much needed in order that local efforts may be seconded. I would therefore take this opportunity of earnestly commending both these good works to the liberality of all who wish well to our Sion.

I may mention in conclusion that I have, since our last Synod, resigned the immediate pastoral care of the congregations of Ballachulish and Glencoe. For these two very important Gaelic Charges, I have been enabled to provide Pastors who have, indeed, for some years been acting as my deputies, and who, as such, have both of them, earned the respect and confidence of the flocks committed to them. To S. John's, Ballachulish, I have instituted the Rev. Donald Cameron, for whose able assistance in scholastic and other Diocesan matters, I must acknowledge myself much indebted. To S. Mary's, Glencoe, I have instituted the Rev. Robert Macpherson, a former student of this College. Though I still retain the incumbency of S. Bride's, Nether Lochaber, I am dependent for the maintenance of its Gaelic service, each Sunday, upon the able assistance of the Rev. Dugald Mackenzie the Incumbent of Duror. With thankfulness to God for continuing to us the benefits of a Gaelic-speaking priesthood, I rejoice to record that in the three adjoining Charges of which S. John's, Ballachulish is the Mother Church, there were last Easter nearly three hundred communicants, of whom all, with the exception of a small proportion, chiefly consisting of aged and infirm persons, received the Blessed Sacrament early in the morning. In the same neighbourhood, both at Duror and Fort William, there are also Gaelic-speaking congregations, efficiently ministered to by Gaelic-speaking Clergy. The flock committed to the care of Canon MacColl, though scattered over a wide area, is faithfully and earnestly cared for.

SPIRITUAL PROGRESS.

The foregoing is the report I have to give of Church progress in this Diocese during the past year, in addition to the usual statistical returns, which will be laid before this Synod

in the course of its proceedings. I have alluded, you will see, almost exclusively to external matters. What inward spiritual progress we have made, God only knows. Just as the spiritual life of individuals cannot be estimated by external acts of devotion performed, so the spiritual progress of a Church or Diocese cannot be estimated by outward events and statistics.

Yet I hope and believe that the Holy Ghost is working in our midst, and if so, two results must follow, to which I would draw your attention.

OUR NEED OF HUMILITY AND CHARITY.

In the first place, we must of necessity become more and more humble. In the light of the Spirit of Truth we must learn to recognise not only our own weakness and feebleness, as a portion of Christ's Church-for this is evident enough to all the world-but we must learn also to recognize our own sinfulness and unfaithfulness, our own worldliness and luke

warmness.

This humble estimate of ourselves, if it is genuine, must manifest itself especially in our dealings with those who are not in communion with us. We are surrounded by multitudes of our fellow-countrymen who believe in Our Lord Jesus Christ, who worship Him as God, who rely upon His Atoning Death, who hope for His Return, and yet, who seem to us, not to be following Him fully in the ways of His Church. Let us never venture to lift up ourselves against such in a spirit of self-complacency. We may rejoice in possessing an Apostolic Ministry, and give thanks that the Divine Presence of Jesus in His Holy Sacrament, has not been withdrawn from our altars. But what will these blessings avail us in the Day of Judgment, if in spite of all, we ourselves shall then be weighed in the balances and be found wanting? In that Great Day it is to be feared that there will be many Bishops, Clergy and Churchmen on the Left Hand, who will receive only the sorer condemnation on account of their

high privileges; while on the Right Hand, it is certain that multitudes will find mercy, who, though by devious paths, have at last attained unto Him in Whom Alone

is Eternal Salvation, Jesus Christ the Lord. Let us see to it, then, that, realizing our own shortcomings, we shun all self-sufficient pride or arrogance in thought, word, or deed towards those of our brethren round about us who call upon the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and yet who follow not with us. What have we that we have not received? Shall we dare to boast? Can we show, at any rate in the recent history of our Church, any act of self-sacrificing faith greater than that manifested by the Free Church of Scotland at the time of the Disruption? Can we boast that, according to our professedly high standard and requirements, candidates for Holy Orders amongst us are more carefully selected, and better trained, than are the theological students of the Established Church? Can we point, in all our Charges, to congregations preparing for the reception of the Blessed Sacrament before the Great Festivals, with as much zeal and purpose as are frequently displayed among Presbyterians before their General Communions? Can we boast of a Laity giving, as a general rule, out of their substance more, or even as much, as is given by the Lay members of the two great voluntary bodies of Scotland?

