Romanism & Rationalism [1863] - Cairns, J

7/30/2019 Romanism & Rationalism [1863] - Cairns, J [PDF]

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MASTERNEGATIVENO. 91-80285


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with regard to Christ. And the result here is the sameas there, for superstition grasping at too much securesnothing ; and as the bloodless sacrifice of the masshas no power to take away sins, as its own repetitionshows, so the regeneration of water has no power tochange the heart, as the absence of external fruits,and even the apostasy of persons thus regeneratednotoriously testifies; and thus the likeliest eftect of theo/>/^s operaturn, the legerdemain of the spiritual magi-cian, is to seal up its subjects in unregenerate security.It is hard to say whether a regeneration disclaimedby Rationalism, or a regeneration materialized bySuperstition, is the most injurious misreading of pureChristianity. The same remarks apply to all theother sacraments of the Church of Rome, in whichthe grace of the Holy Spirit, admitted in words, isignored in practice, and a meaningless external cere-mony called a sacrament, which renews nothing, cor-rects nothing, is dignitied with the name of a channelof sanctification.The influences of the Spirit, in their genuine sense,

being thus al)slracted from Christianity, its motives toholitiess fare no better. The grand and stupendousmotive of gratitude which runs through the wholeBible, and is expressed in the words, ' We love him,because he first loved us,' has almost no place, eitherin Rationalism or Romanism. Rationalistic Chris-tianity can only expatiate on the dignity of virtue, the


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36 On Roma7iism and Rationalism as opposed to Ptn^c Christianity, 37prospect of reward, the certainty of punishment, andother weak and inefficient commonplaces of paganethics, or at best borrow some gleams of light andwarmth from the example and human sympathy of theSaviour, which shed over the wintry scene nothingbetter than the glow of a December sun, and cannotbreak up its frost-bound rigours. While, on the otherhand, Romanism, though admitting the Saviour's workon the cross, and even in its hymns celebrating hislove, ])laces its votaries at such a distance from itswarm breath, behind the freezing barrier of Churchrites and works of righteousness, that the impressionof gratitude is too faint to melt the heart, and isspeedily overcome by the severities of penance, theterrors of purgator)', and the gloom of judgment,which speak a j)ardon not yet bestowed, a heavennot yet opened up by the shedding of Christ's blood.The fatal postponement of justification in the Romishsystem is destructive of grateful and childlike obedi-ence. We all know what l.uther and others made ofthe keeping of the law, when under this rci ime ofbondage ; and it must be affirmed that the Rational-ist's legal hope, and the Romanist's legal terror, aree([ually destructive of the loving, confiding impulsesof true Christian morality. The confession and ab-solution, too, of the Romish Church turn away thegratitude and confidence of her members from Christto the priesthood ; and as there is no direct contact

with a holy God in these exercises, their effect, so farfrom being sanctifying, as all experience tesdfies, isdemoralizing, and relaxes even the hold of the othermotives which Romanism still retains.Look now here once more at the influence of the

two false principles on the moral standard of Chris-tianity. The tendency of rationalized Christianityhas always been to bend the rigidity of the law intoaccommodation to human weakness. It is no para-dox that those divines who have most exalted moralityas the alpha and omega of Christianity, have taught alower morality than the fanatics and enthusiasts whodrew their insi)iration from the cross. The duties ofman to man have been exalted, while the duties ofman to Cod have been forgotten ; and these moralsystems have decided many questions of casuistrywith a dangerous laxness, which would have beenimpossible under the light of that awful revelationwhich comes from Calvar)% and under the promptingof that finer moral instinct which is formed in the soulby the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Romanismpresents, at first sight, a totally opposite spectacle.There is in this religion an apparent renunciation ofall terms with the flesh, and an absolute victory overit, as we see in the whole monastic system of mortifi-cation and seclusion from the world, together with thevows of celibacy, poverty, and obedience ; and theentire doctrine of saindy perfection and works of


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38 On Romanis)n and Rationalismsupererogation looks at first blush like the verychivalry of virtuethe moral law carried forward toits heroic and golden age. But alas ! we find here,as ever>-where else in the history of superstition, thatexcess in one quarter implies defect in another. Thelaitythe vulgar, for whom no such sublime standardis erectedare permitted to rely on the vicariousmorality of the saints and the perfected, or more thanperfected, ones ; and thus the unity of the moral law,which demands perfect obedience from all, is de-stroyed ; and further, human nature, unable to sustainitself at the sublime height to which it is carried, fallsback into the abyss, and, as the abuses of the monas-tic system and of enforced celibacy too well attest, theapparent victory over nature ends in a more humilia-ting defeat. After all, the higher stages of virtue inthe Church of Rome are purely imaginary. Works ofsupererogation cannot exist. It is impossible to payto Ood or to man more love than the law demands ;and the very idea that God can be satisfied with lessthan perfection introduces a fatal laxity into the wholemoral system, so that here, as at so many other pointsthe exaggerations of Superstition and the extenuationsof Rationalism conspire to one result. I will not, in-deed, charge on the superstition alone of the Churchof Rome the melancholy perversions of morality,which we find in the pdiiy of that Church, such asthat the end sanctions the means, that no faith is to

as opposed to Pure Christianity. 39be kept with heretics, and that the interests of theChurch are paramount to all other laws and obliga-tions. These are the results of worldliness ratherthan of superstition. Only it cannot be denied thatsuperstition, turning away attention from sim})le dutiesto self-imposed forms, making virtues which Godnever made, setting up one rule for the laity andanother for the priesthood, and teaching that the per-fections of one class in some sense cover the short-comings of anodier,does thereby confound all rightmoral distinctions, and opens a door to excesses andatrocities under the mask of religion, which paganismnever equalled, and which make the annals of Rome'ssupremacy, and still more of her contests for pre-eminence, one of the darkest pages in the moral his-tory of the world.

