LETTER TO THE PEERS,

FROM

A PEER'S SON,

(George Douglas Cample: 8th Duke of Argyll.

ON THE DUTY AND NECESSITY OF

IMMEDIATE LEGISLATIVE INTERPOSITION

IN BEHALF OF THE

CHURCH OF SCOTLAND,

AS DETERMINED BY

CONSIDERATIONS OF CONSTITUTIONAL LAW.

"There is a spiritual jurisdiction and power, which God has given unto his church, and to
them that bear office therein: and there is a temporal jurisdiction and power given of God to
kings and civil magistrates. Both the powers are of God, and most agreeing to the fortifying
one of the other if they be rightly used. But when the corruption of man enters in confounding
the offices.... then confusion follows in all estates.
The church cannot be, without it
have its own power, jurisdiction, and liberty. . . . but of old the papists called the truth heresy,
and now some call the truth TREASON."-Letter from John Erskine of Dun to the Regent Mar.

EDINBURGH:

WILLIAM WHYTE AND CO.,

BOOKSELLERS TO THE QUEEN DOWAGER;

GLASGOW, W. COLLINS; PERTH, J. DEWAR; ABERDEEN, A. BROWN
AND CO.; LONDON, LONGMAN, BROWN, AND CO.; DUBLIN,
W. CURRY, JUN., AND CO.

MDCCCXLII.

BALFOUR AND JACK, PRINTERS.

DD43 ·A69

LETTER TO THE PEERS.

EDINBURGH, January 15, 1842.

MY LORDS,

There are many considerations, which seem to point out the present as not an unfit time for soliciting the attention of the members of the Legislature to the unfortunate position now occupied by the Church of Scotland. Although the number of publications, which, during the last few years, have issued from the press, has been so great, as almost to exhaust every argument which can be urged upon either side; yet the merits of the question, and its real nature, continue to be but very little understood by the vast majority of those who must soon be called to sit in judgment on it.

Many causes have contributed to this effect.-In the first place, the period during which the controversy has been carried on, has been one of unusual political excitement, and many of those questions, which are accustomed to agitate most deeply the

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