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Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est film6 A partir de Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas. en prenant le nombre d'images n6cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 22t 1 2 3 1 4 5 6 Jft ^ ■*> ^ ',%W i^* .^ _i, T«^v- / ITo- s. Hamilton, llih .Inly, 1866. TO THE CONGREGATION OF KNOX'S CHURCH, ^1^ ,i»- TiiK lias of your Elders und Deacons again onipel ,„e to defend ni vself. I ought to have vindicated my.elf ere this, but i.ro8surc- of bu..inc8s lias alono prevented rac ; (to those of you, who are my .•lients, the pressure of b.„i. ness is well known', but before entorin« on n>v defoneo against the nggres- 4 s.ve acts referred to. permit me to give you my reason for not reviewing the \ acts of the parties referral to, in the concluding portion of my last letter to you, and which 1 then intended doing short ly thereai'ter, as I liave a res- pect for wliat 1 say. If you will turn to Jeremiah, Cap. 'J4, v. I and •' you will t:«« read of two baskets of tigs which were shown to Jeremiah, li set before tlte /.— indicating thereby the rulers— in Oie one of which the tigs were " very naughty, which could not be ea\n they were so bad "— And when Jeremiah was asked what he saw, he suid figs— " the evil very evil, that cann.t be eaten, th..y are .m, evil." Upon mature reflecf'ion "l saw thm to be the very state of these parties, and, as in reviewing the acts ot those I was compelled to review, I had to travel through much filth • I felt 1 could not go ou, as it was not absolutely nece.,..ry to my defence ■ my position, as to being in the right, being admitted by all, who'se opinion' was of any value. ' In January last, when the seats in the «;huich were announce.! to be let I went to the Church on the evening npj.ointed ; when I reached there 1 found James Walker and George Murison, Deacons, and two or three other l.ersons ; 1 waited, with nuieli path-nce, for some time. James Walker evidently to detain me ns long as possible, spent much more time than was required with a pers.m ; I having an appointment with a Medical Gentle- man to see my m..ther, who was very ill, spoke to George Murison, and ottered him my pew rent for the then next six months, (us I, invariably have paid m advance,) explaining to him my mother's position, which rent he refused to receive, saying that I must pay it to Mr. Walker ■ I remon- strated with him, as he was a Deac.m, but to no purpose, and had to wait sometime longer upon James Walker; when ho ha.l arranged with all those before mc, I offered him my usual pew rent for the then next six months wliif'i lie refused lo liiko, .siiyiiij;, ''Tlu' Deiu^ons' I'ourl liave |piissed a Kt'soliitiori iiiit to niiil the |iow to y*'" «",\ lonifor," lo wliieli I replied by iiijain "ilFei'iiif; liiiii tliw nioiify, and sayinij tliat I inHiHtod upon rotaininf; my |ii'W ; tlial I had ii riiflit lo'i\,ii> which ho m\nv/evt'il, " wf liav lakrn leyal ndi'icfi upon the matter, aud you hnvr no rif/hl to i/ourp'w." 1 asked liiin wliy I liad not a right to my pew ; he answered, " \'oii liave ahiisod the office- bearers of the Church." i -aid to hiiri, that tlie jiuhiic thought otiierwise, hut that, whether or no, that was no reason for pultint,' me out of tlie Church, and tiiat I would like tosi-e any man put nie out of my pew, to whieli he answered, " ll'c leill not put ijou out, Itut w< vill put others in ;" to wliii'h I rejilied, that I would throw every fellow out who dared enter my pew, and that my oak stick might again he unefu! ; and again tendered him the rent, and aski'd hiin if he was satisfied with the amount and ten- der, to which he replied, that he was, Imt would not receive it ; and!, thereupon, left the Church, licar in mind that (;eroved against him, you will, if you are possessed of any Christian feeling, be horrified. A Minister of the (Jospel, with his Elders and Deacons.whosc duty is to do their utmost to save souls from eternal per- dition, by all the means of Grace within their power, and the chief of which is the preaching of the worit sinners, to repentance ;" " llo. every one that thirsteth, eome ye to the waters ;"' or, if from so often hear- ing the Itev. U. Irvine in the I'ulpit of Knox's Church, sayint^, " If tlio Bible tells the truth," " if our Saviour tells llio truth," they have arrived at the awful conclusion, that in these instances, ourSaviour has not told the truth. A Christian, iiodoi 't, nuiy fall into cjrievous sins, but 1 fear that the indi- vidual who would put any one out of a Church is not a Christian, and, even should he preach the Gospel, he has t,'reat reason to dread oceupyini; the |)03ition put by the .\postle I'aul, that notwithstanding so, " he, himself, miiLrht be a cast away." This is a solenm matter, and when you come to re- rtect, that by the aforesaid acts, my sister, a member in the full communion of that Church, and my brother .bmies, were also put out <>f the Church, against whom nothing is said or pretended ti> be said ; tho uncodlincss of the act becomes the blacker, the more fearful. Think of a body of Klders and Deacons going to a lawyer,and asking him, whether they IfjaUy could eject a man from his pew in a Church, and one who had always paid his pew rent in advance, and whose conduct in the Church, thoy do not, as they dare not, pretend to find any fault with, and alledging, as the sole excuse for so doing, that I had abused the offieebear- era of the Church, and which, they well know, is false, utterly false, and notoriously so ; but, were it true that [ had abused the oftice-bearers, would that have been any e.vcuse ; is that following the example set by our Saviour whilst on earth and what an e.vcmplifioation is it of the command of our Saviour. Luke, Cap. 1-4, v. lio : " (io out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that, my house may be filled." A body of spiritual ofHce-bearcrs in a Church or Congregntion,with the temporal ofliee- bearers thereof.calling in the aid of the law of the land to thrust a man out of his j)ew in aChundi, and thereby prevent him hearing what they profess to call the Gospel of our Saviour preached. Is that the way to save a soul ; is it not, on the contrary, doing all they can to prevent a soul being saved, aye, to damn a soul if possible. The shorter Catechism of the Westminster Ar*B«>ml)ly of Divines, wliioli Uiey hnve soleiunly before tlieir Creator, iin.l in the fiieo of the Conu'regiition, uvowed their belief in (Hie moKtsolemn of ull oaths), Hny«, "Tlint tlie Spirit of (Jod nmketh the reading, liui eiiprdaUij Ihr prrachitiij of l/tr word, iin etfeclual lueans of eonvinciup and eonvertinn itinners, and of building them up in holiness and eomfort, throutrli foitli unto salvation ;" havo these otliee-benrers ever read the same, and if they have ; and if they at any time believed the truth of the same; would it not aji- poar that uow,eitiier from hearing so often the hereinbefore ijuoted observa tions of the Hev. It. Irvine, or from so often liearinghim in the I'ulpit, speaking much about atheism and infidelity, or from some other cause, that they liavc beeome infidels or atheists ; as I have already remarktul, a Chris- tian may fall into grievous sins, but eertaiidy and assuredly, he would never desire to exidude any soul from the means of graee ; a Christian cannot be guilty of an act so fearfully awful. The remark made by .bimea W'olker, " We will not put you out, but we will put others in," is just what would be expected from him ; it is grossly ■lesuitieal, but has no depth, for, although his mind is the mind of a Jesuit, (a melancholy fact,) yet, it wants the mental training of a Jesuit, hence his Jesuitism is gross, siiaply gro.is, and is only equalled by Ids audacity, (whieli latter is an essential .inality in a Jesuit.) In trutli, after the " John Moore matter," only James Walker could Jmve shewn Jiimself in the Church, the whitewashing of the session in the matter, notwithstanding, and to think of his audaciousness, sitting in the Mechanics' Jlall, on the platform, beside the Minister, well eliaraeteri/.ed by a person, (one of the ofHce-bearers, also,) the other day, for 1 claim no credit therefore, in the following pithy sentence respecting such his appearance, " Heboid / an* an hungored. " //thou b,? the Son of fJod, coniMmMd tliHi, tlu-so stonos l„. niudo bioud." Tii.. dovil, althounh ho niuxt, have (oil almost .'ertain us to whom ho was spoakin^' unto, yot, .lid have n .loiibt, " if." an.l t.. satisfy th.. '■ if," tl,,. d.)ul.t, he wislio.l that to bo poiform.'d whioh woul.l Hr.'isfv him. |„ mor.^ly Imnian matt.Ts wo have a right to .piostion ami doubt, as hunum mitur.- is not porfoot, but the using of tho word "ilV ill rofo'.'Moo t..tho oredibility of our Saviour, or of tho liiblo. in any manner it nwiy bo used, and in coiijuii.'lion with. ..!• f.,II..w.d l,\' any other language, n.. matter what, is truly h.irribio. I will next transcribe a letter which I ad.lress.,! ami soul to th.' K..v. U. Irvine, on sto Octolipr. 