=23. The Disruption.=--This division was brought about by a dispute about the right of patrons to force ministers on parishes, whether the congregations objected to them or not. The spirit of the _Presbyterian Church_ had always been opposed to patronage. By the _First Book of Discipline_ it had been laid down that the people should elect their own ministers; by the _Second Book of Discipline_, that they should at least have the right of objecting to any chosen for them by the heritors or landowners in the parish. After the _Revolution_, an Act of 1690 confirmed them in this privilege, but after the _Union_ in 1712 the _heritors_, eager to regain what they thought their rights, obtained a repeal of this Act and the restoration of their former powers. In spite of the protests of the people and of the Church, this Act gradually became custom as well as law, and led to several schisms; for those congregations who did not choose to have ministers forced on them whom they did not approve, broke off, and founded separate sects. At length, in 1834, the _Non-intrusion_ party, as those who were opposed to patronage were called, had a majority in the Assembly, and passed the _Veto Act_. This Act declared it to be "a fundamental law of the Church that no pastor shall be intruded on a congregation contrary to the will of the people," and that, if the heads of families object to any candidate presented by the patron, the _Presbytery_ shall reject him. In the same year, _Mr. Young_ was presented to the parish of _Auchterarder_, in Perthshire. Several persons objected to him, and the _Presbytery_, acting on the _Veto Act_, rejected him. The patron, _Lord Kinnoul_, appealed to the _Court of Session_ for the enforcement of his civil rights and obtained a verdict in his favour; but the _Presbytery_ appealed to the _House of Lords_. Here too it was given against them, but they still refused to make trial of _Mr. Young_. In another parish, _Strathbogie_, the presentee, _Mr. Edwards_, was objected to by the congregation, and the Presbytery refused to admit him to the parish. He also obtained a decree in his favour from the _Court of Session_, when the Presbytery yielded, and for this they were suspended and deposed by the General Assembly. From this it was clear that the majority in the Assembly were determined to go all lengths in resisting the civil power. In the end the Church had to yield, and to recall the illegal _Veto Act_. Rather than agree to this, in 1843, more than a third of the clergy left the Church. Their leaders were _Dr. Chalmers_ and _Dr. Candlish_. Great numbers of the people went "out," as it was called, with their ministers, and the _Free Church_ which was thus originated has ever since been the successful rival of the Establishment.