In fact, they seem to have forgotten that the power of the keys is confined to the order, discipline, and government of the church-s that crimes are cognizable by it, not as they affect the state, or its members, or are punishable by fine, imprisonment, or death; but as they occasion injury, scandal, or reproach, to the church, its members, or religion and that, when its sentences expose to privation of civil rights, or infliction of civil penalties, it is not by any laws merely ecclesiastical, but by the laws of the state, and the authority of the civil niagistrate.

4 Be it remembred that, in 1798, the synod "besought his majesty to accept the faithful exertions of those who had withstood the torrent of popular fury, and the seductions of sophistical philosophy, as an atonement for their deluded

III. "Because, we cannot suggest to the representative of our sovereign the propriety of depriving one-third of the ministers of this synod of a considerable portion of an income, of which they have, for some years, been in possession, on the faith of his majesty's government," that the bounty, once granted, shall in no case be withdrawn from any minister during his continuance in his congregation, so long as it shall please his majesty to continue the bounty to the body at large,” in reliance on which many ministers have formed their domestic arrangements, and commenced a course of education for their families."

This is language so plain, implies an avowal so clear, and admits an authority so strong, in support of my charge of usurpation, that I shall not insult my readers by adding a single remark on the subject.

deluded brethren: and, that the madness of the multitude might be hidden from his eyes by the courage and sufferings of those of their communion, who fought and died for their king and country-their liberty and religion." Now, though it may be a doubt whether the odour of this sacrifice had reached his majesty's nostrils, or the words of this intercessory prayer met his eye, yet true it is, that the supposed delinquents, of which I was one, were accommodated by his majesty's ministers, in a manner which no man of 1000 per annum could afford to accommodate his own family; while the atoning priests, who pleaded the sacrifice of their own exertions against popular fury and sophistical philosophy, and the courage and sufferings of those of their communion, as an expiation for the sins of their deluded brethren, were, not only withholding the means of support justly due to their families, but cutting off their prospects of future comfort, though faithfully purchased-nay more, casting a shade of suspicion over their verbal sacrifice and prayer by declaring what the real ministers of the object of their worship could not prove;that the" deluded," as they tenderly called them, were actually "traitors and rebels."

Other observations will occur to the thinking reader, and of no mean importance, which I shall here omit. There is one, however, which might

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might be made, and which I think it my duty to obviate. In the conduct of the rev. Body, of which I have yet the honor to be a member, I have charged the severities, of which I complain, to "the synod." This I have done, beto" cause every synodical act must be considered as the act of" the whole synod." However, I am fully convinced, that not one in ten were active in, or really approved of, things, then done. The day was a day of terror. There were ends to answer, by keeping up that terror. The synod was pronounced, by Mr. Pollock, to be a horde of traitors. They were made to believe, that they were a suspected body, and that exertions must be made to remove that suspicion. These suspicions were avowed by some members of the body, and every one, who presumed to say a word favorable to an accused, or suffering brother, was borne down by an insinuation that he was an accomplice, or might expose himself to suspicion as such. The truth of this is so well known, that, I believe it will not be denied; nay, I believe, from what I have personally heard, more than once, it cannot be denied..

I have already mentioned two instances of these personal exertions. The one was the motion by Mr. Craig, of my being continued in the receipt of R. D. at the risque of the pres bytery being considered as "inimical to govern

ment,"

ment," the other of Mr. Black, in respect to bounty also. Who brought forward the motion of my suspension, and exclusion from continuing a contributor to the widow's fund, which I have mentioned, only as problematical, my evidence, though strong, not being direct, I know not. But there is a notice, which canuot be over looked, proposed by Mr. Cuming, brother-in-law to Mrs. Black, which resolves the whole of these proceedings into one connexion. It is expressed in the following words: " Mr. Thomas Cuming gave notice that he will next year move, that, if any contributor to the widow's fund shall die by suicide, duelling, or the hand of public justice, his widow or family shall not be considered as entitled to any advantage arising from the said fund."

That the object of this notice was in itself right, had it been confined to such as might become contributors in future, must be admitted; but, that it should have a retrospect to such as then were, and long had been contributors, is not right. In several charter-parties of annuity companies the widows and children of such as died by suicide or duelling are excluded from all benefits. Indeed they are crimes so heinous, unnatural, and hurtful to society, that too much cannot be done to discourage and prevent them. However, that the prevention of these was not the only, or even M m 2 principal

principal object of Mr. Cuming's motion, Mr. Cuming has fully proved by the reasons for withdrawing his notice in 1780. His words are: "although the melancholy circumstances of the times did, in his opinion, fully justify the adoption of said motion, yet as the case, which gave principal rise to the notice, was new and unprecedented; and, as the consideration of this melancholy subject must be painful to the feelings of this synod, and to his own; and as, he trusts, an occasion will not again recur calling for that or any similar regulation, he will, with the consent of this interloquitor, decline making his intended motion."

These words are very explicit, and do credit to Mr. Cuming's candor, on the occasion. They shew that the words, "suicide and duelling," had only crept into his notice, of the preceding year, through inadvertence, or the confusion of ideas arising from the "melancholy circumstances of the times." He tells us, that the case which gave principal rise to his notice, was new and unprecedented, and the subject melancholy-now, there was no case of suicide or fatal duel, among the contributors to the widow's fund, new or old, precedented or unprecedented; nor any instance of a contributor to that fund, dying by the hand of public justice, from its commencement until the year 1798. Hence, that one instance must be the case,