1 «,'),'). It is as follows : IIa.MIITO.V. M.IM.AV KvK.MN.j, sill ()ot(d)or. 1,'^fi:.. TiiK Kev. I!. Irvim:, Sir, If you will turn to the Hible, in l'nr wor.ls, " If it were possible," cl.'arly indicate impossibility, and tho driving of God by the devils back to Heaven, as clearly in.licatos that if (;,)d di.l got into hell, it would just be as likely that the devils shoul.l drive him ou't-. as ho drive thorn. And the_ statement, that, his jirosence would make holl holy, as clearly sots at defiance, and ilenios the express declarations of Scrip- ture that there is a holl, for if you nttemj.t to got ri.l of your languag.' being a denial of God's omniprt>sonce and omnipoteiieo, by allodging that it does not deny these attributes of his Tho admissiiui thoii, on your iiart, that he is omnipotent and, also omnipresent, an.l th.^reforo. ho bcint; in liell as well as in Heaven, and on earth, should have ma.lo hell holy, by his presenc! therein, and shoul.l have driven tho d.^vils ..ut of it by bis om- nipotence ; therefore, there now oanu.)t be a h.ll. although the devils may exist somewhere. ^ Your other statement, that, " If there wassin in Heaven, it woul.l drive God out of if," as clearly and directly says, that sin has more power than God, else God would drive it out of lleaven, not it drive God, and there- fore, is also a direct denial of the omnipotence of God. Vour language above cited, is clear and direct infidelity, aye, rank infidelity. There are some other remarks of yours, also, in direct contradiction of the Bible, such as " You believe that there is salvation for man in eternity by the death of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Man's salvation must be aceom- i.liHlietl ill tiiiio. not, in eternity.) Aim), " Our Saviour borrowed a body." This also, is a duiiiul of his oninipotcnr.s n« llu' l.rni borrow iniplioK •dearly, no right in tiie borrower to take witiiout buive. Our Saviour, the liible Havrt, a«!«iirued our nature, iin|dving hi^< rliiht no to do, and hi* pouvr to do it": but I will not add further ; I will iiowover, nioiiitaiii the proot of these, and others of your stiitenieiits, lor ih.' jtropov time, as the Chureli must be |ilirired. I am, sir, Voiir.-i, faitlifuliv, ' coM.N 1). ui;ii>. The foreifoini; letter «poal<^ elenrly for itself. The allegation therein eited, "Our Saviour borrowed a body." and whieli is a common observa- tion of his, sli^dllly altered oecasi( (toil to »u|i|iort liiiii coiitiiiiifJ, lie dia>siMi; oi'ihe iifore said resolution, simply r.mnirkinn that 1 have n..i.>s orsomuofthem, whifli, if ho wishes, 1 ean pro.lu.'o, but 1 will now, in order to shew whether or not ho hag tioeonie better, u'ive a iVw (|Uotntions tViunsonie of hi- sulis..(|Uenl oermons. I will lieifin with his sermon on Salihuth eveninj,', •.';ird Mareli la-l. in which ho said, " The prayis of a riu'hteons man w.re just ( io.l's prollli^ »ory notes returned to him, and which h.-.Uily Iionoiiri'.l." Tiiis, [ frankly admit, is entirely beyond my compreheii'^ion. In hi:) i-.Tmon on Sabbath forenoon, Ith May last, he said. " i:v.^rv man out of Christ is in mis.'ry, as Miiieli in misery as a ti.'iid in hell ; the one is a tiend in hell, the other is a tieml on earth ; in fu;onurate man, may be, ami often is, a man of tine fei-lint,'s ; take for instanee, the yoiintif'who eanie to our Saviour, puttinij the question, '• What shall I do that I may inherit etermil Ml'.' ;"' he was an unrei^onerate man, a man out of Christ. Vet it is said, Mark, Cap 10, v. -Jl, "Then .lesus beholdini^ him, loved him ;'this is the love of an individual, eontra- distingui.shed from his j,a'neral bive ; dare therefore, any one sav that <>iir Saviour would love a fiend. Then as to hell beiiit; in the man, or tiend on earth ; hell is a locality, the r.gion of the devil, his anifels, and the souls of the dauiucd ; therefore, if bell is in the man, all the devils nn.l damned souls must be in him also ; can any thini; be more ifross ' In hi.s sermon on Sabbath forenoon, lltli May last, 1; id amidst mueh more strange stuff, '• the soul bus as many peeularitics .is th.' body, 6W (loe» not roh tht xoul of ilx licitc,\\\a\. wouM be annihiintiou, — not eoiiver- sion: lie relaim them in the soul." .Note, if God rrlaius hate in tli.' soul of man, is not that makintr (io.l tin iuitlior and promoter of sin ^ JI.. merely suffers and permits sin, but the ntumiiKj of it is a positive act. And as to the word rob — more than one.' used by him in speaking of the Al- mighty taking aught away from iniii — that word i>ro|)erly means the taking away unjustly, wrongfully, an. I by fore. Docs the Almighty net thus ? certainly not. As proof of the correctness of my views here- on, read Leviticus, cap. lit. v. 1, iJi, - And tiie Lord sjiake unto Moses say- ing: Thou shall not defraud thy neighbor, neitb.r rob liini." .Malachi. cap. a, V, s, S), " Will a man rob God ? \ ai ye have robbed me, ye are ■iirsed with a curse for ye have robbe.l me." And pray mark what is the language used in speaking of the Almighty taking away from man any- thing, .lob, cap. 1, V. 24, " The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the tinmc of the Lor(]," Showing His riiihl to take. I 8 111 hii* itormiin on tlir ■liitU May lii' .miit). " Yuii uw all liorti infulclH, tliti xouilriiif ulheinin nrc Imrn with ymi in your huurlH," and u few Kiiif.iHi'H fhercuflcp, •• on the hmw of evi-iy fhild of Adam intiili'lity inight lie inM't'llicil. When he <'utuv to ihi." ticoonil html of hin i\'\* irni-, iiitinoly: " the tinidlivr, &v.," ho iianxtMl ntnl put the <|uciition, " Wliut i:< u tiniiher )" III' then ri'fciTrd to the "fiiiishin),' li'd to ilcarriliw llie pnioc:'* nf " poli.tliini; xv tinisiiini; iron,'' ns h« fulled it, hy Kuyin^r, that hard utiMd \v«m ustd to " ru!*j> it," and oil was p(l on it, and tin- " riililiini;" ami "ranpini;"' proccD.s went on, until it wan poli.tiii'd, .layini,', "So doi;« Cliricl polish or tini-h you liy the rasping; of (;ouaf, and .lobV 8iitferin4r!«, m in ^tunl•«'n of the " hard providi'nt'o:«," — •• the rattpinu'H, itc." Note, we feud in tln' IJilde of " u tinint; pot." See aUo Zeehai'iuh,oai>, l:<, V. 9, " And I will briiii^ the third purt Ihroujfh the Hre, and will refine llieiii us silver is refined, and uill try them us irold ittried." .\lso Maluohi.eup », V. ;!, '• And heshull sit us a reliiier and jiuritier of silver : and heshull purity the sous of Levi, nnd purge them ns gold uiid silver^ thut they may otfer unto the Lord an otrerinir in riirhteousness." This is the method of (iod's proeeedure in the ralvution of man, i-hewini,' thefehy, that ad dross and impurities must be separated and removed by the smelting or refining pro- cess, as gold nnd silver are so purillud, so must be the heart of man. We also read in the Milde of u merely k-L'id, formal, or self-righteous making eleun, und deseribed I v our Saviour, .Matthew '^;> cap. iSv., " Wo unto you Serihes and I'harise.s, hypoerites, for i/e make cltaii thr ontsidv of the cui> and of the platter, but witiiin they are full of e.xtortion and ex- cess." Now I submit, whether this hitter cleansing is not the very " pol- ishing or tiuisliing" described above. 'I'lie "rasping" and " |)olishiug " of the iron is merely un outside polish, liie roughness uud imjiurities of the iron all remain i;i it, within the surface of the polish, described above under the terms •■extortion and e.vces.s." \eiy dilForent is the true tdeunsing referred to first above, und also described by our Saviour in v. •Jt'. of same chapter, '• Thou blind I'harisee cleanse first that which is tnthin the cup and platter, that the outside may be elenn also." Therefore it is clear thut the poli.shing of the iron, as above described, lunnot be made descriptive of any other than u mere formal righteousness, a making clean of the outside of the cup. Can you in truth .^iiy, that the llov. li. Irvine did in that sermon point out the true way nf salvotion '. That wo are all born inlidois is utterly fulse. We ure all born iti an un- regenerute state, but that is not a --tafe of intideiisni, or positive di.sbelief of the divine origin of Christianity. Infidelity is nu act of the mind. How can a child judge or determine any matter? And further touching the " rasping process," iron is the basest 'i all the N i I 1 1 '<■ M'"!. r I..}.'.1 IS not, "Jlow UWw i..,h. 1,0.1 iron l.....,M.,..r.Hly;" l.ui, ■• ||.,u. i,,|... '"" '■^"'''' '"■"'" '''"'•" A"'l ""•» tl.c .il,>.i..Iily of ..llWli,,,, u I sh l,v ......i.H of u " ras,.." .1... c.oa,....., ,,„,,!... ..flil... ...n-l u K-v. n. Irvin... |,..,..unally wo„I,l I„. ,,y,.y... ,,. n.,. .. ,i„i,„^, ,„_.■ ^,^ ,„. w.-.il.J not iik.. io I„. wholly „m.lt«.l «w„y, i„ ,|„. •• |i„i,,^ .„• ,vtlnii,;r j.io .•o-Vhu.I ih..,.,.|„r.. V M naturnlly ,.,vC, ,.,_„„, ,„.lv U,.. ,„at..rial or '■"■tal to wl....|, ho i. n,o.( aki... -.1,.. i,,.,, ; l,„t al-.. tl... •• i.a,.,,i.._ir ,,n„.i.«H - ..^ altl.o,,.,!. i.,olty,-o,.Ki,.>„..h abolish a. .an l„. I,,..! I.v ra-pinL'. ...iu'lil I"' ol.laii... 1 ami yol ,soiii..\vliat K.ft ,>| liii,,. 1 .•o.u., now to lii4H,.n„oM, :;Oih .Im.... la.t, his u.,m v.as. llol>,-..u-. .•,„, ]•. l-art ol V. ;!, '• Kn.h,|...,l th., ...o.-s.' I„ hj^ ut.l,„,i,t al .l.....nl.i„g il... int .,7- xity ol th„ .sullVni.^M of o,„. .SaviouiM,!, th., cn.ss 1„. sai-l, " Voii n.av hav.. ■to.Ml at u ...uifold. hav., s.,.,, ,h.. m,hk.. aljiis..,!. ,.,„l vn,„e..s,.,l tl... Mr..,,.- n..t,'u..h of tlK. IMUn jusi, iK.fo,.,. h,. ,,„. ,„„t „„•;. _^^,„i„_ .. ^.^_,, ,^_ . ,^^^^^, ^vu..«^se,l Ih.. f..olingsof u talh..,., „,,.„ h.ann,; of .he ..t..lu....ion of hi. ■hiiighUT, an.l thai his son ha,l tun,, ,1 o.si a ph-lliuMt...- An.l nfU.pone or two i.ioro remarks of a similar ..haiuc.t.r. l.o .oiiohuK..! with •• l.i-.t wliul are thos.. fodin-s in ooniiMivison to ihu a-..„y of our Savionr on the cross, «l'c. This la..,^M.a^a. is awfnl: ,,la..i,„- tl„. f,.,Jin,rs ..I a.icuture, arising fn-n, cnn.o ol >onu. nalnr..->„ur,l,.r it niight I,,— (tl- .•'.■atfol,l)-,..,lu,.tiou „p.,I j.n.ll.gaoy, injuNt.i i^oMlion with Ih.- a-o„y of onr .S.v.uir on thooro^s lluw awfully iirLSiiiniitiiiUH.' 1 will now .(uoie from tw.. olhir .ern.ons, ( 1 hav.. not,.s of others) H-|n- ply tu shew the poeuliur i,'ru.s.s„c*, of j^s niin,l in another point of view \ ou .til well know In.w very often ho hoKls u). to view, the grosser sins of lhe()l.iT..sla.uent saints.-JMvi.l being his -hief butt, althongh .onie of the others coine in for a fair share of it. < m Sabbath, i;:th April last his text, was, '• The liery darts of th.. wieke.l one." which he termed "The peenliar «iu, '• The hi.t of the llosh." In the op,.ning of his scr.non h,. m..,l.. a spirited uttaek iii.on the " Seraglios nii.l Haiem.s of Turk..y,' he then |mss,,.d in review, " Those haunts of viee whieh not only ruin the soul but also d.slroy the body." Then he .lilale.l u].un the " Libertine," the' vol uptuury:" bo then j.itehed into the peeuliar .in in jujor old Yot first getting drunk and then-(l f-rbear giving the residue,) and after revi..w. ing a lew more ..f the Old Testam^.nt worthies in this the peeuliar sin he eouldnot pass over David without having' a Hinsr at him in the followin.' language,-" Davi.l not only feigned himself i..ad before Aehish, but he was guilty ot the still more atroeious sin of sedueing the wife of Uriah the llittite." I forbear comnieutinf li ask, is the holding up to view the crossM lereoii as the whole matter is too gross ; but I r -iu3 of (lie (jld Testament saints, ]() 1 't as often as In; does, preaolnng the gospel ? does it not tend to encourage sill ? Tiicse aets are only recorded to shew that saints do sin, and that the greatest sinner may be saved. In the same sermon he said, " Tlu; elements of this world are under tiio eontroul of the devil." Note, if so, the Almiglity must have appointed the devil Ills vicegerent on earth. On Sunday, Cth July, instant, lie preached from the text, Acts cap. 24, V. 25, " And as Paul reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled," »te. ; and in describing the palace of Felix at Cesarea, lie said, "The torches threw tiieir brilliant light over the scene, each niche in the wall was tilled with voluptuous statuary; every wall was covered with obscene portraiture ; and where the song of the Bacha- nal and the whisper of the concubine wore heard; and immediately there after "their palaces were brothels." lie then followed with a horrid refer- ence to Avhat he called " the moral cess-pools of our city," saying amongst other language, "For the sake of illustration, if wo want to establish a Magdalene asylum for the recov<>ry of , and if we road our police reports, we have many such in our city ; it is not necessary for our virtuous wives, and our virtuous daughters, to form an association Avith them to recover them, it is for the law, with its strong arm, to do that; and then when they arc broughi into the church our virtuous wives and our virtuous daughters may hold out the hand to them to sustain them." Is the faregoing language a fair and log timate eommentary upon or exposition of the text ? The Bible says nothing about Felix's palace being filled -with " voluptuous statuary," or " obscene portraiture," or yet any thing from which such ideas can be drawn, neither does profane historj*. From whence then did the Rev. R. Irvine derive such ideas ? But suppose that profane history did speak of such matters, is it fit and proper so to dwell upon the same in the pulpit ? "Would any of you allow of such a conversation in your own parlour ? would you not put out the creature who dared to come into your house, sit down with the female members of your family, and talk in such obscene language ? and will you tolerate from the pulpit what you will not in your own houses ? Is that preaching the gospel? Can any man have a pure mind, who is continually imagin- ing and talking about the most gross iniquities ? I can imagine a case in Avhich a minister of the gospel would be compelled to refer, to the grosser sins of some of the Old Testament saints, namely : when he was called to see any one who had been a very gross sinner, and who was in dispair ; but such a case can never occur in the pulpit. And then, in a lesser point of view, the absurdity of a " moral cess-pool," a cess-pool is the receptacle of filth ; hence a moral cess-pool must be a cess-pool of the filth of morality. " Moral" is literally " purity." The moral law is comprehended in the ten commandments. Imagine, therefore — moral filth — that is, the filth of purity ; can any thing be more truly absurd f I will now return to the attempt of the Elders and Deacons to put me out of the Church. I am informed that one Elder says he was, fortunately n not present when the said resolution was passed; another says he was not present, that he could not approve of the resolution, but that he deemed it useless to attempt to get it set aside; and so on, each one seeming anxious to avoid the responsibility of the horrid act ; but the matter was notorious o all of them, and all such excuses only render their conduct still worse. U the Key. K. Irvmc says that he was not present, (and in proof thereof 1 would like to have somewhat stronger evidence than the oaths of some of tlie Lldersand Deacons,) and if some of the Elders and Deacons say they were not present. Have he and they not been repeatedly at meetings of the Deacons Court since, and have he or they, or any of them, endeavoured to get such an ungodly act expunged from the books of the Deacons' Court • or have he or they, or any of them, entered any protest against the same in'the said books, as they havo each and all of them, had abundant opportunity of so doing ; they have not, and hence, as they have not, they hav citlv yea more than tacitly, by confirming the minutes of the meeting ac which' 'aid resolution was passed, they have given their unqualified approval of that resolution, and hence, they are " art and part" guilty of the same. Is not such conduct aptly characterized by the Ke'v. Mr. De' Burgh who preached to you on Sabbath evening, 15th June last, in his sermon on that evening in the following language:-" The Church is far beneath her prin- ciples ; she IS unworthy of aer Saviour ; ihe is plunged in perfidy." Feeling that I could not associate with such characters, I cut off some of them, amongst whom was ^V. Park, one of your Deacons, as I felt I could no longer associate witli a creature of his stamp, who could so act after the many acts of grace I had done to him, (and it is a strange fact that nearly in every instance, thos of you who havo vilified me the worst" are those for whom I have, at their request performed many acts of grace.) He, W. Park, called immediately thereafter, at my office for an explana- turn, which I at once gave him, and he insisted upon retaining my friend- ship, (the loss of the acts of grace, I suppose, loomed up,) saying that I should not mix up his acts, as a Deacon, with himself individually, try- ing to excuse what was done, and again wishing to shake hands with me in friendship, yet, without admitting his fault ; to which I replied, that if 1 was so base a man in the Church that he could not permit me to sit therein, and if ho was base enough to wish, notwstanding, to shake hands with me' outside the Church, that I was not base enough either to shake hands with him in the Church, or outside thereof; the fellow then seeing that I held liim in his proper position, became audacious, and said that the Deacons' Court had done right, that they had the example of Paul, who said if such an one will not hear the Church, let him be unto you as an heathen and a publican ; that the Church had s^ont to me, that I had not heard it and that they had done right in putting me out of my pew ; and I, also un- derstood him to say, that the Deacons' Court cited the same case, as their warrant for said act. What lamentable ignorance is here displayed ; our Saviour_not P.