Reflections suggested by such questions as these, must of necessity humble us, and, if we are being led by the Holy Spirit, we shall not only be contrite towards God, but also modest and charitable in all we say and do with regard to our Presbyterian brethren-remembering always that humility and charity are not only consistent with, but should be the necessary outcome of strong conviction, when that conviction s based upon truth.

THE COMING OF THE LORD.

But there is yet one other test by which we should try ourselves, in order to see whether we are, as a Diocese, growing

in grace and in the knowledge and love of Our Lord Jesus Christ. It is this-Are we learning more and more to look forward with hope to His Second and Glorious Appearing? Or are we, on the contrary, bounding our anticipations with regard to the Church, by some dream of a hoped-for consummation, to be attained to in this world, as at present constituted?

To set a high standard and bright anticipations before us, even for this world, is no doubt, at times, good and useful. But for the ultimate fulfilment of our hopes, we must look beyond. We may indulge perhaps, now and then, in a fond dream, that some day Scotland may see the Catholic Church restored throughout her borders, in all her purity, beauty and power; that our now ruined Cathedrals may once more resound with the voice of prayer and praise; that deserted cloisters may once more be peopled with holy men and women devoted by the vows of Religion to the service of God; that at countless altars the Christian Sacrifice may be offered up by a holy and devoted priesthood; that all the laity may be faithful to their Mother Church; that all divisions may be healed, and that the ancient Faith of the Catholic Church, neither corrupted nor diminished, may be the only religion of the land.

Upon such a dream as this we may perhaps sometimes dwell, and for such results as these, we are no doubt right in labouring, just as if they were really within our reach. Yet, even so, we must look beyond, to a still brighter and better consummation: even to the Second Coming of Him, who has ascended from us into Heaven: even to the return of our King, Whose right it is to reign.

Our bright dreams for the future of the Church in our beloved Fatherland, may not, and probably never will be, fulfilled in this world. Yet notwithstanding, if in faith and piety our hopes are built upon the return of Our Lord and Master, we shall never be confounded, and He will Himself give us a place in that better and Heavenly Country which he has gone to prepare, and into which He will lead His people,

after that He has come again to receive them unto Himself, that where He is there they may be also.

Let us then ask ourselves whether as individuals and as a Diocese, we are looking forward with a more realizing faith and hope, towards the Second Coming of Our Lord and only Saviour Jesus Christ. Such will be the case with us, if we are being led by the Holy Spirit, and are following His gracious inspirations.

RETREATS FOR THE CLERGY.

Before leaving the subject of spiritual progress, I must record one fact with special thankfulness, namely, the Retreat that was held last Autumn in this College and Cathedral, under the auspices of our much respected Provost and Dean. It was from the first, I believe, his wish that such a Retreat should take place annually, and I now hope this will be the case henceforward.

The Retreat conducted for us last year by my dear friend and brother in Christ, Mr Mackonochie, was in fact the third that we have had here, and at the conclusion of this Synod we hope to commence a fourth, Mr Wylde the Vicar of S. Saviour's, Leeds, having kindly consented to act as conductor, for the second time in Scotland.

I can hardly overstate the importance of such spiritual Retreats. I think we have only to realize what we are, and what we have to do, in order to see how important, how, I might almost say, essential, they are, for every priest who desires to be a faithful Minister of Jesus Christ, and to save both his own soul, and the souls of those who hear him.

For what have we to do? We have not only as priests to offer sacrifice at God's Altar, to administer the Sacraments to His people, and to recite day by day, as in solemn duty bound, our appointed Morning and Evening Offices: we have to fulfil other functions, which must depend very much on our own personal fitness, on our own personal religion. Every priest who exactly follows the directions of the Church