29 MAY 1847, Page 2

The two General Assemblies, " Established " and "Free," have

been sitting in Edinburgh, and speaking at each other. It was at first thought that the Free Assembly had recognized its rival as "a Christian church "; but on a closer scrutiny, it turned out that the Free Assembly had sarcastically used the words "professing to be a Christian church." On the other hand, members of the Established body utter grave cautions against " recognizing " any "new church." The two Assemblies are carrying on, as amicably as they can, a dispute about quoad sacra churches—or chapels of ease, established before the seces- sion—for which they are scrambling. All this is curious and edifying to the Southern reader. But it is evident, too, and that is the best part of the matter, that the bitter excitement fades.