^,,1 when ho used the expression, "Lot him be unto thee as an heathen man 12 W. and a publican," spokn siin]ily of cnstinir tlie man out of tlip fellowship of tlio Chureli, if lio liclinvod snfiioiciitly -wroiitrfnl to wnrrnnt ills expulsion ; but certainly, not out of tho C'liiircli, so that, bo -would bo away from tbi? moans of i;raco — tliat would bo astraii'.'o method ofsaviiii; a soul. As the Deaeoiis sooni so foml of trying to get Scripture for the support of their position, I will, for Ihcir benetit, as also the benefit of the Rev. 15. [rvino, (piote the whole of our Saviour's discourse touching the aforesaid matter. Matthew, Cap. IS, v. ]5, KJand 17. "Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and toll 1dm his fault, between him and thoe alone ; if he shall hear tlice, (hou hnstgain<'d thy brother : butrif ho will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may bo established, and if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the Church, but if he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thoe as a heathen man anrivately wrote him, giving liinY the chance of making amends ; but what did he do? If he thought I was doing him a wrong in writing him, he did not act likewise, and call upon me, or write me of the wrong he imag ined I had so done him, but he goes nt once to James Walker and the the Deacons' Court, not even to the Church you see, as he went to the managers of the temporal afTairs, instead of to the spiritual office-bearers, and complained to them ; and, to shew their sense of his position, they sent me a cheque for iivo pounds, to pay me for drawing the draft of the trust deed, so as, if possible, to make the same theirs, and thereby, cover the Ilev. U. Irvine's wrongful use of it, thereby clearly shewing that they considered him wrong, else they would not h ive sent mo the aforesaid cheque for five pound.s, and whicii I, at once, returned to them. Jlence, what I say hereafter touching their spirituality, being the spiritually of Simon Magus, is essentially correct, as the said act of the Rev. R. Irvine, which they admitted, by the oft'ering of money, to be a wrongful act to me, was of such a nature as not to be recompensed, or made good, by money ; although Simon Magus like, they thought so. I would advise W. I'ar , and his brethren in office, for their own benefit, to search the Scriptures more diligently and carefully ; that they are sup- posed, by the place they occupy, to be ensamplos to the flock, jver whicli they have been made overseers : I cannot say " by the Lord," unless by His sufl'erance, simply as He would permit sin, and therefore, they should I think, be possessed of n little more knowledge and not bo so very ignorant. There is another matter which demands notice, and that is the conduct of two of your Elders, namely, William McMillan and John Fisher, and one of your Deacons, Adam lirown. On the preparation Sabbath forenoon, before the Sabbath on which the Lord's Supper v.-ni .lippensed. lute last fall. William McMill an rose tip, loid c e c t II T a n n n 13 hold of tl.o j.lale to take up the collection ; with vile passion raging. dearly visihlo in liisconntoniinco. (a fi„.. .■onimpntary upon the passage of the Scripture, taken by the Rev. R. Iryi,,,, on that forenoon, as his text, namely, " I'urpc out the old leaven of malice an.l wickedness.") came down the passage, an.l, when hecan>e (o my pew (there being other persons in it beside myself) walked past it, holding the ]. late some distance off my pew, and would not take collection fron. me, or any one in my pew and with a countenance, by that time, of a lurid red with passion. On the Sacramental S.nbbnth. I was ..itting at (he fo<.t of Mr. Ferrie's pew (mv own being oe.npied as a table seat.) on the side next the pulpit.' He McMdIan took up the collection o„ tlutf forcoon. and airain passed me and handed the plate to the person sitting on the opposite sideof the pew' (the pew IS a square one,) taking, you see. the other side of the passoue' my pew being on the opposite side: and, on the next Sabbath, he crossed to my own Side and for several succeeding Sabbath days thereafter passed my pew, with ,11-nature staring in his face, refusing to take collection from myself or any one in n,y pew, until he found that his conduct was doing me no harm, b„t injuring himself, and then he ceased taking. ,„. the collec tion, and resigned his Eldershij*. On the said sacramental Sabbath evening, John Fisher rose, took u,> the -.lleet.on, and he also passed my pew, refusing to take collection, his countenance shewing strong hostile feelings; (but when he becomes excited mul? ' ,\ 7r'r'""'' '^'-"'"""^ ^''''' ''''^'^^'"""'-^ -untenanoe becomes mu'k> rod,) and he has on several Sabbath days since been guilty of the Adani Brown, on the forenoon of the last sacramental Sabbath, (I sitting n Mr. lerrie s pew at the bottom thereof, on the side next the pulpit ) rose from one of the sacramental tables, to which he returned, pas'ed ,ne ...taking up the collection, handed the plate to the person sitJing oppo- site »^e, stepped into the pew, took the plate from the person sitting i xt Can any act of man be more truly base than this. Elders of the church -the one just before he commenced assisting in the distributio i of elements, and partaking of the same himself; and the othei ^ n 1 evening, a few hours after he had partaken of the sacrament ; a .i a 1 ak; of t7 -"'"-ontal table, and going back to it, just to IZ- take of the saerament-the most sacred ordinance or earth, g i irded by o with the fearful judgment denounced against unworthy communion Wil ZntT v":L-V"''';r 'T '"^" "--t^%l-'ook"of tiitsa!; ed to av Tr ;"'" "•" "" ""^ ^""^'■"•^•' ^-'^ '" ^'•"^'' f-' im- pelled to say (fearful as the position j„ay ho in ^liieh jf -ould i.lirr ih- 14 would, be guilty of sueli an not. I am aware that with some of you, the partaking of that sacrament is considerei] a light thing ; but it is not so considered by Jehovah, wlien he declares, Ist Corintheans, cap. xi, v. 27, " Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord." William McMillan and Joliu Fisher, 1 deemed utterly beyond calling to account ; but I wrote a letter to Adam Brown, asking him for an explana- nation of such ungodly conduct, to which he replied, avowing what lie did, and that such xas his usual practice. lie evidently felt he could not deny what he had uono, so far as the ontwj>rd conduct, and denies that he was guilty of any imjiroper act to mo, by alledging that wliat lie did was his usual practice. That such was not his usual practice, you all well know who have seen him taking up the collection ; and is not this adding sin to sin? Is that a " holding of tiie trutli in all simplicity and godli- ness," and as becometh in an especial manner a deacon of the church. As I always like to give proof of what I allege, I copy below my corres- pondence with him, which will shew that I gave him twice the ojiportu- nity of acting propei'Iy. Hamilton-, 21st May, 185H. Adam Brown, Esq., Dkar Sir, — I find that a few base creatures in Kno.x's church, constitut- ing a portion of the elders and deacons, by their unscrupulous and ungodly conduct, compel me again to defend myself by another circular, and which, I fear I will this time be compelled to issue beyond that congregation • and I fear on mature reflection, that your conduct on the last "sacrament Sabbath, in rising from the communion table to take up the collection, passing me in Mi'. Ferrie's pew, handing the plate to the person on the opposite side thereof, and stepping into the pew to take the plate before it reached me, and thereby passing rae, demands from me severe ani- madversion, as a most ungodly act, and at direct variance with the profes- sion you made immediately thereafter at the communion table. But, as 1 always have been more than liberal in allowing parties offending, to an- swer for their conduct, I have determined to afford you the same privilege, if you see fit to avail thereof. At the same time bear in mind, that I do' not ask any explanation from you ; you can act as you see fit, and here- after so will I. Yours, very faithfully. COLIN D. REID. James Street, 21st May, 1860. Dear Sir, — I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of to-day's date, in which you say, that in taking up the collection on the last communion Sabbath, I passed you in Mr. Ferrie's pew, lianding the i)late to tlie person on the opposite side thereof, and stepping into the pew to take it before it reached you, thus, as you say, passing you. In reply, I have simply to stated that I handed tlie plate into tlie pew just as I am in the habit of doing, and when it came round to you, you were sitting with your arms folded, in consequence of which, I took the plate from the person ne.\t above you, and held it before you, so that you might have an opportunify of putting something in if you felt in- clined. ^ • > V 1 am, dear Sir, yours truly, ADAM BIIOWX. 