IV. In a few words, I shall complete this sketchby turning your attention to the action of Rationalismand Superstition upon Christianity considered as a sys-tem oi association ox fellowship. Christianity is not areligion of isolated units, but ofmasses. Man's naturedemands a social religion : and Christianity is themost social of all religions, because it has the noblestcentre of attraction, and the most glorious power ofgathering all around that centre. The Bible settlesthree great vital questions in regard to the Christiansociety :Who shall belong to it, which is the ques-


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40 On Romanism and Rationalismtion of discipline ; What shall be the relation of itsmembers to one another, which is the question ofoffice or government; and What their union shall con-sist in, which is the question of worship. A sincrleglance will show how seriously here, as ever)^vhere,the fundamental arrangements of Christianity havebeen encroached on or subverted.Take first the question of disciplwe. Christianity

requires all saved persons to make a visible professionof their Christianity by joining the Christian society,and ordains that none who appear to be saved shallbe excluded. This is the unity of the visible Church,resting on, and pre-supposing the deeper unity of theinvisible. Now Rationalism attacks in many casesthis position of the need of a visible Church. It issatisfied with silent conviction, and recoils from con-nexion with any external society, despising forms andpositive ordinances, and exalting the invisible at theexpense of the visible. This has been, in all ages,the danger of philosophizing Christians. In thisspirit the Unitarians, and to some extent the Friends,otherwise remote enough from them, unite ; and oflate the Plymouth Brethren have arisen to make thistheir watchword, and to preach the demolition of thevisible Church, as every^vhere in a state of apostasy.On the other hand, the Church of Rome, with theuniform tendency of superstition to materialize every-thing, and to incorporate and intertwine the external

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as opposed to Picj^e Christianity. 41and internal, identifies the visible Church with theinvisible, and denies in effect that there are Christiansbefore there is a visible Church. Hence men do notenter the visible Church because they are Christians,but enter it to become so; and, as a necessary consequence, there is no salvation out of the pale of theRomish Church, and certain salvation to all whoremain in her communion, and do not obstruct theefficacy of her rites by mortal sin. The tremendousresponsibility thus resting upon the visible Church,which has talsely claimed to be the only birthplaceofsouls, instead of the nurse of souls already born fromabove, acting upon the fears of superstition, has led thevisible Church to claim such i)rerogatives as wouldguarantee salvation, viz., infallibility, sacramental effi-cacy, and exclusive catholicity. Otherwise theremight be saints beyond the pale of the visible Church,or unsaved persons left within it, both of whichalternatives were excluded by the supposition. Thissuperstitious exaltation of the visible Church as thatto which all true Christians must belong, soon changedto the formula as that by which all true Christiansmust be made, is the first fatal error of Romanism, asa Church,an error generated before Romanism wasformed into a system, an error as old as Cyprian inthe end of the third century, but which soon de-veloped itself into full-grown Popery, with its exclu-siveness, its false uniformity, its assumption of the


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42 On Romanism and Rationalismdivine prerogative to bind and to loose, to shut andto open, not the door of communion on earth only,but what on this theory comes to the same thing, thegate of the kingdom of heaven. Thus while Ration-alism slights the visible Church, Superstition all butdeifies it ; and both miss its grand ends,to rallyChristians together round a common standard, todisplay their union to the world, and to enable themto watch over each other's souls, and to walk in lovein so far as they are agreed.Take now the nearly allied question oi office, or the

relation of the members of the Church to one another.According to pure Christianity office rests on spiritualgifts, and is simply the exercise of these, with theconsent of the Christian society, for mutual edification.Order and liberty are harmonized in willing subjec-tion to the appointment of Christ, the only head andruler of His Church. It is the tendency of Ration-alism to set aside the appointments of Christ in thesematters, to adjust or create offices according to afancied expediency, or even to hand them over to thecontrol of a worldly power, in return for certainapparent advantages, to the detriment or destructionof the free self-agency of the Christian body, accord-ing to the laws of Christ. The extreme of this isErastianism, and I use the word in no party sense,believing that enlightened Christians everywhere de-sire to repudiate the thing, though they differ as to

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as opposed to Pure Christianity. 43what should be called by the name. Here, again,Romanism exalts, and, by exalting, corrupts, what isessential in Church-office. It is led to this extremeby the doctrine of the visible Church, just developed.The visible Church indeed might wield all its tremen-dous prerogatives without having any special office-bearers, or at least any permanent ones, like aCommittee of Public Safety, which changed its mem-bers from time to time. But superstition eagerly layshold of what is tangible and palpable ; and, as theChristian Church began with the apostles, succeedingoffice-bearers were exalted to their rank ; the decentform of ordination was transmuted into a magical ritebelieved to transmit supernatural virtue, and a priest-hood thus arose qualified, as the representatives ofGod, to dispense the salvation which could alone befound in connexion with the visible Church. Thesuperstition of the multitude was wrought upon byrepresenting connexion with the Church as connexionwith these office-bearers ; and as the unity ascribed tothe Church recjuired a centre in the eyes of supersti-tion to which it might cling as with a death-grasp,the Bishop of Rome, partly from the misunderstoodwords of our Lord to Peter, and partly from theinfluence of the metropolis of the world, in which hehad his seat, became the vicar of Christ on earth, andthat spiritual despotism was consolidated, which madehim and his successors the uppermost links in a

