Synods, the whole constituting the General Assembly. Including missionaries and ministers retired from active duty there are 650 clerical members of assembly which, together with a ruling elder from each congregation make almost 1,200 members who have a right to sit in the Annual General Assembly of the Church.

2. Doctrine.-The Presbyterian Church has always laid great emphasis on the authority of the Word of God. From this, however, a system of doctrine has been formulated called the "Westminster Confession of Faith,' subscription to which is required from all candidates for ordination whether to the ministry or to the eldership. This system of doctrine is historic, having been drawn up by the Westminster Assembly of Divines in 1643, and according to which the Parliament when it subscribed "The Solemn League and Covenant, "bound itself to settle the Protestantism of the three kingdoms. Many of the doctrines of the Westminster Confession of Faith are common to the creeds of other denominations, but there are a few wherein it differs from the creeds of other Christian Churches, and these are known as "Calvinism," not because John Calvin instituted them or was the first to propound them, but because he was their most profound expositor and their ablest advocate.

The Longer and Shorter Catechisms also embody the main doctrines of the Presbyterian faith, the latter being a masterful epitome of religious truth. Both these works are also productions of the Westminster Assembly of Divines.

Unlike the Prelatic Churches, Presbyterians refuse the dogma of apostolical succession in the doctrinal sense, and hold that ministers are the successors of the apostles only in so far as they have the mind of Christ, their living Head, and are called to their office by the Holy Spirit.

The Presbyterian Church only recognises two sacraments as instituted by Christ, namely, Baptism and the Lord's Supper, and they hold that these are effectual to salvation, not from any virtue in them, or in him that doth administer them, but only by the blessing of Christ, and the working of His Spirit in them that by faith receive them.

6. Position.-The Presbyterian Church in Ireland is the oldest branch of the disestablished Church of Scotland, and was planted in Ulster by Scots' ministers in 1642.

For the

next eighteen years, which embrace the periods of the great Civil War and Cromwell's protectorate, the Presbyterian ministers occupied the parish pulpits and enjoyed the tithes or the State provision made by the Commonwealth Government. They were deposed, however, at the Restoration, and constrained to build churches for themselves. In 1672 they received a State endowment called Reginum Donum from Charles II. which, with several increases, they continued to enjoy down to the year 1869, that is, for nearly two hundred years. In 1869 the Presbyterian Church was disendowed, just as the Protestant Church was disestablished, and received a large sum as the capitalised life interest of the ministers then in charge of the congregations. This sum which the ministry commuted in the interests of the Church as a permanent endowment, was invested, and the proceeds, supplemented by a Sustentation Fund then established, were calculated to secure each minister in £100 a year. This ideal, however, has never been fully realised. In addition to this equal dividend each minister receives the amount of seat rents raised by his congregation.

4. Statistics. Last year the amount raised for the Sustentation Fund to supplement the income from the Commutation Fund amounted to nearly £24,000. In addition to this £58,000 was paid for seat rents, and the total contributions for all purposes amounted to £208,000.

According to the census of 1901 there were 443,494 Presbyterians in Ireland, the great majority of whom were located in the north-east of Ulster. The minutes of the General Assembly for 1907 report that there were 650 ministers in connection with the church, over 106,000 persons who have a right to receive the Lord's Supper, and 96,000 children on the roll of its Sabbath Schools.

A more detailed knowledge of Presbyterianism in Ireland may be received from "The History and Principles of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland," by Rev. D. Stewart, and published by the Sabbath School Society, Fisherwick Place, Belfast. The price is 1s.

The Replanting of Ireland.

After a long period of inaction the question of the reafforesting of Ireland seems at length likely to be taken up by the new Vice-President of the Agricultural Department, Mr. T. W. Russell, M.P. This work if properly and promptly carried out will have two advantages-one the immediate employment of thousands of people now idle, and the other an ultimate profit to the country. The statistics of the German Empire, where planting is carried out on a vast scale, show that four and a half millions of people are cmployed in the cultivation of forests and the numerous industries incidental to an abundance of wood. In administration and wages over £42,000,000 are annually expended. On the financial aspect of of the question the eminent authority, Dr. Schlick, says the value of the German forests is equal to £900,000,000.

Alluding to what could be done in the three kingdoms, Dr. Nisbet says: "Out of the £25,000,000 worth of timber imported into it £18,000,000 could be well and profitably grown in these countries. If it were so grown for the last fifty years an asset almost equal to the National Debt would have been created."