15 . r, „ IIamilton, 21st May, 1866. Adam Brkwn, Esij., '' Dkar Sir,— In answer to your lotter reeciveil thiseveninL', I iini a little astonished at your assertion tliorein, niinioly, " I liiin.led the plute into the pew, just as 1 am in tlio habit of .loiiitr. and wiien it came round to vou you were sitting witli your arms folded." Vou are aware that you uever with folded arms, tins is also equally as imaginary, and not real, as is voiu- assertion respeeting your habit; you ,lid s,.i/.e tife jilato before it readie.l me, and retired with it, holding it up in such a wav that I might have put collection therein, but certainly, not in the maniier in which such an act should be done, for you evidently wished to pass me, and did in effect do so, and when you caught my eye, after you reseated yourself, at the com- munion table, j-our countenance plainly showed your sense of the wroiiL' act. - . f. are more than others. ' ""'' "^ Vou have still a chance of redeeming yourself if you see fit. Yours, faithfully. COLIN I). REID. IIa.mii.ton, 22nd May, 185t>. Sir,— I am in receipt of your letter of yesterday's date, nud Ihave simply to say, that my reply to your first communication would liave satisfied any gentleman, but as you do not seem to possess any of the qualities of a ccn tlenian, 1 can have no further correspondence with yi. u on the subject. I am. Sir, Yours, &c., TO ,. n ir ^^^^M BROWN. To Colin D. Rkiu, Ha.milto.v. AT) T, Hamilton. 22nd May, 1856. Ada.m Brown, Esy,, •" Sir,— I am this morning in receipt of your answer to my second letter in which you state, that your reply to my first communication " would have satisfied any gentleman, but as you do not seem to possess any of the :;ontlcinanly quulitifs. I am, Sir, Yoiiis faitlifullj', L'ULIX 1). ItEII). William McMillan, some low months since, resigned iiis ofliee of Elder, or ill common sjicecli, his JOldorsliiii, givini; as his reason for so doing, thai he found he had not time to attend to the proper porforiiianee of the duties thereof. I usk, could a christian trive such a reason? is not that putting his duty to his Creator, — and a duty whicli he voluntarily assumed — in the one scale of the Ijalaiiee, aiid money in tlie <4her scale? and what is the result, the money scale is the heaviest with him. AVhat does the Almighty say in reference to such conduct, Samuel 11, v. 30, " For them that honour uie I will honour, and they that di.*pise me shall bo lightly esteemed." A.id is not the preference of the money a dislionoring, a dispising of the Almighty? But uase as the aforesaid reason is, (and it is very base, — money, mammon, — the baseness being well discribed by Milton, in his description of the God Mammon, iu tlie following words : — " Mammon, the least erected spirit that fell From heaven ; for even in heaven his looks and thoughts Were always downward bent, admiring more The riches of heaven's pavement, trodden gold, , Than aught divine or holy, else - -'-'«tccl an expression of f...lin. n..ai.,7 r ' "^'"'■' *""' "' «" ^^'^''t^- get l-siness of such a f^m'SuH: , TT ' T '™'' '•°*''^'' *''- '-- ti.e a..ovosuoh view, and hote^: :^^^^^^^^^^^^ '^-'- '^^^ '-'ng .ar with a note staling that 1 eould tl.inl f V """' '^'"' "'« '"^ '*=«or. ^- Of the .aso. hfeonh, rwr:^^^:^:;^ "^ ^"^^^- -' ^"^ .so.netia.es will fall in his atten,pt , sup ^ ", f I-of of how low an,an whioh he belongs ; the " cloth," h. th sfn ? '' '" T"""^' ^'^'^^ ^-te to power, the ungodly pretension, of thle ?: Z;^ ''''' ' ''' ''''''^^' he must throw himself into the breach so a,' if , ' '''''' '*^''''^'^^' ""'^ that against me. who had perf .me ' " , 7", ^'^ ^"^l^''^ '^. -^ kindness. ^ ""' *" '"'^^ '^o'; J'.m, so many acts of In the face of all this F resolntelv detern.inpd T ,. , . as to obtain more clear proof • and notw r *^ ''"""'' 'i"'<^^' '- again thereafter, at Mr. Young's re,.eT'''"% •""^•'' -»^'-t, did benefit, another act of grace ffcliW ,''"'.'"'' '""'"' '-""I f^'" '- until he again desired n,f to do oZ c to?;::';'* k*^ ' ""*^ '^ ^^ ^^ up the whole matter, as he „scd an 11 ?^^ "'^,*^/°'- ^'™ f'-'^t I did bring letter I did not answer pr ^traTlTT'/r^'^^"'^^"-' (^^fi-" n^atter he wrote mo abJu, olSg to t tf" t'oT^'^^r ™^« *^^ deemed U better to wait a few days'until I w dd , It ' '""'''' ""^' again asking such favor, wholly uncalled I! ^ ''"'' "'"""g^'^.) expect ,ou to get &e.") m answe^to^ d lit 'cr""l " r', •""' " " ^ -^^■ attend to his request, (and which I did bu I'l.T'. "" ''''' ' "°"'^I aforesaid expression, remarking that my e .d ' 1 ," ""'"''"'^ '° *he opinion can for such language^nd nTess ' "j ^^ '^ f'^' '"'">' tunes acted m a proper manner to me, the «st of th^l '^ "°' "^^ "" incomprehensible; to which he an«wl. , '^.°*^''''^'^'»"guage was tome him " had been sudi as to mer noZSi t" st""' f 'f "^ ^^"^""^ *» but he said therein, " But I confess tLfhotltr '" ''"' '''"" '''"^'" ing as I did your controversy wit . ir Sn T^" '"^ "'''<^' ^"°-- unhappy relations towards tlL, migj ' , ™."' ^ ^''^-' «-* ^our •ng to oblige me, than you had b en on al Zti^ "^ ^'°" '' ^' ^««« ^i"" taken no part in your dispute wi^Um £ Lr "Inr' ' "''""'^ ^"'^ a-e,whi.. Without my knowledge or :5;!;r ^ ^ i^i;::! inst the Joor of ^e to the acts of 't at first sight, thereof. it was written, y Jiecfssary to >f the partners itly calculated ' all events, get than loose tiie hoth being tar two his letter, know not the h lio has since ow low a man that ea.ste to ; the usurped at stake, and 'PPortit, and lany acts of lain (juiet, so onduct, did and for his i it Was not tl did bring i^er, (his first arrange the 'party, and 5 arranged,) " If I may lat I would ■ion to the not in my not at all > was to me -onduet to from him;" ind, know- that j-our 3 less will- tainlv had Hr.. iclosed in (i 19 one of his own ; I thought however, that possibly you were offended at this, especially us I was informed that you had s|)okeii of nie as preaching at you, on one if not two occaxion.-i, a thing which (though I had never in- tended to allude to it) 1 may now state is utterly incorrect," and clo>cd his letter with " 1 expect to be in Hamilton during the Christmas holidays, and should any further information be requested, I hope to sec you and fully remove any misunderstanding." Bear in mind, that in my letter to him, I left him entirely to the freedom of his own will, and you see where thu sore lay : that he knew well he hod acted in bad fiiith to me in the Irvine matter, and as 1 had not an- swered protujilly his first letter, deeming it unnecessary, until I woubl in a few days see whether 1 could get the matter arronged, his conscience began to sjjoak like Joseph's brethern after they hud sold Josepii into %ypt> and when they were brought back into Joseph's presence, although they knew him not, what was their language? "And they said one to another, we are verily guilty concerning our brother, therefore is this distress come upon us." So with Mr. Young, " I know I have done him a wrong, and can I really e.vpeet he will do what I ask." This we may well imagine to be his reasoning, as it would be with everyone whose con- science is not geared : and hence his expression, " If I may expect you, »fee." I ask, is it possible that any man, who had not done any wrong, could imagine, iu the face of repeated acts of kindness, that the doer of these acts would be less inclined to perform another act of kindness to him, simply because he the doer was not o' '^ood terms with a third person, who was not of kith or kin, or connection with the person asking the act of kindness, and especially, having after such breach of good terms of friendship with such third party, received an act of kindness of considerable magnitude? It is not ; and therefore you cannot believe ilr. Young's as- sertion, (for how in the name of common sense could he suppose for a mo- ment, if he had not acted wrongfully towards me, that because I had called the Rev. R. Irvine to account for what I held to be his bad conduct, that I should quarrel with him, Mr. Young,) more especially, when he couples it with the assertion, " Your unhappy relations toivards them." He does not say your unhappy relations tiiith them, but towards them ; thereby ex- plicitly throwing the whole blame upon me. He did call on me, and instead of making a proper explanation when I pressed him hard, he had recourse to other measures, and which ended in me telling him, tkat I could not longer put up with his conduct, and that I would send him a copy of his letter first above alluded to, which I did, and 1 now transcribe my letter to him, which will serve as a full explana- tion of the residue of the matter. Hamilto.v, 26th January, 1856. The Rev. P. G. Young, Sir, — When you called upon me, about three weeks since, I said to you 1 would send you a copy of your letter to Mr. . The following is a true copy of the same, verbatim, namely : 20 »,,. n ""^Miin.v. MoiidiiyMoniiiiir. My DuAHMit, •' ^ I liiivo had iicorivoi'untiuii villi Mr. hi i,,,. •il.,iiif r,.!;,. i« • i i thn)\vinfrint..imiii|.lil,l, fonii. i" .