:^/ / f ' C^' •3:,ot;ij^cWVeuS. j « j_ " j ! j « . ' jtjjt.j ' ^ » ss ' Swfl:ER03Sr, IN ST. JOHN, N. B. : J. & A. McMillan, printers, 78 prince wm. street. 187L STATEMENT OF FACTS. The election of tlic Reverend Mr, Cameron, as the sucfessor to the late Rev. Dr. Donald, in the Pastoral charge of St. Andrew's Church, has occasioned so much dissatisfaction amongst a large portion of the congregation, that, in tne interests of the Church, it seems proper to lay a statement of the facts before the Synod. We are not sufficiently informed, as regards the mode of procedure, to be able to say whether or not it is competent for the Synod now to take action in the matter ; but we submit the facts for their consideration, and to be dealt with as they may see fit. Their pub- lication, at all events, will afford those who feel an interest in the matter an opportunity of judging for themselves as between Mr. Cameron and those who opposed him. For ourselves, we can only say, that we disclaim any hostile or unfriendly feeling towards Mr. Cameron personally ; we have been influenced, in our opposition to him, only by an earnest desire for the welfare of a Church with which many of us have been con- nected since our childhood, and for which we all entertain a warm attachment. If, to the Synod and to the minds of impartial men, lu's conduct shall appear to have been that of a faithful minister of Christ, free from reproach and blameless, zealous only to do His master's work and to " spend and be spent" in His service, far be it from us to assail or impugn his character, in any respect. But if, on the other hand, it should appear that he has forgotten his duty to his Master in the pursuit of objects purely personal and temporal ; and that to attain these he has turned aside into " crooked ways" and has been guilty of conduct, unbecoming a Christian minister and unworthy of his sacred calling, then it is our duty, alike to the Church and to ourselves, to let the facts be known t,o the Synod. And wo submit this statement of the focts to them for their judgment. In order to understand the position in which the matter stands it will bo necessary to refer to the correspondence out of which Mr. Cameron's first connection with St. Andrew's Church arose. It commenced by the following letter of the Rev. Dr. Donald to him : St. John, New Brunswick, 9th Aug., 18G9. Dear Sir, — Talking of you and your prospects with your friend, Rev. F. II. McDonald, now minister elect to St. James' Church, Newcastle, Miramichi, I was led to inquire whether you would be inclined or induced to return to America, or would accept a mission charge, or assistantship, or anything of that nature. As Mr. Mc- Donald could not satisfy me on these points, I am induced now to inquire personally. But as one ouglit ro be guided pretty much by what prospects are held out to him, I shall state what are our wants, and what the prospects arc to a young man. First, I would men- tion a mission station, nine miles from the city. I cherished this as a preaching station for many years, t)nd at last got a church built, and for the last three or four years Mr. Caie has acted as missionary, as well as in Portland ; but his new church being now completed, and requiring two services eacli Sabbath, he can but with great difficulty attend to Rothesay. Hence the necessity ft)r a mission- ary for that station. I may mention that for several years I gave afternoon service there in summer, besides preaching twice in my own church in town. I therefore feel a particular interest in Rothesay, and am anxious for a missionary likely to keep the peo- ple together and gather more. In addition to this, and in con- junction with it, I have in view an assistant for myself. The two in conjunction should yield a salary of at least £200 currency. Another mission within the limits of our Presbytery, but a pretty difficult and somewhat scattered one, would yield a stipend of at least £250 currency if properly worked up. Such is a briof out- line of the present wants and prospects of our Church in this Presbytery j and what I desire to know is, whether, for the good of the Church and the glory of its Head, you would be inclined to cast in your lot with ii.s here. Be kind enough to inform me as to this by return of mail if possible, and oblige, My dear sir, yours very truly, W. Donald, D. D., Presbytery Clerk. Though I sign as Presbytery Clerk, let me explain that I have not consulted, nor hud time to consult the Presbytery on this matter. To this letter Mr. Cameron replied as follows : Glasgow, Aug. 28th, 1869. " Some time ago I saw Prof. Jardine in this country, and he was urging on me to go out to Fredericktown. I did not see my way clearly to go out merely as assistant to Dr. Brooke, By last mail, according to promise, I wrote him, stating that I would give the subject a favorable consideration if I were offered the bucces- sorship to Dr. Brooke, with a salary of £250 currency. " I do not, at present, see my way to go to St. John on other terms. I might go out as your assistant, and labour with you as such for a year, provided at the end of that time, on my givimj satisfaction to you and the congregation^ steps should be taken to appoint me successor. This is the most I can do. "R. J. Cameron.'