position to what it believes and has solemnly declared to
be founded on the Scripture, and agreeable thereto, it would exhibit
itself to the world a disgraced and degraded society, utterly fallen
from the faithfulness to religious duty which marked former periods of
its history.'--_Sermon_, p. 21.

'Clear it is,' said the conjurer, 'that the Church must not be
permitted to retain with impunity her attitude of defiance to the
civil tribunals. Were it otherwise, an ecclesiastical power might come
to be established in this kingdom, fully able to trample uncontrolled
on the most sacred rights of the nation.'--_Dialogue 1st_, p. 12.

'Nothing, I repeat,' said the true Mr. Clark, 'can be more absurd than
the insinuation. The liberties of the Church of Scotland have been
often assailed by the civil authorities of the land, but uniformly by
those who were equally hostile to the civil freedom of the country.
Its rights were, during one dreary period, so effectually overthrown,
that none stood up to assert them but the devoted band who, in the
wildest fastnesses of their country, were often compelled by the
violence of military rule to water with their blood the moors, where
they rendered homage to the King of Zion; while, in the sunshine of
courtly favour, ecclesiastics moved, who without fear bartered, for
their own sordid gain, the blood-bought liberties of the Church of
God, and showed themselves as willing to subvert the civil rights of
their countrymen as they had been to destroy their religious
privileges.'--_Sermon_, p. 30.

'To be above the law,' reiterated the conjurer, 'no Church in this
country can be.'--_Dialogue 1st_, p. 16.

'There may arise various occasions,' said the true Mr. Clark, 'on
which the injunctions of man may interfere with the injunctions of
God; and in every such case a Christian man must yield obedience to
the authority of the highest Lord.'--_Sermon_, p. 22.

'Sad case that of Strathbogie!' ejaculated the conjurer.

'Very sad,' replied the true Mr. Clark. 'What is your version of it?'

'Listen,' said the conjurer. 'What has been termed the Veto Law was
enacted less than ten years ago, and after lengthened legal
proceedings, was declared illegal by the House of Lords, the highest
judicial authority in this kingdom. For proceedings adopted in
conformity to this decision, seven ministers in the Presbytery of
Strathbogie were first suspended and then deposed from their
ministerial offices, with