trary to, or inconsistent with, the Confession of Faith of this church, or to the worship, discipline, or government of the same; and to observe the morals and conversation both of masters and scholars; and that they apply first to the faculties of the universities or colleges for redress; and in case any difficulties occur to the presbyteries, which they cannot overcome, they are appointed to lay the same before the synod, General Assembly, or commission thereof; who are to consider the representations, and give their advice and assistance in these things.-Act 14.

1719. The commission is instructed, carefully to advert to any thing whereby they may contribute to the flourishing of the sciences and good literature, and to the propagating of religion and loyalty in universities; and particularly, that they diligently inquire, what privileges and interest the judicatories of this church, or the ministers thereof, have by the constitutions of the several universities and colleges, and by the laws of the land, with respect to the settlement of the masters and professors in them; which the Assembly appoints the commission, by all just methods, to maintain inviolably, and improve towards the promoting of the foresaid interests of true piety and learning; and for this end, to receive and give all due encouragement to whatever applications may be made to them to this effect.-Act 12.

VACANT CHURCHES.

1694. Recommended to his majesty's high commissioner, That he would, in the Assembly's name, apply to their majesties for a general recommendation to the lords of privy council, lords of treasury and exchequer, lords of session, and other judges whatsoever, in favours of such as shall, by order of the Assembly, serve vacant congregations in the north, that they may have access for maintenance out of the vacant stipends, during the time they serve.-Act 15.

1697. All ministers appointed by the General Assemblies or their authority, to labour for some time in these

orners of the church where vacancies are most numerous, re obtested and beseeched to be diligent and faithful in heir performance of what is appointed them; and in ase any ministers shall not exactly and timeously perorm their respective appointments, particularly in going o the north, they are ordered to be suspended from the xercise of their ministry, for the space of three months, by their respective presbyteries, as soon as they begin o neglect this duty; and the moderators of the several presbyteries are required to move and propose to the presbyteries to proceed to inflict the censures above appointed without delay; and in case any moderator shall neglect and delay the performance of his duty hereby required, that he be suspended from the exercise of his ministry by the next ensuing synod of the bounds, for he space of three months; and in case that inevitable Impediments fall providentially in the way of the minister bus appointed for supplies, that cannot but free the minister of any neglect, that the presbytery he belongs to do record the same in their registers, and produce them to their synod at their next meeting, to be by them judged; but withal, the presbytery, in that case, shall be obliged to send another, under the same certification; but so soon as he applies to the presbytery, and offers obedience, the presbytery shall be obliged to take off the act of suspension; and the Assembly appoints their churches to be supplied daily, at least two Sabbaths of three, during their absence. And the ministers appointed to make these supplies, in case of their neglect, are to be presbyterially rebuked, and that inserted in the records of the presbytery. And that synods particularly inquire anent, and see to the execution of this act, and report to the next ensuing General Assembly.—Act 8.

1711. Every minister is prohibited from taking upon him to preach in vacant congregations, not within the bounds of his own presbytery, without an invitation, either from the presbytery of the bounds, or at least from some neighbouring minister in that presbytery.—Act 15.

1735. It is recommended to all judicatories of the church in planting vacant churches, to have a due regard

to the principle contained in Act 6, Ass. 1575, 2 Book of Discipline, chap. 3, § 4, 6, 8, Act Dec. 17, 18, Ass. 1638, and Act 9, Ass. 1715, that no minister be intruded into a parish contrary to the will of the congregation; and to all presbyteries, that they be at pains to bring about harmony and unanimity in congregations, and to avoid every thing that may excite or encourage unreasonable exceptions in people against a worthy person that may be proposed to be their minister, in the present situation and circumstances of the church, so as none be intruded into such parishes, as they regard the glory of God and edification of the body of Christ.—

Act 14.

