The Church of Scotland's Claim of Right, to Which Are Prefixed the Speeches of Dr. Chalmers, Dr. Gordon, and Mr. Dunlop in Support, May 24 - Scotland Church of Gen Assembly

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1842 edition. Excerpt: ...That same year the General Assembly established a second minister at St Andrews, and the parishes of North Leith, Prestonpans, Denny, and others, were, at a very early period, erected quoad tpiritualia by the Church courts alone, some, twenty, and some, thirty years before they had a civil status. It is of moment to observe, that John Davidson, minister of Prestonpans, who had rendered himself in the highest degree obnoxious to king James by i pronouncing the sentence of deposition against Montgomery, sat, while minister of that parish, in the Assembly 1696, and bearded the king in a manner that, if he had had the slightest pretence for alleging that he was not a legal member, he would have attempted his removal. Davidson was the person who most strenuously pressed the inquiry into the evils of the king's house, which issued in a report that "His Majesty is blotted with banning and swearing." And yet this man had then no other status than that of a quoad sacra minister. In fact, it is well known that for long after the recognition of the Church by law, alarge body of her ministers had no benefices, but were dependent entirely on the voluntary contributions of their people. All the second and third ministers of royal burghs have been admitted by the Church courts alone, --the Court of Teinds having never erected a burgh parish till 1782. Almost all the ministers of Edinburgh were included solely by the authority of the Presbytery. Not many years ago, this very church (St Andrew's) was erected, and it was collegiated in 1801. On the occasion of the case being before the presbytery, they made an application to President Blair, with the view of ascertaining whether it was necessary to go to the Court of Teinds, when he distinctly...