* On the receipt of this letter from Mr. Cameron Dr. Donald laid it before the Trustees and Elders ; and a Committee was appointed to prepare llesolutions thereon to be submitted to a Meeting of the Congregation. Resolutions were accordingly prepared which were afterwards submitted to a meeting of the Congregation, in October, and passed ; and they are as follow : I. Resolved, That it is desirable to procure the services of a minister as an assistant to Dr. Donald, in St. Andrew's Church, St. John, in connection with a Mission to Rothesay. ' II. A letter from Rev. R. J. Cameron^ dated Glasgoio, Aug. 2Sth, 1869, having been read, and it being considered desirable to secure the services of Mr. Cameron in accordance with the fore- going Resolution, and it being understood that the sum of $200 will be contributed by the congregation at Rothesay, and 8100 by Dr. Donald towards the payment of salary of $1000 asked by Mr. Cameron, Therefore Resolved, That this congregation pledge itself to raise the sum of $700 as its portion of salary for one year to Mr. Cameron, and that a Committee be appointed to do so, with the instructions that it take immediate steps towards this object, notifying Dr. Donald when the amount is raised or guaranteed ; the funds as they are realized to bo handed over to the Trustees of this Church for the object herein contemplated. III. Resolved, That Dr. Donald be, and he is hereby instructed, as soon as he is notified as above, to communicate with Mr Came- ron accepfhiff hisprojwsal on the basis of tlic foregoing Resolutions. IV. Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to inquire whether additional legislation is necessary to legalize the appointment of a Colleague and successor to Dr. Donald, and if found necessary, to take steps to secure it, either by an Act granting same privileges to all the congregations in the Province in this connexion (in which case they are to put themselves in communication with said con- gregations, wuth a view to procuring their co-operation in the passage of such Act,) or otherwise. Meeting Adjourned. (Signed) Wiv.. Donald, Chairman. (Signed) W. C. Watson, Secretary. In accordance with these Resolutions Dr. Donald again wrote to Mr. Cameron as follows : St. John, Nciv Brunswick, \ 2nd November, 1869. f Dear Sir — Unavoidable circumstances have occurred to pre- vent my writing sooner. I am happy to be able to say now that I am authorized to comply with the terms stated by you, m so far as to guarantee you, for one year from the date of your entering on your duties, one thousand dollars as missionary at Rothesay and assistant to me. Whether a longer engagement may be entered into with you will depend very much upon yourself, whether you give satisfaction to me and the congregation. There is every probability, that, should you please me and the people, a more permanent engagement will be formed with you at the end of the year, BUT AS TO THAT NEITHER I NOR THE CONGREGATION WILL AT PRESENT AGREE TO GIVE ANY PLEDGE till you are in the field and have given proof of yonr ministerial qualifications and abilities for some time. Meantime I may assure you of a candid hearing and a fair trial. I may mention that you will have to preach once each Sabbath at Rothesay, and in my Church here, ard give your assistance at a week-day evening meeting once a week here, with such other assistance as circumstances may . require, and as may be agreeable. If tjon, accept t/uHc tenrnt it in very tk'sirablo tluit you shoiihl bo here as soon as you conveniently can. Please let nic have an answer by return of mail and obli«jie. Dear Sir, Yours truly, Rev. llobert James (jamoron. ] 1-4 Grafton street, Glasgow. ) « This correspondence contains the only agreement made with Mr. Cameron, and he accepted an engagement on the terms of Dr. Donald's letter of 2nd Nov., 1869. He arrived in St. John in February following, and at once entered upon the discharge of his duties as a Missionary and Assistant to Dr. Donald, at^a salary of $1000 per annum. Before the year of his "engagement had termi- nated however, Dr. Donald's health became very precarious, and his resignatioti was daily expected. In view of the probabl(» vacancy in St. Andrew's Church, Mr. Cameron, as early as the month of Decembei-, 1870, began to press his claims upon diiFerent members of the congregation, to be appointed to its pastoral charge. He asserted that he had been promised the successorship if his services wore satisfactory to the congregation and Dr. Donald, and if he did not obtain it he had been misled and deceived. Upon the minds of some of the congregation his assertion to V. .A