«v... wiik ii lir- >(„ ,ik> ..I N'.. one )m. so „„„.|. inth; >M..o with him, I hdi-n... as yoi, If v.m rM There is («.. nuuh ,ll.to..|infr „,„l ..ontr..versv alf.a.ly. "\''>iiis, ill haste, (iEOKOE TAXTON YOl N(;. than Mr A\ ai'dropo as to my pamphlet, and (hat voui- letter om1_ showod that you had acted fulsolv to mo -not trio. ,IK Ti andsalLwouldsendyoiaiT^e'of Th^'? "• ^""^'^ '"'^ *'"•■'^"^'•• ««tion touehin. the ^.^i^i:!;;? cJ tiT ,aJSXs'^;;ri;S:r^--;:- , ns nearly verbatim as it is possible to bo given Ji:h^(:,^Sw,rySl^i^:::.;r:?:^:f?wi "^t? '>"^i same,) wntten evidence of the truth oTnyXL^.tion' fit '^'*"™ " your information ns to the publishing o v- 1 mm ph 1^^^^ .j'^Vr'T''^ ami from him alone- and therefore\i,en\C a de tu'icn H ^^'''f'P' aBsertmas above, you knew that you J^T X^^H:^^!,;'!^::^ Rross falsehood, to cover if possible vnnr 1,.„1 ..^i , .'^"*"/> '^ ^f^',\ Irvine ..;,.«.,//ou (I have reLon to%i i' ^e 1a lairni 'ht^" *'','''; It. and acting upon his one-sided statement aiaipst me who l,l7 '-"^r*' friended you (as you have had to admit) not a^lutle ' ^ ^""^ ''^^■ It It IS the case, as your brother Samuel alleged in tliP nnlv.Jf ^f v • Church here, that it would fall upon the Mi stm o "the ViJ i f ""^ ' the r flocks before the Lord at the Great day o Judament I t^,fn\ H^'f '"i will, 1 think, require a purer agent. " vo.u wa.^s. Jic !l I As to your k'H''!', wliiil do llio wovili Ui> rein " I liiivo li:iil ri coiiversn- lion witli Mr. Irvimi iilioiil Cnliii Rv\<\ " iiniH.it '. ((rlaliilv iikh'i' tiiuii amen I'ltfiudI K/)i(dl)i;:. Wiuil'l a cii-iuiil siiuakiiiLr 'IkiI Ic iiiiil .iusiily yoti to «iiy that 1 wiuil.l ilo iii'ysi'ir " si'i'ioiis injury — |"iliap~ irniiai uMc," it' I imtili-ili.'il till' Icttifrt, A-,'? I thinl; not, ami I also lllilli^ lliat cv.ry one will coincicli; witli nil' in so llnnkinj.'. Oi'l Mr. Iivini' L'ivi' yoiitiic U'ltci's rclVrrcd to, to road? an. 1 (lid you read tlo' saiiii' ^ or did lio incrtdy inlorni yen of tlio contfntr" of till'" sanio? It' ; •": rca'i tlo' saiio', it wai not a cusUiil sinak- inu', and if ym did lot n ad the same, Ikiw fouM you takr upon yoiiisidf to^ay Itiat'l would do inysidf " x'lions injury" I'y pidilidiiMtr tl.i' >nu\<\ ninl iU'L't' Mr. to witldiold mo if po-isildo f Vou do not trivo Mr. any information; btit in tlio nio-1 (■i,'oti> me wronir, whon yiiur letter elearly shewed, that you hud rioin i.i-prfS!, then vou chartred me wronirfulh , which latter ease would then alford clear additional evideace of the' correctness of my .judiiinent, respectin,i< your uncliristian conduct to me. ^'ou can lake eitlicr view of the ease you like, ns any other cannot bo taken properly of same. 1 may as well add liere wliat f personally told you, that I never did say to anyone, that " you preached at me," when you jireached on that pas- sage of Scripture, — "The Heart of man is deceit I'ul above all thinirs and dosporately wicked," but I did say, (and you can di'av,- any inference you like from it, simply renuirkini; that every candid mind will not draw any inference therefrom agiunst you,) that no doubt, ^Ir, Younir preached from experience, hence his earnestness. Hut I was told by uku'c than one pcr- .eon, with a very expressive significance, that you lo<;ked at me very hard, ■when vou repeated, in a very exeit<'d mannei', and with your arms and hinds thrown about you in every possible conceivable wildness — the said text, and the words, " who can know il," at least twice in succession, and that at several times in your discourse, to which i answered, it might be. — lie might suppose T was a great sinner, and wished to draw my attention thereto; or words to tlie same purport. That is not saying anj' thing against you, and allow me to say, with reference to mere hearsay evidence, that long prior to this sermon, I had been informed that you had, on more than one occasion, manifested very strong ill-feeling against me, in relation to the Deacon controversy, but I make a point never to listen to stories, so as to take a position against any one upon the same ; and my whole con- duct to you has been convinciag proof, that I did not pay any attention to the aamo ; but the moment you hear some falsehoods re-pocting me (and ••oiMnfllinuWilliuiii VoMllln, t, . • '•".'*«• ""''^vo l.cin th,. moans of msult. there m w 1 v' 1,. v '" *° "" ""V^V" = "'"' """ <'l''"'- '^"'"'l other Congregation J^O' t'>i « hui.u'iiage) to .-onie t.a--lil,rtf^i;;^;-;;-;:yjfl^i.'V^^ ><'v.elf un,l the othe • uSer ?/l-nt^"''; '''' '■:!"'?./''t«V' ^•"""^■^'"" '''•"•" anee with the profe.lonZy ^^.i";;^ ^;^;:::raSl!ii:^ '^ ""'^ '" ^^^'^'■^■ Do you ni.i.iv • of th.. Dearon'i Court-conmosod of the m , i in.t;,n."i„ ti'S,' .'.'ill'-,,,?;,!,;;;;" "'■■ "•■' '«■'-■'•<■• ""«"•'!' "'" - ii.i» time to p.'blisli V cI,.f,no 7 " ^^'^''^ i'^I'^eeht-lwillhnvethi. namely, a nK're iS ssc ^' Vvf, ll 'il"";^, ^ ''^'"''^'•^ your eharacter, will not rest on me b\ f' . ^ "?'' S' Tl „ f ^^'""^^tmn religion, the blame I T V ' "^ brought It upon you. ■ ":, •ifhfullyanfH-uthfullj', yours , , ^ . ^'OLIN D. REID. aforesaTd naTtL it"'" '" "-bribing the characters and aets of the ZllTi T : T I """ "'^ '"°'"' "'" "''^ «''<='»«io" found, that mo.t hend.sh attempt, had been made throt.ghout the country, to blacken my '-»:{ vliarautcT, by aonic of these crcattircx, and who durccl rxil, ax thoy couhl hot, point to nny imtudrul or wrongful act in my life, a« i havu done in res- pofl of tlieni, in thin and my fort i^oinu; letters to you ; hut havo, hy the use of general termn, «ueli as n very had num, a man of very hlaok heart, tte,, »ke., attein])ti'd to hlnsL m\ ohiiraci' r, hut wliiidi, in all the instiiui'cs uliii'h liuvo eonie to my I.nowled^e, hun wholly failed ; and, uot\vit-«tundirig thiil tho Uev. I{. Irvin', in n «ormon delivered hy him in the I'ldjiit of Knox'n Cluireh he!..', immediately after my last letter to you, wa.-t jdeased to dc- elarc and in i^' tliat Kohorl IJurns (Scotia ndV I 'out) was an infidel, and that lie ranlied in his infidelity with Uoussoau, (iihhon, and Voltaire. I will aijain run tin' hazard of quotint; from him tho foUowini^: •' In s])ite of dariw haiulitli stahs, l>y even wi' holy rohea, liiil hellish spirit." whieli I feel, not to he loo slrorii^lj' deseriptive of the acts and eouduet of sonic of tho foregoinjf named pi-r.sons against me. As to Hiirns heincj an intidid, it is notoriously false ; no oneeould eom- jiose " Tho Cotter's Saturdaj' niglit," not to spook of anj- other of his poems, I and he an infidel ; hut he had a great nhhorreneo of priestcraft and hypoc- risy, holh of which are intimately connected with each other, and 1 ajipre- hend tlie tjuotation made by mc in my last letter to you, from his poems, " rasi)ed " tho Rev. R. Irvine, his session, and Deacons, rather too keenly, hence his infidelity. U' the Rev. It. Irvine will only, hy a " walk ami conversation," prove his belief in tlus following (imitation from one of Burns' letters, tho afore- said infidel, I will rejoice thereat. " As the grand end of human life is to eultivato an intercourse with that Being to whom we owe life, with every enjoyment that renders life delight- ful, and to maintain an integritive conduct towards our fellow-creatures ; that so by forming piety and virtue into habit, we may be fit members for that society of tho pious and the good, which reason and revelation teach us t" expect beyond tho grave." After vjHd'iig even the foregoing ijuotation, I ask, who will have the audacious effrontery, and utter want of the principle of candour — of pro- bity — to say that Robert Burns was an infidel. His " floly "Willie's I'rayor " has been often cited against him as evidence of the blasphemous; it is clear evidence thereof, no< however in him, hut in the self-righteous man. who is therein made to discribe himself. Burns has simply therein clothed the ideas of a self-ngliteous man in nil their naked deformity, and in doing so, has done a great service to mankind, as he has likewise in his " Holy Fair," a clear exposure of formality and hypo- crisy, — tho ungodliness of pretence, too much witnessed even in our own congregation, at the communion tabic. I stand not here as the defender of Burns, he does not ie(juire it, for every man of intellect and christian feeling fuUj' appreciates his labours, and it is only the ignorant who hold the contrary : and those of the afore- 24 \ so [jungeutly exposes, who affed lo «uid other classes of men, wliom believe the contrary. As to the Trust Deed lor your church, I have only to say to you, thai the dnift of same aJoptod at the inectiiig described in my last letter to you, doea not bind you to any particular relitrious creed or belief. You are at the strictest by it, only required to profess to believe a confession of faitli ; but tliat •'onfessiou of faith is not pointed out, so as tliat any court of Law can detcrmiuo what confession of faith it is. Hence, you may not only pro/esx but actually Ww'f in Mohammedism, and liold the Church and properly. True— there is a raari,'innl nolo, which refers a little more clearly to which confession of faith is intended ; but not sufficiently, and it is in the hand-writing of James Walker. (I Jinve seen it), and it makes sad work with the other parts of the draft, and ns to that niarszinal note, 1 do not pass any judgment ns to the time it was made, whether before or after the said meeting ; but 1 do say clearly and distinctly,— First,— that the same is in the hand-writing of James Walker ; Secondly,— That the legal gentleman who drafted the deed, eouM not ^lavo seen it before the said draft was submitted to tlie sait Chureh. In reply to those beings amongst you, who say that I have been very severe in the conmientaries made by me in my last two letters to you.