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44 On Romanism and Rationalismgrand electric chain of spiritual despotism which sentIts vibrations through the heart of every slave ofsuperstition to the extremities of the earth, and wasbelieved to extend also to heaven and hell and theimaginary region that lay between. 71ius whileRationalism has slighted Church office, and left it tobe tampered with by foreign powers, Romanism hasdespotically magnified it, so as to transform it from aministry into a saving priesthood ; at once subvertingthe prerogatives of Christ, and lording it over hisheritage.Look, finally, to the ^vorship of the Church, asexhibiting another field for the agency of these cor-rupting influences. Christian worship is the expres-sion of devotional feelings to God, and the exhibitionof his truth to the world in certain forms appointedby himself, so as to secure the strengthening of rightprinciples in Christians, and the extension of them toothers. Rationalism, little alive to the value of suchworship, has tended to discourage it by the coldnessof its tone, has frowned upon its frequency and fer-vour, and in some cases mutilated its parts ; as, forexamj.le, by denying the permanent obligation ofbaptism and the Lord's supper, or of the day onwhich Christian worship is commonly conductedThe Church of Rome, again as before, exalts worslnpso as to transform and destroy its character. It isnot only a means of grace, but, certain extreme con-

as opposed to Pure Christianity, 45tingencies guarded against, the certain channel ofgrace. To take part in the sacrifice of the mass,the beginning and middle and end of Romish wor-ship, is to perform a saving act. And hence super-stition employs in this service all that is imposing andgorgeous to work upon its own feelings, and makeitself believe its own illusion. The religious shadowof temples, with the dim light of tapers, the slow andmeasured movements of priests, the waving of censers,the tinkling of bells, the chanting of solemn music,with the pealing depth of the organ, the awe-struckprostration of every knee, while the symbol of a pre-sent deity is raised on high,all this, in minds pre-possessed from their infancy in favour of these rites?must make a strong impression on the sense andimagination, and the natural religious sensibilities,which is almost certain to be mistaken for pure de-votion, the more especially that it may contain somebetter elements. Though the jjrayers are in an un-known tongue, it too is looked on as sacred and thetongue of the whole Catholic Church ; and, mutteredas they are and inaudible to the ear of the worshi})per,they are the utterances of mighty and awful beingswho have power with God, whose incantations canliberate the dead from penal fires, and whose wordsof benediction can blot out the darkest sins of theliving, not only from the records of conscience, butfrom the judgment-books of God. Alas! this splen-


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46 0)1 Roma7iism and Rationalisnidid shadow ! to a superstitious temperament, howfascinating ! what is it but the fabric of a vision, orrather a phantasmagoria, only too grateful to thosefallen beings whose interest it is to intercept the per-sonal, intelligent, saving communion of the souls ofmen with Him who will save men only by light andknowledge, and who, as a Spirit, must be worshippedin si)irit and in truth ! Thus, again, Romanism, likeRationalism, misses its aim in worship. The oneexpects little, and is not disappointed ; the otherexpects much, unsj)eakably too much, for, seeking itat the altar, and not at the Bible and the Throne otgrace, it stumbles on amid the gloom and shadows ota worse than Levitical economy, and never attainsthe deep and hallowed joy of those who draw nighto God 'with a true heart, in full assurance of faith,having their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience,and their bodies washed with i)ure water.'

I have thus endeavoured, in a very cursory, and,I am afraid, a too general manner, to survey some-what of the vast field embraced in my subject. Icould add many general reflections of a practicalnature, of which the topic before me is very sug-gestive. I shall content myself with two.

First, T.et us beware of supposing that Rationalismand Superstition are confined to any school of divines,whether in Clermany or England on the one hand, orto Papal countries on the other. Everv one of us i^

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as opposed to Pure Christianity. 47naturally a Rationalist or a Romanist, or a com-pound of both ; and though we may fancy ourselvesperfectly free from it, there is too much of the oldleaven still cleaving to us all. I cannot enter intothe high denunciatory strain in which Rationalismand Popery have sometimes been attacked, as if theywere not so much the sins and errors of men as theworks of incarnate demons, which can only be tracedto deliberate irreverence, lying, or priestcraft on thepart of their abettors. This shows great ignoranceof ourselves ; great want of fairness and charitv to-wards our erring brethren! There may be, and Ifear is, much perversity in Rationalism, much priest-craft and conscious tyranny in Romanism. Wherethese are apparent, let us not shrink from condemnin


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48 On Roma?iis7n and Ratio7ialismsimilar tendencies, in them more powerful, or fromwhich the Spirit of God has not yet set them free.Let us testify against both evils, loudly and earnestlyas we will ; but let us speak the truth in love,and in the spirit of Him whose words should neverbe forgotten ' They know not what they do.' Letthe melting tones of compassion and prayer bemingled with the stern controversies of the times inwhich we live ; and then the witness we bear willnot be less acceptable to God, nor less effectualin reclaiming those who are ignorant and out ofthe way.

