the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him." (Psalm lxvii. 1-7.) Glorious nation, and happy sovereign; Great Britain, thy God hath chosen thee; Victoria, thou art blessed among women, and highly favoured; rejoice, and again I say, rejoice in the Lord alway.

Knox speaks to those who still hold by what he was the instrument of founding, the church of Scotland; and he says, ye are wrong in now continuing to eat your portion of meat given out of the king's house. In my time, and until now, it was needful that the church should be so supportod in the days of her infancy, during times of trouble, as Moses was of old, in the king's house; but now ye are of age; these things God suffered because of the hardness of men's hearts, but now commands all men everywhere to depart from even the appearance of evil. In this respect then, separate yourselves from the king's house; come out and be separate, and touch not the unclean thing; and God in whom ye trust will open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, until there be not room enough to receive it. You are right, however, in holding the truth, that the church and state are one in Christ, and hold it fast, until the Lord comes. Knox then lifts up his voice, and thanks and praises God for the abundance of that harvest which is now ripe for the sickle; and, turning to Erskine, he says,-You suffered; you were blamed as being divisive and schismatic; true, thou didst leave the church of thy fathers in form, but not in spirit, when, in the year 1733, thy connection virtually ceased with the church of Scotland.

Thou and thy brethren did then what I would have done had I been with you in the body on the earth; and just as we are now active and unceasing in our services to the church upon the earth, so was I then, and others around me, engaged with you in spirit at that time. Look at the results of thy movement: thy successors have been a faithful band-their number is now very great; they have preserved alive the truth in our native land; my prayers and your prayers on earth are answered in them; we sowed in tears, they are now to reap in joy. You and I are one; we were one in spirit on the earth, and we are now perfect in one in heaven. Erskine replies, With much grief and sorrow of heart did I journey, for the Lord was leading me by a way I knew not. Now I rejoice, for I see that day which you and I saw afar off; we have always been one, and we ever shall be one, world without end. Knox thus addresses Gillespie, and says,-You also acted not exactly as I would have done, for I was more bold and daring; you were meek and patient; but our love of truth, and obedience to God rather than men, was the same. See what has resulted from your expulsion from that church which I was instrumental in founding; principles the most valuable in practical religion have been testified for; the people's right to choose their own office-bearers, and the free communion of all christians of every denomination have been witnessed for, and now on earth it is no longer a doctrine in theory but one in practice; believers love one another, and brethren of all sections hold fellowship with each other. The Erskines and you are one, and your followers are now one on the earth, and we are all one in heaven. Then turning to Chalmers and Brown, he says, Thy labour is so recently finished, and thy

warfare so shortly ended, that I cannot yet form a true estimate of the eternal importance of that struggle in which you were engaged. I was watching every step of your way, and was wondering with great admiration; for although in heaven so long before you, I knew not previously the things which were brought to light in the memorable conflict of ten years, commencing with the year 1833 and terminating in the year 1843, in the disruption of the church beloved by us all. I know not what shall be the end of these things, for as you yourselves now experience, our knowledge of the purpose of God towards the earth is limited to the past and the present. God has left many thousands in the church of Scotland who have not bowed the knee to Baal, and therefore it cannot perish. Your friends on earth, and the successors of Erskine and Gillespie, form two separate sections of Christ's church in Scotland. The church of Scotland forms a third, and I cannot give up that church, for it has held what was delivered to it. The other sections have received more light from God in one respect, but she has light in another. We are all one in heaven, why should they not be all one upon the earth? they can be made one, even as we have been made one. I acknowledge now to you that the church should be independent of state support, and be wholly maintained by free-will offerings. If the church of Scotland will say and do this upon the earth, the only point of difference between her and the other sections will be removed:but Knox continues, this may be a perilous experiment to adopt suddenly. Zinzendorf remarks,-Suppose they should be placed in difficulties for a season by adopting this course, they cannot be exposed to a much more. heavy trial than what came upon the Moravian brethren

in the year 1753. The expenses of erecting their settlements, supporting the theological seminaries and other institutions for education, establishing and carrying on their missions in heathen countries, and providing for the maintenance of the widows and children of the missionaries, amounted annually to very large sums. To meet these demands, I and my wife expended the whole of a large income, reserving but a small portion for our domestic expenses, which were curtailed in every direction in order that the necessities of the cause might be supplied. Some friends occasionally helped us, and those of the brethren who possessed property cheerfully co-operated; but as the expenditure continued to increase, I found it necessary to mortgage my estates. During my exile the mortgagees called in their money, when some friends in Holland advanced the sums required, and at a much lower rate of interest than had been paid before, at the same time engaging to assist the brethren by annual contributions. This proved a temporary relief. Still expenses increased, and more money was borrowed by the brethren. At last one of their creditors having fallen into difficulties required payment, and others of them hearing of it, and fearing that they were in danger of losing their money, pressed for a settlement. It was a time of severe trial. I made myself personally responsible for the whole sum, and undertook to pay both principal and interest by instalments within a certain time. My proposition was accepted; the threatened ruin was averted, and the 23d of February, 1754, was observed as a day of public thanksgiving to God in all the congregations of the brethren. God thus teaching that He can deliver, and provide for the support of His cause by many, or by few, or by one; and also His power

to extricate from difficulty all who put their whole trust in Him. I have no doubt that in Scotland God will give the same spirit of liberality and self-denial to many in these days that he then gave to me; and I should not fear to advise the church of Scotland to cast itself entirely upon God. Chalmers follows, and goes on to say,-I had the same fears before the disruption, that it would not be possible to maintain a christian church without state support; but I had no choice: God taught me what I was to do, and feeling the solemnity and responsibility of the circumstances in which I was placed, I cast myself upon my God, I gave Him no rest, but importuned Him without ceasing, and the result was a blessing which surpassed my greatest expectations. I observe from what is now passing below, that the people's liberality is not being enlarged in proportion to the wants of the church; and also that my friends are again taking government aid for their educational institutions, of a kind which would ere long, if permitted its legitimate effect, bring them back to their former state. I now acknowledge that state support given to the church is most injurious to all interested; it makes the state the master of the church, whatever bonds or agreements may be entered into for mutual independence. The gift, instead of a united purpose, each subject to the other, becomes the bond of union, and the church is virtually enslaved. The people's liberality is not appealed to as it ought to be, and when it is so called into operation by a church even partially supported by a government grant, the people hear, but God does not bless; and therefore they can neither hear with their ears, nor understand with their hearts. The element of state support has given rise to the insufferable grievance of patronage; to be