1759. It is appointed, in order to prevent unnecessary protracting of vacancies in parishes, that it shall be among the questions asked by synods at the several presbyteries, at their privy censures, what vacancies there are in their bounds? of how long continuance these have been? and the reasons why they are not supplied? And if the synod find the presbytery dilatory after the right of planting any parish has, by law, fallen into their hands, the synod shall enjoin them to proceed towards the settlement of that parish without further delay.-Act 7.

VACANT PARISHES.

1820. The Assembly approve of the following report by a committee.-Act 8.

1st, The General Assembly authorize the procurator and agents for the church to look into the case of this parish of Arbuthnot, and into such other cases as may exist at present, or occur hereafter, involving circumstances of protracted vacancy, occasioned by litigation betwixt contending patrons; that they watch over the progress of the respective processes, and endeavour to prevent improper or unnecessary delays.

2dly, The Assembly recommend to the several presbyteries within whose bounds there is or may be a long vacancy in any parish, occasioned by contested claims of

patronage, to endeavour, as far as possible, to furnish regular supplies of preaching at suitable intervals; and for this purpose, to employ licentiates of this church, according as these presbyteries may see proper, and find convenient; to authorize the several ministers in their bounds to administer the ordinance of baptism within the vacant parish respectively, and to perform the other functions of an ordained minister therein, as the circumstances of the parish may require: And in case the beritors, elders, or parishioners, apply to the presbytery for this purpose, that the Assembly recommend to them to exercise their constitutional power in dispensing the sacrament of the Lord's supper within such vacant parish, at such times, and under such arrangements, as the presbytery shall find most proper.

3dly, The Assembly authorize and recommend to the respective presbytery, in which any case of long vacancy of the above, or any other description, may occur, to take proper measures, as far as they can, for securing and preserving the civil interests of the vacant cure, especially in respect of the church, the manse and offices, and the glebe; and for attending to the poor, and to the schools of the vacant parish.-Act 8, May 26.

VAGRANT MINISTERS.

1690. Recommended to presbyteries, to take notice of all ministers within their bounds, whether the late conforming incumbents or others, who shall not observe fasts and thanksgivings indicted by the church, or who shall be found guilty of any irregular carriage in administering the sacraments in private, or celebrating clandestine marriages, without due proclamation of banns; and to censure accordingly.-Act 6.

1696. Recommended seriously to all synods and presbyteries, that they advert to the many irregularities committed by vagrant unfixed ministers, many of whom are lying under ecclesiastical censures, to the great scandal and hinderance of the gospel, and tending to the rending

of churches and congregations; and prudently to proceed to take such course with them as the circumstances of the case and time require: And presbyteries, where any great difficulty occurs in cases of this nature, are appointed to consult their synods, or the commission of the Assembly thereanent, before they proceed to any further censure.— Act 23.

VISITATION OF KIRKS, COLLEGES,

AND SCHOOLS.

1638. The acts of Assembly, held at Edinburgh, June 1565, anent the visitation of kirks, schools, and colleges, ordained to be put in execution: and that the minister of the parish, the principal, regents, and professors within the colleges, and masters and doctors of schools, be tried concerning the soundness of their judgment in matters of religion, their ability for the discharge of their calling, and the honesty of their conversation; as the acts of Assembly at Edinburgh, June 1567, and at Montrose, 1595, import: And that this visitation of colleges be by way of commission from the General Assembly.-Act Sess. 23, 24, Dec. 17, 18, § 4.

1645. It is enacted, 1. That every grammar school be visited twice in the year, by visitors to be appointed by the presbytery and kirk-session in landward parishes, and the town-council in burghs, with their ministers; and where universities are, by the universities, with consent always of the patrons of schools; that both the fidelity and diligence of masters, and the proficiency of scholars in piety and learning, may apppear, and deficiency censured accordingly and that the visitors see that the masters be not distracted by other employments, which may divert them from their diligent attendance. 2. For remedy of the great decay of poesy, That no schoolmaster be admitted to teach a grammar school in burghs, or in other considerable parishes, but such as, after examination, shall be found skilful in the Latin tongue, not only for prose, but also for verse; and, after other trials to be made by