of a noble friend of mine-the Duke of Buccleuch-and owing also in a great measure to the indefatigable attention of Sir William Heathcote, and other members of the House of Commons, among whom I may mention the name of the Chancellor of the Exchequer; by the removal of these disabilities, I say, we have been placed on a par with other branches of the Apostolic Church; and for that reason, I think, there is great cause for congratulation. Now, don't let us run away with the idea that we have done enough. It is only by continuing the same exertions that we have exhibited during the last year, that we can expect to show such a flourishing account at the end of the next year. For it is, as his Lordship has stated, by continually exerting ourselves to make every year more productive than the preceding one, that we can really give effect to the objects and organisation of this Society; and especially let me call this to your attention: Do not let any person be satisfied merely because he may contribute a small sum to his congregation. Let every individual member of the Church subscribe something, and then I shall have no apprehension that in the course of a few years we will be able to raise a sufficient sum of money which, if it does not place our clergy in the position of what may be called affluence, yet they may be placed in the position of respectability, and, I hope, in the position which is enjoyed by the clergy of the Established Church of Scotland. Allow to make one other remark, and that is with regard to certain divisions and certain jealousies said to exist. I myself am happy to bear witness to this, that those jealousies and differences that existed a few years ago are almost entirely done away. ("Hear, hear," and applause.) I also believe that a very great benefit will accrue to the Catholicity of our Church—if I may use the expression-from the removal of those disabilities to which I have alluded; because members of the Church of England, men of great eminence, have been deterred from giving their support, and forming, I may say, part of our Church, and from coming down and assisting in our deliberations, from the idea that our Church was exceedingly exclusive in its views. Now, the removal of these disabilities has tended in a great degree to remove this; and another of the great advantages of their removal is that we are now placed, as far as our position as a Church is concerned-though we do not enjoy the temporalities-in the same position in the Apostolic Church as the Church of England and Ireland. I believe that fewer of those jealousies and differences will arise when we find that the Bishops and clergy of the Church of England are in full co-operation with ourselves. (Applause.) Having said so much, I hope that in the course of another year all our congregations will be united in one body in subscribing to the Society; and I do hope that there will be as great exertions as have

been made this year. I have no doubt that by careful management, and especially by the system of capitalising our resources-though at present the amount given away as stipend may not be large-we will provide a permanent endowment for our Church in regard to which I may say it is a great reproach, especially to the laity, that it has not been provided long ago. (Hear, hear.) I beg now to propose the motion which I have read to the meeting. (Applause.)

Sir Henry Seton Steuart, Bart., seconded the motion, which was unanimously agreed to.

The Very Reverend Dean Ramsay said-My Lord Bishop, I have great satisfaction in moving the next resolution, and I say that I have great satisfaction in so doing, because I think it touches a question most intimately connected with the welfare and the prosperity of our Church, and because it is intended to record the gratitude which I should be ashamed to think was coldly or inadequately felt by us. The resolution has reference to friends of the Church and to the services which they have performed for it. I might have made a long list of those who are well known to have taken a part in our recent transactions; but I did not make that list of names because there are many who, in distant parts of the country, are working for us, and whose names I might have overlooked, and thereby regretted; and thirdly, and chiefly, I did not make that list, because I believe it would not be consonant with their feelings to have their names so put forward. They have done their work, and the success of that work will be their reward. My lord, it has been said that the clergy are bad men of business. I believe it may be true, because the early pursuits, at least, of a clergyman are very different from those that are considered to be the business of his life. It applies to the Church of England, and I have heard that it applies also to our brethren of the Established Church of Scotland. Indeed, I know of one case where a clever, able, and learned young man came into a parish, and wishing to make himself popular, had given his opinions rather freely as to agricultural and parish business, when an old elder of the church said-"Oh, but thae ministers are poor bodies at business!" (Laughter.) I believe it

frequently so happens, and if it be so, it is not likely that the ministers of the Scottish Episcopal Church would be eminent examples to the contrary. The duties of the Church are not such as to create habits of business in the clergy. We have had an example of this in our own Church. In the year 1838 it was found that our canons were extremely defective. They had not been touched, I believe, since 1824 or 1825, and accordingly a General Synod was called to improve the canon law. This was done, unfortunately, I may say, by the clergy alone; and I must say that they rather, what we usually call, "made a mess of it'

