At the Assembly of 1823, the Committee was approved and renewed; “and the Assembly instructed the Committee to get printed what is usually called ‘The Book of the Universal Kirk,’ if they shall find, upon inquiry, it can be done without encroaching upon the funds of the Church.”
Passing over some of the intermediate years, we find in the Acts of 1828, that the Report of the Committee on the MSS. of the Church was called for, and given in by Dr Lee, the convener. “The Assembly approve of the Report, and re-appoint the Committee. It was moved, seconded, and unanimously agreed to, that with a view to the recovery of the ancient Records of this Church, which have long been deposited in Sion College, London, a Petition be presented to both Houses of Parliament, stating the claims of the Church to the property of these volumes, and praying that, in the wisdom of Parliament, some means may be devised, of securing either the restitution of the originals, or at least a complete and authenticated transcript of the whole. The draft of a Petition having been produced, was approved, and ordered to be extended, subscribed by the Moderator, and sealed with the seal of the Church,” &c.
In 1829, “it was moved, seconded, and unanimously agreed to, that, in addition to the former Committee, which is hereby renewed, the Assembly appoint a small Committee, to watch over and prosecute the very important object of recovering the interesting record, entitled ‘The Buik of the Universall Kirk of Scotland,’ and to take what steps they may find necessary for this purpose. It was also moved, seconded, and unanimously agreed to, that the Moderator be instructed to return the thanks of the General Assembly to Dr Lee, for the great and unwearied zeal, attention, and exertions which he has bestowed on the subject of the MSS. of the Church, and in regard to the claims made for the Records in Sion College.”
In 1833, the Committee was renewed, “with instructions to use their best endeavours to find accommodation for the Books and MSS. belonging to the Church under the roof of St Giles’s Church, if possible; and to use all diligence to recover the Records in Sion College.” And in the Assembly of 1834, Dr Lee, as convener, on giving in its Report, stated, “That there is now a near prospect of obtaining the restitution of the three volumes of the early records of the Church, which have long been deposited in the library of Sion College.”
Only a few days previously to this favourable report being made, (viz. May 2, 1834,) the Assistant Librarian of Sion College, who had been summoned by a Committee of the House of Commons, appeared before it, and was ordered to produce the Books. On the 5th he produced them—Dr Lee, Principal Macfarlan, and others, having previously, in April, inspected and borne evidence to their authenticity.[6] They were burnt on the 16th of October following.
It were idle now to indulge in unavailing regrets and reflections on this unfortunate result; and the present attempt is made, in as far as that is possible, to repair the loss which has thus been sustained by the Church and the country. We take the liberty of deducing a practical inference from this calamity—that no time should be lost in securing for the remaining Records of the Church a place of safe deposit. This surely is attainable in the metropolis of Scotland; and we trust it will be one of the first acts of the ensuing General Assembly, to adopt the requisite measures for this purpose, and to order the List of MSS. in the repositories of the Church (which was given in by Dr Lee some years ago) to be printed, for the information of all its members, before the Assembly be dissolved.
We cannot conclude these notices more appropriately than by transcribing the following testimony, borne by Dr Lee to two distinguished Prelates of the Church of England, in connexion with this subject, and subjoining an extract from one of his admirable Reports:
“The late Bishop of London, now Archbishop of Canterbury, and the present Bishop of London, through whom I made many applications, did all that was in their power to forward the object; and if their advice had been promptly followed by the College, we would have had the Books in our possession ten years ago. Indeed, the conduct of these Prelates reflected on them the highest honour.”
In concluding his Report to the Assembly in May 1820, in reference to these ancient Registers of the Church, Dr Lee thus remarks—