according to the order of the kirk, and laws of the kingdom. 9. That the chief burghs of the kingdom be desired to train up young men of excellent spirits for the ministry, according to their power, as was recommended to Edinburgh; which course will in time, God willing, prevent many transportations.-Act Sess. 11, Aug. 5.

1694. It is recommended to all parishes, who are or may be vacant, That before they design the calling of any minister already fixed in another congregation, they first seriously essay and follow other means of providing themselves, if they can be found; and it is recommended to all presbyteries, That they do not concur in any such call, or design of transporting a minister from one congregation to another, unless by due comparing of places, and all parties concerned, the disproportion betwixt them and the greater good of the church be manifestly evident. And sicklike, when any such design of transportation is pursued, the Assembly ordains, That all parties concerned therein shall debate with such meekness and brotherly kindness as becometh parts and members of the same body of Christ, designing the good of the whole; and that they