Secondly, It is only by the establishment of God'struth that Rationalism and Superstition can be finallyoverthrown. As I have already remarked, thoughmutually repellent, these antagonist powers are notmutually destructive. Errors never totally obliterateeach other. That is the prerogative only of truth.It was confidently stated in the end of last centurythat infidelity had conclusively abolished Poper>' ;but many have lived to see the formidable reactionwhich belies all such expectations ; and if any ima-gine that Poi)ery has now materially diminished theinfidelity of the Continent by way of reprisals, theywill be ecjually mistaken. \\\ our own country, as onthe Continent, no conclusive victory is to be gainedby fighting the battle against Popery with the weajjonsof mere negation and protest, with such sarcasms of

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as opposed to Piire C/iristia7iify. 49journalists, and scoffs and mockeries of our lighterliterature, as were current during the Papal aggression,and are revived in the present contest with Ultramon-tanism. These may do valuable political service,may even expel religious error for a time ; but theywill not generate Christian faith ; they will not keepthe door shut against the return of superstition.Nothing will cure the inevitable tendency of super-stitious minds to relapse into error but the pre-occu-pation and satisfaction of their hearts with the truth ;and if a wide and prayerful diffusion of gospel truthis not attempted in the present struggle againstPopery, the tactics of its political antagonists may betriumphant, and we may even seem to overrun theenemy's country and level his strongholds ; but weshall make no stable conquests. Those who expectthe downfall of Popery from i)olitical combinationsand unbelieving reactions against it, without relyingon the Bible and the missionary, will once more bedisappointed ; and if we wish at last to succeed, wemust strive to convert the political recoil of Franceand Italy into a vital, earnest, and insuppressiblereligious reformation. Let us cherish interest also inthat reaction against Rationalistic Protestantism whichhas been for years extending itself both in Franceand Germany. Let us pray for the spread, in theNational Churches of these lands, of the revivedevangelism which is returning after many aberrations,


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50 On Roincinism and Rationalismnot only to the Incarnate Word, but what is more tothe written Word ; and seek that the difficultieswhich the revival is encountering in the land ofLuther from a revived sacramentalism and supersti-tion, may also be overcome. Let the Churches ofBritain be also i)repared for those contests with un-belief at home which have come so unexi)ectedly uponthemselves, and which are so bravely waged by amultitude of loyal defenders of the faith in thatAnglican Church where they have begun ; anrl letthem not only strive to concjuer in the field of ar-gument, which is comparatively easy, since thechampions of Rationalism can only build up theircounterfeit temple like Julian out of its own repeat-edly blasted ruins, but let them aspire to the moredifficult success of reproducing the moral signs andwonders of the Bible before men's eyes, in works offaith and labours of love, which shall i)rove that the pre-sence of Israel's Ciod is in the midst of us, a pillar ofheaven-descended glor)', and not an emanation of thedesert in which it moves. Thu- shall we be ecjuippedin the armour of righteousness on the right hand anathe left, and shall not only guard our own lines, butbear the standard of salvation into new territories and whatever be the future struggles and reactionsof Rationalism and Superstition, and of that kingdomof darkness and error which is wide enough andcatholic enough to comprehend them both, we shall

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as opposed to Pure Clwistianity. 5at least do something to accelerate their downfall,and to introduce a happier age, when these shadowsshall not as now be cast far and wide over the fieldof living experience, but shall be reflected only fromthe dim and fading page of Church history, as themists and vapours of morning, which the gatheringlight and heat of pure Christianity has at length dis-persed and chased away.


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APPENDIX.STATEMENT for the Societiks referred to in the

Preface.

SOCIETY OF SONS OF UNITED I'RESBVTERIANMINISTERS.InstitutedSeptonber 20, 1854.)

OFFICK-BKARKRS.President.kev. Jamfs Hakikk, I). D., Professor of Theology to the U. P. Church.

/ Icc-Prcsiiictits.Rev. John Smakt, D.D., Leith.Rev. John MACFAki.ANh", 1-L. I)., Llapham, London.

J/oiiorary Dinctors.Rev. William .Anukr.son, LL. D., Glasgow.John .Scott Rrs.'^Ki.i., Esq., F. R.S., London.J.\.MKs Watson, Esq. of Riv.ilsgreen, Linlithgow.Rev. Gkok(;k Gilkii.i.an, Dundee.Andrew Mi tkk. Esq. of Milton, Glasgow.Rev. R. J. IJRVCK, LL.L)., Uelfa.st.H. E. Cklm Ewing, Esq. of Strathleven, .^LP., Glasgow.James Peddie, Esq., W.S., Edinburgh.JOH.N Lou.\N, Esq., Merchant, Glasgow.

Ordinary Directors.Rev. VV.M. Brick, Edinburgh.Rev. David .M'Ew.w, Edinburgh.William Leckie, Escj., Cashier, Commercial Hank, Edinburgh.William Fraser, Esq., Town-Clerk, Inverkeithing.J(mN Anderson, Esq., Writer, Paisley.Andrew Elliot, Esq., Publisher. P'.dinburgh.Ale.xander Moncriekf, Esq.. .Advocate, Edinburgh.JoH.N Hl.^ck, Esq., Advocate, Edinburgh.W. H. M'Farlane, Esq., Lithographer, Edinburgh.Mlngo Lauder, Esi]., Merchant, Glasgow.D


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54 Appendix. Appendix. 55Charles Ai li>, Esq., M.D., Greenock.A. H. Bryce, Esq., B.A., High Sch(K)l, Edinburgh.John Gokkie, Esq., Advocate. 89, Chancery Lane, London.Rev. R. S. I>RiM.Mf)ND, A.M., Glasgow.Rev. George W.aklace, Hull.E. Erski.ne Harj'KR, Esq , Merchant, Leith.Peter M'Leod, Esq., Writer. GIa>i,'ow'.Jame.s L


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5^ Appendix.Terms of Membership.