— I have simply to say, that to my hnowledge, some of these beings have been furious when they were touched on matters scarcely fit to be noticed, and that the class of beings who usually make such remarks, are those Avho bear the least provocation. Beyond what I have cited in my letters to you, 1 have been, by soni of the aforesaid persons, vilified, traduced and made the subject of the foulest falsehood in this City, so as to ruin me if possible, but which has returned upon their own heads. More fiendish persecution criuld scarcely have been conceived and carried out by even hell fiends. It is imjiossible to use language too severe by wliicb to char- 25 'ho affect \o you, lliiil st lotter to ?lief. You onl'essiou of it any court, ou may not Iio Cliurcli ' clearly to 1 it is in the [work with Dt pass any ter the saiil same is in irentleman I draft was it which it owing it to 1) the afore- I'iy not the «'as road. 1 lul tliein to 1 they saw )out by, at ker, Adam )tLer way, contrary lors of the 6 Court of o act hon- lenoo that boon very to you. — iings have )0 noticed, arc tho.so ny letter.'^ , traduced ,0 ruin me fiendish t by even I) to char- acterize such conduct of such persons. Spiritual office-bearers in the Church, forsooth ! ! ! Spiritual they may be, but their spirituality is the spirituality of Simon Magus, who, supposing he could purchase the gifts of God with money, was solemnly rebuked by the Apostle Peter in the fol lowing language, " I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity." Although I am called a man of the world, by some of the aforesaid crea- tures, because I will not become a member in full communion ; 1 feel justly thankful to my Maker that he has not left me to fall so far, as either to leave Scotland without paying the farmers for their barley, bought for a distillery (as was done by one of the pretentious of your number,) or for- sake the Church I was brought up in, for a partnership in a Grocery busi- ness, with the encumbrance of a wife, (as was done by another pretenti- ous one of your number,) but that, although I have to depend upon the world for my daily bread. He has endued me with moral courage suflS- cient to speak the truth, and to maintain it at all times. And now, in conclusion, I have only to add, that 1 will sit in the Church as long as I see fit ; I will leave it when I see tit ; and I will again address you when and as often as I see fit. I am, Very faithfully and truthfully, yours, COLIN D. REID. August 19th, 1856. Sickness having prevented mo copying the foregoing letter for the press until now, I prefer, as an addenda thereto, giving an account of a meeting of the congregation held on Monday evening, 4th instant, for the purpose of determining whether the congregation would borrow money (£1000) to finish the Church and Manse. The draft of the last Trust Deed requiring the Trustees to obtain tlie oonsent of the congregation, before they could borrow and mortgage the property ; and this meeting was called and held for that purpose. I was sick in bed the first Sabbath day that intimation of same was made, and on the second Sabbath day intimation thereof was made, I was still un- able to attend the church, and I did not hear of the meeting until the Mon- day, on the evening of which it was held ; and although I was very unwell, I determined to go to it, not knowing what iniquity might be done thereat. I did go to it, found Mr. James Osborne in the chair, and twelve persons there, including him and the Rev. R. Irvine, who was praying ; when his prayer was ended, James Walker rose and delivered a long harrangue about the necessity of borrowing the £1000 at lO per cent, for a number of years, and finally said, he had prepared a resolution approving thereof, if any one would move it, and sat down. 'i [ at once rose and asked the chairman to read the notice calling the meeting, that those present might know what it was called for; as the person who informed me thereof, could not tell the object of it. James 26 Walker at once rose and said, that I had no right to be there, or to speak. 1 insisted upon the chairman reading the notiee, as being his duty, and the only proper way of opening the meeting ; and after some further opposi- tion, the Rev. K. Irvine rose, took a paper out of his pocket, read it, instead of the chairman doing so, and again put it into his pocket, instead of giving it to tlie chairman, to be held as an important congregational docu- ment. This notice was of a meeting to obtain the consent of the congrega- tion to the Trustees, to borrow money and mortgage the property in iiccordanco with the Trust Deed. 1 then asked tlie uliairniuii il there was a Trust Deed if Hereupon James Walker again rose, and insisted in a very coarse manner upon me not being allowed to speak, in which lie was joined by one White and another being. 1 persisted in putting my question, and after submitting to considerable interference and annoyance from these creatures — the chairman doing nothing — I declared to the chairman, that 1 would not submit to such gross usage from a person, who had no more Presbyterianism in him than there is in ft Jack Ass ; and that I would keep the floor until my question was answered, or until he, the chairmaa, decided that I was not entitled to speak. Hereupon the Rer. R. Irvine rose, and in the most gross manner said — amongst other language not too refined — in reference to me, that my " conduct " was " blackguardism,'" and when I insisted at once upon the chairman calling him to order, he seized his hat, and walked out of the meeting as fast as he could, not daring to stay and support his false, filthy, foul-mouthed language. James Walker then referred to what he called the constitution of Kno-Vs Church, which ho professed much respect for, and a determination to abide by, and insisted that I was not entitled to speak, in which he was supported by some of the other persons there, (at this time, and only the Rev. R. Irvine had left, there were only six persons, excluding the chairman, the Secretary, the door-keeper, myself and a young boy. * Shortly before the meeting broke up two other persons came in.) The chairman finding I would not sit down, unless he either answered my question, or decided that I was an intruder — the latter of which he knew he could not — after some conversation with James Walker, declared that the Trust Deed was not signed by him and Mr. Ferrie, (who hold the pro- perty,) therefore there was not a Trust Deed. To which I replied, that if the civil question I put, had been civilly and at once answered, much trouble would have been saved. My object was to ascertain the facts of the case, to determine for the benefit of the congregation, whether their meeting was legal or not, and that, as there was not a Trust Deed the meeting was illegal, as it purported to be held in pursuance of a power in the Trust Deed, which trust was not in existence. James Walker talked much to shew that the congregation had passed a resolution adopting a Trust Deed, which was as good, he said, as the deed itself, and that it was the fault of the legal gentlemen who were drawing 27 it that it was not done ; as if it had been drawn it would have been signed: that it had been promised a week before then, and would then have been signed if it had been drawn : that it was again promised to be ready that afternoon, and if it had it would have been signed by Mr. Ftrrie and Mr. Osborne." The chairman sat and heard these remarks made by James Walker, and repeated by him at least three times, and did not contradict the same. And the aforesaid six persons — " the congregation " — as they were pleased to term themselves, finally passed the resolution required by James Walker, he stating that he would assume the responsibility thereof. Here, silence for some minutes reigned. I could perceive some uneas}' feelings visible in the faces of some of " the Congregation ;" I still sat, and at length up rose James Walker, and said there was another matter he had to bring before them, namely, that as Colin Reid had threatened ihn present hold-'rs of the property — Mr. Osborne and