THE FREE CHURCH AND DISESTABLISHMENT. [To THE EDITOR OF THE
" SPECTATOR." SIR,—Permit me to point out that an erroneous statement OM this subject appears in your issue of last Saturday. The state
ment is :—" The General Assembly of the Free Church last week showed how deep is its prejudice against any kind of State endowment by carrying Professor Lindsay's motion that 'Disestablishment and Disendowment are urgently required' by 365 votes against 91 given for a more moderate motion of Principal Rainy's, which committed the Assembly only to Disestablishment, and not to Disendowment." The fact is that three motions were made, Principal Rainy's, Professor Lindsay's, and Mr. Neil Taylor's. Mr. Taylor's motion, which aimed at a reconstruction of the Church of Scotland on the basis of FreeChurch principles, was strongly opposed to Disestablishment. On the first vote Professor Lindsay's motion was carried against Mr. Taylor's by 243 to 67, and on the second vote Principal Rainy's was carried against Professor Lindsay's by 365 to 91.
I refrain from making any comment, as the conclusion which you drew from mistaken premisses naturally falls to the ground. Trusting to your sense of fairness to insert this correction, I am, Sir, &c., A SCOTTISH CHURCHMAN. [We took the figures from the Guardian of last week, in which the numbers of the division were reversed. We are very glad to rectify the error.—En. Spectator.]
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