Memoir of the Chisholm

222 HIS FEELINGS TOWARDS
tion, it would not become me to speak. No
one can feel more unaffectedly sensible of his
deficiencies for so important a duty. Such
as they are, however, they attach to one who
avows himself amongst the humblest, but not
the least devoted of her members 5 ."
In words substantially the same with those
which the late member for Kilmarnock has here
employed, and with a spirit not less devoted
to the Church of which he was an affectionate
and faithful son, the writer believes that the
Chisholm would have expressed his own feel-
ings and views, upon the same subject, had he
been yet alive.
What his judgment would have been upon
the sad and distracting controversy, now car-
ried on so keenly in the Church of Scotland,
upon the Veto Question, it is impossible to
say; for the proceedings which had arisen
out of the decision upon the Auchterader case,
had not reached, during his lifetime, that pain-
ful and perplexed position in which they are '
now placed. He foresaw, however, the pro-
spect of much dissension and misery in what
5 See " Times," April 2, 1841.