effect, although unsupported by any evidence of its truth, undoubt- edly had great weight, and influenced their subsequent course of action. They committed themselves to his support, and they did support him in consequence. At length, Dr. Donald resigned ; and the Church was formally preached vacant on Sunday, 2Gth January, 1871. On the 2nd February following a meeting of the Elders and Trustees was held to consider matters relating to the vacancy. At this meeting a communication was read from the Presbytery inti- mating that Dr. Donald had been released from his charge ; and an application was also read from Mr. Cameron requesting to be nominated for the vacant pastorate. Mr. Girvan, one of the Elders, thereupon submitted a Resolution to the effect that a call should be given to Mr. Cameron at once ; that notice of it should 8 be gP'ea ' rom the pulpit on Sunday the 5th of February, and that the electicu should take place on the following Tliuisday and Friday, the 9th and . 0th days of February. This was opposed by a poi tion of the Trustees and Elders. 1 oy urged that this Avas the principal Church, in connection with the Church of Scot- land, iu the Lower Provinces ; that the appointment, when made? would bo for life ; and that, in every point of view — as well for the Congregation a« for the Church of Scotland itself — it was im- portant that the best available talent should be procured to fill it. They did not object to Mr. Cameron as one candidate } they were willing to give him a fair trial ; but they wished him to be put in conipetition with others. And the precipitate action proposed by Mr. Girvau's resolution,, they contended, would exclude competi- tors, and would virtually close the Church against other candi- dates. Mr. Cameron's friends replied that the Church was not open to competition. They alleged that he had come to this vrtuutvy on li (listLict and positive proinise niiide to him, through Dr. Donald, and by Resolution of the Congregation, that, at the expiration of a year, if his services were satisfactory to Dr. Donald and the Congiegation. the necessary steps would be taken to appoint him to the pastoral charge of the Church. They asserted that to place him in compelition with others for the vacancy now would be a gross breach of faith on the part of the Congregation, and a violation of the promise made to him by Dr. Donald. On the other hand, it was denied that any such Resolution of the Congregation had ever been passed, or thrt Dr. Donald had ever made any such promise ; and it was contended, that if he had ever made such a promise, it was wholly unauthorised. And Mr. Cameron's friends were called upon to produce Dr. Donald's letter, and the Minutes of the Congregational Meeting to which they referred ; but no Minutes of the Meeting in question could be found, and it was said that the Resolutions passed at it had been mislaid or lost. The only copy of Dr. Donald's letter then known to be in existence, it was said, was in Mr. Cameron's ^tossessioii and coidd not he ohtaincd. After a good deal of discussion the Meeting finally adjourned xmiW Saturday, 4th February, without having passed any Resolutioii on the subject. 9 In the forenoon of the 4tli of February, Mr. "Watson, (iin Elder and one of Mr. Cameron's waimest supporters) having previously understood from him that the letter of Dr. Donald contained a promise of the kind alleged, called upon him with the view of obtaining it to lay before the adjourned meeting of the Elders and Trustees that afternoon. He had an interview with Mr. Cameron, and stated the purpose for which he had called. He informed him thai the r^ict of any such promise having been made to him was disputed : and he expressed his conviction that if the letter containing it were produced at the Meeting it would put an end to all opposition. Mr. Cameron declined tO furnish him with the letter for that purpose, saying that it was equivocal, and that Mr. Robertson (the Chairman of the Elders und Trustees) had advised him not to produce it, and had even spoken in severe terms of Dr. Donald for having written it. He, however, read to Mr. Watson the following extracts from it, and no more : ''There is every probability that should you please me and the people, a more permanent engagement will be made with you at the end of the year; * '"^ ''' '•' *■' * meantime I may assure you of a candid hearing, and a fair trial." We beg attention now to the letter which will be found at page 5, and the passage between these extracts, which Mr. Camoron did not read. At the Meeting on Sat'irday, 4th February, Mr. Murdoch, om of the Trustees, submitted the following amendment to Mr. (lirvan's Resolution : " Whereas the resignation of our Lite T*astor, the Rev. Dr. Donald, having been accepted by the Presbytery of St. John (in connection with the Church of Scotland) and the Pastorate of the Church declared vacant, it becomes the duty of the Elders and Trustees of