Records of the Kirk of Scotland / containing the Acts and Proceedings of the General Assemblies from 1638 downwards, as authenticated by the clerks of assembly.

by Church of Scotland. General Assembly

The Presbyterie of Dunkel having chosen such of their number to be Commissioners to the General Assembly 1651, as were in their judgments opposite to the publick Resolutions; some of the Presbytery dissented from the Election of these persons upon the ground of their being uncapable to be Commissioners, because of an Act of the Commission for citing of such to the Assembly, and urged, That the Dissent, and ground thereof, might be marked in the Presbytery-Book, to be judged by the Synod.

3. Instance in the Synod of Perth.

The Synod of Perth, which met in June 1651, having received and read the Letter, and Act of the Commission, concerning the citing these who were opposite to the publick Resolutions, did find it incumbent unto them for satisfying the said Letter and Act, to appoint the several Presbyteries within their Bounds, and where the plurality of the Presbytery was dis-satisfied with the publick Resolutions, some nominated by themselves to Confer with dis-satisfied Brethren; and in case of their not receiving satisfaction by Conference, to cite them to the Gen. Assembly at St Andrews, from which Act of the Synod, such dis-satisfied Brethren as were present, who were about eight or nine, did Dissent, and were therfore cited apud acta by the Synod, to Compear before the Assembly, because of their opposition to the publick Resolutions: and concerning the rest who were absent, it was ordered by the Synod, That personal Summons should be sent unto some of them, and that others of them, in case of their not being satisfied by Conference, should be cited by their respective Presbyteries, and such as were appointed to Confer with them: At the same time, the Synod taking in consideration the Dissent of some of the Members of the Presbytery of Dunkel, and the grounds thereof, from the Election of their Commissioners, did sustain the same, and appoint the Presbitry to make a new Election.

4. Instance in the Presbytery of Kirkaldie.

The Presbyterie of Kirkaldie, having received and read the Letter and Act of the Commission, did thereafter and in order therto, refuse to subscribe the Commission of Magnus Aytoun, then chosen Commissioner to the General Assembly by the Town of Brunt-Iland, because when his Commission was presented to the Presbitery, he was not present to declare his judgment concerning the publick Resolutions. The same Presbytry did by vertue of the same Letter and Act find themselves oblidged to Refer or Summon two of their number, to wit, Mr Alex. Muncreiff, and Mr George Nairne to the General Assembly, because of their being dis-satisfied with the publick Resolutions, but remembring that these two had a little before that time Dissented from an Act of the Synod of Fife, appointing such Ministers in the Bounds of that Synod as were dis-satisfied with the publick Resolutions, to be referred to the General Assembly, did find that they were obliged to compear before the Assembly, to give in the Reasons of their Dissent from that Act; and therfore the Presbytery did draw up a Paper mentioning their regard to the Act and Letter of the Commission, and also bearing the Dissent of these two Brethren, and that they judged it not necessary to summon them, who were already by their Dissent obliged to compear; and this Paper they did deliver to their Commissioners, appointing them to present it to the Assembly.

5. Instance in the Presbytery of Glasgow.

The Presbytery of Glasgow did choose Commissioners to the General Assembly 1651, before the Letter and Act of the Commission came to their hands, from which Election some of their Number did Dissent upon this ground amongst others, because the persons chosen were of a contrary judgment to the publick Resolutions, and that they knew that the Commission of the General Assembly was to send some publick Directions to the Presbitery anent that matter, and the dissenting part of the Presbitery, though the smaller number by many, did thereafter make a new Election of their own, and did cite some of these of the Presbitery who were opposite to the publick Resolutions, to compear before the Assembly upon the ground contained in the Letter and Act of the Commission; and some of the same Dissenting part of the Presbitery, who were frequently with the Commission, in promoting these Affairs, did send the Letter and Act of the Commission inclosed in a Letter of their own to two of the Brethren of the Presbitery of Lanrick, advising them, That before the Election of Commissioners in their Presbitery, they should cause read the Letter and Act of the Commission, and endeavor to carry on the Election accordingly; and that if they could not attain this, that then these of their Number who did approve of the publick Resolutions, should make a New Election amongst themselves, and leave it to the Assembly to judge which of the two Elections was valid; signifying withal unto them, that they had done so in the Presbytery of Glasgow.

6. Instance in the Presbitery of Biggar.

The Letter and Act of the Commission 1650, concerning such as did Differ from the publick Resolutions, came to the Presbytery of Biggar, and was publickly read therin before the chusing of their Commissioners to the General Assembly; and thereupon Interogators were made to the Brethren, for trying of their judgment anent the publick Resolutions, that these who profest themselves dissatisfied therewith, might be rendered uncapable to be chosen Commissioners to the General Assembly.

7. Instance in the Presbytery of the Merns.