−(a laugh)—for in a very few years it was found that the canons did not work; they were full of inconsistencies and deficiences; and, in short, in 1863, it was universally acknowledged that there must be a revision, and a new code of canon law. . We were then wiser, and we took in, to a great extent, the lay element for counsel and advice. The laity were not eligible in the General Synod to pass these laws; but the laity chiefly composed a preliminary and preparatory committee at which was prepared a well organised and well thought out body of canon law—a large mass, if I may so speak, of canonical elements— and these were placed before the General Synod. They acted for their guidance and direction, and especially they formed materials ready on which they had to work, and I think and I believe the result was quite successful. So, in like manner, it happened when we were to re-organise the Church Society. The Society had done much. It had begun at a time when there were cases of poverty which would scarcely be believed if I were to state them now, and for twenty-five years it did work; but the very organization of that Society prevented it from doing enough. We had to lengthen our cords and to strengthen our stakes— to have a new form, that is to say, new laws and regulations to take in the work on a more extended basis. Then we had the advantage of our lay friends, and no one who has not gone through the work of that period can tell the constant assiduity and continued labours that were given to form-I do not say the perfection of the Church Society's rules, but certainly I may say the maturity of the Society's rules and regulations. They were well matured and well considered, and I believe they will work well, and produce all the good effect that our right reverend chairman has referred to, and to which the speaker on his left (the Right Hon. Nisbet Hamilton, M.P.) has referred to. Since I have been connected with this Church, and since I have taken an humble part in its transactions, there are two classes of the members of that Church whom I have looked upon with something of wonder and with admiration. The wonder I have looked upon has extended to some of the members who take no interest in our concerns whatever. They are good churchmen, they are attached to their clergymen, they are attached to their own congregations, and have done much to advance the interests of their own clergymen and their own congregations; but, to the Church at large, they have given little or no attention at all. Strangers may come to our meetings from curiosity, and I am sorry to say that there are members of our own Church who never come, and they do not give us that which might be easily given, and which, perhaps, it is the greatest boon that they could give to Church affairs-an indication of their sympathy, their kindly feeling, and their ready cooperation. Do not mistake me, ladies and gentlemen. I am not using

the language of complaint or reproach. I am well aware how easy people fall off from occupations of this kind, without any diminution of their sympathy and kindly feelings towards the Church; but we should be most happy to have their presence, their co-operation, their sympathy, their kindly feeling. The other class to whom I have alluded and whom I look upon with wonder, certainly are those who have given such attention of late to our concerns and our affairs, and my admira tion arises from two different causes. In the first place, the gentlemen to whom I allude are not men idle in society-who have no business of their own to do-or who find it difficult to spend their time, and bestow their tediousness upon us. They are men to whom their time is gold, and of that gold they have often given to us, because they have given to us what might have been profitably and usefully applied to themselves. They have given us that, and it is that which I wish to acknowledge. They have not only given their counsel and advice in drawing up rules and regulations, but they have also given their aid in assisting us to put them into practice. They have not merely drawn up rules and said-Go and work that for yourselves. They have set themselves to assist us, and, after each rule was received and considered well in committee, they have, in different parts of the country, as lay representatives and in other capacities, assisted us in carrying it out, and working it well in the congregations. (Applause.) To those men we look for the success of our measures. It is due to them, and it is with all my heart that I propose the following motion :-" That the best and most earnest thanks of churchmen are due to those lay members of our communion who have recently devoted so much time, and skill, and labour in the re-organisation of the Society." (Applause.)

Sir Charles M. Ochterlony, Bart., seconded the motion, which was unanimously agreed to.

ECCLESIASTICAL INTELLIGENCE.

DIOCESE OF MORAY AND Ross.

ORDINATION.-On the 1st Sunday in Advent, the Most Rev. the Primus held an ordination in the Church at Highfield, when Mr. Ewen Dhu Livingston, of Trinity College, Glenalmond, was admitted into Deacon's Orders. Morning Prayer was said by the Rev. Wm. Roughead, M.A., Chaplain to the Primus, and the Sermon was preached in Gaelic, by the Rev. Farquhar Smith of Arpafeelie. The oaths of allegiance and supremacy were administered to the

candidate by Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, Bart. The Church was completely filled, chiefly with Gaelic members of the Church in the neighbourhood of Highfield, and a large number of them remained to partake of the Holy Communion. Mr. Livingston was examined in Theology, &c., by the Bishop's examining Chaplains, on the 24th and 25th of November, and was also tested in his knowledge of Gaelic, by Mr. Farquhar Smith of Arpafeelie. He is at present licensed to minister to the congregation of Highfield.

€14 10 0

The Society thus receiving for its varicus objects, viz―the sup

port of the Episcopate, and of the Clergy, Endowment,
Education, Building, &c.

And the Committee retaining for congregational purposes the
balance of -

In all, as before

The apportionment of the amount retained for Congregational purposes, viz.,

One-half is devoted to the Endowment of Trinity Church, £15 38
And of the remaining half, applicable as the Committee
may direct, the portion consisting of Donations
being

Must be employed as Capital; and the remainder,
consisting of Subscriptions, being

May be expended as Income,

The comparatively small sum left this year in the hands of the Committee for Congregational purposes, increased, however, by £63 14s 9d previously