Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/569

fortunes of the Scots' church under what Lang called "a sentence of proscription." Lang published in 1828 (after Brisbane's departure) what he called "scraps of Presbyterian conversation," in which his mother accused the Governor to his face of "slighting her family and persecuting the cause of God."

While her son was still an almsman in the house of Wemyss, the intervention of Mrs. Lang created ill will between Wemyss and Brisbane. The latter promised to assist the church, and the former (according to Lang's statements) distrusted the promise. Under these circumstances Lang declared that he "determined to leave the Commissary's family altogether, and to live in future in his own hired house." He abstained from conversing with Mrs. Wemyss, in compliance with the injunction—"Ephraim is joined to his idols; let him alone." Severance from the Commissary had "become indispensably necessary" in order to profit by the grace of Sir T. Brisbane, with whom Lang put himself in communication in May 1824, and from whom he received promise of assistance. Brisbane subscribed £100, and in July 1824 was present at the laying of the foundation-stone of the Scots' Church on land which he granted for the purpose. Wemyss was absent, and Lang said "he was evidently hardening his heart against the Lord, who had accomplished the deliverance of the Scots' Church from the hand of her enemies." Brisbane undertook to recommend to the Secretary of State the issue of a stipend to the successful Lang, who sailed for England (Aug. 24) to ply his persuasions in person, ostensibly to secure a grant in aid of the erection of the church, but with an eye to a more personal matter. There he found that Lord Bathurst had already animadverted^[1] upon Brisbane's offensive reply to the Presbyterians. The requirement from them to prove their loyalty was one which on reflection Brisbane would consider "an ill-advised and extraordinary demand." Brisbane was directed to "assign out of the Police Fund a sum equal to one-third of what upon an estimate of a plan first approved" by himself might appear requisite for the erection of a