were enemies to Greenshields, on account of the English Liturgy.[1]
After the Toleration Act in 1712, the English Liturgy was extensively used by the Episcopalians in Scotland. The Church, says a writer, who well knew the circumstances, "was put in a much better condition than at any time since the Revolution: Meeting Houses were set up in several towns and villages, where both pastors and people manifested the greatest forwardness for embracing the English Liturgy, and it was brought into several parish Churches. Prayer Books were sent from England to supply the wants of the people. All this was in a great measure owing to the generous charity of many pious and well disposed persons of all ranks, of the Church of England, particularly of the famous University of Oxford, at whose charges and charitable contributions, without any brief to further it, above nineteen thousand Common Prayer Books, and other devotional edifying books relating to it, were remitted from London in the space of two years."[2] The Presbyterians were annoyed and perplexed: they called
- ↑ Archbishop Sharp formed a much more correct opinion on the sufferings of the Episcopal Clergy. When the Bishop of Edinburgh wrote to him on the subject, the Archbishop sent a letter directly to the Queen. He also "spoke earnestly to her Majesty about the Episcopal Clergy. He told her Majesty of the Judge Advocate's circular letter for shutting up all the Episcopal Meeting Houses; in which letter he said he had orders from the Queen, under her hand and seal, to do this. The Queen said it was not so." This was before Greenshields's case occurred: and for some time, the Clergy were permitted to enjoy a little peace. The Archbishop also induced the Queen to make a grant of money to several of the Scottish Bishops. Life of Archbishop Sharp, i. 393–398.
- ↑ Representation of the State of the Church in North Britain, p. 19.
