The first measure of the Seceders was to form themselves into a pseudo-General Assembly. When there are two suns visible, or two moons, the real one and its duplicate, we call the mock sun a _parhelios_, and the mock moon a _paraselene_. On that principle, we must call this mock Assembly a _para-synodos_. Rarely, indeed, can we applaud the Seceders in the fabrication of names. They distinguish as _quoad sacra_ parishes those which were peculiarly _quoad politica_ parishes; for in that view only they had been interesting to the Non-intrusionists. Again, they style themselves _The Free Church_, by way of taunting the other side with being a servile church. But how are they any church at all? By the courtesies of Europe, and according to usage, a church means a religious incorporation, protected and privileged by the State. Those who are not so privileged are usually content with the title of Separatists, Dissenters, or Nonconformists. No wise man will see either good sense or dignity in assuming titles not appropriate. The very position and aspect towards the church (legally so called) which has been assumed by the Non-intrusionists--viz., the position of protesters against that body, not merely as bearing, amongst other features, a certain relation to the State, but specifically _because_ they bear that relation, makes it incongruous, and even absurd, for these Dissenters to denominate themselves a 'church.' But there is another objection to this denomination--the 'Free Church' have no peculiar and separate Confession of Faith. Nobody knows what are their _credenda_--what they hold indispensable for fellow-membership, either as to faith in mysteries or in moral doctrines. Now, if they reply--'Oh! as to that, we adopt for our faith all that ever we _did_ profess when members of the Scottish kirk'--then in effect they are hardly so much as a dissenting body, except in some elliptic sense. There is a grievous _hiatus_ in their own titledeeds and archives; they supply it by referring people to the muniment chest of the kirk. Would it not be a scandal to a Protestant church if she should say to communicants --We have no sacramental vessels, or even ritual; but you may borrow both from Papal Rome.' Not only, however, is the kirk to _lend_ her Confession, &c.; but even then a plain rustic will not be able to guess how many parts in his Confession are or may be affected by the 'reformation' of the Non-intrusionists. Surely, he will think, if this reformation were so vast that it drove them out of the national church, absolutely exploded them, then it follows that it must have intervened and _indirectly_ modified innumerable questions: a difference that was punctually limited to this one or these two clauses, could not be such a difference as justified a rupture. Besides, if they have altered this one or these two clauses, or have altered their interpretation, how is any man to know (except from a distinct Confession of Faith)