however, comparatively little known at a distance; and it may not be unimportant to the cause of truth, to put all who feel an interest in the case, in possession of every particular necessary for coming to a dispassionate judgment on its merits.

Mr. Campbell was settled in the parish of Row, in Sept. 1825; but it was not until the summer of 1827, that any offence appeared to have been taken at the matter of his teaching. At that period the chief peculiarity of his sermons seemed to be the strong statements they contained on the assurance of faith, and the connexion that exists between man's belief in the testimony of God and his consciousness of being in the condition of having passed from death to life. The doctrine of the love of God to every man, as declared in the death of Christ for all, though evidently implied in his sermons, was seldom broadly or pointedly stated, and did not appear to have that prominency and importance in his mind, which it afterwards assumed.

Toward the close of the year 1828, it is believed in the month of December, the first attempt was made to bring the subject matter of Mr. Campbell's teaching under the consideration of the church courts. About this time, a petition, signed by a few individuals, was lodged with the presbytery of Dumbarton, in which a variety of charges were brought against Mr. C., and among others his having taught that there was no occasion for repentance-no such thing as a good hope through grace-that Christ was no lawgiver, &c. &c. After this petition was received by the Presbytery, and, it is believed, after part of it was taken down in the Minutes, it was discovered to bear

no date, an informality which made it necessary to return it to the petitioners.

In March, 1829, another petition of the same tenor, signed by three or four individuals (none of them of the number of those who subsequently brought forward the libel) was presented to the Presbytery. Only two of the petitioners appeared. Of these the name of one was struck off the petition, as it appeared that he had, for many years, been refused church privileges, and consequently could not be considered a member of the church. The other was prevailed upon, by one of Mr. Campbell's co-presbyters, to withdraw the petition for a time. This petition was never afterwards presented; nor did any of the same parties again appear before the Presbytery in any matter connected with this case.

On the 30th March, 1830, the following Memorial was presented to the Presbytery.

Memorial of the undersigned Heads of Families and others in communion with the Church of Row, to the Reverend the Presbytery of Dumbarton.

Your memorialists wish to remind your Reverend Presbytery of a petition presented to you about a year ago, signed by certain of our fellow parishioners, representing that certain unsound pernicious doctrines, contrary to Scripture and the Standards of the National Church, had, for some time, been constantly preached and taught in Row church and parish, by the Rev. John M. Campbell, minister of that parish.

Your memorialists had earnestly hoped that mature reflection during the twelve months for which it had been agreed in the Presbytery to defer the proceedings on the petition, would have led to a cure of the evil complained of. But not only have the original obnoxious tenets been inculcated by Mr. Campbell with increased earnestness ever since→→→ it is with deep sorrow we say it but a number of other "unprofitable questions" have been agitated, and doctrines, in

our opinion, even still more pernicious, have been introduced; for example, that of universal pardon. It must, indeed, be superfluous to urge on the notice of your Reverend Presbytery, what has become a matter of notoriety in the remote parts of the kingdom.

Your memorialists have been induced, though reluctantly, to recall your attention to this matter, in order that you may take measures for effectually checking that constantly increasing, most painful and pernicious state of discord into which the Parish has fallen; and for securing our youth from unavoidably falling into what we conceive to be hurtful errors. Row, March 9th, 1830.

(Signed)

JOHN ORR.

GEORGE M'LELLAN.
PARLAN MCFARLAN.

ALEX. M'LEOD.

JOHN THOMSON.

A. LENNOX.

ALEX M'DOUGAL.

JAMES M'KINLAY, Jun.

PETER COCHran.

JAMES COCHRan, Jun.
JOHN M'KInlay.

PETER TURNER.

After this memorial was read, one of the members of Presbytery observed, that this was a very important and very delicate question; and that all would be sensible that the less that was said about it, in the present state of matters, the better.-That every person was fully aware of the evil complained of, and that he had no doubt something must be done for the parish; but that having a brother to deal with, some delicacy was necessary; and he would, therefore, propose, that a small committee be appointed to commune with Mr. Campbell, previous to any further step.

It being asked if all the memorialists were members of the church? One of the memorialists replied, "I am in communion with the church, and we have all an interest in this business. We have families rising up, and we must look to ourselves and our families. This is not a private thing, done in a corner: the ministers of the church, all around us, have taken it up. They have both written against these doctrines, and spoken against them from the pulpit, and have given them the name of ' Heresy.'"

Another memorial was then presented, signed by about 80 householders and heads of families of the parish of Row, to the following purport:-*

That the memorialists had recently learned, that a petition either had been, or was about to be presented to the Presby. tery, complaining of Mr. Campbell, their minister, as teaching certain doctrines; and having learned that great eagerness had been manifested to get names to that petition, that they felt themselves called upon to testify their undiminished attachment to Mr. Campbell, as their pastor, and to state, that Mr. Campbell continued fervently, in season and out of season, to press on his people the necessity of believing the gospel, of resting on the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation, of departing from all iniquity, and living in the hope of a blessed immortality; and that these, his labours of love, had not been without much success; and they trusted that nothing would be done by the Presbytery to weaken the hands of so faithful a minister of the gospel.

This memorial in favour of Mr. Campbell, the Presbytery refused to receive, and ordered the other to be laid on the table. After some discussion, during which another course was proposed by some members,

* The Compiler, not being able to procure a copy of this Memorial has given the substance of it from the notes of the Reporter, who was present.

a committee of six was appointed, to converse with Mr. Campbell, quam primum, and report to the next meeting of Presbytery. Mr. Campbell objected to the appointment of a committee, at that stage of the proceedings, as altogether unconstitutional and incompetent; but was told that the Presbytery had already decided on pursuing that course, and could not re-consider the matter.

The following is the minute of the committee appointed to confer with Mr. Campbell, together with Mr. C.'s reasons for not conferring with the committee.

At the Ferry-of-Balloch Inn, the sixth day of April, 1830. The Committee appointed to converse with Mr. Campbell met in consequence of notice from the Convener. Present, The Rev. Dr. Graham, Dr. Hamilton, Messrs. Proudfoot, Lochore, and Niven, with Mr. Campbell.

Dr. Graham in the Chair.

Mr. Lochore was chosen Clerk.

The extract minute of Presbytery, appointing this committee, was read.

Upon a question put by Mr. Campbell, as to the preeise object of this meeting, the committee stated, that it was for the purpose of ascertaining Mr. Campbell's views of the doctrine and worship of this church.

It was further asked by Mr. Campbell, upon what ground do the committee conceive themselves appointed to converse with him on the above subjects.

The committee consider that an answer to this question is unnecessary, after reading the extract of the minute of presbytery, containing a memorial from certain heads of families, and others of the parish of Row-representing that unsound and pernicious doctrines had been preached in the church of Row, by Mr. Campbell.

The committee agree to throw their further procedure into the form of question and answer, and to take down as far as possible the ipsissima verba.