“ -nomination of minifters was committed to the jKM-Seffion or Eli
“ ders; who, in thofe days of univerfal fobriety and outward appeal
“ ance at leaft of religion among the Preiby terians, were generally thl
-“ gentlemen of belt condition in theparilh who were in communioi
“ with the church. After the reftoration of King Charles II. alonl
v with epifcopacy patronages returned, yet under the old laws; anf
“ all debates were finally determinable by the General JJfrnim
“ which even under epifcopacy in Scotland was the fupreme eccll
“ fiaftic court. Thus they continued till the Revolution, when thl
“ Prelbyterian model was reftored by a£t of parliament.
“ The people chofe their own minifters, and matters continue!
“ in this form till the year 1711, when Queen Anne’s, miniftry id
“ tending to defeat the Hanover fuccelfion, took all methods to
“ harrafs fuch as were firmly attached to it, which the Prelbyterial
“ Gentry and Clergy ever were, both from principle and interefl
“ An aft therefore was obtained, and which is ftill in force, reftorinl
“ patrons to their power of elefting minifters.
By this a£t the King is now in pofleffion of the patronad
“ of above 500 churches out of 950, having not only the oil
“ rights of the crown, but many patronages acquired at thl
Reformation not yet alienated ; all the patronages of the 14
“ .Scots Biihops, and all the patronages of the Lords and Geia
“ tlemen forfeited in the years 1715 -and 1745. Lords,, Ged
“ tlemen, and Magiftrates of Boroughs, are the patrons of thl
“ remaining churches. A patron muft prefent a qualifiel
“ perfon to a charge within fix months of the laft incund
1 bent’s removal or death, otherwife his right falls to thePrel
- bytery.
“ A Prei
“ A Prelbytery confifts of feveral Minifters and Elders. All
f parilhes are annexed to fome Prelbytery. 'The Prelbytery is the
“ fecond church court, and they revife the a£ts of the Kzri-Seffion,
“ which is the loweft. Above the Prelbytery is the Synod, which
“ is a court confifting of feveral Prelbyteries, and from all thefe
“ there lies an appeal to the General Afiembly, which is the fupreme
“ church , court in Scotland. This fupreme court confifts of the
“ King reprefented by his Commilfioner, Minifters from the dif-
“ ferent Prelbyteries, and ruling Elders. They meet annually
I at Edinburgh, enact laws for the good of the church, finally de-
| termine all controverted elections of minifters. They can prevent
“ a clergyman’s tranfportation from one charge to another. They
“ can find a prefentee qualified or unqualified, and confequently
“ oblige the patron to prefent another. They can depofe from
I the miniftry, and every intrant into holy orders becomes bound
“ to fubmit to the decifions of this court; which, from the days
I of our reformer John Knox, has appropriated to itfelf the titles
‘ of The VERY VENERABLE and VERY REVEREND ASSEMBLY of
the Church of Scotland.
“ All the clergymen of our communion are upon a par as to
authority. We can enjoy no pluralities. Non-refidence is not
known. We are bound to a regular difcharge of the feveral
duties of our office. The different cures are frequently vifited
by the Prelbytery of the bounds ; and at thefe vifitations ftriil
S enquiry is made into the life, doftrine, and diligence of the
incumbent. And for default in any of thefe, he may be fuf-
■ pended from -preaching: or if any'grofs immorality is proved
C c c “ againft