1872.

May 20th.-Professor Islay Burns, D.D., died.

May 28th.-Dr. Thomas M. Lindsay appointed Professor of Theology and Church History at Glasgow. Dr. James S. Candlish

appointed Professor of Theology at Glasgow.

1873.

October 19th.-Principal Candlish, D.D., died.

1874.

May 28th.-Dr. Rainy appointed Principal of the New College.
August 6th.-Principal Fairbairn died.

1875.

May 27th.-Dr. A. B. Bruce appointed Professor of Theology in Glasgow College. Dr. Douglas appointed Principal of Glasgow College. August 18th.-Dr. William Binnie, of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Stirling, appointed Professor of Theology in Aberdeen College. October 17th.-Principal Lumsden, D.D., died.

1876.

May 22nd.--Dr. David Brown appointed Principal of Aberdeen College. Mr. Stewart D. F. Salmond appointed Professor in Aberdeen College.

July 21st.-D. Anderson Moxey, M.D., appointed Lecturer on Elocution in the New College.

1877.

July 26th.-Mr. Keddie, F.R.S.E., of Glasgow College, died.

February 12th.-Dr. Duff died.

1878.

June 3rd.-Institution of the Thomson Lectureship at Aberdeen College.

1879.

May 30th.-Mr. Henry Drummond, M.A., appointed Lecturer on Natural Science in Glasgow College.

1880.

April 3rd.-Rev. John Laing, Librarian of New College, died. May 29th.-Dr. Thomas Smith appointed Professor of Evangelistic Theology.

1881.

May 23rd.-Professor MacGregor, D.D., resigned.

May 25th.-Dr. John Laidlaw appointed Professor of Theology in the New College.

May 26th.-Hebrew Chair at Aberdeen declared vacant.

PART I.

GENERAL INFORMATION APPLICABLE TO ALL THE COLLEGES.

THERE are three Colleges connected with the Free Church-one in Edinburgh, one in Aberdeen, and one in Glasgow. They are all Theological Colleges, or, according to the designation long prevalent in Scotland, "Divinity Halls," intended for training candidates for the ministry, after the Students have completed their undergraduate course at one or other of the National Universities; and they owe their origin to the Disruption. Immediately after that event, Dr. Chalmers took steps to secure for the Free Church a proper system of theological education, framed in accordance with principles which he had announced and advocated long before. Dr. Welsh succeeded in raising, by donations of £1000 each from twenty-one individuals, a sum sufficient to purchase ground and erect collegiate buildings in Edinburgh; Francis Edmond, Esq., and other zealous friends of the cause, provided the institution which was established in Aberdeen a few years after that in Edinburgh; and not long afterwards, Dr. William Clark of Wester-Moffat, by his individual munificence, and by the stimulus which his example gave to others like-minded, founded and partially endowed the College in Glasgow. The buildings of the several Colleges afford accommodation for the prescribed classes, for libraries, and museums.

Endowments exist to a greater or less extent in connection with all the Colleges. None, however, are sufficiently endowed; and the salaries of Professors, and yearly expenses connected with the upholding of the buildings, &c., require to be largely supplemented by a collection made yearly in all the congregations of the Free Church, and by Fees from Students. The average contributions from these two sources have seldom exceeded £4000.

B

CONSTITUTION OF THE COLLEGES.

The Constitution of the Colleges of the Free Church has been framed by the Church, submitted to Presbyteries, and sanctioned by the General Assembly in various Acts. It is substantially the same in all the Colleges. The Acts of Assembly provide for the vesting of College property and funds, for the election of Professors, and for the general management and superintendence of College business.

The buildings, and all property belonging to any of the Colleges, are vested in trustees appointed by the Church, under appropriate conditions. A select Committee is also appointed by the General Assembly, consisting of twelve "Ministers and ten Elders, of whom five shall retire by rotation from year to year, two only of whom may be re-elected, and reserving the rights competent to all parties according to the laws of the Church; with authority to undertake the general administration of College property and finances, to give advice in cases of difficulty, to originate and prosecute before the Church Courts processes against any of the Professors for heresy or immorality, and to make necessary inquiries for that purpose; to originate also, and prepare for the decision of the General Assembly, proposals for the retirement of Professors disabled by age or infirmity, and for fixing the retiring allowance they are to receive." The Convener is named by the Assembly, and the Committee meets as often as is found desirable. They submit to the Assembly an annual report of their proceedings, with a summary of the attendance at each of the Halls during the session. It is also their duty to see that the annual collection in behalf of the Colleges be properly intimated. The following are the names of the present members of the College Committee :

Ministers.

