History of the Scottish Episcopal Church from the Revolution to the present time

Front matter

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PRINCETON, N. J.

HISTORY

Preface

In submitting this Volume to the PubKc the Author does so with very great diffidence, and he wishes to be distinctly understood that the Church of which he is a humble member is not to be held responsible for any opinions or inferences he advances. Although it is hoped that nothing herein recorded is at variance with the principles of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Author wishes this to be candidly kept in view by aU, whether friends or foes, into whose hands this volume may fall, on the same principle that it would be illiberal to consider the Presbyterian EstabHshment at large as identified with such works as the " History of the Church of Scotland," by Mr Hetherington of Torphichen, or that aU its members approved of the commemoration of the Glasgow General Assembly of 1638, held in Edinburgh in 1838, when very offensive and insulting remarks were uttered towards the Church of England, the Scottish Episcopal Church, and the Church at large ; and a feeble and unsuccessful attempt made on the part of certain Presbyterian leaders to revive the bigotry, the prejudices, and the intolerance of the Covenanting times.

In this historical narrative the Author has as much as possible refrained from controversy, and confined himself solely to facts and to what appeared the legitimate deductions. It is, of course, impossible to avoid strong statements respecting the events immediately succeeding the Eevolution, when a fierce theological warfare viii

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wa3 for years carried on between the supporters of the Presbyterian Establishment and the members of the ejected Church, and much personal bitterness and acrimony were evinced by both parties. Some quotations are given from the writings of the Episcopal clergy of the time, which sufficiently indicate the state of public feeling ; while those passages from Wodrow in particular show at once the insecurity in which the Presbyterian EstabUshment was long considered to be placed even by its own zealous adherents, and the very slight hold which it possessed in many districts of Scotland on the affection of the people. These are matters of history which may be viewed differently, but Avhich cannot be denied or controverted. In narrating the events of more recent times the Author studiously avoided any reference to, or collision with, the Presbyterian Establishment, except when such was forced upon his notice, as showing the enmity cherished towards the Scottish Episcopal Church. In the present state of religious feeling in Scotland such a work as this will not probably be considered out of place. The Church is continually assailed in the most rancorous bitterness, although its members exhibit no proselytizing spirit. Every act is misrepresented or perverted, to prejudice the unthinking and the wrong-thinking. The names of individual Divines in England are applied in the most sectarian spirit ; their alleged theological opinions are maintained as openly avowed by the Scottish Episcopal clergy ; and the old charge of an incUnation to Romanism is repeatedly brought forward. It is most extraordinary that in Scotland any person who chooses to hold different opinions from the Presbyterians is sure to be assailed by them as a Papist, or as having imbibed the principles of Romanism. Under these circumstances a regular History of the Scottish Episcopal Church since the Revolution, narrating its persecutions, depressions, vicissitudes, and present state, appeared to be necessary, more especially as much misconception exists on the subject. The Author takes this opportunity of reminding the reader of the valuable " Annals of Scottish Episcopacy," by the late Very Rev. John Skinner, M.A. of Forfar, for a detail of all the correspondence con-

PREFACE.

ix nected with the repeal of the Penal Laws in 1792, and for various matters to the year 1816. That Work resumes, as it were, the " Ecclesiastical History of Scotland," from the earliest times to 1788, by Mr Skinner's venerable grandfather, the Rev. John Skinner of Longside, in two volumes, now extremely scarce, and only to be found in libraries. Bishop Russell's " History of the Church in Scotland," in two small volumes, is on the plan of Mr Skinner's Ecclesiastical History, commencing from the introduction of Christianity, and the space devoted to the history of the Church after the Revolution is exceedingly limited.