'I'he following are admitted as ordinary membersof the Society on payment of a minimum annual sub-scription of 5s., or a payment of not less than /q,which constitutes life membership, viz. :1. Sons of Ministers of the United PresbyterianChurch.2. (irandsons of do.3. Sons-in-Law of do.

Strangers are admitted as extraonUnarx members,on payment of not less than ^5 : l,ut' the office-bearers are chosen from the ordinary members.Operations of the Soeiety.

Smce its formation, the Society has steadily in-creased its membership, and there are now on theroil 245 members.The permanent capital fund now amounts to about^'500, ^!"i30o of which is invested in heritablesecurit).The annual income from subscriptions and intereston ca[)ital exceeds ^^loo : but, in terms of the con-stitution, a large portion of the income must be ap-plied in increasing the capital until it amount to thesum of ^5000. Although the annual distributionlor benevolent purposes is thus limited in the mean-time, the Directors have for several vears disbursedthe sum of ^30 annually.By means of social meetings, conversaziones, etc.,the Society is instrumental in promoting friendly in-tercourse among the members.

Appendix. 57

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S'^r

V

-. A-I

(lr..\.S(;ow Society of Sons of Ministers of theUnited Presbyterian Church.

office-bearers,1862-63.Prcscs.

James Mitchell, Writer, lilasgow.I'lcc-Pri'ses.

FoKKHsr F'rew, Manufacturer. Olasgow.Secretary.

J \Mi-:s I!i KNS KiDSTON. Writer, 50, West Regent Street, Glasgow.I'reasttrer.

Hc(;n HKidH. Merchant, 41, St. Vincent Place, (ilasgow.Ordinary Dirertorx.

Andkevv Muter of Milton.JoH.N Meikleh.am. Clyde Iron Work.s.Robert JKKFK.A.V Wai.kek, Merchant, Glasgow.(iE()K(;K M'Faklank, Accountant, Glasgow.John Kid.sto.x, Writer. Glasgow.(iEoRGE RoH.sox, Accouutant, Glasgow.Wm. M'Ewen, Merchant, Glasgow.(iEORiiE Coven TKv Uick, Comniission Agent, (ilasgow.Ai.EX. Henderson M'Lean, Tea Merchant, C;iasgf)w.H(h;h Moncrieff, Writer. Glasgow.

'I'he objects intended to be served by this Society,and the sentiments in which it originated, will belearned from the following extracts from an addressissued in pursuance of the resolutions of a meetingof Sons of Ministers, held on loth April 1854, whenit was agreed that a Society should be formed in(ilasgow :

'Our Church contains three liodies, long separatebut now united. We have cause to rejoice that in alltheir divisions they ever maintained the one greatHead of the Church, and the liberty of its members,His body. Many of us can recollect the time wheneach of the three Bodies composing the United Pre.s-

.life'


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=;8 Appendix,byterian Church was a separate Body. In these smallcommunions every minister was the intimate friend ofnearly ever>' other, and ministers' families were here-ditary friends.

' These days are gone, and have left behind themfeehngs which can now be thoroughly appreciated bybut a few. Let us only hope, as we truly believe, thatwhat we have lost in the ahiiost family intercoursewhich subsisted among the Ministers of our sei)aratechurches, is more than compensated by our union.The feelings of those among us who are more ad-vanced in life are indeed changed, but only changedto be enlarged so as to embrace a greater numberof those who hold the same faith and entertain thesame hope.^

' The Sons of Ministers of the United PresbyterianChurch in Glasgow are now numerous, and we thinkthe time has come when they should, by the forma-tion of an Association of their own, follow the exampleset to them by the Sons of Ministers of the Churchof Scotland.

' It is hardly necessary to plead, when speaking ofScodand, that Glasgow ought to be the seat of sucha Society. Whether there should be kindred associa-tions in other towns, it is for the Sons of Ministersresident in such towns to decide. But, obviously, theindustrial capital of Scotland must continue to be theresort of young men having their way to make in life.Our Ministers have ever, out of their scantv means,striven to give their sons a good education. Withsuch education, and personally maintaining in itspurity, the religion taught in their fathers' homes, theymay well be expected to succeed in such a city. Butthey are often subjected to difficulties in finding em-ployment, and must feel the want of that counsel andkindness which, we trust, will now be sui)plied bythose who have trod the path before them.'

"A-

Appendix.Constitution.

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Some time after the issuing of this address, theSociety was constituted. Its object and purpose, asdeclared by the constitution, is to contribute to thebenefit of the families (children and widows), and tothe advancement in life of children of ministers, whe-ther deceased or living, of the United PresbyterianChurch, or of any of the churches comprised in thatbody, and that by friendly sympathy, counsel, andmoral influence, as well as by pecuniary aid, in cir-cumstances in which it is required, so far as the fundsof the Society will admit.While the supi)ort of the Society is o])en to all,and all are invited to contribute to its funds, its mem-bershij) is confined to Sons of Ministers. Life mem-bership is constituted by the contribution of fiveguineas to the funds, and from the life members theBoanl of Directors is selected. With the view of in-teresting in the Society Sons of Mmisters who maynot for the time be in a condition to become mem-bers, it was some time ago agreed to admit, as asso-ciates, such Sons of Ministers as might contribute fiveshillings annually to the funds. These associateshave the privilege of being i)resent at general meet-ings of the Society, and thus have the oi)|)ortunitv ofbecoming ac(]uainte(l with its members.

