is
secession arose out of a controversy which had been raised upon the
limits of ecclesiastical and civil jurisdiction, and the agitation which
had been produced in tire minds of the non-intrusion party since
the adverse decision of the law-courts and the house of lords in the
Auchterarder case. The final act of separation took place in the month
of May, during the meeting of the General Assembly of the church of
Scotland. A committee had been appointed to consider the propriety of
separation; and on the 22nd of May, at a general meeting in the church
of Dr. Candlish, the report of this committee was produced, and a
resolution incorporating the recommendations of the report was adopted,
in which it was resolved that an act of separation should be reported
to the Assembly on the morrow. The next day, accordingly, the act of
separation was produced; which act solemnly renounced for those who
should affix their names to it the status, privileges, and emoluments
derived from the establishment, reserving to ministers the right to act
as pastors of particular congregations, or portions thereof, adhering to
them, with the rights and benefits accruing from the ministers' widows'
fund. This document contained an order that the act of separation should
be transmitted to the Moderator of the General Assembly--denominated
by the seceders "Ecclesiastical Judicatory, by Law Established." The
signing of the document occupied four hours, and the act of separation
was then transmitted to the General Assembly. The number of ministers
who signed it, or were enrolled in the list of the secession during its
first assembly, was three hundred and ninety-five; but the ranks of the
separatists were subsequently swelled by the addition of a considerable
number of ministers and others, who from time to time gave in their
adhesion to the "free church." This secession is one of the most
remarkable ecclesiastical revolutions on record; and its effects were
extensively felt throughout Scotland. The secession even gave rise to
outrages on the part of the people. In the course of the autumn several
serious disturbances took place throughout the country in connection
with the free church movement; but it is just to remark that those who
took part in these disgraceful proceedings formed only a minority cf the
people: the general demeanour of the population during this change in
their domestic affairs, was that of peace and good order.

In South Wales the