It may be here stated that in this narrative the adherence of the Church for a century after the Revolution to the Stuart Family is prominently brought forward. At this time, when such poUtical feelings are completely forgotten, it would be foUy to deny the attachment of the clergy and laity to that unfox'tunate Dynasty, for their adherence to which they had suffered the loss of all things. The Presbyterians may, if they please, raise their old clamour of the long continued disaffection of the Scottish Episcopal Church to the House of Hanover, and the fact is readily admitted. But it must be remembered that a great principle of legitimate right was considered to be involved — that the Jacobites, as they were called, whether members of the Church, Roman Catholics, or even Presbyterians, were neither Jacobins nor Revolutionists — and that they contended for what appeared to them to involve the very existence of the monarchy. Time has shown that they were mistaken, and a succeeding generation views the matter in its proper light. Yet the attachment to the Stuart Dynasty was as sincere as it was romantic ; and amid all the taunts of disloyalty occasionally levelled against the Scottish Episcopal Church by its sectarian opponents, its members have no reason to be ashamed of the political principles of their forefathers. When, in 1788, the Bishops, clergy, and laity, willingly tendered their allegiance to the reigning Sovereign, they did so with the same sincerity which had marked their conduct for a century previous, and the piinciple was well understood and even commended by the public men of the day. It is needless to ob-

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serve, that since the period alhided to the Sovereigns of Great Britain, and the Monarchy and Constitution, have not more devoted subjects, or zealous supporters, than the Scottish Bishops, clergy, and laity.

It may probably appear to some readers, who are well informed in the History of the Scottish Episcopal Church, that sundry matters are omitted of which they expected to find details. It is hoped that these are few, and comparatively unimportant, and can little affect the general scope of the narrative. Some transactions have been purposely excluded, because it appeared, after careful deliberation, that they never could have led to beneficial or practical results. Such, for example, was the correspondence with a branch of the orthodox Greek Church, any statement of which is from its very nature altogether superfluous, and would only have placed in the hands of the sectarian enemies of the Scottish Episcopal Chm'ch an additional weapon for calumny and misrepresentation. Many of the prosecutions of the clergy and other events are also so similar, that a few cases are quite sufficient to explain the whole, a minute investigation of which would have made the volume tedious and too large. The successions in the Episcopate are careftdly narrated as of the utmost importance, for while the ordinations of Deacons and Presbyters are merely local and personal, the Church at large has a vital interest in the consecration of every Bishop. The Appendix coidd have been extended,- but it was considered in the meanwhile unnecessary. The Canons are inserted, by permission, at the request of several distinguished individuals.

In conclusion, it may be stated to those Presbyterian J oumalists who may honour the Author by their vituperation, that it is expected they win confine themselves to the facts recorded, and refrain from the vulgarities and personalities which they are too apt to indulge in the prints and periodicals with which they are connected. Abusive epithets, distorted statements, unfounded insinuations, and imputations of motives which have been repeatedly disclaimed, are mean and ungenerous, and do no injmy to those who are so assailed. That much in this volume will be offensive to

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xi a particular section of the Established Presbyterians, who seem to be animated by a fierce jealousy and bitter hatred to the Scottish Episcopal Church, is to be expected, nor is it possible that such could altogether be avoided ; but they ought to recollect that the productions of such persons as Mr Hetherington of Torphichen, Mr Gray of Perth, and Dr Brown of Langton, and the numerous speeches and anonymous writings of their friends, are not particularly scrupulous as to Christian charity and common politeness, and contain much which is scurrilous, malignant, and vindictive. These Presbyterian journalists may be farther assured that they will yet have much to do in their contest with the Scottish Episcopal Church — an aggressive contest, let it be remembered, for that Church wages no warfare except with " false doctrine, heresy, and schism," from which its members daily pray to be delivered, as they also pray to be preserved fi-om " hardness of heart, and contempt of God's holy will and commandments." The present Author is only a gleaner in this field of the ecclesiastical history of his country ; and he is well aware that not a few in Scotland are now girding on the armour, ready to defend to the uttermost those doctrines, principles, and polity, which have stood the test of ages, and are embodied in the time-hallowed Liturgy of the Church.

Edinburgh, November 1842.

Contents

PAGE

Introductory Remarks, .... xxxiii CHAPTER I.

The two Periods of the History of the Scottish Episcopal Church, 1