E PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES IN SCOTLAND. Christianity was probably introduced into Scot land about the beginning of the third century, and the claim has been made that the early Celtic churches were non-prelatical. However that may be, they were later brought into the Roman obedience, and remained thus until the Reforma tion. Since that time the history of the Presby terian Church in Scotland has been practically a history of the country. The life of John Knox (q.v.) is the epitome of the Scottish Reforma tion. The first public movement toward the or ganization of the Presbyterian Church was the drawing of a bond known as 'The First Covenant.' It was signed at Edinburgh, December 3, 1557, by some of the most powerful Scotch barons, and by many of the lesser nobility. This act brought forth a proclamation from the Queen Regent forbidding any one to preach or adminis ter the sacrament without the authority of a bishop, but the Reformed party triumphed and in 1560 Parliament abolished the Roman Catholic form of worship, adopted a confession of faith agreeing with those of the Reformed churches of the Continent. and appointed ministers of the Protestant faith to various parts of the king dom. On December 20, 1560, the first General Assembly of the Church of Scotland was held in Edinburgh. It consisted of six ministers and thirty-four laymen. In this same year a com mittee of five persons, including Knox, had been appointed "to commit to writing their judgments touching the reformation of religion." Their First Book of Discipline was rejected by the nobles, though accepted by the Church. In 15S1 the Second Book of Discipline was adopted by the Assembly, and is still in force together with the Westminster standards. The undaunted perse verance of John Knox and Andrew Melville at last procured complete recognition of the Cal vinistic faith, and the Presbyterian form of government, as the established religion of Scot land. This was ratified by Parliament, with the consent of King James (I. of England, and VI. of Scotland) in 1592. His duplicity, however, soon made itself manifest when he tried to force the episcopal polity on his Scottish subjects. In this he was followed by his successors, Charles L, Charles IL, and James II. The ecclesiastical affairs of the country were in great confusion.
In 1610 the Glasgow Assembly restored the epis copal government. In 1638 the Assembly rescind ed the acts of six previous Assemblies, condemned and deposed the bishops, and abolished episco pacy. In 1661 Parliament passed the Reseissory Act, which repealed the legislation of the pre vious twenty-one years, and episcopacy was restored to its former position. After the acces sion of William and Mary in 1689 civil and religious liberty were restored and Presbyterian ism was revived. In 1690 an Act of Settlement was passed, prelacy done away with, and the Westminster Confession adopted. Though both England and Scotland had been under one crown for nearly a century, they still continued separate kingdoms, each with its own Parliament and executive, independent of the other, but upon their union in 1707 the position of Presbyterian ism was guaranteed, and it has since con tinued to be the established religion of Scot land. The Church of Scotland is the established Church, from which the other bodies have from time to time withdrawn. It differs from them chiefly iu maintaining a connection with the State.
The question of patronage caused great dis sension at an early period, for the Scotch claimed the right to elect their own clergy, or at least the privilege of vetoing an unsatisfactory appointment. A worldly spirit manifested itself, men who were lax in principle obtained impor tant positions. and strange doctrines were taught the result was the secession of several important bodies. The first party to withdraw were the Covenanters or who objected to the interference of State with Church, and who therefore on July 27, 1712, renewed the Covenants (q.v.). They were lineal descendants of the covenanted presbytery, and logically true to their principles. The former Covenanters protested against the errors of prelaey, and their succes sors were now equally emphatic against the back sliding of presbytery. Another body led by Ebe nezer Erskine (q.v.) came out in 1733, forming a party known as the Associated Presbytery or The Seceders. Again, in 1760, another body left the mother Church. These men were known as The Relief Synod. On May 13, 1847, these churches united, forming the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland.