HISTORY OF CIVILISATION IN SCOTLAND.
INFLUENCE OF THE UNION OF THE CROWNS UPON SCOTLAND.
T the opening of this period, it may be recalled that it was not the head of the Government that reformed the Church in Scotland. The change of religion was carried through in opposition to Queen Mary and the representatives of her rights; while her son only accepted the reformed doctrines. From his youth he had manifested a strong dislike to the polity of the reformed Church of his kingdom. In by-past times the Crown had always found support from its connection with the hierarchy; and nothing was more natural than that James VI. should endeavour to restore Episcopacy whenever he could command the power to erect so effective an adjunct of his throne. He was inflexibly possessed with the idea that Episcopacy must be established in Scotland; but the means which he employed to attain this end were unwise and short-sighted. This hostile attitude of the King to the polity of the Church of Scotland gave expression to a sentiment deeply rooted in his mind, it amounted to a conviction that kingly government could not exist side by side with a Presbyterian Church. James had mused on this view of the matter so long, that at last it assumed the place of an idol in his mind, and he was himself fully satisfied that there could be no real King in the realm without Episcopacy. This unfortunately became the foremost