St. Andrew's Church by virtue of the power vested in them by 2ud Wm. IV., Chap. 18, Sec. G, to nominate a candidate or candidates for the pastoral charge of said Church, if said candidate or candidates shall be in British America; And Whereas this duty is one of grave responsibility, the proper or improper discharge of which may affect not only the present harmony of the Church, but its future peace and prosperity for many years to come, and through it, the interests of Presbyte- rianism, in New Brunswick : And Whereas in a matter of st) much importance as the choice and settlement of a Minister, it is 10 not only desirable but expedient, tliut time and opportunity should be allowed for giving due publicity to the fact of the ministerial vacancy which now exists ; and also that a reasonable time should be given for correspondence with parties who may be qualified and willing to be put in nomination for the pastoral charge of said Saint Andrew's Church. Therefore, be it " Resolved, That immediate steps be taken to give due pub- licity of the present pastoral vacapcy, by having circulars for- warded to the Clerks and Moderators of Synods in connection with the Church of Scotland in the Upper and Lower Provinces, and also by notification, for one month at least, in the principal Presbyterian periodicals published in the Dominion. And it is further '• 7iV.svj//vv/, That applications for Candidature be received until the day of ." ' This amendment led to a long and acrimonious discussion, in the course of which Mr. Forbes, the Secretary to the Trustees, (diarged upon its supporters that it was " dishonorable " and •• dishonest " to put Mr. Cameron in competition Avith other candidates, after tiie pledge which had been given to him, and upon the faith of which he had come to this country. It was in vain that those in favor of the amendment asked for some evi- dence that such a pledge had been given. The Resolutions of the coLgregMtional meeting were not to be found, and Dr. Donald's letter was not forthcoming. After some time, the amevdment ,vas about to be put; and, Avith every prospect of it*i being carried, wlicu the chairman, Mr. llobertson, took exception to the phraseology of some portions of it, expressing his fears that it conveyed a meaning beyond what was apparent. His fears, if he had any, were without the IcK-^t foundation ; the amendment speaks for itself, and it is perfectly plain and intelli- gible. ]5ut the mover of iv. being desirous to conciliate all par- ties, if possible, and having no objectjs in view but the welfare of the Church, and to secure the services of the most efficient Pas- tor, said that they might put it in any language they pleased, provided it secured time and publicity. Mr. Cameron having been put in nomination, the chairman and Mr. Forbes, (assisted by Vt. Murdoch), settled an amendment in a form which seemed to bo satisfactory to them ; or which, at all events, silenced their 11 opposition. It was in substance : that the election should take place on the first Thursday and Friday in April ; and that notice of the pastoral vacancy should be given, by circulars, to the differ- ent Presbyteries and Synods of the Dominion, and by publication in the principal Presbyterian periodicals in the Dominion. The Amendment in that form, was put to the Meeting and (carried, with but one dissentient voice, that of Mr. Watson ; who, misled by the extracts from Dr. Donald's letter which had been read to him that morning by Mr. Cameron, and believing that Mr. Cameron was entitled to a " permanent engagement" at once, voted against it. It was urged, at this Meeting, thrt inasmuch as Mr. Cameron claimed that the Congregation should proceed to an election at once, and insisted upon his right to be placed before them without (competition, honourable men would be unwilling to offer them- selves as candidates whilst he occupied the pulpit. And it was suggested that he should retire and cease to oihciate in the Church for a time, so thfit it might be, in fact as well as in form, vacant. This reasonable proposition, his friends at the meeting, and Mr. Cameron himself, afterwards, indignantly refused to accede to. One of the Elders, conceiving that it might be unpleasant for Mr. Cameron to remain in the City and not officiate in the pulpit which he had ^en accustomed to fill, suggested that in the mean- time he might make a visit to his friends. It was believed that the visit would afford him an agreeable relaxation, and would relieve him from any embarrassment which he might feel from vacating the pulpit if he remained here. This, and this only, was the motive which prompted the suggestion. Some of Mr. (jameron's friends informed him of what transpired at this meet- ing, and it annoyed him exceedingly. He Avas very indignant at the proposal that he should temporarily vacate the pulpit. In a conversation with Mr. Murdoch in the forenoon of the 0th Pcb., he exhibited considerable excitement ; and he asked how any one ilared to suggest that he should absent himself from this city. Mr. Murdoch regretted the unhappy diftcrences which had arisen, assured him that no one in the congregation wished to do him .liiy wrong; told him that the Resolutions of t'lo Congregational 12 Meeting could not be found, hut if he produced Dr. Donald's let- ter and it contained such a pledge as he alleged, he had no doubt that pledge would be faithfully and honourably redeemed by the Congregation. He replieJ that Dr. Donald's letter contained private matter and cotdd not he shown. After this statement any further allusion to it -^vas, of course, out of the question. We were not aware of it at the time, but it was the fact, as we subsequently discovered, that whilst so much diflfercnce of opinion existed and such angry discussion was going on amongst the Elders and Trustees, as to the nature of the missing Resolutions of the Congregational Meeting, Mr. Cameron had them, or copies of them, in his possession, and could have put an end to all dis- putes at once by producing them. He afterwards admitted to Mr. Watson that he had received them in a private letter from Mr. Forbes ; and, in reply to a remark of Mr. Watson's, that per- haps he was relying upon some statement contained in Mr. Forbes' letter, he said that the latter ought not to be blamed, for it was not upon his statements but upon those contained in Dr. Donald's letter that he relied. On the afternoon of the 9th Feb., another meeting of the Eld- ers and Trustees was held, at which Mr. Murdoch was not present ; and Mr. Forbes, as Secretary, having in the usual way read over the Minutes of the former meeting, they were confirmed without remark. But in the Minutes thus confirmed the Amendment to Mr. Girvan's llesolution does not appear in the shape in which it was passed at the meeting of the 4th February. As it appears in the confirmed Minutes, 7io provision is made for notificatio'.i of the vacancy hy Circulars to the Presbyteries and Synods or hy pub- lication in the Presbyterian periodicals. In short, those points in it which Mr. Murdoch had especially designed to secure, and which its original supporters deemed of the most vital importance, had been eliminated. Mr. Forbes says, indeed, and so does the Chairman, that they never were in it. If they were not, then a large portion of the Elders and Trustees could not have known what they were talking about, and they must have wasted a great deal of discussion about nothing. But they wore in it when it was passed, as can be proved by the afiidavits of a number of the 13 Elders and Trustees present ; and even by that oi Mr. Watflon who voted against it, and whose opposition to it was, in some degree at least, on account of their being in it. We did not discover that this omission had been made in the Minutes of the amended Resolution until some considerable time after the 9th of February. We found that no notice of the vacancy was given either by publication or by circulars j and, as a matter of course, no other candidate offered himself. When we became aware of this we remonstrated, and we complained that we were not fairly treated. We were told that if we had any other candidates for the vacancy we could produce them before the day of election. To use the mildest language, this was only trifling, not only with us, but T,^hat is of much more importance, with the best interests of St. Andrew's Church. They well knew that no honorable clergyman of the Church of Scotland would thrust himself forward into a pulpit so tenaciously clung to by the occupant ; or would allow himself to be brought forward as a can- didate at the instance of any individual Elder or Trustee, or by any body of men other than those legally authorised to put him in nomination, namely, the Elders and Trustees in their collectivt^ and corporate capacity. On Sunday, 2Gth March, an intimation Avas given to the con- gregation from the pulpit, that a call or nomination had been given to the Rev. Robert J. Cameron, and that an election for his choice or rejection would be held in the Church on Thursday and Friday, 6th and 7th of April, and this notice was repeated on the following Sunday by the Rev. Mr. Burgess in the morning and the Rev. Mr. McKay in the evening. This intimation was given at the request of the Chairman and Secretary alone, and without any order from the Elders and Trustees, wlio had never been called together after the dth of Februart/. In the meantime, however, a Petition was prepared, addressed to the Elders and Trustees, and signed by forty-six " Pew owners. communicants and regular sitters" in St. Andrew's Church. The Petition sets forth mongst other things, that " We believe it has been the custom in our Church, in the Colonies, that when it became necessary for a Congregation to 14 select a Minister, the privilege of having several caudidates for the charge was aiForded them, in order that they might