truth. I shall rejoice in the assurance, not only that my doctrines will make their way into society, and commend themselves to people, by the happy influence they exert upon men's hearts and lives,—I shall not only rest happy in this confidence, but in the assurance also, that as God hath given unto him that was the most slandered of human beings, a name that is above every other name, and honour and glory above all other honour and glory; so he will, in his own proper time, give me as much honour as will amply satisfy my heart, and as much blessedness as my spirit can desire.

I have simply, then, to state, that I shall proceed with the subjects as they are arranged upon the list. The next that I shall request your attention to will be the Trinity, or three co-equal persons in the Godhead. Of course it will be for William Cooke to pursue his own course. I disclaim all idea of dictating to him. I shall take my own course, and allow him to follow his. I shall abide by the list of subjects which has been laid down. If we can go through them in less than the number of days allowed for this discussion, I shall be glad to take up the Miraculous Conception. If not, I shall invite William Cooke to continue the discussion, on purpose to go through that and other subjects. Only, I will, at present, take the subjects in the order in which they stand on the list agreed upon by the United Committees. I shall, therefore, to-morrow evening, after replying to William Cooke, proceed to the doctrine of the Trinity. I shall not only reply to what he says on that subject; but, if he state his views in a different way, I shall take his pamphlet, and reply to it. And if I am spared, I trust not only to notice his arguments, but to take his pretended quotations, and examine them in order, and to leave not a single one of them till I have gone to the bottom of it. I shall examine his references to Jonathan's Targum, to Seneca, and others, and prove them to be false. I shall prove, that he has either forged or falsified those quotations himself; or that he has carelessly followed the blind guides that have gone before him. Whichever way it is, I shall show those quotations from Jewish and of heathen writers to be false. I exhort you to weigh every statement, to test every argument; and when you have heard all that can be said on both sides, judge for yourselves, with free, untrammelled minds, what is true and what is not. Then, as you shall believe, act honestly according to your belief, and may God succeed you.

THIRD NIGHT.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 1845.

There seemed no abatement in the interest taken in the discussion, nor any diminution of the numbers present this evening.

Both disputants were applauded, on entering the room, by their respective friends.

Mr. John Nichol, who was the originally-intended Umpire, sat in that capacity this evening, in the absence of the Rev. James Pringle.

The Chairmen were as before.

MR. GRANT, the Chairman for Mr. Cooke, first rose and said: -As Chairman of the meeting on Mr. Cooke's behalf I consider it my duty again to call the attention of this large and respectable meeting to the terms on which the parties have agreed to conduct the discussion-terms which I consider to have been seriously violated. I beg respectfully again to lay them before you; after which I shall point out in what I consider the violation to consist. The terms were agreed to and signed by both parties on the 18th of June. The first is in the following words :

"I. That the question be first discussed, "What is a Christian?" With the principles of the Christian's faith and practice in their order. And also-1st. That in order to prevent the discussion being perverted from its legitimate and avowed objects, no statement shall be allowed to be made which impugn either the INFALLIBLE INSPIRATION of the sacred writings, or the DIVINE AUTHORITY of any book contained in the authorized version. 2nd. That the Holy Scriptures including all the books of the authorized VERSION, with the Hebrew text of Van der Hooght, as the original of the Old Testament, and the Textus Receptus as the original of the New Testament, shall be the only AUTHORITATIVE standard of appeal, with the following qualifications, viz. :-Should either disputant quote any passage excepted to by Kennicott, or Boothroyd, in the Old Testament; or Griesbach or Schulz, in the New Testament, such passage shall be considered fairly open to legitimate consideration and criticism. 3rd. That all quotations shall be made, in the first instance, by chapter and verse, from the authorized version: but each disputant shall have THE RIGHT of reference to the original texts, and critics, as above, when the authorized version is disputed. 4th. That the VERSIONS whose antiquity and character have weight-say the Septuagint, the Syriac, the Latin Vulgate, and the Chaldee Paraphrases, with the FATHERS of the first three centuries, may be quoted in ILLUSTRATION; but

NOT, as the Scriptures above, for AUTHORITIES. All quotations from Versions and Fathers to be made by DIRECT REFERENCE, and the original text of each to be produced at the time, if required. 5th. That Mr. Cooke engages to take the lead in the discussions."

Now, I consider that agreement has been violated in two instances. In the first place, at the close of the first evening, Mr. Barker announced that he would take up the doctrine of the Atonement on the following evening, by which he was completely taking the lead out of Mr. Cooke's hands. That was named, when I came to the meeting on the second night, to Mr. Barker's Chairman, and a sort of understanding was given that it would not be done, but that Mr. Barker would follow Mr. Cooke. When Mr. Cooke introduced the doctrine of the miraculous, conception, and fully proved the authenticity of the documents

DR. LEES :-The Chairmen must utter no opinion as to what has been proved, or what has not been proved. (Hear, hear, and applause.)

MR. GRANT :-Then I correct myself. Mr. Cooke took up the subject of the miraculous conception, and brought forward what he considered to be abundant evidence of the authenticity of the passages which he believes to affirm that doctrine. But Mr. Barker, instead of meeting the question of the miraculous conception, went away to the doctrine of the Atonement, completely leaving the subject that Mr. Cooke had introduced. (Applause.) I entreat you to observe the good order that you have hitherto maintained. I am not here to complain; but I request you, most earnestly, on both sides, to understand that you are pledged to non-interruption. All interruption causes a needless waste of time. I say Mr. Barker went from the subject; and, in the second place, Mr. Barker introduced Wesley's Works.