Operations of the Society.The permanent capital amounts to ^2300, andthere is a balance of cash on hand.Besides the imi)ortant object of making the Sons ofMinisters known to and helpful of each"other in theintercourse and business of life, the Society has,though to a less extent than the Directors desired^aftbrded pecuniary aid, either stated or incidental, in


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60 Appendix,various cases where it was much needed and highlyappreciated. Their disbursements in this way were^30 in the first year, ^^44 in the second, ^55 in thethird, ^75 in the fourth, Q>o in the fifth, and theyhave already been ^118 in the sixth year, which isnow current.

Conclusion to the Statementsfor both Societies.While there is an obvious delicacy and {)ropriety in

the Sons of Ministers administering the affairs of suchassociations as the above, the duty oi supporting themis not more incumbent on them than on other mem-bers of the Church. To not a few of these, bothassociations owe a debt of gratitude, and the Direc-tors feel assured that in aiding the Societies whoseclaims are above set forth, the members of our Churchgenerally would acceptably and beneficially showtheir appreciation of and sympathy with our excellentministry.The Directors of both Societies recjuest the mini-sters of our Church each to accept the accompanyingcopy of Dr. Cairns' Discourse, with this Appendix,intended to make known the existence, extend theoperations, and enlarge the resources of these So-cieties. They cannot close these remarks withoutstating how deeply they feel indebted to Dr. Cairnsfor his admirable discourse, the publication of which,they are persuaded, will be beneficial not only to theSocieties at whose retjuest it is published, and to theUnited Presbyterian Church, but to the Church ofChrist at large.

EDINiaRliH : T. CONbl ABLK,IRINTER TO THE QIEEX, AND TO THE tMVKKSlTV

\LuDGATE Hill, December 1862.

Now in course of Publication,

STEAHAFSFAMILY LIBRAE!OP

BOOKS AT ONCE CHEAP, VALUABLE,AND mSTKUCTIVE.In Crown Svo Volumes, printed on toned paper, and elegantly bound,Price 3. GJ. each.

All that the Publishers wish to say, by way of prospectus, is, that their aim inthis Library is not ignobly to interest, or frivolously to amuse, but to c-onvev thewisest instruction in the pleasantest manner. Tliey desire, in short, to produceH series of Books which will not only be w


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III.

PARISH PAPERS:PERSONAL, SOCIAL, AND CONGREGATIONAL.

By NORMAN MACLEOD, D.D., of the Barony Parish, Glasgow.

VII.

[Ready.

IV.

PRAYING AND WORKING;BEING SOME ACCOUNT OF WHAT MF:N CAN DO WHEN IN tL^RNEST.

By WILLIAM FLEMING STEVENSON.[Ready.

V.

TRAVELS AND ADVENTURES INPURSUIT OF SCIENCE.

By Prf.fpssor C. PIAZZI SMYTH, Astronoiiu'r-Royal fir Scotland, Author of" Three Cities of Russia," " The Peak of Teneiitfe," etc.

[Shortly.

VI.

THE HOUSEHOLD HYMNS OF GERMANYAND THE NORTHEtliteil and Translated under the direction of Miss GREENWELL,

Author of " The Patience of Hope."[In preparation.

'('

THE GRAVER THOUGHTS OF ACOUNTRY PARSON.By the Autliov of " Recreations of a Country Parson."[Rcadj/.

VIII.JOHN EVANGELIST GOSSNER:HIS LIFE AND HIS DEEDS.

By the Rev. Dr. PROCHNOW, Berlin.[Shortly.

IX.OUT-DOOR ESSAYS.By ALEXANDER SMITH, Secretary to tlie University of Edinburgh,Author of ** The Life Drama," " City Poems," etc.

[Slwrtly.

X.

rpA POPULAR EDITION OFTHE EARNEST STUDENT;

BEING MEMORIALS OF JOHN MACKINTOSH.By NORMAN MACLEOD, D.D., of the Barony Parish, Glasgow.

[Shortly.

XI.NEW LIFE IN THE PARISH.By the Rev. Dr. BUCHSEL, Berlin.

[Shortly.

AKEXANDEK STRAHAN & CO.,32, LuDOATE Hill, London.


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SECOND EDITION is now ready,Two Vols. Crown 8vo, price 12.s.,

THE OLD LIEUTENANT AND IIIS SON.By NORMAN MACLEOD, D.D.,ONE or HER majesty's chaplains for SCOTLAND, ETC.

THE DAILY NEWS." Wf ]lai)eared for some time."

THE PARTHENON.' A good religious novel is really a 'startling novelty,' a something remarkable

anr. Machnd's intense earnestness su]>i>lies him with a charmwliich allures tlie intellect and the feelings of the reailer alike. . . . Few wlien the hook will close it with a sense of di.sapi>ointment."

THE GLOBE." Ver>' ]tleasant reading is Dr. Macleod's ' OM Lieutenant,' with its entertaining

sketches bhic style of narration, wellmarked imliviihiality in thediiiiiintis )>ers


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6The Near and the Ilenvtnhj Horizons.