Some couple of years ago a number of artisans went over from Birmingham to Berlin to inquire into some trade m tters. In an account of their journey the writer, himself an artisan, says: "In travelling through Prussia or North Germany one is struck with the condition of the land, hardly an acre of it is uncultivated. There are five golf links in the German Empire, and over 1,000 in the United Kingdom. It is difficult to find land, all the country is laid out for agriculture. There are no stately trees for scenery, as the timber is grown for commerce or fuel." Before coming to the case of Ireland, we may cite one other remarkable instance of the advantages and profit of planting. In the province called Landes on the shores of the Bay of Biscay a few peasants some time ago sought a precarious living

in its marshes. Since that time the government planted the marshes with pines. Now there are miles of forest, and, according to the Minister of Agriculture, £50,000,000 has been added to the wealth of France. The French Forest Department thus describes the change: "This is one of the most beautiful pages in the history of civilization and progress in a region which thirty years ago was one of the poorest and most miserable in France, but which must now be reckoned one of the most wealthy and prosperous."

At the present moment not only are there pine forests, but there is a prospeous population working in the numerous saw mills and other factories abounding there. From the evidence of Professor W. K. Sullivan, late President of Queen's College, Cork, and other authorities we shall see that what was done in France is possible in Ireland. In his evidence before the Select Committee on Irish industries in 1885 Dr. Sullivan said: "About thirty years ago (in the year 1855) I recommended the government when they had determined to build those expensive but useless Model Farm Schools, to plant the mountain sides, but the advice of doctrinaires, who knew nothing about the country, prevailed. Had it been done Ireland would now be richer by £30,000,000."

During the very same inquiry an expert forest conservator from Denmark, Mr. Howitz, was sent over to Ireland to inquire into the matter. In his report to the House of Commons he said: "I think the question of planting Ireland is one of vast importance to that country, and that instead of having five millions of people she ought to have five and twenty." What a solution to the emigration question! But since that time three and twenty years have again rolled by and Ireland is poorer and less populous than it was.

What a different story had Mr. Morley, Secretary for India, to tell of the forestry industry in that distant part of the empire. In his Indian Budget speech on the 29th July, 1906, he said: "The State forests of India cover over 250,000 square miles, and 66,000,000 feet of timber from the. State forests have been exported, and there has been an increase of revenue of £600,000, and," he continued, "I cannot wonder that those who are concerned in these operations look forward with nothing short of exultation to the day

when this country will realise what a splendid asset is now being built up in India in connection with her forests.” Mr. Morley was for some years Secretary for Ireland, but he had no tale to tell of the development of the forests of Ireland, which, according to Professor Sullivan and Conservator Howitz, could if cultivated have enriched this country by many millions.

But this neglect did not always exist. In a book pubiished in 1794 by Mr. Samuel Hayes, of Avondale, County Wicklow, and nephew of Sir John Parnell, Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Irish Parliament, a statement is made to the effect that bounties were paid by the Dublin Society for the planting of trees. In 1783, 65,153 trees were propagated, and in 1790 the number rose to 3,768,500. The bounties were granted out of the funds supplied by the Irish Parliament. The bounties and tree propagation were discontinued after the Union in 1808.

Though the State with its vast resources has been inactive, some private individuals have demonstrated the possibilities of planting, and also of the foundation of industries springing from a supply of timber.

Amongst the former we may mention Lord Fitzwilliam, the late Lord Powerscourt, Lord Castletown, Count Moore; the Gaelic League, too, has given much impetus to a movement destined to make Ireland again become the “island of trees." We may add that the monks of Mount Melleray, without any State funds, departments, or lecturers have successfully clothed the Knockmealdown Mountains with healthy trees.

In

As examples of the application of native timber to manufacturing purposes we may mention that at the very gate of his demesne Lord Castletown has established a prosperous saw mill, employing many hands and supplying the neighhourhood with domestic and agricultural requirements. the town of Edenderry Messrs. Aylesbury have established a saw mill, and they have galvanised that little town into activity. In Kilkenny the energetic Mayor, the Hon. Otway Cuffe has helped to promote a fine wood factory, and some of its beautiful productions can be now seen in the Company's Depot, Nassau Street, Dublin.

But all these efforts are tentative and merely show what could be done if the scientific planting of trees for com