Acts: 1748

The principal acts of the general assembly, holden and begun at Edinburgh, May 12, 1748.

I. Sess 1, May 12, 1748.—The King's Commission to Alexander Earl of Leven produced, and ordered to be recorded.

The General Assembly, &c.

II. Sess. 1, May 12, 1748.—The King's most gracious Letter to the General Assembly, presented to them by his Majesty's Commissioner.

George, R., &c.

III. Sess. 3, May 14, 1748.—The General Assembly's Answer to the King's most gracious Letter.

May it please your Majesty, &c.

IV. Sess 6, May 18, 1748.—Act concerning the Qualifications of Persons claiming to vote in the Calling of Ministers to Vacant Parishes.

The General Assembly do enact, appoint, and declare, that, in the, moderation of calls to ministers, for supplying vacant parishes, no persons shall be admitted to vote, or, if claiming a vote, shall have any regard paid to their votes, who have either twice heard sermon in any meeting or congregation not allowed by the laws, or attended divine worship performed by any Non-jurant minister, or preacher professing himself to be of the Episcopal communion, or where his Majesty King George and the royal family were not prayed for in express words, within twelve calendar months immediately preceding the vacancy of the church to be supplied; or who, during any part of the said twelve calendar months, have received the sacrament of the Lord's Supper dispensed by such ministers, or allowed their children to be baptized by any of them; and that it shall be competent to prove the said facts by the judicial declaration of the person claiming a vote, and objected to; or by any other mean of proof known and competent in law; and that if the person objected to shall refuse to give his declaration when required, he shall be held as confessed. Further, that the proposed declaration to be given by any person claiming a vote as above, shall contain at length the particular exceptions, viz. "That they have not twice heard sermon, or attended divine worship, performed by a Non-jurant minister, or preacher professing himself to be of the Episcopal communion, in any meeting or congregation not allowed by the laws; or where his Majesty King George and royal family were not prayed for in express words, within twelve calendar months immediately preceding the vacancy of the church to be supplied; and that they have not, during any part of the said calender months, received the sacrament of the Lord's Supper dispensed by such ministers, not allowed their children to be baptized by them;" and that the declaration shall not be admitted upon its having reference in general to these exceptions. That no proxy from any person claiming a vote shall be sustained, unless there be annexed to the commission of proxy a subscribed declaration in the terms above mentioned; and that, though a party do claim a vote by proxy, and send a declaration in manner and terms before mentioned; yet, if any person shall object to him, as falling under the exceptions above inserted, it shall be competent to such person to bring a proof of his objection, notwithstanding such declaration.

V. Sess. ult., May 23, 1748.—Commission to some Ministers and Ruling Elders for discussing Affairs referred to them

The General Assembly, &c.

VI. Sess. ult., May 23, 1748.—Commission to some Ministers and Ruling Elders for Reformation of the Highlands and Islands, and for Managing his Majesty's Royal Bounty for that end

The General Assembly, &c.

VII. Sess. ult., May 23, 1748.—Act appointing the Diet of the next General Assembly

The next General Assembly of this National Church is appointed to be held in this place, upon the second Thursday of May next, being the 11th day of that month, in the year 1749.

The General Assembly was concluded with prayer, and singing a part of the 89th Psalm, from the 15th to the 19th verse, and pronouncing the blessing.

Collected and extracted from the Records of the General Assembly, by
Robert Hamilton, Cls. Eccl. Scot. Dep. (fn. 1)

Sess. 7, May 19, 1748.—Overture about Processes against Probationers.

The Committee for overtures transmitted to the Assembly an account of the reports of Presbyteries sent up this year, anent the overture concerning processes against probationers, bearing, that fourteen of the Presbyteries are for passing it into an act, three are for it with amendments, twenty-one are against it, and one for delaying it. And the Assembly having caused to be read the 9th Act of the Assembly, 1697, as also the certifying clause at the end of the foresaid overture, did, after long reasoning, agree, without a vote, to transmit the said overture again to the several Presbyteries of this Church without the said certifying clause, and in place thereof, in time coming, appoint the following rule to be observed, viz.:—" That all Presbyteries shall be put in mind by their several Synods, at such of their stated meetings as shall first be held after the rising of each Assembly, to report their diligence in preparing their opinions and answers, concerning all overtures, (to be reported to future General Assemblies,) to such meetings of their Synods as shall be held immediately preceding the meetings of the General Assembly respectively; and in case, upon inquiry, any Presbytery shall be found to have neglected this part of their duty, by preparing no such answer, the Synod finding such instance of neglect, and no valid excuse offered and sustained, shall censure the Presbytery to neglecting."

Sess. 8, May 20, 1748.— Overture about Licensing Probationers

(Re-transmitted.)

Sess. 8, May 20, 1748.— Overture and Recommendation about Sermons on the Principles of the Reformation and Revolution

(See Act 4th, Assembly, 1749.)

Sess. 9, May 21, 1748.— Overture about the Psalmody

Upon report of the committee for overtures, the General Assembly agreed to remit the Translations and Paraphrases of Passages of Sacred Scripture, with all the amendments offered thereupon, to the consideration of the committee named by the last and preceding Assemblies for that end, and added Mr George Blackwell to their number; which committee are hereby instructed to prepare a state of the whole, to be laid before the next General Assembly. And it is recommended to Presbyteries, or particular members, to have this matter under consideration, and correspond thereanent with the committee, as they shall see cause. And the Assembly appoints that the remarks sent up at this time be put in the hands of the said committee.

Sess. ult., May 23, 1748.— Proposals about Voters in Elections of Ministers. (fn. 2)

There was transmitted to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, from their committee for overtures, a proposal for distinguishing the respect, in the calling of ministers, due to such as are known to express a suitable regard to religion and Gospel ordinances, and excluding those who are of a contrary character. And the General Assembly, judging that this is a matter which requires deliberation, in order to concert the most proper terms in which an overture to the above effect should be conceived, before it be transmitted from the Assembly to Presbyteries, agreed that the above proposal be referred to the Commission of this Assembly, that they may take it under consideration, and be empowered to receive what helps may be transmitted to them from the several Presbyteries of this Church, in order to their forming an overture, to be laid before the next Assembly, that they may transmit it to the several Presbyteries to have their opinion reported, in order to the establishing a standing rule on this subject, if they shall see meet. And it is appointed that this be printed at the end of the Acts of this Assembly, and that the Commission take it under consideration, at farthest, at their meeting in August or November next.