By Ma.larne DE GASPARI.V.Twenty-sixth Tlnmsauil. Crown O.-tavo, :}s. 51.

Proceedinrjs ofthe Geneva Conference of the EvangelicalAlliann-, h.-ld in Sei.tfmlxT ISf.l. E


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The Power ofPrayer,By the Rev. Dr. PRIME.Sixty-seventh Thousand. Fine Edition, 2s. ; Cheap Edition. Is.

Blind Bartimeus.By the Rev. W. J. H(XrE.

Thirty-second Thousand. Fine Edition, 2s. 6d. ; Cheap Edition. Is.Life Thoiujhts.

By HENRY WARD BEECHER.Fortieth Thousand. Cheap Editions, 28. f>d. and 2.


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10III One Elegant Volume, of 750 Royal Ot-tavo Pages, Extra Cloth, Full Gilt,

Price T-s. Od.,GOOD WORDSFOR lcSG2.

Edited by NORMAN MACLEOD, D.D.Ano.l Engraviii;^'s from Do-iigns by Millais, HolmaxHint, Keknk, Walkkk, W>lk, Watson, ami others.

Amnnff the contents of this Volume are::vr I s T Pt ESS a x d :\[ a t d ;

A IIOrSEIloLD STORY.By the Author of "JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN."

With 1"J Illustrations by J. E. Millais.

And the following Papers :By SIR DAVID BREWSTER.

Tlu' Facts aiul Fancies of .Mr. Darwin. I The F]ye : its Structure and Powers.The IMiciiomena and Illusions of Vision.

By the Author of " RECREATIONS OF A COUNTRY PARSON."Concerning the Keasonablcness of Ccr- Concerning Beginnings and Enls.

tain Words of Christ. < Mitsidc.Conccrninjr Atniospliercs ; with SdUie Concerning Getting On.Thoughts on Currents. At the Land's End.

By PROFESSOR PIAZZI SMYTH.(Astronoiner-Uoyal lor .Scotland.)

Alxjve the Clouds. | Time and its .Mea.suremelit.Vistas iu the Russian Church (2 I'arts).By MISS GREENWELL.

Go and Come.The Carrier Pigeon. Love in Death.The Bonds uf LoveA Dialogic

By PRINCIPAL TULLOCH.Church Scandal iu Home in tlie Tiiird Centurj'.

By JOHN HOLLINGSHEAD.A Social Riddle. | The Cotton Famine.

1 i

fi1

I i

y^^sf-

The Union of Man with Man.A Word iu Season.Moments in Life.What if Christianity is not True?Sunday.Missions in the Nineteenth CenturyThree Present-Day Tracts.

11By NORMAN MACLEOD, D.D.

(Editor.)F(mr Difficulties solved in Jesus Christ.Notes on a Ramble to North Italy.Our Ncighbdur.A Peep at the Netherlands and Holland.A True Ghost Story.War nntl its Gains.The Merchant of the Far West.

By WILLIAM FLEMING STEVENSON.Three Lives Worth Knowing about.On soiiu' Guessers at Truth.Matthew Claudius, Homme de Lettres.

On the Biography of certain Hymns.Vaijabonds.

By the Author of " JOHN HALIFAX."" Untd Her Death." I Five Shillings' Wortli of the Great WorM's Fair.

By ALEXANDER SMITH.War.lie in Sprin-JT Time. i On Solitude.An Es.sav onan Old Essayist Montaigne. ! Autumn.

By ARCHBISHOP WHATELY.Food.Hope and Fear.Intluence.

Duration of Life.Hvpociisy.The Church of Rome, a Party

.\nomalies in Language.Of Hot Water.

By PRINCIPAL LEITCH.The Uses of the Moon. i A Night in an Observat


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12 13In One Elegant Volume of 750 Rnyal Octavo Pages, Extra Cloth, Full GiltPrice 7s. 6d.,GOOD WOEDSFOR 18G1.Edited by NORMAX MACLEOD, D.D.,And Illustrate.1 with Ei-hty Wocl Engravings, printed al Leitch.The Cerealia : A Standing Miracle. ByProfessor Harvev.

The Ball of WorstecL By the Author of" Menioiix of an Unknown Life."The Bee-Hive Close. By the Countessde Gasjiarin, Author of " The Nearand the Heavenly Horizons."Flowers for the Poor. By the Rev. J.Erskine Clark.

St. John of the East Sea.Stevenson.

Missionarv Enteri)rise inAfrica. ^ By the Rev. A.Resident Missionary inCoiintiT.The .Man'of War and the Parish Schtud.Bv the Rev. W. G. Blaikie.

Short Paj.ers for tlie Times. By Arch-bishoji Whately.

All .Vbout the House.Maria Gordon.Deaconess Institution of Kaiserswerth.By William Flemin.Lr Stevenson.London Model Lodging- Houses.John Hollingshead.The Comiui,' of the Spring. ByAuth.u-of" John Halifax."Scenes from the Life and Travels of ourLord. By t he R ev . J. L. Porter.Autiior of "Murrav's Handbt)ok ofPalestine."

Light and Scenery as affecting Health.By Dr. Aniens Smith, .Manchester.The Woiidciot Indifference. Bv NormanMacleod, D.D.

Peter Floger, the Tailor of Buinen. Bythe Rev. J. De Liefde, .\msterdam.Patent Medicines. By Thomas HerbertJones.

