James Morison, the Scottish Finney. VIII

Rev. James Morison was facing trial before his Presbytery for his abandoning the Westminster doctrine of Limited Atonement. The date fixed was 3rd March 1841.
When the day came it was a beautiful clear day, calm and bright. Clerk's Lane meeting-house was packed, every corner filled by people hoping for a fight.
The Moderator conducted the meeting in a fair, honourable manner. The congregation of Clerk's Lane presented a memorial complaining that the Presbytery was persecuting Mr. Morison. His church was almost wholly behind him, a situation that encouraged Morison.
But forty-one members of the church disagreed. Many of them long-standing members, they presented a counter-memorial, complaining that Morison was not orthodox and calling on the Presbytery to 'give them relief from their present position.' The battle lines were drawn.

The Presbytery declared that their only aim was to discern whether or not Morison taught doctrine which was opposed to the standards of the United Secession Church. Morison did not know the charges until he was called before the Presbytery. He had to give his defence on his feet, as it were.

He was on trial for his post as a minister of the gospel. Next time, God willing, we shall see how the trial went.