Mr. Ferrie — with Chancery pi-ccoadings, if they signed the last trust deed adopted, he had prepared a resolution that the expenses they might be put to, be paid by the Congregation, and he would like if someone would move it; and sat down. 1 at once insisted upon the Chairman stating, whether or not, I had threatened him with Chancery proceedings, and, after some humming and ha-aing, he had to declare, that I had not threatened him, or used any threats to him, or yet to Mr. Ferrie, as far as he knew. I then in- sisted upon the Chairman deciding, whether in accordance with that con- stitution which James Walker and " the Congregation " professed so much to admire and abide by, the meeting could take up any other business than the special business it was called about ; the meeting being a special meeting — not a general one, and after nodding his head once or twice, he declared, that in accordance with that constitution, they could not, James Walker however persisted in having the resolution put. I declared that if the meeting passed such a resolution, it would be very dishonest ; that due notice from the pulpit should be given thereof, and that I did not fear to meet the whole Congregation, but I would oppose such hole and corner dishonest practices, and insisted upon the Congregation being notified thereof. The Chairman then seeing one or two of the aforesaid 6 beginning to waiver, rose and said, that he thought, that the meeting could pass an ex- pression of their views upon the matter ; that they could say whether the expenses be paid or not: and that, in fact, Ac, J/r. Osborne and Mr. Ferrie would not sign the deeduntil they were indemnified. Here, at last, appeared a part of the iniquity ; that this meeting was really held .so as, under its cloak, to get an indemnification, by which to get the trust deed signed and I said to myself, keep quiet, more of it will come out. James Walker then rose (evidently, like the Chairman, fearing the reso- lution would not pass, and not daring to call a meeting of the Congrega- tion for that purpose), and said, that application had been made to the new Trustees to grant the indemnification which they refused, and that the matter rested with the Congregation ; and the Chairman also said the same 28 and, notwithstanding my protestations against such dishonest conduct, the six — " the Congregation " — passed a general resolution to pay all expenses and charges Mr. Osborne and Mr. Ferric might have to pay, inconsequence of holding the property. The foregoing is a true and correct account of the important points of the meeting. Firstly. — Then, in reference to the same. I have no hesitation in saying, that it -was called with the expectation that I would not be able to be present thereat ; and called, knowing that matters were not in a state so as to allow of it (as proof hereof, witness the determination not to answer my question as to the trust deed, the non-execution of which, would at once, have shewn the meeting to be illegal), and that as it was for a money object, few would attend, and the resolution to indemnify the present holders of the property would easily pass, and the trust deed would then be signed. As a furtlior proof hereof, James Walker, and some of the other creatures named in my foregoing letter, knew of my sickness before almost any of my friends did ; and in fact, one or two were asked about me for information as to my state, who knew not that I was sick ; as I had kept it as quiet as I could, not wishing to be troubled with persons coming to my house ; and, when James Walker and these other creatures could not, by inquiry, ascertain my precise state, even with all their vulture or shark-like propensities, the wife of James Walker actually called upon my mother, under pretence of visiting her, (and who had not been in my mother's house for many.many months, and,even then only on a begging tour for the Ladies' Benevolent Society), but so as to ascertain the state I was in, and finding tliat I really had been very ill, although then somewhat better, they at once determined to hold the meeting, but owing to severe measures taken to stop the diseases, and a sound constitution, I was suffi- ciently able to attend the meeting, as stated above, as they had to notify it on two Sabbath days, but to save as much time as possible, it was held at the very soonest possible time, namely, Monday evening after the second Sunday ; and notwitstanding such haste, the trust deed is not yet signed. Secondly. — ^The language used by the Rav. R. Irvine, is deeply disgrace- full and very disreputable to a Minister of the Gospel, even had it been true, but being wholly false, it becomes too base for language to charac- terise. " Blackguardism " is " the conduct of a blackguard," that is the correct and only correct definition of that word, so that he might as well have called me a blackguard, as he in effect by the use of the term blackguard- ism" did so. That word is the filthiest and foulest word in the English language, and denotes the foulest character, and as applied to me, is utterly false, and without the slightest foundatioii. It is the first time such language has been applied to me, and that by a clergyman, and I have now resided in this city over 20 years. I feel that it is wholly unnecessary for me to say, that the Rev. R. Irvine, in using that language, was intentionally guilty of a very gross, filthy, foul- I 29 L I mouthed falsehood, as base ns himself, as I am quite contented to rest my character witli the public. Such language however, can only proceed from a very foul, polluted heart and mind, and it is precisely what I would expect from him, and what, I think every one who reads the quotations given in my foregoing letter from liis sermons, would naturally expect from him. One of his Elders endeavoured since to justify him, by saying that my reference to the i'resbyterianism r 'ght be considered by some as black- guard language, and that a gentleman might in the heat of passion use blackguard language without being a blackguard. This is asalike con- temptible as it is weak, and evidence of either ignorance or something worse. Blackguard language is bad enough, but it is not blackguardism ; a person might use blackguard language in the heat of passion, and might not bo a " blackguard by habit and repute," as the term " blackguardism" clearly denotes and points at. My language quoted above cannot be made blackguardism, nor yet blackguard language, it is simply severe, and truthfully descriptive of the person I had reference to, (I did not name any one,) and to prove which, the party 1 had reference to has been freely named by some of those who were at the meeting, shewing the correctness and truthfuUnessof my lan- guage, and it was only used by me, after repeated coarse attempts were made to deprive me of my just rights. I am not ashamed of any language J uttered, as I do not use language which anj' man need be ashamed of, and when I give an account of what passes at a meeting, 1 toll correctly every- thing of importance. Thirdly, — If James Walker told the truth when he said that if the trust deed had been })reiiared, it would have been signed before the meeting was held ; then the Chairman could not have told the truth when he said that he and Mr. Ferric would not sign the deed until they were indemnified. — I wrote Mr. Osborne a letter, pointing out to him his position, and asking him if he had any proof that he told the truth ; if so, 1 would give him the benefit of it. He called on me last Saturday, (he having been absent for a few days,) and, in my oftico, again declared, that he and Mr. Ferrie in- formed Mr. Walker, that they must be indemnijied before that they would sign the deed, and that James Wcdkrr had not, thereafter, called upon them to ask them to do otherwise, or to offer them any indemnifeaiion. I told him I would publish this his statement, and asked him if he was prepared to swear to the truth thereof, and he declared that he was. This, with the eager determination of James Walker to get the resolu- tion to indemnify passed, (he having failed with the new Trustees,) ao as to get the deed signed thereafter, affords strong presumptive evidence of the falsity of James Walker's statement. At the same time it does not relieve the chairman from the sin of allowing such false statements (if his —the chairman's contrary statement — is true) to be made and repeated, andtopass as true, when he knew the contrary; and when I was endeavor- 'i ! i 30 ing fw the benefit of the congregation, to ascertain the truth ; and when such statements were made, to accomplish a purpose— not legitimate. " Chiselling » in State matter is very dishonourable ; but chiselling in the church is only compatible with the spirit of those upon whom the mantAl of Simon Magus has fallen. COLIN D. REID. r«n^?!f"~^^ ^ t° not know all of the congregation, any one who may not receive a copy hereof, can have one by calling at m: ofece. ^ ^^^^J /¥3^