Village Incidents. By Elsie Garret.Bees and the Art of (^ueeii-Making. ByPrincijial Leitch.The Creation of the World. By JohnStuart Blackie, Piofe.ssor of tireek inthe University of Kdiiibnijiii.The Emancii>ation of the SeifsOrischinskv, St. Petersbur^diBooks of Devotit.n. By W. F.son.The Strau>;e Origin of the Friesland Caji.A Legend of Holland. By the Rev. J.De Liefde, Amsterdam.

Margaret

B.\

the

By c.Steven-

ALEXANDER STRAHAN & CO.,32, LUDGATE IIlLL, LoXDON.


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14 15In One Elegant Volume of 800 Royal Octavo Pages, Extra Cloth, F.ill GiltPrice 7s. 6tl.,GOOD WORDS

FOR 18G0.Edited by NORMAX MACLP:0D, D.D.And Illustrated with 102 Wood Engrarings from Dedgns by R.ninent

Artists.

I?-:Good Words fot 1860continued.

Among theThe Rev. John" Caird, D U. (iias-uwMiss Miu)( k. Author of *' J..hn HalifaxCit'iiti-iiiari."Dr. Mkulk U'AiBroN-K, Geneva.I*rof'ssl), D.D,, tolToK.

MEDITATIONS ON HEAVEN. 7 Chapters.B.V tlu. Rev. J. R .M.VCDLKF, D.D., .^,.,,,,,r,,f ,,,.. M,,,i,,, ,,,,,, i,^.,,^ ^.,,,,^^..LADY SOMERVILLES MAIDENS. A Story. 29 Chapter.,By the Author of the * Nut Jirowii Maiils."THE GOLD THREAD, A Stry f.,r the Young. ,5 ChaptersH.v .N(>li.\HX .\HLI.EOD, D.D., Edttor.DAILY MEDITATIONS : or, Goo.! Wor.ls for Every Day(305 Rea.lings). ^

Pictures from the Life of the EarlyChurch. Three Chapters By Priu-cipal Tulloch.

Asjects of Indian Life during the Re-bellion. Six Papers. By J. M. Lud-low, Esq.Photograplis from the Gospels. ThreeChaiteis. By Professor David Brown.

Missionary Sketches. Six Papers. ByThcmias Smith, A.M.

Christian Life in Germany in the Nine-teenth Century. Ten Chapters. ByW. F. Stevenson.

Bihle Records of Remarkable Ccmver-sions. a Papers. By Adolidi Saphir.Joy among the Angels. By Rev. W.Landels.Song of Antioch. liy J. M. Ludlow, Esq.

Inciilent in the Arctic Seas. Bv Rtv. J,R. Macluft. D.D.On the Atlantic. By Norman Mack-oil,D.D.

Auroras. By W. Jack, of St. Peter'sHall, Cambridge.The Caravansary of Bagdad, from theDanish.Bees and Bee-Hives. By John Cnm-ming, D.D.The Destroyed Cities ofthe Plain. Bythe Rev. Dr. Jamieson.St. Columba. By Professor Shairp, St.Andrews.Concerning ChiMhood. By Geo. Hume.

Illu.strations of Providence. By CaiionStowell.

Doi-tor Siarrow. ]?y Adoli'h Sai)hir.A Summer's Study of Ferns. By MissFernlover.

1.51.') versus ISr.O. By Dr. M. D'Aubigne.What has bet-n done" in the Fiji Islands.By Miss Farmer.Pi-otestantism in France. By Principal

Tulloch.The Fate of Franklin. By J. M.A Summer Hovu- in my Garden. ByGeorge Hume.How I became a Governess. By Miss The Evils of Great Cities. By A. T. I.The Crowded Harbotir. By Miss Marsh,Author of "Memorials of HedlcyVicars."A Door Opened in Heaven. By Profes-sor David Brown.

Highlanders at Home and Abroad. ByNorman Maclcod, D.D.Profes.sor George Wilson. By W. Lind-

.say Alexander, D.D.

Scenes in Italv. Bv William Arthur,A. M.Laiimer in the Pulpit. By Hugh Stow-ell Brown.The True Rest f(tr Man. By NormanMacleoil, D.D.David Chart's Memoranda. By MissHnvitt.

Meth.tdism in the Far West. ByW. H. G.Ascent of Mont Blanc. By a Memberof the Alpine Club.Sketches in Natural History. By Wil-liam Kcddi*'.The Mi.lnight Mission. By L. C . C .The Story of Ninian. By Professi>rShair)).Nuremberg Stories. By Adolidi Sa]>hir.Our Bob. Bv Norman Madecd. D.D.A String of " Pearls. Bv the Rev. Dr.M'Farlane, Author of "The NightLamp."The Power of Prayer. By W. F. Steven-st)n.

Ct)ncerning Each One's Religious His-tory. By A. T. I.

Saul of Tarsus a Chosen Vessel. Bv theRev. Dr. M'Culloch.The Little Screw. By the Rev. J. deLiefde, Amsterdam, Autiior of "ThePastor of Gegcnburg."

Pojtular Misa]iplications of Scripture.By Hujih Stdwell Brown.The Broken Link. By Airs. MargaretMaria Gordon.I Old Jenny of Glen Immern. By Nor-

m;in Mac]cof a Village School ma.ster.By W. F. Stevenstm.Relle


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Documents

Romanism & Rationalism [1863] - Cairns, J