Principal Douglas.
Principal Brown.
Dr. Goold.

Dr. Alex. Whyte.
Dr. Wm. Laughton.
Dr. Wm. Wilson.
Dr. Binnie.
Mr. James Dodds.
Dr. Smeaton.
Principal Rainy.
Professor Lindsay.

Mr. J. H. Wilson.

Convener-Rev. Dr. Laughton.

Elders.

Mr. D. Maclagan.
Mr. Wm. Ferguson.
Dr. John Pringle.
Mr. F. Brown Douglas.
Mr. Wm. Henderson.
Mr. R. R. Simpson.
Mr. James Miller.
Mr. John Cowan, W.S.
Dr. W. G. Blackie.
Mr. Alex. Scott.

Secretary-Dr. Duns.

Besides this Committee, the Deed of Constitution for the

Colleges appoints that a special Commission shall be named by the Assembly once in five years, to consist chiefly of senior Ministers and Elders of the Church, for the purpose of making a special visitation of the Colleges. This Commission makes a special report to the Assembly on the state of the Colleges.*

LOCAL FINANCIAL BOARDS.

In 1869, the College Committee recommended the appointment of a Local Financial Board for each of the Colleges, and the Assembly of that year resolved as follows:

In conformity with the recommendation of the Committee, the Assembly resolve that a Local Board be appointed in connection with each of the three Colleges at Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen, for the management of their financial affairs; that such Boards shall be empowered to receive and disburse the Funds accruing to the several Colleges, in conformity with the appointments of the General Assembly, and with the specific destination of particular endowments; that it shall belong to such Boards, with the concurrence of the General Trustees of the Church, to advise and determine respecting investments of money for College purposes, and to see that the same be properly executed; also, with consent of the College Committee, to make such alterations and repairs as may be required from time to time on the College buildings; that these Financial Boards shall be subject to the College Committee, to which they shall present annually a statement of accounts, to be laid before the General Assembly. Each Board shall have a Secretary and a Treasurer, and shall keep a record of its proceedings,—three to be a quorum,-such records to be annually sent up to the General Assembly, as in the case of Standing Committees of the Church; the Principal of each College to be Convener of the Board connected with the College of which he is Principal.

Further, in 1871, the Assembly extended the powers and functions of the Local College Boards in Glasgow and Aberdeen, and appointed these Boards Trustees for holding property and funds belonging to, or connected with, these Colleges respectively; these Boards were also empowered to employ a Law Agent for the transaction of their business, and instructed to lay before the Assembly, annually, an account of their intromissions, and of the state of their property, funds, and investments. And the General Trustees were instructed to employ Law Agents residing in Glasgow or Aberdeen, for the transaction of all business relating to the tenure and investment of property and funds

* Acts of Assembly relative to Constitution in 1852, V.; 1855, IV. to VI.; 1858, VII.; 1861, IX.

belonging to, or connected with, the Colleges of Glasgow and Aberdeen.*

The Financial Board for the New College, Edinburgh, consists of the following Members,

Ministers.

Principal Rainy.
Sir Henry W. Moncreiff.
Mr. Robert Gordon.
Dr. Alexander Whyte.
Mr. J. H. Wilson.

Mr. R. J. Sandeman.

Elders.

Sheriff Campbell.

Mr. David Maclagan.
Mr. David Dickson.
Mr. John Cowan, Beeslack.
Mr. J. M. Balfour.

Mr. J. P. Coldstream.

Mr. Wm. Wood.

Mr. F. Brown-Douglas.

Principal Rainy, Convener.

Financial Board for the Glasgow College—

Ministers.

Principal Douglas.

Mr. Ralph C. Smith.

Dr. Adam.

Mr. W. R. Taylor.

Elders.

Dr. Anderson Kirkwood.

Mr. James Stevenson.

Mr. J. Campbell, Tullichewan.

Dr. Joshua Paterson.

Mr. Hugh Brown.

Dr. W. G. Blackie.

Principal Douglas, Convener.

Financial Board for the Aberdeen College

Note by the General Assembly.-"The Financial Boards, with Mr. David Maclagan as Convener, are instructed to attend specially to the providing of Endowments for the Colleges."

PROFESSORS.

The election of Professors is vested in the General Assembly, under such regulations as may from time to time be enacted, for * See Act VI. of Assembly 1871.