uneasiness by those w h o remained staunch to the parent tree. Naturally it created a great diversity of opinion amongst the followers of Presbyterianism, and was incessantly talked over, and hotly debated in the newspapers. It was, however, a question with which other religious denominations had no concern; and no matter how individuals sympathised with either side, Presbyterianism was allowed tofightit out in its own way. T h e authorities of the Scotch kirk had a novel and disagreeable duty to perform—one requiring prudence and firmness to deal with. T h efirststep to be taken was as regarded the Rev. James Forbes, and he should be dealt with promptly and summarily. A meeting of the Presbytery was held on the 17th November, in the church, at which attended the Rev. M r . Gunn, (Moderator), and the Rev. Mr. Love, with Messrs. James Ballingall, David Ogilvie and D. E. Wilkie, as Elders. Resolutions were unanimously passed (1) declaring the Rev. James Forbes no longer a minister of the Scotch Church, Melbourne, and that he had ceased to be a m e m b e r of that Court; (2) declaring the pulpit of the Scotch Church, Melbourne, vacant, and that the congregation thereof are at liberty to procure another minister, with due attention to the forms directed to be observed in such cases, and (3) in order to give effect to such resolutions, the same be reported to the Synod. T h e Moderator was authorised to declare the church vacant from the 29th November, and the Court broke up. T h e action so taken received the requisite confirmation in due course, and on the 17th February, 1847, a call m a d e by the congregation in favour of the Rev. Irving Hetherington, then officiating at Singleton ( N e w South Wales), was submitted to the Presbytery. After consideration, it was sustained and ordered to be forwarded to Mr. Hetherington, and also to the Presbytery at Maitland. T h e Rev. M r . Hetherington came to Melbourne, and was for many years well-known and appreciated as a zealous and untiring missionary. Places of worship were opened at Buninyong and the Leigh, through the exertions of the Rev. T h o m a s Hastings, and Building and Sustentation Funds were liberally supported. In July, 1848, the Melbourne Presbytery deposed the Rev. Mr. Lawrie, at Belfast, where he had been for some time ministering, for certain irregularities charged against him. H e denied them in lolo, and the Rev. Mr. Love was directed to proceed to the Westward, to make inquiry and report to the Presbytery. In February, 1849, the Rev. Mr. Richardson was despatched on duty to Portland, and for some time had the use of the Wesleyan Chapel there. At the end of 1850, there were, in Port Phillip,fivechurches, capable of holding 1376 persons, and attended usually by about 900. In March, 1851, the number of Presbyterians, generally, was returned at 11,608, of w h o m 2955 resided in Melbourne. O n the 5th November, 1851, there was a meeting of the Presbytery, attended by the Rev. Mr. G u n n (Moderator), the Rev. Mr. Gore, and the Rev. Mr. Love, when the only business for consideration was an objection by Dr. Wilkie, against the appointment by Mr. Hetherington of Mr. Robert Campbell as an Elder, who had, in 1842, been removed from office by the Rev. Mr. Forbes. There was m u c h discussion on the matter, and the result was the cancellation of the appointment. FREE PROTESTING CHURCH OF AUSTRALIA FELIX.
The Rev. James Forbes was joined by a number of Presbyterians of good social standing and well off in worldly means—seceders from the parent kirk. They willingly co-operated with him in the establishment of what was denominated a " Free Protesting Church," while adhering to the principles and testimony of the Free Church of Scotland ; and they held several meetings in furtherance of the project. T h e first meeting was on the evening of the 17th November, 1846, at the Scots' Church, Alderman W . M . Bell presiding, at which a Committee was appointed, with the Rev. J. Forbes and Mr. Henrie Bell as secretaries, and ^ 1 5 1 subscribed instanter as incipient " sinews of war" for the new departure. A s they would have to turn out of the kirk building it was decided to rent the Mechanics' Institute for ,£30 per year, as a temporary place of worship, until such time as a regular church could be erected. It was further agreed that this Free Church was to be uncontrolled by any body external to Australia Felix. The seceders worked hard; services continued to be held regularly at the Mechanics' Institute, and the movement was m u c h encouraged by the arrival, in June 1847, of the Rev. J. T. Huie, a missionary from the Free Church in Scotland, who preached several times with m u c h effect in Melbourne and other places, finally settling down at Geelong. Alderman Bell and Mr. James T. Everist were thefirstappointed Elders.
