familiar manner converfe with them upon the efiential dodrines of
religion. They make trial of their knowledge by putting queftiols
to them on thefe heads. The adult as well as children are catechifejS
They likewife vilit their pariihes and inquire into the b eh aviour Jfj
their feveral parilhioners, and admoniih them for whatever th ey findl
blameable in their conduit. At thefe vilitations the Minifter incul-l
cates the praitice of the relative and focial duties, and infills upofl
the neceffity of the praitice of them. And if -there h a p p e n to flj
any quarrels among neighbours, the Minifter endeavours by tfci
power of perfuafion to bring about a reconciliation. But in this parti
of their condudt much depends upon the temper, prudence, and d i j
cretion ofMimfters, who are cloathed with the fame paflions, prejB
dices, and infirmities, that other men are.
To this'fenfible account of the Church of North Britain, I b|9
leave to add another, which may be confidered as a fort of fupplS
ment, and may ferve to fling light on fome points untouched in
preceding: it is the extradl from an anfwer to fome q u e r ie s I fent al
worthy correfpondent in the Highlands, to whom I am indebted im
many fenfible communications :
“ To apprehend,well the prefent ftate of our church patronage^
“ and mode of fettlement, we muft briefly view this m a tte r from tha
fome diftrifit o f diocefe, preaching and confirming from church to church, foffitfl
before the return o f the triennial vifitation, he became well acquainted with t»|
behaviour o f every incumbent. He preached every Sunday in fome church of t|fl
c ity o f Sali/bury ; catechifed, and ihilrudted its youth for confirmation j wav moftj
vigilant, and ftrift in his examination o f candidates for holy orders; was am“*j
vincible enemy to pluralities, and o f courfe to non-refidents ; filled his office ' l^j
worth and dignity, and by his epifcopal merits, it is to be hoped, may have atoeB
for the acknowledged blemiihes in his biographical character. . «
“ Reformatio®
I1 Reformation. At that remarkable period the whole temporalities
of the church were refumed by the Crown and Parliament| and
f foon after a new maintenance was fettled for minifters in about
f 960 pariihes. The patrons of the old, fplendid Popilh livings»
ftill claimed a patronage in the new-modelled poor Stipends for
f parilh minifters. The Lords, or Gentlemen, who got from the
f Crown grants of the fuperiorities and lands of old abbies, claimed
r aifo the patronage of all the churches which were in the gift of
f thofe abbies during popery. The King too claimed the old pa-
[ tronage of the Crown, and thofe of any eccleftajlic corporations not
[ granted away. 11 Lay-patronages were reckoned always a great grievance by the
r Church of Scotland-, and accordingly from the beginning of the re-
| formation the church declared againft lay-patronage and prefenta-
f tions. The ecclefiaftic laws, or a its of affembly, confirmed at
f laft by parliament, required, in order to the fettlement o f a mini-
I'fter, fome concurrence of the congregation, of the gentlemen
[ who had property within the cure, and of the Elders of the
'parilh.
| “ The Elders, or Kirk Seffion, are a number of perfons, who, for
their wifdom, piety, and knowledge, are eleited from the body of
[ the people in every parilh, and continue for life, fefe benegerenti-
| ins, to alflft the parilh minifter in fupprefilng immoralities and
regulating the affairs of the parilh. Three H . A of thefe m. en and a
| nuniiter make a quorum, and form the loweft of our church
| courts.
Thus matters continued to the year 1649, when by ail of parliament
patronages were abolijhed entirely, and the eleilion or
nomination