have the opportunity of choosing the ono who might prove the most ac- ceptable to the Congregation. We feel therefore that the arrange- ments which have been made by you practically exclude us from hearing any Minister who might feel disposed to offer himself as a candidate. " We must also express our surprise that, although the Church was declared vacant on the 22nd day of January last, no public intimation has been given of the fact, nor to our knowledge has any Minister but one, been nominated by you to the candidature of said vacant charge. " We appeal therefore to you, as the guardians of our rights in this important question, and ask that you will not force us into the position of having to vote for or against the only party you have nominated, without giving us the opportunity of hearing other Ministers, and thereby enabling us the better to make a selection. '•' In our movement in this matter, we desire to assure you that we are solely actuated by a sincere wish to preserve the harmony of the Congregation and to prevent its possible disruption should the election be forced upon us at the very early day you have named. " We therefore trust that you will carefully consider the very important interests involved, and we most earnestly request that you will defer the election of a Minister to supply the place of our late esteemed Pastor, for such a period as the law governing these matters permits. " In the interim, we hope you will cause the vacancy to be known in the Synods of our Church in Scotland as well as in the Dom- inion, as we believe the income which Saint Andrew's Church can offer is such as will secure a Clergyman of the highest talent. Your Fetitioners therefore earnestly request that the Rev. Mr. (Jauieron have liberty to retire from the temporary charge of the Congregation, in order that the way may be perfectly open to re- ceive and hear other candidates." A meeting of the Elders and Trustees was held on the 28th 3Iarch to consider, this Petition. Mr. Murdoch requested the minutes of the meeting of 4tli February to be read. He called attention to the important omission which had been made in the Resolution then passed with regard to notifying the vacancy in the Church; and he stated that had he been present on 9tli February, the minutes in that shape would not have been con- 16 firmed, at Icnist without opposition. No alteration in the minutes, as confirmed, was made, and the Petition was ordered to be filed, no attention whatever being paid to its prayer. Homo time in February, the llcsolutions passed at the congre- gational meeting in 18G9 had been found, and, afterwards, shortly before this meeting, a draft of the letter of 2nd November, 1869. from Dr. Donal4 (now deceased), had been discovered amongst his papers. And it was moved at this meeting, by Mr, Lindsay, that the Letter and Resolutions should be published, and that two (•opies of them should be left in each pew in the Church, so that the congregation, before the approaching election, might se(* what promises had been made to Mr, Cameron, To avoid this the adjournment was moved by his friends, and the chairman immediately left the chair, declaring the meeting adjourned. It was manifest, however, that concealment was now no longer possible. We intimated our intention of publishing them, if Mr. (jameron did not; and, apparently in anticipation of our doing so, he took them late one evening, to the ofiice of one of the newspapers in the city, and had them printed the following morn- ing, together with the portion of Jii's own letter to Dr. Donald of 28th August, 18G9, which we have given at page 5, Some of [lis friends now abandoned him ; one of them, Mr. Watson, espe- (iially, in consequence of the deception which he felt had been practised upon him by Mr. Cameron in reading the extracts'^from the letter on -ith February. ]Many, however, notwithstanding the discovery that the letter contained no such promise or pledge as ho had alleged it did, still adhered to him. Whether fron) the natural reluctance of mankind to desert a man whose cause they have once espoused — from their unwillingness to admit that they had themselves been deceived — from feelings of kindness and reverence for the clergyman with whom they had associated at the communion table only two months before ; or because they had, in the heat of controversy committed themselves too far to recede, we do not know. Probably some were influenced by one feeling, some by another. But the concealment had been long enough, and tha discussions had been angry enough, to have raised an impassible barrier between the bulk of his friends and IG his opponents. It had oflfected it« purpose, and the discovery uamo too lat« to produce any material change in the relative strength of the parties; and his election, without competition, was now secure. The election was held on the 6th and 7tK of April. Before the voting commenced, a Protest signed by Dr. McLaren, Mr. McLeod