DR. LEES :-I beg to call again to order. It was with the permission of the Umpire that Mr. Barker made the quotations from Wesley last night. That is settled. (Applause.)

MR. GRANT:-Then I submit this to the consideration of the meeting. The understanding that prevailed then was, that if Mr. Barker made the sentiment in the book his own, he might read it. Now Mr. Cooke might bring a library upon that principle. He might bring a dozen volumes, and say, "I make the sentiments of the writers my own, and I shall stand here and read what I like from them." Now, can any man fail to see the absurdity of this? The common sense of every man in the room must tell him that this is a violation of the terms agreed upon; and all I mean to say is, that it must not be done again. If each party might bring a dozen volumes, I make such and such sentiments my own," they

and say

might read on aă infinitum; or at least till the time was out. But, again, there was a list of subjects read last night; and they were stated to be subjects which had been agreed upon by the joint committees. Now, in reference to that list, I beg leave to remark that it bears date the 8th of May. They were sent at that time to Mr. Cooke's committee; and then they were not acceded to in the order in which they were named. They were considered to be substantially included in the question "What is a Christian? With the principles of the Christian's faith and practice in their order." But they were never admitted in the order now stated; nor so understood to be admitted by Mr. Cooke. The joint committee did not agree further than to certain conditions on which the discussion should be conducted. This was among several things named which they thought they had little to do with, unless the parties did not agree to them. None of us sat there as plenipotentiaries. The joint committees had nothing to do with these things; but simply to make arrangements for a fair discussion. These are points, in fact, with which they had nothing to do. Therefore Mr. Cooke has, according to the terms, the right of leading; and it is the duty of Mr. Barker to follow him, and not for Mr. Cooke to be led wherever Mr. Barker chooses to take him.-(Laughter.) I most distinctly state this to the meeting; and I appeal to Mr. Barker's Chairman that the order of the discussion be observed.

D.. LEES :-Gentlemen, when I consented to occupy the chair on this very interesting occasion, it was as a truth seeker, anxious to hear impartially and candidly both sides on this great question. I believe that the public were anxious to hear the question fairly and freely discussed; and I always understood the question was,-the fundamental doctrines of Christianity. My first question to Mr. Barker's committee was, Have you agreed upon the propositions?-for I never heard of a debate of this sort without the propositions being the first thing taken into consideration. They said, Yes: a list had been submitted to, and agreed to by, the other Committee. That list of subjects I considered to be referred to when I read these rules. How do they commence? "That the question be first discussed, What is a Christian? With the principles of the Christian's faith and practice in their order.” ̄ In their ORDER. Now I fearlessly state, that it was always understood by Mr. Barker's Committee, and by Mr. Barker himself, and certainly I understood, that the "ORDER" here referred to, was the order of the subjects in the document submitted to Mr. Cooke's Committee. No objection was made to them. They were substantially admitted by Mr. Cooke's Committee. Mr. GRANT:-No,

Dr. LEES :-I have here an extract of a letter from Mr Grant to Mr. Barker's Committee, calling for specific propositions. It says, "Why do you not at once define your own subjects, and fix the times you wish to occupy? You propose, 1st, 'What is a Christian?' That is accepted. Why not distinctly name your other subjects in like manner?-but that you may have a loop-hole to creep out at. As your first subject necessarily comprises the belief of all the doctrines taught, and all the duties required of such an one in the inspired writings, it was naturally enough supposed-as you named no othersthat you probably considered them all embodied in that comprehensive one. But if not, let us have them clear and definite, and they shall have an attentive consideration." Now the following is the list which was submitted to Mr. Grant and the other members of Mr. Cooke's Committee, in compliance with this demand from Mr. Grant:

"1 What is a Christian?

2. The doctrines of the Atonement, Reconciliation, Redemption.

3. The Trinity; or three equal and eternal persons in one God.

4. Original Sin; Natural Depravity.

5. The doctrine of Future Punishments.

6. Conditions of Justification and Salvation.

7. Grounds of Acceptance and Salvation.

8. The Design and Use of the Sacred Writings.

9. The Constitution of the Church, or Conditions of Church Fellowship.

10 The Hired Ministry.

11. Any other doctrine Mr. Cooke pleases ;-the Sabbath; Miraculous Conception; pure and perfect Humanity of Jesus; Inspiration and Infallibility of the Scriptures; the province of Reason in Religion; Free Enquiry, or the right and duty of each one exercising his own Judgment in Religion, and acting according to his Judgment in all things."

Now, gentlemen, I appeal to you whether, with this understanding before them, the Committee could come to any other conclusion than that there were ten or eleven subjects clearly marked out, with a provision that if, after fairly discussing them, there was time to spare, the other subjects should be discussed during the remainder of the time? Mr. Barker came here last night, prepared to discuss the Atonement, having discussed the question What is a Christian? on the first night. Last night he replied to the arguments brought against him; and it is for you to say whether he did so satisfactorily or not. He may say as much as he likes in reply; and then go on with the other questions in their order. He did so. Last