SCOTLAND.
The Nonintrasionists go forward with their preparatives for a new secession. The Special Commission met on Tuesday last week ; when the Deputation to London presented their report. The Special Com- mission recorded a minute, approving of the report and the conduct of the Commission, and reasserting the reasonable nature of the Church's claims. The Church had always recognized the right of the State to fix the conditions of their connexion : she believed, however, that nonintrusion was a fundamental principle ; and she had simply asked for an act of Parliament carrying out that principle and protecting her from the interference of the Civil Courts, except as to civil effects. The claim of the Church had now been conclusively rejected by the State- " In these circumstances, the Special Commission deem it incumbent upon them to announce to the Church and Country, as they now do with the utmost pain and sorrow, that the decisive rejection of the Church's claims by the Go- vernment and by Parliament appears to them conclusive of the present strug- gle, and that, in the judgment of the Commission, nothing remains but to make immediate preparation for the new state of things, which the Church must, as far as they can see, contemplate as inevitable. "It is true that the Special Commission have no power to bring the mo- mentous question to a final close, but must report their proceedings to the General Assembly. They feel it, however, to be their duty, in so unprecedented a crisis, and considering the urgent necessity of preparing for the event which must be anticipated as then likely to occur, to give forth now their deliberate judgment in regard to it, and to warn the Church and People of Scotlandahat, so far as the Commission can see, no course will be left for the Assembly, or for those who hold sacred the principles now at issue, to adopt, but to relin- quish the benefits of the Establishment."
A public meeting was held next day in the Waterloo Rooms ; at which Mr. Fox Maule, M.P., Mr. Campbell, M.P., Mr. Sheriff Monteath, Dr. Gordon, Dr. Chalmers, Dr. Candlish, Dr. Cunningham, and other leaders of the party, were present. Mr. Maule was chosen to preside. In an energetic speech, he observed, that they had the final answer of Government on two points : Sir Robert Peel declared that he would not consent to the Church's claim, because if admitted on the North side of the Tweed it would spring up on the Smith ; and Sir James Graham said, that he would not give that, without which the House of Commons could not change the law, the consent of the Crown. The time for ad- vocacy had passed, and Mr. Maule came there to associate himself with them in the great cause of national liberty both' civil and religious. The Reverend Dr. Candlish, who spoke at some length, declared that nothing was left for them but earnest, vigorous, and systematic prepa- rations for the institution of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland : whether with or without the Queen's Commission, they would have a free Assembly in May- " God grant, that immediately thereafter we may be able to show what the free Gospel is which a free Assembly are prepared to give forth. We shall, in- deed, cultivate our own districts; we shall have stated congregations, with stated elders and ministers; but we shall have our tours of preaching too—our visits to all corners of the land; and I believe that yet, by God's blessing on our free and faithful preachings, in the highways and hedges, in barns and stables, in saw. pits and tents, we shall yet regenerate Scotland, and have multitudes of those who are now perishing for lack of knowledge to listen to the glad tidings of salvation. Oh! this will be a blessed reward for all our agitation."
The meeting was also addressed by Mr. Campbell of Monzie, Dr. Gordon, and Dr. Chalmers. They assembled again in the evening, the Lord Provost in the chair, and heard more speeches. Thanks were voted to Mr. Fox Maule and their supporters in the House of Com- mons.
The Reverend James M'Farlane, minister of Muiravonside, has with- drawn from the Convocation, because they refused to accept a settlement on the principle of the liberum arbitrium.
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