and others, having been read, was handed to Mr. Rob- ertson, the chairman of the Trustees and Elders, with the request that it should be eiftered on the minutes and forwarded to the Presbytery. The Protest was as follows : " We, the undersigned, Pewholders and Communicants of Saint Andrew's Church in the City of Saint John, Protest against any election of a Minister or Pastor for said Church at this meeting. " 1. Because by the known and long established usages of the Kirk of Scotland, the time for holding a meeting of the Congre- gation of a Church for the purpose of electing a Minister to fill a vacancy, should be fixed by the Presbytery within whose bounds the Church is situated ; or by another Minister, being a mem- ber of that Presbytery, appointed for the purpose, who shall give intimation of it from the pulpit of the Church, and who shall afterwards preside over and moderate at such meeting ; but the Presbytery of St. John has not fixed the time for this meet- ing, neither has it appointed any Minister to announce it from the pulpit, neither has it been announced from the pulpit by any member of that Presbytery ; and this meeting is neither called, convened or organized for the purpose of electing a Minister foi' the said Church, in accordance with the usages of the Kirk of Scotland. " 2. Because, neither the Rev. Mr. Baylis who gave tlic intima- tion from the pulpit on 26th day of March last; or the Rev. 3ir. Burgess, or the Rev. Mr. McKay, who gave notice on the 2nd day of April instant, is a member of the Presbytery of St. John ; nor was either of them duly authorised by the said Pres- bytery, or by the Elders and Trustees to give such notice. "3. Because it is not competent for the Trustees and Elders to call a meeting for the election of a minister to fill a vacancy in the Church, otherwise than in accordance with the estab- lished usuages of the Kirk of Scotland. But even if it were competent for them to do so, there is no authority for calling this meeting, but the Resolutions passed at a meeting of the Trustees and Elders, held at the Session House on Saturday. 17 4th Feb., 1871 ; and the requirements of these RcKolutions have not been complied with, inasmuch as circulars have not been sent to the Clerks of Synods in the Dominion of Canada, or notice of the vacancy given in the principal Presbyterian perio- dicals of the Dominion." Notwithstanding the protest, the election proceeded. The list of pew owners, submitted by the Trustees, as qualified to vote, contained the names of those only who owned the pews absolutely. Ft did not contain the names of the holders or lesees of pews from year to year, who constitute a large portion of the congregation. AVhether the latter had a legal right to vote or not, depends upon the construction of the Act of A&semby of this Province, 2 Wm. iv. chap. 18, sec. 6, and it may be doubtful. The list or roll of communicants submitted contained about 323 names, whilst the ofiicial returns published in the J anuary number of the " Monthly llecord" of the Church of Scotland, gave only 200 as the num- ber of communicants connected with St. Andrew's Church. Wii cannot account for the difference. Mr. Cameron was elected by the following vote : — Yeas, 120 ; (79 of whom were females) chiefly communicants. Nays, 34 ; (12 :es were made : 1. That Mr. Cameron had falsely and deceitfully represented to various Elders, Trustees and Pewholders of Saint Andrew's Church that he had come out to St. John as assistant to Dr. Donald under a pledge, contained in Dr. Donald's letter of 2nd November, that he should be appointed ])r. Donald's successor in St. Andrew's Church, and that he had made these representations in order to procure his nomination and election to fill the Pastoral charge of the Church. 2. That he had professed to read to various persons the letter of 2nd November, but in doing so had Avilfully, deceitfully and wickedly, and in order to deceive those to whom he read it, sup- pressed those portions of the letter in which Dr. Donald had refused to make any promise or to give him any pledge for n permenent engagement at the end of his year's service as assistant. 3. That he had in other respects wilfully misrepresented the character and contents of that letter. This libel, and also Dr. McLaren's objections to Mr. Cameron's induction both came before the Presbytery on 9th June, instant. The latter were disposed (if first. The Presbytery uoolined to receive evidence in support of them. Counsel on Dr. Mcljaren's behalf, thereupon gave notice of appeal, and craved extracts. After considerable discussion it was decided that a libel could not be filed against a clergyman, until there was a preliniipary inquiry or precognition, and the Presbytery resolved itself into a committee of the whole to make such inquiry. Mr. Watson. Mr. Murdoch and Mr. Lindsay were examined before it, and after their evidence was given, counsel for both parties addressed th